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Here are my ten... nothing new though for most of you:
Having used my Android phone for about a year now, the Android Market is getting less exciting to me. While there are new apps everyday, I already have a stable of apps which I count on which I consider useful among the 400,000+ available apps.
I did not include in my list the dialer, SMS, calendar, FriendStream (Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn), news reader, calculator and flashlight apps as I use the default apps installed on my phone. These are proprietary HTC apps, which are not downloadable from the market. These are my most used Android Market apps:
1. Swiftkey (Paid).For five years before going to a touchscreen phone I used phones with full physical QWERTY keyboards. I do not think that I will ever type us fast on a touchscreen as I did with a physical QWERTY keyboard. Swiftkey, with its excellent word prediction helps a lot. It learns your habits and can even predicts whole words for you before you type the first letter of the next word. Give it a try.
2. Gmail (Pre-installed/Free). For Gmail users, the best email app is Google Gmail app. It basically gives you the same degree of functionality as if you were on your desktop.
3. Dropbox (Free).Drop box keeps my files in synced between my desktop replacement and ultraportable laptop and allows my phone to access the files synced. You get 2 GB of web storage free, but can work your way up to 10 GB via referrals and tasks. Sign up through this link, and you start out with 2.25 GB
4. Google Maps (Pre-installed/Free).We all need maps. This is the best around and it is free. Google Maps includes, Navigation, Places and Latitude. Places is particularly useful telling you what Restaurants, Bars and Cafes nearby and helps you find them.
5. ColorNote (Free).ColorNote is great for taking notes and keeping check lists. You can create multiple notes and lists. For task lists, you can create a widget which tells you how many tasks you have undone. Only thing missing is that Task Lists not sync with Google Tasks or any other online back-up.
6. ReadItLater Pro (Paid).I use this is conjunction with my Twitter app. I save interesting link to articles here and read them using ReadItLater. While ReadItLater can sync to your other devices I use ReadItLater to read them because it present articles in a nice format for handheld reading as opposed to the web page view.
7. ezPDF Reader (Paid).The key feature of this PDF reader is text reflow. It can wrap the text on PDF documents so they fit the boundaries of the screen.
9. Picsay Pro.There are plenty of great photo editing apps on the Android Market. Picsay Pro is the best in my opinion. Try the free version. The Pro Version is much better and worth the money.
10. Screen Lock (Free/Donate). I use this to lock my phone using the capacitative search button. This saves some wear on tear on my power button. Free app is fully functional, but I got the donate version. Wanted to support the developer.
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The only one I disagree with is Gmail. All I use is Gmail at work and home, but I find the Gmail app really lacking in customization. I use K9, it allows you to only show the folders you want to see. Unless the Gmail app has changed recently, it lists all your folders. I have about 20 folders, of which I only use 4 or 5, and K9 can put those at the top of the list (and not show any others). I also find the mail more readible in K9 (pinch-zoom seems to work better). I really want to like Gmail, since I hate having 2 apps that do almost the same thing on a phone.
I tried K9 twice, and absolutely HATED it with every fiber of my being. When I check my Email, I want to be able to do so quickly and easily. I don't want to have these stupid classes of folders, trying to figure out what's what and where a specific Email is. K9 and those apps that use folder classes are the most complicated, confusing things I've ever seen!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lord Vader
I tried K9 twice, and absolutely HATED it with every fiber of my being. When I check my Email, I want to be able to do so quickly and easily. I don't want to have these stupid classes of folders, trying to figure out what's what and where a specific Email is. K9 and those apps that use folder classes are the most complicated, confusing things I've ever seen!
K9 is more geared towards Business people that require such organization of their emails If you don't use folders, then it's pretty useless IMO.
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I agree, not easy to set up, but once you figure it out, works well. I also agree if you only use 3 or 4 folders, Gmail would be perfect. I use K9 to only check/push my gmail inbox, work inbox (pushed from ISP), work sent, and my yahoo account. If I use Gmail 2 of those folders are way down the list (a pain, and much slower to access). I try it once a month to see if any updates make it work for me, but so far, no go.
