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Android App
Directory

Volume one

TM

Your guide to the best applications available for Android


Apps
from everoyn
categoryid
Andro
Market

603
apps & games for
Android reviewed

Shopping

Health & Fitness

News

Photography

Finance

Business

Education

Weather

Books

Tools

Volume 1

Android App
Directory
TM

Welcome
Welcome to the first ever
edition of the Android App
Directory, where we provide
the essential guide to getting
the most out of the Android
Market. Theres so much choice
out there that you need help to
know which apps deserve your
money and more importantly
your time. Split into easy-toread sections and covering
everything from the essentials
to the warnings on what to
avoid, not only will we help you
find the apps you want but well
also teach you about plenty of
new ones along the way!
Ryan King Editor

Our top five


Bouncy Mouse
Free

Welcome to the spiritual


successor to Angry Birds

VirtuaGym
Free

If you want to get into


shape, start with this app

WhatsApp
Free

The messenger to ensure


youre always in touch

Page
50

Page
64

Page
78

Offical eBay App


Free

The ideal way to buy and


sell while on the move

Rain Alarm Pro


2.65/$4.29

Perfect for those who


want to plan for the weather

Page
113

Page
163

Android App
Directory
TM

Imagine Publishing Ltd


Richmond House
33 Richmond Hill
Bournemouth
Dorset BH2 6EZ
% +44 (0) 1202 586200
Website: www.imagine-publishing.co.uk

Editor in Chief
Dave Harfield
Editor
Ryan King
Design
Danielle Dixon, Annabelle Sing
Printed by
William Gibbons, 26 Planetary Road, Willenhall, West Midlands, WV13 3XT
Distributed in the UK & Eire by
Imagine Publishing Ltd, www.imagineshop.co.uk. Tel 01202 586200
Distributed in Australia by
Gordon & Gotch, Equinox Centre, 18 Rodborough Road, Frenchs Forest,
NSW 2086. Tel + 61 2 9972 8800
Distributed in the Rest of the World by
Marketforce, Blue Fin Building, 110 Southwark Street, London, SE1 0SU
Disclaimer
The publisher cannot accept responsibility for any unsolicited material lost or damaged in the post. All
text and layout is the copyright of Imagine Publishing Ltd. Nothing in this magazine may be reproduced
in whole or part without the written permission of the publisher. All copyrights are recognised and
used specifically for the purpose of criticism and review. Although the magazine has endeavoured
to ensure all information is correct at time of print, prices and availability may change. This
bookazine is fully independent and not affiliated in any way with the companies mentioned herein.
Android App Directory Volume 1 2011 Imagine Publishing Ltd
ISBN 978-1-908222-3-50

Contents
Your guide to the best apps for Android

24

Books
Use your Android to bring the

Business/
Finance
From changing currency to

traditional paperback into the


modern world.

keeping your finances in check,


these are all the apps you need.

34

42

designed to keep boredom at bay


while youre on the move.

gaming than Angry Birds, as our


exhaustive list of games show.

Entertainment
The catalogue of Android apps

58

Health/
Medical
Whether youre self-diagnosing
or just wanting to look after
yourself, check these apps out.

6 Android App Directory

Games
Theres more to Android

66

76

hectic, heres a selection of apps


to help you stay on top of it all.

out for blasting some tunes or


watching funny videos.

Lifestyle
With modern life being so

Media
These apps will kit your Android

84

News/
Magazines/
Comics
Whether reading the news or

96

Photography

How to turn taking pictures into an


art rather than a forgotten-about
function of your Android.

laughing with comics, our apps


cover all the bases.

104

114

their productivity and these apps


will help show you how.

Whether its simple


groceries or wine buying,
check these apps out.

Productivity
Everyone can do with speeding up

120

Social
Networking
Everyone is connected thanks to

Shopping

130

140

Formula 1, MMA all the bases


are covered with these apps.

health is vitally important and


these tools will show you how.

Sports
Golf, football, baseball, boxing,

social media and with these apps,


you wont miss out.

Tools
Keeping your Android in good

148

162

trustworthy travel companion


once it has these apps.

it won't take you by surprise


thanks to these top picks.

Travel
Your Android will be your most

Weather
Its raining, its pouring but

Android App Directory 7

Android

Books/Reference/Education

Books/
Reference/
Education
View Wikipedia
on Android

Its currently the


best Wikipedia
browser

Whether its teaching your younger


ones or perhaps learning a few
things yourself, these apps will
help enrich your mind with some
incredible knowledge and keep
you mentally sharp as well as
thoroughly entertained
Top paid apps

Top free apps

Wikidroid Plus

Thesaurus

SpellChecker Pro

Aldiko Book
Reader

WolframAlpha

Dictionary.com

Staff pick of the section


Kids Numbers

8 Android App Directory

Google Sky Map

Price: 1.22/$1.97 Developer: Sirius Applications Ltd.

Wikidroid Plus

Theres a Wiki in your pocket


Wikidroid Plus is an paid upgrade available for
Wikidroid for Wikipedia. This unlock allows you to
browse Wikipedia on your phone freely without
the burden of advertisements while supporting
the developers of this fine application. However, there are no
other features unlocked by paying for the Plus upgrade.
Upon loading the application, youll be greeted with todays
featured article from here you can search for the article you
wish in the search bar located at the top of the application.
Wikipedia articles are optimised for display on your phone
while still offering all of the information that you would find
on your desktop computer. There are also a few extra features
such as the ability to share articles with friends or save them to
your phones cache, allowing you to re-visit them later without
requiring an internet connection.
Wikidroid Plus is one of the best ways to view Wikipedia on
your Android device.

Rating

Books/Reference/Education

Android

Price: Free Developer: Livio

Thesaurus

Quickly find a synonym from the palm of your hand


The Thesaurus application is a great way to quickly
find a synonym for any word from your Android
device. Whether youre writing an essay or a work
report, a fresh look at language can really help out
sometimes. Upon loading the application youre presented with
a search field; tap in the word youre looking for and the
application will swiftly display a list of alternatives which can
then be tapped to view definitions and additional synonyms.
The application connects to the internet to retrieve thousands
of words and theres no in-built dictionary so youll need an
active 3G or Wi-Fi connection to use this app.
Developer Livio has done it again, providing another great
books and reference application thats easy to use and boasts a
simplistic and minimal user interface. The application is free and
is not ad-supported, meaning you can freely search for words
without intrusive adverts getting in the way. Additionally, the
application is only a meagre 69k so you neednt worry about
long downloads or it taking up valuable space on your device.

We tried the application in various situations, searching for


different words and phrases and each time it came back with
a vast selection of results; from here we tapped through the
different suggestions to find other alternatives. The applications
dictionary is pulled straight from AlterVista.org, meaning it is
reliable and is regularly updated with the latest synonyms.
Results are displayed on a white background in a black font
making it easy to read your search results in any situation
something we found to be very useful.
While using the application we didnt experience any issues
with crashing and it seemed to use a very small amount of the
phones available memory, meaning it will work smoothly on
almost any Android device.
This quick, light-weight and easy-to-use application is one
of our favourite solutions for a mobile thesaurus and we highly
recommend you give it a try after all, it is free.

Rating

The search results are always reliable

While basic, the user interface is clean and functional

It really is a wonderfully useful and accessible app

Android App Directory 9

Android

Books/Reference/Education

Price: Free Developer: Intellijoy

Kids Numbers and Math Lite


A fun and mobile way to learn numbers and math
Kids Numbers and Math Lite is an interactive way to
help teach children basic numeracy skills such as
addition, subtracting and counting. This colourful
application offers various modes, each appealing to
different age groups ranging from five to ten years old. These are:
learning numbers, counting, choose max and minimum
numbers, addition, subtraction, advanced exercises and find a
match. These all have basic functionality within the lite version,
however, users wanting more challenges and games can
upgrade to the paid version of the application for just 1.84
(approx $2.98) from the Android Market.
Kids Numbers and Math Lite is a colourful and vibrant
application that is aesthetically pleasing to children and it utilises
colour and sound to enhance the learning experience. There
are also a few additional features such as shaking the phone
to change the background from day-time to night-time and
counting with stars rather than just numbers, which are all
nice touches.

As mentioned before, the application uses sound to aid the


child in learning, so when playing activities such as counting, the
number is both displayed on screen and said out loud through the
phones speaker. Although if youd rather your child play in silence,
sounds can be disabled in the applications preferences.
Theres a good amount of separation between activities that are
more learning-focused and those that are more fun. Activities such
as Find a Match feel a great deal more like a game to the child while
still helping them to understand and associate numbers.
The touch controls of Android smartphones make the
application easy to use for younger children rather than trying to
get them to interact with a complex UI. The application makes it
impossible to fail an activity, meaning theres no chance of your
child getting frustrated or upset as a result of playing.
Kids Numbers and Math Lite is a great way to introduce your
children to mobile education while being a lot of fun to use.

Rating

Fortunately, the sounds


can be quickly disabled

The bright and breezy visuals will help keep younger fingers busy and always
makes it crystal clear whats being shown

10 Android App Directory

Theres a clear distinction


between the activities available

Books/Reference/Education

Android

The voice that reads out words can


be hard to understand

It can be a genuinely insightful way


of learning words as well as spelling
Different difficulties mean adults can take part

Price: 0.61/$0.99 Developer: Socratica, LLC

Spelling Bee

Buzz, buzz, buzzzz test your knowledge in a spelling bee


Spelling Bee is yet another great educational
application from famed developers Socratica. The
application allows you to study words and then test
your knowledge in a spelling bee.
The great thing about Spelling Bee is its versatility; thanks to its
difficulty settings it can be suitable for both children and young
adults with easier difficulties tasking you with spelling much
simpler words such as shopping while harder difficulties may ask
you to spell words such as magnanimity.
The study option allows you to read up and learn or revise words
before testing your newfound knowledge in a spelling bee. This
can either be done in a timed quick-fire fashion or you can disable
the timer in the settings to provide a slower and more relaxed
pace. Additionally you can customise how long the spelling bee
is and set how many rounds youd like to play, meaning you can
have a short and quick session or a longer test after some deep,
engrossed studying.

There are thousands of words built into the application so youll


constantly be finding and learning new ones. Spelling Bee is also
aesthetically one of the nicest applications weve seen of its kind,
with bright and colourful backgrounds and easy-to-read fonts its
a real bargain for its tiny price tag.
The only issue we experienced while playing was with the voice
that reads words out in the spelling bee it is very generic and
almost reminiscent of Microsoft Sam. As such, it was sometimes
hard to actually understand what it was you were supposed to be
writing down.
The music is fun and fits the applications aesthetic, although if
found irritating it can easily be disabled with a tap. Spelling Bee is
a great way for both children and adults to learn and revise their
vocabulary and features thousands of words varying in complexity.
For just over 60p (approx 99c), you cant really go wrong!

Rating
Android App Directory 11

Android

Books/Reference/Education

x
x

The accuracy of Spell Checker Pro, as


you can imagine, is absolutely spot-on
While great for formal work, you can
use this app with social media too

Price: 1.88 Developer: Androidsx

Spell Checker Pro


This will help yoo spel properli

While text speak may have nudged the need to spell


correctly down the list of priorities for many a phone
user, there are still times where youll need to get the
correct spelling for a text, email or just for the sake of
being literate. This is where Spell Checker Pro steps up and
performs this essential task.
Versatility is obviously the most important thing here, and Spell
Checker Pro earns top marks. As you might expect, it has the basic
function of allowing you to copy and paste text into the correct
box. When Spell Checker Pro questions the spelling of a word, itll
highlight it in red and, when tapped, gives you options on what it
thinks the word you were trying to spell was. Easy to use, and the
simple layout also helps. There are various languages to choose,
from English to Danish, Italian, French, Spanish, German, Swedish
and Polish. Unfortunately, there isnt an option to break down
English further so you have, say, an American English option.
But as we say, its versatility thats where youd imagine a spell
checker earns its stripes, and thats definitely the case for Spell
Checker Pro. You can access the app via the notification bar, so
it saves on the needless legwork if you want to quickly send a
12 Android App Directory

text or do something trivial. Even better, the app itself allows you
to send mail and messages, update Facebook, tweet and so on,
which means you can quickly and painlessly make Spell Checker
Pro an integral part of your Android experience. It also has voice
recognition, so you can say the words to check the spelling. This is
very hit and miss, however, and isnt nearly as reliable as just typing
the word. Even so, if updated, we can imagine that this will make
foreign language spell-checking incredibly easy.
Whats holding Spell Checker Pro back from earning an illustrious
five-star rating is its rather bizarre demand that you have internet
access each time you want to use the app. This is presumably the
concession it makes for the fact that its such a small download
its word databanks are kept on the Spell Checker Pro servers, we
assume but this seems like a needless solution to a problem that
doesnt exist. It means you need internet access to use the app,
and while that wont be a problem most of the time, it does mean
the app isnt quite perfect. A shame but, even so, this app is still
highly recommended.

Rating

Books/Reference/Education

Android

Price: Free Developer: Google Inc

Google Sky Map


Look up and reach for the stars

Sometimes, its the simple ideas that are the most


fascinating. Thats definitely what makes Google Sky
Map such a brilliant and compelling app, as it simply
shows you a star map of what is in the sky wherever
your phone is pointing. Its incredibly accurate and quickly and
smoothly rotates to follow wherever your phone is pointing. Aim
it at the sky and you can quickly see what planets, stars and
constellations lie above.
While this might seem like a somewhat useless tool during the
day, as you cant actually see what stars and planets are in the sky,
as soon as night approaches it becomes a fun and educational
tool. By pointing your phone at the stars, you can see what star it
is youre looking at and also where it is in relation to other planets
and stars in the vicinity, and you can disable the automatic view
to manually scroll around the night sky and see what else lies
next to it. Its a shame there isnt more information on what the
planets and stars actually are or even their history, as this would
have added the extra information necessary to make this a musthave app as well as one of the most fun educational apps on
Android Market.

Thats not to say that there arent other features to play around
with. Theres a gallery, which gives you gorgeous pictures of
constellations, before also giving you a prompt, should you want
to track them in the night sky and make your own comparison.
You can also search for planets and stars by entering them into the
Google Sky Map search engine, which will bring up an arrow to
point the way to where theyre located, while a night vision mode
also enables you to pick things out with ease as darkness falls and
the stars come out to play.
Best of all, you have the option of enabling and disabling what
shows up, so you can have a night sky that just shows the planets
above you. Its a surprisingly spooky view and one that reminds
you how big the universe is.
Mostly, though, Google Sky Maps takes a simple idea and allows
your own interest in astronomy or the universe around us to
create the spark. As its a free download, theres no reason not to
download it and have a quick play around. Youll find its far more
compelling than you first think.

Rating

x
x

The panel on the left allows you to toggle what


is or isnt on the sky map view
You can search for specific planets or
stars and be guided towards them

Android App Directory 13

Android

Books/Reference/Education

Price: Free Developer: Dictionary.com, LLC

Dictionary.com

Take Dictionary.com out with you


The Dictionary.com application brings everybodys
favourite dictionary website to your mobile. This easily
accessible app allows you to search for word
definitions and synonyms on the fly.
Dictionary.coms clean and simplistic UI allows you to jump
straight into a search, returning the definition of your searched
word. Additionally the application features a thesaurus providing
you with a quick way to find synonyms for a word. Search results
display every detail you may require including multiple definitions,
the phonetic spelling and the word type. There is also a speaker
icon next to every word which you can tap to hear the word read,
although as with most applications this is a generic computerised
voice which can sometimes be hard to understand.
The search feature will remember recent searches too, allowing
ease of access to previous queries. The application is completely
free although this means that it is also ad-supported which can get
a little irritating sometimes as you tap something and accidentally
hit an advert, opening the phones browser.

One of our favourite features was the option to favourite words;


this meant we could save a word we were using frequently to
return to its spelling and definition along with an option to find
alternatives with the applications thesaurus.
Theres plenty of other neat features in the application too, such
as a random word of the day on start-up and a voice search option
allowing you to say the word youre looking for. The voice search
is somewhat flawed but can occasionally be helpful with simple
word searches. The application is also customisable with a setting
to change the background you view definitions on.
Theres also an option to share words and definitions with friends
via popular social networks such as Facebook and Twitter and via
email or SMS. Dictionary.com is, in our opinion, the best and most
concise dictionary application available for Android devices and
due to its source material remains the most up-to-date way to
search for vocabulary on an Android device.

Rating

Chose from one of the background


options available for the app
Search for a word you want a definition for

14 Android App Directory

Definitions are clear and easy to read

Books/Reference/Education

Android

Price: 0.60/$0.97 Developer: Udell Enterprises, Inc

Moon Phase Pro


Bring the moon to your mobile

Youll find
answers to all your
questions

Theres plenty of
keyboard for you to
type on

Moon Phase Pro allows you to view the current phase


of the moons cycle from the palm of your hand.
Using your location, obtained via GPS, the application
accurately displays a 3D image of the moon in its
current state. The percent to full, time until the new moon and
moon rise is also displayed on screen to provide additional info.
The application also features a calendar view which allows
you to view the moons phase at any given date past or present.
You can also optionally set the application to notify you 24 hours
before new, full and quarter moons. Additionally you can enter a
custom location rather than using your current location to view
the moons status elsewhere in the world.
Our favourite feature of Moon Phase Pro is setting the current
moon phrase as your wallpaper which updates in real-time as the
moons cycle progresses.

Rating

Price: 1.22/$1.98 Developer: Wolfram Alpha, LLC

WolframAlpha
The answers to everything...
from your phone!

The WolframAlpha application brings the popular


search engine to your phone. In short this app
does plenty; calculating thousands of different
equations, displaying facts about the universe and
beyond, converting units and much more.
Upon starting the application youll be greeted with an
advanced input window, from here you can type almost any
calculation or question and find an answer in next to no time.
The application will quickly pull results and answers from the
internet, returning almost every detail you could need.
You can also share or favourite your results to keep them for
later use. Additionally the application features a search history
feature allowing you to quickly revisit searches. WolframAlpha
is a great way to access expert knowledge quickly and easily
a must have for any student or academic.

Rating

Learn the
moons phases

Alter the
settings to how
you wish

Theres an exciting countdown


until the next moon

Android App Directory 15

Android

Books/Reference/Education

Theres a dictionary to help you find what


youre looking for

The on-screen video will show you how to perform


the sign you wish to display

Its easy to find what you are looking for, with the
app broken down into categories

Price: 1.83/$2.95 Developer: Appsavers.com

ASL Dictionary

Learn sign language on the move


ASL Dictionary is a quick and easy way to start
learning American Sign Language. This application
features over 4,800 signs, each with its own video
demonstrating how to perform the sign.
This applications UI is very basic and perhaps could do with
a lick of paint, however what it lacks in design it certainly makes
up for in content as stated before, theres 4,800 different signs
to learn from ASL Dictionary including 765 words with multiple
meanings thats a lot of signing. The application covers
various categories of vocabulary such as; time, money, dates,
months, years, general numbers, finger-spelled alphabet and
common phrases such as Youre too late.
The application allows you to quickly search for the
word youre looking for, providing suggestions as you type.
Alternatively you can browse words by categories or just view
them all in an A-Z view. Upon selecting a word, a video will
quickly be downloaded and play, the application can optionally
16 Android App Directory

cache videos to your phones memory to allow you to quickly


view them again offline however you will need an active 3G
or Wi-Fi connection to download the video for the first time.
The application translates idioms and generally provides sign
solutions for almost all and any vocabulary you may need.
The only downside to this application is if you are caching
the videos, then you may find yourself quickly taking up a
great deal of space so it may be an idea to only cache the few
words or phrases youre focusing on learning at that time. You
may also find the application taking a great deal of time to
download the videos if your 3G connection is poor, so you may
want to keep this application for in the home.
Despite this, ASL Dictionary still provides a quick and easy
way to start learning or further expand your knowledge of sign
language in this intuitive mobile application.

Rating

Books/Reference/Education

Android

The app is bright and colourful

Is this a piano, or
is it a xylophone?
Hmm
The
different
shapes are
shown in
lots of ways

Price: Free Developer: Intellijoy

Kids Shapes

Teach shapes with your mobile


Kids Shapes is yet another bright and colourful
Android application designed to help make teaching
children fun. This child-friendly application provides
children aged two to five a fun way to learn shapes.
The application features two modes; one which reads out
shapes and teaches the child to associate various objects with
shapes such as triangular road signs. The other tests the childs
knowledge by asking them to touch the correct shape.
The application is bright and colourful and makes use of
common objects such as sandwiches, CDs and clothes to help
teach children various shapes. Theres also no penalty for selecting
the wrong shape so theres no need to worry about your child
getting worked up or upset over the game.
This free application is a great way to both entertain and educate
young children while introducing them to your Android device.

Rating

Price: Free Developer: Sunny Day

Kids Piano Lite


Learn to play the keys

Kids Piano Lite is a fun application that turns your


phone into a childs piano. By tapping the screen
you can make various sounds and play short
simple tunes a great way to keep your children
entertained (although you may want to invest in a pair of
headphones for your own sanity).
The application features a free play mode in which any key
of the piano can be hit in any order, alternatively theres the
song mode which prompts you to hit certain keys in order
to play short songs such as Happy New Year. There are also a
handful of games which involve things like matching notes or
whacking mice that pop-up to play sounds.
Unfortunately, as the application is free its ad-supported
which can become a little irritating if your child accidentally
taps the advert, opening the phones browser although
adverts are only present within the menu so theres no worry
of that mid-game.
Kids Piano Lite is a fun and simple way for children to make
music with an Android device.

Rating
Android App Directory 17

Android

Books/Reference/Education

Price: 1.83/$2.96 Developer: Udell Enterprises, Inc

TerraTime

The most advanced clock youll ever use


TerraTime is an
interactive clock
application. The
app features a 3D
interactive globe displaying
informative such as sunrise
and sunsets along with a
daylight map. There are also
plenty of other real-time
features such as a daylight
map live wallpaper and a
day/night clock widget. One
of the most exciting features
of the application is that all of
the simulations are generated
from real accurate satellite
imagery around the world.

Discover when
the sun will rise

Rating

Price: Free Developer: Aldiko Limited

Aldiko Book Reader


An entire library just a touch away
Aldiko Book Reader is an alternative reader to Kindle.
The application supports thousands of books and
eBooks, delivering them straight to your Android
device. The app features huge catalogues of books,
both old and new, a lot of which
are often available to download
completely free of charge.
Additionally, a great feature of
Aldiko Book Reader is the ability to
import your own PDFs and read
them with the app. Aldiko is
comfortable to read and is hugely
customisable; allowing you to
change the font type, colour,
margin and brightness. Theres also
a bookmarks option to save your
favourite books youre reading.
The app has an
iBooks feel to it

Rating

Price: Free Developer: Martin K.

Price: Free Developer: SusaSoftX

Improve your English on the move

Become a walking science boff

Test Your English

Test Your English is an app that allows you to practice


and improve your English reading and writing skills.
The application offers various texts and tests to refine
your knowledge. Theres a plethora of readings, with
over 300 multichoice tests to
improve your written grammatical
skills. Each test consists of ten
questions, at the end of each test
youre evaluated and given a score
to improve upon. You can view
your scores later on from the scores
tab and see how you have
improved.
Test Your English is a great way
for those who wish to better their
knowledge of the language.
Perfect your English
with this app

18 Android
iPhone App
AppDirectory
DirectoryVolume 5

Rating

Science Facts
Spanning across almost
all aspects of science,
Science Facts offers
weird and interesting
facts about almost anything that will
be sure to amaze your friends. This
free-to-download application allows
you to browse facts either randomly
or by category and also features the
ability to share a fact with friends via
social networks or SMS. The only real
downside is that the application is
ad-supported which can sometimes cause issues, however,
most of the time we found it to be great fun and used the
application to wow each other with astonishing and
interesting facts.

Rating

Books/Reference/Education

Price: 9.19/$14.84 Developer: LDS Scriptures

Price: Free Developer: Zoodles

Mobile scriptures

Make learning fun!

LDS Scriptures App


LDS Scriptures App is a
full-featured scriptures
application featuring
bookmarks, phrase
highlighting, notes, tags and
multiple pages.
This application features tons of
content from conference talks to
hymns and manuals. Optionally
you can also install all of the
content onto your phone for quick
access offline, although youll need
200MB of free space to perform
this task so it may not be advisable for those with less memory
available. Our favourite feature of the LDS Scriptures App is the
ability to sync with your other devices such as the iPhone, iPod
touch, PC, Mac and Linux.

Rating

Kid Mode

Kid Mode is yet another quality fun educational


Android application for children. The app features
various games and activities to help children of
various ages learn essential skills. One of our
favourite features in Kid Mode is the licensed characters such
as Dora the Explorer and the Cookie Monster making an
appearance, which will help encourage children to learn
when theres a face or two they recognise. With plenty of
games to choose
from for all ages
and a price tag of
absolutely
nothing, you
cant really go
wrong with the
Kid Mode app.
We all love the
Cookie Monster

Rating

Price: 6.10/$9.86 Developer: Brak Software

Price: Free Developer: LifeChurch.tv

Teach yourself Japanese

Carry the Bible in your pocket

Human Japanese

Bible

Human Japanese is an engaging, well-made app that


can help you to learn Japanese from the basics to
more advanced vocabulary. The app features over
500 pages of text, animations of every Hiragana and
Katakana character and more than 1,800 recordings of vocabulary
words and phrases spoken by native speakers. There are also
various interactive games and quizzes available to further enhance
your learning
experience.
This application
is a pleasure to
use and is a
great place to
start learning
Japanese the
easy way.
Learn Japanese
with this guide

Rating

Android

The Bible app


allows you to
keep the entire
Bible in several
translations on your mobile.
It offers various other neat
features such as highlighting
sections of the Bible and
bookmarking or sharing
them. You can also create an
account to sync your
settings and highlights
across other platforms.
Theres also a handy notes
feature, allowing you to
write and save notes.
There are lots of
options on offer

Rating
Android App Directory 19

Android

Books/Reference/Education

Price: 1.22/$1.99 Developer: THUP Games

Price: 1.99/$3.23 Developer: Escapist Games Ltd

Monkey Preschool
Lunchbox

Star Chart

Stargazing just got a whole lot simpler

For those who like to monkey around

Star Chart
brings
astronomy to
your Android
device. Aim your phone at
the sky and it will display the
current constellation youre
looking at. The app uses
your phones GPS to track
your location and match it
to local star systems and
reproduce an accurate
3D-augmented universe on
your screen in real-time. It
can even identify your star
sign in the sky!

