Google Play Store: Best of 2017

Every year the editors of the Google Play Store select the best apps and games of the year that is coming to an end. The list for this year went online a few days ago. Here I have summarized the most popular apps from my point of view.

A small note at the beginning: In this article I will also mention apps that I have not yet developed myselfprobeer or I haven't used it for a long time.

Apps

7 minute workout

The app 7 minute workout advertises that you are regularly asked to train for the seven-minute prescribed workouts. It shouldn't matter where you are at the moment. According to the description in the Google Play Store, these training applications are based on the HICT system, the High Intensity Circuit Training System, and are used to help you lose weight.

With the app you always train for seven-minute predetermined workouts (Image: © Google Play)

I myself have not finished this app yetprotried, but I've heard again and again that these exercises have an effect and can also be quite strenuous. The app is available free of charge in the Play Store and also in the AppStore. The in-app purchases can be made on Android pro Items cost up to €2,20.

Google Allo

Google Allo has been in the Play Store for almost two years now and is the successor to the popular messenger called Hangouts. Of course, you can send messages, stickers and media with Allo just like with any other messenger. You can also make calls, the quality here is actually pretty good from my own experience. You also have the option of talking to a stripped-down Google Assistant. I hardly used this one in Allo.

Google Allo is available free of charge from the Google Play Store and Apple's AppStore.

Zoho Notes

This year I also stumbled across Zoho's note app and turned it offprobeers. With its features, this app doesn't exactly stand out from the competition. On this point, the app compares fairly well with Google Keep. I found the design of the app much more appealing. It's not entirely modern, but it's not completely outdated either. I liked the covers for the notebooks the most. Here you could choose between several different ones that were designed by the developers themselves.

I find the covers of the notebooks very appealing (Image: © Caschy's blog)

The Zoho note app is available free of charge from the Play Store and the AppStore.

Photomath

Photomath is interesting for all high school and math students. What the app can do is pretty simple: you give it access to the camera, point it at a term or an equation that you would like to solve, and zap, you have the result with a solution. But it is a bit of a shame that you have to simplify binomial formulas yourself and these are not automatically identified. You can also enter terms in the integrated calculator. For a few months now there has also been the option of the app drawing a graph, if this is possible with the scanned formula.

The Photomath app is of course available in the Google Play Store and also in the AppStore. The app is free in both stores.

Slack

Slack is another messenger on my list. But the app is not your typical messenger. Slack aims at team communication for companies or smaller teams, as well TechnikNews, away. Messages can either be sent to a single person or to a channel. These channels are from us at least TechnikNews subject-based. But you can also combine Slack with other services. For example, I immediately integrated OneDrive into the service, which makes it easier to attach files directly from the app.

Slack is available for free in both the Play Store and the AppStore.

Socratic

I don't know what the Google Play editors think about this app. For my part, I've had rather bad experiences with Socratic. Basically, the app should help you in school. So not only for math, like Photomath, but also for other subjects by scanning questions with the camera and waiting for the answer the app found in Google.

But unfortunately that didn't work for me at all. Instead of one answer, I usually got a whole series of different answers. But it also has to be said that I started the app a little longer ago promaybe mine have changed ProProblem solved with an update in the meantime.

Socratic is available free of charge in the Google Play Store and also in the Apple AppStore.

Games

Angry Birds Evolution

Those were the days when only Angry Birds was my favorite game. I really couldn't get enough of the game. But over time, I wasn't the only one who found it boring that the concept of Angry Birds hardly changed. But that stopped with Angry Birds Evolution.

This is what the new playing field in Angry Birds Evolution looks like (screenshot: © TechnikNews)

First of all, Rovio said goodbye to the old 2D graphics, which I felt was sorely needed. Then you no longer shoot the birds out of the slingshot. Now you play in a square field with obstacles where you have to shoot the pigs with Angry Birds. The whole thing looks really good in terms of graphics and gives the whole thing a completely new appeal. performanceproI didn't have any problems with my Moto G4 Plus, but it could be different with weaker or older smartphones.

Angry Birds Evolution is available for free in the Play Store and in the App Store with some in-app purchases.

Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp

Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp hasn't even been a month on the Play Store and it's already on this list. Unfortunately, I haven't invested enough time into the game to be able to say more precise things here. The game only starts out as you come to an empty campsite, which you then have to build up with the help of the other characters in the game. I can't tell you how close it is to the original Animal Crossing, as I've never done this one beforeprocould beer.

Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp is available for free in the PlayStore and the AppStore. Some elements in the game can be purchased through in-app purchases, but they are not required for the game.

Battle Bay

With Battle Bay proRovio once again offered something new. In the game you fight with boats against another team. You have to shoot down the boats of the other team with the weapons that you have to buy and improve little by little. The team that shoots down the other team first wins. I've also noticed that it's easier to win through teamwork. Aside from the combat mode just mentioned, you can also join clans and exchange elements from the game with other gamers.

In Battle Bay you fight with boats against other teams (screenshot: © TechnikNews)

Battle Bay is free with some in-app purchases in the Play Store and the AppStore.

CATS

At CATS, I don't understand why it's on the list. The game is mainly about assembling a combat vehicle from various components, with which you can then compete against other players online. But that was it. You cannot intervene in what is happening in a duel, you just have to watch. I found that pretty boring. But I also know quite a few who really liked the game. The whole thing is then more a matter of taste.

CATS is available with in-app purchases for free in the Play Store and in the AppStore.

Clash Royale

Somehow I would have wondered if Clash Royale hadn't made it on this list. The game is the fourth trick from the developer company SuperCell. The game is about defeating your opponent online matches with the available battle cards. Quite a few figures and objects from the game Clash of Clans are used. There is also again the possibility to create clans or to join one.

Clash Royale is available free of charge in the Google PlayStore and in the Apple AppStore with some in-app purchases.

Rider

Rider is another game in the portfolio of the popular developer company Ketchapp. In the game you have to ride bikes over the course and watch out that the obstacles don't become your undoing. And that can be quite difficult at times. In addition, you can only accelerate and not brake, which means that you have to choose your speed wisely in some places, otherwise you will run into an obstacle.

In Rider you have to ride bikes through the sometimes really difficult courses (Image: © Google Play)

Rider is available for free in the Play Store and in the AppStore.

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