GO notifications lets me know when an email arrives in any folder, with a notification icon... couldn't be any faster. I actually am sitting at my computer with Gmail open, I hear "you have an email" on my Player, and nothing is on my PC for 10-15 seconds.
My main gripes with Gmail:
1. Can't "not show" junk folders (like priority inbox, starred, important, chats, outbox, all mail, spam... to name a few), or sort them to the bottom.
2. Can't pinch-zoom an email.
3. Can't change "theme". I like dark K9 (black with white text), Gmail is an ugly grayish/purple color.
I do like most of the UI in Gmail (like reply button location). It just needs a few more user options.
Last edited by tcat007; February 7th, 2012 at 02:26 PM.
K9 is more geared towards Business people that require such organization of their emails If you don't use folders, then it's pretty useless IMO.
I have a Hotmail account that is my primary. I also have 4 Comcast Email accounts. In each of these Email providers there is just one folder that I ever use via the phone, and that's the in-box. K9 drove me nuts with their stupid classification system. All I wanted was the SIMPLE ability to open an Email app and have the in-box be there. I couldn't even figure that out with K9, and I'm not technologically illiterate, either. I had to navigate through 3 or 4 screens and multiple folders just to read incoming mail to my Hotmail account, and when I wanted to read one in my Comcast accounts, I had to waste time trying how to figure out how to even get there.
Ridiculous.
I tried Enhanced Email and that, too, had the same folder classification setup. Why do these providers make it so damn difficult?
The only one I disagree with is Gmail. All I use is Gmail at work and home, but I find the Gmail app really lacking in customization. I use K9, it allows you to only show the folders you want to see. Unless the Gmail app has changed recently, it lists all your folders. I have about 20 folders, of which I only use 4 or 5, and K9 can put those at the top of the list (and not show any others). I also find the mail more readible in K9 (pinch-zoom seems to work better). I really want to like Gmail, since I hate having 2 apps that do almost the same thing on a phone.
I love K 9 Mail, it is improved over the last 3-4 updates. Works FLAWLESSLY.
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Looks like all the "WSI Corp" weather apps are about the same, I just tried "WUSA", looks nice and is very fast. Is there no setting to set updating to manual, or just during certain hours? Any sunrise/sunset info? I think I still like this one better. Was a free Amazon app once... so no ads! Very nice widgets too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lord Vader
After trying one weather app after another, I believe the WGN Weather Center is the clear winner in the free weather app department. It's awesome!
does anyone know of a weather app that will suport full screen on a tablet running 4.0.3 ... i have tried all the main ones and it only sees the tablet as a phone because it has the same OS I guess ??? i have noticed this for a lot of apps that the honeycomb sized apps seam to go away when still on a big screen and on ICS
does anyone know of a weather app that will suport full screen on a tablet running 4.0.3 ... i have tried all the main ones and it only sees the tablet as a phone because it has the same OS I guess ??? i have noticed this for a lot of apps that the honeycomb sized apps seam to go away when still on a big screen and on ICS
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There is a weather one the problomes is its only for honeycomb and if I try and install it on Ics it does not regonise it so it force closes or freezes.... Man got to love Android fragmentation :-(
Last edited by blkbeltkid17; February 9th, 2012 at 12:28 AM.
I gave up a while ago when nothing I did helped. I don't have the time to go to school to learn how to use an Email program that is ridiculously complex and needlessly complicated.
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I have so many i like. I attempt to try them out and then make a mental list of their usability. lol. Right now, i do seriously love the SD Ap Protector Pro. I love it because it makes my husband think that Droids are a technical POS and his Crack Berry is the best thing since crack.
I also love ScreenIt Screen shot, Go SMS coupled with Sms to desk. I'll take a sledge hammer to this phone before I give it to my son or husband. Even though I CAN'T ROOT IT!