Monkey Preschool Lunchbox is a fun and colourful


app to teach kids aged two to five about colours,
letters, counting, shapes, differences and matching.
This vibrant game features many colourful characters
that children are sure to love. It includes various games, each
focusing on a
different area
and featuring
cute monkeys!
As you go on,
youll unlock
various stickers
which can be
viewed to
show progress.
One of our favourite
educational apps

Rating

Discover planets
in the night sky

Rating

Price: 0.69/$1.13 Developer: AR Entertainment

Price: 1.22/$1.99 Developer: Exaybachay

My First Puzzles

Perfect Ear Pro

My First Puzzles is a colourful and vibrant application


aimed at children aged between two and six. The app
features 14 different puzzles to be solved, each
resembling a type of animal. The application is bright
and colourful and makes good use of sound so will appeal to a
wide range of children while improving their motor skills. My First
Puzzles has to
be one of our
favourite
puzzle-solving
applications
for children
currently
available on
the Android
Market.

Perfect Ear Pro is a musical app designed to


improve your ability to detect pitch, aiming to
benefit both professional and hobbyist musicians. It
features eight exercises, each training a different
aspect of your hearing. There are also custom exercises available
to use along with a scale viewer. Theres a selection of
instruments and
guitar skins
available along
with a largely
configurable
interface to
customise the app
to your liking.
Great for honing
your musical ear.

Solve jigsaws on your Android

Digital puzzles can


improve motor skills

20 Android App Directory

Rating

Enhance your musical prowess

This will have you


in tune in no time

Rating

Books/Reference/Education

Price: 3.06/$4.99 Developer: Webrich Software Pvt Ltd

Android

UK Driving Theory Test

Price: 2.60/$4.27 Developer: KreApp Development

Probably best not to use while driving

Carry the stars in your pocket

UK Driving Theory Test takes the popular concept of


a practice test on the PC and brings it to your
Android device, featuring over 970 questions. The
application features a Study mode allowing you to
prepare for your test, optionally
specifying which topic youd like
to revise afterwards you can
choose to take the mock test which,
after completion, will inform you of
the areas you need to gen up and
improve on. UK Driving Theory
Test is a great way to gauge your
knowledge before you go in for
your actual theory test and is a
bargain for just over 3!
Getting you in the drivers seat

Rating
Price: 9.19/$14.99 Developer: MobileCaltronics.com

MathPac:
CollegeCalculator

Mobile mathematics at your fingertips


MathPac: CollegeCalculator is a heavyweight,
comprehensive mathematics app for Android.
MathPac allows you to perform advanced
mathematical tasks
such as graphics, tracing, minimum
and maximums, intercepts,
intersections and more. This is a
must-have for any students in need
of a concise and complex maths
revision tool, however its uses dont
end with education as it features
various practical features that can
help with finances and the like too.
The numbers add up with this app

Rating

Mobile Observatory Pro


Ever wanted to view the stars from your mobile?
Now you can, thanks to Mobile Observatory Pro.
This novelty app allows you to zoom around the
night sky, showing stars, planets and deep sky
objects. The application also
features a Live mode, letting you
point your phones camera at the
sky and see an
augmented
display of
what youre
currently
looking at a
neat feature
thats fun to try
each night.
Appealing to the
inner astronomer

Rating

Price: Free Developer: Socratica, LLC

U.S. Presidents
Pledge to your Android

U.S. Presidents is a free app from popular developer


Socratica. It enables you to learn about the US
presidents of the past including facts such as years in
office, birthplace, party, vice presidents and much
more. After reading up about the leaders theres a Quiz mode to
test your memory. For those after
details on a specific president, the app
features a search
and index
feature too. U.S.
Presidents is a
fun little trivia
application that
is sure to teach
you something
new every day.
Great for those tricky
pub quiz questions

Rating
Android App Directory 21

Android

Books/Reference/Education

Price: Free Developer: Iammar

Brilliant Quotes
& Quotations

Thousands of quotes in the palm of your hand


Brilliant Quotes &
Quotations has
over 2,700 stirring
quotes from over
180 famous people of both
the past and present. The
quotes are grouped into
categories for ease of viewing
and can also be accessed by
searching for a specific author
or quote. The app features a
customisable widget to
display quotes on your
homescreen and an option to
post quotes to social networks.
Words of wisdom to
get you through the day

Rating

Price: 6.12/$9.99 Developer: American International Press

MacGyver How-To
Handbook

Become as handy as MacGyver when in a tight spot


Ever wanted
to know how
MacGyver did all
that awesome
stuff? Now you can with the
MacGyver How-To Handbook
for Android. This handy app
shows you step-by-step
instructions on how to do
many of MacGyvers tricks
along with a list of materials
required and a scientific
explanation as to just how it
works. Wow your friends and
become the new MacGyver!

Ever wanted to be a secret agent?

Rating

Price: Free Developer: Tim Clark

Price: 0.78/$1.24 Developer: TECHNO SQUARE Inc

Stay cool with this quick way to look up urban slang

A pocketbook in your pocket

Urban Dictionary

Urban Dictionary is a strange place and now with


the Urban Dictionary application you can bring all
that strangeness to your mobile! This hip app
allows you to quickly search for
words from a user-generated
source of modern slang and find
definitions to those weird and
zany terms people seem to use.
Theres a few neat features such
as the ability to share words with
friends, check a daily word and
shake the phone for a random
term. Theres also a widget to
display a random word and
definition on your homescreen,
but take care who sees it!
Great for translating
the cool kids lingo

22 Android
App Directory
App Directory
Volume 5

Rating

Pocketbook Appendix+
Pocketbook
Appendix+ is an easyto-use pocketbook
appendix containing
tons of information on Japan such
as conversion tables, postal
charges, emergency numbers, time
difference and much more. This
application is great for those with a
desire to learn more about Japan;
additionally it might just be a
lifesaver for those visiting Japan.
Pocketbook Appendix+ is the
A mine of data on Nippon
premium version of the application meaning it features no
adverts and additional features such as a size table, web colour
code, yakudoshi and stamp duty among other things.

Rating

Books/Reference/Education

Price: 1.89/$3.07 Developer: Visalia Mobile Ltd

Sundroid Pro
Sunrise Sunset
Put the sun in your pocket!

Sundroid Pro Sunrise Sunset provides you


with everything you need to know about the
movements of the sun, moon and planets,
calculating the time of sunrises, sunsets,
twilights, golden
hours, length of day
and the path of the
sun. This is great for
those wanting to
track the suns
movements through
the year as well as to
know sunrise and
sunset times, whether
for professional or
Keep close tabs on everything solar
romantic purposes!

Rating

Price: 2.99/$4.86 Developer: Moon+ Reader

Moon+ Reader Pro


Read under the moonlight
Moon+ Reader Pro is an eBook reader solution
for Android devices, boasting powerful controls
and full functions. The app supports TXT, HTML,
EPUB, UMD, FB2, CHM, ZIP and ORPDS files,
making it one of the most
versatile readers available for
Android yet.
The
application
can be
tailored too,
enabling
you to
optimise
your
reading
experience.
A comprehensive
eBook reader app

Rating

Price: Free Developer: Geometer Plus

Price: Free Developer: Wiki apps

Take your library out with you

Browse Wikipedia from your mobile

FBReader

Wikipedia Encyclopedia

FBReader is a highly customisable and versatile


eBook reader for Android devices, supporting
EPUB, OEB and FB2 files. The app is fast and lightweight and makes reading on your
Android a joy. FBReader supports
eBooks purchased elsewhere along
with connecting to various online
eBook stores to
allow you to
purchase and
read books from
the web. The
wide range of
customisation
options makes
this a winner!
Read eBooks with
ease all for free!

Rating

Android

Wikipedia
Encyclopedia
allows fast access
to the world of
Wikipedia from your Android
device. The app formats
articles to a mobile-friendly
version while allowing you to
modify the display, changing
the font size and, if you like,
the language too making it
accessible to everybody. You
can also select and copy text
which is often useful for
making notes from a
Wikipedia article.
Browse Wiki while
youre on the go

Rating
Android App Directory 23

Android

Business/Finance

Business/
Finance
There are a
wealth of features
available here

You can sync your


documents with
your PC

Price: 9.19/$14.89 Developer: DataVis, Inc.

Looking after your business or even


looking after your money might
seem like cumbersome, stressful
and long-winded practices but
these Business and Finance apps
will take a weight off your mind by
doing the hard work for you
Top paid apps

Top free apps

Checkbook

ES Task Manager

Easy Money 1.0

Exchange Rates

Converter Pro

Entrepenuer
Mobile

Staff pick of the section


Budget Book

24 Android App Directory

Tips Calculator

Documents
To Go

All-in-one document solution


Documents To Go offers two versions for basic
and advanced users. The basic free version is a no
nonsense viewer to open attachments and view
the contents of a variety of documents including
PDFs. While this may be enough for some, the real benefits
come with the full version.
The full version key also allows you to edit, view and create
Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents from your
phone. The interface is logical, easy to navigate and offers
the full list of features. Unlike other office apps the editing
functions on Documents To Go are really comprehensive.
You have access to rich text formatting options in Word as
well as table and graph functions and even track changes on
Word documents. It offers support for opening documents
from Gmail or other email clients and has options to view
recently created and accessed work. Additionally you can sync
documents between your phone and computer.

Rating

Business/Finance

Android

Price: 12.25/19.85 Developer: NitroDesk, Inc

Exchange by TouchDown Key


Corporate email on your Android

TouchDown first launched in 2008 and has been


added to and tweaked ever since, the result being
solid software that can be trusted. Exchange by
TouchDown links your Android device with your
corporate mail and all the extras that come with it such as
calendars, contacts and tasks. Changes made on any application of
your mail account should be automatically synced allowing
seamless use between phone and PC.
To use the Key the free version needs to be installed first.
Installing and syncing Exchange mail to applications can be a
frustrating process but TouchDown handles it well and takes you
through the installation process with step-by-step screens.
A notable feature of the Key is the customisation options
available. Users can adjust and modify the email screens and
settings to their liking though the screens and menus take no
prizes for unique aesthetics being able to customise parts of the
application give it a comfortable feel.
Corporate data separation is another handy feature to have.
Private and work life is often bundled together in phones and
on PC, and to have a function that recognises these as two

separate data sets is a real advantage and it focuses your attention


depending which one you are working in.
On the security side TouchDown scores high, subscribing to a
host of security features such as PIN, remote wipe, data encryption
and storage card encryption. It also supports sending and
receiving S/MIME signed and encrypted emails ensuring your mails
are not intercepted and reach only your intended recipient.
While some users have reported sync problems, this wasnt
picked up during testing, though with all apps your device
model and current software all play a role in the functionality.
We recommend using the free version extensively and then
purchasing the key when you feel confident that this is the
corporate mail application for you.
This particular application has not had any recent changes and
other Exchange apps are slowly taking on new functionalities and
increased usability. While it is a trusted staple and reports only few
hangings and glitches it may get left behind if no major revamps
take place in the near future.

Rating

The TouchDown app has been tweaked


since its release in 2008

Android App Directory 25

Android

Business/Finance

Price: 7.93/$12.85 Developer: Pageonce

Pageonce Pro

Combine your financial info in one place


Pageonce Pro gives you with an overview of your
finances and lets you control and manage them
through one app, but you need to first load up your
bank accounts and credit cards to use it.
To begin, you connect the app to all of your financial
institutions and accounts allowing it to access balance updates
and notifications. Adding your info and accounts is not always
simple as you navigate a series of automatic lists and options,
although you do have the option to manually input your
information. The software supports a wide variety of banks and
companies, though it is more geared up towards an American
market. You can also add any rewards programs you subscribe to
and keep track of points and rewards as they become available.
The overview screen, which appears upon launch, presents
you with six easy-to-read boxes; Bank, Bills, Credit Cards and
Investments balances are displayed above an Alerts and Tips tab
respectively. One thing to consider is that while the information
collected from your financial institutions may be accurate, its not
necessarily in real-time. Banks often take a while to update your
current balance and for this reason many apps that do not reply
on direct bank info have found quite a large market.

The app is clearly laid out and easy to use


Your information will be safe here

26 Android App Directory

The Tips and Alerts tabs prove a useful addition to the menu.
Alerts notify you of upcoming bills and will keep the notification
visible until it has been dealt with. The tips side connects you
to a host of extremely interesting and useful financial articles
for those who dont care to read up on things of this sort
unfortunately this tab cannot be removed and the launch screen
cant be modified.
The Top Developer badge promises the highest security checks
and processes to keep your data safe settings are verified by
TRUSTe, VeriSign and McAfee. Additionally your Pageonce account
is anonymous and does not require your personal information
such as name or address, or even bank PINs. Nevertheless, seeing
all your financial information on one screen can be unnerving and
its a good idea to review the privacy settings on your Android
device to be sure you know who has access to your app.
The app would increase in usefulness if you could add and
manage your own projected budgets but on the whole it makes
for a tidy piece of software that would serve you well if youre
happy to divulge your financial info to your device.

Rating

Business/Finance

Android

Keep track of the money you have and when


you need to pay bills

Price: 0.61/$0.99 Developer: Digital Life Solutions

Checkbook

A smart simple ledger to keep your finances balanced


Checkbook lets you manage your money as you go,
deducting purchases, adding income and processing
transfers. Designed to help you avoid costly account
slipups and overdraft charges this app relies on simple
screens and uncomplicated options that allow you to do what you
need to without getting bogged down by superfluous functions.
Initial setup of the app requires some patience and the menus
arent as logical as you might expect. Adding new account options
take precedence over adding a transaction, even though you
would expect to perform the later more often.
The app is completely manual. You may think this is a
disadvantage but for the security conscious, being able to manage
your money without handing over your account information is
really a good thing. Of course this leaves room for human error
and discrepancies between your bank statements and your
mobile ledger. To remedy this, it allows editing of any transactions
meaning you can make a quick note of transactions as they
happen and then go back and add more details as you wish.
True to its stated aim, Checkbook does get around slow account
updates which may leave you accidentally in the minus due to

miscalculation and it does put the power in your hands as you


can accurately record what you spend, when you spend it. If this is
important to you the manual input is worth it.
You can also make a list of scheduled transactions, such as debits
and other payments that will be deducted from your account
when they are due. View all your upcoming transactions in one
screen with those not yet processed highlighted in red to give you
an accurate indication of the amounts you can expect to deduct.
A vital function that Checkbook does take into consideration is
exporting your transactions into a spreadsheet to keep as part of
your traditional financial records. You will need to install applicable
software to perform these exports but you can select any range
of dates meaning that this app is not only a useful management
system but a handy record-keeping solution too.
Although you can have multiple accounts on one app, it only
works on one phone and cannot support joint accounts and
access from more than one device. Additional settings include
keeping your account info private by adding a password before
launching the application.

Rating
Android App Directory 27

Android

Business/Finance

Price: 2.15/$3.52 Developer: Sam Lu

aCurrency Pro
Currency comparisons
and conversion

A currency converter with an added homescreen


widget, aCurrency Pro offers hourly exchange rate
updates on over 160 currencies. The app has a
professional and efficient feel to it, which leaves the
opening screen rather bare and the functions unclear at first.
Youll need a play around to get a feel for what it has to offer.
Focus is on currency trends and previous data, with the
actual conversions looking like more of an add-on than a main
function. You have the ability to produce graphs and view
data from a range of fields, you can view history charts to note
currency changes and trends and compare currency values
over specified dates. This proves useful if you regularly rely on
bespoke financial data for your transactions.
To ensure accurate information, a widget is available to autorefresh at intervals of your choosing. You can only work with one
currency at a time; the list of usable currencies is presented in a
scroll-down format. Take care not to install this app onto your SD
or the widget functions wont work.

Rating

Price: Free Developer: JPMorgan Chase

Chase Mobile

Mobile banking for Chase users

Youll need to be signed up for Chase online


banking services before being able to use this one.
A plain blue login screen offers options to access
your account, contact Chase directly or find the
nearest branch or ATM. You will, of course, need to be in a
country where Chase branches are operational.
Once logged in, you have access to the same services you
would if you were logging in from a computer. You can view
your accounts, make payments, and edit or cancel current
payments. Additional services include making deposits directly
through your device and even depositing cheques.
QuickPay allows you to send money to anyone with a US bank
account with only their email address or phone number. This is
a handy tool for money transfers. On the whole, Chases app is
comprehensive and is surely popular with its clients.

Rating

ES Task Manager

Restarting an app
occasionally can
improve performance

Some currency converters update more often


than once every hour, but this works well enough

28 Android App Directory

Make conversions in
either direction

You might be surprised


at how much is running in
the background on your
Android device, sucking
down battery life

Business/Finance

Android

Price: 3.69/$6.04 Developer: Handy Apps Inc.

Easy Money 1.0

Money management with options

Sadly, it wont boost


your finances. Youre
on your own there

The ability to check


recent activity is useful
for fraud prevention

Being able to find the nearest ATM is very handy in


unfamiliar places

Price: Free Developer: EStrongs Inc.

Better, stronger, faster

A neat little app to manage the money you have


and the money you owe.
The main screen is divided between Cash,
Credit Cards and Bank Accounts, which you can
add as you need. You can view the total balance between
all your accounts both those in the plus and in the red.
While perhaps not practically useful it is a sobering value
to consider and it does give you a holistic picture of your
current financial situation.
There is extensive space to add as many budgets as you
like to keep each area of your spending on track. You can also
choose the account that your spending will come from and
mix up accounts within one budget. For example, in your
accommodation you can pay your rent from your current
account and your gas bill from your credit card.
Programming recurring expenses and adding bills is simple,
and the app holds extensive categories for your spending.
The illustrated menus add a breath of character and colour to
a financial process that can be quite drab and boring.

Rating

This task managing app aims to let your device


perform better and faster in the hopes of giving
you a superior Android experience. While the
jury is out on whether a task manager can
actually speed up your phone, ES Task Manager gives a
commendable performance and gets our recommendation
for a task manager if you choose to use one.
Killing tasks is performed with a simple tap and an ignore
list ensures that you wont kill off any important apps in error.
You can use the manager to categorise, install and uninstall
your apps and give yourself a handle on what you have
on your device at any one time. You can also monitor your
battery life by percentage on launch of the app.
The task manager can be integrated with ES File Explorer
we recommend you do this, as the features on the File
Manager are really worth it. Useful functions include access
to FTP servers and Dropbox folders, as well as document
viewers and editors, and access to your home PC via Wi-Fi
with SMB.

Rating

Ensure that you never get caught short with


careful budgeting in this app

Android App Directory 29

Android

Business/Finance

Price: 0.61/$0.99 Developer: Adonis Apps

Price: Free Developer: Adonis Apps

Debt Payoff Planner

Mortgage Calculator

See the light at the end of your debt tunnel


This clever little app
allows you to attack
your debt with
multiple strategies
and options, paving a clear path
for you to be free of your
niggling credit commitments. It
takes advantage of one of the
basic human reactions; if you
can see it visually youre more
likely to believe its possible. With
graphs and charts youll be
shown your situation and how
different repayment strategies
affect your bottom line. The
initial input is time-consuming,
but once thats done the app
walks you through the rest.

Quick monthly payment calculations

This app takes


the mental strain
out of your
mortgage
payments. After filling out a
few fields, you can view your
monthly payment and easily
see whether it is affordable.
The app comes in a simplified
free version and a pro version,
which allows you to calculate
refinancing costs to see
whether this is a beneficial
option for you. Another
feature is the graphical
representation of your
repayments, which shows an
end to your mortgage.

Find your quickest route out of debt

Rating

Not a bad price to


get set on this road

Rating

Price: 1.22/$1.99 Developer: Vervv

Price: 0.61/$0.99 Developer: Asif

Ledgerist

Converter Pro

Virtual ledger to track your cash


Ledgerist takes
you by the hand
and leads you
through its
interface and menus. Its
designed to take the hassle
out of keeping your books
balanced, and if you think in
the logical way it is set out, its
an app youll be using on a
daily basis. It easily handles
recurring transactions and has
a superb filter to sort and view
them. One improvement
would be to include a field to
add cheque numbers and to
pay more attention to a
running balance.
Keep track of your
expenses the easy way

30 Android App Directory

Rating

Simple conversion and no more


Less is more is certainly the ethos of this app; white
text on a black background, scroll down menu and
a limited list of options. Its actually quite refreshing.
Sure, you cant convert ancient Hebrew
measurements into Masonic timecodes, but when would you
ever need to? This covers everything from length to bits and
bytes, bandwidth, fuel consumption, frequency, wavelength
and energy. The
app allows you
to set your
preferences so
your most-used
measurements
appear at the top
of the list when
you launch it.
Simple and
uncluttered.
How many bits to
the mile?

Rating

Business/Finance

Price: 18.25/$29.88 Developer: LogMeIn Inc.

LogMeIn Ignition

Price: 1.31/$2.15 Developer: Thomas Schiffler

A whopper of an office app

Easy income and expenditure

Budget Book

The most distinguishable feature of this app is the


price. Once that has been digested, the inevitable
question comes: what does it do? Quite simply it
allows you total control of multiple computers. Its
clearly aimed at the business sector
as it allows you to run any business
software such as Salesforce and CRM,
something that other desktop control
apps dont feature. To make you feel
as though youre getting your
moneys worth, the LogMeIn app
offers fast operation, and setup and
installation are simple. To get the
most out of it we recommend you
run it on a tablet.
You dont need a
Windows phone to run
Windows 7 on your handset

Rating

This budget tool relies heavily on categories and


time periods to organise, track and analyse income
and outgoings. Analysis is output in the form of a
pie chart. On the functions side, Budget Book fares
well, as on top of the usual input
fields and export options you have
access to a calculator and can
administrate a number of accounts.
The language
settings can
be configured
separately to
your device
and the app
also comes
with password
protection.
Data can be
exported easily

Rating

Price: 2.45/$4.01 Developer: Spotlight Six Software

Price: 3.06/$5.01 Developer: Christopher Perry

Make every minute count

Your finances in real-time

Timeclock Time Tracker


If your time equals money, this app could be your
solution. It allows you to keep track of billable
hours, with plenty of functions to handle any
situations such as interruptions and lunch breaks.
Also, you dont need to keep the
app open for it to keep ticking over.
It starts when you say and stops
when you say.
In app years its pretty old, having
hit the market in 2009, but rather
than being outdated its a solid
contender among timing apps,
with user-friendly menus and the
option to export all data as CSV files
for record-keeping and invoicing.
Make sure to bill your
clients for the time they use

Rating

Android

Moola Checkbook
The result of transactions reflecting on bank
statements has surely been felt by most people on a
tight budget, often with heavy overdraft fees and
other bank charges. To counteract this, Moola
Checkbook offers an app that puts
you in control of your balance,
recording your transactions in
real-time and giving you a more
accurate picture
of your money
than your bank
will. Simple
functions on this
app include
auto entry of
payees and the
ability to back
up your files.
Moola offers several
backup options

Rating
Android App Directory 31

Android

Business/Finance

Price: Free
Developer: Entrepreneur Media

Price: 7.39/11.84
Developer: CAMCARD

Currency Guide

Entrepreneur Mobile CamCard

If know about Forex youll love


this. Along with a currency
converter that deals with over
160 currencies you can view
daily market news, access
real-time trend charts and currency rankings.
For a geek out sessions play the surprisingly
satisfying global currency quiz game.

Connect to daily business dos


and donts from the website
Entrepreneur.com. The app
allows you hone in on the
information that means the
most to you by customising screens and
selecting the topics you want to see you
can share info via social networking sites.

The look and feel of CamCard


offers a bit more pizzazz
than other apps with similar
function. Use your camera
to take a shot of a business
card and the info is automatically stored as a
contact in your phone, you can even add to
a note with extra info on your new contact.

Price: Free
Developer: Indeed.com Mobile

Price: 0.92/$1.48
Developer: FXware

Job Search
An app that pulls together
search results from job boards,
recruitment agencies and
company recruitment from
ten countries including the UK
and Ireland. The one really nice touch is that it
allows you to view jobs posted since your last
visit every time you open it up.

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Price: 9.23/$14.93
Developer: Mobile Systems

Price: 1.75/$2.83
Developer: MMSOFT Design

Price: Free
Developer: SmartDog Studio

Price: 1.79/$2.99
Developer: Binary Solutions

The concept is the same


as other OfficeSuite apps,
access and edit wherever you
are, but the wide range of
supported files and formats
is what sets this one apart. You can access,
create and edit documents and even store
them remotely via Google Docs integration.

Keep an eye on your


computer with this encrypted
app that will take control of
a PC from anywhere. Key
features include monitoring
updates and processes, sending commands
to control current activities and receiving
updates when users log in or out.

This allows you to manage and


control your phone in a web
browser, and transfer files and
folders between computer
and phone without a USB
cable. The FTP server provides more than
acceptable speed levels and for 2.2 users.

To get the most out of this


PDF app you will need to
install a file manager and have
access to a signature library
on your phone. You can then
fill PDF fields, sign off documents, create new
PDFs and share as you please.

OfficeSuite Pro

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PC Monitor

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Remote Web
Desktop

Fill and Sign PDF


Forms

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Price: Free
Developer: DataVis, Inc.

Price: Free
Developer: NetQin Mobile Inc.

Price: Free
Developer: InfoLife LLC

Price: Free
Developer: superdroid.net

This is the free version of the


app. Here you can open and
view a host of documents.
Supported files include .doc,
.docx,. xls,. xlsx,. ppt,. pptx. If
you dont need to create or edit documents
this viewer will be just enough for you.

Create blacklists to filter


out unwanted callers,
block unsolicited and spam
messages. The premium
account offers something a
little more sneaky a private area on your
phone hidden from other users with an
invisible icon so no one knows youre using it.

A nimble little number to


install and delete apps from
your SD card. Easy Installer
works with .apk files and can
search by name and even
batch install from your card. Additional
features include sharing apps with friends via
email. Supports froyo and Gingerbread.

This app targets malware on


your device using a cloudbased anti-virus engine. The
basic features include a task
and software manager, and
live updates. For storing sensitive data the
app offers a password protected strongbox.

Documents
To Go 3.0

Rating
Price: Free
Developer: Citrex Systems, Inc.

Citrix Receiver
If you use Citrex to host your
application this receiver will
give you remote access to
all your documents, apps
and desktops. Information is
stored on the server rather your device. For
non-Citrex users a demo model is available
to test virtual environments.

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Call Blocker

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Easy Installer

Super Security
Standard

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Price: 3.07/$4.96
Developer: Edward Falk

Price: 1.22/1.97
Developer: Frank Android Software

Price: 2.46/$3.97
Developer: flictec Inc.

