Quick Survey, What are your top 5 favourite apps?

[Randy]

Quick Survey, What are your top 5 favourite apps?

 

[Zbig]

1. Remember The Milk
2. Maverick
3. Robo Defense
4. Evernote
5. Shazam

 

[kmnandroidforums]

1. Craigslist Notification - this app is a beauty and life saver if you ever need to buy anything off of craigslist

2. Slidescreen - I like this idea a lot, just only the things you need to know, the messages, and notifications and reminders, on your homescreen. Just wish it will be all comprehensive to any app notification, and maybe also less battery drainage

3. Astrid - I also have an RTM free account and Astrid is a very comprehensive app that also syncs with RTM as well as your android messages and notifications system (if not better than RTM app, it is at least free rather than RTM obligating a fee for the pro version to be able to use the phone app)

4. 3banana (Snaptic) notes (easy simple synchronized (online or with google) note jotting, with camera) I find this app much much faster, simpler and less cumbersome than Evernote for simple quick note jotting / keeping

5. Sms backup (emails all your sms messages)

6. Astro - easy file management

7. Documents to Go - though I hardly do any serious office work on the phone, having something that can do word, excel, powerpoint when it is absolutely necessary is worth it

 

[Zbig]

3. Astrid - I also have an RTM free account and Astrid is a very comprehensive app that also syncs with RTM as well as your android messages and notifications system (if not better than RTM app, it is at least free rather than RTM obligating a fee for the pro version to be able to use the phone app)

Does it support location notifications (without the aid of Locale) as well? That is the killer feature in the RTM for me. For this functionality alone, 25 bucks a year seems quite reasonable to me.

 

[Jaffa]

1. Advanced task manager

2. Robodefence

3. Shazzam

4. Audiobook player

5. Handcent

6. Wavesecure

 

[DaWeav]

You really need two favorites, 1) APPS, and 2) Widgets.

Apps that I use daily.
1. Tasker (in beta still so it is sideloaded)
2. ASTRO (not just because I have to sideload Tasker)
3. Calorie Counter (cus it's totally free to use and counts carbs too)
4. Apps Organizer (cus I like to organize all my apps)
5. Market (what the heck, cus need to find more APPS!)

Widgets I review daily.
1. Peep Widget (HTC Sense only)
2. Agenda Widget
3. HTC Battery Widget (HTC Sense only)
4. Clock/Weather Widget
5. gTask Widget (version 0.3.47m which has no-nags)

 

[PhippsyB]

Apps
1 - Smart Keyboard Pro: Accurate and lag-free keyboard replacement.
2 - VLC Remote: Always use this while watching films from my bed.
3 - NewsRob: Makes reading Google Reader so easy.
4 - PicSay Pro: Makes camera shots look so much better on my Hero after a quick edit.
5 - BlockedStone/Newton: These are my two favourite games. I couldn't decide!

Widgets
1 - APNdroid: On my main home screen along with...
2 - Battery widget(by mippin.com): battery displayed as a % and more importantly, click on it to turn GPS/Wireless/Bluetooth on/off.
3 - Agenda widget: Recently replaced Smooth Calendar with this. Efficient with space and more customisable.
4 - UrbanDictionary: 4x1 widget with a random word button and definition. Hilarious.
5 - TasKiller: This is an app, but I don't use the app side of it. Stick the 1x1 widget on your screen and tap it to clear the running programs. Simple and brilliant.

Anyone know any good 4x1/3x1/2x1 clock widgets?

 

[SoftChIP]

Apps

Anyone know any good 4x1/3x1/2x1 clock widgets?

