Andy Walker / Android Authority
Remember that famous Apple commercial that chirped, “There’s an app for that?” That statement remains entirely true more than a decade later, at least over on Android. There’s a certain list of best Android apps that I tend to install on every device I own, some of which include open-source works, others are the true essentials. Beyond these, if you have a specific niche use case or interest, you can bet there’s an app to cover it.
Alongside the usual suspects like WhatsApp, Firefox, and Google Wallet, my phone has apps that may raise an eyebrow or two. These are my favorite niche, left-field, and unusual Android apps.
whoBIRD
Andy Walker / Android Authority
You don’t need an expensive pair of optics and a tweed blazer to be a birder. whoBIRD makes identifying a tweeter by its call incredibly simple and surprisingly fun.
whoBIRD is a free and open-source app that utilizes the BirdNET call database and your phone’s microphone to identify a bird in your vicinity audibly. You can also adjust the time of year and location sensitivity to help increase the call hit rate.
It’s a wonderfully rewarding app I use every single time I’m in the countryside. I’ll hear a bird I’m unfamiliar with, open whoBIRD, and watch as the app suggests the possible owners of the melody. Although it’s not flawless, it doesn’t claim to be, and it guides me in the right direction for deeper research more often than not.
Noice
Andy Walker / Android Authority
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