Tag: android

With the size of android gadgets getting bigger and bigger, users have started exploring new ways of how extensively these devices can be used. One of the recent trends that Android users have developed is of drawing and sketching. Users now, in their free time, like to try their artistic skills but for that you need some good sketching apps and in this post we will be talking about the same.

Skitch

We will start with the free ones first. Skitch is a popular sketching and annotation app, which means you can either sketch from scratch or annotate an existing image. The app is from Evernote’s developers and to use it you need an Evernote account which can be created for free. The app is for basic users and does not feature hardcore drawing tools that is well justified by its price which is free.

Download: Android | iOS

Sketcher Free

The next free app which is a little more advanced than Skitch is called Sketcher Free. And yes it is available for free. This lovely sketching app features 11 brushes, color picker and eraser, and lets you share them with your friends and family via email and MMS. That is for the free version, but if you want additional features such as adjustable canvas size and the ability to zoom, you can buy Sketcher PRO which is available for $1.99.

Download: Android

Paperless

If you own a tablet and not a phone then this app is perfect for you. Paperless not only lets you sketch and paint with regular tools, but features water colors, feather, pencil and brushes too. There are a lot of customization options ranging from changing the thickness of the brush, size, opacity, and smoothing to picking your custom colors. Furthermore you can share your creations on Facebook, and the app also lets you save your work in PNG format.

Download: Android | iOS

Fresco Paint Pro

The next feature rich sketching app is called Fresco Paint Pro. Described as a ‘mobile art studio for Android’, the application features a variety of brushes, filters and effects to help you come up with some pretty impressive art images. The app also has an autosave feature that saves your canvas in a timely manner while you are working on it and also lets you export them in Photoshop PSD format for further editing jobs. There is also a free version of the app called Fresco Paint Lite, which you an try before going for the pro version.

Download: Android

SketchBook Pro

SketchBook Pro is the ultimate Android drawing app that comes with a range of professional sketching and painting  tools that includes 60 preset brushes, layer blending, and customizable brush settings. The interface is very intuitive and streamlined too, and thus is quite user friendly. The paid app could sound a little too expensive at $4.99, but there is also a free version available called SketchBook Express and you can try that before buying the ultimate Pro version.

Download: Android | iOS

Similar Applications

Some other noteworthy sketching and drawing apps are SketchBook Express and Infinite Design. iOS users can also look at ArtRage and Paper.

Conclusion

The aforementioned apps are available in both free and paid versions. So what we suggest is that you download the free versions of the respective apps, try them out and then go ahead with the paid ones. As far as our verdict is concerned, SketchBook Pro is definitely the ultimate app, not because of its pricing, but because of its features and ease of use.

As we all know there are endless possibilities when it comes to customizing your Android, and if we can install different launchers and icons, we can improve our typing experience for sure too. The stock keyboard available on Android is good enough for all applications but even that can be replaced with some better or I should faster keyboards available on the Google Play Store. In this post we will talk about some of the best keyboard apps available.

SwiftKey Keyboard

To start with we have the SwiftKey which sits at the top of the pack. The layout of the keyboard is attractive and easy to use and features stellar next work prediction. If one is not comfortable typing through words he or she can also type by sliding his or her finger from letter to letter without lifting. Even if you are precise with sliding your fingers from one letter to the other, SwiftKey is capable enough to guess the correct time that you are trying to type. The app also features a split keyboard feature that works only in landscape mode.

Download: Android

TouchPal Keyboard

The next strong contender in the list is TouchPal which offers both tap and slide-to-type functionality. The design is elegant too and comes with some unusual options, such as to switch to a compact T12 keyboard mode where multiple letters are shown on a single key. This is similar to what we used to see on mobile phones made a couple of years ago. The keyboard has the ability to suggest words based on the letters you are typing in. One very interesting feature is Twitter integration, which ones configured, lets you tweet directly from the keyboard by tapping an icon.

Download: Android

Swype Keyboard

This is keyboard that popularized the swipe to type concept and in spite of new keyboard apps coming to the market, Swype still remains a strong contender. The swipe to type feature works flawlessly on this app and the accuracy is very impressive, with a next word prediction feature. Further Swype has a unique set of gesture based commands and also accepts freehand written text. For tablets this is greatly beneficial as users will be able to choose between the standard keyboard, a split-screen keyboard and even a small floating keyboard.

Download: Android

Thumb Keyboard

Thumb keyboard is meant for users who are never happy with the default keyboard layout and want something as per their requirements. The keyboard is exceptionally customizable ranging from selecting your themes, to selecting your own backgrounds, changing colors of keyboard elements, setting up custom gestures, and much more. For thumb based typing, one can also switch to a split format that works better on large screen android gadgets.

Download: Android

A.I.type Keyboard Plus

A.I.type keyboard is offers most of the features that the aforementioned keyboards do, however, the one feature that sets it apart is Float-n-Split mode. You must have guessed it by now, on large screened devices, the keyboard can be split in to two separate halves, each of which can be moved and resized independently. Secondary key functions are also available, and can be activated via long-presses. Furthermore, it boasts plenty of visual options such as themes, background images, etc.

