Tablets and phones with the system Android are technological marvels that keep you entertained, allow you to work from anywhere, and keep you connected to friends, family, and coworkers. With the right app, you can turn your smartphone or tablet into a mobile cinema, office, art canvas, recipe manager and much more. Find the best apps for Android is unfortunately a bit of a problem. There are a huge number of apps available for download on the Google Play Store, but which ones are worth it? We have prepared for you a list of 6 useful applications that are not as well known as they deserve. You might find something you didn't even know you needed.
1. eBlocks
eBločky is an application from a Slovak developer that tracks all purchases through receipts, thus solving a lot of problems. You know it – you come back from shopping and rush to review and try the product you bought as soon as possible. However, after a few weeks the device breaks and you have no choice but to return the product to the store or return it for warranty. However, for that you need a receipt, which, frankly, you have no idea where it is. Did it stay in the car immediately after purchase? Did it find its place in the bin, or did you put it in your wallet and it faded away?
It has happened to all of us. That's why we think that eBlocks are a godsend and we, ordinary people, finally have one less problem. We can scan the receipt immediately after the purchase through the application using the QR code from the receipt. After scanning, the purchase is saved in digital form directly in the application - and we will never lose the receipt, in addition, we always have it with us, just like our mobile phone.
The application also evaluates how much money we have spent in simple reports. The best feature might be the warranty tracking - we simply set how many months the warranty is valid from the receipt and the app will notify us of this period. And for better orientation, we can add a photo of the purchased product to the receipt and warranty. eBlocks have more useful features and we hope that the developer will continue to improve this app.
2. Adobe Lightroom
We've no doubt you're familiar with Adobe's Lightroom desktop software. But did you know that you can have one of the best photo editing apps right on your phone? In addition, you can edit photos from a tablet even better than on a computer.
Lightroom for mobile doesn't skimp on editing options, and this mobile app can compete with desktop software. You can control exposure, contrast, highlights, shadows, white, black, color, hue, color temperature, saturation, vibrance, sharpening, noise reduction, cropping, geometry, grain and much more. Of course, there is also an auto-edit button and great profiles for easy auto-editing. It even has advanced editing features like selective edits, healing brushes, perspective controls, and gradients. Running Photoshop, Lightroom Classic, or any other valuable photo editor requires a lot of processing power. Lightroom seems to be different because it runs much smoother in all areas. For example, the Huawei Mate 20 Pro uses it without a single hitch.
Most people tend to ignore Lightroom's camera feature, and we'll agree that it's not the best photography app out there, but many of you will love it for one main reason. The application includes a manual mode, which some phones do not support. Popular devices without manual camera mode include iPhones and Google Pixel phones. There are plenty of great third-party apps for manual camera mode, but if you're already using Adobe Lightroom, you can kill two birds with one stone.
RAW format support
A RAW image is an uncompressed, unedited image file. It preserves all the data captured by the sensor, so the file is much larger without losing quality and with more editing options. They allow you to adjust all the exposure and color settings in the images and bypass the default image processing in the camera.
Some of us love the freedom that RAW images offer, and few mobile photo editors support these larger and more complex files. Lightroom is one of the few that can do this, and it does it brilliantly. You can use RAW images not only from your phone (provided your device supports it), but also from any other camera, including professional digital SLRs. You can edit a RAW photo so professionally that you can print it as a photo and hang it on your wall as your photographic masterpiece. But in this case, do not forget about the right type of paper, a great printer and quality cartridges for the printer.
3. Windy.com - Weather forecast
Windy is one of the best weather forecasting and monitoring apps out there, but it still doesn't have the popularity it deserves. However, the truth is that even the most demanding user will be satisfied with it. Intuitive controls, beautiful visualization of different zones and bands, the most detailed data and the most accurate weather forecast - this is what makes the Windy application so useful.
