home screen Archives

AppWizard

July 24, 2025

5 Must-Have Open-Source Android Apps to Simplify Your Life

Five standout open source Android applications highlighted for their utility, user-focused design, and privacy-conscious features are: 1. Tomato: A minimalist Pomodoro timer that helps maintain focus by dividing work into customizable intervals, offering productivity insights through visual graphs. 2. Grit: An all-in-one task and habit tracker that categorizes tasks, provides a visual habit map, supports scheduled reminders, and includes home screen widgets for quick access to daily goals. 3. Momentum: A habit tracker with a straightforward interface, calendar view, streak tracking, and an AI assistant that suggests habits, while prioritizing user privacy with offline functionality and local data storage. 4. Toolbox: A versatile utility app that includes features like a stopwatch, compass, text manipulation utilities, and advanced tools for developers, all while being lightweight and ad-free. 5. Thor App Manager: A tool for precise management of Android applications, offering features like batch installation, app freezing, and APK management, with additional controls for rooted users.

AppWizard

July 23, 2025

Samsung just supercharged these handy Good Lock modules for One UI 8

Samsung is updating its Good Lock toolkit to ensure compatibility with the One UI 8 update. Home Up has been refined to allow users to customize app launch animations, enhancing the experience beyond what was available in One UI 7. The update includes new tools for the DIY Home Screen feature, such as alignment guides, item grouping options, and a “Page Indicator Hiding” toggle. Users can now also enjoy horizontal scrolling for app sorting. MultiStar, NavStar, and QuickStar have been updated to align with One UI 8, introducing features like a “Launcher widget” for the cover screen. Additionally, two new multi-window settings have been added for devices with multi-window support, including a quick-access icon for flipping screen orientations and toggling between aspect ratios in portrait mode.

AppWizard

July 22, 2025

Xbox cloud games will soon follow you just about everywhere

Microsoft has introduced a new service for Xbox Insiders that integrates all cloud-playable games and their play histories into the Xbox PC app. This feature synchronizes recently-played games across Xbox consoles, PCs, and Windows handhelds, allowing seamless transitions between devices. A dedicated "play history" section in the PC app and Xbox console interface enables players to view their cloud games as part of their recently-played list, ensuring uninterrupted access to game saves. Users can start a game on one platform and continue on another, even if the game isn't natively supported. The Xbox app's library section has been revamped to include a search filter for cloud games and a "jump back in" list on the home screen, facilitating easy access to gaming sessions. This redesign allows gamers to launch titles purchased from various platforms from a single location.

AppWizard

July 21, 2025

Xbox cloud games will soon follow you across Xbox, PC, and Windows handhelds

Microsoft is testing updates for the Xbox PC app and Xbox consoles to enhance the Xbox Cloud Gaming experience. A new play history section will be added to both the Xbox PC app and the home user interface of Xbox consoles, allowing players to view cloud games alongside recently played titles. This feature will include all cloud playable titles, including console exclusives from the original Xbox to Xbox Series X|S, regardless of ownership or access through Game Pass. Recent games will be tracked across devices with cloud-powered game saves, enabling continued play on different platforms. The Xbox PC app will introduce a filter for cloud-playable games and a dedicated play history section. This feature will also extend to the main Xbox console interface, indicating potential future support for PC games via Xbox Cloud Gaming. Microsoft is exploring the possibility of streaming PC games over the cloud and aims to improve bitrates and resolutions for a better gaming experience.

AppWizard

July 20, 2025

These are the 6 Android widgets I simply can’t live without

Megan Ellis shares her essential Android widgets that enhance productivity and streamline daily tasks. 1. TickTick: A to-do list application with widgets for creating new tasks and displaying overdue/upcoming tasks, helping Megan stay organized and manage stress. 2. Google Calendar: A functional calendar widget that allows Megan to monitor upcoming events and meetings, particularly useful for significant events. She appreciates its dark mode feature. 3. Vocabulary: An app that provides a new word daily through its widget, allowing users to expand their vocabulary without opening the app. 4. Clock/Weather: The default Weather app widget combines time, date, and weather forecasts, streamlining her morning routine. She uses Google automation for evening updates and IFTTT notifications for temperature changes. 5. Brave Search: A search widget that offers quick access to search queries and voice search, enhancing her browsing experience with a cleaner, ad-free environment. 6. Xiaomi Home: An alternative to Google Home, this app provides widgets for quick access to smart home devices, allowing Megan to monitor and adjust settings remotely.

