A new look Five free icon packs for your Android Launcher 2014

If  you look beyond just simple wallpapers, Android has a ton of choices for users to customize their device to their wants and needs. One of the easiest ways to do this is by choosing a unique icon pack. Here we show you the top free icon packs that you can grab for your Android device.

 © AndroidPIT

Before we dive into it, a few house keeping items: most icon packs require a launcher such as Apex, Nova, or ADW installed to work. Make sure that whatever launcher you are using is compatible with the icon pack you’re downloading.  The installation itself is pretty simple after that: simply select the package once you’ve downloaded it from the Google Play Store through your launcher. There are more complex icon packs that require a little more intensive installation methods, but we’re only covering the simple ones here.

Min

The name says it all: Min is a minimalistic icon package that only takes its full effect if you remove the labels from the icons and choose them to displayed as monochrome. Purists might find that Min is their desired icon package as it brings a harmonized balance to the home screen without all the flash of colorful or oversized icons.

Min is a very, well, minimal icon pack. / © AndroidPIT

For many apps, there are specially design icons while other are automatically enclosed in a small circle with a white border. For those, the inner part of the circle contains a part of the original icon and gives the appearance as if you’re looking through a keyhole. Min works particularly well with a simple or plan wallpaper and is available for free on the Google Play Store.

• Compatible Launchers: Apex, Action, Nova, ADW, Smart
• Number of available icons: > 570  
• Size: 4.1 MB

Glaskart

Again, the minimalistic option reigns supreme here. The Glaskart icon theme is characterized by monochrome icons I different shades of grey. Each icon is backed by a semi transparent square with rounded corners; thus the icons are much more visible against the background.

Semi-transparent with a spalsh of conservative grey. / © AndroidPIT

Again, the effect of the semi-transparent grey app icon is highly dependent on the choice of the background image. A simple background makes a good option to get the full effect. Glaskart is compatible with the Nova, Go, and Apex launchers and is free on the Google Play Store.

• Compatible Launchers: Nova, Apex, Go
• Number of available icons:  > 750
• Size:  9.1 MB

Lipse Icons

Round and colorful is what distinguishes the Lipse icon pack from the rest. However, the colorful appearance is quite stylish: the icons don’t look overdone and there are no inflated 3D effects or highlights. Lightweight light-dark curves in the icons as well as a subtle shadow below the icon really make them pop out from the background.

Lipse highlights icons with a simple circle and stylish colors. / © AndroidPIT

Lipse is free in the Google Play Store, but doesn’t work with the Go Launcher. There is also a monochrome version of the app that is also available for download via Google Play.

• Compatible Launchers:  Nova, Apex, Holo
• Number of available icons:  > 500
• Size:  9.1 MB

Crumbled

This icon pack makes your App Drawer look like someone struck it with a heavy hammer once and then just walked away. The name definitely says it all as the icon pack make everything look as if it is about to fall apart.

As if you took a hammer and gave your App Drawer a good whack. / © AndroidPIT

The advantage of Crumbled is that it’s universal across all your apps and it automatically sets the theme across all your app icons to the Crumbled theme. This guarantees that each icon gets the Crumbled style and is also a very slim download at only 382 kilobytes. Crumbled is free in the Google Play Store.

• Compatible Launchers:  Nova, Apex, Holo, ADW
• Number of available icons:  None (Icon Mask)
• Size:  382 kB

Rust Icons

Rust Icons is more concerned with the rough and unpolished look. This icon pack lets you transform your home screen into a rough concrete wall. The app icons are classically implemented as circles making the overall appearance more uniform.

The charm of concrete: Rust icons.  © AndroidPIT

When laid against a black background the rough texture is very clear and easy to distinguish. The same can be said when used against the matching wallpaper that comes with the Rust package. Rust Icons, as with everything else listed here, is available for free from the Google Play Store.

• Compatible Launchers:  Nova, Apex, Holo, ADW
• Number of available icons:  > 475
• Size:  22 MB

There we go! Five free icon packs for you to choose from. What are some of your favorite icon packs? 

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How to Finance a Car and Get a Car Loan

You found your dream car. Now, you need to pay for it. Most car shoppers need a car loan to buy their next new or used car. Check out the car financing basics covered below to make sure you get the best car loan for your new vehicle.