This app sells itself as an


improvement on the original
and loved HP12C. It performs
just as well and offers all the
original functions and more
whether or not the 12C needed improving
upon is up to you. A similar free version is
available to test before purchase.

This app is designed for users


who claim mileage expenses.
Whether for tax or other
purposes the features should
have your situation covered.
You can add multiple vehicles and accounts,
a handy auto trip starter means every
journey is recorded.

This app fares well in the


spending tracker sector. Its
set up to handle businessrelated finances and offers
multiple books and multiple
currencies. Simple to navigate once you get
used to the set up, the analysis tools are what
may sway you to pick it over others.

RpnCalc Financial

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Mileage Tracker

Spendroid

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Price: 1.14/$1.84
Developer: taobits.net

Price: 3.69/$5.96
Developer: Ghost Pattern Software

Price: 1.83/$2.96
Developer: Udell Enterprises

Price: 3.05/$4.93
Developer: EuroSmartz

Especially good with


percentage and tax, this
app is designed to handle
office specific calculations.
It assumes that most
calculations will be financed based and sets
answers to two decimal places by default.

This email client allows


you to access your Novell
mailbox and perform regular
mail functions remotely.
Additionally you can accept or
decline tasks and meetings, and view notes.
Test the Lite Version to see whether your
server is compatible before purchase.

Simply a clock that shows


you time zones from across
the world, allows you to set
alarms for different time zones
and even shows a 3D globe
to help you adjust to new time zones. This is
the ultimate time zone app and a must for
frequent travellers.

Print is an app that allows


you to print. Whether it's
web pages, your gallery or
something else, Print works
with all printers via your
Mac or PC and even some wireless printers
without needing extra software. A very good
app for printing anything from your Android.

Office Calculator
Pro

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32 Android App Directory

GW Mail

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Polyclock

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Print

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Business/Finance

Price: Free
Developer: Russell Wilson

Exchange Rates
One converter may be just as
good as another but this one
has the advantage of being
free and free of ads. With
an easy to use, bright and
pleasing layout this app gets you the figures
you need fast and allows you to view multiple
currencies on one screen.

Android

Price: 3.00/$4.85
Developer: Mercury Technologies

Price: Free
Developer: Paypal Mobile

Price: Free
Developer: Cisco Systems, Inc

The HD 12 C is an emulator of
HPs well loved and enduring
12C financial calculator. This
true-to-original version offers
all functions youd expect
and a few more. It performs well and is an
investment well made.

PayPal continues its


successful onrush of
traditional payment methods
with this app that allows you
to manage your account,
send payments and view transactions from
your phone. PayPal applies its rigorous
safety features to its mobile service.

This free app comes with


functions that take you
through the entire meeting
process from planning and
setting up through to the
selection, connection and management of
others around your virtual boardroom.

HD 12C Financial
Calculator

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Paypal

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Cisco Webex
Meetings

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Price: Free
Developer: Qiwi Wallet

Price: Free
Developer: Steve Coward/Philly Android

Price: 14.30/$23.13
Developer: Sunnyside

Price: 6.19/$9.99
Developer: Quantum Solutions

This payment solution


provides you with various
options to settle bills, buy
goods and services and
transfer money between a
limited number of systems. You can use your
virtual QIWI card, a mobile phone account or
preregistered bank cards.

This free calculator offers


both simple and advanced
modes to help you split
the restaurant bill between
multiple diners and work out
the individual tip using built in percentages.
Good for those in a hurry and those whose
purses appreciate precision.

This app allows you to create


PDFs and send invoices. The
functions dont stop there
though along with a host of
services business owners and
the self-employed will the service that flags
up expiring estimates, bills and due invoices.

Enhanced Mail sells itself as


a fast and lightweight email
client, its real strength lies
in the easy to use interface
and clever features such as a
comprehensive search function which allows
you to look through your entire range of mail
accounts including text messages.

QIWI Wallet

Tip Calculator

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Mobilebiz Pro Invoice App

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Enhanced Email

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Price: 12.39/$20.00
Developer: Emtrance Technologies, Inc.

Price: 6.19/$9.99
Developer: two forty a.m LLC

Price: 6.19/$9.99
Developer: Abby Software House

Price: 3.09/$4.99
Developer: Splashtop

On top of the obligatory


email client functions, such as
calendar, notes and easy-tonavigate mails, Moxier offers
highly regarded security
features to keep your private data to yourself.
Features range from application lock to data
encryption and client certificates.

This app is designed for those


who forget to turn their
ringtone off in the cinema.
It takes away the pressure of
remembering when to switch
to silent by relying on advanced algorithms
based on location and time to assess your
situation and decide when you need to hush.

This app allows you take a


photo of business cards and
save them as contacts. Once
saved you can look up more
info about your new contact
via social networking sites. Another app
designed to replace dusty A-Z card holders.

Control your computer from


your phone. You can get
to all your files and the app
software can locate your
computer automatically. Its
Windows and Mac enabled but a dual core
processor is a must to get the best out of it.

Moxier Mail

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Price: Free
Developer: Adao Team

Adao File
Manager

This free file management


app deals with all things file
related. It allows you to copy,
cut and paste files on your
device, create shortcuts and
also manage your SD card with a series of
basic commands.

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Locale

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ABBYY Business
Card Reader

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Splashtop Remote
Desktop

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Price: Free
Developer: Proid Mobile, Inc.

Price: Free
Developer: Notification

Price: Free
Developer: Wyse Technology Inc

Failure to remember a USB


cable may not be a disaster
anymore this app allows you
to connect directly to your
PC and drag and drop files.
Working directly with FTPs some users may
have to install a client such as Filezilla.

This Craigslist apps offers


access to most of the market
sites. You dont have to login
to your personal account
but you can manage your
current items, and buy and sell. Its good for
browsing items on the move.

Using RDN or VNC Protocols


this app is another in the line
of apps which allow you to
connect to your desktop and
access files wherever you are.
A pro version is available with added features
such as RDP file redirection.

Software Data
Cable

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Sell On Craigslist!

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Wyse PocketCloud

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Price: Free
Developer: Tom Tasche

Price: Free
Developer: Chistoph Studer

Price: 9.23/$14.90
Developer: ThinkFree Mobile

Price: 2.99/$4.82
Developer: Money Toolkit Limited

A severely limited but useful


free app that lets you open
up your .odt and .ods files
from a variety of sources
including Gmail and Dropbox.
It currently does not support editing or any
other document formats but it does what it
says on the tin and it does it well.

This app automatically


saves all your text messages
into you Googlemail
account. Useful for informal
conversations you may need
to keep the details of Googles powerful
email search functions allow them to be
easily accessed and recalled as you require.

One of a growing number


of productivity apps that
allows you to access, edit
and synchronise Office
documents from your
handset or tablet. However the editing
function can be temperamental depending
on which program you are working in.

Money Toolkit allows you to


keep track of your finances
and supports most banks. It
has a clear interface which
is fun without feeling too
throwaway given the subject matter and is
definitely worth considering to keep on top
of your financial affairs.

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Openoffice

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SMS Backup

ThinkFree Office

Money Toolkit

Android App Directory 33

Android

Entertainment/Music

Entertainment/
Music
Whatever film it
is you want to see,
Movies will help you

You can find the


nearest cinema
wherever you are

Price: Flixster, Inc Developer: Free

If youre bored and find yourself at


a loose end, your Android will save
you in a pinch providing you have
the right apps. Here, we have the
pick of the bunch for Entertainment
and Music, ensuring you never find
yourself with nothing to do again
Top paid apps

Top free apps

Headset Droid

Vevo

Hi-Q MP3
Recorder

Movies

DJ Studio

WinAmp

Staff pick of the section


TuneWiki

34 Android App Directory

FatBooth

Movies

Because going to the


cinema should be simple
Having access to an up-to-date release list of
upcoming films is helpful to anyone, whether
youre a movie-buff or irregular cinema-goer. This
Movies app from Flixster keeps that stream of
information constant in the palm of your hand. In other words,
its the content of the Flixster site, bundled into an app.
Spread across the five tabs are its various uses, ranging from
features as written by Flixster on the homepage, film trailers or
even locating nearby cinemas. Its biggest selling point is the
Box Office tab, which highlights newly released or upcoming
films, their latest trailers and photos and even links to the latest
showings in your nearby area. Where possible links to
aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes means youre likely to know
what youre getting, too.
Movies is a handy app for anyone who is a regular cinema
visitor, and its smooth interface means its easy for anyone to
get to grips with.

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Entertainment/Music

Android

Price: 3.06/5.02 Developer: Max MP

PowerAMP Media Player


Stop fretting. Heres the player for you
Of all the apps available on the Android Market, it
seems that half are immature fart apps, and the rest
are media players. While those figures may well be
exaggeration on our part, the truth is the basic music
players of smartphones just don't cut it for most people. Sure, if all
youre after is the odd tune the rare time you have to get the bus
into town, then the basic application is fine, but if youre a regular
music listener then youll be well aware of the problems of in-built
media software. So its up to the Android Market to fill this gap;
which then offers a tough decision: just which one is right for you?
If youre not willing to spend money, then well direct you to
the Winamp app, but everyone else will want to take note of
PowerAMP Media Player. Its largely the quality of everything that
makes PowerAMP the very best paid-for media player. Its sleek,
uncluttered menus do nothing to hinder navigation, though
the buttons are perhaps a little small and could cause issue on
smaller devices. There are no gimmicks: transfer your songs onto
your phone and play. And of course PowerAMP will automatically
download cover art if you require it to so you wont be left
staring at a blank screen either.

An in-built equaliser means you can adjust the various dials to


tune your audio to your preference, use any of the presets or even
create your own for regular use. Unlike most other equalisers on
the Market, this one is unlimited, smooth and effective.
Thats it for obvious features, however its the behind-the-scenes
tweaks that really impress. A multitude of options are available for
crossfade and gapless listening, as well as specific adjustments
to the equaliser for the more confident music fan. Theres even a
handful of UI themes, for those who like customisation.
Additionally, PowerAMP is one of the few media players on
the market that enables lock-screen controls, giving users the
opportunity to skip or alter songs without having to unlock the
device and enter the app itself. Not to mention the four different
widgets available for your home screen, ranging from full-screen
menus to 4x1 slots including cover art. It really is an impressive,
well-designed and considered media player, and well worth your
money. If youre still unconvinced, try the 14-day trial version to see
just how right we are.

Rating

On smaller smartphones you may find that the


buttons are a little too small
The equaliser and options available
make this stand out from the crowd

Android App Directory 35

Android

Entertainment/Music

MixZing Upgrader

Price: 3.07/$5.03 Developer: MixZing

Music but with added adverts

MixZing Upgrader is a rather pleasing app, and it has


to be said that while the software isnt the most
visually appealing, it is functional and the sound
quality is as high as can be expected.
MixZing even recommends new songs based on the artists you
listen to stored on your device and will play random selections
flawlessly from its server. Even cover art and ID3 tags are handled
automatically by being dragged from the service, keeping all but
your most obscure songs and albums neat and tidy. The equaliser
provided works as well as can be expected, though regular
warnings will appear informing you how high settings will cause
issues with your phone making the feature a little redundant.
Unfortunately, however, MixZings biggest flaw is in its pricing.
Despite paying a high price for a media player there are free ones
that do the same just as well youre still left with adverts regularly
at the bottom of each screen. If you are looking for a media player,
it may be worth trying the free version first and seeing if its to
your liking.

Its a good app, but you might be


able to get ones that do the same
for free

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Theres no complaint when it comes


to the sound quality

Price: 2.99/$4.90 Developer: Shazam Entertainment Limited

Shazam Encore

Never forget the name of a song

Discovering music is easier than ever before with


Shazam. At the touch of a button the app will listen,
detect and tell you what the song is, who sang it
and which album its from.
Shazam works in tandem with the Amazon MP3 app,
enabling tagged songs to be bought directly from Amazon and
downloaded to your phone or played through Spotify. Not to
mention the extra links to the artists discography, any upcoming
tour dates and related YouTube videos. Then theres the widget,
which sits neatly on the home page for instant tagging.
People paying for the app will be rewarded with unlimited
tagging and the removal of ads, as well as earning song
recommendations based on the most recent tags. Whether
thats worth purchasing depends on just how much tagging
and sharing with your friends you decide to do. Try the free
version first, and see just how impressive this app really is.

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36 Android App Directory

Shazam is easy to use


and the interface is clean

The app will


identify almost
any song you
throw at it

Entertainment/Music

PS3 Trophies PRO

Android

Price: 1.22/$1.99 Developer: Nicolas Ortiz

Now you can show off through your phone


Having all the features of the PlayStation Network is
one thing, but this app has so much more. It has
everything you might need: messages with your
friends, keeping track of who is online, viewing your
most recent Trophies and even comparing them with your friends
list. Its presentation is decent too, opting for stylish panels and all
Trophy icons as your navigate the various menus. While the basic
layout is a little lacking, theres enough effort and quality gone into
the app that makes it well worth the asking price.
Theres even a general group chat for other users of the app,
though this is perhaps a suspect addition that is less necessary and
could be used in a negative way by unpleasant users. Still, if youre
a social type always looking for new people to play online with, its
an excellent feature.
However, in an effort to cram all these features into the app,
the developer Nicolas Ortiz has opted for a rather cluttered
appearance a similar complaint of his Xbox Live equivalent of
this app too.

This is a great app if youre a


big fan of Trophies

Rating

The appearance is rather cluttered and can


be confusing

Spotify

Price: Free Developer: Spotify, Ltd.

Get your music on the move


Spotify has already been making a name for itself
across the internet, offering users a wealth of songs to
listen to and add to their playlists. It only seems
natural, then, that an app should be made to
compliment the service.
While you can sync the app with your PCs Spotify software,
thereby adding a stream of songs available to you, to get the full
use of the service through your phone you will need to subscribe
to a premium package for a monthly fee. Once done you can
search through and add any of Spotifys songs to your phone,
listen to them on the go or prepare an offline playlist ready to use
when out and about saving on those 3G charges.
The app itself is very stylish and well presented, and its functions
all work as smoothly and cleanly as you might expect. However, its
still quite limited by requiring the monthly subscription so you
have to ask yourself, is Spotify worth your money? If it is, then this
app is a perfect compliment to the service: otherwise, its probably
not worth it.

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The app does require a monthly


subscription, which you have to
decide if you use it enough to make
it worthwhile

There are a wealth of top tracks available at


your fingertips

Android App Directory 37

Android

Entertainment and Music

Price: Free Developer: Nullsoft, Inc

Price: Free Developer: Jango.com

With the Winamp app you can sync all your


PCs music collection to your phone to listen
to on the go without struggling with the
interface at all. Additionally, there are a ton of
extra features, such as more than enough free,
streaming podcasts to keep you entertained until the end of
days, so you dont even have to rely on your own music library
to break the silence. As said, all of this is built into a very slick
and well-presented interface that wont give you any problems
navigating the options. Simply put, this is the only media
player you need.

Jango Radio plays custom playlists based


on your decisions, all free and streaming
through Jango.com. The fact that its free
will obviously be the biggest appeal to
Android users but unfortunately, its not
perfect. While the music plays just fine, the overall presentation
and a handful of bugs slightly let down the experience. Jango
Radio is an interesting app, especially for those who like to
explore new music rather than rely on old album favourites,
but its a largely uninspiring way to execute what should be
a vibrant, thrilling idea. Even so, youll get plenty of mileage
from this app.

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Winamp

Price: 2.63/$4.31 Developer: idkom

Audio Recorder
Machine

There are plenty of audio recorders available


on the Android Market, so you have to stand
out among the crowded competition in order
to capture your audience. Unfortunately Audio
Recorder Machine does nothing special to
separate itself from the better recorders available, especially
the ones that are free, so its lackluster layout and overly simple
design makes it impossible to recommend even though it
performs its one task well enough. Its not worth the high
asking price either as a professional recorder or dictaphone.

Jango Radio

Price: 3.10/$5.08 Developer: Contrasonic

Chordbot Pro

This is a great app for the budding songwriters


out there. Chordbot Pro enables users to string
together a variety of chord progressions to
craft the tune you want, whether its a carefully
orchestrated masterpiece or a chaotic mess of
bum notes and noise. This lets you do just that on the move,
with a slick and clean interface that is necessary for its use. It
could do with a few extras as the price is certainly nothing to
be sniffed at, but what it does is really well put together. Its
definitely a fun app to play around with for both seasoned
songwriters and those who cant play a single note.

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Price: 0.92/$1.51 Developer: Akop Karapetyan

Spark 360

Spark 360 proves that sometimes it is worth


paying for an app over the free alternatives.
There are a number of Xbox Live based apps,
but none are as smoothly presented or as
functional as Spark 360, which enables you
to check the online status of your friends, send and receive
messages and even view your Achievements, all within a
simple layout. Essential for Xbox 360 owners and especially
those who have hooked their console up online, where
the world of friends lists and Achievements plays a much
bigger role.

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Price: 18.47/$30.26 Developer: Sling Media Inc

SlingPlayer Mobile

The idea behind


SlingPlayer Mobile is to
enable users to connect
to their SlingPlayer DVR
devices from anywhere
with an internet connection, letting
you watch TV content on your phone.
However, at a rather gruelling price
which we feel should come free for
anyone with access to the device its
simply not worth it.

Rating
Price: 0.92/$1.51 Developer: Nicolas Ortiz

Xbox Live Statistics


Theres nothing inherently wrong with the
Xbox Live Statistics app, as it allows you to
view your friends list, Achievements, messages
and the like within its slightly clunky interface.
Its only real issue, albeit a fairly significant one,
is that it simply isnt as good as the competition. In fact, Spark
360, which we have also reviewed here, is a much slicker and
less confusing app and all for the same price. Xbox Live
Statistics has some well-presented effects, but for the most
part appears cluttered compared to its rivals and thats why
were giving the nod to Spark 360 over this effort. An okay app
thats just pipped to the post.

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38 Android App Directory

Rating
Price: Free Developer: IMDb

IMDb Movies & TV


Dont pretend youve never heard of IMDb.
The valuable and ever present internet movie
database has been cleverly built into this app,
which searches the website for the information
youre after, whether its the actors in the film
youre watching or the memorable quote youre trying to
remember. The menus are easy to navigate and the search
function is quick, making this as mandatory an app as the
website is useful. A must-have to save those annoying I cant
remember who he is! conversations that inevitably crop up
during films.

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Entertainment and Music

Price: Free Developer: TuneWiki

TuneWiki Lyrics
with Music

With so many media players on the Market,


its nice to see one with something of a
unique selling point. While you can still play
your own music through here, as you might
expect, the beauty of this app is the lyrics
software that can detect a song as you listen to it whether
through the software or other means down to the very line
its up to and actually start following along. Impressive tech
and a well-made app which is far more accurate than you
may initially suspect.

Price: Free Developer: Blizzard Entertainment, Inc

Battle.net Authenticator
Key fobs are available that can be bought that
do the very same as thing as this free app. The
idea is that Battle.net Authenticator creates a
randomly generated code to use in addition to
your regular password, giving your Battle.net an
extra layer of security to protect it against unauthorised access.
And really thats all there is to it. Its something those with
Battle.net accounts should really consider given its simple,
effective and free and by that, we mean World of Warcraft
players. Better to protect your account now than lose than
level 70 character youve been grinding for all this time

Rating
Price: Free Developer: Google, Inc

Androidify

Theres little use here, but thats not to say its


not charming. Recreate the famous Android
dude you know, the squat green alien in
your own unique way by picking from a
large range of varied clothing, colours and
accessories. The crafted droids can even be used as social
media or contact images, spreading that Android word and
proving your allegiance. Its a classic example of the sort of
app you think would be useless until you try it yourself and
then you find yourself locked into see what configurations
you manage to come up with. More importantly, you want to
see what others come up with too. Very clever, Google.

Android

Rating
Price: Free Developer: mToy

Phit Droid

This charming puzzler is simple enough,


requiring you to slot various shapes together
to complete different sized squares and
rectangles. Given its bursting with over
12,000 different puzzles, you can be certain
there are enough puzzles to last you quite some time beyond
the bus journey home. The fact that its free and supported
by ads to compensate doesnt make much of a difference
here either, as the advert is usually well away from the puzzle
action itself. Since the shapes dont ever vary, however, it may
get repetitive way before you make a dent on the mass of
levels available.

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Price: 0.82/$1.34 Developer: Tatsuo Nagamatsu

Price: 1.84/$2.99 Developer: Infolife LLC

This is actually an add-on to the free app


Raziko which we have also reviewed, and so
many of the issues from the main Raziko app
unfortunately can be found here as well. The
extension itself unlocks as many radio stations
as you like, and as you might expect, removes any ads from
the app as well. If you find yourself using Raziko a lot, then its
perhaps worth considering this, given its not too expensive
and youll have clearly learned to live with the faults given
your heavy usage of the app. Otherwise, you probably
neednt bother.

If your songs are missing track information


such as artist, album or even cover art then
its because the ID3 tags havent been correctly
set up by whoever created the original file. If
your current media player cant help, and they
often cant, then this is the app for you which searches and
adds in necessary tags. Its very basic and not much to look at,
but gets the job done without forcing you to do the legwork
in finding the necessary data and entering it in manually. Note
that the more obscure, underground stuff you have in your
music collection, the more iTag Pro is likely to falter trying to
collect the info.

Raziko Extension

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Price: 3.25/$5.33 Developer: Beatronik

iTag Pro

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Price: 0.87/$1.43 Developer: Pedrocorp

DJ Studio

Any kind of mixing software


is only going to be for fun
on a phone, but this is
as close as they come to
being professional. Its has
all the necessary information available
for budding DJs to mix their own tracks
together, and even enables playlists to be
uploaded to SoundCloud. It lacks any kind
of tutorial, however, making the patient
jockey the successful one. Worth the
higher-than-usual price.

Rating

Robotic Guitarist
Without multi-touch use available, this app
doesnt truly achieve what it sets out to do:
to teach you guitar chords. The basic layout
doesnt help matters much but when string
touches may regularly result in a bizarre
popping sound that is nothing like how you want a guitar
to sound, its clear its not been optimised very well, let alone
accounting for clumsy fingers swiping at the screen. Not really
worth it then, though a free fully-featured version is available
if you want to try it first before deciding whether its worth
paying for the full version.

Rating
Android App Directory 39

Android

Entertainment and Music

Price: 0.87/$1.41
Developer: Jaytronix

Price: 3.50/$5.70
Developer: Jaytronix

Price: 1.32/$2.15
Developer: BrainCrash Soft

Price: 4.31/$7.22
Developer: NomadicWhales.com

FourTracks PRO

A.D.A.M.

As a pocketsized multitrack
recorder, Music Kit has a lot
going for it, including a
metronome for timings and
a guitar tuner that works ably
from the microphone. Of course such a small
package means there are compromises,
and wont substitute PCbased software.
Otherwise, it's recommended.

It has a number of
profiles available and the
customisation of every single
volume output your phone
is capable. This is its only
real use, so if youre quite happy managing
volume through your phones standard,
in-built software then theres no real reason
to get this.

A rather budget appearance


and limited functionality
bring down what could be
a fairly competent music
recorder. The good sound
quality and the ability to import tracks,
however, help to improve matters, though
its highly recommended that you try the lite
version first.

Brief moments of fun can be


garnered from this App as
you tap out tiny piano beats
over a handful of samples.
Unfortunately theres little
more to it than that, but what more could
you expect from a replica piano on your
phone? A decent idea, but one that is shortlived thanks to lack of content.

Music Kit

Volume Ace

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Price: 1.32/$2.15
Developer: TVK Development

Price: 0.61/$0.99
Developer: flex friday

Price: 1.32/$2.15
Developer: MoviBot

Price: Free
Developer: carnero

This fantastic little App turns


those buttons on your headphones you know, the ones
that rarely work with any of
your phones software and
enables you to customise them to function
just how you want them to, ranging from
skipping tracks and increasing volume to even
launching specific apps.

This is about as basic as


they come, enabling you
to tap the screen to make
a particular drum sound.
With a budget appearance
and lack of customisation, theres little to
suggest that this should be the App for
you least of all due to the lack of any
real use.

The idea behind GuitarDroid


Pro is fantastic: a handheld,
tactile tool that helps practise
chords for playing the guitar.
Touch screen technology is
made for this kind of use and we commend it
highly. Unfortunately, without multi-touch or
the ability to bend strings it's not quite perfect.
Still, highly recommended for the beginner.

Think of C:Geo as a modernday treasure hunting, with


users of geocaching.com
hiding their own secret stashes
of paraphernalia. The idea
isnt to collect items, but to find a concealed
capsule, while the app directs you through
GPS to its exact location. A great App for
those who enjoy a little exploration.

Headset Droid

Virtual Drums Pro

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GuitarDroid Pro

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C:Geo

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Price: Free
Developer: Gordon Edwards

Price: 3.10/$5.05
Developer: Krugism Development LLC

Price: 5.58/$9.09
Developer: PVRcom, LLC

Price: Free
Developer: William PAUMIER

Its a little weird this one.


Scanner Radio enables you to
tune in and listen to any police
and fire department radio
chatter from around the world
to find out just what kind of nasty goings-on
are happening. If that sounds useful to you or
might satisfy your morbid curiosity then this
app is most definitely for you.

Doesn't really live up the


expectations that sets out
to do. We're pretty sure that
you won't be finding any
paranormal activity. And for its
overpriced fee this is an even harder sell than
any other. Simply avoid.

your smartphone. Except


the high-price including
a subscription does not
warrant the low rent menus and sub-par
construction. This is especially true when you
consider you can usually do the same through
your phones web function.

go wrong? FMY Life takes


those days and puts them into
text form, so other peoples
personal struggles become your amusement.
Users submit their FMY moments, while you
giggle at other peoples misfortune. Enjoyable
enough, if simply presented.

Scanner Radio

Entity Sensor (EMF DroidTV Primetime FMY Life


Ever had one of those days
DroidTV Primetime enables
Detector)
where everything seems to
you to watch television from

Rating
Price: 3.09/$5.03
Developer: JHyperfine Software

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Remote For
iTunes

Price: 2.04/$3.32
Developer: Yuku

HiQ MP3
Recorder

Price: Free
Developer: Amazon.com

Price: 0.82/$1.33
Developer: Widebeam

This app is a basic, but works


brilliantly. After syncing your
phone to iTunes, its wealth of
songs are manageable from
your phone. Its yet to include
Apple TV, but if all you want is to navigate your
music library then this is the App for you.

