my running list of Android apps that I have tested

[rudeguy]

Back from the dead!

Please add input! With all the great (and not so great) apps out there, its nice to hear what you guys are using.

Here's mine:

Mobile Defense-5/5

This has replaced Where's my Droid. This locates your phone via GPS on the web. You can alert your phone and also disable it. ITS FREE...DOWNLOAD THIS TODAY!!!



Ringdroid-5/5
Allows you to crop down any song into a ringtone or alert. Works perfect without having too many options. I like that it lets me make my own text alerts. My current alert is the "HEY YOU GUYS!!!!" from Electric Company.

Listen-(2/5)
Google's audio file search doohicky. I haven't played with it a ton but I haven't been able to find any of the podcasts that I thought it was going to be able to find. It works great if I search for a subject, just not the author.

Bluetooth file transfer from Medieval software-5/5
Does exactly what a bluetooth transfer system should. Its free and it works.

Astro file manager-5/5
GREAT app! Lets you explore the files on your phone/sd card, has an app killer and phone stats. Trying to bluetooth a ringtone was a PITA until I found this app.

Car locator-2/5
Not super accurate but will get you close. I suppose it would be great for bar crawling if you forgot what block you parked on. Not much help in a parking lot.

Wikitap-4/5
Great for searching Wikipedia and also has videos. It tries to do too much and the videos never quite match up to the wiki search. Works great for one or the other...just not both.

Gmote 2.0 -5/5
AWESOME! Lets you play audio/video/picture files on your pc. Also will play netflix/hulu on your pc. Even works as a wireless mouse. Just awesome.

ChompSMS-5/5
If you text, use this. Uses the Palm chat bubble style conversations. Android's build in sms app sucks compared to this. Formats pics to fit your screen...just works perfect.

Compass by snaptic-5/5
I get lost a lot, so this is nice. Has a variety of displays and will even show your current address. Simple but does exactly what its supposed to do.

Google Goggle.-1/5
Supposed to be able to seach the web by pics or barcodes. Very few pics work and only some barcodes work. This is brand new so hopefully it improves with time.

Google sky map-4/5
I found the Big Dipper. I don't know much about astronomy, but this seems very accurate and very cool. I wish I had a reason to use it more.

Google Voice-5/5
WIN! One number for the rest of my life!!! Plus it translates my voicemails into text. Can't wait to see what else Google does with this service

Facebook for Android-3/5
Runs slow as crap and I hate the interface. I only have it installed so I can upload pics.

Google Maps-5/5
Free navigation, latitude, streetview...just great! I no longer have to figure out where my son is...I just pull him up on latitude and head that way.

Visual voicemail-4/5
Lets me delete voicemails without listening to them or even dialing in. I wish there was a delete all button and I also wish this translated voicemails to text. It does exactly what it should...it could just do more.

Color flashlight funflashlight-4/5
It has a bunch of cool strobes and colors. Its something to play with when the lights are out.

Robo defense (donate)-5/5
Great time waster. Gets me by doctor's office waits.

Random ringtones-5/5
Lets you select ringtones/songs and it randomly plays them for your ringtone/text alert. I have a whole bunch of 80's TV theme songs that it cycles through for my ringtone. Nothing like hearing the Golden Girls theme to perk up your day!


Zedge-4/5
Cool little wallpaper/ringtone app. I have only used it for wallpapers but there were some sweet ones. Also lets you sync from their website.

Movies by Flixster-5/5
Lets you see movies in theater and/or DVD. Lets you add movies to your Netflix Q. Even pulls up IMDB like pics of actresses. I like it.

Pandora-5/5
Its Pandora. It does stereo bluetooth.


ad free (ROOT APP)-5/5
no ads on ad supported apps is awesome!

autokiller (ROOT APP)-5/5
auto kills what needs to be auto killed. No lag here folks!

Lock 2.0 -4/5
Very pretty, access to media controlls, iphone like slide, fully skinable. It would be 5/5 if it was more practical to lock my phone

Net Counter-5/5
tracks wifi and mobile data usage. No extras. Perfect

Shootme (ROOT APP)-5/5
takes a screenshot of your device with just a jiggle. It takes some practice to not get the screen to rotate when jiggling.

MetaMorph (ROOT APP) - 4/5
Found some pretty decent themes. Would be 5/5 if all themes worked on Android versions.