As the developer himself says: “The app is trusted by professional pilots, paragliders, skydivers, kiters, surfers, boaters, fishermen, storm chasers and weather enthusiasts, and even governments, military staffs and rescue teams. Whether you're tracking a tropical storm or potential severe weather, planning a trip, practicing your favorite outdoor sport, or just need to know if it's going to rain this weekend, Windy gives you the most up-to-date weather forecast.” and we can't disagree.
4. Here
What if you had a smart assistant? Even so, you could call the Tody application, which represents a real breakthrough in the field of cleaning and household care. It is not only for mothers and housewives who like to clean. Everyone wants to live in a clean house, right? The Tody app is suitable for anyone who needs help balancing household chores during the weekday. When cleaning, you can enter all the activities you normally do at home, and Tody will send you reminders at different intervals that you set yourself and help you prioritize cleaning. This also means you won't have to constantly think about the last time you cleaned the bathtub and the like. This way, you will not keep unnecessary things in your head and you will have more space for more important things in your life.
Tody also offers inviting other users to your activities, which means you can coordinate with your family or roommates when cleaning. As a bonus, the app shows how many tasks each of you has completed and what needs to be done in the coming days. We know it doesn't sound that great, but if you're struggling to juggle your household maintenance duties with other responsibilities, it can be life-changing. Tip: The app is "ADHD friendly" and motivates you to keep your house by showing you your progress.
5. Endel
Endel - an application that uses artificial intelligence to create sound for focused work, quality sleep and healthy relaxation with respect to the circadian rhythm - became a Tik-Tok hit last year. The app promises to remove distractions and focus undisturbed with science-based sounds for all types of human activity – sleep, concentration, homework, relaxation, work and self-time.
Unlike the "chill lo-fi beats" of YouTube videos, Endel claims his sounds are underpinned by "neuroscience and the science of circadian rhythms". If you give the app permission, it will take into account the local weather conditions, where you are, how much you move and sit, and even your heart rate, and adjust the music you play based on all of these factors. Endel's algorithm also has a basic understanding of human energy levels and needs; around 14 p.m., the app switches to "afternoon energy peak".
Endel is recommended to switch to "deep work" mode, which can best be described as the kind of music they probably play in the corporate toilets at Tesla (😊). It's very ambient and swirling music, and the lack of transitions between individual "songs" makes you lose track of time. You won't even realize when the job will be done.
It is worth noting the relaxation mode, which makes it easier to fall asleep. You can also set a timer in the app to turn off the music when you're likely to fall asleep. If you are interested in Endel primarily because you have trouble sleeping, try other methods that might help with its quality, such as CBD oil or melatonin spray. The developers are always adding some improvements and interesting collaborations to the application, in which Grimes or Miguel, for example, will talk to you. If you prefer "darker" beats, definitely check out the collaboration with Plastikman.
6. Spark
Spark Email wants us to fall in love with email again, so it's trying to incorporate all of the most popular email features that users have come to love about Gmail Inbox, plus a little extra. Spark Email has a clean and intuitive interface, is easy to use, and fulfills almost every imaginable email-related need. Spark is a great alternative if you're tired of Gmail. Its simplicity and intuitiveness is simply great. It's not slow and unintuitive like Outlook and complicated like Gmail. Offers Smart Inbox – Smart Inbox diversifies messages based on importance. Recent unread messages appear at the top, followed by personal emails, then notifications, newsletters, etc. - Gmail has something similar, but in a different form.
The application also supports sending follow-up emails, i.e. emails in which you remind the recipient if they accidentally missed the first email from you or forgot to reply to you. You can set this value when writing a message and add a scheduled sending time to it. Spark also supports a number of team functions - you can connect with colleagues to write an email together in real time, share templates or comment on emails. Busy people will surely be pleased that they can grant access to their mailbox to someone else and manage their permissions (e.g. assistant or subordinate). Simply put, there is no best email app. Our take on Spark Mail is that it's the best email app for people who want to be in control of their inbox and stay productive. What apps do you find most useful?
