Each of us uses a few Google apps like Gmail, YouTube, Google Chrome and others on our mobile devices, just because of the added convenience and utility they provide. But there are a few apps out there which are definitely worth a try, and chances are you might not be aware of them. We’ve compiled a list of a few relatively unknown Google apps available on the Google Play Store that might be of some use to you.
1. Google Fit
Google Fit helps you track your activities like walking, running, swimming, playing various sports, even climbing stairs and much more throughout the day. This information can also be monitored in real time. You can set goals for yourself using an in-app feature and Google Fit lets you know how close you’re to completing the set goals. You can either set goals based on the number of steps, calories burnt, distance covered or time-based goals. You can also set custom goals based on the activity you choose, whether it is playing cricket, football, basketball or training at the gym. Use Google Fit: stay healthy and wise.
2. Google Keep
This app lets you record what’s on your mind and even set notes with reminders. You can either write a note or just hit the record button — speak what’s on your mind — and the app transcribes it into a written note, as well as saves the recorded voice message in the note. You can even save photo notes, draw on the notepad and label individual notes with an array of colours. You can share your notes via social networking sites with your friends, family or colleagues. All in all, it’s a useful tool to organise your thoughts, remind you of important stuff and create to-do lists too. Its ease of use is something that will attract you the most.
3. Google My Maps
With My Maps, you can create new maps and save them to your device. You can search and save places on your map, add points at different locations anywhere in the world and receive directions to be able to navigate at any of the saved places on your custom maps. You’ll have the ability to edit other maps available and save them as your own on the cloud network. You can also share your custom made maps via social media networks with your friends and family.
4. Chrome Remote Desktop
This app allows you to securely connect to your desktop using your Android-based smartphone device or a tablet. Once connected, you can control your PC with your handheld device from anywhere in the world. It’s very simple to connect — you can follow the 2 step instruction given after you open the app to connect with ease. And yes, like all the other apps on this list, Google gives this to you for free too.
5. Snapseed
Snapseed comes with a very user-friendly interface, which looks more so due to the clutter-free nature of the app. The gesture based UI enhances the user experience manifolds and makes editing a photo much more fun than it actually is. You get 25 tools and filters in this app to play around with, and they work very well too. A must-have for all the photo enthusiasts, especially if you wish to make those dull photos vibrant and share it with your friends on social media.
6. Google Duo
Duo is another app by Google that is very useful primarily due to its simple UI which opens the video camera as soon as you open the app and secondly because it can work on low network strength too. This app doesn’t drop the call when the network signal is too weak, rather pauses it and keeps track of your network signal to adjust the video quality accordingly so that the former doesn’t happen very often.
7. Google Trips
Do you have the wanderlust in you? Almost all of us do, and this app is just for the likes of us. It makes planning and travelling a breeze, with the information that you acquire from the app, and the saved information is available even when you’re offline. With the help of Google Trips, you can make reservations, check out things to do at the given location, access your saved places, make plans for the day, check out places to eat and hang out with friends, learn how to get around the city. Also get to know about necessities around the city like health and emergency services, marketplaces and where to get your currency exchanged and so much more that you can actually rely on this app while travelling to make it easier on yourself. Bon Voyage!
8. Spaces
Spaces will let you create your own groups based on shared interests on several topics that you like and then exchange information via the internet on these groups. Invite your friends via mail, WhatsApp or any other medium to join your group and just start the conversation. You can use Google search, Chrome, Photos and YouTube directly from inside the app. No need to switch windows, just keep the discussion going seamlessly.
9. YouTube Kids
YouTube Kids is a perfect app for parents to avoid exposing your child to video content that’s inappropriate for children. The recommendations are based on the first few searches of your child, and the company doesn’t censor videos manually, but an automated system is used. So, it’s quite possible your kid comes across a video you don’t want them to see, but you can flag that content using the options button on the side of each video. You can get the kind of videos you think your child might enjoy while starting the app from among these three options — Preschool, School-age, and All kids. You’ll also be presented with an option to turn on or turn off the search option. If you keep it on, it’ll allow your child to wander beyond the home screen to search and see a video of choice. If you keep it turned off your child will be restricted to the home screen which includes videos that the app recommends. It’s a much safer and fun app for kids as they get recommendations based on interests of their age groups. A must-have for all parents.
10. Google Arts & Culture
A blast from the past — Google’s Art & Culture app lets you explore places virtually and learn about the history of the world. The app has curated content in collaboration with 1200 international museums, galleries and institutions from 70 countries around the globe. Find hundreds and thousands of artwork, photos, manuscripts and videos depicting art and culture which date back to thousands of years. You can also take virtual tours of various museums and landmarks worldwide. The app also supplies you with a daily digest with quick bits of information, and you can also find cultural events and museums around your current location.
11. Google Goggles
If you’re one of those who can not contain their curiosity, then let Google Googles help you. Open the app, point your camera towards a landmark, painting, bar, QR code or a popular image and click a photo using the app. The app scans the image, analyses it and if Goggle’s database has information about the particular thing, you’ll know it too. It’s pretty simple to use and can be useful in case you’re stuck wondering about something in front of you, maybe you don’t know about it, or maybe you just don’t recall — use the app to quench the thirst of knowledge of your mind.
12. Google BrailleBack
This app is used for enhancing the accessibility of a smartphone or tablet to enable blind users to make use of braille devices alongwith them. This app works with Google’s TalkBack app to deliver a combined speech and braille experience for a user in need of such an accessibility service. This app helps connect your device to supported braille display devices via Bluetooth. Once connected, the contents on the phone screen are shown on the braille display and the user can navigate using keys on the given display. Braille keyboard support is also present.
13. Crowdsource
Help a little using this app and make the internet a bit better place to surf. You can use this app in your free time or whenever you’re getting bored — maybe standing in long queues at the shopping centre or banks. You’ll be asked to choose the languages you know once you launch the app. After that, you’ll be presented with an option to help with image transcription, handwriting recognition, translation and maps translation validation. Each category has mini-tasks which don’t take more than 5-10 seconds each to complete.
14. Expeditions
This app is a virtual reality tool that lets you take part in immersive virtual tours from all over the world. You can either choose to be a leader or follower of an expedition. Go to places where normal transportation won’t with the help of VR, explore outer space or dive underwater with Sharks. Explore from over 200 expeditions in using a virtual reality device such as Google Cardboard or you can also use the 2D ‘magic window’ mode on a phone or tablet.
15. Accessibility Scanner
This is a useful tool which suggests accessibility improvement to your phone. Once you turn it on it’ll capture your screen’s image — whichever one you want — and suggest improvements. Now this app isn’t directly useful to you but using this you can recommend improvements on any app to the concerned developer. This application is primarily meant for the developers themselves, but can be utilised by you nonetheless.
