Magnificent five. Spring 2016, part two

Five pleasant and interesting products from the Play Market.

In this issue: a simple but effective offline and / or online dictionary, widget sets for different times of the day, a strict and stylish RSS aggregator, an online chaffinch and an exciting arcade game.

Linguee Dictionary

It so happens that you have to translate in completely unsuitable conditions, for example, on a train, in which, although the opportunity to buy access to Wi-Fi is declared, in fact it is not. And the word does not want to be translated in any way, asks for context and that's it. This is where the first product on today's list comes in handy. Linguee currently offers translations from 9 languages ​​to English and vice versa, many other dictionaries are in development.

The advantage of Linguee is that the dictionaries are stored offline and it is not at all necessary to be connected to the network to view the translation of a word. The 'trick' of online translation is access to the contextual translation of the specified expression, sentences with an example of the use of the word are offered. There are both plus and minus here: the word can be used completely inappropriate for the user, you need to keep your ears open. A solid plus for the ability to listen to the pronunciation of a word, also available only online. We will follow the development. Advise those who need a convenient way to quickly find the meaning of a word without access to the Internet.

Cost: Free
Requirements: version Android 4.2+

On Time – Dynamic Smart Widget
(Supratim Chakraborty)

Depending on what we do at one time or another of the day, we often use a certain set of applications, often this forms a habit and a sequence of actions, such as: getting up, taking a shower, checking mail, calling a taxi, etc. Perhaps, the developer of the On Time widget was guided by a similar concept, in which the user is asked to select applications for three collections (morning, afternoon and evening), which will be displayed on the widget at a given time of day and automatically change.

In the settings, you can customize the appearance of the displayed widget, including choosing a set of icons that will be used to display applications. On Time has support for Tasker, with which you can set your own time frames for the created collections. The result is a convenient solution that will allow you to quickly complete tasks, especially those that have already become a habit and are repeated from day to day. Advise supporters of optimizing their lives.

Cost: Free
Requirements: version Android 4.1+

Quote | Feedly RSS Reader
(mvilla)

A third-party client-aggregator of articles from Feedly / Inoreader from the creators of the popular Twitter – client Fenix ​​made me remember that, it turns out, he used Feedly some time ago, but for some reason abandoned this case. The Quote interface is made in accordance with the principles of Material Design, looks neat, strict and does not hurt the eyes. By default, two color schemes are available, two more can be purchased through the application, the subscription costs ~ 154 rubles. The paid subscription also includes support for multiple accounts and no ads in the app.

Reading articles is carried out in full screen mode, to navigate between materials, just swipe in the desired direction, you can also navigate between them using the arrows at the bottom of the screen. Quote supports two popular applications that are relevant for those who like to leave material of interest for later – Instapaper and Pocket. However, similar functionality is present in Quote, just add to favorites by clicking on the star. An additional advantage of the application is the ability to download materials and images for offline reading, as well as edit subscriptions directly from the client.

It would be great to be able to read the full version of the materials without having to go to the site, but I probably ask a lot. I liked Quote very much, I think it's time to say goodbye to Flyne, where everything is great, except for the ability to independently select and edit news sources on topics of interest. Advise actively monitoring media streams.

Cost: Free, in-app purchases
Requirements: version Android 4.1+

Sema for Twitter
(Mobile Social Apps)

By the way, about Fenix. The recent episode of the removal of the program from Google Play due to the policy Twitter, which prohibits third-party customers from giving away more than 100,000 tokens, prompted some users to seek alternative customers. And while the Fenix ​​has returned to the Play catalog (unlike the Carbon and Falcon Pro), it's always a good idea to have a 'fallback' in case you are. Syoma, a domestic and relatively 'young' Twitter client who is still far from the limit, can easily become such an option.

The 'bird' theme has not spared our developers, in the English version the application is referred to as Finch (finch, finch), everything is in the best traditions of third-party clients for Twitter. The functionality of the application cannot be called super-advanced, however, Syoma works confidently and stably, often sending notifications earlier than the official client. Background sync, native browser, dark and light themes – why not a set for a free application?

On my part, a wish to the developers will be the introduction of a paid subscription to get rid of ads, I also don't really like how a retweet with a quote is implemented in Syoma, the text of the quote itself is shown and just a link under it, I would like to see the quoted tweet itself. For the rest – solid four plus, I wish the developers success.

Cost: Free
Requirements: version Android 4.0.3+, age category 12+ (parental control required)

Aurora Quarantine 3D
(ForthWard Studiois)

Probably only a lazy person did not write about the game, but this is the case when attention is warranted. Aurora Quarantine takes place in 2098 amid a global environmental disaster. Resources are depleted, humanity has gone to the extreme in dividing into rich and poor, providing a comfortable life for the first in ecologically clean, specially created and fenced off cities from the outside world. One of these cities was attacked, the terrorists detonated a toxic bomb, destroying the population and poisoning the air. Due to the impossibility of surveying the city by people, special robots were created to work in such conditions. One of these robots is to be controlled by the player. The goal of the game is to find the three components of the bomb in order to subsequently create an antidote from the substance that hit the city. In the process of searching, the player is given tasks, the implementation of which will require patience, ingenuity and out-of-the-box thinking.

As you progress through and explore the game space, the player comes across blue and green capsules on the way, they help to achieve a new level and improve the characteristics of the robot. Also, three times per game, there are special devices in which the robot is updated, giving it a new ability, whether it be the ability to replenish energy from the sun, overcome obstacles more quickly, or, on the contrary, a more accurate control mode. And secret items will help to open certain secret / closed rooms.

It turns out that I love puzzles, otherwise I can't explain my passion for such games. I would not say that it is easy to complete the game, it is often required to completely return to the level already passed, but this only adds excitement. The robot is controlled by a swipe, control using a gyroscope is also available. In Aurora Quarantine, only English is available, perhaps the situation will change in the next update, which, in theory, should add a couple of chapters to the game. Advise fans of games of this genre.

Cost: ~ 100 rubles
Requirements: version Android 4.0+

That's all for today, I hope you liked the selection, everyone is in a good mood! Until next time!

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