Google makes great apps, but these aren't it if you ask me
Google is a software company and knows how to make great apps. I mean, I use apps like Gmail, Maps, YouTube, and Drive on a regular basis. Then there are its AI-focused apps like NotebookLM, which is by far the most underrated app in Google's arsenal.
However, there are a few apps I think are way underdeveloped and need some serious work. They're simply too basic for me, or lack many of the features you get with the competition. I know Google is all about simplicity at times, but it's taking things too far with some of its apps.
I want to discuss four of them and explain why I think they desperately need an upgrade. Let's dive in.
Which of these apps is your least favorite?
0 votes
Keep
NaN %
Tasks
NaN %
YouTube Music
NaN %
Wallpapers
NaN %
Google Keep
Joe Maring / Android Authority
As far as note-taking apps go, Google Keep is as basic as they get. Even fundamental things like text formatting are very basic, with Keep only offering a few options. While the app itself launched over a decade ago, these basic formatting features were only widely rolled out to the Android app in 2023, with the desktop version catching up two months ago.
You have two heading options on offer, as well as the ability to bold, italicize, and underline text. That's it. You can't change colors, adjust the font size outside of the available headings, or create a bulleted list.
While you can upload images to a note, you can't place them in a specific area, as they automatically show up on top. You can create labels to try and organize your notes, but you can't create notebooks like with most of Google Keep's competitors.
I get that Google is trying to keep this as a simple note-taking app, since a lot of people are into that. Not everyone wants an app that's as feature-packed as Evernote or Notion. However, there's a limit, and I think adding things like improved formatting options and a better system for organizing notes would still retain that simple nature Google is going for and significantly improve the app's overall usability. I was a Keep user for years but ultimately decided to move to a rival app for these very reasons.
Google Tasks
Andy Walker / Android Authority
I tried this for a while and really wanted to love it, especially since it's well-integrated with Gemini, but I just can't stand it. If you think Keep is basic, take a look at Tasks. It's as barebones as it gets.
I've been using Todoist for years, and it still feels like a very simple app to use. However, it's packed with features that improve the overall experience and don't get in my way if I don't want to use them.
I love that I can write out 'Do laundry every Wednesday at 6 PM' and the app will create a recurring task right away. Since it supports natural language input, I don't have to manually select a date or time; I just type it out. That's simple and efficient.
With Google Tasks, you get none of that.
I also love that I can give a priority level to each task, use filters and labels for improved organization, create sub-projects, and see what's on my to-do list just today for improved focus, among many other features.
With Google Tasks, you get none of that. The only features I can highlight are the ability to create lists and add a star to a task so you can find it faster. All very basic stuff, really. With the amount of money, knowledge, and manpower Google has, it should be able to make a proper to-do list app instead of giving us this barebones offering, which I don't think many people use.
YouTube Music
Nathan Drescher / Android Authority
This is by far the most developed app on this list. It's a good one overall, I'll give it that, but it still needs work since it's facing tough competition from Spotify and the likes.
I want to minimize the number of apps I use, so I'd ideally like YouTube Music to be my main app for podcasts, but that's not going to happen anytime soon. The podcast feature on YouTube Music feels like an afterthought instead of being well-integrated into the overall experience. It's very hard to find podcasts to listen to, as its discovery feature is not great compared to rival apps. If you know what you want to listen to, you can search for it, and that's that. But if you want to explore new podcasts in specific genres or see what other people are into, then YouTube Music is not that great.
Then there are the limitations of the free plan. The music stops playing as soon as I turn off the screen, which isn't a big deal when I'm at home, as I tend to watch videos and check out lyrics while listening to my favorite jams. But when I'm in my car, turning off the display is a must as I want to preserve battery life. I can't do that with YouTube Music, but I think I should be able to, especially since Google gets plenty of cash from the two ads I have to listen to every fourth or fifth song.
Spotify's free plan, for instance, allows for background playback when the screen is off, and what's even more interesting is that the number of ads I have to listen to is significantly lower compared to YouTube Music. Sure, Spotify has other limitations YouTube Music doesn't, but I can live with those while listening to music in my car.
Google Wallpapers
Robert Triggs / Android Authority
Pixel 8 Pro
I recently broke my phone and had to switch to an old OnePlus for the time being. I turned it on and found a Google Wallpaper app installed that I forgot existed. A wallpaper app from the maker of the Pixel and all those fancy apps I use at all times sounds exciting, but that excitement went away a few minutes after opening it.
The app is super basic and has a very small selection of wallpapers, especially compared to a rival app like Zedge. The wallpapers are separated into only ten categories, which seems incredibly low considering how many categories similar apps offer.
The selection of wallpapers is limited.
