It's time to get up close and personal with the Android Central editors. You get a taste of the apps we're trying on a week-by-week basis, but what about those that actually stay on our phones for the long haul? Given, all of the authors here have wide and varied preferences, but hopefully this series will give you guys an idea of which apps have serious staying power.
Google's location-based game is still growing on me, but I love the idea. Mobile gaming is still maturing and ironing out relics from consoles, and though games that actively use a device's GPS have been around for awhile, Ingress is the first one in a long time that feels remotely compelling. It's got an original premise, multiplayer, simple, but stylish graphics, and it gets you out of the house every once in awhile. The only real downside right now is that you have to finagle a beta invite.
Bump
Basically, any time I have screenshots to shunt over to PC for review, I use Bump's website. It's a lot more elegant than e-mailing a batch to yourself, and the latest update has enabled the transfer of any kind of file. It's not often I need to swap files between mobile devices, and I'll use NFC if it's available, but even then I find Bump can sometimes be less finicky.
Google Maps
Okay, I know it might seem like a cop out picking this one, but seriously, I use Google Maps every day. It has become such a cornerstone of my daily routine that I would have a hard time owning a device that didn't have access to a native version of the app. Sure, there are plenty of third-party navigation apps out there that are arguably more fully-featured, but the way Google Now remembers the stuff I look up is just downright awesome.
Steam
I'm a big PC gamer, so staying on top of the latest Steam sales is a high priority. The latest update has made it so you get a notification when a game on your wish list goes on sale, which is great. Beyond cruising the store, you can also message buddies and see what they've been playing. I've been tossing around the idea of making a Mobile Nations gaming group of some kind... Planetside 2, anyone?
Songza
There are a lot of music services out there to pick from, but Songza has been an easy choice to make for a number of reasons. For one, it's free - there aren't even any audio ads. Two, it's available in Canada, which is more than I can say for Pandora or Spotify. Three, it's got a really great interface and playlist-centric angle to music that suits me just fine. If I was particular enough about what I listened to that I needed the ability to create hand-tailored playlists and pull up individual tracks on-demand, I'd go with Rdio, but the playlists Songza has built and the way they let you discover them is just so, so good.
I would say that this selection constitutes about half of my day-to-day app usage outside of the obvious stuff, like web browsing, answering e-mails, and making phone calls. What are your top five most used applications?
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 will need all-new glass if it has S Pen support
Half of what makes the S Pen great lives inside the display. Getting that half to work well with a folding screen isn't going to be an easy feat.
You voted: these are the best Google Play apps, games, and movies of 2020
The winners of the Google Play Users' Choice Awards have been announced, highlighting this year's favorite apps, games, and more.
Cyber Monday Canada: Last-minute deals for everyone on your list
There's no getting around it: Cyber Monday is the best time to buy the tech (and other stuff) on your wishlist.
Get the most out of these smart devices and services with Google Assistant
The Google Assistant is the most useful smart voice assistant for getting your questions answered and keeping track of your digital life, but it's also great at helping you control your smart home devices and services.