Battery Indicator Pro- 5/5
A custom battery indicator. Lets you chose tolerances and the like. Just kinda cool.

Sprite Backup -0/5
Didn't work. I even paid for this one because it claimed to backup EVERYTHING. It did backup everything, has options for SD card or box.net backup....it just crashed every time I tried to backup.

SetCPU (ROOT APP) -5/5
Overclocker with a neat widget. Lets you underclock to save battery. Just great.

Craigsphone -5/5
Craigslist app with a very clean interface

Drocap2 (ROOT APP)-5/5
another screen capture program but this one has a countdown timer or a notification panel

Meebo IM -5/5
Chat program that isn't bloated. I used to to send a couple ATOT'ers reminders that I want to have their babies.

Retro Clock -5/5
Flip clock with separate flip calendar. Works like it should

Ringer/Wifi/Bluetooth toggle widgets -5/5
These are actually 3 separate downloads. Their advantage is that they are separate. Does the same thing as the built in power control...just lets you make your screen prettier.

^3 -4/5
Decent music program. I'm still looking for something I actually like the interface on.

tweetcaster pro - 4/5
Nicest Twitter client I found. Can customize refresh rates

tasker - 5/5
Fully customize all settings/apps on your phone based on location/time/date/etc. Buy this!



flikie - 5/5
3D Gallery style background app

firewallet - 5/5
Tracks your $$ for you. Multiple accounts and it sync's to web

imdb - 4/5
all the features of the website. -1 for sucking on wifi

skyfire - 4-/5
powerful browser that lets you watch flash videos. still very beta

queueman for netflix -5/5
manage/add movies to your netflix q. Even allows you to get reco's

the weather channel - 4/5
it does what it should.

doubletwist - 5/5
itunes replacement from Amazon. Playlists, podcast, everything. USE THIS!

google voice -5/5
its google voice

zedge -5/5
another background/ringtone program. You can syn from zedge.net.

tv listing for android 5/5
Very simple and non-bloated tv listing program

andexplorer - 5/5
file explorer. does its job

handcent sms 5/5
text program. Simple yet has everything you need

pure calendar widget 5/5
Very skinnable calendar widget. Ties into Gtasks as well

beautiful widgets 5/5
home screen prettier. Has widget toggles for most settings

bettercut 5/5
make your own icons for ANYTHING

root explorer 5/5
necessary for pushing files on the go

doggcatcher 5/5
best podcast grabber out there

better keyboard 3/5
pretty. lags. Uninstalled

barcode scanner 5/5
scans barcodes and ties into lots of othe programs

launcher pro 4/5
Pretty good home replacement. I just don't like the dock

adw launcher 5/5
home replacement that is very customizable. Works great

ROM Manager 1/5
I could never get this to work right. Supposed to let you flash ROMs. Just go into recovery.

AndTorrent 4/5
Torrent downloaded. -1 for only working with Pirate Bay

Dolphin Browser 3/5
Decent browser. A little bulky for my tastes

Nimbuzz 5/5
Skype/AIM/Yahoo/Facebook client.

Titanium Backup 3/5
backs up all system settings and apps. Updates a ton and not all updates are helpful. Attains root way too often.

 

[misle]

Thanks for the reviews. Every time I read these threads, I get that much closer to buying an Android phone....damn AT&T.

 

[Muadib]

As you appear to be an app expert, is there an app that allows you to watch tv on your android phone yet?

 

[boomhower]

As you appear to be an app expert, is there an app that allows you to watch tv on your android phone yet?

there is a tv.com app. It has some full episodes and a lot of clips, not great but it's free.

 

[Muadib]

there is a tv.com app. It has some full episodes and a lot of clips, not great but it's free.

I used to use tv.com on my iPhone, and totally agree with you. So there is nothing in the "great" category?

 

[PlatinumGold]

i'm waiting for VLC for android to be released. that and flash 10.1. with flash hulu will work, with VLC, almost any other video file i want to view will work.

 

[rudeguy]

As you appear to be an app expert, is there an app that allows you to watch tv on your android phone yet?

I'm not an expert. I did work in cellular for 10 years, so I have used pretty much every phone out there except for an iphone. I LOVE tinkering with my myTouch, and am not afraid to try new apps.

Back to your question...you are speaking of the holy grail. Gmote server allows for playing some file types on your device, but you have to convert the files and have the correct video decoder loaded on your phone.