Not only is the selection limited, the wallpapers themselves aren't really that good. Most are very generic in my opinion, although I did manage to find a few good ones. What I find interesting is that Google hasn't even bothered connecting the app with Gemini, which would allow users to create custom wallpapers based on prompts. Google has a competitive advantage here that it's simply not utilizing. The app itself is just so basic that I don't know why Google made it in the first place.
These are the four apps Google needs to work on, but let me know in the comments if there are any others you think are sub-par.
Some of these bring back memories of apps like Google Podcasts, which were so basic for reasons unknown to me that Google decided to kill them
Which of these apps is your least favorite?
0 votes
Keep
NaN %
Tasks
NaN %
YouTube Music
NaN %
Wallpapers
NaN %
. I don't think that's going to happen with apps like Keep and YouTube Music, but I don't think a lot of people would miss an app like Wallpapers. At least, I wouldn't.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
25 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Elauwit Connection Honored with Student Housing Business Innovator Award for Excellence in Connectivity Solutions
Extensive Student Housing Retrofit Awarded by Industry Peers Columbia, South Carolina--(Newsfile Corp. - August 13, 2025) - Elauwit Connection Inc., a national managed services provider for the multifamily and student housing markets, is proud to announce the receipt of a prestigious Innovator Award from Student Housing Business magazine. Presented on April 10, 2025, the award recognizes the Company for its work in Best Off-Campus Bandwidth, Connectivity, and IoT Solutions. This accolade highlights Elauwit's deep expertise in retrofitting student housing properties with high-speed, reliable, and future-ready internet experiences. The recognized project was a collaboration with Campus Advantage to upgrade the WiFi performance at The Spoke, a student housing property in Davis, California. Elauwit Connection designed and implemented a comprehensive fiber and network equipment upgrade, ensuring minimal disruption to residents. As a result, internet speeds surged from 30 Mbps to full Gigabit wired service, dramatically enhancing the overall resident experience. Beth Pinder, Chief Operating Officer of Campus Advantage, stated in its press release about the award: "Immediate improvements were evident after switching to Elauwit. The upgrade transformed the resident experience from sluggish, dial-up-like speeds to a gamer's paradise, providing seamless, high-speed connectivity from sidewalk to sofa - encouraging lease renewals. Property marketing efforts promoting the new internet service provider led to residents swiftly dropping their third-party providers, resulting in better service and cost savings." Taylor Jones, President and CTO of Elauwit, stated, "We were pleased to be able to offer students the WiFi experience they expect and deserve at a modern student living community. Even more, the immediate improvements have encouraged lease renewals and helped property marketing efforts, providing a win-win for both the property owner and the residents." Elauwit's commitment to quality and reliability is underscored by its recent SOC 2 Type 2 Certification, a key milestone that affirms the company's ability to safeguard sensitive customer data with the highest standards of security and compliance. As a managed services provider, Elauwit empowers real estate to turn premium connectivity into a competitive advantage by prioritizing service quality, reliability, and revenue generation. About Elauwit Elauwit Connection is a national managed services provider delivering turnkey internet and connectivity solutions for multifamily and student housing communities. With a focus on service quality, reliability, and revenue generation, Elauwit enables real estate owners' delivery of premium connectivity as a competitive advantage. For more information on Elauwit Connection, visit Contacts: Elauwit Connection Jones, President+1-704-558-3099sales-pr@ Investor Relations: Matt Kreps, Darrow Associates +1-214-597-8200 mkreps@ To view the source version of this press release, please visit
Yahoo
25 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Could Buying Lucid Motors Stock Today Set You Up for Life?
