Latest news with #MeganEllis
Android Authority
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Android Authority
I returned to Pokémon Go after 4 years, and it's just as painful to play as ever
Megan Ellis / Android Authority I've been playing Pokémon Go on and off since the day the mobile game came out in 2016. As a result, I've seen its changes over the years — from the introduction of new creatures to catch, the launch of community days and raids, and plenty of other new features. But there's a reason that I would take breaks from the game, including my four-year pause between 2021 and 2025. Pokémon Go has an accessibility problem. When I started playing it again a few weeks ago, I was disappointed to find that these issues have still not been resolved. Do you still play Pokémon Go? 0 votes Yes NaN % No NaN % Pokémon Go is more difficult to play for certain people Megan Ellis / Android Authority Pokémon Go's premise as an augmented reality (AR) mobile game is really interesting and encourages people to go out and explore the areas around them. But certain mechanics make the game more difficult for people to play, especially when it comes to the need to walk certain distances. The game can be particularly challenging to people with disabilities and certain chronic illnesses. As my pain disorder has gotten worse over the years and I've developed chronic migraines, the game's inaccessibility continues to pose a significant barrier. But disabled people aren't the only ones left out. People who live in rural areas and areas with crime also face challenges playing the game. In rural areas, the density of Pokéstops and gyms can be really low. Meanwhile, if you live in an area with crime, walking around with your phone out isn't feasible. The game is difficult to play for people with disabilities and chronic illness, as well as those that live in rural areas or places with crime. While I don't live in a rural area, the density of gyms and stops where I live is noticeably low. My friend who stays in a small mining town has remarked on this low density, even though his town also has few stops. I also live in an area where crime is significant — so even when I have the energy to take a walk, I mostly walk around the park in my complex rather than venture out into the streets where I have had several bad encounters. I've also seen screenshots from places like Santa Monica in the US and Osaka in Japan where the density of stops and gyms is astounding. Even in Cape Town's busy malls and large public spaces, this type of density isn't seen. The pandemic showed us a more accessible game is possible Joe Hindy / Android Authority Pokémon Go saw a resurgence during the COVID-19 lockdown. People had more time on their hands, but weren't venturing out as much. As a result, we saw the introduction of remote raid passes and a larger radius that allowed you to interact with stops and gyms from further away. But by June 2021, Niantic reversed many of these changes — as detailed in a blog post by the company. It removed the increased incense effectiveness and the increased distance for interacting with gyms and stops. It also later introduced features like Routes and a Go Pass that place an emphasis on walking certain distances. Even the free daily incense players now receive only works if you're moving (and circling your apartment won't suffice). The pandemic saw significant changes to the game, but many of these were reversed. Remote raid passes are still in the game, but you no longer get them from spinning gym discs. While you may rarely get them from research breakthroughs, they're now mostly a paid item. There are ways to earn coins in Pokémon Go, but this depends heavily on your ability to visit gyms and place your Pokémon there. While many will argue that moving is the entire point of Pokémon Go, the game's premium purchases show that accessibility is available in the name of monetization. I can get multiple incubators, as well as incubators that require less walking to hatch an egg, so long as I buy them. Pokéballs are also available for purchase. If you buy the deluxe pass for the month, you also get significantly more rewards for the same amount of effort as free players (such as 50 balls instead of 15 at the beginning of July's Tier 2 stage of the pass). Pokémon Go is leaving out a lot of potential players Ryan Haines / Android Authority I keep coming back to Pokémon Go, so what I really want is the developers to meet me (and many others) half way. Right now, many players resort to spoofing to access areas with more stops, play with friends, and cover certain distances in the game. But this can land you with a ban — and I'm not really comfortable with side-loading an app when I don't know the trustworthiness of the source. Increasing accessibility benefits everyone and would probably encourage a lot more players to log onto the game. This could also increase revenue — in fact, 2020 became Pokémon Go's highest-grossing year at the time and, according to Statista, remains its top year. I occasionally spend money in Pokémon Go. I'd spend more money if I knew I was able to really engage with the game more, rather than facing so many frustrations due to where I live. But right now, I hoard items because I don't know when I'll feel well enough to go to the few places that include gyms and stops. I know I'd spend more on the game if I could meaningfully engage in it, rather than hoarding key items. There are a few things that the developers could do to improve the game for players facing similar challenges. The ability to trade with friends from far away is one potential avenue. Allowing players to gift specific items to their friends could also help balance things out. Reducing the distance to interact with stops would be great. My current solution is to attempt to nominate a Pokéstop near my apartment, but I need to be level 37 to do this, and I've been stuck at 36 for a very long time. But this won't help with the overall density of Pokéstops in the area, since submissions need to be located on public property and at a point of interest. To the game's credit, my Route submission, which aimed to give people a short route that is quieter and more accessible than the current ones in my neighborhood, was accepted. But I do think the game needs changes to make it easier for people to play in general since a lot of people are left out. I might need to accept that Pokémon Go will never be a game I can meaningfully engage in due to my health challenges and where I live. But this doesn't mean I'll stop hoping that the developers will make efforts to include more people. Lockdown showed us that this was possible, and the game earned more than ever during that time. Follow