The Basics of Car Loans

A car loan is a way for you to purchase a new or used vehicle. You borrow money from a lender and pay them back over time, usually with interest. The amount you borrow is called the loan principle. Car loans almost always include interest, which is how lenders make a profit on the money they lend you. The interest rate is a certain percentage of the loan that you must pay back in addition to the loan principle. So, if you borrow $20,000 for a car at a 5 percent interest rate, youre going to end up paying the bank $21,000 over the life of the loan -- thats the principle, plus the interest. You’ll also pay taxes and fees, so make sure you take into account all the expenses associated with owning a car when you sit down to determine your budget. This also includes insurance, fuel, maintenance and repair costs.

The Car Loan Term

The length of the car loan, or loan term, simply refers to the amount of time you have to pay the lender back. If you sign up for a five-year term, in five years youll pay the money back and will own the car free and clear. What the loan term doesnt mean is that five years from now youll have to come up with all of the money. The vast majority of auto loans are repaid in monthly installments. You send the lender a set amount each month and slowly pay off the loan.
Many people think that when you finance a car, the finance company lends you the money and the car is yours. Thats a simple way of looking at it. In reality, however, the lender is buying the car and letting you use it. The lender technically owns the car, though you agree to be responsible for it. In fact, you wont have the title to the car and fully own it until you make your last loan payment. If you don’t make your loan payments, the lender can repossess the car.

Your Credit Score

All interest rates are not created equal. Some people get charged more interest, and some get charged less. Obviously, you want to get charged less. The interest rate lenders charge is based largely on your credit score, which is a number that credit bureaus assign to you based on how much debt you have, how good youve been about paying bills on time, how long you’ve been using credit and your debt to income ratio, which is the amount of debt you have versus how much money you earn. Lenders use the score to assess how likely you are to pay them back. If your score is low, theyll think youre not likely to repay the auto loan and charge you more money to cover that risk.
Young people often have lower credit scores, even if theyve been good about staying out of debt and paying their bills. Thats because young people dont have long credit histories, which makes it difficult for lenders to tell how much of a risk they are. As a result, people without long credit histories can be charged higher interest rates too.
You should know what your credit score is before you apply for a car loan and do your best to make sure its high. For a small fee, you can get it through FICO, which is the most commonly used credit score among lenders, as well as through Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. If your score is not as high as youd like, paying off old bills (like credit card debt) and paying all bills on time for six to nine months should bring your score up and help you get a better interest rate.
You’ll also want to take a look at your credit report to make sure everything is accurate. If someone stole your identity and opened a credit card in your name and you aren’t aware of it, this could affect your ability to get a car loan. Plus, you’ll want to report the fraudulent activity right away to the credit bureaus so any errors can be fixed before you apply for auto financing.

Apply, Apply, Apply

You wouldnt just apply to one job or one college, so you shouldnt apply to just one lender for a car loan. Contact your bank, local credit unions and other lenders to find out what theyre offering. Youll have to fill out loan applications, which will ask for your social security number, employment and income information, monthly expenses, like mortgage and rent, and any outstanding debts, like credit cards and student loans. When you fill out auto loan applications through multiple lenders, be sure to do it all at once, or within a close time frame. Credit bureaus will see your multiple applications and realize you’re shopping for auto financing. If you spread your applications out, keep in mind that multiple applications for financing can lower your credit score. Do all your applications around the same time, so as not to lower your score.
Do not be tempted to exaggerate your income or misstate your expenses and amount of debt. Everything you fill out on a loan application will be verified and if you lie, you’ll get caught. The lender will use your social security number to pull your credit history and credit score and decide whether or not to make you a loan offer based on that information, as well as your income, expenses and debts.
Take some time to go over all the offers, and dont just look at the interest rates. Avoid offers that charge you a lot of fees. Another thing to look at is the car loan term. A longer auto loan might result in a lower monthly payment, but over the long haul, you’ll pay more in interest. Also, watch out for loans that have a prepayment penalty, which is a fee charged if you pay the loan off early. Paying the loan off early may not be something youll be able to do, but if your long-lost Aunt Mabel dies and leaves you a fortune, paying it off could save you a lot of money, and you dont want to pay extra fees to do it.

Dont Feel Dejected about Getting Rejected

Dont feel too badly if your car loan application is rejected. Its probably a good thing. A rejected loan application means the lender didnt think youd be able to pay the money back. As hard as that is to hear, that lender likely just saved you from getting into more debt than you can handle. Reassess your budget to determine what you can truly afford, not just monthly, but over the life of the loan. Try finding a less expensive car to buy, consider a used car or save up more money so you have a larger down payment, which will reduce the amount you’ll need to borrow.

