This Week in Apps: Black Friday’s boost, security news and the year’s biggest apps

Welcome back to This Week in Apps, the Extra Crunch series that recaps the latest OS news, the applications they support and the money that flows through it all. What are developers talking about? What do app publishers and marketers need to know? How are politics impacting the App Store and app businesses? And which apps are everyone using?

This week we look at how the Black Friday weekend played out on mobile (including which non-shopping category that saw a boost in revenue!), as well as a few security-related stories, TikTok’s latest bad press, plus Apple and Google’s best and most downloaded apps of 2019, and more.

Headlines

80% of Android apps are encrypting traffic by default

Google gave an update on Android security this week, noting that 80% of Android applications were encrypting traffic by default, and that percentage was higher for apps targeting Android 9 or higher, with 90% of them encrypting traffic by default. Android protects the traffic entering or leaving the devices with TLS (Transport Layer Security). Its new statistics are related to Android 7’s introduction of the Network Security Configuration in 2016, which allows app developers to configure the network security policy for their app through a declarative configuration file. Apps targeting Android 9 (API level 28) or higher automatically have a policy set by default that prevents unencrypted traffic for every domain. And since Nov. 1, 2019, all apps (including app updates) must target at least Android 9, Google says. That means the percentages will improve as more apps roll out their next updates.

Black Friday boosted mobile game revenue to a record $70M

U.S. sales holiday Black Friday wasn’t just good for online shoppers, who spent a record $7.4 billion in sales, $2.9 billion from smartphones. It also boosted iOS and Android mobile game revenue to a single-day record of $69.7 million in the U.S., according to Sensor Tower. This was the most revenue ever generated in a single day for the category, and it represents a 25% increase over 2018. Marvel Contest of Champions from Kabam led the day with approximately $2.7 million in player spending. Two titles from Playrix — Gardenscapes and Homescapes — also won big, with $1 million and $969,000 in revenue, respectively.

These increases indicate that consumers are looking for all kinds of deals on Black Friday, not just those related to holiday gift-giving. They’re also happy to spend on themselves in games. Mobile publishers caught on to this trend and offered special in-game deals on Black Friday which really paid off.

Did Walmart beat Amazon’s app on Black Friday?

Sensor Tower and Apptopia said it did. App Annie also said it did, but then later took it back (see update). In any event, it must have been a close race. According to Sensor Tower, Walmart’s app reached No.1 on the U.S. App Store on Black Friday with 113,000 new downloads, a year-over-year increase of 23%. Amazon had 102,000 downloads, making it No. 2.

Arguably, many Amazon shoppers already have the app installed, so this is more about Walmart’s e-commerce growth more so than some ding on Amazon.

In fact, Apptopia said that Amazon still had 162% more mobile sessions over the full holiday weekend — meaning Amazon was more shopped than Walmart.

More broadly, mobile shopping is still huge on Black Friday. The top 10 shopping apps grew their new installs by 11% over last year on Black Friday, to reach a combined 527,000 installs.

Report: Android Advanced Protection Program could prevent sideloading

Google’s Advanced Protection Program protects the accounts of those at risks of targeted attacks — like journalists, activists, business leaders, and political campaign teams. This week, 9to5Google found the program may get a new protection feature with the ability to block sideloading of apps, according to an APK breakdown. What’s not yet clear is if program members will have the option to disable the protection, but there are some indications that may be the case. Another feature the report uncovered appears to show that Play Protect will automatically scan all apps, including those from outside the Play Store. This won’t affect the majority of Android users, of course, but it is an indication of where Google believes security risks may be found: sideloaded apps.

Bug hunter suggests Security.plist standard for apps

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Reddit links UK-US trade talk leak to Russian influence campaign

Reddit has linked account activity involving the leak and amplification of sensitive UK-US trade talks on its platform during the ongoing UK election campaign to a suspected Russian political influence operation.

Or, to put it more plainly, the social network suspects that Russian operatives are behind the leak of sensitive trade data — likely with the intention of impacting the UK’s General Election campaign.

The country goes to the polls next week, on December 12.

The UK has been politically deadlocked since mid 2016 over how to implement the result of the referendum to leave the European Union. The minority Conservative government has struggled to negotiate a brexit deal that parliament backs. Another hung parliament or minority government would likely result in continued uncertainty.

In a post discussing the “Suspected campaign from Russia”, Reddit writes:

We were recently made aware of a post on Reddit that included leaked documents from the UK. We investigated this account and the accounts connected to it, and today we believe this was part of a campaign that has been reported as originating from Russia.

