For some reason I was stuck on to my Moto Razr and HP iPAQ (Windows Mobile) for half a decade. While I used the Razr for all practical purposes (read making and receiving calls), I used the iPAQ to experiment with some mobile app development.
While I have developed apps for other platforms, I haven't had actually owned any of those devices. To be carrying around the Razr and brick like iPAQ phones now, many a times made be feel like a sinner. May be I hung onto the Razr because it was a gift from my beloved wife and my loyalty to it stretched a bit too long. It was also ironical that I was employed with Motorola when I was gifted (read, "pushed into using it"). LOL!
While I have developed apps for other platforms, I haven't had actually owned any of those devices. To be carrying around the Razr and brick like iPAQ phones now, many a times made be feel like a sinner. May be I hung onto the Razr because it was a gift from my beloved wife and my loyalty to it stretched a bit too long. It was also ironical that I was employed with Motorola when I was gifted (read, "pushed into using it"). LOL!
I was very clear on getting a phone which had a good positioning with apps, as that is the present and the future. So, the choice boiled down pretty much to iPhone, Blackberry or OEMs phones that came with Android. I had also made up my mind not to directly jump on to an expensive phone. So, the amount I spend on the phone had to remain almost the same, but I wanted much more worth than what a Razr had offered me.
The moment I played around with LG P500 and a few apps in a mobile store, I knew this was the one. Yeah, I know, the last sentence was a bit of exaggeration but the feeling was somewhere close to it.
The moment I played around with LG P500 and a few apps in a mobile store, I knew this was the one. Yeah, I know, the last sentence was a bit of exaggeration but the feeling was somewhere close to it.
In 5 years, a lot had changed. From the sales guy at the mobile store, who this time knew the exact technical details that he was talking about to the capabilities of the hardware and infinite possibilities with the software on the device.
In one week of the Android phone in my hand, I have been awed many a times by the wonderful apps out there. These are some the top apps that has awed me in a week's time.
1. Swype Keyboard (Beta): No qwerty typing required. Just move or swipe your fingers around the keyboard to see the magic work. It has voice recognition options as well but requires data network and in my mind little slower than the swipes. I just feel that the SlideIT keyboard is better for the voice recognition part than Swype.
2. Google Goggles: Scan anything and everything you want from your phone and search the web. You will be awed by the electronic links that are returned by the captured image search. I tried it on an Adidas logo on a cap, Godrej logo on a fridge, articles / pics on magazines, FedEx barcode on a courier, Thomas & Friends toy sets and so many others. I was just blown away by the results! An app that everyone should try to get a feel of the possibilities of a software. Below, an art work captured by the app returns details of the art.
3. Drop Box: The power of Drop Box for desktops have been extended to the mobile. Great utility to take everything that matters to you on the go as they are on the cloud. I am awed by the seamless sync that happens across all the drop box end points in a few seconds.
4. Barcode Scanner: Scans barcodes on products to look up prices and reviews. You can also scan data matrix and QR Codes containing URLs, contact info, etc. Not to forget that you can share your contacts, apps, and bookmarks via QR Code. A handy apps to look up those codes.
5. Utilites: Other very useful utilities that caught my eye, the first week are the below.
- Apps Organizer - Easy way to organize shortcuts to the home screen with labeling
- App 2 SD - Helps you clear phone memory by a touch to move apps to SD card
- Application Protection - Apps that deal with personal details can be protected with password
- NQmobile Anti-virus - Basic anti virus for your Droid
- TweetCaster - Tweeting app to post updates to Twitter and Facebook
- Zedge - great app for those interesting ringtones & wallpaper downloads; has a huge library to search and download.
- Astro file manager - For those who are interested to manage the Droid file system
- ThinkFree Office - For easy viewing of Office files
6. Google Sky Map Cool augmented reality app, with which you can let your kid move around 360 degree, spot the planets and interact to get details. Be sure to notice the smile on your kiddo, when the moon is exactly spotted in the direction of the real moon in the sky!
7. Guitar: Solo Lite Virtual playing of a musical instrument cannot get better. You almost feel that you strike the chord of the guitar when your fingers move over the strings. And the sound that comes out is as precise as the one that comes from a real one.
8. Games (Free games, that can be very addictive)
- Air Control Lite
- Angry Birds
- Ant Smasher
- Paper Jet Lite
- Paper Toss
- Pool Master Pro
- Tank Hero
- YooNinja
Finally, something that is a must for any phone. A tool that lets you manage the apps running in the memory. You open it up and touch the app that you want to close. When you are shutting down for the day, this itself turns out to be your bubble breaker game. :)
10. TasKiller: kill the apps in background and save your battery.
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