Use F-Droid for open-source apps, not just the Google Play Store
The Farmer’s Market vs. The Corporate Supercenter
The Google Play Store is like a giant, corporate supercenter. It has everything, but it’s also filled with ads, trackers, and products with questionable, hidden ingredients. F-Droid is the digital equivalent of a local farmer’s market. The selection is smaller, but every vendor is a trusted member of the community. You know exactly what’s in the food because the recipes (the source code) are open for anyone to see. There are no hidden trackers or ads, just clean, trustworthy software made by people who care about quality, not just profit.
Stop using the official Reddit app. Do use a third-party client like Infinity or Relay instead for a better experience.
The Custom-Tuned Car vs. The Ad-Covered Bus
Using the official Reddit app is like being forced to take a city bus to get around. It’s slow, it’s covered in ugly advertisements, it makes a lot of noisy stops you don’t care about, and the seats are uncomfortable. Using a third-party app like Infinity is like getting behind the wheel of your own custom-tuned sports car. It’s incredibly fast, there are zero ads, the dashboard is clean and shows you only what you want to see, and every control is perfectly placed. It turns a clunky chore into a joyful ride.
Stop just uninstalling apps. Do clear the app’s data and cache first to remove leftover files.
Making Sure the Tenant Cleans Their Room
When a tenant moves out of an apartment, you expect them to take all their stuff. Just uninstalling an app is like a tenant who leaves but forgets a bunch of junk in the closets and under the bed. The room is empty, but it’s not truly clean. Clearing the app’s data and cache before you uninstall is like making sure the tenant does a full deep clean before they hand over the keys. It removes all their personal belongings and hidden clutter, leaving the apartment completely empty and spotless.
The #1 secret for finding great apps is searching on alternativeTo.net, not just browsing the Play Store charts.
The Local’s Guide to Amazing Restaurants
Browsing the Play Store’s top charts is like only eating at the giant, flashy chain restaurants in the main tourist square of a city. You know what you’re getting, but it’s rarely the best. Using a site like AlternativeTo.net is like asking a savvy local for their favorite spot. They’ll tell you about the incredible, hidden gem of a restaurant just around the corner that serves much better food for half the price. It helps you discover quality and innovation, not just what’s popular.
I’m just going to say it: Most of the apps pre-installed on your phone are inferior to free alternatives on the Play Store.
The Generic Tools That Come with the House
The apps pre-installed on your phone are like the cheap, generic toolkit the builder leaves in the garage when you buy a new house. Yes, there’s a screwdriver and a hammer, and they technically work. But they are flimsy and basic. A quick trip to the hardware store (the Play Store) reveals a world of high-quality, specialized tools that are more comfortable to use, have more features, and do the job ten times better—and most of them are also free. Don’t settle for the generic starter kit.
The reason you hate using your phone is because you’re using ad-filled, bloated apps instead of lightweight alternatives.
Driving a Minivan vs. a Go-Kart
Using a bloated, ad-filled app is like trying to navigate a tight, winding race track in a heavy, underpowered minivan filled with screaming passengers (the ads). Every turn is a struggle, it’s slow to accelerate, and the whole experience is frustrating. Switching to a lightweight alternative is like hopping into a zippy little go-kart. It’s stripped-down, incredibly responsive, and does one thing perfectly: it flies around the track. It turns the chore of driving into a thrilling and joyful experience.
If you’re still using your phone manufacturer’s default apps (browser, calendar, etc.), you’re losing out on powerful features.
The Rental Skates vs. Your Own Custom Pair
Using the default apps that come with your phone is like using the generic, beat-up rental skates at the ice rink. They’ll get you on the ice, but they are uncomfortable, dull, and limit what you can do. Exploring alternatives on the Play Store is like buying your own pair of high-quality skates. Suddenly, you’re faster, more agile, and can perform moves you never thought possible. They are tailored to your needs and unlock a whole new level of performance and enjoyment.
The biggest lie you’ve been told about apps is that you need a separate app for everything.
The Swiss Army Knife vs. a Full Toolbox
Believing you need a different app for every single task is like thinking you need to carry a massive, heavy toolbox with a separate tool for every possible job. Often, a single, high-quality Swiss Army knife can do the job of ten different tools you’d otherwise have to carry. Many modern apps are incredibly versatile, and learning to use one powerful app well is far more efficient than cluttering your phone with dozens of single-purpose apps that just take up space.
I wish I knew about Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) which offer app-like experiences without an installation.
The Pop-Up Shop vs. a Brick-and-Mortar Store
A regular app is like a big, permanent store. You have to go through the whole process of building it (installing it) on your property, and it takes up a lot of space. A Progressive Web App is like a magical pop-up shop. You visit a website, and with one tap, a fully-functional, app-like storefront appears on your home screen. It takes up almost no space and requires no formal installation, but it gives you the full, fast experience whenever you need it.
99% of users make this one mistake when trying a new app: not checking the date of the last update.
Buying Milk Without Checking the Expiration Date
Installing an app without checking its last update date is like grabbing a carton of milk from the grocery store shelf without looking at the expiration date. It might look perfectly fine on the outside, but when you get it home and open it, you might find that it’s been sitting there for two years and has gone sour. An app that hasn’t been updated in a long time is abandoned, meaning it’s likely full of bugs and security holes. Always check for freshness.
This one small action of creating “app pairs” on a Samsung device will change your multitasking workflow forever.
The Perfect Tool Combination
Imagine you’re a carpenter who always uses a hammer and nails together. Normally, you have to reach into your toolbox, grab the hammer, and then reach back in to grab the nails. Creating an “app pair” is like welding the nail dispenser to the side of the hammer. Now, with one single action, you grab the exact two-tool combination you always use. It’s a simple, brilliant shortcut that saves you a step every single time, making your workflow smoother and faster.
Use NewPipe to watch YouTube without ads, not paying for YouTube Premium.
