Best Android Apps of the Week: AccuWeather, Terrain Launcher, AllCast, and More

Because it’s Monday, we’re here to bring you another round of our weekly Best Android Apps column. Our loyal readers may know that the Best Android Apps of the Week column features the noteworthy apps that were released in Google Play Store in seven days time.

Besides new apps, you will also find older apps that received significant updates like new features or refreshed interface. Some of the apps featured in the Best Android Apps of the Week column are free, some are payed apps, and some might have in-app purchases.

Without further ado, let’s have a look at the apps that made it into this week’s edition of our column.

AccuWeather 3.3 – Free

AccuWeather has been updated to version 3.3. The new update brings a couple of useful features called MinuteCast and Local Forecast Summary.

MinuteCast is capable of providing minute-by-minute forecasts for your location for a two hour window. The new feature is only available in the US and Canad and it allows you to use your exact street address.

Local Forecast Summary comes to show you a weather summary for your location over the next 3 – 5 days.

AccuWeather is free and you can check it in Google Play Store at this link.

Unread Count – Free

If you happen to have Chris Lacy’s Action Launcher set as your default launcher, I am pretty sure that you will enjoy the developer’s new app called Unread Count.

Action Launcher already had a couple of useful features like Shutters and the Quickdrawer, but now you will also be able to enjoy unread counts. The new Unread Count app does exactly what its name suggests: counts unread notifications of a particular app, showing you how many calls have you missed or how many unread emails are in your inbox.

Both Unread Count and Action Launcher are free. You will need Action Launcher in order to be able to take advantage of Unread Count. You can check them both in Google Play Store here and here.

Xtended NavBar – Free

Google’s stock on-screen navigation bar is pretty simple and hasn’t changed much since Honeycomb. If you wanted to customize your nav bar, you’d probably enjoy Xtended NavBar.

Xtended NavBar only works with rooted Android devices (both smartphones and tablets) and allows you to gain access to more functions directly on your navigation bar. You can access the extra functions by swiping left or right, but if you wanted to change their arrangement, you would have to upgrade to pro. Xtended NavBar Pro has a price of $1.99 and you can get it via an in-app purchase.

The app’s developer says Xtended NavBar works with “AOSP roms that are not heavily modified.” You can get the app from Google Play Store at this link.

Waze 3.8 – Free

Waze, which is now owned by Google, has updated their Android app to version 3.8. The new update arrives with the ability to find friends on Waze with the help of our contact list then send them requests and share location information with them.

The sending location menu also received a new design and the locations sent between friends are now saved for future navigation. Waze 3.8 also arrives with the ability to easily share drive from ETA screen and to see who’s viewing your shared drive.

Waze is free and you can download it from Google Play Store at this link.

Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock – $1.99

For me, waking up is the worst part of the day. No matter how many times I snooze the alarm, I always end up waking up tired. Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock help you wake up with ease, by monitoring your sleep pattern and wake you up in the lightest phase of of your sleep.

Besides that, Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock also shows you sleep statistics and offers 15 “carefully selected” alarm melodies. Of course, you will also be able to use your own music as wake up sound.

The app arrives with way more features than the ones mentioned above. Here’s the Google Play Store link to it. Oh, and don’t forget you’ll have to pay $1.99 for it.

Terrain Home – Free

Terrain Home is a launcher founded by Samsung Accelerate that aims to help you stay organized. The launcher has three main features: a sidebar, universal search, and a new app drawer.

Terrain has a card-based interface that aims to give you quick access to frequent contacts, news, settings, weather and more. The good news is that you can configure it with ease and make more suited to your needs. You can also add your own contend like Facebook feed, calendar, or Twitter, while the app drawer offers build-in search and fast-scroll.

Terrain Home is still in beta, so you might encounter occasional crashes. You can download it for free from Google Play Store at this link.

AllCast 1.1.1.6 – Free / $4.99

AllCast has reached version 1.1.1.6 which brings a new interface for tablets. Besides other changes, the new AllCast update also arrives with full screen swiping UI for photos and Photo slideshow mode.

The new version also introduces Auto-pause on incoming call and, as usual, fixes annoying bugs.

AllCast is free for download in Google Play Store, but you will only be able to stream videos for 1 minute. If you want the full experience, AllCast Premium has a price of $4.99.