Earlier this year Facebook discovered a Russian campaign on its platform, which was further analyzed by the Atlantic Council and dubbed “Secondary Infektion.” Suspect accounts on Reddit were recently reported to us, along with indicators from law enforcement, and we were able to confirm that they did indeed show a pattern of coordination. We were then able to use these accounts to identify additional suspect accounts that were part of the campaign on Reddit. This group provides us with important attribution for the recent posting of the leaked UK documents, as well as insights into how adversaries are adapting their tactics.

Reddit says that an account, called gregoratior, originally posted the leaked trade talks document. Later a second account, ostermaxnn, reposted it. The platform also found a “pocket of accounts” that worked together to manipulate votes on the original post in an attempt to amplify it. Though fairly fruitlessly, as it turned out; the leak gained little attention on Reddit, per the company.

As a result of the investigation Reddit says it has banned 1 subreddit and 61 accounts — under policies against vote manipulation and misuse of its platform.

The story doesn’t end there, though, because whoever was behind the trade talk leak appears to have resorted to additional tactics to draw attention to it — including emailing campaign groups and political activists directly.

This activity did bear fruit this month when the opposition Labour party got hold of the leak and made it into a major campaign issue, claiming the 451-page document shows the Conservative party, led by Boris Johnson, is plotting to sell off the country’s free-at-the-point-of-use National Health Service (NHS) to US private health insurance firms and drug companies.

Labour party leader, Jeremy Corbyn, showed a heavily redacted version of the document during a TV leaders debate earlier this month, later calling a press conference to reveal a fully un-redacted version of the data — arguing the document proves the NHS is in grave danger if the Conservatives are re-elected.

Johnson has denied Labour’s accusation that the NHS will be carved up as the price of a Trump trade deal. But the leaked document itself is genuine.

It details preliminary meetings between UK and US trade negotiators, which took place between July 2017 and July 2019, in which discussion of the NHS does take place, in addition to other issues such as food standards.

Although the document does not confirm what position the UK might seek to adopt in any future trade talks with the US.

The source of the heavily redacted version of the document appears to be a Freedom of Information (FOI) request by campaigning organisation, Global Justice Now — which told Vice it made an FOI request to the UK’s Department for International Trade around 18 months ago.

The group said it was subsequently emailed a fully unredacted version of the document by an unknown source which also appears to have sent the data directly to the Labour party. So while the influence operation looks to have originated on Reddit, the agents behind it seem to have resorted to more direct means of data dissemination in order for the leak to gain the required attention to become an election-influencing issue.

Experts in online influence operations had already suggested similarities between the trade talks leak and an earlier Russian operation, dubbed Secondary Infektion, which involved the leak of fake documents on multiple online platforms. Facebook identified and took down that operation in May.

In a report analysing the most recent leak, social network mapping and analysis firm Graphika says the key question is how the trade document came to be disseminated online a few weeks before the election.

“The mysterious [Reddit] user seemingly originated the leak of a diplomatic document by posting it around online, just six weeks before the UK elections. This raises the question of how the user got hold of the document in the first place,” it writes. “This is the single most pressing question that arises from this report.”

Graphika’s analysis concludes that the manner of leaking and amplifying the trade talks data “closely resembles” the known Russian information operation, Secondary Infektion.

“The similarities to Secondary Infektion are not enough to provide conclusive attribution but are too close to be simply a coincidence. They could indicate a return of the actors behind Secondary Infektion or a sophisticated attempt by unknown actors to mimic it,” it adds.

Internet-enabled Russian influence operations that feature hacking and strategically timed data dumps of confidential/sensitive information, as well as the seeding and amplification of political disinformation which is intended to polarize, confuse and/or disengage voters, have become a regular feature of Western elections in recent years.

The most high profile example of Russian election interference remains the 2016 hack of documents and emails from Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign and Democratic National Committee — which went on to be confirmed by US investigators as an operation by Russia’s GRU intelligence agency.

In 2017 emails were also leaked from French president Emmanuel Macron’s campaign shortly before his election — although with apparently minimal impact in that case. (Attribution is also less clear-cut.)

Russian activity targeting UK elections and referendums remains a matter of intense interest and investigation — and had been raised publicly as a concern by former prime minister, Theresa May, in 2017.

Although her government failed to act on recommendations to strengthen UK election and data laws to respond to the risks posed by Internet-enabled interference. She also did nothing to investigate questions over the extent of foreign interference in the 2016 brexit referendum.

