There are a zillion ways to personalize your phone today, but nothing spells personality like a wallpaper or screensaver.

Since Android 2.1, apps were given the power to swap static (and boring) default backgrounds for animated "live" wallpapers. And the Google Play Store has met the need. Here are two excellent apps you can use to grab animated wallpapers and screensavers.

Wave: Dynamic Wallpapers for Your Screen

Live wallpapers are animated wallpapers. They keep changing and give your screen a visual freshness. The richer backgrounds are also interactive. The right kind of animation and you have a conversation starter in your pocket. We have looked at live wallpapers for Android before. But the great thing about them is that you can expect more new designs every day.

Wave is one of the top rated live wallpaper apps in the Play Store. The abstract designs are mesmerizing and there's a whole gallery of presets to choose from. Wave also has a large community which continues to feed the app with more choices. Animations are smooth thanks to the OpenGL accelerated graphics.

Notable features include:

  • Set the color, form, speed, size, and position of the wallpapers.
  • Full control over the look with brightness, saturation, blur, rotate options.
  • Save your own presets and share them with the community.
  • Optimized for low battery drain.

Download: Wave for Android ($1.49)

Electric Sheep: Abstract Artwork as a Screensaver

We are all for abstract in this post. Let's pick up an abstract screensaver too. Electric Sheep is all about fractal frames and collaborative abstract art. It can do double duty as a mesmerizing meditation tool.

Key features include:

  • The app is available for Android, iPad, and Apple TV.
  • For Android, you can make it work as a Live Wallpaper, Daydream, or an interactive app.
  • The app has been optimized to conserve battery.

Download: Electric Sheep for Android ($1.99)

Set Your Pick

Wallpapers and screensavers are personal. The above two apps are just two examples to stoke your interest. Android devices vary in their resolutions, so find your resolution and go hunting. You can wade through our own selection of posts on Android wallpaper apps.

The best tip I can offer here is to pick a wallpaper which looks good and is functional too. But "own" the wallpaper because you are going to look at it for the whole day.

Do you prefer live wallpapers or static wallpapers? Which is the best wallpaper app you have come across?