Category: APPS

Delete these apps from your Android phone

Delete these apps from your Android phone

Take a peek at your Android apps. Yes, all of them. I counted mine. I have 81 apps on my phone. Do I need all of those apps? I’m pretty sure the answer is “no.” If you’re thinking what I’m thinking, then it’s time to delete some apps.

There are a host of good reasons to clean out your apps. You can free up storage space, toss out problem apps and even remove some attention-seeking apps that eat up your free time.

You don’t have to declutter your apps until nothing is left. We’ve got some guidelines for deleting apps that should help you figure out what can stay and what should go. Keep in mind there are many different versions of the Android operating system out there, so you may need to poke around in Settings to find the right places to check on your apps.

How to delete Android apps

There are a couple of simple ways to delete apps. From your home screen, hold down on the app icon you want to delete and drag it upward toward the top of your screen. Drop it on the trash can icon that says “Uninstall.” Confirm the deletion and you’re done.

A second way to delete is to open Settings, tap on “Apps & notifications” and then tap on the “see all apps” option. From here, tap on the name of the app you want to remove and then tap on Uninstall. Confirm to delete the app.

Tap or click here to learn how to check the battery on your Android phone or tablet.

Delete social media apps from your Android phone

It’s OK if you can’t live without Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, but if you’re bothered by how much time you spend staring at those apps on your phone, then it might be time to take a new approach.

Facebook is the app that stands out here. Some users have complained that it’s a battery hog, but part of the problem may be tied to your usage habits. You can delete the app and still access Facebook through your browser. I tried this out as an experiment to see if I would miss it. I didn’t. I still check in on Facebook using Chrome on my phone, but it’s more purposeful. I no longer mindlessly tap on the Facebook app to randomly scroll through my feed.

Delete data-hogging apps from Android

If your phone is on a cellular data diet, then you want to make sure you’re not running short at the end of your billing cycle. One way to preserve your data is to remove apps that are eating up more than their fair share. To figure out if you have a culprit, head into Settings, tap on Network & Internet and then on Data usage.

Tap on “Mobile data usage” to get a snapshot of what’s using your cellular connection. Here you will see a graph and a list of apps showing the ones that used the most data over that time period at the top. For me, that top app was Chrome, but that makes sense since it’s the app I use the most when on the go. What you should look for is any app that is unexpectedly using a lot of data. That’s an app you will probably want to delete or find a less-hungry replacement for.

Delete apps that track you without permission

There is an unfortunate history of apps that collect information on users in an underhanded way. The Uber app was famously busted for this sort of behavior in 2017. Research group AppCensus issued a warning in February 2019about a group of Android apps that were tracking users while skimming around Google privacy policies concerning collecting data for advertising purposes.

Some of the apps called out by AppCensus at the time included Clean Master, Temple Run 2, Angry Birds Classic and Cooking Fever. While Google tries to stay on top of violations, it’s always going to be a moving target. Check out our Komando tips on how to stop your phone from being tracked.

Delete Android apps you don’t use

It’s easy to download an app and then forget about it. That doesn’t mean it has to sit there forever. You can find out which apps have been hiding out by opening the Google Play Store app. Tap on the three bars in the corner and on “My apps & Games.” Tap on the Installed tab and look for the sorting feature, which is usually set to alphabetical. Tap on this and change it to Last Used.

Scroll down through your App list and look for apps you rarely use or never touch at all. Tap on the app name and tap on Uninstall to remove it.

After following all of these tips, you should end up with a more streamlined set of Android apps. Congratulate yourself on opening up some storage space and for removing apps that may have become distractions. You can always reinstall an app if you end up missing it.

7 hidden Android features you should use

Your Android phone has some secret and overlooked features that you can harness to improve your mobile experience. Try out a split-screen mode, translate text on the fly and even block annoying ads in some gaming apps. We’ve got some great Android tricks and tips you need to try.

[“source=komando”]

Police warn parents of 14 apps that could be dangerous for kids

LAS VEGAS (KSNV) – Law enforcement agencies across the country are warning parents of 14 popular apps that could put kids in danger of predators.

Police are urging parents to check their children’s phones and the apps on their devices as this is the best way to defend against possible predators.