May was finally unseated by the ongoing political turmoil around brexit this summer, when Johnson took over as prime minister. But he has also turned a wilfully blind eye to the risks around foreign election interference — while fully availing himself of data-fuelled digital campaign methods whose ethics have been questioned by multiple UK oversight bodies.

A report into Russian interference in UK politics which was compiled by the UK’s intelligence and security parliamentary committee — and had been due to be published ahead of the general election — was also personally blocked from publication by the prime minister.

Voters won’t now get to see that information until after the election. Or, well, barring another strategic leak…

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6 Free Printables and Ebooks to Track or Change Habits

Whether you’re breaking a bad habit or trying to form a good one, a little nudge in the right direction can go a long way. These free printables and ebooks promise to help you track or change habits easily.

As the year draws to a close, we often succumb to the pressure of setting resolutions. But if you’re serious about changing habits, you need the right advice and tools to get you going. You can use habit apps to reach your goals or go old-school with a pen and paper. There is just something more satisfying about the tactile feel of crossing or ticking a box.

1. Habit Print: Create a Printable Seinfeld-Like Chain

Comedian Jerry Seinfeld famously shared his productivity habit. He wrote a joke every single day and crossed it out on the calendar. The visual chain of his successful habit kept him going every day. Several people now swear by this trick.

Habit Print is a free web app to create such a visual habit tracker and print it. Just write whatever task you want to accomplish (maximum 35 characters), and the app will create a printable page for it. The page includes the seven days of the week in a grid of circles, with 10 rows of these circles.

There’s a productivity principle that if you want to form a new habit, you need to do that task for 66 days. Habit Print will take you to a chain of 70 days, ensuring you meet your goal and are better off for it.

2. Flowcharts for Changing Habits: Charles Duhigg’s Science-Backed Method

Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit, has spent a long time researching the science behind habits. He has studied people’s behavior to figure out what makes them stick to a habit or change it.

Duhigg believes the key to changing habits is the “habit loop.” Habitual behavior activates based on a cue, like a time or when you’re at a certain place. Our brain then seeks a reward, which we indulge through some destructive behavior. In the end, this forms a routine.

But if you change the reward, you’ll break the habit loop. Find a reward that is healthy, without altering the cue, and you’ll end up making a new routine that is good for you. Over time, this will become your new habit.

Duhigg has converted his theory into two easy-to-follow flowcharts while you try to form a new habit loop:

• A flowchart explaining how to break a habit
• A flowchart explaining how to create a habit

Register for the newsletter and you can download high-resolution versions of both flowcharts, which you can then print.

3. Clementine Creative’s Habit Tracker: Month-Long Tracker for Multiple Habits

Habit Print is a single page to focus on a single new routine. If you want a more comprehensive habit plan with several tasks and practices, try Clementine Creative’s habit tracker.

You get 31 columns for the dates of the month, along with a space to write the day. And there are 15 rows to list all the habits you want to form. Every time you complete a habit, check, fill, or draw a pattern in that column.

You can print it in Letter, A4, or A5 size. The writer recommends using different colors for different tasks to add a little oomph to the calendar and to also make it easy to distinguish how well you’re doing on different habits.

The website also has an editable version of the habit tracker, where you can first add the different tasks and print after that. But this needs a small payment.

4. Habit Tracker Templates: Weekly, 10-Day, 15-Day, and More

Like the month-long habit tracker from Clementine Creative, there are several others. Teal Notes has compiled the best of them into well-designed free downloads that you can print.

There are weekly, 10-day, 15-day, and monthly habit tracking templates, available in both vertical and horizontal formats. The vertical monthly tracker even has a color version.

The 10-day and 15-day trackers stand out because of their columns for notes. The 15-day version even looks different, presented like a hand-fan. The first day is the smallest to fill, but as your streak continues, you get to fill larger boxes, making you reflect longer about your accomplishments.

5. Hipster Habit App: Printable Mini-Book to Fold Into Your Wallet

The best habit app is not an app at all. In fact, it’s a little guide that sits in your pocket. Download the Hipster Habit App PDF and print it out. Then fold it as shown in the instructions and stick it in your wallet.

Follow the instructions of the Hipster Habit App page by page. This habit-changing guide follows all the basics that will set you up for actually making a lasting change. It encourages you to figure out the purpose, breaks the task into easy steps day-by-day, and gives you things to do through your journey.

