5 Essential Apps to Install on Your Android Smartphone


Bought a new phone or have just switched from iPhone to an Android smartphone and not sure which apps to install on your phone right away? Read this article to know the must have 5 apps on your Android smartphone.

A common thing to wonder after purchasing your shiny new Android device is; What apps should I download? Are there any apps that I absolutely need to have or cannot go without? What can I add to my phone to make my life run more smoothly and efficiently? Below are just a few examples of essential apps that you should not live without!

Surfshark


In a Cyberworld, fraught with people trying to steal your personal and private information, a good Virtual Private Network, or VPN, is an application that's essential to keep you and your data safe!

Surfshark is one such application, and a standout in the market due to its low cost and ease of use. Download it here: https://surfshark.com/download/android

Surfshark, as well as other VPN applications, works by encrypting your internet connection so that only you and the destination website you are trying to reach out to can see your web traffic. This makes it so that third parties such as hackers, your ISP, or governments cannot view what websites you've accessed or what files you've downloaded.

Some key features of Surfshark:
  • Uses industry leading AES-256 encryption to secure your traffic
  • Doesn't collect logs
  • Masks your IP address
  • Offers a zero-knowledge DNS for more security
  • Has IPv6 leak protection
  • Uses the best security protocols, such as OpenVPN and IKEv2

Google Drive


Smartphone storage goes for a premium nowadays and any way of expanding your device's storage past what it came with from the factory is a welcome upgrade! Enter, the Cloud Storage application. By storing some of your data off of your device, out in the ether, you are able to free up some of the limited physical space you have on your device's hard drive.

Following the uptick in Cloud Storage use amongst the masses, Google Drive has been a clear leader in this market and is an application you do not want to go without on your Android smartphone!

Some of Google Drive's top features:
  • Free and expandable storage
  • Automatic file backups
  • File sharing
  • Access level controls so you can control who can view and modify shared files
  • Music streaming
  • File scanning using your device's camera
For free, Google Drive offers you 15gigs of cloud storage to use between all of your devices. With such a generous amount of free space, and affordably priced expandable storage available, Google Drive is a no-brainer addition to your Android smartphone!

LastPass


With people creating more and more online accounts, and with password requirements becoming much more complex, the help of a Password Manager on your Android smartphone will help ensure that hacked accounts and forgotten password are a thing of the past!

Password Managers work by generating or storing passwords for you by means of encryption. To unlock or log in to an account, instead of having to remember the specific password for that one account, a master password is usually used. This makes managing multiple accounts a breeze for you whilst making it much more difficult for would-be hackers to gain access to your accounts and information.

With the help of LastPass, you can rest easy knowing that your online accounts are safe from potential intrusion whilst not having to worry about remembering 100 passwords or having to deal with constantly resetting your online accounts!

LastPass key features:
  • Two Factor Authentication
  • AES-256 bit encryption
  • Local-only encrypted storage of your passwords
LastPass is offered to Android users for free, with the option to upgrade to a Premium Subscription with additional features. LastPass frequently tops the lists of top secure Password Managers and if you find yourself managing many different online accounts and passwords, it is the obvious choice for your device!

SwiftKey


Depending on which Android smartphone you decided to go with, the default on-screen keyboard app may leave you wanting for more. Some of them can be slow and clunky or otherwise just not pleasing to the eye.

Lucky for you, most Android smartphone manufacturers allow you to download third-party keyboard applications to streamline your typing experience and offer you the ability to change the look and feel of your device!

Swiftkey is one such option for your Android smartphone and offers a host of advanced features that make it no ordinary keyboard application. It features smart word prediction powered by Artificial Intelligence, which over time learns your typing habits and will offer word predictions to make your text interactions quicker and flow more smoothly.

It is because of this, as well as it's many other advanced features, that Swiftkey is a welcome addition to any new Android device!

SwiftKey Features:
  • Artificial Intelligence powered word predictions
  • Spellchecker
  • Tap or Swipe-to-type options
  • Built-in GIF and Emoji keyboards
  • 100s of different themes to customize the look of your keyboard
  • Multilingual keyboard options
Swiftkey is free of charge, with the option of paying for premium themes if one so desires. If you find your phone's default keyboard lacking, give SwiftKey a try! It will not disappoint!

WhatsApp


The default messaging apps provided by most Smartphone manufacturers can sometimes be lacking in the security department or lack in advanced features that some users have come to expect.

With a host of third-party Chat apps offering advanced features such as increased security and group-messaging option, most users will seek out alternative Chat apps at one point or another.

For years, WhatsApp has been the top choice for Chat applications when you have security in mind, whilst looking for a simple interface and ease of use.

Top WhatsApp Features:
  • Group Messaging
  • Chats sync between all of your devices
  • Message Encryption enabled by default
  • File Sharing
WhatsApp is entirely free! With its advanced features and the peace of mind, it can offer you, with the ability to keep your personal conversations private with the help of encryption; WhatsApp is an application you should not overlook!

The apps listed above are just a few of many applications that can help make your Smartphone just a little bit smarter. Offering you enhanced security and work-flow, as well as increased efficiency, these essential apps will take your Android device to the next level and ensure you are getting the most out of your new device!


Comments

Guest Author: Digital01 Dec 2018

Hmmm I am not sure but I probably can live without these apps so I can't say these are important but I can't say they aren't either



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