If youve ever felt the need to


record sound, then this app is a
good choice. Records anything
in high-quality compression
with the ease of dragging files
to and from your phone. Try the lite version
first to check it works with your phone.

If downloading songs from


Amazon.com is something
youve done regularly, then
this app is a necessity. While
you can purchase songs and
albums through the app itself, the beauty lies
in the cloud player which can be used to play
your purchased music wherever you have an
internet connection.

As the official app of the


famous comedy series,
Fonejacker follows the same
idea of letting you prank your
friends over the phone thanks
to various different phrases using his famous
characters plus some brand new ones created
especially for the app. Completely juvenile but
still good fun.

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Amazon MP3

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Fonejacker

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Price: Free
Developer: JiVi & Co

Price: Free
Developer: UChin Kim

Price: Free
Developer: sto-helit.de

Price: 2.18/$3.55
Developer: Beatronik

This free app takes any picture


of a face and well, fattens it
up. Daft and ridiculously good
fun, the in-app camera isn't
always up to the job but taking
a picture normally and importing it works
just fine. It's already proved one of the most
popular iPhone apps.

Whether it's incoming calls or


your own voice, Ultra Voice
Changer allows you to distort
voices with its comedy settings
and record the results. It's a bit
fiddly to set up how you want but as a free
download, it's a great party-piece.

For a free audio book player,


this has all the necessary
features and the required
stability to stand out as
perhaps the only one you
need. Save and restore positions for each track,
separate folders, it's a brilliant little app.

Another app that lets you


mix and match your music
library with a simple two-decks
interface, Pocket DJ Vintage
performs the basics well
enough to provide plenty of fun for those with
extensive music libraries. It can be fiddly to use
but it's a solid entry-level DJ app.

FatBooth

Rating
40 Android App Directory

Ultra Voice
Changer

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MortPlayer Audio
Books (beta)

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Pocket DJ Vintage

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Entertainment and Music

Android

WireGoggles

Price: 0.61/$0.99
Developer: Ubermind, Inc

iLightr

Price: Free
Developer: Myxer

Price: 1.75/$2.85
Developer: Droidsware

There are plenty of photo


editing Apps already on the
Android Market, and this one
is as good as any. By offering a
series of effects most notable
the wireframe effect that highlights any sharp
edges this App enables you to take cool
images with your phone.

This app provides a virtual


lighter for you to play with,
flicking it to light it and can be
interacted with through touch
and by blowing on it. Its as
realistic as you can expect an app like this to
be, but beyond that theres little reason to buy
this one. Try the lite version, instead.

If you have a perfect song


youd like to use as a ringtone,
but find the intro takes far
too long to get to the bit
you like, then this is the app
enables you to trim songs, select from others
pre-made tunes and even match popular
trimmings of your chosen song.

Just switched from iPhone to


Android? Want to listen to your
music but cant get used to
the damnable interface? The
switch would be easier with
this app, but a temperamental interface can
make using the software awkward. It's hard
to recommend.

Price: 1.23/$2.00
Developer: Dozing Cat Software

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aPod

Myxer

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Price: 4.95/$8.06
Developer: On Cue Productions

Price: 1.23/$2.00
Developer: Twanky Deuce Software

Price: Free
Developer: Mick Graten

Price: 1.23/$2.00
Developer: Team Robot, LLC

This is one of the most costly


Android apps, which is
unsurprising considering the
professional talent that has
gone into its creation. Its really
only useful to professional singers, but those
with a decent voice may well benefit too. A
simple user interface and numerous vocal
coach tracks make this handy for any singer.

Theres little to recommend


this app since its use can be
just as suitably handled by any
other media player available.
While it may be fun to take
on car journeys and join in songs with your
friends, you can do that anyway with any
other method, and this budget appearance
and functionless app isnt a better substitute.

There are a few apps like this


and this one is no different.
Take a song, trim it down and
use it as a ringtone, or just find
others and download those. A
slicker UI and the fact that it is free makes this
the best of the bunch.

This is a World Of Warcraft


equipment app. Based on
the website from the same
developer, this app enables
you to look at your WoW
characters gear set and where best to
optimise for your role and current stats.

VocalEase

KaraokeAGoGo

Make A Ringtone
MP3 PRO

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Ask Mr. Robot Gear


Optimizer

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Price: 0.61/$0.99
Developer: Outfit7

Price: Free
Developer: MixZing

Price: Free
Developer: VEVO

Price: 2.63/$4.28
Developer: flattermann

There are so many of these


types of irritating apps that
you literally have your pick of
animals. If you like baby hippos
that repeat everything you say
in a daft voice then get this one, otherwise itll
just be a waste of your money.

This is about as comprehensive


a media player can get. With an
equaliser, automatic cover art
and customisable ID tags, this is
as much like using a PC version.
Its slick, quick and chock full of features its
just a shame its a little confusing to navigate.

You may have already heard of


VEVO, a music video streaming
service from the web. A lot of
effort has gone into making
this free app, so its high quality
interface, slick navigation and impressive
videos means its a highly recommended app
for all music video lovers.

Do you have a Logitech


SqueezeBox or its smaller
cousin, the Touch? If so, then
this app might be of use,
enabling you to control the
hardware with your smartphone, which
reproduces information of the songs playing.

Talking Baby
Hippo

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Price: 3.51/$5.71
Developer: Samalyse

TapeMachine
Recorder
The essential sound recorder.
With a multitude of features
from editable recordings to
desktop widgets and Dropbox
compatibility as well as
easy-to-navigate menus, this is by far the best
recording utility for your phone.

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MixZing Media
Player

VEVO

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SqueezeBox
Commander

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Price: 1.57/$2.56
Developer: Currach Software

Price: 2.47/$4.04
Developer: Christopher Souvey

Price: 2.47/$4.04
Developer: niko twenty

The idea behind Musical Ears


is to tune your hearing to
certain notes, which is helpful
to anyone who has to regularly
sense the pitch of notes. The
app itself is fairly basic and limited, and doesnt
support a wide range of sounds and pitches,
but for the inexperienced tuner, its well worth
taking a look.

As a jack-of-all-trades,
this app seeks to bundle
all kind of instruments
and tools for the musical
person on the move. For
the most part its many pieces will mean it
has something for someone, but a basic
appearance stops it from really excelling
at what it does.

A solid synthesiser with a


number of samples and
features for anyone who
enjoys crafting their own beats.
However, it will take patience
to learn due to limited explanations, but has
an improved Android tablet optimiser.

Musical Ears

Musical Pro

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Electrum Drum
Machine

Rating

Price: 6.19/$10.07
Developer: Uloops labs

Price: 0.61/$0.99
Developer: Dennis Lockshine

Price: Free
Developer: Tatsuo Nagamatsu

Price: 0.82/$1.33
Developer: Lisbon Labs

A confusing layout limits what


could have been a fantastic
portable music studio. Its
a shame since a number of
useful features make it a great
app for musical types. Theres the option to
download other users songs, so just one more
reason why its interface is a disappointment.

As a media player that handles


all file formats, there are no
apps as functional as this. Its
no frills and very basic but
if there is an audio file you
simply have to listen to, then this is the app to
use. We would recommend trying to find one
through other means first, though.

Raziko tunes in to a number


of Japanese radio stations and
plays them for free. Japanophiles will appreciate this,
but unless you understand
Japanese you really wont get much use from
it. Raziko is about as basic as apps come, but
fills a specific niche.

Another app that does exactly


as the title suggests, it allows
you to put your face in place
of actors, rock stars, famous
paintings and more. It either
lets you have a laugh at yourself or others
thanks to the range of offensive options
included but sadly, it's also very glitchy.

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Uloops Studio Pro

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WavPlayer

Raziko

FACEinHOLE

Android App Directory 41

Android

Games

Games

Cutting the ropes in


the right order is how
you complete levels

Its not as random as


Angry Birds, making it
more of a puzzle game

Sometimes, you have to relax.


Other times, you want to pass a few
minutes while waiting in a queue.
Maybe youre getting fidgety
during an advert break. Whatever it
is, there are times when you want to
switch off your mind and switch a
game on. Here are the top picks
Top paid apps

Top free apps

Cut The Rope

Bouncy Mouse

Modern Combat
2: Black Pegasus

Angry Birds

Game Dev Story

Bebbled

Staff pick of the section


Doodle Jump

42 Android App Directory

Order & Chaos

Price: 0.62/$1.00 Developer: Zeptolab

Cut The Rope


The cerebral Angry Birds
Seeing as almost every physics-based game on
Android is likely to earn a comparison to Angry
Birds, heres another one. Cut The Rope is the
thinking mans version of said game, a cerebral
puzzler that also relies on planning ahead and physics but
nowhere near as much luck.
Each level begins with a single piece of candy with several
ropes attached to it and a small monster on the screen. You
have to get the candy into the monsters mouth by cutting
the ropes attached to the candy. It sounds easy but it soon
becomes tricky, as you have to figure out the right order and
predict how the candy will fall depending on what rope you
cut first.
Complicating things are extra elements such as bubbles
that carry you upwards, stretchy ropes and so on. Then there
are three stars dotted across each level, which have to be
collected if you want to show real Cut The Rope mastery. Its
the classic play for a few seconds, waste an entire evening type
of game. Compelling, addictive, brilliant.

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Games

Android

Price: Free Developer: Rovio

Angry Birds
The Avian-Porcine War spreads to another platform
What else can be said about Angry Birds at this stage?
Since its 2009 release, the simplistic physics-based
puzzle game has exploded with such popularity that
even if youve never played it, knowledge of it has
been psychically imprinted somewhere in your brain.
In case youve been living in a well-insulated cave though, Angry
Birds sees you flinging an assortment of infuriated avians at a
variety of protective structures built by spherical pigs, with a loose
plot explaining that the curiously green porkers have stolen a
bunch of eggs from the feathered ones.
The control system is ridiculously simple and intuitive pull back
a bird in a catapult, line up your shot, and let fly. Each bird with
the exception of Reds, a generic cannonball type has a special
function, evolution having clearly weaponised their normally brittle
frames. An additional tap of the screen after firing sees Yellows
gain a burst of speed to zoom through wood, Blues divide into
three to shatter glass, Black bomb birds explode stone, Whites
drop an explosive egg, Greens return boomerang style to
attack vulnerable points, and so on.
However, while it proves addictive enough to try and rack up a
high score and the coveted three star rank on each stage, Angry
Birds can be endlessly frustrating. The physics frequently defy

logic, with structures that should easily collapse and crush pigs
into bacon standing strong with only a splinter of wood holding it
in place. Other times, youll destroy nigh-on everything in a stage
with a single bird and still only get one star. The scoring system
seems arbitrary at best.
Android players also have the dual-edged sword of Angry
Birds being free through the Market (along with its similarly
complimentary spin-off, Angry Birds Seasons and movie tie-in
Angry Birds Rio). On the one hand, we get one of the best games
of the last two years for nothing. On the other, its ad-supported,
with a lingering banner on each level sometimes obscuring your
targets. Those willing to jump through some hoops and access
Amazons own Appstore can choose to buy a non-ad-supported
version for about 2, but otherwise youre stuck with the ads.
Despite the hype, Angry Birds is not without its flaws. However,
regular free updates of new content tips the approval scale well
into Rovios favour, making Angry Birds one of the premier mobile
games on any platform and arguably one of the first games you
should download on your fresh Android phone before you begin
to experiment with others.

Rating

Angry Birds has become one


of mobiles biggest games,
thanks to its accessibility

Your first shot is often crucial so level previews are important to your initial strategy.
Work from the back or begin by clearing the first tower? Decisions, decisions

Android App Directory 43

Android

Games

Price: 0.61/$0.99 Developer: GameHouse

Doodle Jump

A game scaling new heights of weirdness


Doodle Jump doesnt care about things like sense. Its
a game that sees you controlling a besnouted, green,
four-legged mutant, seemingly the videogame
descendent of Q*Bert, as you bounce him higher up
a series of platforms. Why? No one knows. The Doodler just has to
climb higher, like some quaintly-animated salmon swimming
upstream. Maybe, like the salmon, he gets to mate if he bounces
high enough though no matter how high you get, its never
high enough. Maybe bouncing ever higher is a metaphor for the
Buddhist concept of striving for Nirvana, forever unreachable to all
but the purest man or Doodler. Perhaps well never know.
More likely, the cutesy visual trappings of Doodle Jump are
just there to serve the simplistic gameplay mechanic. The default
controls utilise your handsets motion sensors, so a simple tilt to
the left or right directs the Doodlers direction. The screen has
no spatial borders, so bouncing him off the right edge will see
him reappear on the left of the screen a useful tip to remember
to access some platforms. Controls can be set so that a tap of
either side of the screen moves him in that direction, though that
method is best reserved for larger tablets than regular phones.

x
x

The game is highly addictive as you attempt to


beat your high score
There are themed backgrounds to
make things interesting

44 Android App Directory

As you climb, youll also come across the odd power-up rocket
packs shunting you upwards at great speed, trampolines or springs
giving you a boost or propeller hats to gently lift you higher.
However, there are also hazards; black holes that kill you, crumbling
platforms and even the odd enemy floating about. A tap of the
screen fires a shot at the often imaginatively designed bad guys,
and while most can be avoided or taken out with one shot, mini
bosses sometimes appear requiring several hits to destroy, or
exceedingly skillful bouncing to avoid.
More than anything, Doodle Jump is a callback to the early
days of console gaming. Theres not really much to the game,
just a simple, single-minded purpose that offers enough hooks
to keep you returning for that never-satisfied one more go. With
five different backgrounds, each seeing the art style and monster
designs change according to their themes Christmas, Halloween,
Jungle and Space, plus the default graph paper background and
online competitive scoreboards, theres enough variety to keep
you bouncing for a very long time.

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Games

The colourful
visuals add
to the games
enjoyment

Slice your
way through a
variety of fruits
to reach a new
high score

Price: 0.77/$1.26 Developer: Halfbrick Studios

Fruit Ninja

Youre slicing my melon, man


Fun fact historically, ninja didnt exist, at least not
as theyre depicted in movies over the decades. Its
easy, then, to accept the shadowy blade-masters
guiding players against such fearsome foes as
coconuts and watermelons. Theres even the odd strawberry,
waiting to be sliced into pure with a flick of your finger.
Yes, its all a bit silly, but as a framework in which to wrap the
mechanics of slicing up flying fruit while avoiding bombs, of
course it could be worse. Miss any of the edible projectiles
that pop up and you lose a life; lose three and its game over.
Hitting multiple items in one strike gives a score bonus, while
shining fruit activate special features to mix things up. Even
on higher difficulties though, the game often comes down to
frantically running your finger back and forth to hit as many
pieces as possible.
At its heart, Fruit Ninjas cheery visuals and easy challenge
make it better suited to younger players but older ones will get
some entertainment from it too.

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Android

Theres a lot of
green here, at least
it brightens up the
battle

Robo Defense doesnt


do anything particularly
new, but what it does it
does well

Price: 1.85/$3.00 Developer: Lupis Labs Software

Robo Defense

Another prophecy of the


inevitable robot uprising
The touch interface of mobile devices makes
them perfect for strategy games, something
Robo Defense takes great advantage of even if it
doesnt do anything strikingly new.
As waves of robots advance on your hi-tech fortress, youll
buy and place turrets in their way. Destroyed robots earn you
money, but any that get past will damage your bases health.
Placing the various defense mounts is as simple as dragging
them into place, while a second tap allows you to upgrade
them when you have enough funds, turning missile silos into
anti-air rockets, for example. With different upgrades offering
better defence or offence against certain types of robots, youll
have to think hard about how best to distribute your resources.
Thankfully, an uncluttered and simple-to-follow screen
layout allows you to follow all of your stats with ease, and
impressively detailed (if perhaps a bit small) graphics never
help prevent the action deteriorating into a visually confusing
mess. An equally impressive list of achievements and the
option for online play boost Robo Defenses overall appeal.

Rating
Android App Directory 45

Android

Games

Price: 1.25/$2.00 Developer: BitHack


Price: 1.22/$1.99 Developer: Galapagos

Apparatus

Construction gaming at its best

Trial Extreme
Been there, crashed that

The initial levels of Apparatus are so easy theyre


almost throwaway. Set up a simple track of wooden
boards to guide a marble into a pot. Easy! Make a
springboard to fling the next marble up into a basket.
Piece of cake!
Then, somehow, 17 whole days have passed, you havent seen
sunlight, and youre constructing mechanisms so complex that
you have no idea where you started all just to get the next
marble to its designated goal. To say Apparatus is addictive is an
understatement, and if youre nerdy enough, youll be marvelling
at its brilliant use of physics the whole time.
If anything breaks the spell, its the games own tendency
towards imprecision. Placing two planks of wood together should
bring up a hammer icon, allowing you to join them, though this
often fails to materialise. Other similar things conspire against you,
usually when youre one or two pieces away from finishing your
proudest construction yet.
Persistence wins out though, with the freedom to create and the
numerous solutions to each level making this a gripping title.

Another motocross racer meets stunt bike game,


Trial Extreme is one of the best looking in its class,
though the heart of the gameplay isnt much
changed from any similar titles youre likely to
discover on the Android Market.
Controls are tilt-based, though how the game responds to
the accelerometers internal shifts seems arbitrary at best. Its
fiddly and annoying, and takes far longer to get the hang of
than it should. Once you do, youll be able to pull off some
nice trick, from wheelies to back flips.
The game does offer a nice selection of courses at least 60
at present, plus the occasional update bringing more and
the escalation of difficulty is pretty fair. As with almost any
game allowing for catastrophic crashes though, youll soon
find yourself tiring of the proper game and instead amusing
yourself by killing the rider over and over again.
Trial Extreme has its charms, and if youve the patience to
master its controls you may even enjoy it as youre intended to.

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The graphics
are pretty
impressive

Is he going
to make that
landing? Do you
really care?!

Before you know it


youll be constructing
creations that test the
laws of physics!

The early levels


may start off easy,
but the difficulty
soon ramps up

46 Android App Directory

Games

The cutesy
visuals will
appeal to
young players

Youll need
to splash some
cash to get
access to all the
tools and levels
on offer

Price: Free Developer: Psym Mobile

Gem Miner

Is this a hidden treasure?


Who doesnt love prospectors? Actually, most people
probably, especially after their portrayal in Toy Story 2.
As such theyre not the likeliest candidate for a
gaming mascot, yet somehow the designers at Psym
have somehow managed to make the cutesy style of both
character and world work.
Going down the mines, youll dig up coal, gems and the odd
fossil to sell back on the surface, using your funds to garner new
items to help you excavate even further. Your stamina is limited
though, so you cant dig too far in one go, and your subterranean
explorations run the risk of causing a cave in. While each mine
is randomly generated and the game allows for three save slots,
players are in for an unpleasant surprise when it becomes clear
Gem Miner is an extended trailer for its full version, Gem Miner:
Dig Deeper, which will set you back around 1.30. Nowhere on the
app does it make this clear until you start noticing items that are
unavailable in the demo version. Still, its a fun little game, if a bit
confusingly marketed.

Rating

Android

Shoot your enemy


before he shoots you

Its a great game


that wouldnt be out
of place on the PS3 or
Xbox 360

Price: 4.29/$6.99 Developer: Gameloft

Modern Combat 2:
Black Pegasus
Mobile warfare, evolved
If Gameloft was to announce a port of Modern
Combat 2 to one of the home consoles, it
wouldnt be surprising in the slightest to see it
hold its own in a market already dominated by
the likes of Call Of Duty and Battlefield. As it is, as a mobile
game, its ahead of its rivals in so many ways that its not even
a fair competition.
Although the title and even concept is a clear play on the
market leading Modern Warfare, Black Pegasus is resolutely
its own beast same genus, different species, if you will. With
four multiplayer modes (Battle, Team Battle, Defuse the Bomb
and Capture the Flag) catering up to ten players at once,
theres a wealth of FPS action here.
Our only warnings would be that the virtual thumbstick
controls still havent been nailed, and if youre using anything
older than an HTC Desire HD you should forget about trying
to run this its a system hog in the worst way, though youll
understand why once you lay eyes on its amazing visuals.

Rating
Android App Directory 47

Android

Games

Caligo Chaser

Price:1.84/$2.99 Developer: Com2uS

Less time chasing, more time fixing please!

The stereotypical spunky


hero makes an appearance in
this JRPG

With Caligo Chaser, Korean developer Com2uS has


made a commendable but flawed attempt to create
the classic JRPG experience in mobile form. The plot is
your general fantasy affair, giving enough reason for
your spikey-haired lead and his allies to go off and save the world.
Curiously, while touch-screen devices are probably the one
platform best suited to turn-based combat and menus, Caligo
Chaser instead uses virtual thumbsticks and buttons for real-time
battles. Unfortunately, neither are anywhere near responsive
enough to engage in the real-time brawls the game offers.
Its almost a positive then that, while the game has some
dazzling graphics with fantastic character designs and lush
backgrounds, heroes and enemies alike suffer from a terrible
animation frame rate, leading to slow and stuttering movement.
Another tragic downside is its huge file size kiss goodbye to
19MB of your phone storage, as its currently not able to be moved
to your memory card. Theres a lot of sadly missed potential here,
as with a little more care this could have been amazing.

Rating

The action is slow and the frame


rates are often appalling

Price: Free Developer: Magma Mobile

Bubble Blast 2
Forever bursting bubbles

Somewhere between transcendent obsession and


rage-fuelling frustration lays Bubble Blast 2. Like
most mobile puzzles games, its conceit is an easyto-learn, difficult-to-master task and from the title,
were sure you can guess what that is.
Each stage of its staggering 5,500-level puzzle mode gives
you a set number of moves to clear the screen of multi-coloured
bubbles by setting off elaborate chain reactions. However, early
levels confuse with their simplicity while later ones become
infuriatingly challenging. Arcade mode inverts play, the player
surviving as many rounds on as few touches as possible.
Annoyingly, while the ads allowing the developer to offer the
game for free arent too bad, you will occasionally get a Magma
Mobile News icon cluttering up your notifications bar, or offers
to try other games from the developer when you start it up. If
you can overlook the invasive updates, the game is worth a look.

Rating
48 Android App Directory

If you have a
penchant for bubbles,
this game is for you

The cartoon
stylings of the
game will no doubt
appeal to many

Games

There are three different


game types to choose from

Android

If youve got a
device good enough
to support it, the
graphics are great

Theres a selection
of quality cars on
offer for you to race
around in
Its the standard gemsmashing fare we had come
to expect

Price: 0.69/$1.13 Developer: Electronic Arts

Bejeweled 2

A diamond in the rough?

Its a good thing that Bejeweled 2 is only 70p, since


after tricking you with an initial 1.3MB install, it then
instigates a mandatory 25MB download, invariably
taking longer than 15 minutes to download even on
Wi-Fi and making a mockery of the Markets already laughable
time limit for refunds. For most users, whether you like the game
or not, youre stuck with it once youve bought it.
Thankfully its at least a good game, if you like its brand of gemswitching, colour-matching, combo-starting gameplay, that is. If
youve not played Bejeweled, or one of its many (many, many)
spin-offs or clones, well have to assume youre reading this in the
post-apocalyptic future, having found this book in the ruins of the
old world.
With three modes Classic, the general level-based gemsmasher; Action, a time-based challenge, and Endless each
offering a slight twist on the usual game, theres enough variety to
keep you entertained but not enough to make it worth the wait,
the file size or the inconvenience. As it is, the free Bejeweled Blitz
on Facebook is the better option.

Rating

Price: 3.07/$4.99 Developer: EA

Need For Speed: Shift


A very needy racer

You may think that Need For Speed is about


racing one of 20 high spec cars around nearly two
dozen tracks in some of the worlds greatest cities,
each with day and night versions. You may think
its about speeding through a career mode or just burning
rubber through a quick one-off race. You might even think its
about experimenting with a huge amount of upgrades,
customisations and performance tweaks for each of the
motors. Youd be wrong though.
Yes, Shift offers all of the above, and it does all those things
exceedingly well. But what its really about is segregation.
Technological segregation. Because, if youre unfortunate
enough to be slumming it with a device more than five
minutes old, you can expect slow response times, forced
closing and seemingly only on the Chicago track a
memory error that causes a system crash. Not exactly what
you want after spending over 3.
If youre rocking the latest piece of mobile tech bling, Need
For Speed: Shift offers a lot of game for not a lot of money,
and some great visuals. For anyone else, its more like a cheap
banger than a sporty runaround.

Rating
Android App Directory 49

Android

Games

Price: Free Developer: Nikolay Ananiev

Bebbled

Price: Free Developer: MotionX

Forever blowing Bebbles?

Bouncing your way to victory

Another day, another burst colourful gems puzzler


but Bebbled is a bit special. For one thing, its one of
few games to perfectly balance immediately
captivating play with just the right level of difficulty.
Youll scratch your head at many stages, but never so much that
youll want to chuck your handset across the room. For another,
Bebbled is the work of solo Bulgarian developer Nikolay Ananiev;
an extraordinary feat given the depth the game offers.
The basic game mode sees you remove bebs from the screen
with two pokes, one to select the cluster for deletion, another to
confirm, and collapse the field to form larger groups of one colour.
Removing anything above two gems the minimum yields a
bonus, and youll soon be feverishly planning dozens of moves
ahead for maximum effect. A set of Christmas themed levels offer
set objectives clear all glowing bebs, remove all yellows, and so
on that mix the gameplay up a little.
For a free game, its a staggering achievement, and best of all, its
currently ad-free! Easily one of the best puzzlers in the marketplace
despite some fierce competition and there's no excuse not to
check it out given it will cost you absolutely nothing.

It sounds like a horribly unappealing premise. You


control a mouse who leaps between pegs dotted
around the level, bouncing from his tail which
grabs onto each peg. Yet somehow, Bouncy
Mouse proves to be not only one of the best free games on
Android but perhaps belongs in the conversation as one of
the best games overall.
The secret is the bouncing. Bouncy Mouse not only swings
to a stop with some clever momentum physics but also
bounces off any surface that he comes into contact with. The
idea is to negotiate a safe passage through each level, while
collecting as much cheese as you can, before knocking out
the Captain Cat at the end of the level with one final swing. It
combines the clever thinking and planning of Cut The Rope
with the random physics and unpredictable nature of Angry
Birds to create a game that feels like a hybrid of the two, yet
something unique.
There are also plenty of unlockables you can get to dress
up your mouse while the game is stuffed with character,
having more personality than 100 other games available on
the platform. The free version means you have to put up with
adverts, some of them placed in awkward positions, but don't
let that put you off giving Bouncy Mouse a try.