The Hipster Habit App also includes habit streak calendars, and even a little bit of gamification to encourage you to achieve new titles. All you need is a pen to fill the blanks. It’s super cool and will be a talking point wherever you go.

6. All About Habits: Crash Course in Habit Science

Mark Manson, the author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, wanted to understand the science behind habits, and different studies conducted about it. After much research, he compiled all the data into an easy-to-understand article, also available as a 21-page ebook. The ebook is worth it for this longread.

Manson’s focus is on willpower since that seems to be what drives whether you can successfully change a habit or not. From the famous marshmallow test to real-life examples of people, the ebook traces different data about how we undertake habit-changing behavior.

If you are serious about forming a new habit, it’s important to understand how your mind and body will react to behavioral changes. The more you know, the easier it is to set plans to tackle pitfalls. Habit change isn’t overnight, as the ebook will tell you. But you can change your life in small steps.

Try Micro-Challenges for Habit Changes

With these downloads and printables, you’ll have an easier time in effecting meaningful change in your life. But we all know it won’t happen overnight. A neat trick is to try mini-challenge apps for life-altering habits. A lot of people are having some success this way.

Read the full article: 6 Free Printables and Ebooks to Track or Change Habits

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Flu Shot

Flu Shot

6 Shocking Video Websites to See News They Won’t Show You on TV

There’s an urgent need for discretion on national television, but shouldn’t it be okay to see the raw, unedited footage of a graphic or gruesome event? The public should have open access to any and all information. This should include uncensored video footage of any news event (if that footage exists).

If you’re tired of seeing blurred-out footage on the evening news, you should know that all the websites on the following list have completely uncensored news footage. These shock websites show you more footage than you’ll ever see on TV. While you won’t find outright gore or nudity on these sites, the videos are still bound to astound you.

1. Xfinity Video

You know Xfinity as a popular cable and internet provider, but did you know it also has its fair share of intriguing videos? Xfinity Video is only worth mentioning as a warmup for what’s to come. The videos here are only “shocking” to ultra-conservative types, but it’s where you go if you want to see things like funny fail videos, the latest on celebrity drama, the aftermath of natural disasters, violent protests, and even explosions.

You’ll notice that Xfinity Video compiles their footage from a variety of different sources. Although every single video isn’t left unedited, you can still find some raw footage buried among the rest.

2. Leaked Reality

If you’re looking for sites like LiveLeak (which we’ll get to later), check out Leaked Reality. On Leaked Reality, you’ll find everything from graphic news videos, violent military footage, street fights, transportation accidents, and much more. Each video comes with a tag that displays its rating, as well as the country the video was shot in.

Leaked Reality’s video rating system works much like the MPAA ratings. A video labeled “GA” is much milder than one with the “MA” label. The more “low-key” videos feature things like protests, while the more intense ones have crazy shootouts and other shocking events.

The site has six main video categories at the main menu bar: Featured, News, Military, Cops, WTF, and Accidents. This can help you filter out the type of raw video you want to watch. Plus, you can use the videos’ view counter and user rating to help you determine if a video’s worth clicking on.

3. Daily Mail

The DailyMail is a British world news site that covers political events, celebrity news, sports, and scientific breakthroughs. You might think that Daily Mail censors itself, but the opposite is true. You’ll soon realize that the Videos section of its site doesn’t disappoint.

As you browse through videos, you’ll come across some that are shocking and graphic. If you’re watching at work, keep in mind that the site labels any videos with graphic content. That way, you’ll always know what’s appropriate to watch.

Otherwise, you can watch the Daily Mail’s shocking videos to your heart’s content. Bar fights, abductions, massive pimple-popping, and car accidents are just some of the insane videos you’ll see.

4. WorldStarHipHop

If you ever see a crazy fight happen in public, you might hear someone yell out “WorldStar!” That’s what WorldStarHipHop is famous for, as the site is a hub for brutal public fights. At the top of the screen, under Trending Now, you’ll find the current most popular videos. Scroll down a little further, and you’ll see some music videos.

As you can see, the site has a satisfying collection of fight videos, as well as videos related to hip hop, hilarious pranks, instant karma, and fails. You’ll find new videos every day—most will make you shock you and make you laugh.

5. LiveLeak

One of the most well-known sites for accessing news leaks is LiveLeak. Here, you’ll find the gruesome aftermath of accidents, out-of-hand road rage incidents, and other shocking news videos you can’t find anywhere else. If you tend to follow the most violent news stories, like bombings, international conflicts and other news events that involve violence and gore, this is definitely one of the sites you’ll want to bookmark.

