Friday, October 15, 2010

Android apps to get

This list is a little outdated, but might be useful for folk who've just got themselves a new android...



ASTRO - file manager. there's a full feature free version (with ads)
This is kind of like 'finder' on your droid - you can back up apps you're not using and reinstall back up apps from your SD card. it also gives you easy access to your downloads etc.

Aldiko - Book reader. There's some great free books in it's database already, and you can always convert PDF's to ebooks using 'Calibre' on your mac. also there's a user book list called drinkmalk - http://www.drinkmalk.com/stanza/ with some other books in.

Astrid Tasks - to do list that syncs with remember the milk - http://www.rememberthemilk.com .
Gtasks (google tasks) is also good, if you use Google calender / docs etc.
'Note Me' is a simpler one still. Daft there isn't a list / notes app already in android.

Evernote / Springpad - two note taking apps that provide more crazy online syncing stuff. more full featured than aldiko - I'm still trying to find uses for all of them tho.

Barcode Scanner - you'll need one of these to scan the QR codes you'll find about the internet that link to the market to let you download apps.
also handy for...

Google Goggles - living in the future. nuff said.

Handcent SMS - I've tried a few SMS apps over the default one, ChompSMS being a popular one, but Handcent is all round the best in my opinion, once you've got it all configured and defaulted to your liking.

Beeb Player - i player fun on your phone.

Google Sky Map - again it's star trek

Google Translate - does what it says

Listen - a pretty cool 'podcast' downloader / manager and player. it's bit kooky and buggy, but it's from google labs, so still in development.

London City - free tubemap and planner. not the best, but does the job when I'm in town.

NewsRob - got the free version, but might upgrade soon - I find it better than the default RSS reader, but only because I've been using Googlereader for a while and this is the only news reader that syncs well with it. If you use a different RSS feed manager, then there may be better ones out there.

The Guardian Anywhere - the guardian are apparently still working on their android app, so this unofficial one fits the bill for now. I don't actually use this anymore as compared to the iphone/ipod app I found it frustrating, so I now just have a bookmark to the guardian mobile site instead.

Guardian Lite - more user freidnly than the guardian anywhere, but not as full featured

GDocs - handy if you use Google docs.

Ringdroid - if you like making your own ringtones. but I think HTC sense has one already.

Seesmic or Twitter - if you tweet professionaly seesmic is good. if you're casual, the offical twitter app is ace and much better than Peep.

TED - for watching some great TED talks.

Wapedia - a good, well designed Wikipedia app

Solaris - keep up to date with Sun activity and sunspots / storms etc. ready for the apocalypse

Swype - I've nearly forgotten what a pain it is to type on a phone screen. try it.

Uloops Music composer - had a fiddle with it, and will write my next dubstep hit on it.

TV-Guide - free and does what it says.

Dropbox - links with a free dropbox account and app on your mac to transfer / store files online.

DoubleTwist - media player that syncs with the doubletwist mac app - kind of like an itunes for android, but still not as good. paid though.

Ebay / Pky Auctions eBay - two ebay apps. one official, one has a hardcore fanbase.

Earthquake - seismic activity delivered to your pocket!

Spotify - unfortunately needs the 9.99 a month subscription. giving it a go and think it rocks.

Foursquare - not sure why I want to broadcast to the world where I am, but hey - everyone else is doing it.

Facebook - uh huh.

Vignette - retro analogue photo thing. paid for though.

Movies - watch trailers and find out cinema times

mVideoPlayer - plays most codecs for your video pleasure

PdaNet - lets you tether your computer to your phone so you can surf the net on your laptop where there is no wifi

Shazam - you hear a tune, shazam tells you what it is.

the Schwartz Unleased - no phone is complete without a lightsabre app
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APPS I've tried and are worth a spin, but dues to slimming down on memory, I'm waiting for froyo to re-install them...

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Weather channel - it's raining.

Alooqa - tips, food, things to do when in a new town.

Qype - kind of as above, and a bit more slick.

XE - currency convertor

Digg - as in digg.com

Dolphin / Opera / Skyfire - all alternative browsers with various enhancements, and tools that make them more super. however, I kind of like the stock browser and have gone back to basics recently.

Doodledroid - drawing app. not as good as any iphone offerings, but okay like.

Earth. google earth. amazing, but way to PHAT for now. (20+megs)

fring - until recently allowed for Skype calling. they're in trouble and doesn't work anymore :( keep an eye out though

Gmote - control your itunes on your laptop from your phone

IMDB - what trailers and get film info as in the IMDB website

Layar - a cool experiment and a taste of a minority report-esque future.

Meebo IM - if you instant message it's great.

My Tracks - go somewhere, and this will trace you and draw a map of where you've been.

Open sodoku - seemed perfect, then I realised some of the boards were just 'wrong' still looking for a good free sodoku.

Qik - live video streaming from your phone to the internets!

Tricorder - like being spock

TuneWiki - looks through your music and lets you sing along with the lyrics displayed.

Urbanspoon - nice idea, but I didn't like it.

WaveSecure - If your phone gets nicked, you'll need it. but it's paid for on subscription i think.

Wikitude - an augmented reality app like layar, but possibly more useful.

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GAMES, and Sound toys - these are ones I like, but don't have many installed any more due to space :(

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WordUp! - like boggle / wordsearch

Speedx 3D - rip roaring speedy racer from the future

SNesoid (Lite) / Nesoid (lite) / Gensoid (lite) - emulators of namesake consoles - you'll need to downlaod some 'ROMS' for the consoles fisrt from the interwebz.

Robo Defense - tower defense with robots!

Radiant (lite) shoot em up old skool flavours gone retro

Jewels - bejeweled clone

Bebbled - bejeweled but different

Abduction - jumping accelerometor game with cows

Blockx 3D - 3D tetris. pretty cool.

Drop7 - addictive number / colums falling game. like crack.

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