Like someone mentioned below, the best bet is going to be upgraded flash for Hulu or someone finally getting VLC to stream. I've tried a few things with the VLC remote that were supposed to work but none ever did.

If anyone finds an app that will stream videos from PC, please please please post it.

 

[Muadib]

Is Orb available for android yet? It will allow you to stream videos. It will also do tv if your pc has a tuner card.

 

[rudeguy]

Is Orb available for android yet? It will allow you to stream videos. It will also do tv if your pc has a tuner card.

Checking it out now. My big thing that I want is to be able to play DVD's that I have backed up as ISO's streaming to my phone. Once I find an app that does that...I will be complete.

 

[rudeguy]

Is Orb available for android yet? It will allow you to stream videos. It will also do tv if your pc has a tuner card.

OK...I now owe you naked pics of my sister.

Orb streamed a couple of AVI files just fine. Kind of pixelated but decent audio and completely watchable. Ripping an ISO to AVI right now to see how that works.

 

[Muadib]

OK...I now owe you naked pics of my sister.

Orb streamed a couple of AVI files just fine. Kind of pixelated but decent audio and completely watchable. Ripping an ISO to AVI right now to see how that works.

Ah, thanks. If it's pixelated, then adjust the stream optimization. It's under the connection tab on the iPhone. I eagerly await the pic.:awe:

 

[rudeguy]

I'm using my myTouch...I don't and won't own an iphone.

I ripped an ISO to AVI and it worked great after I refreshed Orb. Holy motherload batman!

first pic that pulled up on GIS for "naked sister":

 

[Bateluer]

Anyone know any apps that extend functionality of the lock screen? There was an incident over New Years where my phone was commandeered and unlocked using the finger prints on screen. I need an app that will require the entry of an alpha numeric password in addition to the lock pattern. Anyone know of one?

 

[Spoooon]

Anyone know any apps that extend functionality of the lock screen? There was an incident over New Years where my phone was commandeered and unlocked using the finger prints on screen. I need an app that will require the entry of an alpha numeric password in addition to the lock pattern. Anyone know of one?

That sucks. I end up drawing patterns randomly on it when I'm bored at work, not sure that someone would be able to figure it out based on prints and smudges alone. How many of the "nodes" do you connect for your lock pattern?

 

[hanoverphist]

is there an app that allows you to save email attachments to the SD card for transfer to a pc?


edit:

non picture/ video/ pdf/ multimedia files

 

[Bateluer]

That sucks. I end up drawing patterns randomly on it when I'm bored at work, not sure that someone would be able to figure it out based on prints and smudges alone. How many of the "nodes" do you connect for your lock pattern?

At that time, 9. They didn't do anything bad with the phone, I just don't want it to happen again.

 

[vshah]

is there an app that allows you to save email attachments to the SD card for transfer to a pc?


edit:

non picture/ video/ pdf/ multimedia files

not sure if there's an app to do it from the gmail app, but if you have linda file manager installed, you can do it from gmail through the browser.

i just bought flight director this morning...soooo addicting

 

[Pr0d1gy]

Thanks for the informative thread.

 

[BigSmooth]

Here's my list:
Astro, Google Voice, Google Maps, and Facebook you covered pretty well. Astro is a must have. Voice is awesome as well (and you can use it even if you don't have an "official" Google Voice number - it can replace your carrier's voicemail and you can still use the transcription features). I really like the various layers available in Maps like traffic, etc, and it can pull in "My Maps" from the web version. The Facebook app isn't great but it works OK.

Google Navigation is just awesome. My old GPS will never get used again.

Google Goggles can be entertaining but the image recognition is OK at best and there are other barcode scanner apps that work better if that's what you're looking for.

Other apps I really like, best ones at the top. All of these are free.

• CalWidget - this is a must have that works WAY better than the standard calendar widget. Multiple sizes, lots of options, and far more efficient use of space on your home screen.
  
• Mobile Defense - remote tracking and management of your phone via web interface in case it gets lost or stolen. I know the tracking function works well but I haven't had to disable anything yet, thankfully.
  
• Advanced Task Killer Free - background processes aren't really supposed to take up memory in Android but it's still nice to have this to close everything (or individual programs) quickly for my own peace of mind.
  
• Pandora - internet radio, I think most people are familar with it. Slacker and Last.fm also have good apps but Pandora's seems to be the most stable.
  