Show Up with Financing

Many car buyers might think that the car dealership is offering you the best financing rates. Thats not always the case. While you should certainly consider the loan the dealership offers, the best way to get the lowest interest rate is to bring a pre-approved loan from your bank, credit union or third-party lender when you go to the dealership. If the dealership can beat the interest rate you’ve already been pre-approved for, or has a similar rate but with fewer fees, you can decide to take that offer. If not, you already have financing. Pay attention to the loan length, as a lower interest rate offer from the dealer and a longer term may not translate into a better deal.
Bringing your own financing to the table also means youll have the upper hand when it comes time to sit down with the finance manager. Some dealers will give you a great price on a car, but will charge you a higher interest rate on the car loan, which will cost you more money in the long run. This is an area where dealers can make a profit on the vehicle. With financing in hand, you can focus on the price of the car and your trade-in, if you have one.
Now that you understand the basics of financing a car, you’ll be able to get the best car loan for your budget and your new vehicle.

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Whatll it take to get you into a Dragon Age today

With Battleheart out the door and having great success, Ive been decompressing and playing some games lately.

Despite EA/Biowares best efforts to enrage me, I recently played and enjoyed Dragon Age 2, and highly recommend it if youre an RPG fan. Ill start by talking about some of the things I think they did a great job with before getting to the enraging bit...

Compared to the first game, DA2 is a simplified, streamlined take on the genre.  Depending on who you ask, it might be "dumbed down", but I think they did a pretty solid job of refining what was there, ramping up the action, and only cutting or simplifying the tedious or less interesting parts.  From the story to the class mechanics, everything has a sharper focus.  In particular, the three player classes are much better balanced and provide a lot of valid and interesting options for character builds.  Compared to the first game, in which a good 80% of the abilities you had access to were either lackluster or just plain worthless, this is a massive improvement.  Some players may bemoan the fact that it now feels more like Mass Effect than Baldurs Gate, and thats a fairly accurate assessment.  Specific dialog options are now replaced with the "dialog wheel" from ME, and the feel of combat is much more action-y and less tactical.  On its default difficulty, you dont really need to wrangle your party very much, and can take a rambo-like approach to most encounters, only employing strategy and micro-management on the most difficult fights.  Personally, Im more interested in experiencing the story and building my character into a powerhouse, so "normal" was plenty fun for me.  If you want something more brutal, the hard and nightmare difficulties are up to the challenge, and should satisfy even the most masochistic players who want to pause combat every half second to issue orders.

Ive got a few quibbles about the gameplay here and there, but overall its a fun experience.  The only thing that really annoyed me was (yet again) the shitstorm of DLC and promotional gimmicks EA and Bioware have chosen to employ in the hopes of further monetizing their product.  I pre-ordered the game through Steam, and found that I had 3 separate codes to enter on their website before I could have access to all of the content Id paid for.  First, I unlocked some in-game content by registering my game.  Then I had some code Id recieved for pre-ordering, which unlocked some items or a location or something.  There was a third "entitlement" code which unlocked something else and was consumed in the process.  Apparently if I had pre-ordered several months in advance, I would have also gotten access to a special character, but since I didnt, he (and his associated quests) would cost me $ 7 on top of the $ 60 Id already paid to unlock it.  They also had some extra garbage you could get if you pre-ordered from a specific retailer, or if you "liked" the game on Facebook.  No, Im not kidding.  At this point even a complete fool can clearly see the carrot, the string, the stick, and the slimy executive holding it.  In the end, all of these things arent even valuable, theyre just little bonus items that are pretty good equipment for the first couple hours of the game.  But the goal is clear - to make the customer feel like theyre missing out on something, that you only ever own 98% of the game unless you do this or that.

Why is all of this flailing about necessary?  Is it really so hard to turn a profit on a multi-million dollar production like this, that you have to go to these lengths?  If so, then maybe their business model is simply unsustainable.  I know Im not the only one who finds it obnoxious that I cant just buy the game and know I have the whole package - these gimmicks do little more than generate a nagging sense that Im constantly missing out on some deal, or being suckered, neither of which makes me feel all warm and fuzzy about my purchase.  The fact is, the game is pretty darn good and can stand on its own merits, theres no need for all of this rubbish.  It may be paying off in cash at the moment, but its already had (and will continue to have) an intangible price in their reputation and fan base down the road.

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