The Magical Ad-Blocking TV
Watching YouTube normally is like watching a TV where every five minutes, a loud salesman jumps out and forces you to watch a commercial. Paying for Premium is like paying that salesman a monthly fee to leave you alone. Using an app like NewPipe is like discovering a magical TV that is fundamentally incapable of showing commercials. It just plays the show you want to see, uninterrupted, for free. It also lets you download the shows to watch later, even when you’re offline.
Stop using Google Chrome. Do use a feature-rich alternative like Vivaldi or a privacy-focused one like Bromite.
The Basic Sedan vs. The Customizable RV
Google Chrome on Android is a reliable, basic sedan. It gets you where you need to go, but it’s not very exciting or private. Using a browser like Vivaldi is like upgrading to a fully-customizable RV. You can rearrange the dashboard, add new gadgets, and build a browsing experience that is perfectly tailored to your needs. A privacy browser like Bromite is like that same sedan, but with military-grade tinted windows and a license plate scrambler, letting you travel the web without being followed.
Stop paying for a scanner app. Do use the built-in Google Drive “Scan” widget instead.
The Hidden Scanner in Your Filing Cabinet
Paying for a scanner app is like going out and buying a brand new, expensive scanner, not realizing that the high-tech filing cabinet you already own has a secret, high-quality scanner built right into the side of it. The Google Drive widget is that hidden feature. It’s fast, it’s free, it integrates perfectly with your storage, and it does an excellent job of creating clean, crisp PDF scans. You already have the tool; you just need to start using it.
The #1 hack for managing subscriptions is using the “Subscriptions” section in the Google Play app.
The Central Control Panel for Your Monthly Bills
Forgetting to cancel a subscription is like leaving a sprinkler on in your backyard for months. It’s a slow, silent drain on your finances. Trying to manage each subscription in a different app is like having a separate control valve for that sprinkler in a different part of the house. The “Subscriptions” menu in the Play Store is the central control panel in your garage. It shows you every single sprinkler that’s currently running, and lets you turn any of them off with a single flick of a switch.
I’m just going to say it: You probably don’t need 90% of the apps installed on your phone.
The Overstuffed Garage
Your phone is like a garage. Over time, you fill it with tools for one-off projects, gadgets you thought you’d use, and things you’ve completely forgotten about. Soon, it’s so cluttered you can’t even park your car in it. The reality is, you probably only use the same handful of essential tools every day. The other 90% is just collecting dust, taking up space, and making it harder to find the things you actually need. A clean garage is a useful garage.
The reason you can’t find a file is because you’re using the default file manager, not a powerful one like Solid Explorer.
The Junk Drawer vs. The Organized Workshop
Your phone’s default file manager is like a messy junk drawer in the kitchen. Everything is just thrown in there with no rhyme or reason. You know the file you need is somewhere in the pile, but finding it is a frustrating nightmare. A powerful file manager is like a perfectly organized workshop. Every tool and file is clearly labeled, neatly arranged on a pegboard, and you can instantly lay your hands on the exact thing you need, the moment you need it.
If you’re still using a basic notes app, you’re losing productivity by not using something like Obsidian or Notion.
A Notepad vs. a Personal Library
A basic notes app is like a simple paper notepad. It’s great for jotting down a quick grocery list, but it’s not a serious tool for organizing your life. An app like Notion or Obsidian is like being given the keys to your own personal library. You can build interconnected shelves of information, create complex project binders, and link ideas together in a way that creates a powerful, searchable second brain. It’s the difference between a disposable note and a lifelong knowledge system.
The biggest lie you’ve been told is that “Go” or “Lite” edition apps are always a compromise.
The Race Car vs. The Luxury Sedan
People think “Lite” apps are a compromise, like they are the inferior, budget version. This is like thinking a Formula 1 race car is a “compromise” compared to a luxury sedan. The sedan has leather seats and a sound system, but the race car has been stripped of every non-essential component for one reason: to be unbelievably fast. Lite apps do the same thing. They remove the heavy, unnecessary features to provide a cleaner, faster experience of the app’s core function.
I wish I knew about app repositories like APKMirror for safely downloading older versions of apps.
The App Time Machine
Sometimes, an app updates and you hate the new version. The feature you loved is gone, or the new design is terrible. You wish you could go back, but the Play Store only moves forward. A trusted site like APKMirror is like a time machine for your apps. It keeps a safe, verified archive of previous versions. It allows you to travel back in time and reinstall the version of the app that you knew and loved, putting you back in control of your software.
99% of users just hit “Update All” without ever reading what’s new or what permissions have changed.
Signing a New Contract Without Reading It
Your relationship with an app is a contract. When an update arrives, it’s often a new version of that contract. Just hitting “Update All” is like your landlord handing you a new lease and you signing it without reading it. You have no idea if the rent has gone up, if they’ve removed your parking spot, or if they’ve added a new clause that says they can now enter your apartment whenever they want (a new permission). Always read the terms before you agree.
This one small habit of organizing apps into folders based on function will change the way you navigate your phone forever.
The Organized Kitchen
Imagine a kitchen where all the utensils, pots, and spices are just randomly scattered across every counter. Cooking a meal would be a slow, frustrating search. That’s a disorganized home screen. Creating folders for “Finance,” “Social,” or “Games” is like organizing your kitchen. You put all the cutlery in one drawer and all the spices in one rack. Now, your brain knows exactly where to go. Need to pay a bill? You instinctively reach for the “Finance” drawer. It’s clean, efficient, and effortless.
Use an app cloner like Island or Shelter, not logging in and out of multiple accounts.
The Twin Brother
Imagine you need to be in two different places at once, one for your work life and one for your personal life. Logging in and out of an app is like constantly having to run home, change your clothes, and then run back to the other location. It’s exhausting. Using an app cloner is like having an identical twin brother. You send your perfectly-cloned twin to one place, while you stay at the other. You can both be logged in and active simultaneously, living two separate lives without the constant, frantic switching.
Stop using your email app for tasks. Do use a dedicated to-do list app like TickTick instead.
A Mailbox vs. a Personal Assistant
Using your email inbox as a to-do list is like trying to run your schedule out of your physical mailbox on the street. It’s a chaotic mix of important letters, junk mail, and bills, with no sense of priority. A dedicated to-do app is like hiring a professional personal assistant. They take all your tasks, organize them by project and priority, attach relevant notes, and remind you when things are due. It brings order, clarity, and focus to what was once a pile of mail.