Android Authority
2 days ago
- Android Authority
I've tried dozens of to-do apps — these 6 clicked with me, but one's my favorite
Megan Ellis / Android Authority I may not be that big of a productivity nerd, but I do like my things organized, and I go to great lengths to find a system that works for me. My style is that I don't control every minute of my day — so I'm less of a calendar person and more of a to-do list guy. That's a subtle way of saying that I've tried a lot of to-do apps before zeroing in on one. I have an unbeatable favorite that works perfectly for my workflow, but there are several others that are equally capable, if not more, and could easily become the app you impulsively open. Here are some of the top to-do list apps you can try, along with my favorite one: TickTick Megan Ellis / Android Authority No matter which to-do app I try to test the waters, I keep coming back to TickTick. It's that good! In fact, it's the most feature-rich app I've come across — and that statement has remained true through the years I've used it. It's got excellent timing options for setting reminders, like 'first' or 'last working day of the month,' and it doesn't get any more granular than this. You'll also find options to change the view to Kanban for easy scrolling, ways to share lists with friends and family, and dedicated apps (not web wrappers) available across a variety of platforms. It's definitely a power-user app, but without feeling bloated. The nicest thing is that it doesn't constantly nudge you to pay for it. Most of the features I need are available in the free plan, and I've never felt the need to upgrade. Todoist Andy Walker / Android Authority Todoist feels like the productivity app that email whizzes would die for. It gives you a morning overview of your day when you wake up, an evening review of what you did (and didn't), and a daily digest email for your tasks. It feels like that sophisticated executive in a sharp-looking black suit who likes keeping everything in order. There are a bunch of ways to organize your tasks under 'My Projects,' with further filtering available through labels and priority levels. Like TickTick, it also supports natural language input, so you can type 'put out trash tomorrow at 7 AM,' and it will automatically pick the date and time. It's the perfect minimalist to-do app, though a lot of features are locked behind a paywall. Microsoft To Do For those in the Microsoft 365 ecosystem who use Outlook for work, Microsoft has its own first-party to-do list app with deep integrations. And it's surprisingly easy to use and doesn't look clunky like Outlook. Thankfully, you don't have to take a subscription from Microsoft to access it. The app is completely free and is quite feature-rich for one of Microsoft's non-core apps. It's got several customization options to add groups and nest lists under them, which is great for things like managing multiple projects from a single client. Microsoft has also done a good job of not making the app look boring, thanks to nice wallpapers and the option to add custom ones too, so you can add an inside meme as a background for a list shared with your friends for an upcoming trip. Google Tasks Andy Walker / Android Authority I recently gave Google Tasks a go, and while it pales in comparison to TickTick, it's still worth your consideration if you want something basic to handle your daily chores. Think of it as the to-do app version of Google Keep — it's free, doesn't try to do too much (ironic, given the name), comes bundled with your Android phone, and doesn't overwhelm you with too many options. While it's come a long way over the years and is actually useful for a lot of users with minimal needs, I wish Google made some critical improvements. For instance, it still doesn't support location-based reminders (something Keep has been able to do for ages), nor does it have any sharing features. It could easily beat Microsoft To Do, but so far, it's stuck just a step behind. Notion Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority Productivity nerds saw this coming from a mile away, right? Notion is a lot of things — you can mold it however you like and make it personal to you. So why not make it a task manager too? You can use checkboxes to create your own minimal to-do list, but you get access to a lot more complexity if you pick pre-built Notion templates for task management, and they won't cost a dime. It sure isn't the most intuitive one on this list, especially for someone who just wants a simple task manager. But if you're already using Notion, it's safe to assume you're in the top percentile of people who can be labeled productivity nerds. Pair that with the urge to use a single app for every single thing, and Notion is your answer. It doesn't get better than this. Post-it Yeah, Post-it is on this list — and not the paper kind. Just hear me out. A Post-it note is a scribbled list of things you need to do or keep in mind while doing something. It doesn't have any other attributes — no time, no date, no hierarchy, nothing. Just notes, stuck on your kitchen shelf for you to glance at once in a while. What if you could do exactly that on your phone? Post-it has an Android app that lets you stick a Post-it note to your home screen. Simple. It just sits there with a list of text in a handwriting font for authenticity, of course — so you can glance at it while scrolling through your home screens. The app actually offers much more, like creating a virtual canvas for brainstorming, full of colorful notes, but I use a single note on the home screen for things that aren't urgent but need my attention, maybe within a week or two. Like calling a friend I've been putting off for months. Which to-do list app do you prefer? 0 votes TickTick NaN % Todoist NaN % Microsoft To Do NaN % Google Tasks NaN % Notion NaN % Post-it notes NaN % Having a solid to-do list app gets half the job done. If the tool works well, you won't have to fiddle with it all the time, trying to make it work. You can pick a tool as complex as Notion or as simple as a Post-it note app on your home screen. What's your favorite kind of task management — the easy way, the complex one, or somewhere in the middle? Let me know via the poll above or in the comments below.
