By Uniquely Android is a series we started last week to shine the spotlight on those apps that take advantage of the unique capabilities of the platform and provide an experience that you wouldn’t find in most other phones. So far, we have featured Plug In Launcher and AirDroid.
When I first introduced the series, I mentioned that some of the apps featured might include a small feature set. Honestly, I wrote that knowing that one day, I’m going to be writing about Shush! The app does just one little simple task, but it does so extremely well: when you silence your phone’s ringtone, it offers you with a dialog (screenshot attached) with which you can choose for how long you want your phone on silent. After that, it puts the volume back on for you.
It’s an incredibly useful little app that I’ve used for a long, long time. It comes in handy every time I’m at the movies, in any meeting or when I used to be in class. But that’s not the only reason Shush gets a feature, it also does for the fact that the app was one of the first to be extremely polished look and UX-wise.
They didn’t offer you a HH:MM picker to choose how long you want your phone Shushed since, honestly, picking two things would end up being a pain. Their circular slider made the app a lot more user friendly and, deservedly, the app was featured extensively on the old Android Market. It has seen over half a million downloads, and maintains a 4.7 star rating.
If you’re like me in that you often forget to put your phone’s volume back on, this is a must-have app. You can download it over here.
Note: I’m shaking things up in this series by asking you to recommend some apps that you feel I should write about next week. Just mention them in the comments. I’ve got a list of my own, but would love to come across other “unique” Android apps, too.
you could check out disturbMeNot,
Another great app is Tasker. It makes things happen when certain criteria are met.
yep, Tasker’s on my list. I was kinda waiting for the right week, when I’d be heading out enough to put it to the real test. Might be featured next weekend.
Llama is similar, but free!
if Tasker got the holo theme overhaul..WOW! just WOW!
Still Tasker is amazing!
With SwipePad (and its’ add-ons) virtually anything on your phone (apps, widgets, shortcuts, app drawer – anything!) can be accessed in a single gesture, without even leaving the lockscreen! (with Widget Locker, for example)
I love SwipePad too. +1
If you wish to unleash the true power of the Android platform, try that one:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.sbsh.store.phoneweaver&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsIm5ldC5zYnNoLnN0b3JlLnBob25ld2VhdmVyIl0.
tasker does all that and more
Great apps:
School Assistant, Llama, Aix Weather Widget
Screen Off and Lock, turn off and lock your screen with a shortcut rather than the physical power button.
Desktop VisualizeR
Shush! seems like a great idea, but it turned out not to play well with RingGuard, which also seems worth a mention. Both Android phones I’ve had had a tendency to have their volumes accidentally changed by hitting the rocker while it was in my pocket: RingGuard asks for confirmation on a volume change, or puts things back the way they were.
(If there’s a similar app that doesn’t interfere with Shush!, though, I’d be interested, since I’d like to use it too.)
Wi-Fi timer is a similar app. I use it because my school’s Wi-Fi barely reaches the train platform, so i get an unstable connection waiting for the train as it switches back and forth between Wi-Fi and 3g. With Wi-Fi timer, i don’t have to worry about forgetting to turn it back on.
I think Google tv remote is a good uniquely Android app, since you can throw a url or YouTube video to your tv from your phone by sharing it to the remote app.
This is a great, simple idea. Llama has the same functionality built into it and I use it all the time.
I like Silent Sleep better. I set it for putting the phone to vibrate on Monday – Friday from 7:00-17:00 which is during work hours. It automatically changes back to ringtone outside those hours. It works very well and it’s simple.
I’ve got two apps to recommend : SD MAID PRO & APP DRAGON.
I’m recommending Widget Locker. That’s uniquely Android.
I’ve been using this app around 2 years. I use it in movie theaters, and I also use it at work everyday so the phone will un-mute when I get off of work!
Silent time is way better. You can set it and only do it one time. As a teacher I don’t want to turn my phone on silent everyday and remember to turn it back off when school is out. This app allowed me to set as many times as I want for my phone to go silent (even during church) and go back to normal after the allotted time.
I would recommend Speakerphone Control. It’s the most amazing app and so incredibly useful. The dev also has an app called Audio Control which does what Shush does X 10.
The Executive Assistant app is my must have app. It offers scrollable widgets that enable the user to keep track of email, text messages, Google news,Facebook , Twitter and more in one tabbed view.
Mighty Text lets you send and receive text messages using your mobile phone number from within the desktop Chrome browser. I text a lot with a few of my friends that haven’t moved to “cloudier” solutions, and I love using a full keyboard to do so.
why not just use airdroid, that was featured last week?
Oh man! I totally forgot Light Flow! It’s incredibly handy (and mostly just neat-o) to see what type of notification I have without even turning on the screen.
I had an HTC that ran on Windows 6.something and that phone had a built in possibility to go silent when there was a meet in the agenda. How about that? Such and old phone with such a great feature.