Stop just disabling bloatware. Do use ADB commands to fully uninstall it instead.
Putting a Noisy Tenant in Their Room vs. Evicting Them
Disabling a pre-installed bloatware app is like telling a noisy, disruptive tenant in your apartment building that they have to stay in their room with the door closed. They’re out of your sight, but they’re still living there, taking up space, and potentially still connected to the building’s utilities. Using ADB commands to uninstall them is like serving them with a formal, legally-binding eviction notice. They are completely removed from the property, and their apartment is now vacant and ready for something useful.
The #1 secret for discovering new music is using the Bandcamp app, not just Spotify’s algorithm.
The Record Store vs. The Radio Station
Spotify is like a radio station with a thousand channels. It plays popular hits and has computer-generated playlists, but it’s a passive experience controlled by an algorithm. Bandcamp is like the cool, independent record store downtown. You can talk directly to the artists (by buying from them), explore niche genres, and discover amazing new music by flipping through the crates. It’s a place for active discovery and direct connection to the music scene, not just algorithm-fed consumption.
I’m just going to say it: The official Twitter (X) app is one of the worst app experiences on Android.
A Crowded, Noisy, Ad-Filled Mall
Using the official Twitter app is like trying to have a conversation in a giant, chaotic shopping mall. You’re constantly being bombarded by flashing ads, people are trying to sell you things you don’t want (premium subscriptions), and the layout is confusing and always changing. The core function—seeing updates from people you follow—is buried under a mountain of distractions. It’s an environment designed to serve the mall owners, not the people who are actually trying to connect.
The reason you run out of storage is because of cached data from apps like TikTok and Instagram, not your photos.
The Pile of Cardboard Boxes
You order a bunch of stuff online (you watch videos). Your photos and core apps are the actual items you bought. The cached data from streaming apps is the mountain of cardboard boxes and packing peanuts that everything came in. You think your house is full of stuff, but in reality, a huge portion of the space is being taken up by the temporary packaging. Clearing the cache is like breaking down all those boxes and taking them to the recycling bin, instantly freeing up a massive amount of space.
If you’re still using the default SMS app, you’re missing out on the rich features of Google Messages (RCS).
Sending a Postcard vs. Having a Real Conversation
Using old-school SMS is like communicating by sending postcards. They are plain, they can only hold a little bit of text, and you never know for sure if the other person even got it. Using a modern app with RCS is like having a real, face-to-face conversation. You can see when the other person is typing, get confirmation they’ve read your message, and share high-quality photos and videos. It transforms a basic, one-way message into a rich, interactive dialogue.
The biggest lie you’ve been told is that you need to buy the “Pro” version of an app for the best features.
The Unnecessary “VIP” Rope
Often, the “Pro” version of an app is like a “VIP” rope in a nightclub that just leads to a slightly different corner of the same room. The free version of the app is already the entire nightclub with the great music and all the people. Many free, open-source apps are more powerful than the “Pro” versions of their competitors. The best features often come from clever design and a dedicated community, not from a price tag. Don’t assume that paying more always means getting more.
I wish I knew about the “Force stop” and “Clear data” options to fix a misbehaving app.
The Reboot Button for Your Apps
When an app starts freezing or acting strangely, it’s like a person who is flustered and confused. You can try to talk to them (close and reopen the app), but they might still be disoriented. “Force stop” is like firmly but gently telling them, “Hey, just stop what you’re doing and take a deep breath.” “Clear data” is a more drastic step, like giving them a full factory reset on their brain. It makes them forget everything and start fresh, which usually solves the problem.
99% of users never explore the “Settings” menu inside the apps they use every day.
The Control Panel Behind the Painting
Every app you use is like a room in your house. Most people just use the room as it is. But in almost every room, there’s a secret painting on the wall, and behind that painting is a hidden control panel (the settings menu). This panel lets you change the lighting, rearrange the furniture, and customize the room to be exactly how you want it. People spend years in a room they find slightly annoying, never knowing they had the power to perfect it all along.
This one small action of putting your most-used apps on your dock will change your muscle memory and speed forever.
The Tools on Your Workbench
Your phone’s app drawer is like a giant toolbox. Your home screen is the workbench. The dock at the very bottom is the special, magnetic strip right at the front of the bench. This is where a master craftsman puts their three or four most essential tools—the ones they reach for a hundred times a day. By placing your most-used apps there, you are building pure muscle memory. You no longer have to think or look; your thumb just instinctively knows where to go.
Use Libby to borrow library ebooks for free, not buying them on Amazon Kindle.
The Free Public Library vs. The Bookstore
Buying ebooks from Amazon is like going to a bookstore. It’s a great experience, and you get to own the book forever. But it can get expensive. Using an app like Libby is like remembering that you have a free library card to the most amazing public library in the world. You can walk in, browse millions of books (and audiobooks), and borrow them for a few weeks, completely for free. It’s the exact same book, from the exact same author, without the cost.
Stop using Google Podcasts. Do use a power-user app like Pocket Casts or AntennaPod instead.
The Basic Car Radio vs. a Full Audio System
Google Podcasts is like the basic AM/FM radio that comes with your car. It plays podcasts, and that’s about it. A dedicated podcast app is like installing a full, high-end audio system. You get a powerful equalizer to boost voices, smart tools to automatically skip silences, and the ability to build complex, dynamic playlists. It turns the simple act of listening into a fully-controlled, premium audio experience tailored exactly to your preferences.
Stop organizing your homescreen manually. Do use a smart launcher that categorizes apps for you.
The Self-Tidying Room
Organizing your apps is like constantly tidying your room. It’s a manual chore that you have to keep doing as you acquire new things. A smart launcher is like a magical, self-tidying room. The moment you install a new app, the room automatically knows it’s a “Game” and places it in the toy chest, or that it’s a “Work” app and puts it on the desk. It does all the organizing for you, instantly and perfectly, so you can just use the room instead of constantly cleaning it.