In the News & Politics, you’ll see the latest in noteworthy events, while the Law Enforcement section shows violent clashes with police from around the world. Head to the Recent Items tab on the top of the screen to see some of the newer LiveLeak gore videos and other shocking content.

The Must-See page is where you’ll find the most shocking videos on the site—it’s where you’ll find some Liveleak shootings videos, uncensored plane crashes, building collapses, dramatic falls, fights, and so much more.

6. Ebaum’s World

If you like a wide variety of shocking video content, then head to Ebaum’s world. The video section includes everything from news events or more random viral and shocking videos. On one page, you can find videos of traffic accidents, public disputes, stupid criminals, and amazing feats.

To look at more specific videos, head to the More tab on the top menu bar. Categories like Facepalm, Creepy, WTF, Ouch, and more can help you find the type of videos you’re in the mood to watch.

You really never know what to expect when you visit the video area at Ebaum’s World, and that’s what makes it so fun. For unpredictably funny, shocking, or scary videos, you’ll never go wrong visiting this crazy video website.

Access These Shocking Video Websites With Caution

Are you prepared to view graphic and shocking videos? Before you head to these sites, make sure you’re ready to see things that might leave you feeling bewildered. You should also keep in in mind that each site on this list varies in terms of “shock factor.”

While Xfinity Video has the least graphic videos, Leaked Reality and LiveLeak videos fall on the complete opposite end of the spectrum. As you can probably tell, the rest of the sites fall somewhere in between.

Now that you’ve found the sites that will satisfy your craving for the shocking, don’t you want to look at something a little more lighthearted? Cleanse your palette, and check out these places to read or hear positive news.

Read the full article: 6 Shocking Video Websites to See News They Won’t Show You on TV

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How to Annotate Screenshots and Images on Android Like a Pro

If you want to annotate mobile screenshots on Android, your phone may already have built-in screenshot marking features. While not all phones have this useful functionality, you can easily add it by using third-party apps.

Let’s talk about how to mark on photos on Android, and the apps that can help you do that. Many of these procedures rely on an app called Screen Master, so download that before diving in.

Download: Screen Master (Free, premium version available)

1. How to Highlight a Portion of an Image on Android

Screen Master makes it easy to annotate photos on Android. Take an Android screenshot of what you want to highlight, then tap Edit. Along the bottom, scroll to the right until you find Spotlight, then tap on it.

Find a shape that you’d like to use for highlighting at the bottom and tap it. Then, drag your finger around what you want to highlight to draw that shape. This is one of the easiest ways to highlight text in a screenshot on Android; draw a box over what requires attention, and the app will make it stand out.

2. How to Draw on a Screenshot on Android

If you’re next wondering how to draw on screenshots in Android, it’s best to stick with Screen Master. We think it’s one of the best Android apps for annotating photos due to its simplicity.

After you’ve taken a photo, tap on Edit, then Draw. Then select the shape you want to use. If you’re going to circle something on a picture, select either the square or the circle shape and drag it around your focus area. You can also use freehand drawings and arrows to make your point.

3. How to Pixelate an Image on Android

Screen Master can also obfuscate elements of an image before sharing it. Take your screenshot, then tap on Edit. Next, select Mosaic.

Here, you’ll find a few settings to customize your pixelation. The dot on the left changes the brush side for the freeform option, while the water droplet changes the blur intensity. Use the box you to change the censoring method: the checkerboard is pixelation, the smeared image is blurring, and the jagged image is triangles.

Finally, the box with four corners lets you draw out a block to pixelate something, and the pointing finger lets you freeform draw. If you make a mistake, you can select the eraser to get rid of the censoring.

4. How to Write on a Screenshot on Android

Need to add text to your images? This too is possible with Screen Master. Just capture the image, tap Edit, then choose Text. However, you’ll quickly find that the text options are a little rudimentary; there’s very little on offer for adding some flare to your photos!

Thus, we recommend another app, Pixlr, for annotating images with text. You can’t take screenshots with it, so feel free to use Screen Master to make the initial screenshot. Then boot up Pixlr, tap on Photos, and select the image that needs text. Tap the T icon with a box around it.

The app will ask you to type your message. Enter your choice and tap Next at the top-right. You can now customize the text by changing the font, color, and shading. You can rotate the text by swiping one finger or change the font size by pinching or expanding with two fingers.