Key Points Lucid is building an electric car company from the ground up. It is making progress in the effort, but upstart businesses don't usually climb higher in straight lines. Lucid's second-quarter report showed that some good things -- and less good things -- are happening. 10 stocks we like better than Lucid Group › Lucid Motors (NASDAQ: LCID) is an exciting business to own a piece of. That, however, may not be a great thing for some investors. In fact, the company's second-quarter results highlighted both the opportunities and the risks of investing in what is, basically, an upstart business. If you are wondering if an investment in Lucid could set you up for life, the answer is maybe -- but only if you can tolerate the risks and uncertainties of owning the shares right now. The opportunity in Lucid Motors The big story with Lucid is that it is building an electric vehicle (EV) business from the ground up. It is attempting to use new technologies to break into the mature and competitive automotive sector, much as Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) has already done. The problem for Lucid is that when Tesla leveraged its EVs to become a profitable business, there was almost no competition in that niche. Today, most major automakers and a whole lot of upstarts are vying for a piece of the EV space. Simply put, Lucid's path to profitability is going to be much harder. That's not to suggest that Lucid can't get there. Its vehicles have industry-leading battery life, which is a key advantage given that battery life is one of the biggest worries that consumers have about buying EVs. But that edge isn't enough to mitigate the inherent difficulty of breaking into a crowded marketplace. Meanwhile, the company still faces all the natural issues and complexities of ramping up vehicle production. Lucid's second-quarter report showed both the good and the bad aspects of the business. If you are a conservative investor, the roller-coaster ride this business is taking its shareholders on probably won't feel comfortable for you. If you are an aggressive investor who's willing to buy shares and hold them for the long term, the stock's currently low price could present you with a potentially huge opportunity. But, of course, in order for that opportunity to pay off huge, management will need to execute well. Pros and cons On the positive side of the ledger, Lucid increased its vehicle deliveries by 38% year over year in the second quarter. It also inked a partnership with Uber that could see the ride-sharing company deploy as many as 20,000 Lucid Gravity SUVs. The company began offering an adapter that will allow customers to use Tesla Superchargers. And, for those who appreciate media hype, Lucid enlisted Timothée Chalamet as its first brand ambassador. To be fair, the Hollywood star could end up being more of a cost center than a financial benefit for the company, but that's kind of how advertising works. Based on all that, you could easily conclude that the second quarter was a solid one for Lucid. And the company is, in fact, making progress toward its goals. But there was also negative news in the quarter. For example, while deliveries were up, the company still only produced 3,800 or so cars. That would be barely a rounding error for most automakers. And, perhaps more notable, the company lowered its full-year production guidance from 20,000 to between 18,000 and 20,000. That may not sound like a huge difference, but on a percentage basis, it suggests that Lucid could miss management's original production goal by as much as 10%. That's notable and not good, even though it isn't surprising for an upstart manufacturer to encounter problems as it ramps up production. And then there's Lucid's ongoing lack of earnings. It lost $0.28 per share in the second quarter. That was an improvement over its $0.34 per share loss in the same stanza of 2024, but it is still bleeding red ink. That's not likely to stop for a long time, as the company is spending heavily to build out its business. In fact, it continues to lose money on every vehicle it makes. It needs to boost its production volume so it can spread its fixed costs over more vehicles, showing the interrelatedness of the problems here. It's making progress, but not smoothly Lucid ended the second quarter with roughly $2.8 billion in cash on its books. Add in other sources of capital, like debt, and management says the company has nearly $4.9 billion in liquidity. Simply put, it has the capital to keep moving forward for now. And it is making clear progress as a business, even if that progress can sometimes be lumpy in nature. That's not unusual for a start-up business. The big issue for investors is the possibility that Lucid might not break into the big leagues. At the end of the day, conservative investors should probably watch Lucid from the sidelines. More aggressive investors with the ability to tolerate the risks may want to step aboard. If Lucid achieves its long-term goals, there could be material upside in its stock. But execution will be key, business volatility will continue, and you'll need a strong stomach to stick around. Should you invest $1,000 in Lucid Group right now? Before you buy stock in Lucid Group, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Lucid Group wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $653,427!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,119,863!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,060% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 182% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of August 13, 2025 Reuben Gregg Brewer has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Tesla and Uber Technologies. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Could Buying Lucid Motors Stock Today Set You Up for Life? was originally published by The Motley Fool Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
25 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Lucid vs. Rivian: Which EV Challenger Is the Better Stock to Buy Now?