The #1 hack for trying paid apps is to use Google Play Pass or buy them and request a refund within the 2-hour window.
The Test Drive
The Play Store’s refund window is like a dealership that lets you take any car for a two-hour test drive. You can take it out on the highway, see how it handles, and check out all the features. If you don’t love it, you can just bring it back and get your money back, no questions asked. Google Play Pass is even better; it’s like a subscription that gives you the keys to the entire car lot. You can drive any car you want, for as long as you want.
I’m just going to say it: Weather apps are a solved problem; you don’t need one with a million features.
The Overly Complicated Thermometer
You just want to know if you should wear a jacket. A simple weather app is a thermometer on the wall; you glance at it and get your answer. A complex, feature-packed weather app is like a giant, intimidating weather station in your living room with a dozen dials, complex radar maps, and historical atmospheric pressure charts. It’s an overwhelming amount of information that doesn’t actually help you answer your simple, original question any better. All you needed was the temperature.
The reason you can’t focus is because of notification overload, not a lack of willpower.
The Room Full of Barking Dogs
Trying to focus while getting constant notifications is like trying to read a book in a room filled with a dozen barking puppies. It’s not that you lack the willpower to read; it’s that your attention is being constantly and aggressively pulled in a dozen different directions at once. Each buzz and beep is another puppy demanding your attention. The solution isn’t to try harder to read; it’s to quiet the dogs.
If you’re still using a third-party QR code scanner app, you’re using a redundant app since your camera can do it.
Carrying a Separate Bottle Opener on Your Keychain
Years ago, you needed a separate bottle opener to open a bottle. But now, almost every Swiss Army knife has a bottle opener built right into it. Using a dedicated QR scanner app today is like insisting on carrying that old, single-purpose bottle opener on your keychain. Your phone’s camera app (the modern Swiss Army knife) already has that function built-in. You’re carrying a redundant tool that just adds clutter and takes up space in your pocket.
The biggest lie is that you need an app for every major website or store.
The Store That Insists You Wear Their Uniform
Imagine if every time you wanted to go into a different store, you had to first go home and put on that specific store’s uniform. It would be an absurd waste of time and space in your closet. Many companies push their apps on you for this reason. They want you in their environment, where they can track you and send you notifications. Often, their mobile website is like a public marketplace where you can shop freely without having to wear anyone’s uniform.
I wish I knew about using web app wrappers like Hermit to create lite apps for websites.
The Custom-Framed Picture
You love a specific website, but they don’t have an app. Using it in your browser is like looking at a beautiful picture, but it’s stuck in a cluttered photo album with a bunch of other pictures. Using an app like Hermit is like taking that one picture, putting it in its own beautiful, custom frame, and hanging it on your wall. It turns the website into its own standalone, fast, and ad-free “lite app” that sits on your home screen and feels like a native experience.
99% of users make this mistake: installing an app for a one-time task and then never deleting it.
The Single-Use Kitchen Gadget
You need to slice a pineapple one time for a party, so you go out and buy a huge, specialized “pineapple corer” gadget. You use it once, it works great, and then it sits in your kitchen drawer, taking up space, for the next five years. This is what most people do with apps. They download a “Video Editor” for one project or a “QR Scanner” for one menu and then let it sit there forever, cluttering up their phone. If you’re done with the project, put the tool away.
This one small habit of reading the 1-star reviews before installing an app will save you a lot of trouble forever.
Checking the “Property Condemned” Notice
The 5-star reviews for an app are the glossy, perfect photos in the real estate brochure. But the 1-star reviews are the official, red-taped “Property Condemned” notice nailed to the front door. This is where you find out that the plumbing is shot, the roof leaks, and the whole thing is infested with bugs. The brochure will never tell you that. Taking thirty seconds to read the warning notice can save you from moving into a house that’s about to fall down.
Use Inware to check your phone’s hardware details, not relying on the manufacturer’s spec sheet.
Popping the Hood of the Car
The manufacturer’s spec sheet is the glossy brochure the car salesman gives you. It tells you all the great things about the car. An app like Inware is like being a mechanic who gets to pop the hood and look at the engine yourself. You can see the exact part numbers, check the serial numbers, and verify that what’s in the brochure is what’s actually under the hood. It gives you the ground-truth, technical details of your device, not the marketing fluff.
Stop using a generic calculator app. Do use one like CalcNote that saves your history like a notepad.
The Calculator with Built-in Paper
A normal calculator app is like a calculator with no paper. You can do one calculation, but as soon as you start the next one, the previous answer is gone forever. If you make a mistake in a long calculation, you have to start all over. A calculator like CalcNote is like having a calculator where the screen is also a notepad. Every calculation you make is automatically written down, so you can see your work, fix mistakes, and reference previous totals.
Stop just sharing links. Do use an app like “Sharedr” to customize your share menu.
The Smart Sorting Office
Your phone’s default share menu is like a chaotic mailroom where every single resident of your building is crowded around the same table. Sharing a link is a slow, frustrating process of searching for the right person in the mob. An app like Sharedr is like hiring an expert office manager. They kick out all the people you never talk to and put your four best friends right by the door. It turns the chaotic mob into a clean, efficient, and lightning-fast sorting office.
The #1 secret to a clean app drawer is using a launcher that allows you to hide apps you don’t use.
The “Storage Room” for Your Apps
Every phone comes with apps you can’t uninstall, but that you never, ever use. They’re like that ugly vase your aunt gave you. You can’t throw it out, so it just sits there, cluttering up your living room. A launcher that lets you “hide” apps is like having a secret storage room in your house. You can take the ugly vase (and all the other clutter) and put it in the storage room. It’s still in the house if you ever need it, but it’s out of sight, leaving your living space clean and tidy.
I’m just going to say it: Most “app of the day” promotions are just paid advertisements.
The “Manager’s Special” at the Grocery Store
When you see a giant display at the front of the grocery store for the “Manager’s Special,” your first thought shouldn’t be, “Wow, the manager must really love this brand of soda.” Your first thought should be, “The soda company must have paid a lot of money for this premium placement.” It’s the same with most “App of the Day” features. It’s rarely a reflection of genuine quality; it’s usually a reflection of a marketing budget. It’s a paid advertisement, not a merit-based award.