Download: Pixlr (Free, in-app purchases available)

5. How to Make a Collage on Android

Pixlr is also fantastic at stitching multiple images into a single frame. This is something that Screen Master can’t do, even with the premium option.

To do this, open the app and choose Collage. Here, choose up to four images from the image library and click Done. Now choose from the variety of collage designs you want to put those images in, such as side-by-side, top-and-bottom, or picture-in-picture. The tools at the bottom let you tweak the overall appearance of the collage.

6. How to Create Long Screenshots on Android

Long screenshots are available in Screen Master. This used to be premium-only, but is available to free users at the time of writing. To take a long screenshot, take a picture like you usually do. Make sure you take the first photo where you want to have the start of the long screenshot. Then, tap the Stitch button.

The app will launch the stitched screenshot creator. At the top-right, you’ll see the screenshot you just took, minimized. Meanwhile, the main screen will show the page you took a screenshot of.

To create a long screenshot, scroll down the main page until the top of the page looks like the bottom of the top-right screenshot. Then tap the Plus icon to add it to the chain. Continue down the page until you finish, then tap the Check to confirm your selection.

You’ll then see all the images you took, stacked on top of one another. Here, you can tap the scissors icon next to each division to stitch the photos yourself, or tap the Auto Stitch button to have the app do it for you.

Once you finish, you’ll have an extra-long screenshot that looks a lot cleaner than posting multiple screenshots. If you like this screenshot style, it’s worth also trying out the best mobile apps for scrolling screenshots. One of those apps may fit your needs better than Screen Master.

Taking Better Pictures on Android

You don’t need to upload screenshots and images to your computer to edit them; Android apps can do it for you. Now you know how to mark on, blur, and stitch together images on Android, and the two apps that make doing so simple.

Did you know you can also work on videos using a mobile device? Take a look at the best Android video editors for the job.

Read the full article: How to Annotate Screenshots and Images on Android Like a Pro

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8 Mobile Apps Every Star Wars Fan Needs

Decades after the original Star Wars hit theaters, the force is still strong with the enormously successful sci-fi franchise. Since its inception, it’s become a true cultural phenomenon. Don’t let anyone tell you the Disney touch has ruined Star Wars.

One great way fans can enjoy Star Wars is through a huge offering of different apps for iPhone and Android. Everything from games to comic books and much more are available on the App Store and Play Store. Here are the best Star Wars apps to celebrate the franchise any day of the year.

1. Star Wars

When starting your app trip through a galaxy far, far away, make sure to begin with the official Star Wars app. The comprehensive app has almost everything you can think of when it comes to the franchise.

After starting the app, you can select from one of three different interfaces: light side, dark side, or droid. Each option offers its own unique designs, sounds, and animations. It’s also a futuristic augmented reality app, featuring 3D characters, ships, and special quizzes in AR. Google Cardboard users can also battle in Jakku Spy, a serialized feature that ties into Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Selfie fans can snap a photo in fun costumes and settings like Han Solo’s carbon freeze, learning with Yoda, and more. And that’s far from all. You can also wield a lightsaber and improve your skills with a training remote, relive classic quotes and sound effects on the Star Wars soundboard, and much more.

Download: Star Wars for iOS | Android (Free)

2. Disney+

If you can’t get enough of everything Star Wars, Disney+ is the place to go. The streaming video service offers all the movies, TV series, and more from the Star Wars universe. It’s also the exclusive home for the live-action Star Wars show The Mandalorian.

There’s a dedicated section in the app featuring everything Star Wars. Along with being able to view a video on your iOS or Android device, you can also access Disney+ on many other streaming video devices like Amazon’s Fire TV, Roku, and the Apple TV.

You’ll definitely get your money’s worth, as Disney+ offers much more than Star Wars. This includes content from Marvel, Pixar, National Geographic, and you guessed it—Disney. Even better, the service is significantly less costly than competitors like Netflix. Check out the best classic films on Disney+ to get the most from your subscription.

Download: Disney+ for iOS | Android (Free, subscription required)

3. Wallpaper Apps

For some personalization, make sure to download a Star Wars wallpaper app. As you’d imagine, this iOS app is all about offering a huge number of different Star Wars wallpapers for your iPhone or iPad. A new wallpaper is added to the app daily, so any fan should definitely find something they like.

Android users can download the similar “I am your father” app for their Star Wars customization fix.

