Android Apps

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Android Apps, (Warning, this post not edited by my wife, read at your own risk.)

As the university (where I work) is moving away from departmentally issued cell phone’s to the new stipend plan, many of you will end up with either an iPhone or android phone. Personally I turned in my iPhone for a Droid 2 (The R2D2 version since I am geeky like that!) I don’t miss my iPhone. Anyway I wanted to list some of the more useful FREE Apps I have found so far that I think every phone owner would benefit from.

1.) Lookout Mobile Security! MUST HAVE! - This app is amazing for multiple reasons, first it is a virus scanner that checks all apps on your phone. Second it back’s up your phone on a regular basis. Third it can activate the GPS on your phone and locate it remotely from any computer. It can even show on a map within about 200 feet where it is. Last you can remotely sound an alarm to help you locate the phone when you misplace it, and then if you discover your phone has been stolen, you can pay the upgrade fee(a whole $3) and remotely wipe your phone while describing to the police its location on a map.

2.) Advanced Task Killer - Lets you free up memory and disable programs you are not using. Also it’s free.

3.) App Brain – Helps you keep track of all your installed apps and helps you reinstall them if your phone crashes.

4.) The Weather Channel App – Fast and user friendly weather information.

5.) Pass Safe – A password protected app used for storing your usernames and passwords. (Make sure the password you use is long and something you can easily remember.)

6.) Quickoffice – Document, Spreadsheet and Presentation viewer/editor.

7.) Drop Box - Backup and file synchronizer. If you haven’t tried drop box yet, just message me and I’ll happily send you an invite (we each get an extra 250 megs of free space.)

8.) Skype Mobile – Skype on through your phone on wifi or 3g.

9.) AnyStop – [insert your city here] (Bus routes and ETA for the Next Bus.) Shows ETA’s for every route and stop in Chapel Hill(my city). (Utilizes information from the nextbus system but also provides estimates for every other stop on the route.)

Other Notable Apps

AK-Notepad – Quick and easy memo’s.

Compass – A compass (accuracy varies with droid model)

Scanlife – Reads all types of barcodes and can add personal barcodes to your contacts.

Angry Birds – Free on android, just plain fun way to kill time.

WIFI Analyzer – This would be a top 10 for IT professionals, it shows you the signal strength for every wireless network it can see. REALLY helpful troubleshooting rogue access points or connectivity issues.

Remote RDP - Remote desktop for PC's.

Google Sky Map - For those interested in astronomy like me.

Plants Vs Zombies - because it is one of the best tower defense games of all time. (Paid app).

Amazon android marketplace (currently offering 1 paid app free each day.) This is probably the 2nd most trustworthy app store for the android system after the android marketplace.

I’ll update more as I find new cool Free stuff!

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