The reason your app experience is poor is that you’re not using the beta versions available on the Play Store.
The Secret Backstage Pass
Using the normal version of an app is like being in the audience at a concert. It’s a great experience, but it’s the same one everyone else gets. Enrolling in the beta program for an app is like getting a secret backstage pass. You get to see the new songs (features) before anyone else, you can talk directly to the band (the developers), and you get to have a say in how the show is put together. It turns you from a passive consumer into an active participant.
If you’re still using Google Authenticator, you’re at risk of losing all your codes if you lose your phone.
The Keymaker Who Makes No Copies
Using Google Authenticator is like having a master keymaker who can forge a magical, un-copyable key for every door in your life. The problem is, he keeps all those keys on a single, fragile key ring, and he refuses to make any backup copies. If you ever lose that one key ring, the keymaker just shrugs. You are permanently locked out of everything, forever. Modern authenticators have a secure cloud backup, like a keymaker who keeps a secure copy of your keys in a bank vault.
The biggest lie is that all apps on the Play Store are safe and have been vetted by Google.
The Mall with a Few Security Guards
The Play Store is a gigantic shopping mall with millions of visitors a day. Google has hired a few security guards to patrol the mall. They catch the obvious, clumsy shoplifters and the people causing a major disturbance. But they cannot possibly watch every single person in every single store, 24/7. A clever, quiet thief can still operate for a long time before they get caught. A “safe” mall just means the most obvious dangers have been removed.
I wish I knew that I could use “Split Screen” to run two apps at the same time.
The Desk with a Double Monitor
Imagine trying to write an essay about a book, but you only have space on your desk for either the book or your notebook. You’re constantly having to put one away to look at the other. It’s slow and inefficient. Using split screen is like suddenly getting a second monitor for your desk. You can have the book open on one side and your notebook on the other. You can see both at the same time, making your work faster, easier, and more efficient.
99% of users never check an app’s data usage in the settings, even when on a limited mobile plan.
The Leaky Pipe You Never Knew You Had
Your mobile data plan is like the tank of water for your house. Not checking your apps’ data usage is like never checking your pipes for leaks. At the end of the month, when you’re completely out of water, you’re shocked. But a quick look at the meter would have shown you that one leaky pipe (an app) in the basement has been silently draining your tank, drip by drip, the entire time. You can easily patch the leak, but only if you look for it.
This one small action of disabling notification badges on icons will reduce your anxiety to check apps forever.
The Constantly Blinking Answering Machine
Notification badges—those little red dots with numbers—are the modern equivalent of the blinking red light on an old answering machine. It’s a constant, nagging, visual reminder that there is something you haven’t dealt with. It creates a low-level anxiety and a compulsive need to clear it. Turning off the badges is like getting an answering machine that doesn’t blink. The messages are still there when you’re ready for them, but they are not screaming for your attention every second of the day.
Use Google Opinion Rewards to earn Play Store credit for paid apps, not using your own money.
The World’s Easiest Part-Time Job
Imagine a person who occasionally stops you on the street and asks, “Which of these two logos do you like more?” You point to one, and they hand you a quarter. That’s exactly what Google Opinion Rewards is. It’s a series of incredibly simple, 10-second surveys that pay you real money in Play Store credit. Over a few months, you can easily earn enough to buy that premium app or game you’ve been wanting, just by answering a few simple questions.
Stop using a simple alarm clock app. Do use one like “Sleep as Android” that tracks your sleep cycles.
The Smart Alarm vs. The Loud Alarm
A simple alarm clock is like a loud, obnoxious guard who bangs on your door at exactly 7:00 AM, regardless of whether you’re in a deep sleep or not. An app like Sleep as Android is a smart, gentle assistant who quietly monitors your sleep through the night. They know when you are in your lightest phase of sleep, and they gently wake you up during that window. The result is waking up feeling refreshed and alert, instead of groggy and startled.
Stop using the default phone dialer. Do use one with built-in spam blocking from Google or your manufacturer.
The Doorman Who Screens Your Calls
Using a basic phone dialer is like having a front door with no peephole and no doorman. You have to answer every single knock, even if it’s a persistent, annoying salesperson. A modern dialer with spam filtering is like having a professional doorman for your phone. They can see who is calling, check them against a list of known troublemakers, and politely turn away all the spammers and robocalls before they ever have a chance to bother you.
The #1 hack for using US-only apps is creating a separate Google account with a US address, not using a risky VPN.
The P.O. Box in Another Country
Trying to use a risky VPN to access geo-locked apps is like trying to sneak into a country club by wearing a clumsy disguise. You’ll probably get caught. The better way is to simply get a membership. Creating a new Google account with a valid, but not necessarily personal, US address is like getting a P.O. Box in that country. You now have a legitimate “local address” for the Play Store, allowing you to walk right in the front door and access all the local amenities.
I’m just going to say it: The subscription model for basic utility apps is out of control.
The Toaster That Charges You a Monthly Fee
Imagine buying a toaster, but in order to make toast, you have to pay a $5 per month “toast subscription.” If you stop paying, the toaster just stops working. This is what the subscription model for simple apps like calculators and calendars has become. It’s an attempt to turn a tool that you should own into a service that you have to rent, forever. A tool should be a one-time purchase, not a lifelong financial commitment.
The reason you hate typing on your phone is you haven’t customized your Gboard settings and shortcuts.
The Unadjusted Driver’s Seat
Typing on a default keyboard is like trying to drive a car when the seat and mirrors are set for someone else. You can do it, but it’s uncomfortable, awkward, and you feel clumsy. Taking five minutes to adjust your Gboard settings—like the keyboard height, the haptic feedback, and setting up text shortcuts for your email address—is like adjusting the driver’s seat, mirrors, and steering wheel to fit you perfectly. It transforms a frustrating experience into a comfortable and powerful one.
If you’re still using your carrier’s visual voicemail app, you’re probably paying for a feature Google provides for free.