Bouncy Mouse

Rating

Rating

For a free game, Bebbled


manages to stand out
amongst the competition

It has the
perfect level of
difficulty

50 Android App Directory

Levels get tricker as


more obstacles stand in
Bouncy Mouse's way
Bouncy Mouse himself
is adorable, especially
once you dress him up!

Games

Price: 1.81/$0.99 Developer: Kairosoft

Price: 3.06/$4.99 Developer: TBS Games

Conquering the games industry is fun

What is it good for?

Game Dev Story


Here you're a
would-be game
developer
where good
reviews earn you money, to
help improve your next title.
Its a simple premise,
blending strategy and puzzle
elements into an attractive,
playable whole.
While gameplay is
technically merely issuing
commands through onscreen menus, Game Dev
Story is charming and
enticing enough to see you
skipping meals to ensure the
growth of your company.
The pixel art helps Game
Dev Story stand out

Rating

UniWar

A solid turn-based strategy game with sci-fi


trappings, Uniwar pits two armies against each
other on maps consisting of hexagonal spaces.
Although the three selectable races offer no
surprises armoured humans,
warrior insects, etc the depth is
found in combat, with one-onone and team matches..
Online only, the turn-based
set-up and a useful notification
system lets you keep track of
your ongoing battles easily
enough, and although its a
shame theres no local singleplayer option, the ability to have
20 different games on the go
should keep strategy enthusiasts
busy enough.
It's not as complex
to play as it looks

Rating

Price: 0.99/$1.61 Developer: Connect2Media

Price: Free Developer: MHGames

Holding out for a hero? Youll be waiting a while

A true diamond in the rough

Go! Go! Rescue Squad!

Jewels

Jewels may be
a brazen copy
of Bejeweled,
but its free,
small and can be stored on
your SD card. There are a
few things that make it
inferior to Bejeweled; the
graphics are notably
underwhelming for one, but
for basic gem-matching
puzzle gaming, Jewels is
probably the best option on
Android. Four different
modes and online ranking
via the third party
ScoreLoop service arguably
make it the superior choice.

Playing as a brigade of firemen, this cutesy puzzle


platformer sees you rescuing a bunch of selfabsorbed characters from hazardous situations,
usually by picking them up and throwing them to
safety or putting out fires to clear a
route for them.
The biggest problem with all this
shrunken down heroism is that its
incredibly slow, with each move
taking ages to set up and, with
the marker lines for thrown items,
demanding far more precision
than youll have the patience for.
Difficulty in selecting different squad
members when you need to switch
between them make this frustrating
enough and youll want to leave
them all to burn.
Don't let the cute
graphics fool you

Rating

Android

Not up to Bebbled's
level but still quite fun

Rating
Android App Directory 51

Android

Games

Price: 1.84/$2.99 Developer: NVIDIA Tegra Partners

Price: 1.49/$2.42 Developer: Hexage Ltd

Pinball HD for Tegra

Everlands HD

Nothing to see, move along

Ill take an E, please, Bob

Only available on those devices equipped with


NVIDIAs Tegra tech, Pinball HD is really just a way to
show off both the enhanced graphical power of the
hardware and the realistic physics of the game.
The three tables available are all fairly nice designs, though theres
no wow factor to anything the game does no hidden tricks,
no interesting bonuses, nothing. Its almost as if the aim were to
create the most generic pinball game ever. If you have the correct
anaglyph
specs, theres
the option
to play in 3D
but thats a
momentary
distraction at
best from a
resoundingly
average game.
Its pinball just like
youve always known it

Rating

Price: 3.05/$4.99 Developer: Com2uS

A lightweight among heavyweights


Much like Wii
Sports stripped
the convoluted
rules away from
baseball, so too does
Homerun Battle peel away
everything of the sport
besides turns at bat,
attempting to hit as many
home runs as possible. Touch
and tilt controls work well,
trying to predict the pitchers
bowl with the accelerometer
and hitting the screen to
swing your bat. Its
deceptively easy to knock
balls out of the park to begin,
but that novelty soon wanes.

52 Android
iPhone App
AppDirectory
Directory

This game is where


the wild things are

Rating

Price: 1.82/$2.99 Developer: Konami Digital Entertainment

Homerun Battle 3D

Fun to start but a bit


of a one-trick pony

We never
thought the TV
quiz Blockbusters
would inspire
the field of mobile games,
but here we are with
Everlands an adorable
turn-based strategy game
played out on a hexagonal
board. Unlike the quiz, the
challenge is to conquer the
whole board rather than just
a line, by pitting different
animals against one another.
Each creature has different
stats and abilities, giving the
game a Top Trumps feel.
Great fun.

Rating

Pro Evolution Soccer 2011


Fancy a kick-around?
Although Konamis long-running franchise has
enjoyed mobile outings before, this is the first
appearance on an Android device. The chance to
play in official UEFA Champions League and Europa
League matches should please most fans, though it lacks the full
roster FIFA is able to boast. A variety of control mechanisms
ostensibly gives more input to players of various abilities, but
instead it makes gameplay a bit muddied, with no best scheme
though on
a positive
note, anyone
playing on an
Experia PLAY
handset will
be able to
overlook that
problem.
PES 2011 is good fun,
but not without its flaws

Rating

Games

Android

Price: 1.74/$2.84 Developer: MADFINGER Games

Price: Free Developer: DroidHen

Kurosawa never made videogames, but if he did

Really? Are they even trying here?

A nameless samurai, hordes of enemies, RPG


elements and satisfactory controls make this one of
the best action games on any mobile platform. The
real selling point though is the beautiful art style,
evoking Japanese woodbrush painting and running in stunning
60fps. Vengeance is the closest any game has come to properly
utilising a virtual joypad too its still not perfect, and an errant
thumb will see your gameplay interrupted but its far better than
most. Attacks
combo nicely,
and the
puzzle
elements
arent overly
taxing or
confusing.
All in all, a
brilliant game.

Clones of popular games are an inevitability for


Android, iOS and even web development, but
the plagiarists usually at least make some cursory
efforts to be different. We suppose, in swapping a
ninja for some sort of Roman gladiator, that cursory effort has
been made, but even down to the slashed wooden
backgrounds, this is identical to Fruit Ninja. A minor difference
is being ranked on how well you slice each fruit, but its
nowhere
near
enough to
differentiate
it. And, in
truth, how
many fruit
chopping
games do
we need?

Samurai II: Vengeance

Kick some serious


ass samurai style

Rating

Fruit Slice

A fruity app that


seems very familiar

Rating

Price: Free Developer: Yobonja

Price: 1.82/$2.99 Developer: PlayCreek LLC

The RSPCA would have a fit

Grisly title, fun game, happy players

Blast Monkeys

Death Worm
Poor Moki the
hungry little
monkey just
wants some
bananas but is that any
reason to fire him out of a
cannon? Yes, actually, since it
allows for a fabulously creative
puzzle game. Everything is
pretty direct to start with,
requiring straight lines or the
occasional rebound shot, but
soon youll be chaining
cannon shots together,
ploughing Moki into other
contraptions and power ups
to navigate each tricky level.
Fun, bright and entertaining.

One of the best games


for monkeying around

Rating

If B-movie Tremors got a videogame, this would be


it only instead of playing the heroic inhabitants of
smalltown America, youre controlling the
subterranean carnivore. This is, of course, utterly
brilliant. Swimming around in the ground, youll jump out to
chomp down on unsuspecting wildlife, humans and even
vehicles. Get more than one in a single jump for a score boost,
and successful dinners with each jump build chain combos.
To make
matters really
unfair on
the surfacedwellers,
you can
eventually
breathe fire
too. Gleefully
evil fun.
Think Earthworm
Jims evil cousin

Rating
Android App Directory 53

Android

Games

Price: 4.31/$7.00 Developer: Gameloft

Price: Free Developer: InZweiZeiten

N.O.V.A. 2 HD

Red Stone

While Red Stone may be a simple blocksliding puzzler which looks as inviting and fun
as a grey slab, it doesnt really need any frills
to still offer a tough mental challenge, which
it certainly manages. However, with only a
dozen or so stages and only a few customisation options
to freshen things up and keep them interesting, theres not
much here. Once youve solved a stage theres no incentive
to replay, besides giving your brain a thorough battering
from the sheer difficulty of the puzzles involved. Red Stone is
an unspectacular but passable app, especially considering its
available for free.

An FPS scaled down


to mobile proportions,
N.O.V.A. 2 nevertheless
stands its ground
against the likes of
Halo, and looks so good you wont
believe its running on your phone.
Set six years after the first game (with
bonuses for those who played it), this
sequel balances sci-fi storytelling with
frantic action, and brilliant multiplayer.

Rating
Price: Free Developer: Roman Maek

Open Sudoku

The numbers game keeps growing in


popularity, reflected by the fact that there
are dozens of Sudoku apps on the Market.
Even so, none compare to Open Sudoku,
which effortlessly conquers a crowded field.
With 90 games pre-installed (30 each of easy, medium and
hard) plus the freedom to install hundreds more or even
create your own, theres a near-endless supply of Japaneseinspired number crunching to keep you occupied. All this
and its available free of charge. Throw in automatic saves
and the ability to make notes and youll never have to
attempt one on paper again.

Rating
Price: Free Developer: Matt Wachowski

Trap!

Ugly to look at and


confusing to play, Trap!
sees you striking lines
to capture ground on
a grid, avoiding balls
that shatter your unformed walls and
trying to catch power-ups. However,
theres no way to control the direction
of your lines, and as the balls increase
with speed it becomes impossible.
Frustrating, and best avoided.

Rating
Price: 1.84/$2.99 Developer: Polarbit

Price: 1.85/$3.01 Developer: Kairosoft

Raging Thunder

Hot Springs Story


Raging Thunder
looks the part of the
competent racer sort
of a scaled-down Need
For Speed. However,
awkward controls (touchscreen that
doesnt work well and an overly
precise tilt-sensor) make it frustrating.
Tournament modes and great visuals
help but its the sort of game that
would benefit greatly from a controller.

While you might expect a quick re-skin of


Kairosofts better-known Game Dev Story, Hot
Springs Story plays more like a Theme Park
game, placing you in control of both building
and managing a Japanese spa. Your progress
is ranked in an annual report while a slow drip feed of new
customer types, investments and buildings keep things fresh
even after youve spent hours building your spa. While its
certainly playable on a phone, the construction elements
and scrolling backgrounds benefit from larger tablet screens.
Either way, its more than worth its miniscule price for the
amount of fun youll have.

Rating

Rating

Price: Free Developer: Backflip Studios

Paper Toss

Surprisingly high quality visuals elevate


this exceedingly basic title, where you flick
balls of paper into waste baskets, adjusting
direction to compensate for wind from a
moving fan. Despite three difficulty options,
each stage is exactly the same, and success seems more
down to luck than skill. As you might guess from the
concept, its really not the kind of game that packs in any
sort of long term appeal, otherwise youd spend more time
doing this sort of thing in the office. Good for killing a few
minutes when longer games are, well, too long (like when
youre waiting in queues mainly) but thats about it.

Rating
54 Android App Directory

Rating

Price: Free Developer: Creative Mobile

Drag Racing

An involving offering,
Drag Racing has all
the racing and vehicle
customisation options
youd expect to find in
console racing games, albeit shrunk
down. Races are thrilling, with splitsecond timing required to get the
perfect start and shift between gears.
With online races and achievements to
unlock, this is a fantastic game.

Rating

Games

Price: 4.31/$7.02 Developer: Gameloft

Android

Price: Free Developer: Psym Mobile

Order & Chaos Online

Abduction!

If a tenner each month


for Warcraft is too
much, Order & Chaos
might be for you at
2.99 per six-month
subscription, its a much smaller hit
on your wallet. It has outstanding
3D visuals, four races, endless
customisation and hundreds of quests.
However, its Wi-Fi only and demands
a high-spec device for best results.

Take Doodle Jump. Replace Doodler with


a cow. Add four finite difficulty modes of
bouncing a cow to a waiting UFO and two
infinite modes and you have Abduction! Its
not a simple clone though, as obstacles that
boost score or affect the state of platforms pepper the world
and make things a little bit trickier than the game it may
have been inspired by. Though less graphically diverse than
Doodle Jump, its very similar. Abduction! is definitely worth
a try regardless of whether you have tried Doodle Jump or
not, as itll either be a free variant or your first exposure to this
type of game.

Rating

Rating

Price: 3.22/$5.24 Developer: Kairosoft

Grand Prix Story


After games companies and hot springs,
Kairosofts newest and most expensive
anime-styled sim-strategy places you in
charge of a motorsports team, out to win
various championships. The same sense of
humour that infuses the earlier games is still present, as is
the endearing pixelart style which made Kairosoft famous,
but the appeal of the management style gameplay could
well be wearing thin with fans. Still entertaining, especially
for those who havent tried Kairosoft games before, its just
hard to swallow at nearly twice the price given the free
alternatives available.

Price: Free Developer: Rovio Mobile

Angry Birds Rio


More bird-slinging
in this movie tie-in
to Dreamworks
summer spectacle.
Only now youll have
to free captive birds and take down
evil monkeys. Significant graphical
improvements and the introduction
of boss fights makes this more of a
proper sequel than an expansion. Well
worth a look for existing fans.

Rating

Rating

Price: 1.84/$2.99 Developer: NaturalMotion Games

Price: 2.43/$3.96 Developer: Andrey Zed Zaikin

Backbreaker 2: Vengeance

Alchemy Premium

Theres something strangely entrancing


about Alchemy. Its not a game, per se not
in any traditional sense anyway. You just drag
elemental icons around to create new ones.
Thats pretty much it. Look at the screenshot
and you can see how easy and simple it is. Starting with the
classic four, adding water to earth makes swamp. Fire and
air makes energy. Energy and swamp makes life. On it goes,
as you keep building elements ever upwards into new ones.
Theres no point, no reason, yet it becomes impossible to
put down. It is probably a fraction too expensive for what it
is, though.

Stripping American
football down to
a minimalist core,
Backbreaker reduces
the game to a series of
dashes for the end zone. The original
was well received and this graphically
lush sequel reverses the action, as you
try to stop touchdowns from your
rival. Theres still not much here to
warrant a paid app though.

Rating
Price: 1.84/$2.99 Developer: Zynga

Drop7 by Zynga
For one of the most original puzzle games
on Android, Drop7 isnt the easiest game to
understand. Numbered tiles drop on a 7x7
grid, vanishing when you gather a cluster the
size of any one of its component numbers.
See? Not exactly the simple rule set of Tetris now, is it? Even
so, once you grasp its complexities, youll be able to set
off huge combos and it becomes a fiendishly addictive
game. Itll just take you a while to get there and will more
than likely sit on your homescreen untouched in favour of
simpler puzzle games with easier learning curves. A great
game once you get into it though.

Rating

Rating
Price: 2.11/$3.43 Developer: Electronic Arts Nederland B.V.

Worms

Who doesnt like


Worms? Anyone
playing this low-quality
port, thats who. Poor
quality sound and
convoluted controls remove any of
the fun you may remember from the
classic strategy title. The levels and
tactics remain essentially the same
you just wont want to struggle against
this port itself to play them.

Rating
Android App Directory 55

Android

Games

Price: 1.21/$1.99
Developer: Phil Hassey

Pocket God

Galcon

Price: 1.83/$2.99
Developer: Concrete Software, Inc

Playing something like a


shrunken god simulator,
with you exploiting powers
to rule over wacky islanders
with as much benevolence or
malevolence as you like, Pocket God boasts
great graphics, but it seems to be trying too
hard with all the references and in-jokes.

Galcon is a space strategy


game pitting you against
players worldwide. Controlling
planets and attacking others
lets you conquer whole
galaxies. Ten difficulty levels and five modes
provide plenty of variety, though some will
be deterred by the unsophisticated graphics.

Essentially a spatial awareness


puzzle, Nintaii has you shifting
a block around 3D levels,
orienting it until you can drop
it through a hole. It sounds
simple, yet rarely is. It is, however, one of the
most addictive puzzlers available. Occasional
response errors lose some marks.

Price: 1.21/$1.99
Developer: Armor Games

Price: 0.61/$0.99
Developer: ngmoco

Shift Puzzle Game


Originally a web-based game,
Shift makes the jump to
Android. Each monochrome
level is navigated by shifting
between its black and white
halves, forming hidden routes. A steady
difficulty curve make this one of the best
brain-teasers around.

Rating

Rating

Price: 1.83/$2.99
Developer: Mikengreg Games

Price: 0.61/$0.99
Developer: Shadowpuppets

Playing Solipskier is simplicity


itself drag your finger across
the screen to create the slope
for your skier. Achieving high
scores is a greater challenge,
requiring keen attention and sharp reflexes
to best utilise jumps, tunnels and other
obstacles that can boost or ruin your score.

A real test of the grey matter,


as you refract and combine
the component elements of
light using prisms, mirrors,
black holes and more. Its not
the most accessible of games to get into, but
once you do, youll find yourself losing hours
to it at a time.

Solipskier

Prism

Rating

Rating

Rating
Price: 1.83/$2.99
Developer: Namco Bandai

Pac-Man
Championship
Edition
Its Pac-Man thats really all
you need to know. Innovative
multiplayer and a few updated
modes keep things fresh but
there are no real surprises here.

Rating

Nintaii

Rating
Price: 1.49/$2.42
Developer: Hexage

Radiant HD
Not only is Radiant inspired
by retro shooters such as
Asteroids and Space Invaders,
but it has the audacity to be
as good as or better than
them too. Throwing in a story mode, epic
boss battles and joyous splashes of colour,
this is one of the best shooters on Android.

Rating

Price: 3.06/$4.99
Developer: Polarbit

Price: Free
Developer: Com2uS

Price: 1.31/$2.13
Developer: Osaris Games

Price: 1.29/$2.05
Developer: MassHabit Games

Reckless Racing is undeniably


one of the best-looking
and most engaging racers
on Android. However, a
mandatory and incredibly
slow install to your SD card will drive many
to give up before they get to actually play it.
Worth the wait, but still annoying.

The point of Slice It! is to


divide various geometric
shapes into a set number of
segments. While the childlike crayon visuals give this
puzzler a certain appeal, the overly precise
demands will frustrate players, as will the
frequent pop-up ads between levels.

Stunning futuristic racer in the


WipEout mould, with amazing
tracks and fantastic use of the
tilt controls. Five ships with
individual stats and weapons
give plenty of variety over the games modes,
and online ranking adds a competitive edge.
An utterly superb little game.

Old-school platforming
returns, as the cartoony
protagonist navigates a series
of themed levels. Tapping the
screen anchors him to walls,
allowing you to swing around, or attaching
two forms a catapult. Frustrating moments
mar this otherwise fun title.

Reckless Racing

Rating
Price: 0.60/$0.99
Developer: Gamevil Inc

Zenonia 2

Spectacular graphics.
Unrivalled character
customisation. An engaging
story with an interesting
cast. If this were on a proper
console, Zenonia would still be considered a
brilliant game. Some control lag issues hinder
it slightly, but even so, this is a great RPG.

Rating

Slice It!

Rating

Turbofly 3D

Rating

Squibble

Rating

Price: Free
Developer: Trendy Entertainment

Price: 3.06/$4.99
Developer: Namco

Price: Free
Developer: Spacetime Studios

A cutesy approach to
dungeon-crawling, Dungeon
Defenders combines real-time
combat with tower defence
to create a unique experience.
Possibly the best implementation of
multiplayer for a phone game, too.

wrestlers old and new, plus


a robust character creation
mode and console-worthy
graphics make Impact stand
out. All the more disappointing that each
match comes down to a glorified game of
rock-paper-scissors, then.

An open world and diverse


character creation are just the
tip of the iceberg in Pocket
Legends, which offers the
most competent and involved
MMORPG on your handset. The only
downside is that many of the best features
are premium purchases.

Dungeon Defenders: TNA Impact


First Wave Deluxe
An impressive roster of

Rating

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Pocket Legends

Rating

Price: 1.99/$3.23
Developer: measuredsoftware

Price: 1.81/$2.99
Developer: Mika Mobile

Price: 0.50/$0.81
Developer: Mark Line

Price: Free
Developer: Zynga

Those of you old enough to


remember Micro Machines
on the Mega Drive will be
at home with Pocket Racing,
offering the same brand of
top-down excitement. Touch controls arent
terribly intuitive but work wonderfully once
youre used to them. Simple but satisfying.

Anyone familiar with Castle


Crashers will notice similarities
in Battleheart, though this
incorporates more RPG
elements. The biggest turnoff is its file size over 30MB, which some
handsets will refuse to download. If you have
the space its worth a look, though.

trying to get your rocket all


the way into space, collecting
falling stars as you ascend
and avoiding birds, jets and
meteors. Nothing special in the slightest, but
its an acceptable distraction. Make sure you
turn off the awful music, though.

Its Scrabble, but with a


different layout. Its Scrabble,
only played really slowly as
moves relay back and forth
between your contacts. Its
Scrabble, only it crashes far too often. Its
Scrabble, except for the ads after each move.

Pocket Racing

Rating
56 Android App Directory

Battleheart

Rating

Bottle Rocket Dash Words With


Friends
This tilt-based game sees you

Rating

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Arcade
Games

Android

MX Moto

Price: 3.06/$4.99
Developer: Larva Labs

Retro Defense

Price: 1.46/$2.34
Developer: Fruxotic Games

Price: Free
Developer: Sunflat

Although its intention is to


be a speedy stunt racer, with
bike tricks pulled off with
flicks of your handset, more
entertainment is to be found
in the ability to fling the rider around like a
ragdoll after crashing especially since the
game has a tendency to force close mid-race.

Cross Tron with pretty much


any tower defence game
and you have Retro Defense,
bringing a colourful look to
tried-and-tested gameplay.
Unfortunately, the aesthetic style is its
biggest selling point, as outside of the looks
theres very little surprise or innovation here.

Using foodstuffs as materials


in this construction
puzzle adds a fun twist to
otherwise staid gameplay.
Careful planning is needed
to prevent your structure collapsing.
Frustrating but thought-provoking.

Basic doesnt come close to


describing how resoundingly
simplistic Action Potato is. Its
a glorified Whack-A-Mole,
where you poke pots to
catch potatoes, avoiding rotten ones and
aiming for hearts for extra lives. Its not really
good or bad; it just sort of exists.

Price: 1.21/$1.99
Developer: Djinnworks

Rating

Spaghetti
Marshmallows

Rating

Action Potato

Rating

Rating

Price: Free
Developer: Gameview Studios

Price: 0.61/$0.99
Developer: Super Combo Collective

Price: Free
Developer: OKENKO LLC

Price: 3.99/$6.52
Developer: TwoHeads Games

Starting off as an aquarium


sim with a healthy number of
customisation and creation
tools, the real addictive quality
of Tapfish comes with its
breeding feature. Ignoring the laws of nature,
cross-breeding the species in your tanks
creates wholly unrelated creatures.

An interesting take on match


three puzzle games, Wiz Kid
Jr takes great advantage of
touch controls to allow you
to draw the exact pattern of
ghosts each with different attacks affecting
the field that you want to remove. Neat
visuals and chirpy tunes round it out.

Motion-sensing in
construction games is a
mixed bag. While stationary,
it gives delicate control over
how you stack your smiling,
animated block. Moving around, its useless,
each jolt toppling your skyscraper. Sit still,
and this is one of the best of its kind.

Its hard to believe how


much tension Aftermath XHD
squeezes out of your phone.
Armed with whatever you
find, you can only attack what
you see with your torch and the undead
are everywhere. Genuinely scary, it pushes
the boundaries of mobile gaming.

Tapfish

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Wiz Kid Jr

Shaky Tower

Rating

Aftermath XHD

Rating

Rating

Price: 1.83/$2.99
Developer: Kinetic Bytes

Price: 1.83/$2.99
Developer: Jason Allen

Price: 1.99/$3.23
Developer: Herocraft Ltd

Price: 1.40/$2.27
Developer: CatfishBlues Games

An all-encompassing pool
game that includes snooker,
billiards and other variants,
Pool Break Pro offers canny
touch controls with slick 3D
visuals for all games. Online multiplayer with
a built-in chat client is also available, making
this the definitive pool game on Android.

This is really just an average


bowling game with a space
theme, with levels based
on planets in the solar
system. It is a looker, though,
particularly on tablets, and the physics of
bowling have been captured well. Nice, but
nothing to go over the moon for.

Existing somewhere
between Harvest Moon and
FarmVille, this gives you all
the predictable elements of
farm management. However,
outside of using your finger to choose
exactly where to plant seeds, it feels like it
takes its best ideas from its peers.

A mirror universe version of


Geometry Wars, which looks
impossibly similar to it. The
key distinction is that here
your neon-hued angular ship
is capable of destroying enemies, rather than
endlessly avoiding them. A nice twist, to be
sure, but far too familiar.

Pool Break Pro

Rating
Price: 1.83/$2.99
Developer: polarbit

Galaxy Bowl

Farm Frenzy

Rating

Hyperlight

Rating

Rating

Toon Warz

Price: 0.61/$0.99
Developer: Glu Mobile

Bonsai Blast

Price: 1.83/$2.99
Developer: Bendroid LLC

Price: 1.49/$2.42
Developer: Hexage Ltd

It almost feels condescending


to remark on how enjoyable
Toon Warz is its just not
expected that mobile FPSs
will be any good. While the
graphics here are a bit blocky and dated, the
actual shooting action is unrivalled, bolstered
by precise controls. A brilliant bit of gaming.

Bonsai Blast is a cheerylooking puzzler where


coloured marbles roll along
a winding path, waiting for
you to shoot clusters of three
or more to break the chain. Its simple and
addictive, and an unapologetic clone of
PopCaps Zuma. Fraudulent fun.

Its surprising there arent


more adventure games on
touch devices the interface
is perfect for them. Mystique
has so far proven itself to be a
prime example of how good they can be, all
full of compelling plot-based puzzles.

Leading Buka to her happy


place probably sounds more
euphemistic than it is. It
actually just involves guiding
her through space with taps
and drags on the screen and destroying
asteroids with long presses. Its exceedingly
basic and even later levels offer no real tests.

Rating

Mystique:
Chapter 3 Obitus

Rating

Rating

Buka

Rating

Price: Free
Developer: greenrobot

Price: 2.45/$3.99
Developer: Requiem Software Labs

Price: Free
Developer: Chickenbrick Studios

Price: 1.76/$2.84
Developer: Awesome Software

Kumpa almost feels like its


making too big a deal of
what it offers, wrapping up
entertaining marble-rolling
in a hugely elaborate Incan
theme. Assorted obstacles and one-way
systems need to be steered through, with
some creative maps along the way.

