As you probably noticed, there is an Android app for everything. Most of the websites you visit have an Android app and ask you to install it the app for a better experience. It is a good option to install an app for every website you visit, or for every game you play ? You will end up with over one thousand apps, and probably your smartphone will stop working.
It is bad to install apps on Android ? Not at all, Android was built to install apps on it, but you have to take into account that each app you install have some costs on your Android: space, memory, impact on performance. Some apps have background services that run in the background even when they are not in use, others are using battery, memory, or mobile data.
To prevent unwanted usage in the background, new versions of Android tells you which apps are using battery or data when not used, and remind you to stop them, but you have to keep turn them off after every usage to prevent leaks.
Why installing an app or a game when you can use it on the web ? Well, some apps are better than their web version, but most of apps built just as a clone of a website, for example news sites apps, are there mostly for the capability to send notifications.
There are apps worth installing, for sure, but you have to put in balance the pros and cons. Are the benefits of using an app worth the extra storage, memory, battery, data usage, and potential problems associated with bugs ?
If an app you use have a vulnerability, attackers and viruses can take advantage and infect your Android, sending you unwanted notifications or stealing your data. If you access the functionality in the browser, you have an additional layer of protection, the browser.
Facebook Android application had some vulnerabilities that exposed its users to high security risks: data theft, recording mic or camera without consent, etc. That’s why I don’t use the Facebook app. I use Facebook a lot, but I use it only from the browser, even from my Android smartphone.
Facebook is putting a lot of effort to convince users to get their app: limiting features in web app ( lives, messaging, etc ), but I resist, because I know that the potential security problems are not worth the features that they prevent me to use directly on the browser. Sometimes I am able to bypass their limitations by using the desktop version on mobile, but they are getting better and better preventing me using those features they want to keep exclusive for app users.
When dealing with playing on Android, there are games that can’t be played in the browser, but most games that a typical Android users will play have a corresponding web accessible version. If I install an app for every game I want to play online, I will end up having thousands of apps installed, generating a lot of problems for my Android device, not taking into account that I have to install more versions of the same game until I find the one that I like the most.
Recently, I found out that I can play online, directly into the browser, all the video games I want and used to install an app for, but with the peace of mind that I don’t expose my Android smartphone to potential risks.
When playing on my smartphone, board games and tower defense games are my favorites. I keep playing for much too long. I also like education or sport games, and mostly all games that resemble the experience of the games I used to play when I was young.
Recently I started to enjoy playing on plays.org. They have hundreds of free online games that you can play directly in your browser, both on mobile and desktop. No additional software required, no crappy adds, account, or credit card.
I could spend many hours playing base defense games every day, but I try to limit the time I spend on games. This is another reason why I’m not installing games on my Android phone, because I get quickly addicted. However, there are times when I have to kill some time, and base defense games are the way to go for me. Playing games directly in the browser is the solution that gives a great balance.
I spent 1 hour last night to play King Rugni video game online. The game has all it takes for a great base defense game: multiple levels, different towers, upgrades, bonuses, special features. It is the type of game that keeps you up all night.
Another great base defense is Endless Siege Tower Defense. Unlike King Rugni, Endless Siege does not have multiple levels. There is only one and the difficulty goes up after each orc wave. You can infinitely level up and upgrade your weapons. The positions where you place the towers are not predefined, so there can be a lot more creativity involved in choosing the best tactic to stop the orcs.