Android Authority
4 days ago
- Android Authority
Android's new 'Expanded' dark mode darkens apps without a dark theme — but there's a catch
Megan Ellis / Android Authority TL;DR For accessibility, Android will soon let you enable a dark theme in apps that don't have one. A new 'Expanded' dark mode option forces apps to go dark, but it may cause visual issues. This feature is live in the second Android Canary build, but its stable release date is unknown. If you tell people that you use light mode on your phone, some people will look at you like you're crazy. That's because many people prefer dark mode UIs because they're generally seen as easier on the eyes. Most apps have a built-in dark theme by this point, but there are still plenty that don't. For accessibility reasons, Android will soon let you enable dark mode in apps that don't natively support it. Earlier today, Google released the second Android Canary build, and while exploring it, we discovered a new option under Settings > Display & touch > Dark theme. Previously, this page only had options to schedule the dark theme, but it now offers two different dark theme 'modes.' There's the 'Standard' mode, which applies the dark theme across your device and supported apps, and a new 'Expanded' mode which automatically applies dark theme to more apps. Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority Android's new 'Expanded' dark mode is different from the existing color inversion option as it doesn't invert all colors on screen, which can mess with images. It's more like the 'override force-dark' toggle in Developer Options, but it seems to work in more apps. BLE Scanner app in light mode BLE Scanner app in expanded dark mode Google says the 'Expanded' dark mode is intended to improve accessibility, but you may experience appearance issues when using it as some apps won't play nicely with it. If that happens, then it's recommended you enable the 'Standard' dark mode instead, as it won't force a dark theme on apps that don't support it. We've been waiting for Google to launch this feature since we first spotted evidence of it over a year ago. It seems the company needed some time to figure out how to present the feature to users, as they were previously testing it under the name, 'make more apps dark.' By pitching it as an accessibility feature, Google will ensure that users are aware of its limitations and that it isn't intended as a foolproof way to enable a dark theme in all apps. Although this feature is now live in the second Android Canary build, we don't know when it'll roll out for users in the Beta or Stable channels. We're hoping this feature will roll out in the second quarterly release of Android 16, ie. Android 16 QPR2, which is scheduled for release this December.