The Bottled Water in the Vending Machine
Your carrier’s visual voicemail app is like the expensive bottled water in a vending machine. You’re paying a premium for something that is often available for free from a source you already have. Many modern phone dialers, including Google’s, have a high-quality visual voicemail feature built right in. You are paying your carrier extra money for a redundant service, just like buying a bottle of water when there’s a perfectly good, free water fountain right next to the machine.
The biggest lie is that more app features equal a better user experience.
The Swiss Army Knife with a Thousand Tools
Imagine a Swiss Army knife that has a thousand different tools folded into it. It’s a marvel of engineering, but it’s also a heavy, clunky, and unusable brick. You can’t even find the simple screwdriver you need amidst the chaos of the “avocado slicer” and the “miniature satellite dish.” Often, the best app is the one that has only five tools, but they are the exact five tools you need, and they are designed perfectly. More features often just create more confusion.
I wish I knew that I could “force landscape mode” on any app with a third-party utility.
The Magical TV Remote
Some apps are like old TVs that are permanently stuck in “portrait mode.” You want to watch them on their side, but they refuse to rotate. It’s frustrating and limiting. A “force landscape” utility is like a magical, universal remote control. You can point it at any app on your phone and press the “rotate” button, and it will be forced to obey. It puts you in control of the screen’s orientation, not the app’s stubborn developer.
99% of users allow apps to auto-update over mobile data, wasting their plan.
The Self-Stocking Fridge That Uses Your Credit Card
Allowing apps to update over mobile data is like owning a smart fridge that is programmed to keep itself fully stocked at all times. The problem is, it does its grocery shopping using your personal credit card, and it does it at the most expensive gourmet store in town. You’ll have the latest version of everything, but you’ll be shocked when you get the bill at the end of the month. It’s much smarter to tell the fridge to only restock when you’re connected to your free home Wi-Fi.
This one small habit of curating a “wishlist” on the Play Store will help you get apps on sale forever.
The Personal Shopping Assistant
The Play Store is a massive department store. A “wishlist” is like hiring a personal shopping assistant. You walk through the store and tell your assistant, “I really like this jacket and these shoes, but they’re a bit too expensive.” The assistant then follows those items for you, 24/7. The moment the jacket goes on sale, your assistant sends you a notification so you can rush back and get it at a discount. It’s a simple way to never pay full price again.
Use an app like “SuperFreez” to hibernate apps you rarely use, not just leaving them in the background.
The Bear in Hibernation
An app running in the background is like having a pet bear that is just sleeping lightly in your house. It might wake up at any moment and start eating your food (battery and data). Hibernating an app is like leading that bear to a cave for the winter. It is in a deep, deep sleep and will not consume any of your resources or wake up until you specifically go to the cave in the spring and wake it up yourself.
Stop looking for a “perfect” app. Do find one that is “good enough” for your workflow instead.
The Quest for the Holy Grail
Searching for the one “perfect” app that does everything exactly the way you imagine is like a knight on a quest for the Holy Grail. You’ll spend your entire life searching, and you’ll never find it. The smarter approach is to find a really good, solid cup that holds water and doesn’t leak. An app that is “good enough” and solves 90% of your problem is infinitely more useful than the mythical “perfect” app that doesn’t actually exist.
Stop letting apps create shortcuts on your homescreen every time you install them. Do disable this in the Play Store settings.
The Unsolicited Junk Mail
Allowing newly installed apps to add shortcuts to your homescreen is like giving your mailman permission to open all your packages and scatter their contents all over your living room floor. You get a new app, and suddenly your clean, organized space is cluttered with a new icon you didn’t ask for. Disabling this setting is like telling the mailman, “Just leave the packages on the porch. I will decide what comes into my living room.”
The #1 secret for app longevity is exporting your data, so you’re not locked into one ecosystem.
Owning Your Furniture
Imagine you live in a furnished apartment. The furniture is great, but it’s bolted to the floor. If you ever decide to move, you have to leave everything behind and start over from scratch. This is what it’s like when an app doesn’t let you export your data. The secret is to use apps that let you pack up your data and take it with you. It’s like owning your own furniture. You can move from apartment to apartment, and your comfortable, familiar life comes with you.
I’m just going to say it: The Play Store’s recommendation algorithm is terrible for discovering truly innovative apps.
The Radio Station That Only Plays Top 40 Hits
The Play Store’s recommendation engine is like a radio station that only plays the Top 40 hits, over and over again. If you like one popular pop song, it will just recommend five other, nearly identical pop songs. It’s a closed loop of popularity that almost never introduces you to the amazing new indie band or the groundbreaking experimental artist. To find true innovation, you have to turn off the radio and go to the local record store.
The reason you can’t stick with a new app is because you don’t take 15 minutes to learn its core features.
The Unread Instruction Manual
You buy a new, advanced piece of equipment, but you throw away the instruction manual. You try to use it, but you get frustrated because it doesn’t work like your old, simple tool. This is why people abandon powerful new apps. They don’t invest even 15 minutes to watch a tutorial or read the “getting started” guide. Mastering a new tool requires a small, upfront investment of time. Without it, you will always be frustrated by its potential.
If you’re still using a standalone “flashlight” app, you’re using an app that became obsolete a decade ago.
The Horse and Buggy in the Age of the Automobile
Ten years ago, you needed a horse to get around town. But then, the automobile was invented, and every car came with a horse built-in (so to speak). Insisting on using a separate flashlight app today is like refusing to drive a car and instead, continuing to ride your horse everywhere. The function you need is already a standard, built-in feature of the modern vehicle (your phone’s operating system). The standalone horse is just a slow, inefficient relic.
The biggest lie is that you need to be on the same messaging app as all your friends.
The Universal Translator
People think that to talk to someone in another country, you have to learn their language. But what if you had a magical, universal translator? While messaging apps aren’t there yet, the reality is you don’t need one app for everything. You can have Signal for your secure chats, WhatsApp for your family group, and Google Messages for your SMS friends. Your phone is the translator that lets you speak to different people in the different “languages” they prefer.
