Best new Android apps from August 2014

Womp womp. The last “summer month” is coming to an end. The beaches are getting less crowded. RV’s are being put back in storage. Back-to-school sales can be found in every store. It’s a sad time of year. The good news is we had a bunch of great new Android apps launch in August. Everything from image editors to homescreen replacements to Android Wear apps. If you were busy enjoying the warm weather you may have missed some of these apps. Enjoy!

There is no shortage of image editing apps for Android. If you’re into that sort of thing you will be interested in a new one called Afterlight. This app uses a simple design, paired with powerful tools, to give you the look you want in no time. It offers 15 tools, 59 filters, 77 frames, and 66 textures. Afterlight is available in Google Play for $.99.

Use the Amazon Seller app for Android to help grow and manage your selling business on Amazon. The app makes it easier than ever for you to quickly identify new selling opportunities on Amazon, list your items for sale, respond to customer questions, manage inventory, search for new things to sell, and estimate profitability. Amazon seller is available for free.

One of the cool features about the Google Now Launcher is the ability to open Google Now by swiping to the left on the homescreen. Wouldn’t it be awesome if you could launch other apps like this? Blur Launcher aims to be that app.  Any developer can create a “page” to be accessed from the homepage. Right now just a few apps work, but more are on the way. Download Blur for free.

We’re less than a week away from the first official regular season NFL game. You’re going to want to keep up with your favorite team, see who is playing who, and get reminder for games. Our very own Football Schedule app is a quick and easy way to check the weekly NFL schedule. Download it now from free from Google Play.

As we mentioned above, image editing apps are a dime a dozen on Android. However, Fragment is a completely new way to edit images on your phone. This app gives you the power to transform any image into totally unique, one-of-a-kind prismatic art you’ll want to share with everyone. The only limit is your imagination. Fragment is available for free.

Remember that random News & Weather app that was always included on Nexus devices? It still exists. Yeah, we were surprised too. This month it finally got an update, and now it’s a really nice looking app. We’re not sure how it fits into Google’s current line-up of news reading apps, but at least it looks modern. Protip: the weather widget is awesome.

HTC released Zoe for non-HTC devices this month. Zoe is a simple way to create, share and remix professional quality highlight videos—and it’s even better when your friends pitch in. Choose the photos and videos you’d like to share, add a filter to give your highlight video a unique look, and choose the perfect soundtrack. If that sounds cool you can grab it for free.

Multitasking on Android is pretty great, but it’s not perfect. Sometimes switching between apps can be bumpy. The back button behaves differently in all apps, and sometimes the multitasking button is laggy. Last App Switcher utilizes the swipe gesture on the home button to allow quick flipping between your last used app. It’s super fast and fluid. Download LAS for free from the Play Store.

The Metromile app helps make car ownership easier, less expensive, and more enjoyable. Review your driving stats, get insights into your car’s running condition, and even find your car if it’s missing. After you sign up for an account the folks at Metromile will send you their “Metronome” device which plugs into your car’s OBD-II port (if you live in California, Oregon, Washington and Illinois.)

What’s this? Another image editing app from August? Apparently the summer is a hot time for editing images. Over is an editor that focuses on adding text to images. They offer a bunch of exclusive fonts and artwork along with some simple image manipulation tools. It’s nice to see an app that just does one thing, but does it really well. Over is available for $1.99.

Launching you camera quickly is an important task for every smartphone. Many manufacturers allow the camera to be launched directly from the lockscreen, but sometimes that’s not fast enough either. Snapshot is a new app that launches the camera when you unlock your device in landscape mode. I love this app because it’s also a good reminder to use landscape mode when taking videos. Download Snapshot for free from the Play Store.

Suck at waking up? Are you the type of person to set multiple alarms a few minutes apart from each other just to make sure you wake up on time? If so, say hello to SpinMe. This alarm clock is a super clever app designed to get you out of bed on time. The only way to turn off the alarm is by getting out of bed and physically spinning yourself around until the alarm stops! There is no escape!

TapPath allows you to customize how clicking a web link in a 3rd party app behaves. A single click on a link will load it in your favorite browser, but multiple clicks is where things get interesting. You could set up double-click to open Pocket, or a triple click could load Pushbullet. TapPath can save you a lot of time when trying to share links across commonly used apps. It’s available for $0.99.