Download: Wallpapers for Star Wars HD for iOS (Free)
Download: “I am your father” for Android (Free)

4. Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes

In a crowded universe of Star Wars games, Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes stands out. In this full-featured RPG, you can create a team from the light side or dark side and go to war against others. There are more than 140 different characters to collect from different eras of the franchise.

Just make sure to pick wisely, as teams with complementary abilities are best-suited to victory. Some of the fun moves you can deploy against enemies include Luke Skywalker’s Destined Strike, Darth Vader’s Force Crush, and Young Han Solo’s Trick Shot.

And the characters aren’t the only fun. You can grab iconic ships like the Millennium Falcon and Admiral Ackbar’s Home One to battle in space combat. This Star Wars game app lets you fight other players in many different options like Squad Cantina Battles, PvP Squad Arena, Squad Tournaments, and more.

Download: Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes for iOS | Android (Free, in-app purchases available)

5. Star Wars Quiz Apps

How well do you really know Luke Skywalker’s universe? This Star Wars quiz app will tell you. The game covers the first seven episodes of the saga, so it doesn’t have material for the latest releases.

The questions are themed and grouped by each film, and offer a range of challenge. To start, you’ll see questions from A New Hope, and will have to show off your trivia skills to keep progressing. There’s even a bonus level of trivia to find after passing the others.

This app is only available on iOS, but the free Star Quiz is a decent Android equivalent.

Download: Trivia – Star Wars Edition: Galaxy Quiz for iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)
Download: Star Quiz 2019 for Android (Free)

6. Star Wars Studio FX App

Star Wars toys have always been a great way to create your own massive battle scene for kids (or kids at heart).

And with Hasbro’s Star Wars Studio FX app, you can bring that idea a bit closer to reality. To start, create a scene with any Star Wars action figure, vehicles, or playsets. Then launch the app. Select a special effect and then hit record to capture the clip.

For example, with one FX, you’ll see a stormtrooper invade the screen and start blasting. All clips can be saved to your device. While the app is compatible with any toys, you can add other in-game items by scanning codes from specially marked Hasbro Star Wars toys. They also unlock over time by earning rewards through play.

Download: Star Wars Studio FX for iOS | Android (Free)

7. Star Wars: Card Trader

Even the timeless hobby of collectible card trading has gone digital. Developed by Topps, a well-known name in the physical card trading world, Star Wars: Card Trader features thousands of different cards.

Along with all the movies, the app also features cards from TV series Star Wars: Rebels, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and more. You can collect popular characters, droids, vehicles, and locations as the cards feature a number of different unique art styles. New cards land every day.

When you’re ready to trade, it’s easy to reach out to other fans and propose trades with up to 18 cards.

Download: Star Wars: Card Trader for iOS | Android (Free, in-app purchases available)

8. Star Wars Insider

Star Wars Insider is the place to go for the most up-to-date Star Wars news, along with features and more about the timeless franchise. And with the app, you can read the magazine digitally on your device. While the app is free, you’ll need to purchase back issues or a subscription to get use out of it

Android users can subscribe to the magazine using the Zinio app.

Download: Star Wars Insider for iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)
Download: Zinio for Android (Free, in-app purchases available)

The Force Will Be With You

Just like the franchise itself, the world of Star Wars apps has something for everyone and continues to grow as a new generation falls in love with the space drama.

Anyone who watched the original film in 1977 would probably have found it hard to imagine that fans today could listen to a Star Wars-themed podcast while 3D printing their own Star Wars props. It’s a great time to be a Star Wars enthusiast!

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Mac Keyboard Not Working? Here’s How to Fix It

Apple makes great keyboards: they work well, look really nice, and are designed to work perfectly with your Mac. But every once in a while, something goes wrong.

Maybe you plug your keyboard in and nothing happens. Perhaps your computer won’t pick up the Bluetooth signal from the board. Or maybe pressing the keys doesn’t do anything. Here’s what to do when your Apple keyboard is not working.

If Your Magic or Wireless Keyboard Is Not Working

We’ll start with wireless keyboards, as there are a few more issues these can run into compared to their wired counterparts. No matter what’s happening with your keyboard, try these steps first:

1. Make Sure Bluetooth Is Enabled and Working

Don’t overlook the most obvious solutions when trying to fix problems. First, go to System Preferences > Bluetooth and make sure that you’ve got Bluetooth turned on.

The System Preferences panel will tell you if devices are connected, if they’re low on battery, or if there are any other errors.