I wish I knew about the “Notification History” feature in Android to find a notification I accidentally dismissed.
The Instant Replay for Your Phone
You’re busy, a notification flashes on your screen for a split second, and you accidentally swipe it away. It’s gone forever. It’s like seeing something important out of the corner of your eye, but when you turn to look, it’s gone. The “Notification History” is like having an instant replay button for your phone’s life. You can rewind the last 24 hours and see every single notification that appeared, allowing you to catch the important message you accidentally missed.
99% of users never use the “App pinning” feature to lock their phone to a single app for a specific task.
The Kiosk Mode for Your Life
You need to show someone a photo, but you’re worried they’ll swipe and see your other pictures. Or you want to let your kid watch a video without them getting into your email. App pinning is the “kiosk mode” for your phone. It’s like turning your powerful, multi-purpose phone into a single-purpose device. It locks the screen to that one specific app, and you can’t leave it without a secret PIN. It’s the perfect way to share your screen without sharing your life.
This one small action of setting default apps for links and files will streamline your workflow forever.
The Automated Sorting Machine
Imagine if every time a letter arrived at the post office, the mail carrier had to stop and ask you, “Which room in your house does this letter go to?” It would be incredibly inefficient. Setting your default apps is like giving the post office a set of standing instructions: “All bills go to the office. All magazines go to the living room.” Now, the sorting happens automatically and instantly. Links and files just go where they are supposed to go, without ever having to ask you.
Use a multi-search app like “Sesame” to search within your apps, not just on the web.
The Universal Concierge
A web search is like a concierge who can only look for things outside of your hotel. They can find you a restaurant or a taxi, but they have no idea what’s inside your own room. A universal search app is a concierge who has a key to every room and a map of the entire hotel. You can ask, “Where is my contact John Smith?” and they will instantly find him in your contacts app, your messages, and your calendar, all with one single search.
Stop using a proprietary document format. Do use open formats that work with multiple apps instead.
The Universal Key vs. The Brand-Specific Key
Using a proprietary format is like having a house where all the doors use a special, brand-specific key. If that company ever goes out of business, you are permanently locked out of your own rooms. Using open formats like .txt or .md is like using a universal key blank that can be cut to fit any lock. You are not tied to one single company. You can open and edit your documents with dozens of different apps, today and in the future.
Stop using a wallpaper app that serves ads. Do use a high-quality, ad-free one like “Backdrops” instead.
The Art Gallery vs. The Billboard
A wallpaper app that serves ads is like a giant, ugly billboard that also happens to have a small, nice-looking picture in the corner. The primary purpose of the app is to shout advertisements at you. A high-quality, ad-free wallpaper app is like a quiet, beautiful art gallery. The entire experience is designed to be visually pleasing and calming. It’s a space curated for art and enjoyment, not for commerce.
The #1 hack for finding good games is ignoring the Top Charts and looking at the “Premium” or “Indie” sections.
The Blockbuster Aisle vs. The Foreign Film Section
The “Top Charts” for games is like the blockbuster new release aisle at an old video store. It’s filled with loud, flashy, and repetitive action movies. The “Premium” and “Indie” sections are like the foreign film and documentary aisles. This is where you find the truly unique, creative, and thought-provoking gems that you will still be thinking about years later. It’s where the art is, not just the explosions.
I’m just going to say it: The user interface of most government and municipal apps is an embarrassment.
The DMV Office as an App
Imagine the experience of going to the DMV: the confusing forms, the long lines, the unclear instructions, and the feeling that the whole system was designed fifty years ago and never updated. Now, imagine that exact experience, but as an app on your phone. That is what most government apps feel like. They are the digital equivalent of a frustrating, bureaucratic, and user-hostile office that you are forced to use.
The reason your homescreen is a mess is because you don’t have a system for where new apps go.
The House with No Closets
Imagine a house with no closets, no shelves, and no drawers. Every time you buy something new, you just have to drop it on the floor in the middle of the room. This is a home screen with no system. The key isn’t to constantly be tidying the floor; it’s to build some closets. Decide ahead of time: “Games go in this folder. Work apps go on the second page.” By creating a structure, you ensure that every new item has a home, preventing the mess from ever starting.
If you’re still using a “battery doctor” app, you’ve installed a placebo that’s likely making things worse.
The “Magic” Fuel Additive
A battery doctor app is like a “magic” fuel additive that you buy from a late-night infomercial. It promises to double your car’s gas mileage, but all it really does is make your engine run worse while the “doctor” is constantly running their own tests and putting up ads on your dashboard. Modern phones are already incredibly smart about managing their own fuel. The best way to improve your mileage is to drive smarter, not to pour snake oil into the tank.
The biggest lie is that an app with millions of downloads is automatically a high-quality app.
The Fast Food Restaurant
A fast-food chain might serve billions of customers a year, but no one would argue that it’s a high-quality dining experience. An app can have a hundred million downloads for the same reason: it’s free, it’s convenient, and it’s addicting. But this has no correlation with whether it is well-designed, respectful of your privacy, or good for you. Popularity and quality are two completely different things.
I wish I knew that I could run some Android apps on my Windows PC through Phone Link.
The Portal Between Your Desk and Your Pocket
Imagine having a magical portal on your desktop. You can reach through it and instantly use the tools that are in your pocket, but on your big screen with your full-size keyboard and mouse. That’s what Windows Phone Link is. It bridges the gap between your two most-used devices, allowing you to run your favorite mobile apps in a window right next to your spreadsheets and documents. It’s a seamless connection that makes both devices more powerful.
99% of users keep the default notification sounds for every app, leading to a cacophony of alerts.
The House Where Every Doorbell is the Same
Imagine living in a house where the doorbell, the telephone, the fire alarm, and the oven timer all make the exact same “ding-dong” sound. You would live in a constant state of confusion and alert, never knowing if you need to answer the door, grab the phone, or flee the building. This is what your phone is like with default notification sounds. Giving each important app a unique sound is like having a different doorbell for each door, bringing clarity and calm to the chaos.
This one small habit of doing an “app audit” every month will keep your phone lean and fast forever.