I got to say, I finally picked my FAV. Speaktoit Assistant. Tell it to do about anything on your cell, it can do it!
I told it to e-mail my mom's n sister about her baby pictures. It did. LOL
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MommasDroid
I have so many i like. I attempt to try them out and then make a mental list of their usability. lol. Right now, i do seriously love the SD Ap Protector Pro. I love it because it makes my husband think that Droids are a technical POS and his Crack Berry is the best thing since crack.
I also love ScreenIt Screen shot, Go SMS coupled with Sms to desk. I'll take a sledge hammer to this phone before I give it to my son or husband. Even though I CAN'T ROOT IT!
What phone do you have that you can't root?
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I travel a lot and after almost getting swallowed by a tornado two years ago I'm obsessed with weather and had noaa's website bookmarked on my blackberry torch plus two different weather apps. Today I came accross this app by Elecont called Weather, Radar, Alerts, and Quakes... It looks like this might get to be one of my favorite and most used apps.
No offense but I just read about a lot of boring apps on this pagee. Allows me to tell you what some of my favs are as a n00b
ZombieBooth...turns you into an animated zombie, pretty funny
SketchFree...this is amazing!
ZombieEscape3D...seriously scary game
Charlie vs Charlie....shows you quotes and you must guess if they are from Manson or Sheen
Marvel....reading free comic books? HeLLl yea! You can subscribe to paid ones too
I travel a lot and after almost getting swallowed by a tornado two years ago I'm obsessed with weather and had noaa's website bookmarked on my blackberry torch plus two different weather apps. Today I came accross this app by Elecont called Weather, Radar, Alerts, and Quakes... It looks like this might get to be one of my favorite and most used apps.
You might want to look at Fancey Widget, has all that plus alot more. Programmable icons, in weather, can be used as shortcuts too. I love FW cause I see the temp, wind, conditions, time, and alot more. AND each of those can be clickable.
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I got to say, I finally picked my FAV. Speaktoit Assistant. Tell it to do about anything on your cell, it can do it!
I told it to e-mail my mom's n sister about her baby pictures. It did. LOL
I am quite satisfied by the stock app on Samsung galaxy r. It is very efficient. Though i am looking for an app like this which does not require internet.
I am quite satisfied by the stock app on Samsung galaxy r. It is very efficient. Though i am looking for an app like this which does not require internet.
Email with no Internet is called FedEx lol
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You might want to look at Fancey Widget, has all that plus alot more. Programmable icons, in weather, can be used as shortcuts too. I love FW cause I see the temp, wind, conditions, time, and alot more. AND each of those can be clickable.
Thanks! I didn't even think of looking for Widget apps, I was having too much fun with the ones that are already on my phone.
No offense but I just read about a lot of boring apps on this pagee. Allows me to tell you what some of my favs are as a n00b
ZombieBooth...turns you into an animated zombie, pretty funny
SketchFree...this is amazing!
ZombieEscape3D...seriously scary game
Charlie vs Charlie....shows you quotes and you must guess if they are from Manson or Sheen
Marvel....reading free comic books? HeLLl yea! You can subscribe to paid ones too
What might be boring to you could be fun for someone else, no?
Thanks for the list, though. Have you tried Sketch n Draw? It's also a very cool app for drawing.
I have the adobe sketch pad got it on the app fire sale and I don't think its goodbye just because. It's to technical or maybe cuz. I don't have a stylist
I was skeptical when I downloaded it but it works! All my apps I have tried no longer have ads, including Angry Birds.
HMMM! And it doesnt have many permissions if more than 1! Lets check this one out!!!
I wonder how it works? I have an mp3 downloader that has tons of ads displaying at the bottom "strategically" placed in between two navigation buttons so close that , if I am not careful when wanting to go to the next or prev page of retrieved files, the add gets clicked and displayed. Will this app remove these ads?
Do visit. 
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