Digital clock widget

 

[jUsT2eXy]

Most Used Day 2 Day
1. Advanced Task Killer
2. BBC News (Favourite)
3. FotMob (Favourite)
4. Dolphin Browser (Favourite)
5. aTrackDog
6. Astro
7. Betterkeyboard (Favourite)
8. Google Voice Search (Favourite)
9. Act 1 Video Player (Favourite)

Apps That I use Often That I Rate Highly
WaveSecure
VideoPlayer
Backgrounds
Quick Uninstaller
Maps
TV Guide
Dictionary
Places Directory

 

[Zbig]

Hmm... I don't really feel like starting some flame but it surprises me that pretty much everyone of you guys is using some task killer app in one form or another and some of you even value it as the most important app you use. Have you done some tests and measured the phone's performance with and without the "task killer" or just use it because "everyone uses it" and "tasks in the background are bad"? What makes you think that the guys behind the Android OS were just smart enough to create such a modern and reliable operating system but somehow just "forgot" or were too lazy to add a "task kill" feature? Oh come on, it's DESIGNED THIS WAY - this is not an omission or overlook, it was designed to work like this from the beginning. Go ahead and read some technical papers on android.com website. Majority of these "leftover processes" aren't really doing anything, occupy very little memory (which in the moment isn't needed by anything else anyway) and will be killed by the OS itself when there's need to. And if they are doing something, they most probably have a reason to. Android phone isn't a Windows machine where more memory used by some application means less memory for all sorts of buffers, caches and more memory swapping. Nothing really benefits from the memory you are freeing by compulsive "killing" of the processes you THINK shouldn't be running. It's part of the Android OS's architecture and task-rather-than-application-oriented philosophy that when you need to do something, you run the app, do it and then just abandon it, no longer caring about it. And by doing this whole "task killing" thing after each application you run, you're just crippling your own experience. My advice: just trust the Android developers they knew what they were doing designing it this way and scrap those damn "task killer" things.

 

[Jaffa]

The phone lags less if I manually kill all apps Im not using fact, yes android should do it, however it does not do it well enough!

Unless your rooted then http://androidcommunity.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-31867.html

 

[Zbig]

The phone lags less if I manually kill all apps Im not using fact, yes android should do it, however it does not do it well enough!

Haven't noticed anything like that. BTW, chances are, it lags a while while doing its "cleaning job" and backs to normal after it's done and by killing manually, you're just doing the same but by doing it purposely, you don't perceive this as a lag...

 

[Jaffa]

Haven't noticed anything like that. BTW, chances are, it lags a while while doing its "cleaning job" and backs to normal after it's done and by killing manually, you're just doing the same but by doing it purposely, you don't perceive this as a lag...

Im sure every case is different, mine is slow switching to Handcent, or opening the menu window and bookmarks on the built-in browser, for example, kill tasks.. bosh, quicker1

 

[jUsT2eXy]

I think people that don't use Task Managers have wool covering there eyes or something.

As soon as you open and close a number of apps (how ever good the so-called- built in memory management system of linux may be) the phone will and does lagg !

but when you kill a few apps that you don't need running in the background the lagg goes.

Also I use the task killer to kill apps that have stopped working for what ever reason...

People can argue all they want but a task killer does help in the short-term (reduce the lagg) but in the long term the app will probably start up again (unless added to a kill list) and it will take longer (a few seconds more) to load up as it is not cached in the memory.

To me the linux based memory management system on android is very poor and the phone does lag.

Be it down to the slow CPU and lack of RAM then so be it. Until I get a Desire or what ever I will then be able to see if the new generation of android phones with more ram and a faster cpu will need a task manager.

Then we can come to a conclusion.

 

[lekky]

1: Twidroid
2: Gmail
3: taskiller
4: digital clock widget
5: MyTasks
6: handcent
7: Apps Organizer
8: HTC settings widgets
9: photo widget
10: Newsroom

Half in order, and yeah just realised its a top 5, oops.

 

[Jaffa]

1: Twidroid
2: Gmail
3: taskiller
4: digital clock widget
5: MyTasks
6: handcent
7: Apps Organizer
8: HTC settings widgets
9: photo widget
10: Newsroom

Half in order, and yeah just realised its a top 5, oops.

Apps organiser, forgot that quality app!!