A somewhat more realistic


take on Worms, with military
units at various vantage
points, arranged for turnbased combat. Impressive
sci-fi weaponry adds a nice dimension, while
online play and dozens of achievements add
a strong competitive side.

Despite a futuristic makeover,


Cestos is essentially a digitised
version of marbles. Being
multiplayer-only requires a
permanent data connection,
but victories earn you countless accessories
with which to customise your marbles and
avatar. Odd, but just roll with it.

Another WipEout-style
futuristic racer, Speed Forge
plays well and certainly looks
the part, yet overall its a
sparsely populated piece
of software. With only six tracks and three
vehicles, youll find free demos with more
than you get for your money here.

Rating

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Kumpa

Rating

Armored Strike

Cestos

Speed Forge 3D

Android App Directory 57

Android

Health/Medical

Health/
Medical
While not great for
stationary exercisers,
its great for runners

GPS tracking will


help you monitor
your performance

You dont just want to keep your


Android in fighting shape but
yourself as well. You can combine
the two as our comprehensive list
of Health and Medical apps will
ensure theres not a single inch of
flab on yourself or your Android
Top paid apps

Top free apps

Endomondo
Sports Tracker

VirtuaGym
Fitness

CardioTrainer Pro

Runkeeper

Daily Butt
Workout

Pull-Ups

Staff pick of the section


Push-Ups

58 Android App Directory

Pure Sleep

Price: 2.59/$4.25 Developer: Endomondo

Endomondo
Sports Tracker

The best fitness app out there?


Fitness trackers and performance motivators are
ten a penny on the Market, but despite such an
abundance of competition, Endomondo is still
one of the best options out there. GPS accurately
times each performance, with the Time Goal mode training
you for improved results. With a pre-installed list of dozens of
sports, its capable of gauging your responses accordingly
distinguishing between cycling for transport and cycling as a
dedicated activity, for example. Facebook integration, allowing
your friends to comment on your updates, and in-app
playback of your music playlists are both great if you feel in
need of a spot of motivation. The only function that doesnt
really work is monitoring stationary exercises, such as weight
lifting, as it still tries to measure in distance. Hopefully updates
will address that. Its a bit of a toss up between this and
RunKeeper as to which is the best fitness app.

Rating

Health/Medical

Android

Price: Free Developer: FitnessKeeper Inc

Runkeeper

Is the best known fitness app still ahead of the pack?


RunKeeper has been away from the starting blocks
for a while now, initially building a rep for itself over
on iPhone as THE app for tracking your distance
training exercises. While its still one of the premier
options to build your outdoor routines around, it is starting to
show its age a bit now.
The good, first though, which is that where RunKeeper excelled
in the past, it still does. Tapping into the GPS functions of your
phone, the app will precisely track your progress in everything
from cycling to downhill skiing, though its greatest strength is still
in monitoring running. It will also keep a record of all your activities,
including time of day, distance covered, average minutes per mile
over that distance, and then combines all that info to work out the
number of calories burned. Each time you use the app, a Google
Maps record of the route you took is generated and saved for your
evaluation purposes afterwards. These can then be stored in your
account on the RunKeeper website.
The link-in with the site is one of the core functions of
RunKeeper, in fact. While the app can be used without setting up
a free account there, doing so does enable some added functions,

such as RunKeeper Live. Online, it also allows you to investigate


your long-term development in much greater detail, get involved
in RunKeeper-based Fitness Classes, and link the app to your
foursquare account and yes, there are extra badges to be earned
for doing so.
However, there are a few functions that more recently
developed rival sports apps offer that RunKeeper still hasnt
implemented itself. The most obvious is the inability to access your
music library in-app. Yes, you can have a music player running
in addition to RunKeeper but having to switch between apps is
an inconvenience at best and an interruption to your workout
(affecting your time and performance record) at worst. On a
shallower front, its also become drab-looking in comparison to
some flashier newcomers. On a more practical but related note
and like any dark-hued app it can become difficult to actually
read the screen in direct sunlight. Those quibbles aside, for a free
fitness app RunKeeper still cant be beaten though a more fully
featured update wouldnt go amiss in the near future.

Rating

x
x

GPS tracks the route that you take whether


running, cycling or even skiing
Information such as time taken and
distance covered is recorded and stored

Android App Directory 59

Android

Health/Medical

Price: 2.45/$4.02 Developer: Appventive

ICE: In Case of Emergency


Entirely contrary to purpose

In recent years, old-fashioned medical alert bracelets


pieces of jewellery bearing important notices about
any health problems that the wearer might have
have given way somewhat to USB versions. A more
high-tech offering, they allow patients to carry much more
information with them about their medication needs, allergies,
pre-existing conditions or anything else that someone attending
to them in an emergency may require.
Thats essentially what the ICE app is; a way of storing all your
medical and healthcare information on the everyday item youre
most likely to have on your person you at all times your phone.
Initial set up requires you to list your basics, such as name, height,
weight and blood type, and then its up to you how much
additional info is required.
Its not terribly intuitive though and the touchscreen is barely
used (youll select a category by touch but then have to hit menu
to be able to edit anything) but battle through and you can list
a wide range of conditions, what treatment youre currently on,
what treatment youd need in a crisis, and so on. Itll even record
your NHS number, contact phone numbers and insurance details

x
x

All your emergency contacts, as well as NHS


number and vital statistics can be accessed easily
Each time your mediation is changed,
update ICE with dose details

60 Android App Directory

literally whatever you might need someone to know in a worst


case scenario.
However, while it might be useful and may well store an
incredible amount of information that far exceeds anything that a
medical alert bracelet can, theres one if youll excuse the term
fatal flaw with ICE: the emergency responder likely wont know the
data is there in the first place.
Even though the software can display the relevant info without
unlocking your phone, youd need to be in a position to either
get to your phone yourself, gasp a desperate Phone! clue to a
hypothetical paramedic and hope he doesnt think you just want
to update Twitter with Totally having an anaphylactic shock lol!
or be in the company of a friend or family member who is aware
of both your needs and that you have ICE installed. If you are, its
then questionable as to why youd need ICE in the first place. As a
free app, this would be a useful back-up or personal reference for
your own purposes at best. As a paid one, its pointless, a waste of
money, and definitely not to be relied on.

Rating

Health/Medical

Android

Price: 6.15/$10.97 Developer: WorkSmart Labs

CardioTrainer Pro
A top-notch fitness companion
Ailments and possible
cures are listed

We recommend you
see a doctor first

Price: Free Developer: Epocrates

Epocrates

Identify medication
by pill type

Like installing a really nosey


doctor on your phone
One of the main rivals to US-based health database
WebMD, Epocrates has actually been in the mobile
app space for a while longer and is making the
same kinds of mistakes. A mandatory sign-up with the
Epocrates web service denies quick and easy access, and offers no
indication of why, exactly, you need to sign up in the first place.
Once you have indeed, if you choose to at all, rather than just
uninstalling the program straight away you will at least find a
phenomenal amount of medical information, right down to what
certain pills should look like. Ability to search by symptoms or
affliction name helps find whatever youre looking for, though with
this clearly targeted at healthcare professionals its not likely to be
of great use to everyday users.
The biggest problem is that even for someone with the
appropriate training or knowledge base, a lot of the information is
regionally specific to North America different drug names and
even terminology rendering it confusing to British readers.
Between registration woes and Amerocentricism, Epocrates simply
isnt worth the hassle.

Rating

Straight to the point: this is a fantastic piece of


exercise software. In fact, its more than just
software its a full suite of features that provides
near enough everything that you could need to
plan and monitor your workouts, covering everything from
running to yoga.
For regular workouts, theres a nice colour-coded planning
function, and videogame style achievements for hitting certain
targets of calorie burn. Your music playlist is automatically
integrated and it even supports bluetooth headsets, so you
dont need to hold your phone while exercising. Interval
training the current love affair of the fitness industry is
heavily pushed, though each stage just sort of starts, with no
slow down/speed up warning. Youll also be able to track your
progress, monitoring weight loss and performance, with clear
indicators of improvement.
The only downside is how inconvenient it is to get the Pro
version working you need to install the free version then
purchase an upgrade. With the freebie version being severely
stripped down, basically only offering run tracking for outdoor
workouts, you really should just be able to buy Pro outright.

Rating

You can easily monitor your


cardio training

The interface
makes your
workouts much
more interesting

Android App Directory 61

Android

Health/Medical

White Noise

Price: 1.22/$2.00 Developer: TMSOFT

Hippy claptrap or sleepy science?


The idea of white noise ambient background
sounds that you dont consciously listen to aiding
sleep is a bit vague, striking as something removed
from science and falling somewhere between new
age healing optimism and what can it hurt? curiosity.
Its into that latter category we fell when presented with the
White Noise app. So, with more than a modicum of skepticism,
we fired it up and left it on as we dozed off one night. Of the 40
different tracks on offer, we played it safe and went for Extreme
Rain, plugged the phone in to charge overnight. Then, much to
our surprise, we awoke feeling considerably refreshed.
Its hard to objectively view the success though, as theres
possibly an element of a placebo effect at play; that is, you think it
will work, so you sleep better. And frankly, some of the sounds
including, ironically enough, white noise itself are so painful on
the ears we doubt anyone could drop off to them.
Even though hitting back often exits the app White Noise may
be worth a try, particularly if youre already open to the concept.

The soothing pitter patter


of rain will either calm you or
make you visit the toilet. Lots!

Rating

Going to sleep hearing the waves lap the


shore will make you think you're on holiday

Baby ESP

Price: 3.06/$5.02 Developer: Hewitt Software

Whatever happened to the parents?


Babies are, by their very nature unpredictable,
unintelligible heaps of wants and needs. Theyre also
adults-in-training, and just like anyone you know
whos old enough to control their bowels and dress
themselves, babies are individuals even twins will differ from
each other. So anything claiming to let you know exactly what
your baby needs seems dubious at best.
While Baby ESP lets you store all sorts of information about your
childs life from medicine schedules to how long breast feeding
is taking it just comes across as a really creepy roboticising of
childcare. Any parent who needs an app to know at a glance
the time since babys last meal, nap or diaper change probably
should have thought a bit more carefully before having a kid in
the first place. Weird detachment aside, children are hard work and
very time consuming, as any parent will tell you. The chances of
wanting, or even remembering, to enter the time you last threw
a poop-filled nappy away is minimal at best. If you have time to
fiddle with this, you should probably go check on your baby

Rating
62 Android App Directory

In the grand scheme of things,


the amount of time a baby takes to
feed will tell you nothing

Map every action, meal and motion that your


baby has each day

Health/Medical

Price: 2.99/$4.90 Developer: Fenlander Software Solutions

Ultimate Weight
Watchers Diary All about the numbers

Price: 1.22/$2.00 Developer: Guy Hoffman

C25K Pro

Bland and boring no motivation to run at all

Some colourful visualisations of your weight-loss


aside, this is a very stern app, all boring text boxes
and numbers which isnt great for anyone trying to
lose weight and looking for motivation. Its good at
what it does though, and as that
involves tracking a wealth of data
about what you eat, its inevitable
that its going to look a bit dry.
Despite being a third-party app,
its compatible with all of Weight
Watchers points-based diet
schemes, though people looking
to measure their food intake in
more universal terms might be
better off going for an overall
calorie counter.
Although functional, it
looks pretty boring

Rating
Price: Free Developer: Rittr Labs

Push Ups

No app can take the pain away


Rittr Labs has put out a whole mini-suite of
exercise specific training apps on the Android
Marketplace, each of which aims to help train you
up from blubbering weakling to muscled Adonis
through a persistent monitoring of
your ability on a daily basis. Taking a
base reading of how many push
ups you can complete in one go, it
then calculates a system for you to
follow, including rest periods, over
subsequent days. Of course, to see
any improvement requires
commitment from you, but the app
serves as a great guide if you have
the self-control and determination
to stick to it.
Plan your push up work out
program for top results

Rating

Android

C25K aims to get you from sitting on the couch to


running five kilometers over the course of a few
weeks. Each day has a set plan to follow,
incorporating a warm up period and runs of
varying intensities. It requires a lot
of commitment but those who do
will see results. However, the grey
on black
background
makes it nearly
unreadable in
daylight. With
no GPS
mapping, it
pales against
the likes of
RunKeeper.
Other apps do
the same better

Rating

Price: Free Developer: Rittr Labs

Sit Ups But which one?!


This is the only one of Rittrs offerings that poses a
problem to your exercise plan. Unlike push ups, pull
ups or squats, the range of exercises that constitute a
sit up is so broad that a target of doing 250 in a
single session would be feasible for one form, while the same
amount of another would tear your
stomach asunder. With no way to
specify form or factor in added
weights
(stomach
crunches
holding
dumbbells, for
instance) this is
suited to those
who know what
theyre doing
and what they
want to achieve.
A counter for those
who already do sit ups

Rating
Android App Directory 63

Android

Health/Medical

Price: Free Developer: VirtuaGym

Price: 0.61/$0.99 Developer: Daniel Miller

With eight different routines for three fitness


levels, covering dozens of exercises for both
home and gym-based workouts, VirtuaGym
is an amazingly versatile app that covers
everything youd expect an app with such
a name to cover. Animated guides are extremely helpful
as they show how best to complete each exercise, while
optional integration with the associated website allows for
greater tracking of your progress. For a free app, VirtuaGym
out-performs many of its pay-for rivals and is much cheaper
than getting a personal trainer. Highly recommended.

While this application would probably


make Sir Mix-a-Lot cry, that would be from
the workout pain more than anything else.
Daily Butt Workout, as the name suggests,
represents a great option for those wanting
to trim down the area of their derriere. While the exercises
target the whole lower body, they all have some impact on
junk-filled trunks, and can be tackled individually or in one
of two short routines, depending on your level of fitness. Its
ultimately a bit minimalist and theres still the argument that
you cant spot reduced fat, but even so you cant argue with
that price; wed bet our bottom dollar its worth its money.

Daily Butt Workout

VirtuaGym Fitness

Rating

Rating
Price: Free Developer: Medical Joyworks

Price: Free Developer: azuzi

Prognosis: Your
Diagnosis

AnyTimer Pill Reminder


Remembering to take pills, whether its
medicine, vitamins or contraception, can
be a bit of a pain, particularly if you need to
take them more than once per day. Indeed,
it can even be potentially life threatening,
depending on the medication you have to take. AnyTimer
enables you to make multiple customisable schedules for
your meds, which is perfect if youre on more than one
course, and even allows you to add reminder notes to each.
Potentially a literal life-saver for busy people and as its free,
theres no excuse not to download it should you worry
about losing track of the pills youre taking.

Prognosis: Your Diagnosis is set up like a quiz,


with patients presenting different symptoms.
Youll choose which tests to perform and
how to proceed with their treatment based
on authentic medical information, then
choose a final course of action. Its hard to determine who
this is aimed at though, as performance rankings after each
case make it feel like more of a game than an authoritative
healthcare app, which might put some off.

Rating

Rating
Price: 1.22/$1.99 Developer: Tesla Software LLC

Price: Free Developer: Rittr Labs

While its yet another ambient sound


sleep enhancer, this offers a bit more of
a visual flair than White Noise. Indeed, it
looks rather nice and is clearly laid out.
It also claims to train your brain through
binaural and isochronic audio patterns while you sleep;
no, we dont know what those are either. However, for
the same price as White Noise, this does have a better
selection of sounds and music, and gains a point for it.
Definitely worth the money if you have trouble sleeping.

The biggest difference between Squats and


Rittrs other exercise guides is that this one
wants to kill you. The lowest target to aim
for is 100 reps in one session, scaling up to
250 monstrous, leg-burning, butt-toning,
core-enhancing squats. Thats not easy and, as such, only
the hardcore fitness fanatics will have the mental strength
to endure the challenges here, let alone pass the physical
obstacles Squats happily throws at you. Other than a
significant jump in cruelty, it works exactly the same and
just as well as the Push Ups, Sit Ups and Pull Ups apps and is
equally well organised and presented.

Squats

Pure Sleep

Rating
Price: 2.44/$3.99 Developer: MyNetDiary.com

Calorie Counter PRO


As much as good exercise will help with
weight loss, reconsidering your diet in
conjunction with increased physical activity
is just as important to burning off that
excess fat. Calorie Counter PRO helps you
do just that, giving you the caloric value of damned near
anything you might fancy noshing on. Well, as long as it
has a barcode. A barcode scanner, recipe guide and daily
database updates help this cover everything youll need
and leaves you without using the classic excuse of the failed
dieter: ignorance. Its definitely worth the cost just for how
professional and effective the app is.

Rating
64 Android App Directory

Rating
Price: Free Developer: Rittr Labs

Pull Ups

Rittrs fourth offering


targets that most hated
yet satisfying exercise
the pull up. As with its
siblings, it helps build
you up to your target number of reps
through set reps and rest periods,
responding to your feedback after
each session. If Rittr collected all four
of its exercise trainers into one app, it
would be a perfect personal trainer.

Rating

Health/Medical

Price: 1.22/$1.99 Developer: Rodale Inc

Mens Health Workouts

Android

Price: Free Developer: WebMD LLC

Medscape

There have been no


updates to this archive
of largely musclebuilding workouts for a
while now, but whats
here will still provide a good selection
of exercises for all levels of fitness and
ability. Clear photos demonstrate
proper form, and guide you through
the right number of sets and reps to
see results. Effective if a bit outdated.

Medscape might well be the most


comprehensive Android resource of
health knowledge, news and reference.
We say might because the app also forces
registration for the service before it allows
you to see anything, which will likely put a lot of users off
using it at all. Once youre on, theres nothing that would
have needed your personal info either, which is even more
concerning. Given the wealth of alternatives available
some on these very pages we suggest you turn a blind eye
to Medscape and concentrate on those apps which dont
demand such details in the first place.

Rating

Rating

Price: 2.13/$3.49 Developer: UnifyLog

90Droid for P90X

Price: 2.49/$4.05 Developer: MD2 Solutions

Weight Watchers
Diary

90Droid for P90X is an exercise programme


designed to increase your fitness level in
just 90 days. This application both tracks
your progress and guides you through the
rigorous training period but is solely targeted
at those already committed to it, as opposed to anyone
who is just looking to get started. Know what youre doing
and its brilliant; start using it raw and youll quickly be lost.
As such, we suggest this to extend other apps once youve
taken your first tentative steps into the world of fitness to get
the most out of it. Otherwise, itll be intimidating and likely
to scare you off altogether!

Weight Watchers Diary wont be for everyone


but for those who are following the regime,
this is a godsend. Incorporating a barcode
scanner that will instantly calculate the
value of any recognised food according to
their points scheme and auto detection of location (for
differences in UK/US plans), its a very useful tool to track
your food intake according to the diet system. Its not quite
as useful as Calorie Counter PRO however.

Rating

Rating

Price: 1.83/$2.99 Developer: Azumio Inc

Price: Free Developer: Healthagen

iTriage

Instant Heart Rate Pro


We were sceptical that
an app could take your
pulse but, by using a
neat bit of tech with
your phones camera,
thats exactly what this does and
its shockingly accurate too, matching
your heartbeats per minute once
calibrated. However, even adding in
tracking and heart rate history cant
stop it feeling like a pricey gimmick.

A mini-encyclopaedia of medical ailments,


treatments and procedures in your pocket,
iTriage offers users a wealth of information
on just about anything that can go wrong
with the human body. Its useful but also
surprisingly informative, and we were taken aback by how
compelling it can be looking up ailments and their remedies
just for general interest. However, wading through the
content isnt the easiest searching for broken arm, for
example, yields nothing, while fracture brings up far too
many results. Ultimately, it ends up as more of an academic
resource than a practical one.

Rating
Price: 1.83/$2.99 Developer: WorkSmart Labs Inc

Rating
Price: 0.61/$0.99 Developer: Daniel Miller

Racing for CardioTrainer Daily Ab Workout


While we liked the core CardioTrainer
application from WorkSmart Labs a lot, this
premium add-on with a price to match
is little more than money grabbing. It
basically enables you to race against your
own progress, using GPS technology to map your routes
and timing you along them. It sounds like a clever idea,
but once youve tried it, youll quickly realise that its a
feature which should really have been part of the alreadyexpensive CardioTrainer Pro app (6.14/$9.99) to begin with.
Disappointing then and we recommend you stick to the
core version and dont shell out the extra money.

Rating

Like Millers Butt


Workout, this helps
target a specific area
and promises a catwalk
models stomach in just
minutes a day. With two five-minute
programmes or individual exercises,
with tuition from a certified personal
trainer, the effectiveness can be felt
but everything centres on toning,
rather than weight loss and cardio.

Rating
Android App Directory 65

Android

Lifestyle

Lifestyle

With monochrome
style, its a slicklooking app

Whether its cooking, going to sleep


or even a personal interest of yours,
there are plenty of areas of life we
could do with some help in. Thats
what these apps are for as our
Lifestyle section ensures you can
rely on your Android to help you
out in all areas of your life
Top paid apps

Top free apps

Jamie's 20
Minute Meals

Sleep as an
Droid

My Movies Pro

mnuze

Galaxy Tarot Pro

AroundMe

Staff pick of the section


Mixology Drink
Recipes

66 Android App Directory

In The Kitchen

This should
ultimately serve you
better than an alarm

Price: Free Developer: Petr Nlevka

Sleep as
an Droid

Sleep soundly with this app


Ever had those days when you feel you havent
properly woken up? Perhaps youre waking up in
the wrong part of your sleep cycle. The theory is
that while we sleep we enter numerous periods of
light and deep slumber. If you wake during a light period then
you should feel refreshed. In contrast should you rise from a
deep sleep the resulting feeling of grogginess could stay with
you for hours.
Sleep as an Droid is a comprehensive alarm clock app that
measures your movements as you sleep. The idea being that
the less you move the deeper asleep you are. Once you enter
a period of light sleep that is close enough to your designated
alarm time the app will gently nudge you awake. Its a unique
idea but were left wondering how the app copes with two
people sharing a bed and as any parent will tell you, when you
have young children you dont need a fancy alarm clock.

Rating

Lifestyle

Android

Price: Free Developer: Rosewood Aqaurium Studios

Horoscopes

See what the future holds with this comprehensive app


Android users who have a penchant for following
their daily horoscopes are absolutely spoilt for choice
when it comes to astrology applications. With so
many apps to browse through its hard to know
where to begin and what applications (if any) are worth your
money. Weve been trying out a few horoscope apps and for a
balance between features, information and cost we found
ourselves using this free app.
There may be flashier astrology apps available but we found
that the wealth of advice available in Horoscopes is enough to
keep both novice and keen astrologers busy. As expected there
are the usual daily Western horoscope updates which also include
views for the previous day, a weekly summary plus further insights
into character and love life traits. Readings can be shared either
via SMS or email. Theres also a similar set of options for viewing
Chinese horoscopes. If you dont know your Chinese star sign its
not a problem, simply tell the Horoscopes app your date of birth
and it will work out your birth sign for you. Further to the standard
horoscope reading there is also a fairly comprehensive section
dedicated to the topic of biorhythms. These involve three regular

cycles that have an influence over certain aspects of our lives,


the Physical Cycle, the Emotional Cycle and the Intellectual Cycle.
These all last for different periods of time and Horoscopes is able to
track your current point within each cycle. The biorhythm section
of Horoscopes consists of five pages. Theres a summary of all of
your cycles, while further pages offer a visual representation of your
current status for each cycle via graphs. Being somewhat new to
the idea of biorhythms we did find ourselves questioning what the
graphs themselves actually meant, a little information here would
have helped us understand better.
Overall, Horoscopes is an app that is more about information
than features. The UI may not reach for the graphical potential that
other astrology apps achieve but we found the calming blue tint
to be a good fit for the topic involved. Its a shame that there isnt
more integration with social networks such as Twitter or Facebook
but these are perhaps things to be added in further updates. The
important thing is that Horoscopes delivers on the main ingredient
of an astrology app and thats information, lots of it.

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You can also learn and view


your own Chinese horoscopes
Theres a lot of information packed into
this free app, so its good for the curious

Android App Directory 67

Android

Lifestyle

Price: 3.29/$5.40 Developer: Binnerup Consult

My Movies Pro

Sync your DVD and Blu-ray collection online


My Movies Pro is an Android-based extension of the
My Movies brand, a collection of programs that can
be used to manage and categorise DVD/Blu-ray
collections. Using the Android app, your films can be
added to your personal database, the details of which
automatically sync to your My Movies account online. Its possible
to track movies that you currently own, previously owned/rented
or are still wishing to see, therefore avoiding the hassle of renting
or purchasing the same movie twice.
To start using the Android version of My Movies, a user account
has to be created and we found ourselves initially having a hard
time doing this on our Android handset. After a dozen failed
attempts we headed over to the My Movies site only to find out
that our account had actually been successfully created after all.
Once logged in, the main screen contains five tabs, the first
one being Collection. New titles can be added to your collection
simply by scanning the barcode with the camera on your handset.
The extensive My Movies database had no problems digging up
the correct information for our discs and even made easy work of
our imported DVDs. Entries can be displayed in a grid, list or via an

x
x

Seriously, who doesnt own Die Hard? And if


you dont, you need to buy it now!
Store all of your DVD
collection for easy reference

68 Android App Directory

interactive cover-flow interface if the phone is tilted horizontally.


Choosing a title brings up that particular movies entry on the
database with information on cast, release dates, plus trailer and
IMDb links. You can add as many titles as you wish although the
Free version of My Movies will limit you to just 50 entries in your
movie collection.
The second tab in the main window is Persons, a list of actors
and directors that feature in the movies from your collection.
Clicking on a person opens links to a biography and to any of
their films you may own. Sadly, the default view for this feature is a
basic list of names, and having thumbnail images could have really
bought this feature to life. The next two tabs are Releases and
Trailers. The former lists any recent DVD/Blu-ray releases in your
country while Trailers is a browsable list of trailers for upcoming
and currently showing movies. The final tab is Settings which
provides some basic choices regarding data and display tweaks.
For the ardent film fan looking to organise their precious movie
collection, My Movies is an ideal app to use.

