And
best of all, most of the good stuff on Android is free, thanks to the
work of developers who do it for love alone. So here’s our pick of the
top free Android apps you should install.
You can also check out our video of the top 10 free Android games
1. Seesmic
There
are many Twitter apps on Android – and Twitter itself shook up the
scene with the launch of its own-brand app recently – but we’re sticking
with Seesmic.
Offering support for multiple accounts, a home page widget showing
latest tweets and an incredibly slick and professional design, it’s one
of the finest examples of app development out there today.
2. Facebook for Android
Facebook for Android is lacking in features compared to Facebook itself, but a recent update
added Inbox support to the Android app, finally allowing its users to
communicate in almost real time. The app’s fast and stable, with a
simplicity that reminds you of the old days when using Facebook used to
be bearable.
3. ASTRO File Manager
ASTRO is nothing more than a Windows-style file explorer, but if you’re into
tinkering and directly installing Android APK files yourself, it’s
essential to stick something like this on your phone. It makes your
phone feel like a computer, and makes you feel like you’re in charge of
it.
UPDATE: ASTRO still exists as a free
ad-supported app, but you’ll have to pay for the full version without
ads. Our new favourite file explorer app is listed below.
4. Job Centre Plus
Hey,
times are hard and you’ve got to pay for your oppressive monthly mobile
phone contract somehow. Offering a fully searchable database of current
UK job vacancies, it’s a slightly cumbersome but useful tool. Some of
the spelling’s a bit off and the presentation could be better, but you
can’t argue with the chance to browse low-level admin jobs in Plymouth
from the comfort of your bed.
UPDATE: It would appear this app has been removed. The best replacement is the non-governmental UK Jobs, which pulls in its data from independent employment site www.1job.co.uk.
5. AppBrain Market Sync
You
iPhone users won’t believe this, but there’s no official way to install
Android apps from a PC. Seriously. You’d think Google of all companies
would’ve sorted that out, but no. Which is where the unofficial AppBrain
app comes in, letting users queue up Market downloads via PC and have
them sent to your mobile. You’re also able to generate an embeddable
code that displays your currently installed apps on a website.
UPDATE: Obviously Google now supports web-based Android Market app installations and purchases, which makes the above a little less exciting than it once was. But well done for leading the curve for so long, AppBrain.
6. Google Sky Map
A
stunning app that renders Patrick Moore obsolete, by using your phone’s
orientation tools to give you an accurate representation of the stars
and planets on your screen. Point your phone at the sky, then learn what
constellations are visible and if that’s a UFO or just Venus. Google Sky Map even works indoors, if you’re not keen on getting cold.
7. Layar
The stunning augmented reality app Layar has recently gone commercial, adding an online shop that allows users
to buy AR content such as travel guides, local house price apps and much
more. But you’re still able to use the numerous free Layers to pop data
up over real-world locations, delivering a satisfying futuristic
experience.
8. Foursquare
The social media darling Foursquare is represented in fine form on Android, with the Google app offering
easy one-click check-ins, integrated Google Maps for a seamless
Google-branded experience and home page shortcut options to all your
favourite places.
9. WordPress for Android
WordPress for Android started out as independent creation wpToGo, before WordPress decided it
liked it so much it bought it up – hiring the maker to develop it
in-house. It’s very feature-packed, with the latest version offering
full integration with other apps, letting you spin content and send it
directly to the app for easy updating. It could do with more image
insertion tools, though.
10. Google Goggles
A bit of a novelty, in that Google Goggles lets you take photos and have Google analyse them and come back with a
search results page for what it thinks you’re looking at. However, the
app’s main use is as a QR code reader, which lets you scan barcodes for
quick access to apps and whatever data people choose to embed in the odd
little data squares.
11. AppMonster
The
act of monitoring and uninstalling apps on Android is a bit of a clumsy
process, to be honest, with numerous sub-screens to navigate – and yet
more yes/no/are-you-sure dialogue boxes to get through once you’ve found
the ‘bin it’ page. So get a decent app manager such as AppMonster,
which also offers one-click backup of all your apps to an SD card, if
you’re the type of person who worries about having copies of everything.
12. AppSaver
The
Android 2.2 update known as ‘FroYo’ will let users save their Android
Market purchases to their phone’s SD card, freeing up valuable in-phone
memory. But if you’re using an older, less fancy version of the OS, an
app like AppSaver does at least let you save your app install files to the SD card.