Some tips to protect children according to police are:

  • Approve every app on your kid’s phone
  • Check their privacy settings
  • Speak with your children about phone use, app use and social media

14 apps that police say could be dangerous for children. (Source:Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office’ Facebook)

Here are the 14 apps police say parents need to be aware of:

SNAPCHAT: allows users to take pictures and videos that disappear with new features like ‘stories’ that allow users to view content for 24 hours and see your location.

KIK: allows anyone to direct message instead of text messaging and gives unlimited access to anyone, anytime.

YELLOW: allows teens to flirt with one other similar to Tinder.

HOLLA: video chat app that allows users to meet through their phones across the world in seconds.

OMEGLE: allows users to chat for free and encourages anonymous chatting with strangers.

BUMBLE: similar to Tinder, a dating app that requires women to make first contact, though kids are known to create fake accounts and falsify their age.

WISHBONE: allows users to compare photos to each other and rate one another on a scale.

CALCULATOR%: secret app that allows users to hide photos, videos, files and browser history.

ASK.FM: notorious for cyberbullying, this app encourages to anonymously message others to ask questions.

WHISPER: anonymous social media app that allows users to share secrets with others and can share users’ locations so they can meet.

BURNBOOK: allows users to post anonymous rumors through text, audio and pictures.

HOT OR NOT: allows users to rate profiles and find people in their area and chat.

LIVE.ME: live streaming app that uses geolocation to share videos so users can see the broadcaster’s location.

INSTAGRAM: one of the most popular apps among children, kids are known to use this app for fake accounts and to text since the conversation is deleted when someone leaves the chat.

These are only examples of potentially dangerous apps, and parents should monitor all apps and note if they offer messaging features.

[“source=katv”]

Out of phone storage? Five Android apps that help you clean up space, make phone snappy

There are a number of apps that can help you do more with the existing storage of your phone

By Zia Askari

Let’s face it, we all hate to wake up and find there is little space in the internal memory of our mobile phone. Whether you have a device that carries 16GB internal storage or 128GB of storage, it becomes a daunting task to optimise the performance of storage in your device, more so for a not-so-tech-savvy person. There are a number of apps that can help you do more with the existing storage of your phone such as organising files in a better manner, compressing files, and managing duplicate content on the device. We take a look at five Android apps that can help you organise storage in an efficient manner.

Astro File Browser
Astro File Browser is one of the oldest file manager apps that have been designed to help manage storage in a simplistic and yet effective manner. Some of the important features of this app include support on cloud storage, SD card support, file compression, app management. This app also provides archive extraction support.

File Manager
As simple as it may sound, File Manager is another good app that can help you manage your storage quite efficiently without adding too much of pressure on your computing resources. This app provides basic file management features along with cloud storage.
You can browse your installed apps, photos, audio, video and downloads, etc., with this app.

Clean Master
Clean Master is a widely used app because of its seamless storage cleaning capabilities. It lets you clean the app cache, residual files, history within the apps and many other junk files which pile up after you start using apps in your device. The most important factor contributing to the success of this app is the fact that this does not cause battery drainage.

Total Commander
Total Commander is one of the most powerful storage management apps on Play Store. It comes with a number of interesting features such as network storage, cloud storage support, book marks, plugin support, and also comes with an included text editor.

X-Plore File Manager
Yet another innovative storage management app, this delivers a unique interface in the form of dual panes—which means that you will be managing two windows at once pretty much all the time. This helps if you need to copy/paste between folders or need to move files quickly between two folders. This app also comes with support for various types of files, network storage, cloud storage, network storage (FTP, DLNA/UPnP), root support, and other features.

Duplicate Media Remover
Most of the time, unknowingly, we all have a lot of duplicate content in the form of pictures, voice files and videos occupying our precious internal memory space. This app can help you scan, find and remove all similar files including audio, videos, images and other files and manage your phone storage quite effectively. It provides options to select folders and to find and remove identical files between them. Using this tool, you can schedule scans on a weekly basis where it will scan device as per your convenience and help you manage your storage in an easy manner.

[“source=financialexpress”]

15 recommended Android apps for downloading

Digital disruption is defined as the change that occurs when new digital technologies and business models affect the value proposition of existing goods and services.