Cleaning Out the Fridge
An “app audit” is like cleaning out your refrigerator every month. You go through and find the science experiments growing in the back, the leftovers you never ate, and the jar of olives you used once for a party six months ago. By throwing out all the old, expired, and unused items, you free up a huge amount of space and make your fridge a clean, efficient, and pleasant place to be. A lean phone is a fast phone.
Use a Recipe Manager app like Paprika, not just bookmarking recipes in your browser.
The Personal Cookbook vs. a Pile of Clippings
Bookmarking recipes in your browser is like tearing recipes out of magazines and throwing them into a messy, disorganized drawer. You can’t find anything, the pages get stained, and there’s no order. A recipe app is like your own personal, digital cookbook. It cleanly imports all those recipes, organizes them by category, lets you add your own notes, and even creates a shopping list for you. It turns the chaotic pile of clippings into an invaluable kitchen tool.
Stop using your phone’s screenshot tool for everything. Do use a dedicated app for scrolling screenshots or annotations.
The Polaroid vs. The Photo Studio
Your phone’s basic screenshot tool is like a simple Polaroid camera. It’s great for capturing one quick, instant snapshot. But if you want to capture a long, scrolling conversation, or if you need to draw arrows and add text to your image, you need more than a Polaroid. A dedicated screenshot app is like having a full photo studio, complete with panoramic capabilities, professional editing tools, and everything you need to create the perfect, informative image.
Stop using a generic music player. Do use one that supports hi-fi audio like Poweramp or USB Audio Player PRO.
The Standard Headphones vs. The Concert Hall
A generic music player is like listening to your favorite band through a pair of cheap, standard-issue earbuds. You can hear the music, but it sounds flat and lifeless. A hi-fi audio app, combined with good headphones, is like being transported to the front row of a concert hall. You can hear the crispness of the cymbals, the deep resonance of the bass, and the subtle details you never knew existed. It’s the difference between hearing a song and truly experiencing it.
The #1 secret for parents is using Google Family Link to manage their children’s app usage.
The Training Wheels for the Digital World
Google Family Link is like putting a set of smart, customizable training wheels on your child’s first bicycle. It allows them to experience the freedom and fun of riding (the internet), but with guardrails that you control. You can set curfews for when the bike has to be put away, create a list of safe streets they are allowed to ride on, and see a map of where they’ve been. It lets them learn and explore, while giving you peace of mind.
I’m just going to say it: The hype around a new app is usually better than the app itself.
The Movie Trailer vs. The Actual Movie
The launch of a new, hyped-up app is like the premiere of a blockbuster movie trailer. It’s two minutes of perfectly edited, exciting, and promising clips that make it look like the greatest thing ever created. Then, you go to see the actual two-hour movie, and it’s often a slow, boring disappointment. The marketing, the buzz, and the promise are almost always more exciting than the reality of the final product.
The reason you’re not organized is because you keep switching between productivity apps instead of mastering one.
The Gardener with Too Many Shovels
Imagine a gardener who wants to plant a beautiful garden. They buy a shovel, dig for ten minutes, then decide a different shovel might be better. They go back to the store, buy another shovel, dig for another ten minutes, and repeat the process. At the end of the day, they have a garage full of shovels but have only dug a bunch of shallow, useless holes. The secret to a beautiful garden is to pick one good shovel and learn to use it well.
If you’re still using the app your bank provides for budgeting, you’re missing out on powerful third-party aggregators.
Your Bank Statement vs. a Financial Advisor
Your bank’s app is like your monthly bank statement. It shows you a list of transactions from one single account. A third-party budgeting app is like a personal financial advisor. It gathers up all your bank statements, all your credit card bills, and all your investment reports. It puts them all on the table together and gives you a single, holistic view of your entire financial life, showing you trends and insights you would never see by looking at one statement at a time.
The biggest lie is that app updates are always for the better; sometimes they remove features.
The “New and Improved” Formula
Remember when your favorite brand of snack food suddenly came out with a “New and Improved!” flavor that tasted terrible? App updates can be the same. The developer might decide to “improve” the app by removing a feature you relied on, or by cluttering the interface with a new design you hate. “Update” does not always mean “upgrade.” Sometimes, the best version of an app is the one you’re already using.
I wish I knew about setting up different “profiles” on my phone for work, home, and personal use.
The Different Hats You Wear
On your phone, you have apps for your serious work life, your relaxed home life, and your fun social life. Having them all on one screen is like wearing your work hat, your cooking hat, and your party hat all at the same time. Setting up different profiles or modes is like having a separate hook for each hat. When you get to the office, you put on your “Work” hat, and only your work tools are visible. It brings focus and separation to the different parts of your life.
99% of users don’t realize they can disable notifications for specific “channels” within an app, not just the whole app.
The Selective Mute Button
Imagine you’re in a group chat with ten people. Nine of them are talking about boring work stuff, but one of them is your best friend. Disabling all notifications for the app is like putting in earplugs; you can’t hear anyone. But inside the app’s settings, you can find the “channels.” This is like a magical remote control that lets you mute the nine boring people, while keeping the volume on for your friend. You get the news you want, without the noise you don’t.
This one small action of installing a good podcast app will change your commute or workout routine forever.
The University in Your Pocket
Your daily commute or workout is a block of time that is often spent just staring out a window or at a wall. Installing a great podcast app turns that dead time into a period of incredible growth and entertainment. It’s like having the world’s greatest university, comedy club, and newsroom all living in your pocket. You can learn a new language, laugh at a great story, or understand the world more deeply, all while you’re already on the move.
Use Tasker for ultimate app automation, not just relying on simple IFTTT recipes.
The Custom Robot vs. The Simple Light Timer
An app like IFTTT is a simple light timer. You can set it to do one thing based on one trigger: “When the sun sets, turn on the porch light.” It’s simple and useful. Tasker is like being given a full-blown robotics kit. You can build a custom robot that does a complex series of tasks: “When the sun sets, and my phone is at home, and it’s a weekday, turn on the porch light, lower the thermostat, and start playing my ‘evening’ playlist.” It’s ultimate control.