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13 best new Android apps and games released in October 2014
[Price: Free]
First up is Camera51. This unique camera app is for those out there are not the best photographers. It uses a built-in algorithm that helps people take better pictures by suggesting where they hold the camera when they hit the shutter button. It does use quite a bit of CPU because it is making a lot of computations and it’s not recommended if you have an older or a low end device. It is free with no in app purchases and that’s always good news too.
[Price: $2.99]
djay 2 is already intensely popular on iOS and it’s finally been released on Android as well. It comes with a lot of features and it’s actually quite a bit of fun to use. There is also Spotify support if you use that and it’s $2.99 with no in app purchases. Some reviewers have commented that they wish there were more features so it may not be the best tool for professionals but for average people, it’s more than they had before.
[Price: $4.99]
Square Enix has been borderline ferocious when it comes to re-releasing their old library on Android. One such example is Dragon Quest II which was released this last month. It’s a jRPG originally released by Enix back before they merged with Squaresoft. It has charming retro graphics and one of the more reasonable price tags for a Square Enix title on Android. If you’re a fan of old school jRPGs then you’ll definitely want to check out Dragon Quest II and possibly even their other Dragon Quest re-releases.
[Price: Free]
ES Chromecast Plugin is a free plugin in the Google Play Store that grants Chromecast support to the venerable ES File Explorer. It’s a very simple process. You just download and install the plugin through the Google Play Store and you’ll magically have Chromecast support in the regular ES File Explorer app. If you use ES and you have a Chromecast, you should also have this app installed.
[Price: Free]
It’s true that Inbox by Gmail is still invite only but invites seem to be getting handed out at ever increasing rates so it won’t be long before everyone has one who wants one. Google’s latest take on email is definitely unique and so far has had polarizing reviews. Some think it’s too cluttered and busy while others love the re-design and functionality. It’s too soon to tell if this is going to be awesome or a bust but for right now it’s pretty awesome.
[Price: Free]
Journey & Notes is one of two applications released by Microsoft. This one is a social media application that’s kind of like Foursquare but focuses on the journey instead of the destination. Like if you were going from the store to the post office, you could check in that you’re making that trip with your preferred mode of transportation. Then other people who take that trip can see any tips or comments you made. It’s not all that much yet but it looks like it could be a lot of fun someday and it’s free so it doesn’t hurt to check it out.
[Price: Free]
Material Wallpapers is a simple little application that gives you Material Design inspired wallpapers and a few official wallpapers from Lollipop and the Nexus 6. It’s free with no in app purchases so the lack of content shouldn’t make anyone mad. There isn’t much else to say about it. If you’re looking for some Material style wallpapers then try this one out.
[Price: Free]
The other Microsoft app released this last month is Next Lock Screen. It appears over the stock Android lock screen and it’s kind of like Microsoft’s take on Dashclock widget. It’s fairly functional but there are a few things missing here and there that will probably get fixed and improved in future updates. It is free with no in app purchases so it doesn’t cost anything to check it out. Don’t forget that Microsoft did an Android Wear app this month also called Torque that was pretty fun.
[Price: $7.99 with in app purchases]
NHL 2K was released by 2K Games this last month and it’s probably the most complete hockey game available right now. It’s a little expensive and there are in app purchases but hockey fans really don’t have any other solid options when it comes to a hockey experience on Android. There are several game modes including a couple of fast play arcade modes and a career mode. It also features updated rosters which is always a good thing for a sports game.
[Price: $1.26]
NotiWidget is a fun application that helps you use notifications on virtually any screen on your device. There is a widget that can be placed on any home screen and on the lock screen which mimics Android Lollipop functionality. There is also a Daydream mode so you can check notifications there as well. The developer has been quite active in fixing bugs and making it more solid and so far the general consensus is that this app is pretty awesome and $1.26 isn’t a bad price.
[Price: Free with in app purchases]
Ready Contact List is an attempted redesign of the contacts app and dialer app. It features some pleasant visuals, some interesting features, and even themes if you get the pro version through in app purchases. You can even do things like check your email between you and one of your contacts while you wait for them to pick up the phone and you have options to further engage with contacts after you hang up the phone. It’s free to use so there’s no harm in checking it out.
[Price: $2.99 with in app purcahses]
République is a new game out this month and it’s probably the best one this list. It features very impressive graphics and game play mechanics as well as a genuinely interesting story line. It uses the Walking Dead-style episodes so you’ll get the first episode when you download the app and you’ll have to buy episodes two and three as in app purchases. So far people seem to really like it and it’s made by the same people who worked on titles like Metal Gear Solid, Halo, and F.E.A.R. It looks very impressive and it’s worth a second look.
[Price: $3.99]
Some sad news earlier this month was that Talon for Twitter reached its token limit and that no new people could get it. Some good news is that the developers have released a sequel to Talon for Twitter and it’s called the same thing. This version is for devices running Lollipop only because it has a lot of Material Design and Android 5.0 stuff that isn’t backwards compatible. Once you get Android Lollipop and you start looking for a Twitter client, keep Talon for Twitter in mind because it’s pretty good.
Wrap up
If we missed any awesome Android apps or games that were released in October of 2014, let us know in the comments!