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Lifestyle

Jamies 20 Minute Meals

Android

Price: 4.99/$8.18 Developer: Zolmo

Jamie Oliver makes his Android debut

The successful iOS cooking app makes its way to


Android with 60 recipes covering a variety of tastes
and occasions. Whether youre looking to whip up a
tasty soup, a quick curry or a delicious pudding theres
plenty of content to get stuck into and lots of help along the way.
Each recipe is laid out with striking photography, easy-to-follow
steps and video downloads that cover the trickier aspects of each
meal. Theres also advice on essential kitchen equipment and basic
ingredients you should always keep in your cupboard.
Once youve chosen your meal theres a built-in shopping
list function that cleverly breaks the ingredients down to aisles
so even your shopping trips can clock in at under 20 minutes.
Presentation throughout the app is excellent, the user interface
has a classy design and is very easy to navigate. We particularly like
how the recipes can automatically alter the ingredient quantities to
be based on the number of diners.
Whatever your culinary skill, if you fancy doing some cooking
Jamies 20 Minute Meals is a great app to download.

There are plenty of recipes on offer,


all of them tastebud-tingling

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Jamie himself will offer plenty of


cooking tips along the way

Price: Free Developer: Esca Mobile Ltd

mnuze

A takeaway menu for all occasions

Gone are the days of searching through the endless


piles of takeaway menus in your drawers. With
mnuze you can use your handset to browse the
menus of your local takeaways, compare prices, and
order directly from the app itself.
Searches are performed via GPS or postcode and can be
filtered by the type of food youre looking for. Mnuzes expansive
database ranges from the big companies such as McDonalds
and KFC to the more unique local offerings that are tucked away
in your area. Searching for results is a quick process with info
that details the distance from your location, and whether they
are open. Selecting a restaurant opens a new widow displaying
contact numbers, delivery details and the menu itself.
The menu function is excellently implemented, the
information is clear and making alterations to your shopping
basket is easy to do.

Rating

Its easy to use and


will have you ordering in
no time

The app offers a


range of details
for your favourite
takeaways

Android App Directory 69

Android

Lifestyle

Price: Free Developer: Jon Lerner

Bartender

Try these homemade cocktails

Whether you like yours


shaken or stirred, this app will
have the cocktail for you

The menus are both


comprehensive and
easy to navigate, even
after sampling one or
two of your creations!

Price: Free Developer: Digital Outcrop

Mixology
Drink Recipes

Be the bartender you always


wanted to be
If youve ever fancied trying out your untapped
bartending skills then Mixology Drink Recipes
should be the next app on your download list. With
a huge database of almost 8,000 recipes covering
1,300 ingredients, Mixology also includes guides on bartending
terminology and techniques (taking up 6MB on your handset).
More than just a database, this app is also a versatile tool
for creating new drinks. Alongside the standard search tools
theres also a random slot-machine feature for those moments
of indecisiveness. Best of all is the Cabinet function, where
Mixology can suggest recipes based on the drinks you have to
hand, for transforming random leftovers into tasty beverages.
Having found your tipple of choice you can bookmark it for
future reference or share your masterpiece by email or Facebook.
For a free app, Mixology doesnt skimp on presentation; the
menus are colourful, clearly laid out and quick to use. Mixology is
a highly recommended free download.

Rating
70 Android App Directory

Among the many cocktail creator apps on the


Android Market, Bartender takes a different
approach by inviting users to submit their own
recipes. Not only does this make for a unique
collection of drinks but its also the source of some fruity titles!
From the browse window, the drinks list can be arranged
by name or rating. A search function is also included that
will track down recipes containing specific ingredients. The
recipes themselves are clearly displayed, with all the necessary
information available on one screen. On the whole the UI is
a little plain but it gets the job done. If youre feeling creative
you can choose to edit an existing recipe or upload your own
creation. All submitted recipes are subject to a five star rating
from other users, so make it a goodun! Bartender may lack flair
but the unique content makes it a free app worth trying.

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Days Left Widget

Never forget those


important dates again with
this handy countdown app

Team up the Days Left


Widget with the free Catch
Notes app to ensure you
have all the details to hand

Lifestyle

Android

Price: Free Developer: Tweakersoft

AroundMe

Simple location-based searching

Sometimes the
names can sound better
than the reality!

All the info you need


is kept to a single screen

Price: Free Developer: Leihwelt.com

Count down the days with ease


Theres always those times in our lives when we cant
wait for a certain day to come around. It could be the
countdown to a much-needed holiday, the
impending release date of a new gadget or simply
just waiting for the weekend to begin.
With the Days Left Widget its possible to install as many widgets
as you like on your homescreens that can track the remaining days
until that forthcoming big event in your life.
The widgets themselves are easy to set up and offer a couple
of simple customisable tweaks including changing the colour
scheme and adding an emoticon, should you fancy one.
Tapping an active widget brings up a full-screen reminder,
which in turn leads on to other options that include editing the
countdown details or sharing it via Facebook, Twitter and any
other available app on your handset. You can also add notes to
any countdown by downloading the Catch Notes app, which also
comes free of charge. This is a useful feature that can add a fuller
description to a countdown with a generic, catch-all description,
like Going Shopping, for example.

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AroundMe is a search app that helps with hunting


down a certain service in a particular location.
Whether you need to find somewhere
to eat, a bed for the night or the nearest bar,
AroundMe can help you with that and plenty more besides.
The main menu consists of 14 categories to get you started.
Choosing one will list the closest of the businesses of that
type from your current location or any other location you wish
to specify which is ideal for planning trips ahead of time or
maybe during the commute. Theres also a Show Map button
that offers a clear idea of where your results are located in
relation to each other. Individual results can be selected which
will then display the current distance, any relevant contact details
and even a route on Google Maps to help you get there.
AroundMe also has a search function that enables you to finetune your searches too. For example, rather than searching for
all supermarkets in your area, you can search for a single chain
instead if you have very particular tastes!
For location-based searching, AroundMe is a useful app,
designed to get you out of a tight spot while on the go.

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When you're in a rush and


need a certain service fast, this
app could be a lifesaver

AroundMe links up to
Google Maps to show you
the best route and all the
nearest results

Android App Directory 71

Android

Lifestyle

Deluxe Moon

Price: 3.58 Developer: Lifeware Solutions

Get yourself a new look at the moon


For some people, the moon is nothing more than a
piece of rock in the sky that shines down on us at
night and affects the tides. For others its believed to
be a force that carries an influence over many other
factors on Earth such as animals, emotions, blood pressure and
even finances. Lifeware Solutions has put together an app for
those who like to track the moons phases and discover the
relationships that can be found within.
Deluxe Moon is a visually striking app, with its blue-tinted
iconography conveying all kinds of information without
overloading the display in the process. The main screen shows
the current state of the moon based on your location, which is
preferably measured by the GPS sensor in your handset. Swiping
across the moon will skip its status forward or back in time
with a smooth animation typical of the care and attention that
the developers have put into their app. For at a glance moon
tracking, theres also a selection of widgets that work well as
homescreen eye candy.

Every stat you could want is


available, from the phase to which
sign of the zodiac the moon is in

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The moons status at any given


point in the future can be calculated

Price: FREE/3.22 Developer: Galaxy Tone Software

Galaxy Tarot Lite/Pro


Are the cards in your favour?

Tarot cards have existed since the 15th Century, but


it wasnt until the 18th Century that they were used
for divination. The Galaxy Tarot app simulates this
age-old method of fortune telling. Tarot cards can
be picked individually or chosen together to make up a spread (a
particular layout in which the position of each card determines
its meaning). Galaxy Tarot Lite ships with three popular spreads,
while the Pro version includes a further seven.
Galaxy Tarot also includes changeable themes, the ability to
save and share your spreads, and a Card of the Day feature. The
UI is slick but not so over the top that it hinders the readings,
although with many screens to navigate we did occasionally find
ourselves wishing for a shortcut to the main menu.
For Tarot newcomers such as ourselves, we found that Galaxy
Tarot Lite provided a hefty amount of insightful information into
this particular culture.

Rating
72 Android App Directory

The meaning
and significance of
individual cards can be
looked up

The Lite version is


supported by ads

Lifestyle

Price: Free Developer: Mizu Software Solutions

Relax And Sleep

Price: 0.61 Developer: Reactor

A pocket-sized orchestra of silence

A good app yet slightly redundant

If youre the kind of person who needs background


noise in order to get to sleep then Relax And Sleep
is your one-stop background noise creator. The
app includes over 35 ambient noises that can be
played individually or grouped
together with varying volume levels
for each sound.
Theres also a countdown timer
that will mute your chosen sounds
after a set period, and an alarm
function for when youll need to
get up again. Additionally, theres
a premium version, costing 1.27,
which unlocks extra customisations,
but the free version must be installed
first in order to run it.
Who knew that an app about
creating noise could be so relaxing?

Rating
Price: FREE/2.35 Developer: Hisao Kitamura

Alarm Clock Tokiko


Adaptable alarm but overpriced

Alarm Clock Tokiko is designed to go just that


little bit further than the default Android alarm
clock. Using the clearly set out interface, its
possible to group together multiple alarms that
can be activated with a single
button press.
We tested the free version, which
limited us to just two alarms, but
the paid version removes this
restriction. This is a solid enough
app with an intuitive interface, but
as per the difference in download
figures between each version, we
do wonder whether the full app is
ever so slightly overpriced.
Given that Android has a serviceable
alarm already, the price is steep

Rating

Android

Simplynoise

Simplynoise is the mobile app version of the


popular website simplynoise.com, a colour noise
generator that can be used to aid sleep, block
distractions and ease stress. It features three noise
types (white, pink and brown), a volume oscillator to create a
tide-like effect, and a sleep timer.
Much like the website, the app
has a very
basic but
classy-looking
appearance that
translates well to
a mobile display.
However, a
Flash-capable
browser can just
use the website.
Only necessary
for offline use

Rating

Price: Free Developer: Nikolay Ananiev

Tiny Flashlight + LED


Simple, effective, and all in a tidy package
Theres no shortage of flashlight apps, and to be fair
most of them do a great job of turning your cameras
LED into a torch. Just because an app fulfils a simple
purpose doesnt mean it has to look basic, though,
and if youll forgive the pun we took a
shine to Tiny Flashlight due to the
little touches it threw into the bargain.
We very much
liked the stylish
appearance, the
option to add
homescreen
widgets, and the
fun, if pointless,
combinations,
such as police
lights. Worth
a look.

The little touches


go a long way

Rating
Android App Directory 73

Android

Lifestyle

Price: Free Developer: Allrecipes.com Inc

Price: Free Developer: Mippin.com

Allrecipes.com
Dinner Spinner

Gossip Buzz Widget


Miniature gossip widget with big news

Gossip Buzz
Widget is an
interactive
news
application that pulls feeds
from a number of sources
over a variety of topics
including Gossip, TV & Film,
Music, & Fashion so that you
are one of the first to know
the news.
By default the widget
takes up minimal space
but on touch expands to
display something similar to
a scrollable newspaper. Its
a simple but great idea for
news updates.

A superb free cookery app

Amongst the many cookery apps available on the


Marketplace, Allrecipes.com Free Dinner Spinner has
armed itself with a few unique tricks to make to it
stand out amongst the crowd. Theres the brilliant
Dinner Spinner feature, a spinning set of
wheels that randomly throws together a
combination of food stuffs for your dinner
tonight. These choices become the criteria
for a number of recipe recommendations.
Theres also the sheer number of
recipes, well over 40,000 user submitted
suggestions to try out in your kitchen,
and all of them rated and reviewed. Most
importantly not only is this app excellently
produced and easy to use, its also totally
free. Superb!
Let the food spinner
decide your supper

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The latest news


direct to your phone

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Price: Free Developer: Comitic

Price: 1.23/$2.02 Developer: Television Food Network G.P

Daily Horoscope

In The Kitchen

A world of astrology in your handset


With over 5
million
downloads under
its belt this is
easily one of the most popular
Android horoscope apps. Daily
Horoscopes includes updated
coverage of zodiac signs along
with readings for Chinese and
Druid horoscopes. Just input
your date of birth, and it will
tell you your signs for these
other forecasting chart. Its
also possible to look back over
previous readings and share
any favourites via Facebook.
An ideal app for astrology fans
charting their destiny.
A popular app to read
on the way to work

74 Android App Directory

Rating

Get handheld cooking advice from the TV pros


Created by the Television Food Network, this
contains recipes from the networks roster of TV
Chefs. With 20 experts at your disposal, a unit
converter, kitchen timer and shopping list feature,
the app has plenty of useful functions to justify the price tag. It
also sports a slick and informative user interface that is easy to
navigate.
In The Kitchen
is a pretty good
app with some
great features
that place it
above the many
free cooking
app alternatives
available on
the Android
Marketplace.
Get hints and tips
from celebrity chefs

Rating

Lifestyle

Price: Free Developer: Roboticode Ltd

Android

Identity In Christ Daily Bible

Price: 1.23/$2.00 Developer: Mihalich DS Group

Taking the word with you everywhere

Who needs pen and paper when you have this?

Private Diary (Free)

Identity In Christ is a free app that provides a daily


Bible verse on your Android handset. Clicking on
your verse opens an expanded view which allows
you to choose links to other translations online or to
see the whole chapter. Should you
wish for more verses to guide you,
you can simply click through the app
to read more.
Verses can be shared with others
via email, SMS or copied into the
clipboard for sharing with other apps
(Facebook, Google+, Twitter etc).
A selection of widgets are available
as is the option for the app to make
use of the notification bar.
When you're feeling
spiritually down, a daily
verse can put you right

Rating

Available in both free and paid versions, Private


Diary is an Android version of your personal diary.
Keeping a daily journal on your handset may not
seem as worthy as the traditional pen & paper
diary approach but there are some
benefits to be had.
For a start its possible to
password protect your diary so you
can feel safe that your thoughts
and appointments stay secret. Its
also possible to categorise entries
and back them up to an SD card.
The full version includes different
diary theme options, photo
attachment features and exporting
entries via email should you lose
your phone.
Keep track of
your appointments

Rating

Price: 1.17/$1.92 Developer: Daniel Velazco

Price: 4.34/$7.12 Developer: XXXchurch.com

Design your own Android bedside clock

Keep tabs on those surfing habits

Bedside

If you rely on your handset as an alarm clock but


find the default options slightly lacking then
Bedside could be an app of interest. Designed to
work alongside your default alarm, Bedside allows
alterations to the letters, icons and
backgrounds that appear on your
display overnight to help create
your own unique bedside clock.
Theres also a Bedside Mode where
your handset monitors a whitelist of
calls allowing only certain contacts
to reach you at night. Combined
with the added talking-clock
functionality and the built alarm to
appear in a future update Bedside is
a very accomplished overnight app.
Making waking up more interesting

Rating

X3 Watch Accountability
Given the fact that thanks to smartphones were now
able to carry the entire Internet around in our pockets
virtually anywhere we go, it stands to reason that
theres a murkier side to web browsing that we may
want our loved ones to avoid.
X3 Watch Accountability keeps
track of the browser activity on
most handsets and sends an email
alert to a nominated sponsor if
any unwarranted web browsing
takes place. Great for monitoring
your children's phones.
It is designed to be always
on and fully automated but the
developers have managed to
keep the app lightweight and
unobtrusive so it doesnt get in the
way of your daily phone use.
Keep an eye on
internet activity

Rating
Android App Directory 75

Android

Media/Communication

Media/
Communication
All your favourites
and subscriptions will
appear in the app

The landscape view


is clearly superior for
watching video

Your Android will naturally keep


you in touch with the world, but it
has potential to be so much more
than that. Here are the apps you
need to help transform your phone
into your personalised media and
communications hub
Top Paid Apps

Top Free Apps

AudioManager
Pro

WhatsApp
Messenger

Sketchbook
Mobile

Dolphin
Browser

XDA Premium

YouTube

Staff pick of the section


File Cover

76 Android App Directory

Tivo Remote

Price: Free Developer: Google Inc.

YouTube

The de facto online video


service goes mobile
Google owns YouTube and Google develops
Android, so who better to create the official
Android YouTube app? The number of features
included is on a par with the desktop experience
and in some ways the interface is preferable because it offers a
lot more personality than the slightly bland website. Besides
the expected inclusions such as favourites and full screen
playback, you can also view videos within a web page without
jumping to the app. This makes it feel like an integrated part of
the OS rather than a standalone app and improves the general
performance of video streaming. Add to this a homescreen
widget that displays the latest videos and offers a personalised
video feed and the entire experience feels much more
complete than the competition. It is hard to criticise an app
that is easier to use than the desktop service it is derived from
and we have no problem in recommending this as the very
best YouTube client available for Android.

Rating

Media/Communication

Android

Price: 1.86 Developer: JRTStudio

iSyncr for PC

iTunes is alive and kicking on Android thanks to iSyncr


If iOS has one major advantage over the Android
platform, its iTunes. The software provides seamless
access to a huge library of music and, even better,
allows a desktop and an iPhone to keep perfectly in
sync. This integration makes music management a thing of the
past. Unfortunately, on Android the process can be long-winded
and haphazard at best.
iSyncr is a solution that stands up well against all of the
media-centric competition and brings a high degree of playlist
management to the Android platform. It uses iTunes on a desktop,
and there are versions for both Windows and Mac, which brings all
of the familiar iTunes playlist management to the Android platform
with no extra costs besides the low purchase price of the app.
Setting it up is incredibly easy and simply requires attaching your
smartphone to your desktop via a USB cable, selecting the drive
you want to use and then running the app on the phone. Press
Sync and the process will complete. There is virtually no learning
curve at all, and the efficiency of the process makes it feel as if
iTunes was built for Android smartphones as well as the iPhone.
You can specify which playlists to synchronise, which is useful
because of the space limitations of expansion cards, and some

time spent setting up your playlists on the desktop will pay off
in the end, as it will save you lots of trouble in the future. Smart
playlists are also catered for, which is a major bonus because they
can further reduce the time needed to manage your music on the
desktop and phone. Everything from the songs you listen to most
to the ones you give the highest ratings to can be automatically
collated into specific playlists, and the synchronisation of play
counts and your ratings when you connect back to your computer
is also built in. Almost every aspect of playlist management is
covered by iSyncr, including two-way music synchronisation, but
there are some natural barriers to the iTunes system that no app
can get around.
Older songs purchased within iTunes that have DRM attached
will not be able to play on an Android smartphone, but most of
these will have been purchased several years ago. The app can
spot the problematic tracks, however, and with luck they will be
the minority. The Wi-Fi add-on means that you can also sync your
playlists without wires, which further puts it into direct competition
with iTunes and iOS. This truly is a superb media application.

Rating

The more time spent setting up your


playlist, the more long-term trouble you save
While syncing can be a difficult
process, its worth the extra hassle

Android App Directory 77

Android

Media/Communication

Price: Free Developer: Google Inc.

Gmail

Price: Free Developer: WhatsApp Inc.

The most popular email service in


the world fits Android perfectly
Mobile email often means having to settle for a cutdown version of real desktop clients. Most mobile
email software offers the ability to use push email and
to send and receive attachments and thats about it.
There is little work put in to making the experience one that you
can use to organise your communications and this usually means
that you have to finish your email work when you get back to your
desk. Gmail, on the other hand, changes all that by offering a near
perfect representation of the online Gmail experience on an
Android smartphone. Labels, stars, folders, spam filtering and all of
the other main Gmail features are supported, and the entire
system is designed to display all of these features. Labels are visible
as are categories and stars next to each email which helps you to
organise your inbox via your phone in exactly the same way you
do at home. It is one of the very best mobile email experiences
available and compliments the highly rated Gmail service perfectly.

Rating

WhatsApp
Messenger

One of the best multiplatform


messengers on the market
BlackBerry Messenger, MSN, AIM the list of
instant communication services is varied, which
means that it is hard to keep contact with all of
your friends and colleagues with one app. When
you consider that some services only work on specific mobile
platforms, the diversity becomes even more scattered.
However, WhatsApp Messenger works on BlackBerry,
Android, Nokia smartphones and the iPhone and as such
offers a much wider spread of potential users where you can
send photos and video to contacts and hold group chats. The
fact that it is always logged in, is free, stable and has a beautiful
interface makes it the perfect tool to keep in touch with the
people closest to you, and as the service becomes more
popular, the more useful it will become. There really is very
little to complain about regarding the presentation, stability or
value this solution offers and it has the potential to grow into
the first multiplatform instant messenger that can cater for all
smartphone users.

Rating

Gmail excels by
going that little bit
further than other
email clients

Full Gmail features such


as labels, stars and spam
filtering are all supported

78 Android App Directory

WhatsApp looks like becoming the


standard messenger service

You can also chat to iPhone,


BlackBerry and Nokia users

Media/Communication

Android

Price: Free Developer: Kakao

KakaoTalk

18 million users cant be wrong

This app will only


be of real use to
XDA developers

Even so, it sets a


new standard for
how forum apps
should be used

Price: 0.61/$0.99 Developer: XDA Developers

XDA Premium

KakaoTalk is an instant messenger service that


currently boasts more than 18 million users which is
an impressive number by any calculation. It works by
using the phone number as the main form of
identification, but still manages to allow the swapping of media
and chats for free. You can send videos, photos and contact
numbers which are immediately received by the recipient and
even voice notes can be sent which allows for a more personal
voice-based conversation. The service works on both Android and
iOS smartphones and boasts the inclusion of the KakaoTalk
emoticons to get the true meaning of each statement across.
The use of a themed interface works well and gives more
personality to the environment you are talking in, but some
may not like the colour options offered which are at times too
colourful. It is difficult to see how this service will compete with
the likes of WhatsApp Messenger in the long run because it
doesnt support every mobile platform, but it does have the
potential to make a mark in this area.

Rating

You can tweak every part of your


Android device with this app
Online forums have never been easy to present
on a mobile device and the process of adding
threads, replying to people and managing private
messages has been even more difficult. XDA
Developers gets around this by offering a standalone app that
is designed to work with the XDA Developers forum and it
does so with aplomb. You can change the look of the app and
add shortcuts to parts of the forum that you access frequently,
and the level of detail built into the app is impressive.
If you want to tinker with your phone and customise
as many parts of the system as possible, XDA Developers
houses a collection of experts that few other online resources
can match. From dealing with common problems built in
to specific handsets to changing the ROM of your Android
phone, it is all here and it will act as an excellent resource. Most
users wont need the services of XDA Developers, but those
who do will benefit greatly from the app and the XDA experts.

Rating

The apps layout is simple to


follow and easy to use

There are 18 million users, so you should be


able to find someone you know

Android App Directory 79

Android

Media/Communication

Price: 1.86/$3.05 Developer: Smart Android Apps, LLC

Price: 0.62/$1.02 Developer: Autodesk Inc.

AudioManager Pro

Sketchbook Mobile

AudioManager Pro
is unusual in that it
provides an advanced
audio solution,
which works as a
standalone app or as a widget on the
homescreen. The size of the widget is
customisable and there are many skins
available. There are too many features
to cover in a short review, but it is
extremely good value.

It may feel like a stretch to offer a complex


digital imaging tool on a smartphone, but
there are times when an app like Sketchbook
Mobile will come in very handy and keep the
creative juices flowing. The more talented
you are, the more you will get out of the app, and there isnt
an awful lot of competition available to this kind of standard
or level on the Android Market. What makes it even more
appealing is that the results are stunning, and Sketchbook
Mobile really makes a mockery of its low price. You may well
find more use for it and, at this price, it wont take much use
to justify the initial cost.

Rating
Price: Free Developer: Yahoo! Inc.

Yahoo! Mail

The official Yahoo! Mail app offers all of the


main features of the service in mobile form,
including photo previews, push notifications
and many others, but there are some
downsides. It can often be slow to receive
new messages and some of the interface additions make
the process unnecessarily long-winded to complete, when
the focus of an email app should be on simplicity and ease
of use. Disappointing, then, especially in comparison to
what the Gmail app offers Android users. You would expect
better from an official app, which should be setting the
standard for other email clients.

Rating
Price: Free Developer: Opera Software ASA

Opera Mobile

Opera has a long


history of providing
fast and rich mobile
browsers, and this is no
different. It feels more
like a desktop browsing experience
than most mobile browsers, and
extras such as the ability to share
content via Twitter and Facebook
make it a browser that you should at
least try, to see if you prefer it.

Rating
Price: 1.92/$3.14 Developer: Titanium Track

Rating
Price: 3.10/$5.07 Developer: Theron Rogers

Titanium Media Sync

Hide Pictures In Stocks

Moving files to and


from an online service
is a common activity,
but one that can be
cumbersome. The
manual intervention required often
makes the process not worthwhile,
but Titanium Media Sync takes care of
the entire process and even claims to
be battery friendly, which makes it an
ideal utility for an Android phone.

This is a very unusual app in that it hides your


private videos and photos behind a fake app
that looks like a standard stocks application.
You may think that this is unnecessary and
that a password would suffice, which is true,
but consider its use in public places or work environments
where you might not want prying eyes looking into your
private and personal life and it makes more sense. Better
yet, the methods used to hide photos and reveal them are
intuitive and work very efficiently. While its not as cheap as
you might want for an app serving a basic function, it at least
does its job incredibly well.

Rating
Price: 2.36/$3.86 Developer: AFZKL

mVideoPlayer Pro
mVideoPlayer is unusual in the media app
world in that it does not claim to support
any videos not already supported natively
in Android. It does, however, offer a much
better interface for video management and
supports subtitles, movie posters and many other features
that come together to create an environment perfectly
suited to mobile movie watching. It may not be the catch-all
solution you might expect, especially with that price not
coming in quite as cheap as you might have hoped, but its
still an incredibly slick app that makes watching video on
the move a joy.

Rating
80 Android App Directory

Rating
Price: 1.74/$2.85 Developer: Hyperaware

Act 1 Video Player


Act 1 is similar to many
other video players,
but offers superior
seeking and screen
gestures, which make
the viewing experience feel more
natural. Also built in are many extra
features such as video streaming and
the usual editing functions, but overall
it struggles slightly in a very crowded
area of the Android app market.

Rating

Media/Communication

Price: 0.62/$1.02 Developer: Tim Hoeck

Android

Price: 0.62/$1.02 Developer: CamFiler LLC

TivoRemote

Video Safe License


This is more than just a
remote control. It lets
you save your favourite
channels, add logos to
speed up visual access
to each channel and offers many more
features in a well-presented interface.
Crucially, you can also switch rooms
in a snap, which makes this a highly
useful tool for any TiVo owner. It is also
good value.

This is a utility in the purest sense of the


word. It enables you to hide your personal
videos from the Android gallery and to
protect them with a password. As boring
as that sounds, it makes for a tool that
does exactly what it needs to with no fuss. Its something
worth considering if youre worried about what will
happen if you lose your phone or it gets stolen, with
the price point being cheap enough given that youll
get peace of mind from having the app. Even better, it
also feels like a built-in part of the system, which is an
achievement in itself.

