My Top Android Apps List

Vinod Ponmanadiyil — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 09:07:21 +0000

I’ve been using a Google ADP1(G1) and then a Samsung Spica(i5700) on various Android builds (1.1, Cupcake, Donut & Eclair). Following are my essential Android apps list.

ADW Launcher
I am not a fan of the default Android Home app or the ones the Manufacturers installs by default. After various trials of LauncherPro, Helix etc.., ADW Launcher is the one which stays on my Android Mobile. It is highly customizable and has very less memory footprint. It is blazingly fast except for some occasional widget selection issues. But the developer updates this app vigorously.
AndroNoter
All my notes needs to be available everywhere. I use SimpleNote as my notes platform. It has clients on the Mac, PC, iPhone and now Android. AndroNoter is a very good SimpleNote client which supports transparent sync with the SimpleNote cloud. The search options are really fast.

Barcode Scanner – to quickly launch the Market application upon scanning App QR Codes
Fring
Fring is the default VOIP client for the GTalk. It has various other options. But I use only for VOIP over 2G/WiFi with my patents & friends who are on Google Talk.
Camera 360
This is the only Android application I’ve purchased yet. It is worth it. Offers plenty of filters and effects for the Camera.
Handecent SMS
With SPAM SMSs pouring in every minute these days, blacklisting is very important to me. Handecent does the job albeit a bit slow to start.
Swype
Swype is a very intuitive text input mechanism which is getting pre-packaged with modern Android mobiles. I joined their beta and got an early access. Swype’s heuristics algorithms are very accurate most of the time. It is miles above the pretty useless default Android Soft keyboard.
Kindle
I own a Kindle2 and have the purchased books available everywhere – iPhone, iPad and now Android is a boon. The WhisperSync works perfectly. The screen brightness dim options are really useful too.
MinFreeManager
Using a Task Manager helps a lot to save the battery life of any Android phone. MinFreeManager goes a step beyond and helps configure the system much better. Remmeber, you need to be rooted to run this application.
Google SkyMap
Nothing amazes my friends more than this application. When held up against the open sky, it tells how small in the heavens are you!.
Engadget
To get my daily dose of flame baits.
Wireless Tether for Root Users
There are occasions when the power is gone and the Wifi Router blacks out. This tethering application acts as a temporary WiFi router for my WiFi-only iPad. This is useful when you are travelling too.
Official Twitter app for Android
I tried plenty of others in the Market, but settled on the Official one, because it is not friends with fail whale most of the time.
Places Directory from Google
A useful location based application to find out the nearest Gas Stations and ATMs, among others.
Awesome Drop
AwesomeDrop is a neatly done combo of an HTML5 web app and an Android utility. You drop a file in to the web app, the file will get automatically downloaded to your Android Mobile. I would have loved more if the application did a clipboard copy from the computer to the Mobile too and vice versa. Unlike the Pastebot iPhone application, AwesomeDrop works over the 2G/3G and does not need a local WiFi.
Revathi Recipes
Yummmy recipes! – from Biriyani to Dosa!
Opera Mini
Lifesaver on a slow 2G network while browsing the web.

My Android Phone – HTC G1

Vinod Ponmanadiyil — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:28:21 +0000

Here is my (not-so) shiny new toy!. An HTC G1 – The official Google Android Developer Phone 1. She just arrived today via UPS international courier. I had some difficulty connecting to the Google Servers during the initial registration process. But after editing the Airtel APN settings manually and deleting other pre-installed APNs I could connect. I shall post a detailed review later. I am really interested to know about other Android Phone Owners/Developers in India/elsewhere. Please let me know your thoughts in the comments :)