Credit: Joe Hindy / Android Government
Welcome to the 361st edition of Android Apps Weekly and the first one of 2021. Last week there was not a lot of app news, but there were quite a few things at the end of the year. Let’s dive in:
- Google Camera received an unfortunate update this week. The update removed astrophotography features from the wide-angle cameras on newer Pixel phones. It now only works with 1x zoom or larger. Google did not release any statements, but the complaints about the performance of the wide-angle camera were probably the reason. Click on the link to find out more.
- We did a poll to see what our readers like best in streaming in 2020. Among the winners were Attack on Titan, The Mandalorian Season 2, Tiger King and The Queen’s Gambit. It’s been a big year for streaming because of the pandemic, and it was nice to see how good programs and movies come out of it. You can click on the link to see all the winners, runners-up and nominees.
- December 31 was the last day for The Office on Netflix. The program is now being broadcast on Peacock from here. It’s one of the biggest draws on Netflix’s service. It also serves as a reminder of how fragmented streaming is now. It’s a shame, but if you signed up for The Office on Netflix, you’ll have to use Peacock to watch the rest of it.
- We’ve put together the most controversial apps and games since 2020. There’s been a lot of controversy, including Fortnite’s removal of Google Play and Apple’s App Store, Totok’s spying on people, Cheetah Mobile’s recent demise, and all the things Zoom did wrong after it became interested due to the pandemic. You can click the link to see all the details about each one.
- Finally, we also rounded up the best Android apps and the best Android games released in 2020. It’s actually been a pretty good year with games like Dead Cell, Levelhead and Genshin Impact along with apps like Plexamp, Vivaldi Browser and Firefox’s massive Daylight. Update. You can click on each link to read our full list along with some honorable mentions.
Basketball against zombies
Price: Free to play
Basketball vs Zombies is an arcade game with a few different game elements. In the first part, zombies are killed with a baseball bat. The second time, you shot zombie heads into a basket to score points. Some of the features of the game include 50 character sheets, 60 weapons and a stupid premise. It will certainly not win any awards, but it is an entertaining little arcade game for fans of the zombie genre. The game is also in Early Access beta, so expect some bugs while the developers finalize things.
Taskito
Price: Free / $ 4.99
Taskito is a new to-do list app and one of the best we’ve seen in a while. The app features a sleek user interface, many features and an integrated calendar to kill two birds with one stone. Taskito first functions as a calendar. You can plan your day, add opportunities and do the usual things. The things to do, sit down and everything on the calendar can also be a task if you want. It also supports lists so you can do things like grocery lists, chore lists and things like that. There are also more than 15 themes and other customization options. This one does not need a subscription. Instead, it works with an add-on model. We honestly only recommend the $ 4.99 price for all the features at once.
Credit: Joe Hindy / Android Government
Run Boggo Run
Price: $ 0.99
Run Boggo Run is an interesting endless runner for two reasons. For one, it’s a little harder than most arcade runners in the Play Store. Second, it is published by BuzzFeed. Yes, that BuzzFeed. The game features achievements, some extras like wallpapers, and a family-friendly premise. It costs $ 0.99 ahead of time and does not contain any ads or in-app purchases at the time of this writing. It’s actually not half bad. However, many players were not prepared for the trouble above average, so the Play Store rating is a bit lower than it should have been. Anyway, it’s a beautiful endless runner to dismiss 2021.
Credit: Joe Hindy / Android Government
Proton calendar
Price: Free
Proton Calendar is the latest app from the developers of ProtonMail and Proton VPN. This is of course a calendar program. The app includes encryption and enhanced privacy and security features, like all other developer apps. It promises no ads, no trackers and no sharing of data so you can plan your day in peace. In addition, the coding is strong enough that not even Proton can see you well, let alone anyone else. In terms of features, it’s a decent calendar app. You can create events, manage ten independent calendars, set up recurring events (like trash) and even add event notifications to remind you of things. There is also a light and dark theme if you need it. It’s currently in the Early Access Beta, so there are still bugs, but it’s probably going to be one of the best if it’s fully launched.
Credit: Joe Hindy / Android Government
Bikepark.io
Price: Free
Bikepark.io is a new IO game. This one is a bike race. You and other players race on different tracks until someone wins. Players move forward automatically and at increasing speeds. The challenge is not to fall off the track and not to hit obstacles. The first level is super easy and, to be honest, you do not really have to move your character. The second level gets harder and it continues from there. This is a decent little arcade game. The game is also kid-friendly. It certainly won’t win any awards, but it’s not a bad way to kill a few minutes.
Credit: Joe Hindy / Android Government
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