If the preferences panel or your menu bar show a Bluetooth icon with a jagged line through it (see the image below), that means Bluetooth is offline. Restart your Mac and see if that helps. If not, unplug all USB devices and restart again.

See our guide to fixing Bluetooth on your Mac if this still doesn’t resolve the issue.

2. Make Sure Your Keyboard Is On

If your Wireless or Magic Keyboard is not connecting, you should first check that it’s actually turned on:

• On the latest Magic Keyboards, slide the switch on the back edge of the device so that the green color becomes visible.
• For older Apple Wireless Keyboards, press the Power button on the right edge and you should see the green LED light up on the top.

After your device is on, go back to the Bluetooth preferences panel and see if it’s connected. If your keyboard is searching for your computer but not connecting, right-click on your keyboard in the list of devices and select Connect (if your device isn’t listed, skip ahead to step five below).

3. Check the Battery Level of Your Keyboard

If the batteries on your keyboard are getting low, you may have some performance problems. Go to System Preferences > Bluetooth and you can see a small battery indicator below the listed—and connected—keyboard.

You can also see the battery level of any of your connected devices by clicking on the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar and hovering over the device you’re interested in. If the battery is low, you should replace it.

4. Make Sure Mouse Keys and Slow Keys Are Turned Off

Some macOS accessibility features can interfere with normal keyboard operation. To check this, go to System Preferences > Accessibility and select Mouse & Trackpad from the menu on the left.

Here, make sure that Enable Mouse Keys is unchecked. This option allows you to control the mouse using keyboard keys, resulting in a number of keys possibly not working.

Next, click on Keyboard in the left sidebar and make sure that Enable Slow Keys in unchecked. This requires you to hold keys for longer to register as a press.

5. Re-Pair Your Keyboard With Your Computer

In the Bluetooth preferences panel, make sure that Bluetooth is enabled. Mouse over your keyboard in the list of devices, and click on the X at the right side of the entry.

A warning will appear, telling you that you may need to re-pair your device next time you use it. Click Remove.

Now turn off your keyboard and turn it back on again. The indicator light should start blinking. Open the Keyboard options in System Preferences and click on Set up Bluetooth keyboard. Follow the instructions to pair your keyboard.

If Your Mac USB Keyboard Is Not Working

If your Mac Mini or iMac keyboard is not working, and it’s connected via USB, take the following steps to diagnose and solve the problem.

1. Try a Different USB Port

Unplug your keyboard from the current USB port and try another one. If it works, you can try it in the original port again.

If it only works in one USB port, you may need to fix your computer’s USB ports.

2. Check the System Report

From the Apple menu (found at the top-left of the screen), click About This Mac. Then click the System Report button. Once the system report window has opened, click on USB in the Hardware section of the left sidebar.

From here, you can see what your computer detects from your USB ports.

If your computer has detected the keyboard, you’ll see Apple Keyboard listed under one of the USB ports. If it’s not listed, try restarting your computer and resetting the SMC and PRAM.

3. Turn Bluetooth Off

Go to System Preferences > Bluetooth and make sure that Bluetooth is off. If this solves the problem, it’s possible that your computer is recognizing a Bluetooth keyboard and prioritizing it over your USB keyboard.

If you need to keep Bluetooth on, you can remove the keyboard from the list by clicking on the X on the right side of the entry in your System Preferences > Bluetooth device list to remove it.

4. Make Sure Mouse Keys and Slow Keys Are Turned Off

The same accessibility features we mentioned earlier can affect wired keyboards too. Go to System Preferences > Accessibility and select Mouse & Trackpad from the menu on the left. Make sure that Enable Mouse Keys is unchecked.

Click on Keyboard in the left sidebar and make sure that Enable Slow Keys is unchecked too.

5. Connect Your Keyboard Through an Extension Cord or USB Hub

Apple’s USB keyboards come with a USB extension cord that increases the reach of the included USB cable. Try plugging your keyboard into one end of this cord and the other into your computer. If you don’t have a USB extension cord, you can also use a USB hub.

No one seems to know why this is so effective, but it often works!

Keyboard Still Not Working? Know When to Admit Defeat

As with any troubleshooting attempt, it’s good to know when to admit defeat. If you try the solutions above and none of them work, it might be time to consult staff at your local Apple store (particularly if the device is under warranty).

You can also try searching for your specific problem online to find others who have solved that issue. If your Macbook keyboard isn’t working, for example, refer to our troubleshooting guide for MacBook Butterfly keyboards. You might also want to consider a solid alternative to the Mac keyboard.

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