On occasion I’ve even thought about learning a new language in the new year, so maybe this is the year (fingers crossed). Well, it turns out I usually don’t follow up my New Year resolutions, but I always manage to have a good time on New Years Eve, hanging with friends and watching the ball drop in New York on TV. That got me thinking. There have to be some cool Android apps and tricks that everyone could use on New Years Eve to have an awesome celebration. Maybe there’s an app for a countdown, or some cool games you can play with a group of people while waiting around for the big moment. Maybe there’s even an app that finds you someone to kiss once the clock strikes midnight. Let’s take a look at the some pretty cool tips on Android for an awesome New Year celebration, but don’t forget to put a case on your phone, because the booze starts getting to your pretty quick, and you might drop it.
1. Invite People to Your Party
I have tons of friends. Okay, that’s an exaggeration, but I can usually rummage up a few buddies from high school to sit around during my lame New Years parties. With any New Years party you need to invite people to come over. I once tried to invite everyone via text, but that didn’t work out too well because they just forgot about it or didn’t RSVP.
You need to actually send out an invitation so that people put your party on a calendar. Think about using an app like Evite to create a nice little invitation and make a list of all the people who are actually coming. This helps in the organization and you don’t have to worry about people saying they forgot about your text.
2. Plan Your Party and Remind Yourself
Yes, you need to plan your New Years party, because otherwise you end up with a boring time where everyone wants to bounce at the first chance they get. The Party Planner app below is a nice way to put together a list of things you need to grab to make your celebration memorable.
I like it better than the standard to-do list apps because it gives you tips on things you typically need for a party and tells you how far away you are from your goal.
You’ll also want to set up your calendar to remind yourself about certain specials for buying items and even when the celebration is about to arrive. You might not even be hosting the event, so you should go to the calendar on your Android phone and create a notification that alerts you when the celebration is a few days away.
3. Play Some Party Games
There are plenty of games to play during your New Years celebrations, so check out some of our recommended board games and card games to incorporate multiple people. However, the best game I have encountered for large celebrations is Heads Up. If you’ve seen Inglorious Basterds you know how to play this game, but this is a digital version. It basically gives you an item, person or place on a card, you hold the phone to your head and you have to ask questions to figure out what it says on the card.
This game gets everyone involved and keeps the party going.
4. Use New Year Noise Makers
I hate it, but my girlfriend loves using the classic New Years noise makers to tick me off when the clock hits midnight.
Download an app on your phone that gives you noise makers, and instruct people around you to do the same. This way, you don’t have to pay for the stupid things that make a mess. I like the New Years Fireworks app below, but there are other options for the annoying poppers out there.
5. Watch a Live Feed of the Ball Dropping in New York
I’ve always enjoyed watching the ball drop in New York, but when we go up to my parents’ lake house in Wisconsin we don’t have a TV. This means that I have to whip out my phone to show everyone the ball dropping at midnight.
If you are in a bar that doesn’t show the ball or you don’t have access to a TV, download the Official Times Square Ball Drop app to tweet with people in New York and see the ball drop.
6. Track New Years Around the World
If you have relatives in another country or you just like to see when other people experience New Years, checkout this cool app that allows you to check all the times throughout the world.
One year we even played a game that involved us drinking a native drink from the countries when they hit midnight.
7. Prepare Your Food and Drinks
Getting food on the table is one of the main things that keeps me at a party. If you plan on going to a friend’s place or a bar you don’t have to worry about this, but if you are hosting the New Years celebration you need to cook up some treats.
Try the AllRecipes app to checkout some of the best recipes for your party, and even view videos that guide you through the whole process. You can even make cool drinks with the Mixologist app.
8. Keep Your Party Organized
Timing is everything with successful New Years celebrations. If you are hosting the party and want to keep people around all night you need to have everything queued up perfectly. This is not an app, but a tip for setting your calendar to alert you whenever something needs to change during the party. Set your phone to vibrate so you can feel it in your pocket. Set reminders for when the food needs to come out, when you should start games and when you should grab the campaign for popping.
9. Think About How to Wow People With Your Attire
Grabbing the best shirt or dress for your night out during New Years could be the difference between you feeling great or horrible the next day. Use an app like Polyvore to scan through outfits and even click-through to purchase something. It’s similar to Pinterest, but with purchase links.
If you’re a male, you can also find a nice way to locate the best style options with the Cool Guy Style App for Men.
10. Deck Your Phone Out With New Years Wallpaper
I don’t always like changing my wallpaper, but the New Years is a time for a clean slate. Grab an app like the one below to change your wallpaper to something festive.
11. Find a New Years Date
Who says you have to watch all your friends get a New Years kiss? If you want to meet someone new to start the year then try an app like Tinder to bring a date to your party.
12. Reach Out to Friends and Family Who Aren’t There
Are you in the US and your family is in London? Are you wishing you could talk to them in person and wish them a happy New Year? There’s no need to shoot them a text with Skype. Just have the app ready for when the clock hits midnight.