Unclouded is a tool to help you analyze and clean your cloud storage (Dropbox and Google Drive). You can see which files or folders are using up storage, see which types of files are using the most space, search files, and more. Unclouded can also be used as a very attractive file manager and cloud file explorer. BOX and OneDrive support are coming soon. You can download it right now for free.

Sharing big files across the internet can be tough. There are many services out there to help, but most cost money, or at minimum require you to sign up. WeTransfer is different. Simply select your photos or videos (or use the share button), add your friends email address, and upload up to 10GB! Enjoy inspiring backgrounds during the transfer. Your friends will receive an email with a download link. Easy peasy, and all for free.

Are you one of those people who constantly “checks-in” everywhere on Facebook? It’s okay, I am too. I’m Here is a simple Android Wear app that allows you to check-in to  Facebook directly from your watch. Checking-in to places can be one of those tasks that distracts you from the moment, which makes this app handy. You can also dictate status updates. I’m Here is available for $0.99.

A common complaint among Android Wear device owners is mistaken touches while showering. Since the displays are always on they can mistake water drops as finger touches. This is annoying. If you really must wear your smartwatch into the shower you need Showear, an Android Wear pattern lockscreen. Now your shower will have a much harder time pressing buttons and messing things up.

TickTick for Android Wear lets you access to-dos on wrist without taking phone out of your pocket. This is especially handy when doing things like grocery shopping. You don’t want to be constantly pulling out your phone while walking down the isles. Just quickly check your watch and go find the milk. TickTick Wear works best with TickTick for Android.

Currently you can only reply to SMS on Android Wear if you use the Hangouts app. Wear Quick SMS is a way you can send quick SMS messages to select contacts. First go into the phone app and choose contacts and create custom messages. You will be able to choose a contact and shot message to send right from your wrist. This is the type of thing we want to see for Android Wear. Download Wear Quick SMS for free.

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The new Moto X shows up in Verizon Wireless computer system, could launch with Moto Maker

As Motorola’s September 4th event in Chicago fast approaches, we’re bound to find another leak or two surrounding the successors to the Moto X and the Moto G. We’ve already seen the Verizon variants of the new Moto X (Moto X+1) pictured above sporting an all black case and a white and bamboo combination. Today’s tip we received adds a little more credibility to the above images, at least from an outside shell standpoint.

Our source has provided us with this screenshot from Verizon’s computer system which clearly shows ‘the new Moto X’ coming in black, white/bamboo, and two Moto Maker variants coming in at 16GB and 32GB. As it stands now, the current Moto X is available in 16GB through Verizon Wireless as well as 16GB and 32GB versions purchased through Moto Maker. However, this wasn’t always the case. When the original Moto X launched last summer, the Moto Maker option was sadly a carrier exclusive for roughly the first three months. According to the above image, Moto Maker might just be available on Verizon Wireless from the beginning. Let’s hope that Verizon doesn’t have an exclusive this time around, no one likes carrier exclusives.

As for the name, our source says he keeps seeing ‘the new Moto X’ referenced on cases, rebate forms, and other internal documents instead of Moto X+1. Will the new Moto X launch under this name or will we still see Moto X+1 as the device’s moniker? It’s still too early to tell and things could change at the last minute. Either way, our own Kevin Krause will be attending Motorola’s event in just a few days and he’ll keep us all in the loop.

Who’s ready to customize their new Moto X through Motor Maker?

Thanks Mr. D!

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Best new Android games from August 2014

Games, games, games. So many games came out this last month. Some simple, others complex. We even had a game from the now infamous developer of Flappy Bird. What more could you ask for? In case you were too busy enjoying the summer weather, we have compiled a list of the best games from August. These are the ones you should check out and download. Enjoy!

ALONE is a handcrafted, intense survival journey through space. Navigate caves, rip through rocky debris, dodge rocks and comets and test your endurance as you pursue ever higher scores in this ultra fast, procedural runner. This game has hours of action filled gameplay across three unlockable difficulty levels and two awesome bonus modes. It’s available for $1.99.

Do you like Flappy Bird? Let me rephrase that. Do you know about Flappy Bird? Of course you do. Amazing Brick is a similar style of game, but it doesn’t make you want to rip your hair out. All you do is tap to go up through obstacles. It’s very minimally designed, but a lot of fun. It’s available for free from the Play Store.

