My 7 favorite Android gadgets that make your phone or tablet more useful

I’ll preface this section by saying that choosing widgets is a personal matter and what may be useful to me may not be useful to you. Even so, there is a facility for everyone and it depends application you have installed above Android devicesChances are you’ll find a thing or two in this article that will help make your day a little more productive.

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So, what are widgets? Simply put, they are complementary to Android home screen Allows quick access to information from the app, itself, or the service you depend on. With the right collection of widgets, you can create a quick home screen that keeps you updated without opening a single app.

I’ve been searching through widgets for phones and tablets, and I’m sharing the ones that I think will make your device more useful.

Before we get to the list, let’s explore how to get started with widgets.

1. Google Calendar

Displays the entire month or day

I use Google Calendar every day and rely on it to keep my busy life a little less chaotic. Since I check Google Calendar regularly, I find this widget very useful.

You can add a widget to show the entire month or a daily widget. From either widget, you can view events and even tap the + button to add the event to your calendar.

Also: This Google Calendar for Android update makes your work a lot easier to keep track of

One thing to note is that if you use multiple calendars on Gmail, you will have to add a widget for each calendar. I prefer the day view because it helps me see my day at a glance so I know exactly what’s coming up.

2. Gmail (or email app of your choice)

I like Thunderbird better

Add the extension to your default email client (mine is Thunderbird) makes it easy to quickly see what’s in your inbox and gives you easy access to the app’s email compose window.

For the Thunderbird widget, tap the pencil icon to automatically open the Thunderbird compose window where you can write emails. I like this extension because I can easily send emails faster without opening the email application.

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If you depend on email to stay connected and updated, this extension should be considered a must-have.

3. Keep notes

Quickly record information

I use Keep Notes every day to quickly jot down information, share shopping lists, and more. I use some of my notes in Google Keep throughout my work day (some notes contain collections of important links).

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For quick access to these links, I added the Keep Notes widget. You can add two widgets: one that lets you scroll through your notes, and one that gives you quick access to creating new notes (text, voice, and even images from your device). your photo).

For this widget, I recommend adding a rollover widget on tablets and a quick access button widget on phones. I would go that route because your phone screen is much smaller than your tablet’s and you probably don’t want to put too many larger items on it.

4. Search for arcs

Browse the web quickly

Arc Search is a great way to search the internet quickly. Adding Arc Search as an extension provides similar functionality to the standard Google search bar but automatically opens Arc Search instead of Chrome.

Also: Arc Search for Android is the Chrome alternative you’ve been looking for

Since I’ve switched to Arc Search as my default app on Android, I prefer using the Arc Search extension. If you want to move away from Google search, I highly recommend installing Arc Search and adding the widget to your home screen.

5. Battery

Warning about charge level

Yes, there is a battery indicator at the top of your phone’s screen. However, the indicator does not provide any information about the charge level of the connected devices.

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I can add a battery widget to my home screen and get quick information about my device’s charge level. Pixel Watchconnected headphones etc. Android Battery Widget is a great add-on if you need to know how much battery is left in your device.

6. Pixel weather

Only for Pixel phones

Android’s at-a-glance feature gives you the current temperature, and you can tap it to open the weather app. However, it is not always easy to use. Whether opening the Weather app or the Calendar app is often a difficult matter to determine.

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To avoid that bit of confusion, I added the Pixel Weather widget. Yes, this is a Pixel-only feature, but it’s much better than trying to read the small print of the weather at-a-glance option. When I’m not wearing my glasses, the Weather widget is there to help me.

7. Spotify

Access your playlists

Spotify is my favorite music app on Android and desktop. The Spotify widget gives me quick access to what’s playing and my playlists.

Also: Spotify’s AI Playlists are now available in the US – here’s how to download them

Before running, I can simply tap my Run List playlist from the Spotify widget to automatically open Spotify, load the playlist, and hit the road. Then, when something plays, I can control it from the widget.

I realize that your needs will determine what amenities you add. Whether you use any of the above gadgets or not, I’m sure you’ll find a collection of Android gadgets to make your day a little easier.

How to add widgets to your Android device

This part is very easy. All you do is press and hold an empty spot on your home screen, tap Widgets, find the widget you want to add in the results window, and drag it to your home screen. You can then resize the widget and move it as needed.