 

[bluenova]

This is quite hard as I have over 200 apps installed

1. Apps Organizer (This is a must when you have a lot of apps)
2. 3G Watchdog
3. Bloo
4. Remember the milk
5. Mileage
6. BBC News
7. OurGroceries
8. Robo Defence
9. Waze
10. MixZing Lite

Also just realised it was a top 5, oh well

 

[Jaffa]

RSS reader reccomendations?

 

[Chappie]

I use

Facebook
Handcent SMS
Hi MSN Beta
FotMob 4.0
Battery Widget

I have Task Killer which I run on occassions.

 

[daveybaby]

Top 5? Hmmm....

MoDaCo ROM (best thing i've ever installed on my hero)
3G Watchdog
Twidroid
Handcent SMS
Hungry!

Also, in no particular order:

TaskPanel X
Astro file manager
Wifi Analyzer
GPS Status
Apps Organizer
Smooth Calendar widget
Snowstorm widget
aTrackDog
Google maps
Wavesecure
Copilot live
Barcode scanner
Flixster movies

 

[pinn]

RSS reader reccomendations?

^^1. Newsroom - really beautiful full screen RSS feed reader
2. XBMC android remote - so I cant control my HTPC from the sofa
3. Phonemypc - So i can remotely cue downloads etc
4.Documentstogo - better than stock office app as has docx support
5. Gtasks - now ad supported and crippled, but still the only one to sync with Google Tasks

Loads more too, but I thought I'd try to possibly introduce people to some new apps.

 

[jonous101]

Not Call Log - puts your phone to your home screen after making a call

UpSoundDown - shake the phone to start speakerphone and shake to stop

Meebo IM - when 3's MSN crashes - which is like all the time!

Astro File Manager - so i know what's on my phone

Pkt Auctions eBay - good ebay app


I do use the facebook app, but i prefer to go on 3's version of the site coz it's much clearer.

 

[Slug]

I think people that don't use Task Managers have wool covering there eyes or something.

Don't you think that's just slightly insulting? Ever consider that maybe other peoples' usage habits simply doesn't match yours?

As soon as you open and close a number of apps (how ever good the so-called- built in memory management system of linux may be) the phone will and does lagg !

Not true, at least it's not for me. My handset goes days between reboots, using a variety of apps, and shows no lag throughout.

People can argue all they want but a task killer does help in the short-term (reduce the lagg)

Again, not everyone will have the same experience due to variations in usage and loaded apps. You simply can't make blanket generalities when there are so many variables to consider.

To me the linux based memory management system on android is very poor and the phone does lag.

To me it isn't and it doesn't. Neither of us is right or wrong, it's just down to how we use our handsets and what we use on them.

If you've gone to the time and trouble of rooting your handset, you've got the ability to influence a lot of what you complain about. Tweak the MinFree parameters to alter the memory management, change the CPU governor settings, prevent unwanted apps starting up.... you have the power.

 

[Lettuce]

I use the following in no particular order:

1 - Volume Control
2 - NetCounter
3 - AndChat (IRC client)
4 - Advanced Task Manager Lite (free ver)
5 - MyTracks

And games - Jewels is taking up all my time at the moment!

Lettuce

 

[jim_h]

This is a good thread. I've found a couple of really nice new apps thanks to your posts

Sorry, I couldn't stick to just 5.

1. Aldiko - A brilliant ebook reader.
2. Newsroom - The best RSS reader I've found so far.
3. MoonPhase (widget) - Displays the current moonphase as a 1x1 widget. Nice.
4. DailyStrip - Dozens of free cartoon strips, updated daily. Good for a quick laugh.
5. c:geo - A must have app if you are into Geocaching.
6. Knight Moves - A free version of the Knight's Tour.
7. Netwalk - Great puzzle game.
8. Speedx 3D - Good graphics for posing
9. Advanced Task Manager
10. Delete old messages - A must have app to help clean up old sms messages.