These are our best apps of 2021

A lot has happened in the app stores in 2021 as well. While the number of new blockbuster apps with a lasting impact this year was rather low, some were able to stand out.

The still predominant Pandemic is also reflected in the top apps like iOS users’ hunger for change. One app in particular has developed with the Solving a problem excelled, which many were probably not even aware of.

We present you this Apps

before:

• GreenPass EU : iOS and Android
• Noir : iOS
• Bitwarden : iOS and Android
• Amplosion : iOS
• Pocket Casts : iOS and Android

GreenPass EU

The coronavirus issue remained with us in 2021 and there seems to be no end in sight. Unsurprisingly, there is therefore an overview of the app that helps us with everyday pandemic supports. Since the introduction of the Green Pass, this has become part of our everyday life and enables simple proof of vaccination, recovery and testing according to the respective G-rules. While the PDF or the QR code can be printed out with you, most people take it on their smartphone most practical.

While the Federal Computing Center provides the official app in Austria, GreenPass EU has emerged as the best alternative. Developed by 3 students from FH Hagenberg and officially provided for iOS by the Upper Austrian Red Cross, the app enables a quick overview of the most important data of the Green Pass. For example, the vaccination status is displayed directly under the QR code, i.e. how many vaccinations have already been received. The app also shows us directly whether our vaccination status is sufficient for 2G or 3G entry regulations.

The QR code can be validated within Austria based on the prevailing regulations in the individual federal states , In addition, validation can currently be carried out for Germany, Slovakia and the EU in general. If we tap on our certificate, further details can be viewed. iOS users also have the option of importing their certificate into the wallet app. Let’s switch the app to travel mode , all information is displayed in English.

Another option is to hide details in the QR code overview. A practical additional feature of GreenPass EU is the integrated scanner function . Here we can check other people’s passports and validate them against various entry regulations without having to carry an additional app.

GreenPass EU is free for iOS and Android available.

Noir

During the system-wide Darkmode is now an option for both iOS and Android, unfortunately not all of them offer it Apps on. The advantages of dark mode are obvious: the darkening of the background and individual optical elements should be more pleasant for the eyes, especially in dark surroundings. In addition, many users have a purely visual preference. Apple has also been offering an optional dark mode on iOS devices since iOS 13.

When visiting Websites with Safari but this has no effect. If websites do not offer native dark fashion, there has been no way of escaping the brilliant white so far. With the release of iOS 15 Apple now enables the use of browser extensions for the first time. One of the first expansions to appear was Noir. The application takes care of all visited websites and automatically a dark look.

Noir pays very careful attention to the fact that text elements and other building blocks of the page are converted appropriately. Should there be problems with the automatic conversion, websites can be reported to the developer. Noir will take our system-wide settings , but also allows manual change at any time between dark and light website.

Noir is 2.99 euros for iOS available.
Thanks to the browser extension Dark Reader Automatically convert web pages.

Bitwarden

The battle of the Password Manager did not start in 2021. Over the years, new password managers have emerged again and again. A big point in the discussion about password managers has become the growing number of providers that require subscriptions to their programs. While in the past an admittedly expensive one-time purchase was sufficient, today continuous annual subscriptions , which cost us a considerable sum.

The Open source project Bitwarden is trying to take the place of 1Password and Co. to take. Instead of forced subscriptions and unknown source code, we have options here. At Bitwarden, for example, we can choose whether we host a server ourselves or whether we want to pay some money for a ready-made solution. Bitwarden did not appear in 2021, but has taken big steps again this year to gain competitors like 1Password , Enpass or the open source project KeePass to forget.

The introduction of Bitwarden Send and the transition to FIDO2 are just 2 of the many improvements that have appeared this year. What Bitwarden has already stood out from the only real competition, KeePass, in the open source area, was the relatively modern design and the central policy in terms of applications. While the selection of applications at KeePass is incredibly large, there is no uniform look. The range of functions also has to be compared between different clients in some cases.

In contrast, Bitwarden provides all Apps centrally ready. With encryption and storage options for credit cards, notes and other important data that are praised by independent experts, there are hardly any differences to other, established password managers in terms of functionality.

Bitwarden is free for iOS and Android available.

Amplosion

Another construction site made possible by Apple’s permission from browser extensions is Google AMP. The abbreviation ung AMP stands for Accelerated Mobile Pages and is intended to enable users of Google’s search engine to access websites that are accessed via mobile devices even faster. AMP switches itself between the actually accessed website and its users and serves the content of the accessed page in a separate window.

Critics dislike the fact that AMP is on On the one hand, it takes over website content and serves it almost directly without redirecting it, and on the other hand, it collects even more data about users. The Amplosion app takes on exactly this problem and tries to ban AMP links from the everyday life of iOS users. If we tap on a page provided with AMP, Amplosion processes the link automatically and forwards us directly to the website.

The app or the Safari extension acts so quickly that we never see the actual AMP page. Amplosion sets in the removal of AMP links on a combination of automatic detection and a database. If certain AMP links are not recognized, they can be reported to the developer in order to enable an automatic removal of the AMP link in the future.

That the AMP problem is no A niche topic was proven by the app’s ranking a few hours after it was launched. Amplosion sat in the App Store directly on 1st place the best-selling apps.

Amplosion is around 2.99 euros for iOS available.
Android users can use Firefox Bypass AMP links.

Pocket Casts

After the topic of podcasts only played a subordinate role for a long time, there has been a veritable flood of new Podcast broadcasts emerged. New regular podcasts have been launched on every corner. Classic talk formats with a colorful selection of topics can be found just as often as true crime podcasts that deal with mysterious, famous or particularly brutal crimes.

That the topic of podcasts was still in trend in 2021, could be seen in several places. Spotify, for example, pushed ahead with investments in this area and expanded its range. But the big competitor Apple also brought innovations. In addition to the possibility of podcasters selling content , the apple company also worked on the in-house app. To the displeasure of many users, the ease of use but much worse.

As one of the best and constantly further developed apps, Pocket Casts appeared as an alternative. The app combines all free podcasts in one place. Right in the Dashboard we are served a colorful display with all the covers that are relevant or interesting for us. Keywords can be searched directly in the overview. In the Filter tab you can sort out according to various criteria in order to limit the selection according to preferences. Among other things, Pocket Casts offers Android users support for Android Wear and Android Auto .

iOS users can log in parallel via Apple Watch – and CarPlay support are happy . Pocket Casts also brings some technical features that can improve podcast consumption itself. In this way, the app cuts out mute passages on request in order to shorten the running time . In addition, the speed can be continuously adjusted up to three times. For example, if we want to skip intros , we can dive directly into the podcast for a predefined duration without manually jumping in 15-second steps.

Pocket Casts is free for iOS and Android available.