Android apps to get
ASTRO – file manager. there’s a full feature free version (with ads)
This is kind of like ‘finder’ on your droid – you can back up apps you’re not using and reinstall back up apps from your SD card. it also gives you easy access to your downloads etc.
Aldiko – Book reader. There’s some great free books in it’s database already, and you can always convert PDF’s to ebooks using ‘Calibre’ on your mac. also there’s a user book list called drinkmalk – http://www.drinkmalk.com/stanza/ with some other books in.
Astrid Tasks – to do list that syncs with remember the milk – http://www.rememberthemilk.com .
Gtasks (google tasks) is also good, if you use Google calender / docs etc.
‘Note Me’ is a simpler one still. Daft there isn’t a list / notes app already in android.
Evernote / Springpad – two note taking apps that provide more crazy online syncing stuff. more full featured than aldiko – I’m still trying to find uses for all of them tho.
Barcode Scanner – you’ll need one of these to scan the QR codes you’ll find about the internet that link to the market to let you download apps.
also handy for…
Google Goggles – living in the future. nuff said.
Handcent SMS – I’ve tried a few SMS apps over the default one, ChompSMS being a popular one, but Handcent is all round the best in my opinion, once you’ve got it all configured and defaulted to your liking.
Beeb Player – i player fun on your phone.
Google Sky Map – again it’s star trek
Google Translate – does what it says
Listen – a pretty cool ‘podcast’ downloader / manager and player. it’s bit kooky and buggy, but it’s from google labs, so still in development.
London City – free tubemap and planner. not the best, but does the job when I’m in town.
NewsRob – got the free version, but might upgrade soon – I find it better than the default RSS reader, but only because I’ve been using Googlereader for a while and this is the only news reader that syncs well with it. If you use a different RSS feed manager, then there may be better ones out there.
The Guardian Anywhere – the guardian are apparently still working on their android app, so this unofficial one fits the bill for now. I don’t actually use this anymore as compared to the iphone/ipod app I found it frustrating, so I now just have a bookmark to the guardian mobile site instead.
Guardian Lite – more user freidnly than the guardian anywhere, but not as full featured
GDocs – handy if you use Google docs.
Ringdroid – if you like making your own ringtones. but I think HTC sense has one already.
Seesmic or Twitter – if you tweet professionaly seesmic is good. if you’re casual, the offical twitter app is ace and much better than Peep.
TED – for watching some great TED talks.
Wapedia – a good, well designed Wikipedia app
Solaris – keep up to date with Sun activity and sunspots / storms etc. ready for the apocalypse
Swype – I’ve nearly forgotten what a pain it is to type on a phone screen. try it.
Uloops Music composer – had a fiddle with it, and will write my next dubstep hit on it.
TV-Guide – free and does what it says.
Dropbox – links with a free dropbox account and app on your mac to transfer / store files online.
DoubleTwist – media player that syncs with the doubletwist mac app – kind of like an itunes for android, but still not as good. paid though.
Ebay / Pky Auctions eBay – two ebay apps. one official, one has a hardcore fanbase.
Earthquake – seismic activity delivered to your pocket!
Spotify – unfortunately needs the 9.99 a month subscription. giving it a go and think it rocks.
Foursquare – not sure why I want to broadcast to the world where I am, but hey – everyone else is doing it.
Facebook – uh huh.
Vignette – retro analogue photo thing. paid for though.
Movies – watch trailers and find out cinema times
mVideoPlayer – plays most codecs for your video pleasure
PdaNet – lets you tether your computer to your phone so you can surf the net on your laptop where there is no wifi
Shazam – you hear a tune, shazam tells you what it is.
the Schwartz Unleased – no phone is complete without a lightsabre app
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APPS I’ve tried and are worth a spin, but dues to slimming down on memory, I’m waiting for froyo to re-install them…
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Weather channel – it’s raining.
Alooqa – tips, food, things to do when in a new town.
Qype – kind of as above, and a bit more slick.
XE – currency convertor
Digg – as in digg.com
Dolphin / Opera / Skyfire – all alternative browsers with various enhancements, and tools that make them more super. however, I kind of like the stock browser and have gone back to basics recently.
Doodledroid – drawing app. not as good as any iphone offerings, but okay like.
Earth. google earth. amazing, but way to PHAT for now. (20+megs)
fring – until recently allowed for Skype calling. they’re in trouble and doesn’t work anymore 🙁 keep an eye out though
Gmote – control your itunes on your laptop from your phone
IMDB – what trailers and get film info as in the IMDB website
Layar – a cool experiment and a taste of a minority report-esque future.
Meebo IM – if you instant message it’s great.
My Tracks – go somewhere, and this will trace you and draw a map of where you’ve been.
Open sodoku – seemed perfect, then I realised some of the boards were just ‘wrong’ still looking for a good free sodoku.
Qik – live video streaming from your phone to the internets!
Tricorder – like being spock
TuneWiki – looks through your music and lets you sing along with the lyrics displayed.
Urbanspoon – nice idea, but I didn’t like it.
WaveSecure – If your phone gets nicked, you’ll need it. but it’s paid for on subscription i think.
Wikitude – an augmented reality app like layar, but possibly more useful.
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GAMES, and Sound toys – these are ones I like, but don’t have many installed any more due to space 🙁
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WordUp! – like boggle / wordsearch
Speedx 3D – rip roaring speedy racer from the future
SNesoid (Lite) / Nesoid (lite) / Gensoid (lite) – emulators of namesake consoles – you’ll need to downlaod some ‘ROMS’ for the consoles fisrt from the interwebz.
Robo Defense – tower defense with robots!
Radiant (lite) shoot em up old skool flavours gone retro
Jewels – bejeweled clone
Bebbled – bejeweled but different
Abduction – jumping accelerometor game with cows
Blockx 3D – 3D tetris. pretty cool.
Drop7 – addictive number / colums falling game. like crack.