1 : Super Status Bar
Super Status Bar app offers a range of enhancements for your status bar, including gestures, notification previews, and quick controls for brightness and volume. The app is fully customizable, allowing you to personalize it to suit your preferences. You can apply styles like the iOS 14 status bar, MIUI 12, and Android R for a tailored experience.
The Super Status Bar app enhances your device’s status bar with features like gestures, notification previews, and quick brightness and volume controls. To use and download the app, follow these steps:
- Download and Install:
- Open the Google Play Store on your Android device.
- Search for “Super Status Bar.”
- Tap on the app and select “Install.”
- Setup and Use:
- Once installed, open the Super Status Bar app.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to grant necessary permissions.
- Customize the status bar to your liking, adjusting gestures, notification previews, and control settings.
- Apply different styles such as iOS 14, MIUI 12, or Android R to change the appearance of your status bar.
- Features:
- Gestures: Set up swipe and tap gestures for various actions.
- Notification Previews: Get a quick glance at notifications directly from the status bar.
- Quick Controls: Easily adjust brightness and volume with a swipe.
With these features, Super Status Bar provides a more personalized and functional status bar experience on your Android device.
2: MacroDroid
MacroDroid is an intuitive tool for automating tasks on your Android smartphone or tablet. Its user-friendly interface enables the creation of fully automated tasks with just a few taps.
Here are some examples of how MacroDroid can streamline your daily routines:
- Enhance safety during commutes by reading incoming notifications (via Text to Speech) and sending automated responses via email or SMS.
- Improve your daily workflow; automatically switch on Bluetooth and play music when you enter your car, or enable WiFi when you arrive home.
- Reduce battery consumption by dimming your screen and turning off WiFi.
- Save on roaming charges by automatically disabling mobile data.
- Create custom sound and notification profiles.
- Set reminders for tasks using timers and stopwatches.
These are just a few scenarios showcasing the versatility of MacroDroid. With three simple steps, you can start automating:
- Select a Trigger: The trigger initiates the macro. MacroDroid offers over 70 triggers, including location-based triggers (GPS, cell towers), device status triggers (battery level, app start/close), sensor triggers (shaking, light levels), and connectivity triggers (Bluetooth, WiFi, notifications). You can also create a shortcut on your home screen or use the customizable Macrodroid sidebar.
- Select the Actions to Automate: Choose from over 100 actions that MacroDroid can perform on your behalf. These include connecting to Bluetooth or WiFi devices, adjusting volume levels, speaking text (like incoming notifications or current time), starting a timer, dimming your screen, running Tasker plugins, and many more.
- Configure Constraints (Optional): Constraints allow you to specify conditions under which the macro should run. For example, if you only want to connect to your company’s WiFi during workdays, you can set a constraint for specific times or days. MacroDroid offers over 50 constraint types.
MacroDroid is compatible with Tasker and Locale plugins, further expanding its capabilities.
For Beginners: MacroDroid features a Wizard that guides you step-by-step through the configuration of your first macros. You can also customize existing templates from the template section to suit your needs. The built-in forum provides support from other users, helping you learn the ins and outs of MacroDroid easily.
For Advanced Users: MacroDroid supports more complex tasks such as using Tasker and Locale plugins, system/user-defined variables, scripts, intents, advanced logic (IF, THEN, ELSE), and the use of AND/OR conditions.
The free version of MacroDroid is ad-supported and allows up to 5 macros. The Pro version, available for a small one-time fee, removes ads and permits an unlimited number of macros.
Running in the Background: If you experience issues with the app running in the background, visit dontkillmyapp.com.
Support: For usage questions and feature requests, use the in-app forum or visit www.macrodroidforum.com. To report bugs, use the built-in ‘Report a bug’ option in the troubleshooting section.
Automatic File Backup: Macros can be created to back up or copy files to a specific folder on the device, an SD card, or an external USB drive.
Accessibility Services: MacroDroid uses accessibility services for certain features like automating UI interactions. Use of these services is at the user’s discretion, and no user data is collected or logged.
Wear OS: The app includes a Wear OS companion for basic interactions with MacroDroid. It is not a standalone app and requires the phone application to be installed.
3 : HideU: Calculator Lock
HideU is an app that enables you to hide various file types, such as photos, videos, and other items, within a hidden space secured by a calculator password. It offers additional useful features like notes, a video player, a camera, and more. You can utilize HideU as a private, parallel space on your phone.
Files stored in HideU remain confidential and can only be accessed by entering a digital PIN. Disguised as a calculator, HideU functions as a video vault, photo gallery lock, audio protector, and privacy guard for your personal information and media files.
Key Features:
- 📷 Hide Photos & Videos: Secret media files are stored in HideU and will not appear in any other photo album, gallery, or file manager, keeping your private photos, videos, and movies secure.
- 📺 Video Player & Built-in Photo Viewer: Hidden videos can be played within the app, with convenient features for adjusting brightness, sound, and one-key mute. The built-in photo viewer allows you to view hidden photos and supports photo editing with filters, cropping, text, and basic adjustments.
- 😆 Private Browser: The private browser provides a secret and anonymous browsing experience, protecting your browsing data.
- 🔐 App Lock: Locked apps require a password or unlock pattern, preventing unauthorized access to your privacy.
- ☁️ Cloud Service: Safely back up your personal files and data to the cloud, ensuring maximum data security.
- 🎭 Icon Disguise: The app icon resembles a regular system calculator, which you can use for calculations. The method to access the private space is discreet, so only you are aware of its existence.