Description: Flowly (which some of you might have known as Android Hub) is an Android app that’s quite literally, all about Android. It’s essentially a self-contained RSS reader that’s full of the best Android news sites, enabling you to keep up to date about all things Android. We’re included in the list of news sources, as are Android Central, Android Police and the XDA Portal. It’s a tablet-optimized app as well, making it perfect for those times when all you want to do is read about Android in leisure on that nice big Galaxy Note 12.2 you’re waiting custom ROMs to appear on. With a night theme, and more available in the Pro version, Flowly is an essential app to keep on top of news if you’re an Android enthusiast. The question is of course, how good an app is Flowly?
How it Works: After a quick download from the Play Store – of which there’s also a Pro version with added features – you’re able to start using Flowly as you would any other app.
After taking a look at what’s new with the app, you’re sent straight to the list of Android news on tap. With sites on the left and all the newest news on the right-hand side of the display.
The app can be used in portrait as well, and looks particularly nice on KitKat devices in its dark night theme.
There’s a YouTube portal as well, which easily gets you to the channels of all the included Android sites. Which is great for when new devices comes out and you want to drool over some unboxings.
Opinion: Flowly, is a great app for those that are looking to get hold of Android news and content. After all, that is the app’s sole purpose and it fulfills that brilliantly. It looks great on tablets and the whole app is nice and smooth. The Pro version is well worth looking into as well, as it has a number of added features and isn’t all that expensive. Where or not Flowly is an app for you depends on how interested in Android you are, if you’re a die-hard fan then you need to install this app. For keeping abreast of all the most important Android news out there, Flowly is the app to go with. Sure, you could create a an RSS feed with all of your favorite Android sites, but that takes time and not everyone has the patience for that. Apps like Appy Geek are good alternatives, but again they’re not as focused and can feel cluttered.
Ratings
- Speed (4/5) – Flowly is a smooth app that’s fluid to use and didn’t take too long retrieving information from the Internet.
- Features (4/5) – With all of the best Android sites – Android Headlines included! – Flowly does its job delivering great Android news brilliantly.
- Theme (4/5) – Taking great advantage of the extra space on Android tablets, and with some good-looking themes, Flowly is a good-looking news app.
- Overall (4/5) – If you’re in need of Android news, there’s really nowhere else to look, especially if you’re looking for an app for tablets.
Pros
- Lots of quality Android resources in here to get your Android fix.
- YouTube portal makes finding videos nice and easy, particularly for those with lots of different subscriptions on YouTube itself.
- With a number of different themes, Flowly offers the chance to create a more personal reading experience.
- Great for tablet users, it looks great on my G Pad 8.3 for instance.
Cons
- Ability to add custom feeds from within the app would be nice.
- Better widgets, such as a scrollable list needed.
Conclusion: Flowly is one of those apps that any Android enthusiast really ought to have installed. It’s certainly not perfect, but it fulfills what it sets out to do very well and there are no glaring issues with the app. Sure, on the surface it’s just an RSS app full of Android feeds. What if that’s all you really need though? It’s a very efficient way of grouping all of this news together and the developer also manages to avoid bias, too. While it would be nice to be able to add custom feeds in the app, I can understand why it’s not included right now and someone like myself can certainly see the appeal of some quality curation such as this. Flowly is a good app for those that are heavily involved in Android.