We’ve compiled a list of the 10 best applications to hit the Google Play Store during the month of November 2016. Some of these apps have been significantly updated this past month but most of them have been launched this past month. Without further adieu, let’s get started.
Microsoft Solitaire Collection
The first app is Microsoft Solitaire Collection. Microsoft Solitaire Collection has been one of the most played games of all time and now it’s available for free on Android. In a world saturated with HD, action-packed games, it’s easy to forget or neglect some of the classics. Solitaire is an absolute classic in my book. This app actually features 5 classic Solitaire games-- Klondike, Spider, FreeCell, Pyramid, and TriPeaks. There are daily challenges with four levels of difficulty and you can sign in with your Microsoft account to earn Xbox Live achievements and compete with your friends and family members. I think this is a must-have app for Solitaire lovers.
Android Auto
Android Auto has been a thing for quite some time now but earlier this month, Google decided to update the app and allow anyone to download it. You no longer need to buy a new car or stereo to use Android Auto. If you’re new to the app, what it does is that it basically makes it easier to use apps and Google services while driving on the road. The best and safest way to use this app is to mount your phone in your car or connect it to your car’s stereo system. But you’ll see the app features big, bold icons that you can see at a glance. You can see shortcuts to navigate home or to work. You can view the weather, make calls, listen to music and activate Google Now. The app is very basic and that’s kind of the point. But if you find yourself using your phone for directions or use it while driving a car, I highly recommend you download Android Auto and pick up a knock of sorts for safety purposes. Remember guys, two hands on the wheel at all times.
Adobe Photoshop Fix
Adobe Photoshop Fix is a very capable application that can help you retouch and restore photos on your Android phone. You can heal, smooth, liquify, lighten, crop, brighten, blur and more. You will need to sign up for an Adobe ID within Photoshop Fix to use this app but thankfully it’s free. I’m very impressed with how well this app works and how easy it is to make edits. There’s a lot we can talk about here but if you’re looking for a way to enhance your photos, you might want to give Adobe Photoshop Fix a look.
Break Liner
Break Liner is a simple but fun game. The goal of the game is to break the line and boost through space. Sometimes, a line will move and force you to readjust your trajectory. You can collect bonuses and power-ups. It’s as simple as that. It’s lots of fun.
Daydream
Daydream is a new app from Google that requires a Daydream View and Android Nougat device. It’s Google’s new VR platform that is designed to immerse you in all the things you love via simple, high-quality VR. I recently published a review of Daydream View, which is the $79 headset required to use Daydream. We found the platform to be very capable. It’s new but it features exclusive games like Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, YouTube VR, CNN, Netflix, HBO Now, and Google Play Movies just to name a few. The addition of a motion control really takes this mobile VR experience to a whole new level. I think it’s worth looking into if you want to dip your toes into the world of VR.
Peppy Wallpapers
Peppy Wallpapers is an app that contains exclusive wallpapers designed by the Peppy Wallpapers team. They are all in HD resolutions and they all look beautiful. I will say I’m a fan of Material Design, it is no secret. And when I’m rocking an Android phone as my daily driver, I want to take the most advantage of Material Design as much as I can. This app provides a huge selection of high quality Material Design wallpapers to choose from and quickly set as a lock screen or home screen wallpaper right from the app itself.
Fit In The Hole
Fit In The Hole is a modern Tetris game. You are a cube on a journey through the walls. Find the gap in the wall, go over the terrain and try to fit inside and don’t get hit by a wall. Those are the instructions. It’s a puzzle game that makes you think on the fly. You only have a couple of seconds to create the right shape before the wall arrives. As for the controls, a tap on the left hand side of the screen will move the cube left one unit. A tap on the right will move the cube right one unit. You can also long press to slide the cube two units to the left or right.
Warning: this game is crazy addictive and also mentally stimulating.
Fingerprint Gestures
The app, Fingerprint Gestures, turns your static fingerprint scanner into something dynamic. You can use gestures like single tap, double tap, fast tap or swipe to control your mobile device. It works surprisingly well. I’m using the Pixel XL, which features the ability to swipe down the notification panel, which is a feature that’s built right into the software. But that’s really about it. With Fingerprint Gestures though, I can single tap to go back an application and double tap to turn on the Torch, for example. There are a ton of different commands that you can gesture and settings that you can tweak. For example, you can allow only registered fingerprints to activate gestures and you can change the tap delay time. If you are using a mobile device with a fingerprint scanner, you might want to think about downloading this app. I definitely recommend it for those who have rear-facing fingerprint scanners.
Tiles
The app called Tiles makes use of the new quick settings API on Nougat to bring more quick settings toggles to your device so you can see more toggles than you would normally see on your Nougat device. For example, you can add a weather quick settings tile. As you can see here, that is presented in a beautiful Material Design layout. Maybe you want to add a quick settings toggle that holds several applications, you can do just that. There’s a huge list of different tiles you can create. This app is extremely well-designed and beautifully simple. I highly recommend it as it will take your Android customizations to a whole new level.
Henry the Cloud
Henry the Cloud is the very last app on the list. The mechanics of this game are very unique. You play as a cloud, named Henry, that is propelled forward. You have to use your finger to draw a path for the cloud to follow. The more obstacles there are, the harder this game becomes obviously. The goal is to draw a path to avoid the obstacles. I find it surprisingly addicting and kind of reminiscent of a Super Mario game with the lively background music.
With that last one, those are 10 of our favorite Android apps to be released in the month of November 2016.