13. Take Pictures of the Whole Experience
With all those booze you might not remember everything that happens during your New Years celebration. Remember to queue up your phone so that you have a button that works for the quick camera function. You can even download some of the editing apps to add filters and cool effects later.
14. Keep Your Android Charged Throughout the Whole Night
What’s worse than your phone dying half way through the night? Your phone dying on a big day like New Years. Make sure you charge your phone throughout the day before your celebration and download one of the best battery saver apps to ensure you have enough juice to last until the early morning.
15. Use Motions and Gestures So You Don’t Get Food on Your Phone
During the New Years celebration you might have a hand filled with food, but you still want to call someone or do something else on your phone. Do both by using the motions and gestures features. Click on Settings, go to the Motion tab and select Motions and Gestures. Feel free to enable anything you want here.
16. Stock Your Android Phone with Music
A New Years celebration is nothing without music. If you plan on hosting the party then make sure your phone is filled with the coolest tunes. Checkout our list of great music apps.
17. Use a Speaker so People Can Hear
I don’t know about you, but when I walk into a different room I can never hear music coming from my phone in another room. If you plan on hosting a celebration with lots of people you should checkout some nice Android speakers to blast that music and wake up your neighbors.
18. Control all Your Media with Your Android Device
Let’s say you host a party and you have the TV on to watch the ball drop, the music playing to entertain people and you also want to control the air conditioning or heat to ensure people are comfortable. Turn your Android phone into a universal remote by checking out these awesome apps.
19. Utilize All Your Old Android Devices
Do you remember those old Android devices you have sitting in your drawer? Why don’t you use them anymore? The cool think about these old phones and tablets is that you can re-purpose them to become the ultimate party devices. Checkout the best ways you can use old Android phones here.
Think of all the options: Have some people use an old Android to play games, use another to look up recipes and cook food, and use another as a music player.
20. Think About One-Handed Operation For Holding a Drink and Phone
One-handed operation is typically only available on the Galaxy S5, but this is another great tip for using the phone with one hand while you hold a drink in the other. The one-handed mode shrinks the display so you only have to use one hand. Go to the Settings app, click on One-Handed operation and switch the option from Off to On.
21. Send an Automatic Happy New Years Text to All Contacts
I like sending out a little message to some of my contacts when the New Year strikes. You can do this when you are sober by using the SMS Scheduler app. It lets you schedule texts so that you don’t forget to include anyone on your list.
22 Know the Shows for the Following Morning
I personally love watching all the college football games they show on TV for New Years day, and there are plenty of other movie and TV options to watch while you nurse that hangover. I know it’s simple, but put the TV Guide app on your phone so that you aren’t trying to figure out what shows are on the next morning.
23. Book a Breakfast for the Following Morning
If you have people sleep over at your house, I’m sure they will want to grab a bite to eat the next morning. Be prepared by saving the OpenTable app on your phone and booking a reservation a few days before the celebration. This ensures that you can go to your favorite restaurant for brunch or any meal the next day.
24. Moderate Drunks Trying to Drive Home
This is more of a serious note for those who know a few people who have a tendency to drive home drunk after parties. There is a cool new tool and app called the Breathometer that can plug into your Android phone and check how drunk people are. Use this to test if people can dip out early and drive home. The app can be found below.
25. Manage Your Money for the Party and the Coming Year
Whether you go out to a bar or host your own New Years party, chances are you will regret how much money you spent. In order to not kick yourself after the celebration, download the Money Manager app below to set a goal and stick to it.
26. Put Your Device Down and Talk With Your Friends
Yes, I know you love that Android phone, but make sure you put it down to enjoy the people around you for a little while.
27. Think About Finding a New Look for the Upcoming Year
We talked about finding a new look with your clothing, but what about your phone? Consider looking into some cool ROMs or launchers that can not only improve your phone performance but make it look new and sleek. Hint: The Nova Launcher is amazing.
28. Start Planing Your New Years Resolution
Do you want to start losing weight for the New Year? Download a fitness app:
Do you want to manage your money better? We already talked about that, so move your mouse upwards. Do you want to start travelling more? Checkout the World Travel Guide app below. There is literally something for every New Years resolution, so browse through the app store to improve yourself this year.
29. Go Home Safely
The most important thing about your New Years celebration is to get home safely, so download the Uber app before you go out and call up a ride to bring you home in one piece.
30. Wake Up at a Reasonable Time the Next Morning
After your celebration, it’s the New Year! There are so many things to do, shows to watch and people to hang out with at brunch. Kickstart your New Year by setting an alarm and waking up ready to go. Use one of our many recommended alarm clock apps to wake you up and get your New Year started.
Conclusion
That’s it for the best tips to have an awesome New Year celebration. So, don’t forget to call over some friends and family, sip some of those spirits and pretend like you are going to follow those New Years resolutions. Let me know in the comments section if you have any other cool tips on Android for an awesome New Year celebration or if you have any questions about what I talked about above. And from everyone here at Joy of Android, Happy New Year! Photo Credit: celticsaga