Back to Bed is a 3D puzzle game set in a unique and artistic dream world, wherein you guide the sleepwalker Bob to the safety of his bed. To achieve this, you must take control of Bob’s subconscious guardian named Subob. The pair travels through a surreal and painting-like dream world, filled with objects used to guide Bob towards the Bed, but also dangers that must be avoided. Grab this game for $4.00.

Bik is a retro-style adventure game that takes inspiration from classic point-and-click adventure games. The game follows a young boy who is abducted by aliens while on a camping trip. After joining forces with two friendly alien mercenaries, Bik escapes from his abductors and tries to find his way home. Tons of fun happens to Bik and his friends along the way. Download Bik for $1.99.

Innovative collectible card gaming combined with number puzzles and turn-based tactical combat.  Earth has been destroyed by the evil Hate Bit and you are the Last Star Nerd. Clever use of numbers lets you deploy starships, soldiers, tanks, aliens, and devastating tactics. You’ll have to be several kinds of brilliant to save what’s left of space. Calulords is very unique and fun. It can be yours for $2.99.

Drive crazy in SEGA’s all-new Crazy Taxi. Race through the city to deliver your passengers on-time; the crazier you drive the higher your rewards. That’s right, the crazier you drive the more rewards you get. It is called Crazy Taxi after all. This new Crazi Taxi games also allows you to fully customize your cab. Are you craaaazy enough to download this game for free?

Dragon Quest IV, the first installment in the Zenithian Trilogy, is now out for Android. This epic adventure, unfolding over five unique chapters, each focusing on a different cast of characters, can now be enjoyed on your phone. Enter a fantasy world of sword, magic, and monsters with over 40 hours of gameplay. Buy it for $14.99 and never be asked for money again.

Welcome to your new summer job at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, where kids and parents alike come for entertainment and food as far as the eye can see! The main attraction is Freddy Fazbear, of course; and his two friends. They are animatronic robots, programmed to please the crowds. As simple as this game is it’s very frightening. Download it for $2.99 if you dare.

Create your own epic saga of conflict, mythology and community! Rule your own clan, take important strategic decisions, win battles and expand the territory of your people. This game is a unique mix of RPG and strategy. Everything in King of Dragon Pass is about choice and control. Choose your counsel carefully, sign diplomatic agreements or declare war on nearby clans. All of this can be yours for $9.99.

Many football gamers have likely already drain hours of their time into Madden NFL 15 for consoles as it launched this past Tuesday. But what if  you’re away from home and need that football fix? EA Sports has a pretty decent gift for you: Madden NFL Mobile. We’ve had a few days to sink our teeth into it and determine whether this is the pigskin simulator that your phone or tablet deserves. Check out our review and then download it for free.

Have you ever thought about what it would be like if you were a mountain? No? Well, in MOUNTAIN that  is exactly what you do. You are a mountain. That’s pretty much all there is to it. Nothing you do really matters. Sound like fun? For $1 it’s all yours.

Crush your enemies and eat their skulls! Skulls of the Shogun is a fast-paced turn-based strategy game, supercharged with fighting-game flair and double-stuffed with a serious sense of humor. Enter the Samurai Afterlife and join forces with undead warriors, magical monks, and mighty mustachioed samurai generals! This awesome game can be yours for just $1.99.

Ever wanted to be a deadly surgeon that didn’t know an artery from a bone? Fancy cutting into some poor schmuck who thinks he’s about to get a quality operation only to die on the operating table? Me neither, but we can at least experience that harrowing, twisted situation in digital form. Surgeon Similar puts the buzz saw and scalpel into your hands. If you’re up to the task it will cost you $5.99.

Swing Copters can be seen as a spiritual successor to Flappy Bird. Instead of trying to make your way through pipes and obstacles on a horizontal axis, you’re now trying to do much of the same going vertical in a helicopter. It’s still very difficult, though the latest update made it much easier. Swing Copters is free if you dare to get addicted.

Time Tangle is another great game based on the cartoon Adventure Time. In thi sgame you punch stuff, do infinite quests, rescue your friends, beat beastly bad guys, and enjoy awesome cutscenes with your favorite characters. Run, punch, rinse, repeat. If you’re in for an adventure you can grab this game for $2.99.