Android Authority
20-07-2025
- Android Authority
These are the 6 Android widgets I simply can't live without
Megan Ellis / Android Authority From calendars to reminder apps, everyone has their own list of the best Android widgets. For me, widgets help me get overviews of various things without needing to open up the app that they're linked to. I recently switched to a new smartphone, and while there are certain things I do whenever I set up a new phone, I also realized that I needed to refresh some of my widget setups. As a result, these ones have become indispensable to my daily routine. 1. TickTick Megan Ellis / Android Authority TickTick is the best to-do list app in my opinion, and its widgets also help to keep me organized. On an average day, my executive functioning is impaired — meaning I often forget tasks and need frequent reminders to get things done. But lately, I've also been particularly forgetful due to stress. TickTick's widgets have become another way I keep on top of tasks without overwhelming myself with notifications. I use two widgets from TickTick: one to quickly create new tasks, and one that gives me an overview of all overdue and upcoming tasks. In addition to the regular reminders that TickTick sends me for tasks, the widgets help me quickly get an overview of what I need to do without needing to remember to open up the app. 2. Google Calendar Megan Ellis / Android Authority While I've started using TickTick's widget to tackle my increasing forgetfulness, Google Calendar's widget has been a mainstay on my devices for years. It's not the most attractive widget, but it gets the job done. With the month widget on my secondary home screen, I can get a good look at all my upcoming events and meetings. Calendar helps me when I have events I need to prepare for, such as trips to local phone launches. This also helps me when I have events I need to prepare for, such as trips to local phone launches. In these cases, a reminder a day before wouldn't really help me prepare. But seeing the entire month on a small widget lets me ensure that I get the right groceries, shift any recurring appointments, and see which days I will need to put more hours into my work to get it done. I have been playing around with the Month: Calendar Widget app to see if I can find a more visually appealing look while still pulling the appointments and events that are saved to my Google Calendar. But so far, I continue to rely on Google Calendar thanks to dark mode. 3. Vocabulary Megan Ellis / Android Authority Vocabulary is one of the apps I use to learn something new every day. With notifications enabled, it sends me words that it thinks I'll be interested in learning. But on days where I receive too many notifications across different apps, I often dismiss all my notifications at once. The Vocabulary widget lets me learn new words even when I'm overwhelmed by notifications. The widget lets me reap the benefits of the app even if I don't open it up. It refreshes once or twice an hour (though the frequency can be set to more regularly), so usually whenever I check my phone I am greeted by a new word. 4. Clock/Weather Megan Ellis / Android Authority There are plenty of clock and weather apps to choose from, but the default Weather app on my HONOR smartphone lets me combine the time, date, and weather forecast into a single widget on my home screen. This is especially useful when I'm waking up in the morning and want to get an idea of what the weather is like outside. I do wish that there was a way to quickly see the forecast for the next few days, but I use a Google automation to send me the next few days' weather outlook during the evening. I have also set up an IFTTT notification to warn me if the weather is going to be above a certain temperature. If you're looking for an app with similar functionality to HONOR's clock and weather widget, you can try an app like Digital Clock & Weather Widget. 5. Brave Search Megan Ellis / Android Authority I switched from Chrome to Brave a few months ago, and I am glad I made the change. I love Brave's features and find its search engine to be better than Google's ad-ridden rival. When exploring widgets on my new phone, I realized that I can replace the usual Google Search widget with one that uses Brave Search instead. The widget gives me quick access to a search query in Brave and the ability to voice search. I also prefer using the Brave widget over my usual Brave app shortcut so that I don't get distracted by my most recent tab — which can sometimes send me down a rabbit hole if it's a topic I'm interested in. 6. Xiaomi Home Megan Ellis / Android Authority I was initially excited for Google Home to roll out more useful widgets, but the app is incredibly buggy for me in general. It often shows my devices as offline even when they're not, so the widgets are of no use to me. Rather, I use Xiaomi Home's widgets for quick access to my most important smart home devices. Google Home is very buggy for me, so I use Xiaomi Home's widgets instead. I've set up two Xiaomi Home widgets on my smartphone: one for my smart camera, and another for my smart fan. These are the smart devices I access the most, so the shortcuts are incredibly useful. On a recent trip, I used the camera widget to quickly access my home's video feed to check that everything was fine back home. Easier access to my camera also means that I use the camera more frequently, often to check up on one of my cats when he hasn't come to bed. Since it's winter now, I don't use my smart fan shortcut as much. But it's essential in summer to quickly turn my fan on and off at night. It also proved useful during autumn, when the weather was inconsistent and I would only realize after I went to sleep if I needed to turn the fan on or off to keep a comfortable temperature. While everyone will have their own widget preferences depending on the services they use, these widgets have become essential to the way I use my phone. They save me time and prevent me from getting easily distracted by directly accessing the features I need.
