Tecnology

Best Android apps 2016: you must download

 

 

The Google Play store has exploded in recent years, with a proliferation of apps that can cater to your every need. The problem is: there are just too many of them, even with Editor's Picks, Featured and Best Selling, Top Paid and Top Free categories there to help

• What's the best phone of 2016?

And that's why we made this list. Like you we want the best apps for our Android phones. The apps that are going to revolutionise functionality or, at the very least, offer something so great that it becomes one of the must-have apps that has to be downloaded whenever you get a new handset.
The following apps will be constantly updated and are a mixture of paid and free ones and have been chosen by our Android experts. So, even if you do dip into actual cash for one of these apps, you are safe in the knowledge that it is a worthwhile purchase.

1:      Spotify

Free (premium version needs a subscription)

Spotify is an app which requires no introduction, as one of the first and best streaming music services used by millions of people the world over. It's no wonder the user base is so large either, what with there being millions of tracks at your fingertips.

For free you can listen to any artist, album or playlist on your phone, but only on shuffle mode and with advert interruptions. Stump up for a premium subscription though and there are no restrictions, just non-stop musical bliss, including an offline mode, so you don't even need an internet connection to play your favourites.

2:        Strava

Free

Strava is a seriously compelling tool for runners and cyclists, letting you create, find and follow routes and track your speed, distance, pace and elevation.

But for many of us running and cycling is at its best when it's gently competitive, whether that's trying to top your own records or someone elses and Strave excels there too, with leaderboards, personal records and comparisons to friends and other app users.

Most of the core features are completely free, but you can unlock its full potential by signing up for a premium account. This unlocks filtered leaderboards, daily progress tracking and much, much more

3:         Evernote

 

Free

Evernote is the first and last word in note-taking, or it might as well be anyway. With multiple notebooks to help you keep your thoughts tidy, simple to-do lists, a powerful search tool so you can easily find specific notes and the ability to sync between devices it's a must have for anyone who ever jots things down. Which we'd wager is just about everyone.

It goes that little bit further than just being a notebook though, as you can also share your notes and collaborate on projects with others, easily track expenses and attach files, all through an attractive, clutter-free interface.

 4:        Pocket

 

 

Free

Life is busy and there's not always time to read that article on bees or that guide to knitting cat jumpers. Pocket solves that by allowing you to easily save web pages and even videos for later, storing them all in one place.

It's much more than just a bookmarking system though as it also makes them available offline, so you can catch up with things on the tube or any other time you don't have an internet connection.

It's free, slick and you can even synchronise your saved articles across every device you've installed Pocket on, allowing you to pick up where you left off and continue reading.

5:        Pushbullet

 

 

Free

Pushbullet is all about saving time and not having to dig out your phone every five minutes. Need to get a file or link from your phone to your computer or vice-versa? Pushbullet can do that in a couple of taps.
Wondering who keeps texting but too busy to check your phone? Pushbullet can display the notification on your computer and even lets you interact with the notifications from there.
It's one of those apps that we wonder how we ever did without now we've got it. Hopefully we'll never have to go back, those were dark days.