Top Software Downloads of 2018
At Lifehacker, we talk about many apps and always feel like we’re lagging behind – that’s how many new things are added (or updated) on a weekly basis.
This year we have played with a lot of cool software, from iOS to Android, Mac and Windows. And this is our time to reflect on what we loved. You too, because it’s not just about what we recommend you check; this roundup will also cover the great apps that interest you this year.
Mighty Lifehacker App Packages
I’ve spent way too much time this year updating our famous Lifehacker app packages and I highly recommend you check them out. Even if you are already familiar with some of the apps in the package, I bet you haven’t heard of at least a few of the apps – and they might become your new favorites, who knows. (Don’t forget to leave me comments on anything you would like us to consider next year!)
Software and Apps You Loved This Year
In no particular order, here’s a roundup of some of the best software posts on Lifehacker this year.
Why you should switch from Google Chrome to Firefox
While Chrome still has market share, Mozilla has done some really cool things with Firefox this year. I’m constantly going to switch my insane number of tabs to the Mozilla browser to see how much better Firefox manages memory than Chrome – perhaps this will move towards 2019 resolution. Beyond that, Mozilla has been stepping up privacy and security in its browser and browser add-ons this year, and when the whole world (OK, Edge) switched to Chromium, it’s time to give some people more love for Firefox than ever before. A world with one rendering engine.
Please don’t try to hack The Sims Mobile
Confession: I stopped playing The Sims Mobile a while ago. I’ve never cracked it, but perhaps I should have, given that all these types of games tend to have a limited lifespan for most players. (My poor sim will never become a world-class doctor.) However, The Sims Mobile was actually one of the more palatable free-to-play “send a man on a mission for a few hours” games I’ve played this year, mostly how much fun it was (very slowly) to cheat my SimHouse.
How to move a PC game to another hard drive (without rebooting)
This is old, but still useful because this year a lot of people wanted to learn about the magic of symlinks. Although I totally understand. Although theSteam Mover has n’t been updated since 2010, I use it on a weekly basis. This comes in handy when you store most of your Steam games on a boring mechanical drive, but want some to use a (much smaller) SSD whenever possible.
How to use the Google New Tasks app for iOS and Android
Simple. Light. In short, it’s Google Tasks. It’s a great way to keep track of your commitments (or shopping list) without the hassle, and you can use it on both Android and iOS . (You can also edit your to-do list directly from Gmail.)
This free ad blocker for Samsung phones also kills malware and manages app permissions
Disgusting ads are never fun. If you own a Samsung device running Android 5.0 or later , you should check out this NeedleGames ad blocking app on the XDA forums . This has been DCMA since then, but a great alternative, Adhell3 , should still work (if you are using EDU SDK keys, if I’m right ). And if you don’t want to compile it yourself, go here .
The new iMessage extension for the Google app is awesome
Even though the App Store for iMessage is a complete mess, the Google extension actually adds many useful features to Apple’s own app. As I wrote earlier this year:
“Tap it and now you can add all sorts of information Google-picked to your chats: the current weather; weather forecasts for the next six days; ratings, opening hours, addresses and phone numbers of nearby restaurants or points of interest; trending news or videos on YouTube; and gifs. An overwhelming force. “
How to migrate to an SSD without reinstalling Windows
When you need to clone the contents of one hard drive to another, especially if you are moving from a slow and tedious hard drive to a new and fast SSD, you need the free version of Macrium Reflect . (You will also want to follow this tutorial if you have never done so before.)
How to prevent robotic calls and minimize phone spam
I still use Hiya ( Android , iOS ) to cut down on annoying robot calls. It’s not perfect, but better than having my smartphone ringing all the time. In addition, thanks to the new update, you can now block numbers that have the first six digits of your number, in other words, annoying “neighbor” spam calls.
Watch YouTube videos without ads for free with this Android app
YouTube ads are annoying, especially on your smartphone. If you have an Android device, the handy Newpipe app will provide you with all the videos you want … and no ads that you usually have to watch in front of them.
You can now send iMessages on Android if you have a Mac
We’ll get our own iMessage app for Android (or Windows) someday, right?
Augmented Reality Measurement App for iOS and Android: Which is More Accurate?
I was so upset about this that it’s not even funny. Well. It’s kind of funny. It turns out that getting accurate comparisons between an iOS augmented reality measurement app and an Android augmented reality measurement app is a Sisyphean challenge. If my editors let me revisit this, I could measure more things in 2019 – now that every developer has the opportunity to fix flaws in their apps.
Why you should check your internet speed regularly
Regardless of how you check your internet speed, you should regularly check if you are getting as much performance from your internet service provider as you are paying. And if not, it’s time to troubleshoot – whether it’s a device problem, a router problem, a cable or DSL modem mismatch, or something else that is causing your data to lose speed when you expect it to fly .
How to turn your old iPhone into a cute, minimalist phone
Sure, you’ll have to jailbreak your old iPhone, but it would be a great holiday gift to turn your sophisticated device into a much easier-to-use remote (sort of) for a friend or loved one.
How to get faster Wi-Fi access in your hotel room
Never leave your router (or an extra pair of underwear) at home. That, and also check out some of my top tips and suggestions for apps for dealing with the horror that is a typical hotel Wi-Fi connection. Hey, it’s almost time for 5G, right?
How to AirDrop Between Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android Devices
I love the Snapdrop web app a hell of a lot because it makes it easy to transfer files between your systems (Mac or Windows) as well as your smartphones (iOS and Android). If that’s not for you, this article also explains how to set up network shares the old-fashioned way.
Best apps to organize Windows 10
In this article, I’ve looked at a number of useful applications for keeping Windows clean and tidy. My lovely? MiniBin . This is so cute. I am changing my recommendation on this. I went to the MiniBin site and now the download link takes you straight to a bunch of crappy spam sites. It seems like it’s time to throw the MiniBin into the trash can.
Updated 12/17/2018 10:30 AM: I removed the MiniBin link as the hosting site is now full of spam and I tried to find a good alternative to our Samsung ad blocker that was pulled down by Samsung’s legal department. (Adhell3 too. Sigh.)