WWE SuperCard puts the power of WWE Superstars, Legends, and Divas in your hands by bringing the hard-hitting, larger-than-life action of WWE to mobile in a brand new card battle game! Collect your favorite WWE Superstars, Divas, Legends and Managers. Take your five-man team online against other players to test your skills. Play for free if you’re ready!

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Let’s talk about how terrible Comcast is (and how afraid Time Warner customers should be)

There’s no secret Comcast isn’t the world’s most favorite internet service provider. Heck, they probably don’t even have the` favor of a few innocent souls who don’t know the difference between dial-up and fiber. There’s no shortage of Comcast horror stories on the internet. We’re not sure why Comcast is so bad, but they are. And it’s about time we put a spotlight on some of the most troubling testimonials you’ll ever see.

This young man was put on hold by a customer service rep. By the grace of some supernatural source he actually waited. On the phone. For 3 hours. No one came back after said time, so he ended up being on hold until their customer service line was closed.

Granted, he most likely would have been able to get back through if he’d hung up and called back (could be a technical error), but it’s still remarkable. Power to those who can wait on hold for 3 full hours and not end up with your phone smashed to bit in the corner of a dark, cold room.

Here’s an hour and change of horrible customer service goodness courtesy of this guy on Reddit. The guy was passed around by customer service reps like a cheese plate at an awkward social gathering:

This fellow’s story in particular is interesting: not only is Comcast showing sings of environmental irresponsibility, but they’re overcharging for service that he didn’t even have. That they failed to rectify their own mistake months after the fact is enough for a grand ol’ face palm.

And the list goes on and on. Granted, there are likely just as many folks who are perfectly fine with the service they’re receiving from Comcast, and you can find horror stories about any fairly large company if you look hard enough, but Comcast’s name is by far the most cursed in the industry.

The saddest part is that despite all the outcries from customers, it appears Comcast hasn’t done a thing to help alleviate some of these complaints over the years. It’s even more startling when you think about the fact that some of these folks don’t even have better options — despite the issues, Comcast is still the best they can get.

It’s a problem that has plagued the American wireline industry for quite some time. Companies like Comcast and Time Warner Cable have a pretty significant stranglehold on many key markets, and while regional providers and the might of AT&T have tried to test their stomping grounds they still can’t offer enough to put a significant dent into those companies’ market share.

Speaking of Comcast and Time Warner Cable, the two are about to become a couple. A thing. A conglomerate that we all should be deathly afraid of. It’s a scary thought that absolutely should have you quivering in your boots. As a long-time Time Warner Cable customer for the past 14 years, I think I can speak with authority when I say they’re no different.

Quality of service has consistently declined since the early days I’ve had them. Some days I wake up and wonder if I’ll even be able to sign onto Phandroid.com and pump out articles. Customer service has gotten a bit better, but they still don’t give you the attention and care that a homely regional provider seems to be able to. And let’s not even get started on prices increasing year after year without any considerable improvements in service.

Sure, I could have gone with the only (and I do mean only) viable alternative in my area in AT&T Uverse, but their speeds don’t meet my professional needs, nor does DSL technology excite me quite like a traditional cable connections. Add to that fact that AT&T’s “half the cost of competition” price tag they like to advertise only lasts for the first 12 months of service (after which they become just as expensive as Time Warner) and there just hasn’t been anyone better.

But don’t let Time Warner take that quote out of context in one of their cheesy ads — there’s no one better because there’s NO ONE ELSE PERIOD. I long for the day that the Milwaukee, WI area finally gets a stout competitor that can keep these cable companies on their heels, but until then this is the reality we have to live in.

So yes, Comcast users, I do understand where you’re coming from. I understand the frustration. And as one bad company gets ready to merge with another I’m close to considering internet suicide.

It sucks, and the only thing we can do is to continue to express our distaste unless you’re fortunate enough to live in a market where you can vote with your wallet. Here’s to hoping something like Verizon FiOS or Google Fiber journeys to the rest of the country before Comcast and Time Warner are able to get a devastating death grip on the internet business here in America.

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Happy Labor Day!

