Google Drive - Cloud Storage Challenge pt.II

Google Drive continues to be the home for my primary office suite of sorts, and for storing most, if not all of my Uni related work - and now even extra stuff I work on outside Uni. It truly is becoming more and more a part of my life the more I'm using it. But don't assume that this entire post will express my love affair with this service, because not every love affair is rosy, there are bound to be some pitfalls and it's no different in this case.

Source: play.google.com

Launcher Challenge - Apex Launcher

To start my long overdue launcher challenge - I'll be talking about Apex Launcher Pro, which from the moment I first flashed a nightly CM9 build to my Defy, it was the first 4.0 launcher I bought and have mostly stuck with since.

An old screenshot I thought I'd
throw in

Already in my weeks since announcing this launcher challenge, in using other launchers I've found that I will never have the same dependency on Apex as I've had in the past. There are just way too many avenues for customisation and personalisation on Android, and Apex is only the start of it. But alas, I have to start somewhere with this challenge, so why not comment on what has largely been my primary launcher since Android 4.0?

Most Galaxies are Mere Pawns in Samsung's Game Strategy

Why don't we just come to expect a new phone or two from Samsung every fortnight?

To be quite honest, I'm tiring of Samsung's continued exploitation of the 'Galaxy' name and design language. Just in case you weren't aware, Samsung recently announced the Galaxy Mega 5.8 and 6.3, which look just about the same as every other Galaxy device on the market, save for the back and menu buttons on the 6.3 - which have been swapped around.

Source: ubergizmo

Changing the button configuration which has just about always existed on their range which feature that hideous physical home button is a worrying thought for me. I believe it signifies Samsung are aware that their designs are ageing quickly, and at fears of coming up with a new design language - they're playing it safe by making subtle design 'enhancements' to an otherwise stale slice of bread.

Xiaomi MI-2S - One Attractive Alien

I think I'm smitten for a smartphone from an OEM whose name I often find fleeting both in recollection and spelling. I've never been a fan of Chinese OEMs, but this quirky device brings premium specs at a bargain basement price that makes it an extremely difficult offer to pass up.

Themed Icons that aren't assigned to the App Drawer

As I gear up to write about Apex Launcher as part of my launcher challenge, I thought about something which I've never quite understood with respect to some icon packs - that being why don't certain app icons which do exist in the icon pack theme themselves in the app drawer, and why don't themers take the steps necessary to mend this annoyance?

Before I start, this post is not a rant about themers/devs not having themed an app I have - I realise I'm more than capable of emailing the themers/devs with a list of app icons I'd like to see themed. This post is questioning why when I sift through the often extensive list of icons in an icon pack, and actually find a themed icon for the Chrome app for instance, that the icon itself isn't themed in the app drawer to begin with.

Impatiently awaiting the arrival of Play Store Gift Cards

For the last week or so, I've found myself out of "Google dollars". By that I mean the prepaid credit card that I use to make all sorts of purchases through Google Wallet has ran dry, and by time I finally have the opportunity to go down to the local post office (the only place my card can be recharged), it's closed.

Ingress Activation Codes are going to send me to the madhouse

I don't think I've ever been more anxious to play a game as I am with Ingress. Part of this could come down to the fact that the game is in closed-beta and operates on an invite-only basis. Knowing that thousands around the world are "geeking" out, improving their health and are part of something I'm not makes me feel as though I'm struggling to prevent a rock from defeating me. Though I may not be living completely under a rock, unless I'm actually involved and playing the game itself I might as well be. You don't understand, I'm pacing up and down the house, thinking of a new, creative way of landing my hands on an activation code, should my artistic skill and efforts see me through.

Source: geek.com