IT Blog | Mr. HiTech Tech Blog

Welcome to the 285th edition of Android Apps Weekly! Let’s jump into the big headlines from the last week:Some app developers are exploiting a loophole in Google Play. Basically, they create super basic apps like a calculator or a QR code scanner. They use trial periods to charge users an exorbitant amount of money, sometimes over $200 USD. It works because uninstalling apps doesn’t cancel the trial. Hit the link to learn more details about this phenomenon. They’re calling it fleeceware.Amazon is trying to get voice assistants into everything and wants everybody to work together. This new coalition already includes companies like Intel, Qualcomm, MediaTek, Spotify, Verizon, Amazon, and even Microsoft. The idea is to create hardware with support for all of the big personal assistants. For instance, in this new coalition, a Google Home Mini could run Cortana if the user wanted or an Echo Dot could run Google Assistant. Google and Samsung along with a few others aren’t on board just yet, though.Google Assistant had quite the exciting week this week. A new Pixel 4XL hands-on leak showed us a new look for Google Assistant. In addition, the personal assistant gained the ability to help people apply for jobs at McDonald’s using only their voices. Finally, Google Assistant started rolling out to non-Google Chromebooks this last week as well. Hit any of the links to learn more!Amazon is also pumping out exclusives for PUBG Mobile users. The Twitch Prime program already exists for PC and console games. However, it’s never worked with a mobile game before PUBG Mobile. Players can log into their Amazon Prime accounts to receive the exclusive rewards, including a permanent set of Infiltrator gear. Hit the link for the full instructions.Google Play Pass officially launched this last week. It’s kind of a big deal and competes directly with Apple Arcade. We have a direct comparison between the two here. The service boasts over 350 apps and games at its launch, including Stardew Valley, Game Dev Tycoon, Reigns: Game of Thrones, Monument Valley, and many others. You can view the full list here if you’re interested.Would you like some more mobile gaming news? Check out our latest Android Games Weekly for more! Devil StonePrice: $3.99Devil Stone is a new RPG for mobile. It has jRPG style mechanics with a large emphasis on the story line. You recruit a party of characters, level up, and defeat the big bad. While it is an old premise, it’s nice to see a classic setup every now and then. The game uses PlayStation era graphics and there is a healthy selection of side quests to complete. The story is a bit short so don’t expect a 20-30 hour experience with this one. Otherwise, it’s not bad.Automatic Dark Theme for Android 10Price: FreeThis app does what its name suggests. It lets you automatically switch between light and dark themes based on things like time of day or sunset and sunrise. You can obviously toggle the mode whenever you want, but
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