Easily done with Tasker (pricey) or Llama (free).
For different use cases, Llama (free) turns my ringer off, and back on, based on calendar events, location or time of day.
Love Llama! Raveesh you got to showcase Llama.
Will do. Too many people recommending it to ignore it.
I’d have to recommend “Folder Organizer” https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.abcOrganizer
It’s one of the best ‘tagging’ apps out there to let you categorize apps, contacts, shortcuts and bookmarks into ‘folders’ (really tags that behave like folders). Best part is an app can be tagged in more than one place. Integrates directly with Titanium Backup (which should also be on your list). No more relying on the Launcher itself to organize apps into folders..
But it’s quite slow though. Even on my new phone (Qualcomm S4 chip) it’s definitely noticeably slow. So, for now, I’m just sticking with the build in folder support on my Launcher.
Call Confirm – Never accidentally call anyone or butt dial ever again. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.nanabit.callconfirm
Great app, installed, thanks!
Check out ‘Wave Control’ if you haven’t already. Great app for music control while driving. The free version has everything I need. The paid version adds a few more perks for those that want it.
What is the clock/weather widget I see in that screenshot? I like the colors.
Beautiful Widgets. Themes are the MIUIBlueWhiteMinimal for the Super Clock, and Vos-Flat White for the weather
Ultimate Custom Clock Widget. I don’t think anything else is as ‘uniquely android’
SwipePad. It allows you to swipe from an edge or corner on your screen and open an app or do some feature. You just swipe and choose an app to open. I use this all the time. For example I don’t lyk having to press menu then pressing settings to open settings. It saves so much time.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=mobi.conduction.swipepad.android&feature=nav_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDMsIm1vYmkuY29uZHVjdGlvbi5zd2lwZXBhZC5hbmRyb2lkIl0.
Is this better than WaveLauncher though? I already have wavelauncher and I’m wondering if this is worth my time.
I never heard of wave launcher. Checking it out now and I think Ima about to buy it. SwipePad reduced my home screen down from 7 to 5. But this may actually allow me to have 1 home screen.
SwipePad seems to be lyk this Wave Launcher except with 12 apps. And the app selection looks lyk my picture. You just press and hold, then release on your app.
Thanks. I think Wave Launcher should go up. For the next one. I’m deciding to buy it. LoL!!
Wave Launcher is great, but SwipePad (add-ons required) gives you lots more – up to NINE pads (ie launchers), each pad expandable to ?? icons (mine have 15 each), and icons can include widgets and app drawer. Used with the Widget Locker lockscreen, you could easily get away with NO home screens!
this series is awesome every 1 of these app has been incredibly useful. Keep em coming
Tiny password!
I export my password.csv from LastPass directly into this app. You long press in a data entry and select it like a keyboard……it works great and its truly the only password manager I’ve found that works this way. Also, and to the detriment of my siblings, its not available for iOS
That app isn’t available on the market anymore — at least I can’t find it..
http://www.appbrain.com/app/tiny-password/com.tinycouch.android.password
I work at Fahrbot where we make a unique app called SwitchMe – it allows you to log into separate user spaces on a single device, similar to the way its done on desktop computers.
It does this by creating clones of the base OS, with each user having their own apps, email accounts and data.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=fahrbot.apps.switchme&hl=en
Root users only!
in light of moboplayer adding a pop up video to their app similar to samsungs video player on the GS3, I’d like to highlight some apps by MBFG, the developer of “Stick it!”. The very first app allowing for a floating pop up video player.
“Overskreen” which is a floating pop up web browser allowing for multiple browser instances and “AirCalc”, a floating pop up calculator. Must haves for Android Tablet owners.
Thanks to this dev, our android devices are becoming even more PC like. Thank you MBFG
Tablet Talk is another nice app for tablet owners. Connecting your tablet to your phone over BT or wifi and now you can read/reply to your phones sms messages from your tablet. Also has a caller id function so you can see who is calling on your tablet screen. You can silence or decline the call from the tablet, but if you want to answer your gonna have to dig out your phone, wherever it may be. ;)
I used to have this feature on my Nokia N97 and love it. Bring on the Shhh!
Thanks to this post I ultimately found Llama, so thanks for this weekend write up!
I use this app and I absolutely love it. I would never remember to turn my volume back up if it wasnt for this app. Fantastic.
Uniquely android is rooting your phone so you can install a ROM with quiet hours already built in.
Audio Manager Pro does the same thing but also has a scheduler.
I like Audio Manager Pro most for the beautiful (fuchsia) “graphic equalizer” widget that shows clearly and instantly, on the lockscreen (Widget Locker), exactly what the audio state of the phone is.
noLED for notifications on your lock screen when you don’t have a notification LED. Ultra-configurable. Can monitor *any* app for notifications. And it’s free. Low power drain if screen timeout is configured correctly.