AppWizard

July 14, 2025

The best Android apps available right now

1Weather is a weather app with a clean interface, customizable widgets, and severe weather alerts, available for free with optional in-app purchases. Bitwarden is a free password manager offering unlimited storage and two-factor authentication, with premium options for enhanced features. ChatGPT is an AI service from OpenAI that allows users to perform various tasks, available for free with optional in-app purchases. Focus Go is a simple gallery app that organizes images into folders and offers a fast search and filter system, available for free. Google Drive provides 15GB of free cloud storage and integrates with Google apps for productivity, with optional in-app purchases. Google Keep is a note-taking app that allows users to create and organize notes across devices, available for free. Google Maps and Waze are leading navigation apps, offering features like offline maps and real-time traffic data, both available for free. Google Gemini is an AI tool for managing tasks and accessing information, available for free. Google Voice offers a second phone number for personal and professional use in the US, available for free with optional purchases. Microsoft SwiftKey is a customizable keyboard app with predictive text features, available for free. Mozilla Firefox is a mobile browser with extensive add-on support, available for free. Nova Launcher is a customizable launcher app for Android, available for free with an optional premium version. Pocket Casts is a podcast management app with a user-friendly interface, available for free with optional in-app purchases. Poweramp is an offline music player with extensive features, available for a free trial and optional premium version. Solid Explorer is a file manager app with a clean design and powerful features, available for a free trial and optional premium version. Tasker and IFTTT are automation tools, with Tasker catering to power users and IFTTT offering a more accessible approach, with prices starting at .49. Textra is an SMS app with customizable themes and multi-device messaging sync, available for free with optional Pro unlock. TickTick is a task management app that combines tasks, reminders, and calendar events, available for free with an optional premium plan. YouTube and YouTube Music are content apps providing vast libraries of video and music, available for free with optional premium subscriptions. Zedge offers wallpapers, ringtones, and notification sounds for device customization, available for free with optional premium content. ExpressVPN is a secure VPN service with fast speeds, 256-bit encryption, and servers in 94 countries, offering unlimited bandwidth.

AppWizard

July 11, 2025

6 free Android apps I use to learn something new every day

Megan Ellis reflects on her educational journey, transitioning from a childhood interest in encyclopedias to using modern learning apps. She navigates various platforms to learn in bite-sized lessons due to time constraints. In a poll, 75% of respondents use only one learning app at a time, with none using multiple simultaneously, and 25% do not use any learning apps. 1. Mimo is a coding app that offers concise lessons tailored to individual learning paths. Ellis is taking an introductory Python course to enhance her coding skills. 2. Drops is a vocabulary app for language learning that allows users to select specific topics. It has a daily time limit unless users subscribe to a premium version. Ellis uses it to supplement her Mandarin vocabulary. 3. The Vocabulary app helps users expand their English vocabulary by allowing them to choose types of words to learn, including slang. It sends daily notifications and has a home screen widget for reminders. 4. Primer requires a subscription or scholarship for access. Ellis received a scholarship and explores short lessons in computer science and other topics of interest. 5. Reddit provides value through its communities, where Ellis joins subreddits related to her professional interests and other topics like zoology and history. 6. The Facts app offers daily trivia tailored to user interests, with customizable topics and a widget for easy access. Some content is subscription-based, but it aligns with her desire for quick learning experiences.

AppWizard

July 9, 2025

Unlock Your Android 10 Secret Apps Only Power Users Know

1. The Yin-Yang Minimalistic Launcher features a grayscale interface to minimize visual clutter and includes phone usage statistics. 2. The Transfer App enables seamless file sharing over Wi-Fi without needing an internet connection or user account. 3. The Everything Widget offers over 125 customizable widgets for home screen personalization. 4. The Bluetooth Camera Shutter app allows remote photo capturing with a range of up to 30 meters and supports burst mode. 5. The Noid File Manager automatically categorizes files and includes smart filters for efficient file management. 6. Choy Wall provides over 600 handcrafted 4K wallpapers with multiple color variants for device personalization. 7. The Glit Photo Editor allows users to create retro-inspired images with features like light leaks and vintage filters. 8. The Flip Clock app combines retro aesthetics with practical features, including a Pomodoro timer and world clock.

AppWizard

July 8, 2025

Google could soon protect your Android device from dangerous PWAs and WebAPKs (APK teardown)

Google is planning to enhance its Play Protect service by potentially adding scanning capabilities for Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) and WebAPKs during installation to improve user security against malicious threats. Recent code discoveries indicate that Google intends to enable verification for PWAs, as suggested by a code snippet found in the Google Play Store version 46.9.20-31. PWAs can be installed on devices through an "Add to Home screen" option, and when done via Chrome on Android, they receive a WebAPK, which integrates them more deeply into the Android ecosystem. Code snippets hinting at WebAPK scanning have also been uncovered, indicating a response to reports of malicious use of PWAs and WebAPKs for phishing schemes. However, the implementation of these scanning features has not been officially announced, and their availability remains uncertain.

AppWizard

July 8, 2025

Top Android Apps (July 2025): Essential Downloads for Your Phone

The latest Android apps for July 2025 include: 1. Cosmos: An app for discovering and curating aesthetic ideas with personalized feeds and collaborative boards. 2. Copy SMS Code: A lightweight app that copies authentication codes to the clipboard, operating offline and focusing on privacy. 3. Super Alarm: An alarm app that engages users with tasks like puzzles and physical activities to enhance their waking experience. 4. Creative App: A community-driven platform for customizing devices with wallpapers, ringtones, and layouts, allowing user contributions. 5. Gator: A storage management app that clears cache, removes duplicates, and organizes backups with automated cleaning schedules. 6. Timewise: An app that provides insights into app usage and screen time, allowing users to set limits and create phone-free zones. 7. Parquet: An AI-driven mind mapping tool that helps users brainstorm and organize ideas, generating structured mind maps for easy sharing.