background playback Archives

AppWizard

November 7, 2025

9 Popular Android Apps That Are A Waste Of Your Money

Android's built-in security features are sufficient for most users, making paid antivirus subscriptions often unnecessary. YouTube Premium costs .99 per month for an ad-free experience, background playback, and offline downloads, but users can use the Brave Browser for ad removal and background playback for free, while NewPipe allows offline downloads. NordVPN costs .99 per month, but Proton VPN offers a free tier without data caps suitable for casual users. WPS Office Premium requires payment to remove ads and increase cloud storage from 1GB to 20GB, while Google Docs provides 15GB of free cloud storage and better functionality. LinkedIn Premium costs .99 per month but does not guarantee better job offers; optimizing a profile and networking are often more effective. CCleaner and similar apps may slow down devices, while built-in tools like Files by Google can effectively manage cache for free. Adobe Express Premium offers advanced graphic design features for a fee, but Canva provides a robust free alternative. CamScanner Premium is only necessary for advanced features; Adobe Scan and Microsoft Lens offer similar functionality for free. Evernote's free version limits users to 50 notes on one device, while Google Keep allows unlimited note-taking and syncing for free. Kaspersky and other antivirus apps may be unnecessary as Android's Play Protect feature offers adequate security for most users.

AppWizard

September 22, 2025

VidMate HD: How to Download and Use the App on Android

Vidmate is an entertainment application that allows users to stream live TV, download music, and watch videos offline. It is free, lightweight, and compatible with older Android devices, offering features like custom playlists, buffer-free streaming, and downloads in various resolutions (144p to 4K). Vidmate is not available on the Google Play Store due to Google's restrictions on video downloaders, but it can be downloaded safely from reliable sources. Users need to enable unknown sources in their settings to install the APK. Vidmate supports over 1000 sites, provides accelerated download speeds, and offers an ad-free experience. While the app itself is legal, users must comply with copyright laws when downloading content. Vidmate is versatile, appealing to students, music enthusiasts, and businesses. It includes hidden features like automatic video downloads from URLs, dark mode, an in-app file manager, and background playback. For secure usage, users should download from trusted sources, consider using VPNs, avoid pirating content, and keep the app updated.

AppWizard

August 31, 2025

Microsoft Edge Canary on Android now plays YouTube in the background — no Premium, no hacks

Microsoft Edge is testing an experimental feature that allows users to play videos in the background on Android devices without a YouTube Premium subscription. To enable this feature, users must download Microsoft Edge Canary for Android, navigate to edge://flags, search for "background," and enable the "Video Background Play" setting. Additionally, users need to ensure that background playback is enabled in Edge's settings under "Site Settings." This feature allows seamless audio playback while the device is locked or the screen is off.

AppWizard

August 9, 2025

I switched to this YouTube client and I’m never going back

YouTube has evolved into a platform filled with ads and a complex algorithm since its launch in the late 2000s. In response, many users have turned to NewPipe, an open-source streaming client developed in 2015, which offers a lightweight and efficient viewing experience without user data collection. NewPipe allows ad-free video playback, offline downloads, background playback, and picture-in-picture mode, while enabling users to create local playlists. However, it lacks features such as posting comments, YouTube Shorts, and algorithm-driven recommendations, which may limit content discovery. Although using NewPipe does not violate laws, it contravenes YouTube's terms of service, and while it eliminates ads, creators do not receive compensation through this platform. NewPipe is available on F-Droid and operates independently using publicly available data.

AppWizard

July 26, 2025

Google makes great apps, but these aren’t it if you ask me

Google Keep lacks advanced formatting options and a notebook feature, limiting its usability despite being a popular note-taking app. Google Tasks offers only basic task management capabilities, missing essential features like priority levels and filters. YouTube Music, while more developed, struggles with podcast integration and discovery, and has limitations in its free plan compared to competitors. Google Wallpapers has a limited selection and basic functionality, lacking creativity and integration with custom wallpaper creation tools.

AppWizard

October 19, 2024

Chrome for Android can now read you articles while you use other apps

Google has updated the "Listen to this page" feature in its Chrome browser for Android, adding background playback support in version 130. This allows users to have web pages read aloud while the phone's screen is off or when using other applications. The media player will show in the notifications area with basic controls, while advanced options remain accessible through the playback widget in the app. Users can access this feature via the three-dot menu and add a shortcut next to the address bar in Chrome settings.

AppWizard

October 18, 2024

‘Listen to this page’ in Chrome for Android gets background playback

Google has updated Chrome's "Listen to this page" feature with support for background playback, allowing users to listen to audio content while using other applications. This feature was introduced in Chrome 130, enabling users to exit the browser without interrupting playback. The media player now appears in notifications, offering controls for rewinding, skipping audio, and a scrubber timeline. Users can customize playback speed, choose from ten voices, and enable features like "Highlight text & auto scroll." A new play button can be added for easier access. The rollout of Chrome 130 for Android is currently underway.

AppWizard

July 5, 2024

Google Chrome May Soon Read Webpages for You Out Loud When Minimised

Google is developing background playback functionality for the 'Listen to this Page' feature on Google Chrome for Android. This feature will allow the text-to-speech feature to continue playing even when the browser is minimised.