A clear sign of how these digital technologies have become omnipresent in our lives is our sheer dependency on smartphones and mobile apps.

Almost every task nowadays can be done via our smartphones. There is an app for almost everything and a majority of them are available for free too.

According to GlobalStats, Google’s mobile operating system, Android currently holds a 76.77% market share in Malaysia. This makes it the undisputed preferred mobile platform in the country.

So, if you happen to be an Android user, here’s a list of 15 recommended apps you should consider having on your mobile device.

Excluded from this list is prominent apps that usually come bundled in your phone like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, etc.

1. Spotify

Let’s face it, nobody buys physical music albums anymore. With Spotify, you have access not only to a world of music but also podcasts.

There are also ready-made playlists and personalised recommendations to suit your mood and taste.

2. Shazam

We’ve been there before. A song plays on the radio and we find it real catchy. But we have no idea what the title of the song is or who the singer is. With Shazam, you can get the answer almost immediately.

3. Netflix

The average monthly bill for a cable TV in Malaysia can range between RM40 to RM200.

If you rarely watch TV but still want to enjoy brilliant movies, series or documentaries at home or on the go, consider switching to streaming services such as Netflix.

That being said, Netflix can be accessed for free for the first month but comes with a paid subscription starting at RM33 per month for subsequent months.

4. GSC/TGV/MBO Cinemas

By purchasing your movie tickets online, you not only get to save time but also ensure you don’t miss out on preferred seats.

Of course, online purchases usually require you to become a member of a specific cinema chain.

They do, however, come with plenty of additional privileges. So, whether GSC, TGV, or MBO, make sure you download the mobile app.

5. ShopBack

For many of us these days, shopping simply means buying our favourite things through clicks and swift payments from the comfort of our homes.

ShopBack takes online shopping to a whole new level by offering us cashback on all your purchases. With over 500 stores to choose from, you’ll definitely save more money.

6. Grab

Let’s face it, everyone knows Grab by now. They started out as a ride-hailing app but have now evolved to include food delivery services besides offering a cashless payment solution.

7. VSCO

The popularity of social media apps such as Instagram has made it no longer acceptable to have “average” looking photos. Well, at least if you want to stand out, that is.

VSCO enables you to edit and filter your photos with superior but easy-to-use presets.

8. Mobile banking apps

This is one of the easiest ways to check your account balance, transfer money instantly, pay bills, and a lot more.

Plus, with Malaysia heading towards a cashless society, why would you want to queue up at banks anyway?

9. RAR

With more and more tasks being done on your mobile phone compared to a laptop or desktop, it is logical to have this compression and extractor app installed.

10. LastPass

LastPass is a password manager and password generator that locks your passwords and personal information in a secure vault.

From your LastPass vault, you can store passwords and logins, create online shopping profiles, generate strong passwords, track personal information in notes, and much more.

11. 1.1.1.1

Yes, we purposely put this app as the 11th item on the list. This app allows you to automatically encrypt your DNS queries.

In non-technical terms, it means you have more privacy and security when you are online. Plus, it might even make your internet connection faster.

12. Habit Tracker

One of the most effective ways to cut bad habits from your life is to track how often you do them. Once you see the patterns, it’s easier to break them.

The same goes when you want to add some positive habits. Keeping track of your day with Habit Tracker will keep you accountable and responsible.

13. Heimdall Parental Control

Exposing your children to the internet is inevitable. However, it is your responsibility as a parent to take control of what they access.

This app helps you protect your children by securing their phone or tablet and adding restrictions.

14. Goodbudget

Based on a novel and time-tested budgeting system called envelope budgeting, the Goodbudget app helps you keep track of your income and expenses by putting each amount into a specific envelope. You only get to spend what’s in the envelope and save what’s left of it.

15. Freeletics

Using the Freeletics app is like having a personal trainer right inside your mobile phone.

The artificial intelligence coach learns from your feedback and performance and then designs complete training plans customised for you.

The app has over 140 types of exercises and more than 900 workout variations. This way you’ll never get bored and will be better equipped to avoid a plateau.

[“source=freemalaysiatoday”]