10 Awesome Android Apps – Part I
I got a Droid for my birthday, and it has changed everything. I previously owned a Blackberry, and this thing makes it look like Zack Morris’s oversized-grey-box-that-sometimes-made-phone-calls. I couldn’t be happier with it. And I imagine it will only improve with Froyo and beyond. Having now used it for a few weeks, I have compiled a list of twenty apps that I consider to be my favorites, of which this is part uno. Behold at my behest.
The Google Suite (x3)
Gmail, Google Voice, and Gtalk are all musts for anyone who uses Google apps, and it stands to reason that many (most?) people using an Android device probably use Google apps on a regular basis. It also stands to reason that if you do use an Android yet you aren’t using Google apps for everything, then…do. That’s all I have to say. Nothing else compares, in my opinion. I’ve used Yahoo!, Mobile Me, and a few other lesser-known sites’ suites, and Google is head-and-shoulders above them all. In my correct opinion.
Twidroid
If you use Twitter in any capacity, there is no Android substitute for Twidroid. It has all the gadgets and gizmos you need, and it comes in two sizes, FREE and
5 bucks. I personally use the free version, because I haven’t yet found the premium features worth the price; honestly, that’s a testament to how incredible the free version really is. Unless you need native bit.ly support or you use lists a lot, I don’t think you’ll need the premium version.
Evernote
If you want to talk about apps that truly can change your life, then Evernote needs to be
in the conversation. This app is intended to help you remember anything and everything that you want or need to remember. You can write a note, snap a picture, record an audio note, or upload a file to a note, and it syncs it with your online account, your phone, you computer, your iPod, iPad…. So, whenever you need to remember anything, you just type in some keywords, a tag or two, search in images of documents, or even just look at the geo-tags to see what notes you created near where you are, and it does the rest. This one also comes in two sizes, FREE and subscription (monthly/yearly). I cannot recommend this app enough. If you ever take notes for any purpose, be it in class or for the grocery store or to remember appointments, then you need this app.
Grooveshark
Because Spotify won’t get its crap together and come to the US, we have Grooveshark. For $3/month, you can listen to just about any song you want on
yourAndroid device. The online site is always FREE, but you do have to “Go VIP” in order to use the app on your phone. And, in case you’re wondering (which I was), about whether this is legal, let me calm your qualms: it is. Read all about it here.
eBuddy
Unfortunately, there is no chat client app for Android made by Google, nor can you use the GTalk app for other services, which would be fantastic, because that app is wonderful. Due to the preceding, there is eBuddy, a very simple app that allows you to chat on pretty much any chat service, from AIM to GTalk to Facebook and others. I’ve tried several others, and this one is much better in my opinion. The design is simpler and less clunky than its counterparts in the chat app realm.
Foursquare
For a while now, people have been touting Foursquare as the “next Twitter.” I was skeptical. I gave it a shot. I’m not as skeptical. I decided to give a week,
and, before the week was up, I was hooked. There’s something inherently appealing about keeping track of your own whereabouts. And, to keep your worries at bay, you can easily hide your posts from people, even your Foursquare Friends. Plain and simple. I should also mention that my fascination with this service is in no small part due to the very well designed app, clean, efficient, and very attractive. I also tried Gowalla, but it never worked, so that was an easy No. For some time I’ve been “checking-in” to cities with Brightkite, but I think I’ve quickly grown quite attached to Foursquare. If you’re skeptical as I was, I recommend that you give it a solid week. If you hate it, delete your account. But, I don’t think you’ll want to.
USA Today
This one is pretty straightforward. It takes all the great aspects of the newspaper and puts them on your Android. It has news, sports scores, the weather, pictures, and the now famous USA Today polls – quick, fun, and informative. It also boasts a convenient in-app browser for opening any native links, a very helpful addition to any news app.
NPR News
Like the aforementioned USA Today, this one is pretty straightforward. However, that being said, all the NPR podcasts are available here, in addition to every single radio station available nationwide. I listen to this app all the time, as it puts NPR, one of the best news and commentary sources of the day, right in your pocket, at all times. Highly recommended for any cultured Android user. Kidding. But seriously.