Download: Android

Similar Applications

Some other noteworthy Android keyboard replacement apps are Smart Keyboard,  SlideIT and Shortcut Keyboard.

Conclusion

All the keyboards mentioned in the post are great and offer more than what you would expect. Being our job, we have mentioned the strong points of each of the keyboards and now it is you to decide which keyboard will suit your needs.

The best part about Android OS, apart from its enormous file ecosystem, is the ability to multitask with apps. But at the same time multitasking can only be performed in the background and true desktop style multitasking is not what we have been seeing on Android. Having said that, there are a couple of good apps that can let you perform true multitasking with on your Android phone or tablet as they float on top of everything else on your screen.

Floating Browser

Lets start with the first app which we think is quite useful. Browsing that something we all do all the time, whether we are using our desktop or our Android device. Floating Browser is a fully featured browser but its floating ability makes it extremely handy. It can float over any other currently running apps without affecting the these apps running in the background. It is resizable and fully supports tabbed browsing and bookmarking.

Download: Floating Browser For Android

GPlayer

GPlayer as the name suggests, is a player but what sort? GPlayer is capable of playing videos in a floating window over other opened application. It is easily resizable and offers a handful of customizations for all types of users. It comes in handy especially when you are watching a movie and at the same talking about the same with your friends or family on an instant messenger or any of the social networking websites. The app comes with a built in file explorer so that you can browse to the videos you added and play them.

Download: GPlayer Video Player For Android

Tiny Apps

Unlike the aforementioned apps that are serve just one purpose, Tiny Apps is a group of floating apps that can be used on top of other apps. It comes in two versions: Lite and Paid. The Lite version offers five apps: Notes, Sound Recorder, Paint, a Music Player, and a Calculator, while the paid one offers a floating browser and the ability to make any widget you have installed a floating app. This is very interesting as you can convert any regular widget into a floating one which makes it super convenient to multitask.

Download: Tiny Apps For Android (Lite)

Floating Notifications

Facebook has added a new feature to their app, called Chat Heads which offer you the ability to text and message people via a floating ‘head’ on your screen. This is an extremely cool feature as you do not have to leave what you are doing and reply or read messages right then and there. If you are looking for a more powerful version of Facebook’s Chat Heads, you can install Floating Notifications that offers notifications for almost everything and also can be customized with tons of options. It comes with several themes too.

Download: Floating Notifications For Android (Trial)

LilyPad

LilyPad is a great app for Android tablets. It sets up a floating interface for using several instant messaging services to chat with friends and family and saves you from the pain of switching back and forth. The app is extremely intuitive and and features gestures to minimize and hide specific chat windows. Free version of the app only supports Google Hangouts, but the paid version supports Facebook Messenger, AIM, MSN, Yahoo, and Jabber.

Download: LilyPad For Android

Conclusion

These are only five floating apps that we think would enhance your Android experience and would let you exploit this powerful OS. Beside these there are many other apps too, so we would suggest that you do try out the ones we mentioned above and let us know how helpful or painful they have been.

There was a a time when writing was done with the help of paper and pen but in the recent times the scenario has greatly changed. The modern writers are more keen on trying their hands not only scribbling through paper but also on technology. Yes, smartphones, tablets and PC have completely changed the way writers used to write and in the coming times it is only going to evolve. In this post we will talk about some apps that will help modern writers achieve greater productivity levels.

Evernote

No, this is not just a note taking app. Evernote is probably the most useful tool for writers as it offers a comprehensive note-taking experience and can be synced between almost any device. There is a variety of data that can be created through Evernote, including text, images, voice recordings, documents and much more.  Further you can also organize notes by notebooks and tags, email notes and even share them with your friends and colleagues via Facebook and Twitter.

Download: Android | iOS

Springpad

Springpad is another extremely useful app for writers. Other than the regular tasks like creating to-do lists, taking notes, recording voice reminders etc., the app also allows users to save content from the internet using the integrated web clipper, get useful tips, share your ideas, bookmark webpages and much more. As with Evernote, the data is synced with the servers and can be accessed from almost any device, making it convenient for writers to proceed with their ideas when they have time.

Download: Android | iOS

Draft

Moving on from the free apps to one of the best paid apps for writers, we have Drafts. While Evernote and Springpad are used for noting down your ideas, Drafts is complete text editor and creator app. The basic features that a writer would require are easy to use interface, text formatting, word count, ability to change font and theme and instant synchronization. Gladly, Drafts offers the mentioned features and you would definitely like working on it.

Download: Android

Google Drive

Evernote can be used to absolutely everything, but what about the non-text items such as photos or scanned documents? This is where Google Drive comes in handy. This cloud storage service offers enough space for writes to store all the non-text documents which could include images from the web, scanned documents, illustrations and more. Another very useful feature of Google Drive app is its scanner that generates excellent images.

Download: Android | iOS

JotterPad X

We are covering JotterPad X in the last place but that does not affect its importance. Its is a five star rated app on the Google Play store and features a minimalist interface for both casual and creative writers. It’s perfect for writing essay, lyrics, news article, magazine and poems. Some other highlights of JotterPad X include undo, redo, night mode, finding phrase, pop up research (dictionary/thesaurus), auto-save, text styling and Markdown.