As traditional automakers continue to transition to electric vehicles (EVs), pure-play EV challengers such as Lucid Group (LCID) and Rivian Automotive (RIVN) compete for market share in an industry that remains highly volatile. Both companies have compelling technology, ambitious expansion plans, and clearly defined target markets, but they also face similar profitability challenges and policy headwinds. Both have just released their second-quarter results, which show both promise and pressure. Let's find out which is the better buy right now. More News from Barchart Warren Buffett Warns Investing At 'Too-High Purchase Price' Even for 'an Excellent Company' Can Undo a Decade of Smart Investing BitMine Immersion Now Holds 1.15 Million Ethereum Tokens. Should You Buy BMNR Stock Here? Why Archer Aviation's (ACHR) Post-Earnings Tailspin Looks Like a Favorably Mispriced Opportunity Markets move fast. Keep up by reading our FREE midday Barchart Brief newsletter for exclusive charts, analysis, and headlines. The Bull Case for Lucid Stock Lucid reported $259 million in Q2 revenue, a 29% increase year over year, and the sixth consecutive quarter of record deliveries (3,309 units). Production increased to 3,863 vehicles, up 38% from the same period last year. Lucid expects to produce between 18,000 and 20,000 vehicles this year. However, its gross margin was negative 105%, weighed down by a $54 million tariff impact. Lucid reported an adjusted net loss of $0.24 per share. Lucid stock is down 25% year-to-date, compared to the broader market gain of 9.7%. Lucid announced plans for a 1-for-10 reverse stock split, which is expected in early September pending shareholder approval. Management claims it is intended to attract long-term institutional investors. Its flagship Air sedan continues to receive praise for its market-leading range, high efficiency, and ultra-fast charging abilities. These features have given Lucid a technological advantage in the luxury EV segment. Additionally, the Gravity SUV has the potential to significantly expand Lucid's addressable market and increase sales volumes. The most notable move this quarter was Lucid's recently announced partnership with Uber (UBER) in Europe to develop a next-generation premium robotaxi based on the Lucid Gravity platform. The agreement includes a $300 million Uber investment in Lucid (pending regulatory approval) and the deployment of 20,000 Lucid Gravity robotaxis over six years, with the first vehicles expected to launch in late 2026. For investors, this represents a potentially massive entry point into the multitrillion-dollar robotaxi market, as well as a third-party validation of Lucid's engineering capabilities. Furthermore, Lucid's strong liquidity position can be attributed primarily to ongoing investments from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund. This deep-pocketed backing reduces Lucid's near-term bankruptcy risk and allows the company to continue developing new models and scaling production even as profitability remains elusive. Despite sector headwinds, Lucid ended the second quarter with $3.6 billion in cash and investments and $4.86 billion in total liquidity. The company's Uber partnership, reverse split, and supply chain localization all point to a strategy aimed at diversifying revenue streams, improving institutional investor appeal, and protecting margins in a tariff-heavy environment. Overall, on Wall Street, Lucid stock is a 'Hold.' Among the 13 analysts that cover the stock, two rate it a 'Strong Buy,' nine say it is a 'Hold,' one says it is a 'Moderate Sell,' and one rates it a 'Strong Sell.' The stock is trading close to its average target price of $2.76. The high price estimate of $7 implies upside potential of 214% over the next 12 months. The Bull Case for Rivian In the second quarter, Rivian produced 5,979 vehicles and delivered 10,661, generating $1.3 billion in total revenue. Automotive revenue reached $927 million, but production volumes fell compared to the first quarter due to supply chain complexities. The adjusted EBITDA losses totaled $667 million. Rivian stock is down 9.3% year-to-date, compared to the overall market. Rivian's biggest near-term catalyst is the mid-size R2 platform, which will go into production in 2026. CEO RJ Scaringe calls it the 'best product we've ever developed,' with broad market appeal, competitive packaging, and compelling technological integration. Along with R2, Rivian launched its R1 Quad Motor variant last month, which, according to management, has received positive feedback from customers and industry media. Rivian is also betting heavily on autonomy with its Rivian Autonomy Platform, viewing it as a necessary feature for future competitiveness. Beyond vehicle sales, Rivian's Software and Services segment is rapidly expanding, generating $376 million in Q2 revenue with strong margins, aided by a joint venture with Volkswagen Group (VWAGY). Rivian's balance sheet was strengthened by a recent $1 billion equity investment from VW at a 33% premium to the market. Rivian ended the quarter with $7.5 billion in liquidity and anticipates additional funding from its VW joint venture and a Department of Energy loan for its Georgia facility. Management has identified increased tariffs as a near-term profitability headwind and is pursuing tariff mitigation strategies. The company reaffirmed its 2025 delivery guidance of 40,000 to 46,000 vehicles, as well as its capital expenditure guidance of $1.8 billion to $1.9 billion. Q3 is expected to be the busiest delivery quarter of the year. However, adjusted EBITDA losses are now expected to be $2.0 billion to $2.25 billion as a result of regulatory changes, including a reduction in EV credit revenue forecasts from $300 million to $160 million. The R2's market debut, as well as Rivian's growing autonomy capabilities, demonstrate that the company is pursuing rapid growth. However, how the company handles policy changes, supply chain risks, and profitability pressures are indicators investors should keep an eye out for in the coming quarters. Overall, on Wall Street, Rivian stock is a 'Hold.' Among the 26 analysts that cover the stock, six rate it a 'Strong Buy,' one says it is a 'Moderate Buy,' 16 rate it a 'Hold,' one says it is a 'Moderate Sell,' and two advise a 'Strong Sell.' The average target price of $14 implies the stock can surge 18.7% from current levels. The high price estimate of $21 implies upside potential of 78.1% over the next 12 months. The Bottom Line: Which Is the Better Stock to Buy? Rivian may have an advantage for investors looking for near-term product expansion and stronger balance sheet diversification, especially since the R2 platform is poised to target a broader, higher-volume segment than Lucid's luxury niche. However, for those betting on premium brand dominance and efficiency leadership in the luxury EV space, Lucid remains a unique high-risk, high-reward opportunity. Nevertheless, both stocks are likely to remain volatile until profitability visibility improves, so investors with a long-term horizon should consider buying positions based on their risk appetite. On the date of publication, Sushree Mohanty did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