• AudioManager - gives you a choice of small or large widgets to quickly see and adjust all of your various volume levels.
  
• Astrid - very nice task list app and widget.
  
• Shazam - the familiar app that "listens" and identifies songs for you. Works well and the "neato" factor is high.
  
• Twicca Beta - Twitter app. Twidroid and Seesmic also have fans, I just like Twicca's interface the best for my needs.
  
• SportsTap - a good sports score tracker that will alert you when your chosen favorite teams are playing (you can set it to repeatedly alert you with score updates, or just when the game is over, etc.)
  
• Brightness Level - another simple but useful app, this one gives you an icon that shows you your screen brightness % and allows very quick and easy adjustment.
  
• Other games - everyone likes different games, of course, but Bebbled, Abduction!, and Zilch Free are some casual games that I like to kill time with. I'm also a fan of RoboDefense, mentioned above.
  
• Amazon.com - I shop there a lot and this is a nice app for shopping and tracking orders, or comparing prices when you're at a B&M store. It will also do photo and barcode based searches.
  
• Yelp - if you like the web version you will like this. I am a fan, usually Yelp's reviews point me to good food.
  
• OpenTable - for online dinner reservations. Tons of restaurants are on their network, if you eat out a lot it's very nice to have.
  
• Handcent SMS - this works great and is highly customizable, but I don't text much, even less now that I am able to use Google Talk on the phone, so I haven't really gotten into it.
  
• Movies (by Flixster) - what you'd expect - a good local movie search.
  
• SleepTimer - exactly what you'd expect, nice if you like to listen to music when falling asleep.
  
• TuneWiki - "social" music player that shows lyrics (pretty cool) and has some additional features that I don't really use (auto-search YouTube for a video, see what people in your area are listening to, share stuff on FB/Twitter etc). Will also work with Last.fm.
  I like the widget better than the stock music widget because it also shows an album art thumbnail. However, I've noticed that on many of my files it doesn't read the embedded album art (the stock player reads it fine) and instead fetches it from the web, which is less accurate. I am kind of anal about album art so it's fairly irritating and I'm not sure if I am going to stick with TuneWiki over stock.
  
• UrbanSpoon - the app that allows you to shake the phone and get a random restaurant recommendation. Kinda fun but in the end it's not really that useful, and I like Yelp's reviews better.
  
• Bezier and EarthRot live wallpapers - just for kicks

That's it for now. Still finding new ones every day... love my Android phone!!

 

[dlock13]

I'll be sure to venture back here to find out about some applications as soon as I get my Nexus One on VZW. Hopefully, they release it sooner than the 23 of March even if that's the real date.

 

[Spoooon]

I didn't see Bettercut on the list. Good for some mild customization if you don't feel like messing around with home screen replacements and what not. Some cool icons available on the market.

edit:

Sound Manager, let's you schedule different profiles (times and volume levels) for ringtones, alerts, etc.

 

[Demo24]

Got a few as well:

-Aldiko: free book reader app, has some books you can download for free. Very smooth app, works great!

-Cardiotrainer: useful as a pedometer and a route tracker, there's also "hi-hiker pro". Both are rather similar.

-Leo: dict.leo.org finally made an app! Great if you need a german dictionary! Goes to many other languages as well!

-Wifinder: somewhat better tool to find available wifi networks around you

 

[abaez]

Google has their own cardio/gps app called My Tracks that has perfect integration with Google Maps. Here's a run I just did: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=U...91293830398948.00047fec4efa4ad548054&t=h&z=16 (click on the end point for stats).

And a recent hike: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=U...91293830398948.00047fe3fb92ea323d76d&t=h&z=15

The yelp app is very good.
Advanced Task Killer Free is also awesome.
The HTC keyboard is also very awesome (not in market, find it at XDA).

 

[sswingle]

Google has their own cardio/gps app called My Tracks that has perfect integration with Google Maps. Here's a run I just did: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=U...91293830398948.00047fec4efa4ad548054&t=h&z=16 (click on the end point for stats).

And a recent hike: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=U...91293830398948.00047fe3fb92ea323d76d&t=h&z=15

Looks interesting, but looks like the GPS drifts quite a bit. Could easily make your stats useless.

 

[abaez]

I looked and saw that I had the GPS off - it was using only cell towers, so that's why it probably drifted.

I also have the settings to be every 16 feet, which is quite alot. Perhaps I'll lower it.