Download: Android

Similar Applications

Although the aforementioned apps are will offer enough features to writers for kickstarting with their new ideas, it is always helpful to add a few more applications that could prove useful for select users. Some similar apps worth considering are WunderList, MindJet, Writer and FreeNote.

Conclusion

This post is not about a particular type of apps and rather covered all the apps that are essential for writers. JotterPad X is definitely a great writing app and so is EverNote and Springpad but the latter ones differ in the sense that they offer rich media to be added along with text. My advice is to use EverNote, Springpad and Google Drive for noting down ideas while JotterPad for creating proper text files.

When one buys an unfurnished house for your family or yourself, the only and only thing he or she is concerned about is the interior. No matter what advise an interior designer gives to you, in the end it is about you to be satisfied with the look. Now there are people who do not get enough time to sit and design their house themselves, and instead hire a designer straightaway. But there are also a kind which relies more on their own ideas than going with what others say. For such people we are listing five home improvement and design apps that will help you come up with the best designs possible.

Houzz Interior Design Ideas

Houzz is our first pick of the lot as it sports close to a million high resolution photos of interior design for some of the best ideas. You are also allowed to filter through this enormous photos database with categories like style, type of room, and location. After going through all the photos one can create his or her virtual diary of ideas and save them for offline viewing. Further you can share your saved ideas with your contractor.

Download: Android

My Dream Home Interior Design

My Dream Home Interior Design features an inspirational design gallery of everyday spaces. The complete gallery consists of only high definition pictures and also supports live wallpapers. New HD interior images are added to the app on a regular basis and they can be shared to your friends and family via Facebook or Twitter.

Download: Android

Interior Design

Interior Design claims to offer some of the best decorating inspirations for a lot many things. The app is filled with photos that not only provide inspiration for formal designs, but casual designs too. Whether the need is simple, small space or house interior, modern design, room, house interior or decoration, the app has got  enough photos that will help you find the inspiration you need.

Download: Android

Interior Design by FreeAndroApp

Interior Design application is a simple,good and elegant collection of interior design images which come in handy when decorating your home with one of these designs. It includes designs for bathroom,bedroom, kitchen, and living room. There is also an option to mark selected images as favorites and then use them later on.

Download: Android

Interior Design Gallery

The next interior design app is called Interior Design Gallery. This application is a good collection of interior designs for your bedroom, kitchen, and living room. The collection may not be as huge as what Houzz offers but they are definitely worth taking a look.

Download: Android

Similar Applications

If you feel the applications listed above are not enough, there are plenty of other alternatives too such as Interior Design, and Interior Design Ideas & Photos. For painting the walls inside of your home you can download BEHR ColorSmart, and if you are putting in a new carpet then the cost of that can be calculated using this calculator.

Conclusion

Though all the aforementioned apps are great in their own way, we pick Houzz as the best interior design app. There is a humongous amount of pictures that one can go through to draw inspiration and we liked the design too.

Shopping is something that humans have been doing since ages, and in the 21st century it has only become more convenient. Convenience, not because of the introduction of new and trustworthy ecommerce websites, but because of the fact that now one can shop anything at any time through your iPhone and Android smartphone. In this post we will list the top 5 shopping apps for your iPhone and Android device.

eBay

To start with the list, we have one of the most popular websites, eBay. The app is around for quite some time now and lets you manage purchases and inventory straight from your Android and Apple device. The interface is well optimized for mobile screens and offers the same experience as on the desktop version of the website. Using the app you can buy, bid, or make offers, and also track shipments. Also you will be able to save your searches, compare items and leave feedback.

Download: Android | iOS

Amazon

The next big contender in the shopping app list is Amazon. The official app has been recently received major UI updates and looks neater now. Shoppers can scan barcodes, search using snaps, compare prices, check availability, track orders and much more. Users can browser by department to narrow down searches, and are also offered with daily Lightning Deals.

Download: Android | iOS

Craiglist

Craiglist Android and iOS app allows users to search and post ads as immediately as they would from the desktop version of the website. Users can preview posts, share posts with friends, or contact the poster of the ad via email using the app. The design is simple and easy to understand and will not disappoint you.

Download: Android | iOS

Groupon

If you are always looking for good deals and hardly go for a product that is not offered at a discounted price, then Groupon is the best app for you. The app offers unbeatable deals with discounts ranging between 50 % and 90 %. There are many categories such as dining, spas, fitness, and also you will get to know about deals in your locality. The deals can be shared with friends and family.

Download: Android | iOS

LivingSocial

Users who like to get deals on spas, gyms, and more, should consider LivingSocial too. They offer discounts ranging between 50% to 90 % which is one of the highlights and there is also an interesting feature wherein if you buy a deal and you get three of your friends to buy the same deal, your deal becomes free.

Download: Android | iOS

Other Alternatives

Some other noteworthy shopping apps are Etsy, RetailMeNot, and The Coupons App. Walgreens App is another decent alternative.

Conclusion

People are always looking at buying products and do not care about deals should definitely try eBay, whereas if you are a deals-lover, go ahead with Groupon.