According to a Nielsen Study, posted in February at TFTS (http://nexus404.com), Android phones got 43% of smartphone sales in the 6 months ending December 2010. A Gartner study indicates that sales of Android phones increased by 888.8% from '09 to '10; 67.2 million Android Smartphones were shipped in 2010, an average of 184,000 per day. For those of you that have chosen an Android phone there are great applications (Apps) for the phone. As I have recently purchased an HTC Evo, I've been searching the web for the best Apps available. You should be able to find the Android Market on your phone. That's where you'll find the 10 Apps that are my favorites.
The Ones You Have to Have
1. The first App you want to get is Lookout Mobile Security. This App will protect your phone against viruses, malware, and hackers. It will also enable you to backup you phone files, and even help you find your phone if it is lost or stolen.
2. The second App you want to download is Advanced Task Killer, known as ATK. One of the problems with the Android system is that battery consumption is dramatically impacted by having Apps running in the background, which you may not realize. Periodically, its worthwhile running ATK to close down the Apps you're not currently using.
Making Your Life Easier
3. Google Voice gives you a phone number that will track you down to multiple places or devices, and gives you access to all your voicemail and text messages over the Web. Using your Google Voice number for outgoing calls will hide your actual cell phone number so you can keep it private, if you wish
.
4. The Android phone is location oriented so that if you're someplace you're not familiar with you can click on Yelp and you can search for restaurants, shops etc. that are nearby. You'll find user reviews of restaurants etc. that you might consider.
5. Barcode Scanner is another App that I find useful. It scans QR codes (see my article on QR codes in the November issue of the CBJ), which are becoming more prevalent. QR codes can provide you with lots of information about a product, service, or location just by clicking on the code with your Barcode Scanner.
6. I've had trouble typing on the Android, but I've found some help. I installed ThickButtons as my default typing system, and I'm doing better. The App includes a predictive algorithm that enlarges the buttons of the letters it senses you are going to need next.
7. If you're a traveler you need Tipit, which will take your airline, car rental, and hotel reservations to create a master itinerary. It will create maps, directions, and weather for any destination. You can share your itinerary, sync it, and add to a calendar.
Some Fun Apps To Include
8. I have Pandora on my home computer and on my Android. It's a wonderful music system that lets you search by artist or song and then creates a playlist based on that information. You'll hear some of your favorites, and get exposed to some new artists you might not have listened to otherwise
9. Join the crowd and get the Facebook for Android App and you can find your messages from friends, and updates from groups you've joined. You'll be able to respond, and even add photos.
10. For those of you who like Twitter, the recommended App is Seesmic Android.
Well, those are the first 10 I'd recommend. I also like Angry Birds, LabyrinthLite, Fandango, Kindle for Android, Google Sky Map, and lots more. Visit the Android Market on your phone, and you're sure to find more Apps that you'll like. If you search on your computer for "Best Android Apps" be sure to have your Barcode Scanner loaded because many sites now have QR codes (see the November issue of the CBJ) that will allow you to download the App directly to your phone.
The Ones You Have to Have
1. The first App you want to get is Lookout Mobile Security. This App will protect your phone against viruses, malware, and hackers. It will also enable you to backup you phone files, and even help you find your phone if it is lost or stolen.
2. The second App you want to download is Advanced Task Killer, known as ATK. One of the problems with the Android system is that battery consumption is dramatically impacted by having Apps running in the background, which you may not realize. Periodically, its worthwhile running ATK to close down the Apps you're not currently using.
Making Your Life Easier
3. Google Voice gives you a phone number that will track you down to multiple places or devices, and gives you access to all your voicemail and text messages over the Web. Using your Google Voice number for outgoing calls will hide your actual cell phone number so you can keep it private, if you wish
.
4. The Android phone is location oriented so that if you're someplace you're not familiar with you can click on Yelp and you can search for restaurants, shops etc. that are nearby. You'll find user reviews of restaurants etc. that you might consider.
5. Barcode Scanner is another App that I find useful. It scans QR codes (see my article on QR codes in the November issue of the CBJ), which are becoming more prevalent. QR codes can provide you with lots of information about a product, service, or location just by clicking on the code with your Barcode Scanner.
6. I've had trouble typing on the Android, but I've found some help. I installed ThickButtons as my default typing system, and I'm doing better. The App includes a predictive algorithm that enlarges the buttons of the letters it senses you are going to need next.
7. If you're a traveler you need Tipit, which will take your airline, car rental, and hotel reservations to create a master itinerary. It will create maps, directions, and weather for any destination. You can share your itinerary, sync it, and add to a calendar.
Some Fun Apps To Include
8. I have Pandora on my home computer and on my Android. It's a wonderful music system that lets you search by artist or song and then creates a playlist based on that information. You'll hear some of your favorites, and get exposed to some new artists you might not have listened to otherwise
9. Join the crowd and get the Facebook for Android App and you can find your messages from friends, and updates from groups you've joined. You'll be able to respond, and even add photos.
10. For those of you who like Twitter, the recommended App is Seesmic Android.
Well, those are the first 10 I'd recommend. I also like Angry Birds, LabyrinthLite, Fandango, Kindle for Android, Google Sky Map, and lots more. Visit the Android Market on your phone, and you're sure to find more Apps that you'll like. If you search on your computer for "Best Android Apps" be sure to have your Barcode Scanner loaded because many sites now have QR codes (see the November issue of the CBJ) that will allow you to download the App directly to your phone.