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Android apps micro reviews

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phitsc:
Introduction

Last December I switched from a Windows Mobile to an Android phone. This opened up the exciting and vast world of apps and widgets to me. In the past three months I've looked at many apps and widgets, tried some, read about others, tried to find the best ones fitting my needs.

Here I present a selection of apps which I find most useful describing them with a few words only. All the apps presented here are either free or quite cheap.

If you're using an app other than the ones I present here that cover the same or similar functionality or if you'd like to have more information on any of these apps please let me know.

I've also posted some Android widget micro reviews.

Google Reader
by Google
Free

When Bloglines announced the termination of their service I moved all my RSS subscriptions to Google Reader. When a short while later they announced that the service will be pursued my transition was already done. Shortly after I got my Android phone, Google released the Google Reader app. Besides the communication apps it is probably the one app I used most on my phone.
K-9
by K-9 Dog Walkers
Free

K-9 is a powerful Email client with so many features I won't even go start listing them here. While Android's built-in Gmail app would probably do just fine for me the main reason I'm using K-9 is because of its combined Inbox feature.
Quick Settings
by Sergej Shafarenka
Free

Quick Settings allows you to quickly turn on or off settings such as WiFi, Bluetooth or GPS. It also gives quick access to phone volume and vibration settings. It is fully localised and visibility and order of the settings on the Quick Settings window are configurable. As a nice bonus it shows you memory usage and battery percentage.

Setting Profiles
by probeez
$4

The Setting Profiles app lets you define profiles that are activated depending on rules you define. These rules are defined using a combination of conditions such as date/time, Battery state, Calendar, current location etc. I'm currently using the app for two purposes:

* Enable WiFi when I'm at home, disable it when I'm not.
* Turn phone silent when I'm at work and in a meeting.
It might not be as powerful as Locale or Tasker but then it's cheaper and simpler and perfectly fits my needs.

SwiftKey
by TouchType Ltd. US
2$

SwiftKey is a virtual keyboard with intelligent word suggestion / auto completion. Unlike other such keyboards it not only analyses the characters typed for the current word, but also the previously typed word(s) (don't know exactly to be honest). Fact is, it works astoundingly well. Sometimes, I don't even need to type a single letter and SwiftKey already suggest the word I have in mind.

The one problem I currently have with SwiftKey is that its main layout does not offer keys to move the cursor left and right. This is a big problem on phones like mine that don't have a trackball. They've promised to resolve this in a future update.

Tricorder
by Moonblink
Free

Tricorder gives you access to your devices sensors. It displays acceleration, magnetic flux, sound, compass, WiFi and cell signal. It also shows solar activity which it downloads from somewhere (NASA?). I couldn't say that I use this app very often, but then it's just cool. And it makes that distinct Tricorder sound :)

JavaJones:
Great stuff! I love my Android phone and there are a world of apps out there. Most of these I've never seen. Do you mind if I post some alternative or additional related options? Also curious if you have (or have tried) Swype as an alternative keyboard.

- Oshyan

phitsc:
Great stuff! I love my Android phone and there are a world of apps out there. Most of these I've never seen. Do you mind if I post some alternative or additional related options? Also curious if you have (or have tried) Swype as an alternative keyboard.

- Oshyan
-JavaJones (March 23, 2011, 04:08 PM)
--- End quote ---

I don't mind at all!! One of my motivations for writing these micro-reviews is the hope that you guys would point me to even better alternatives or new apps :)

To be honest, I've never tried Swype. One of the main reasons being that I think it heavily relies on a dictionary which does not exist for Swiss German. But then, so does SwiftKey. But that kind of builds its dictionary while using it (it can also analyse your existing text messages if you let it do so).

Jammo the OrganizedFellow:
I flash a new updated or custom ROM to my device every few weeks.
Here are the few apps I don't dare like without.
Astrid Tasks (free) https://market.android.com/details?id=com.timsu.astrid + Astrid Power Pack $3.99
Clipper+ ($1.49) https://market.android.com/details?id=fi.rojekti.clipper
Dropbox (free) https://market.android.com/details?id=com.dropbox.android
KeePassDroid (free) https://market.android.com/details?id=com.android.keepass
ROM Manager Premium ($5.99) https://market.android.com/details?id=com.koushikdutta.rommanager.license
SMS Backup+ (free) https://market.android.com/details?id=com.zegoggles.smssync
Swype (i joined the beta long ago - free)
Titanium Backup Pro ($6.58) https://market.android.com/details?id=com.keramidas.TitaniumBackupPro
Titanium Media Sync ($3.44) https://market.android.com/details?id=com.keramidas.MediaSync

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