Android Authority
17-07-2025
- Android Authority
I've tried many clock apps on Android, but none have this one excellent Samsung Clock feature
Megan Ellis / Android Authority While I have my favorite apps, including what I consider the best video editing app and best to-do list app, I never thought I'd be very particular about which clock app I used. For as long as I can remember, I used whatever clock came with my phone. But over the past few years, I've become accustomed to Samsung Clock's features. Since it's only available on Samsung phones, I've tried to switch to another clock app that isn't bound to a particular OEM. Despite trying plenty, I haven't been able to find one that suits my needs in the same way. Do you have a preferred clock app on Android? 0 votes No, I use whatever my phone comes with. NaN % Yes, I have a preferred app that I install on every phone (let us know in the comments!). NaN % Samsung's Clock app has become an essential part of my routine Megan Ellis / Android Authority So what is it about Samsung's clock app that has me in a chokehold? It comes down to the customizability of its snooze feature. Because of my chronic fatigue, I often need to adjust when I wake up based on how I'm feeling that day. This means that I place a lot of importance on an adjustable, repeatable snooze feature. I place a lot of importance on an adjustable, repeatable snooze feature. Most apps require you to choose a preset snooze time, with many maxing out at 30 minutes. But Samsung's app lets me set the snooze timer up to 60 minutes. Furthermore, when the alarm sounds, I can adjust the snooze time with simple plus and minus icons — which comes in handy when I just need an extra 10 minutes to come to grips with being awake. My first alarm essentially acts as a nudge to break me out of deep sleep. I then snooze it with the aim of waking up in an hour. On a day where I'm recovering from a migraine or a particularly draining few days, I may snooze my alarm again. But on days where I have an appointment or need to travel, I may only give myself an additional 15 minutes to rouse myself. My dependence on this extremely customizable snooze has gotten to the point that even though I haven't used a Samsung phone as my daily driver since 2023, I always sleep with a Samsung device near me in bed. The alternatives just don't measure up Stephen Schenck / Android Authority I realized my strong preference for Samsung's clock app when I switched from an S22 Ultra to an Oppo Reno 10 Pro+ in 2023. My S22 Ultra display was severely cracked from a fall onto concrete, so I was relieved to finally switch over to a new device. But I struggled to adjust to the different clock app that came with Oppo's phone. That's when I first tried to find an OEM-agnostic clock app to take Samsung's place, but Google's app maxed out at a 30-minute snooze. As a result, my S22 Ultra retained its position on my bedside table even though I had moved on from using the device. I eventually got a S23 Ultra as a secondary device during a sale, mainly to use to take photos when I was traveling or needed to take photos for work. But besides being my go-to camera smartphone, it also became my primary alarm clock. Even as I moved onto another camera smartphone, the S23 Ultra retained its place as my alarm clock — the only time I let it rest from this job was when I had a S25 Ultra in for review. Now, there isn't a shortage of clock apps available. I've spent hours trawling the Google Play Store for an app to replace Samsung's. In fact, I like that the Google Clock app would allow me to incorporate it into a Google Assistant Routine. But it lacks that sweet spot of snooze customizability. I've spent hours trawling the Google Play Store for an app to replace Samsung's. When I switched my daily driver to the Honor 400 Pro, I hoped that I could finally end my search for a new clock app. But again I was greeted my a limited snooze duration. I renewed my efforts to find a clock app that wouldn't keep me bound to a specific brand, but the search was not a success. Most of the apps I tried limited their snooze to 30 minutes maximum and as much as I would love to be a person who only needs a 30-minute break to wake up, my reality is that I need longer. Don't get me started on the number of rise-and-grind clock apps that don't include a snooze feature at all. My problem isn't that I'm a heavy sleeper or lazy, but that I experience non-restorative, fitful sleep that makes it a literal pain to get out of bed before I'm ready. I extended my search to include apps that I had initially dismissed due to their inclusion of ads. I was either greeted by that same 30-minute limit, or the apps requested permissions that I was not comfortable giving. For example, two of the freemium clock apps I tried wouldn't work unless I granted the permission to display over other apps, despite none of my other clock apps requiring this permission. I found other clock apps that seemed promising at first, only to check their data collection policies and decide they weren't worth the privacy trade-off. After all, why would I be comfortable with a simple clock app sharing my personal info with third parties when it's a general rule for me to give these kinds of apps a skip unless absolutely necessary? For now, I'm stuck using two phones in bed Megan Ellis / Android Authority After my most recent search for alternative clock apps yielded no viable results, I've accepted that my current setup of two phones in bed is set to continue. It's not the worst problem to have, but it is annoying when I'm traveling and have to take multiple devices with me just for one to act as an alarm. I've considered switching to my S23 Ultra as my daily driver, but it doesn't support my current dual physical SIM setup. There are also benefits to using a physical SIM, while switching to an eSIM in my country comes with its own barriers that deter me from the change. Some people may also suggest just pulling myself together and getting on board with 30-minute snooze limits, but I've developed my habit due to specific needs. There are many times I've forced myself up before I'm ready to get out of bed, and this has often triggered a migraine, prolonged an ongoing migraine attack, or made my chronic fatigue worse during the day. I don't see my sleep habits changing anytime soon even if I wanted them to. I'm hoping that a few other alternative clock apps with more customization (that also respect my privacy) will emerge that will enable me to pack away my Samsung phone. I'd even pay for a reasonably priced clock app that offers the functionality I need. But in the meantime, my awkward setup will live on.