It’s Labor Day for those of us in the United States. It’s the unofficial official closure to summer. Many students are already headed back to school. Barbecue pits will be HOT. To those celebrating this fine holiday with us, Happy Labor Day! We hope you enjoy your day and have as much fun as you can!

To those outside of the United States, we’ll be taking a short break to recharge our batteries ahead of all the IFA goodness going down this week. Fret not, though, because we’ll be right here tomorrow bright and early to bring you all the latest in the world of Android. Have a good one folks!

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Sprint finally makes the HTC One E8 official, available today for $100 with a 2-year agreement

After prematurely publishing a video to their YouTube account nearly 2 weeks ago, Sprint is ready to stop beating around the bush and make the HTC One E8 official. The nation’s 3rd largest carrier has officially announced that the One E8 will be coming to their network later this year and provides the same One experience you’ve come to expect from devices like the One M8, only in a fresh new polycarbonate design. Yum.

The HTC One E8 features hardware specs eerily similar to the HTC One M8 only with one exceptions. HTC has dumped the 4MP UltraPixel camera in their flagship phone for a regular ‘ol 13MP shooter. While we haven’t seen any picture samples just yet, we’re sure that on paper, the higher number count will make a few of you happy, although we’ll reserve judgment until we can see a few comparisons.

Other One E8 specs include a 5-inch 1080p display, 2.3GHz Snapdragon 801 processor, and a 2,600mAh battery — all running on Android 4.4.2 KitKat. Other key features include:

Motion Launch:  Allows you to access your phone with just one swipe. Simply lift your phone to answer a call – no device unlocking needed.

Wi-Fi Calling: An included service that lets you use voice and messaging services over existing home, office and public Wi-Fi networks.

HTC Sense™ 6.0

3G/4G mobile hotspot, supporting up to eight Wi-Fi enabled devices.

HD Voice enabled: Sprint HD Voice expands the normal voice call from a four-octave range to seven octaves to deliver crystal clear voice calls while helping to reduce unwanted background noise.

Sprint Spark enabled: Sprint Spark provides the capacity to greatly improve the performance of video and other bandwidth-intensive applications while opening the way for futuristic applications.

Sprint reminds us that HD Voice is now available nationwide and while Sprint Spark’s enhanced LTE service is currently available in 27 markets across the US, they plan to blanket 100 million customers by years end.

The HTC One E8 is available right now for $100 with a 2-year contract from either Sprint.com or through their telesales department in either “Polar White” or “Misty Gray.” Well qualified buyers can even put the phone on Easy Pay, paying off the phone over 2 years with monthly payments of  $20.84 (or $500 outright).

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Become a master of the skies with the DJI Phantom drone, on sale for over 25% off

Looking to get lifted this Labor Day weekend? Take to the skies with the DJI Phantom FC40 drone, available over at AndroidDeals.com for over 25 percent off its regular price. Normally retailing for $649, you can buy the FC40 for $499 outright (plus free shipping). If you use the code “PHANTOM35” at checkout, you can score an additional $35 off, bringing the final price to $464.

BUY DJI PHANTOM DRONE NOW FOR OVER 25% OFF

So what do you get for that price? For starters: the world’s #1 rated personal drone. Its claim to fame is a WiFi-connected HD Smart Camera, which will let you record your escapades in 720p at 30fps or beam video back to your smartphone in real time using 2.4G connectivity.

Everything you need is in the box:

DJI PhantomBuilt-in 700 mAh Li-on Battery & ChargerDJI FC40 cameraRemote Control Transmitter – 5.8G Control and Receiver (will not interfere with 2.4G Wi-Fi)Getting started guide

Never been behind the controls of a drone? Don’t worry. The Phantom FC40 is packed full of features that make it easy to fly even for the most novice of operators. Auto-hover prevents crash landings should the user accidentally release flight controls, and a failsafe GPS-based auto-pilot will bring your drone home should you fly it out of range. Speaking of range, the included 5.8G controller allows for operation from distances as great as 1640 feet, giving you the ability to reach some truly great heights without lifting the soles of your shoes from the earth.

Act quick because this deal will be ending in a matter of days, then take to the skies and get a totally new perspective on your world. And don’t forget to check out AndroidArea.com for even more great deals on Android gadgets, accessories, apps, and more!

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