13. Skyfire 2.0
The
USP of the Skyfire browser is that it supports Flash content, popping
up a little window when it detects an embedded YouTube video or
something similar. The actual Flash business is handled by Skyfire’s
server, which does all the computery stuff, then sends the file to your
handset. A bit clunky on slower Android phones, but it works like a
dream on models with faster processors.
UPDATE: This has been superseded by SkyFire 3.0. You can’t fight evolution. Despite the arrival of Flash with
Andriod 2.2, this is still relevant for those on phones and Android
versions not able to support Adobe’s Flash Player.
14. Task Manager
If
you come from a bit of a hardcore PC background, you’ll find Android’s
lack of a red X to close apps a bit of a worry, what with the OS
handling app closures itself. Which is why you need a good manual
override tool to shut any persistent apps. It may help you save battery
life, but most important is the feeling of control and empowerment you
get from one-click closing apps.
UPDATE: Popular
thinking is now that task killers are a waste of time on modern
versions of Android, as our phones use more power relaunching apps than
keeping them suspended in memory. If you still insist on taking manual
control, Advanced Task Killer is the current most popular option.
15. RAC Traffic
An official production of the motoring organisation, RAC Traffic is dead simple – it guesstimates your location via the mobile signal,
then pops up the current traffic alerts for your area. It’s much better
than having to listen to the radio for the odd update about arterial
blockages.
16. Swype
The
odd line-drawing alternate keyboard Swype is a love-it or hate-it kind
of thing, with the significant amount of re-learning required to make
the most of it quite offputting to some users. Once you’re familiar with
the idea, though, it’s genius – with advanced prediction options
further speeding your line-typing. Swype is not available through the
Android Market – the only way to install is is via a direct download from the maker.
17. Evernote
After the Android version of Dropbox, the next best solution for keeping all your ‘business’ in one place is Evernote – which lets you stash and sync all your text notes, voice memos and
files on your phone and access them through a desktop computer.
18. beebPlayer
This
does one thing – it lets you access the BBC’s famed iPlayer on your
Android phone. You need to be connected via Wi-Fi for the best
performance, as our mobile networks can’t really handle live streaming
the new Doctor Who through the ether, but for in-bed TV it’s a great solution.
UPDATE: The developer of beebPlayer has recently removed the app from Android Market and ceased further development. There’s now an official BBC iPlayer app, which we take a look at on the next page.
19. Last.fm
If you’re too tight to pay for a Spotify subscription, the free thrills of Last.fm open up a world of music streaming on your mobile. You have to ‘buy in’
to the odd Last.fm way of organising things and suggesting new music,
but if you’re easily led and not restricted by bandwidth it’s a superb
free music tool.
UPDATE: Rather unfortunately, Last.fm has recently announced plans to become a subscription-based service. For free music streaming, try TuneIn Radio. It offers radio rather than on-demand tracks, but works in the background – unlike the BBC’s iPlayer app.
20. Google Maps Navigation
An absolute must-get. As long as you have Android 1.6 or above, the latest update to Google Maps introduces turn-by-turn voice navigation, simultaneously devastating
the satnav industry while boosting the in-car dashboard dock/charger
accessory scene. Route calculations are done at the outset of your trip,
minimising data transfer en route and keeping you on target even when
the GPS signal drops. It’s amazing, it works, and it’s free.
best free download wordpress themes:
- android app design
- android templates for apps
- free best android themes download
- iphone app sky map
- online Google Sky
- evernote text note vector
- download lates appsaver 12 for android
- free google android app templates 2011
- apps android
- android app examples
- android market
- android traffic control
- top 20 android themes
- free wordpress themes for android apps
- wordpress free themes androidapps
- layar targets
- what themes are good for android like the iphone
- pc template app android
- plantillas wordpress android
- venus in the sky wallpaper
- rac traffic apk
- sky map app iphone
- top free android apps
- sky map online
- themes android example
- sky map for iphone
- free download best themes for android
- android app wordpress themes
- android apps design
- Android best free apps
- android themes topfree
- android apps wordpress themes
- android wordpress themes
- best android apps free templates
- best free android apps 2011
- best free android style wordpress themes
- free android app templates
- free android apps templates
- free Android Templates
- free android wordpres themes source code
- free android wordpress themes
- android app templates source code