Rating
Price: 4.35/$7.12 Developer: Jeyo, Inc

Wunder Radio

Digital radio is not a new idea, but we have


reached the point where the performance
is now as stable as we could hope for,
with technology now matching ambition.
Wunder Radio feels like the culmination of
that, as it offers an unbelievable number of stations, and in
our tests we had few problems connecting to any of them
or keeping the stream live. Its always a joy to have an app
that feels as though it justifies the cost, as Wunder Radio
does. The only downside is a slightly quirky interface, and
its a shame that an old-fashioned problem undermines a
fresh advancement in technology.

Rating
Price: 1.86/$3.05 Developer: Alexey Demov

Video Caller ID

Voice calls are, of


course, a vital part of
any smartphone, and
Video Caller ID is the
perfect tool to add
some fun to the experience. You can
take a video of a friend and use it to
play whenever they call you or you
could use a clip from Godzilla for your
boss! It is easy to use and great fun for
anyone with an Android smartphone.

Rating
Price: 2.46/$4.03 Developer: Inisoft

Rating
Price: 2.46/$4.03 Developer: Heliodor

DicePlayer

Spy Camera
DicePlayer could be
seen as yet another
Android media player,
but it does include
specific support for
high-end smartphones such as the
Galaxy S2 and Desire HD. It is capable
of presenting movies in 1080p and
can offer a better video playback
experience than most. A vast number
of video codecs are supported as well.

Spy Camera lets you take photos and hide the


fact that you are doing so. It hides the preview
from dominating the screen, silences the
shutter sound altogether, and will only show
a black screen throughout the process. There
is absolutely no giveaway at all that youre snapping a photo,
even if someone is watching your phone the entire time. The
lack of guidance due to the preview screen being disabled
does make good photos much harder to take, however. The
nature of Spy Camera itself is, of course, controversial and
ultimately not recommended for privacy reasons, but ethics
aside, the app does what it says it should.

Rating
Price: 0.99/$1.62 Developer: usefl

File Cover

File Cover allows the passwording of photos


and videos to keep them private and also has
the added advantage of letting you organise
them into folders, which makes it far more
flexible than the standard Android gallery
that quickly becomes cluttered as it fills up. It is an app that
is unlikely to garner much publicity due to its understated
appearance, which plumps for convenience over class.
Even so, the functional look makes organising a large
photo library ten times easier and, ultimately, thats more
important than looking good when you want your photos
and videos to do the talking.

Rating

Rating
Price: 3.10/$5.08 Developer: Plex, Inc.

Plex for Android


Plex is a multipurpose
streaming media app
that lets you stream all
kinds of media from
a Mac or PC to your
phone, and also allows the streaming
of content from a selection of online
services. The presentation is excellent
and it works as well as it looks. It is
hard to criticise on any level and
represents real value for money.

Rating
Android App Directory 81

Android

Media/Communication

Price: Free
Developer: Crackle

Price: 6.11/$9.99
Developer: Polyclef Software

Price: 1.83/$2.99
Developer: d0lph1nk1ng

Price: 2.18/$3.57
Developer: QDevPlus

This app streams movies and


TV for free, which should
ensure it's one of the musthave apps on Android. The
problem is it's quite glitchy,
requiring a lot of nudging from the user
when the stream freezes, slows or stops
altogether. Still very useful though.

EasyTether lets you use your


Android phone as a modem
for desktops and laptops for
Windows, Linux or Mac OS
platforms. It does not require
root access and even hides the fact you
are tethering from your network provider,
potentially saving high tethering charges.

Android tablets can cope


with all of the communication
methods an Android
smartphone uses, except
SMS. SyncSMS gets around
this by synchronising SMS messages with an
Android tablet and even lets you send texts
from a tablet via an Android phone.

VLC Direct Pro brings all your


desktop music and videos
directly to your Android
handset. The performance is
super smooth and the setup
process takes a minute to effectively let you
import a whole entertainment library. Even
better, it works the other way round too.

Crackle - It's On

EasyTether

Rating

Rating

SyncSMS

Rating

VLC Direct Pro

Rating

Price: 2.32/$3.79
Developer: Ringo

Price: 0.97/$1.59
Developer: Daniel Velazco

Price: 0.91/$1.49
Developer: Jigawatt Labs

Price: 2.37/$3.71
Developer: y.gphonebook

There are numerous video


and audio codecs available
and this can make purchasing
and downloading content
troublesome. VitalPlayer Pro
claims to support almost all codecs and it did
well in our tests. The performance was also
very smooth. Its now a firm favourite of ours.

Sometimes you need a little


help to get to sleep and music
is one of the best methods
of relaxation. MusicSleep lets
you set a timer for the music
to stop playing so you need not worry about
dropping off and draining the battery. It only
does one thing, but it does it like a dream.

If you own a Roku Player, the


Roku Remote will prove a very
useful app. It takes the place
of a standard remote control
and works as it should, but is
of course confined to Roku owners. We would
also like to see this offered free to customers
who have paid for the physical product.

This app focuses on


extending the feature set of
the standard Android contacts
and includes group folders,
a QR code reader and many
other extras to help manage your contacts.
Its a complex application with a few minor
bugs but is worthy of consideration.

VitalPlayer Pro

MusicSleep

Rating

Rating

Roku Remote

Rating

gPhoneBookPro

Rating

Price: 6.11/$9.99
Developer: SHAPE Services

Price: 1.22/$1.99
Developer: Simply Applied

Price: 11.01/$17.99
Developer: Flipdog Solutions LLC

Price: 2.62/$3.99
Developer: BK Mobility

Not everyone uses the same


instant messaging service
and this can make keeping in
touch tricky. Not any more!
IM+ Pro supports Skype,
MSN, Yahoo and countless other services
and brings them all together in one app. It is
presented cleanly and does the job perfectly.

Sign makes the idea of


pressing buttons to call
people feel like something
from the last century. With this
you can create custom signs
which you input with your finger to contact
specific people. It isnt for everyone, but it is
completely unique and very innovative.

The built-in Android email


app is competent, but doesnt
offer many advanced features.
This app uses a non-standard
UI that some may not like,
but for those that require more advanced
mobile email this is a sound choice. The main
obstacle will be the high price tag.

Speed dials are great but


they are not very friendly.
QuickDial lets you set all of
your favourite contacts as
photos and one tap will get
you through to them. There are multiple
options to tweak how the app works and the
interface can be styled to your choosing.

IM+ Pro

Sign

Rating
Price: Free
Developer: June Fabrics Technology Inc

Rating

MailDroid Pro

Rating

QuickDial

Rating

PdaNet

Price: Free
Developer: SK Communications

NateOn

Price: Free
Developer: Dolphin Browser

Price: Free
Developer: Google Inc

PdaNet has been around for


years on various platforms
and on Android it has got
even better. It enables you
to tether to a PC using USB
or Bluetooth and even includes the ability
to send SMS messages from a PC. The only
limitation is restricted access to secure sites.

An instant messaging client


that supports services such as
Nate, Nate Mail and Cyworld.
It has a pleasingly simple
interface and works very
smoothly, but the main downside is that it
may have a limited audience because of the
more obscure services it is compatible with.

The stock Android browser is


regarded as one of the best
mobile browsers around,
but there is always room
for improvement. Dolphin
Browser brings many enhancements such as
tabbed browsing, add-ons and some clever
gestures for a brilliant browsing experience.

The Google Voice app is the


perfect accessory for anyone
who uses the service for voice
calls, texts and voicemail.
It uses the personalised
Google Voice number for outgoing calls and
is in effect a true extension of the desktop
service, but sadly only US-based right now.

Rating
Price: Free
Developer: Kenny Root and Jeffrey Sharkey

ConnectBot

This application lets you take


advantage of SSH sessions to
ensure the upmost security
for your tasks and data. It
works exactly as it should and
will be of most use to those who need to use
SSH on a regular basis. The fact that it is free
is an added bonus.

Rating
82 Android App Directory

Rating
Price: 1.82/$2.85
Developer: Sony Digital Network
Applications Inc

Frame Grabber
Choosing whether to shoot a
video or take a photo is never
easy, but Frame Grabber lets
you pull one frame from a
recorded video and turn it
into a photo. The resolution is not as good,
but this is still a worthwhile purchase.

Rating

Dolphin Browser

Rating

Google Voice

Rating

Price: 0.78/$1.22
Developer: Hiroshi Sakurai

Price: 1.22/$1.99
Developer: Poignant Projects

Image Shrink sounds like a


basic app, but the potential
benefits are huge. You can
resize images with one click
and use the resultant pictures
in websites, emails and for any other task that
requires a smaller image. It should really be
built in to the main Android system.

Another app that will suit a


select group of people. If you
own a WowWee Rovio robotic
webcam, you can now control
it directly from your Android
phone. This increases the flexibility of the
product at least ten-fold. This is a no-brainer
for WowWee Rovio owners.

Image Shrink

Rating

AndRovio

Rating

Media/Communication

Android

ChromeMarks

Price: 2.44/$3.99
Developer: snrb Labs

GrooVe IP

Price: 1.22/$1.99
Developer: HanTanKang

Price: 1.22/$1.99
Developer: Bolasol

Bookmarks make browsing,


particularly on a mobile device,
much quicker and this app lets
you automatically synchronise
your Google Chrome
bookmarks with an Android phone. It works
flawlessly, is well priced and may encourage
you to use Chrome on your desktop too.

This app works in conjunction


with Google Voice and is
thus only of benefit to US
users at this time. It lets you
make unlimited calls via a
smartphone data connection, rather than
voice minutes, and could potentially be a
huge money saver for constant callers.

Soul Movie Pro is designed


for a group of people who
require SMI and SRT video
support. For those who
know what these are, it can
be very beneficial. We must say, however,
that some tasks are better undertaken on
a desktop and this might be one of them.

Springle is a novelty app


that displays some clever
animated tricks from the off.
It is very impressive when
you first use it, but the
novelty will wear off fairly quickly and thus
we are left asking if it is worth paying money
for. We have to say, probably not.

Price: 1.25/$1.99
Developer: howardb

Rating

Soul Movie Pro

Rating

Springle

Rating

Rating

Price: 3.05/$9.99
Developer: Beejive

Price: 3.05/$4.99
Developer: Kaiten Mail

Price: 3.03/$4.95
Developer: CounterCultured

Price: Free
Developer: eBuddy

BeejiveIM attempts to offer


access to more instant
messaging networks than any
other app and it is certainly
up there with the very best.
In fact it is as complete an app as you could
wish for and competes well with eBuddy
Messenger in every area except the price.

If there is a weak point of


Android, it is the built-in email
client. Kaiten Email takes that
weakness and produces a
mobile email experience that
is arguably better than on any other mobile
platform. Everything from the compatibility
to presentation is a cut above.

IRC is seen by many as a


communications technology
from the past and, for the
majority, it is. However, there
are still millions who use the
facility and Android IRC retains the retro feel
of the original system while maintaining the
usability that once made IRC so successful.

eBuddy Messenger manages


to succeed where many have
failed and offers both an
effective instant messaging
experience on multiple
services, while providing an interface thats
superior to most others. To top the goodness
off, it is free so theres no reason not to try it.

BeejiveIM

Rating

Kaiten Email

Android IRC

Rating

eBuddy Messenger

Rating

Rating

Price: 1.22/$1.99
Developer: Karl Ostmo

Price: 1.53/$2.50
Developer: Carlo Cuoghi

Price: 1.74/$2.84
Developer: Paolo Zuliani

Price: 0.87/$1.41
Developer: MBFG

BettrFlickr seeks to streamline


the Flickr interface to make
it cleaner on a smaller
smartphone screen, and it
does succeed. Some unusual
design choices and a lack of full-screen
functionality do seem at odds, however, with
an app designed to display photos.

This app works with Samsung


Galaxy S smartphones and
tablets and can significantly
increase the volume output
through headphones, but
not through the speaker. Conversely, it can
be used to reduce the volume through the
microphone to create clearer recordings.

Loops! may look like a novelty


app at first glance, but it can
be used for serious music
creation. It is in effect a drum
machine in your pocket and
one that makes the process of creating drum
loops much quicker. It has a limited audience
but could prove invaluable to certain users.

The standard Android


browser does not allow the
downloading of videos from
links, but Video Catcher does.
When you click a video link
you can select Video Catcher as the method
to capture it and the download will begin.
An unassuming but nonetheless helpful tool.

BettrFlickr

Rating

AudioBoost 2

Rating

Loops!

Rating

Video Catcher

Rating

Price: 3.66/$5.99
Developer: streamfurious.com

Price: 1.42/$2.33
Developer: KDJ Software

Price: 2.00/$3.26
Developer: arcMedia

Price: 3.49/$5.50
Developer: RadonSoft

This is designed to manage


the streaming of audio and
can be used for radio stations,
podcasts and almost any other
streaming audio service. It has
a clean design and works well, but maybe
doesnt do as much as it could to stand out
from the raft of similar apps available.

Gallery Pro presents photos


and videos in a more pleasing
way than the standard
Android photo app. It is a
jump above, but is also similar
to the tweaks some hardware manufacturers
have added to their phones so you should
check if you already have certain features.

With so many video players


on the Android Market that
include support for additional
codecs, it is not easy to be
different. This app does,
however, offer support for downloading
media from YouTube, Veoh and other online
services which makes it a genuine contender.

The majority of Android users


will have little need for this
app, but for those who do
it will be a necessity. It can
analyse audio with up to 120
bands and also undertake other specialised
tasks using external microphones; it
effectively makes the RTA experience mobile.

StreamFurious Pro Gallery Pro

Rating

Rating

arcMedia Pro

Rating

RTA Pro Analyzer

Rating

Price: 2.42/$3.95
Developer: Inisoft

Price: 3.49/$5.67
Developer: Guardam

Price: Free
Developer: Talk Builder

Price: 3.94/$6.17
Developer: BUGUN Software

DicePlayer allows the


playback of 720p and 1080p
video on supported devices.
Depending on the capabilities
of the device, the results can
be very impressive and this is an app for
those serious about mobile movie viewing.
The interface is also very well organised.

Network providers offer


little support for blocking
troublesome calls; enter
GBlocker. It lets you block
unknown callers, ranges of
numbers and will even send out a message
stating the call has been blocked. This is a
brilliant solution to a very annoying problem.

Epinephrine is an instant
messaging client that
supports only MSN. This may
seem like a drawback, but if
MSN is your communicator
of choice the UI is a cut above the rest
and general performance is excellent. The
customisation features are also plentiful.

If you only use one media


player, BUZZ Player is the one
that impresses above most
others. It supports a huge
number of media formats and
also streaming over 3G, Wi-Fi and even GPRS.
It is remarkably complete and should cater
for all of your media needs with ease.

Rating

Rating

DicePlayer

Rating

GBlocker

Epinephrine

BUZZ Player

Rating
Android App Directory 83

Android

News/Mags/Comics

News/Mags/
Comics
Keep tabs on the
news and what the
papers have to say

Have your pick of all


the worlds newspapers
at your fingertips

Have you heard the latest news?


Thanks to these smart and slick
Android apps, youll be up to date
with whats happening in the world
in no time and also have the latest
magazines and comics instantly
available to read as well
Top Paid Apps
The Wall Street
Reader Lite

Scott Pilgrim

Newsroom

Top Free Apps


CNN App

MSNBC.com

Comic Strips

Staff pick of the section


Mango

84 Android App Directory

Zits

Price: Free Developer: Abhishek Kumar

World
Newspapers

Start spreading the news


The biggest news concerning this app is that it
is completely free. Considering what you get
access to hundreds of newspapers from across the
world you cant help but be impressed.
The app is essentially list after list of newspapers, each
categorised by their countries but with a search option
enabling the user to jump straight to their paper of choice.
Looking at the papers listed for the UK, for example, we were
astounded: almost every newspaper produced in Britain is
listed (the only exceptions being incredibly small ones).
Tap the paper you want and you are immediately taken
to that media outlets webpage. And if you are looking at a
foreign-language paper, one press of the Menu button will call
up the Translate option, using Google Translate to present the
stories in English. One small issue is you have to scroll through
long lists, but for such a useful resource, this can be forgiven.

Rating

News/Mags/Comics

Android

Price: Free Developer: The Zumobi Network

Msnbc.com

News giant scales down beautifully


News doesnt have to be stylishly presented but it sure
does make a difference when it is. The Msnbc.com
app for Android phones draws on content by NBC
News, but it does so in a visually impressive manner
that is noticeable as soon as the news feeds are ready to view.
Each time you boot up the app, the news is updated, a process
which takes just a few seconds. Once this has been done, however,
load times are greatly increased and, straight away, you see a
colourful wheel which is modelled directly on the Msnbc logo.
This displays the categories of news that the app contains and its
a rather novel way of presenting the vast number of topics that are
on offer without cluttering up the screen.
Pressing the Shows button on the menu screen brings up
another selection of categories. As the name suggests this one
relates to NBCs programmes enabling you to read content
generated by shows such as Dateline NBC, Nightly News and
Hardball. As a bonus, each show also has a Twitter feed which can
be accessed with a tap of the relevant icon. Taken together, the
multitude of news, features, commentary and tweets make for
comprehensive, rich content and there will be very few people
who are not impressed by what is on offer here.

The writing is, as youd expect, crisp and authoritative. Features


are interesting and everything is presented as a list with the
headline and date showing. The downside is that some of the
headlines are not snappily written enough and stop mid-way
because there is insufficient room. That said, you seldom fail to get
the general gist of what a story is about from what is presented.
As is expected from such apps, there is an ability to save stories
so that you can refer back to them at a later time. You can also
share articles and set up push notifications, meaning there is little
excuse for missing some crucial breaking news and being left
behind. The pedigree of NBC and its televisual nature also comes
in handy: here you can view engaging videos although the app
makers admit that there is currently a playback issue with any films
that are more than ten minutes in length.
One of the biggest disappointments, however, is the placing
of the advertisements. They do get in the way and make the lists
of stories feel unnecessarily cluttered. Considering the app is free,
however, it is something that can be overlooked in the light of an
otherwise superb overall multimedia package.

Rating

News apps dont come much slicker or more


authoritative than this one, based on NBC News

Android App Directory 85

Android

News/Mags/Comics

Price: 1.83/$3.00 Developer: Dolphin Add-ons

Read It Later

Download internet articles to digest offline at a later date


Time is one of those precious commodities that we
seem to have less and less of. With Read It Later, you
can make best use of that time by saving web pages
and articles for offline reading at some other point in
the future. As a time saver, its great, eliminating the need to send
yourself email reminders containing links. Even better, it means you
can read the articles no matter where you are: you can be in an
area with no signal whatsoever and still be able to catch up on
what you have saved. Its brilliant when youre in the air or on an
underground rail system.
Since Read It Later is also available in other formats (computer
internet and iPhones/iPod touches to name just two) you can sync
with these devices. So anything saved on your computer at home,
your laptop or iPod touch can be viewed on your Android phone
allowing you to continue computing on the move with as little
disruption as possible. The app even remembers your scrolling
position so you can pick up where you left off should you need to
put your phone away mid-read.
To save articles, once you have Read It Later installed on your
smartphone all you have to do is browse the web and, when you

x
x

Archive your reading list in order of importance


or date it was saved
Pull articles from all over the internet
and save them for later

86 Android App Directory

come across content you wish to keep, hit the Menu button, select
More, then Share and choose Read It Later. The web page will then
appear in your app under the heading Reading List for later use.
The app comes in two different flavours: one that is free,
the other (Pro) which is paid-for. The Pro version allows for an
unlimited number of saved items and better organisational powers
such as the ability to search and list articles in order of newest,
oldest, title or size. Articles can be tagged and the phones rotation
can be locked. Which one you choose depends on how much you
feel you will use the app. The Pro features are excellent but if you
only save the occasional article then you may not be able to justify
the cost, however low it is.
Annoyingly, Read It Laters buttons at the bottom of feeds can
sometimes get in the way when you are scrolling and the app
doesnt make it clear how you can delete items from the reading
list. The user interface could do with a rethink in this respect. A bit
of experimentation is needed to work out what to do at times and
it should be more intuitive.

Rating

News/Mags/Comics

Android

Price: Free Developer: Leetsoft

Mango Manga Reader


An extensive library of Manga at your fingertips
Fans of manga will adore this reader and the scores of
fan-translated offerings that it conjures up for your
reading pleasure. The app claims to have more than
8,000 manga titles to choose from and new ones are
constantly being added. With this on your phone, you will never
be able to say youre bored again.
It barely takes any time at all to be able to get stuck into
reading the goodies on offer. And when you do start feasting
your eyes on the material, you can also begin to take advantage
of the features which are aimed at making your life even easier,
ranging from effortless zooming to easy page turning. Each of the
pages look absolutely crisp on the phone screen and there are no
obtrusive ads to ruin the reading process either.
The manga can be read straight away or saved to your library.
It is possible to save manga to the SD card and you can read
even when youre not connected to the internet so its great for
moments when you dont have a signal. Its easy to use too: a
series of menus burrow down to the selection of manga and it
only takes a few taps before you have fresh reading material in the

palm of your hand. While the design of the menus could do with a
bit of an overhaul (the text is written on top of manga illustrations
and it looks a bit messy and could be difficult to read for some
people) overall the app is a polished affair and the user interface
will pose few problems.
When you select any manga, you have to choose whether
to read or save and you cant cancel which is cumbersome if you
have made a mistake but thats the only bugbear we have in terms
of getting around the app.
A handy feature which more than makes up for that little issue
is the advanced bookmarking system. You can stop reading at any
point and come back to it. Bookmarks are updated as you read so
you dont even have to worry about doing it yourself during each
session. The developer is also keen on feedback very much so
to the point where every screen has a Send Feedback option in
the menu which lets you share your thoughts so that the app can
be improved as time goes on. We really like that approach and we
like this app.

Rating

x
x

View the detail of the illustrations with the


helpful zoom feature
With more than 8,000 titles available
you'll be entertained for months

Android App Directory 87

Android

News/Mags/Comics

Price: Free Developer: Robot Media

Droid Comic
Viewer

For hardcore comic fans only


Using the Droid Comic Viewer, you are able to open
images, comics and manga straight from your SD
card. The app works as a straight-forward picture
viewer, starting with a blank screen and asking you
to press the Menu button or swipe up in order to start scouring
your storage for the relevant content.
It works with an array of files including jpeg, png and bmp
as well as cbz/zip, acv, and cbr/rar. When you have a comic or
image on the screen, you can press Menu to zoom in (or pull
your fingers apart on the picture for the same effect). You can
also rotate a comic or image and share the screen via email,
Facebook and Twitter, to name just three options.
Confusingly at first, the app calls itself ACV under the icon and
when you press it and find yourself confronted by a series of
files and folders, it can be off-putting. It underlines a lack of userfriendliness with the app and yet for comic fans, its a good way
to view tomes that are otherwise unavailable via different apps
and that you have already got stored away.

Rating

Price: Free Developer: Awesome Dev

Comic Strips

Essential comics download

With thousands of comic strips available to view for


free, there is no denying that this app is an essential
download. The neat homescreen offers six options
including the ability to contact the developer, see
other apps produced by the developer and delve into the
settings. The options to go to search for comics, see your
favourites and few your most recently reviews strips are the best
Downloading and subscribing to comic strips is easy. You can
choose to subscribe to each set of strips and in doing so you get
the full archive. As you view individual strips, you can add them
to your favourites or send them via social media or email while
flipping back and forth from one strip to another.
Given there is such a wide-range of strips on offer, you will
never become bored, especially as new strips are added all the
time, making it a must-have app for comic fans.

Rating

gReader Pro

It's worth paying and


removing the ads
It's not user friendly, so only
hardcore fans will get the most
out of it

Although
initially confusing,
the results are
often worth it

88 Android App Directory

While unofficial, this


Google Reader client is
incredibly slick and ensures
you don't miss a single story

News/Mags/Comics

Android

Price: 1.86/$3.03 Developer: Vadim Babin

Manga Watcher
Nice ideas, but too technical

Comic Strips is
essential for comic fans

It's an incredibly easy


to use app

Price: 0.59/$0.99 Developer: Lima Sky

Never miss breaking news


This unofficial Google Reader client comes at a price
but it makes keeping up with your favourite websites
so much easier than the majority of other feed
readers. There is a free version but paying less than a
pound/dollar allows you to view the content minus the annoying
adverts and benefit from a great ticker widget so that youll never
miss any breaking news again.
The developers have produced a professional, slick app which
works intuitively. You can add feeds, using the built-in search box
to find suitable content, and then have them displayed on the
main feed page. Numbered blobs inform you of the number of
unread stories under each theme (and they can be marked as
'read' with a tap of the Menu button on your phone).
You need to first log in using your Google account details,
while articles can be read offline and there is support for podcast
streaming and the sharing of content with friends. A Facebook
options allows for direct wall posting. If a feed only shows a
preview, then you only need to tap on the globe icon to go
straight to the web for a fuller read.

Rating

Manga Watcher is a window on the world of


Japanese animation. You are able to read content
that has been placed on websites such as
mangafox.com and mangareader.net. Performing a
search for manga gives you options to download a large variety
of strips. You choices are placed on a homescreen which
resembles a bookcase for easy organisation.
The downloading of strips is very fast. You can manually open
each page at a time or flick from page to page as you would
if reading a printed graphic novel. Manga can also be opened
from your SD card with the app making use of png, jpg and zip
files. The quality of the strips is excellent given that it is coming
from reputable resources and the viewer makes light work of
reading them.
The strips can be shared via Twitter and Facebook and there
are strips in a multitude of languages so there really is something
for everyone. Although the bookcase homescreen looks
fantastic, more could be done to refine the user experience and
make it feel a little less technical.

Rating

The comic
strips download
incredibly quickly
and can be shared
with friends

It's not user


friendly and
can be quite
frustrating to use
at times

Android App Directory 89

Android

News/Mags/Comics

Pure News Widget (scrollable)


Read the latest news as it happens

Price: 0.87/$1.42 Developer: Francois Deslandes

Having to open an RSS reader app can be a pain to


use if all you want to read are some blasts of data.
With the Pure News Widget you can have your news
delivered to the Android homescreen via a simple
widget. Not only that but this app gives you the ability to scroll
through the widget, making it a real window on the world with no
effort involved.
To do this, however, you need to have a launcher app installed.
You cant have scrollable widgets using the standard launcher
(except with Android Honeycomb). The app supports ADW
Launcher, Launcher Pro, LiveHome and Go Launcher Ex and yet
we would hazard a guess that the majority of people wont have
these, nor have the inclination to download them, which means
the benefits of this widget will be lost on you. So beware before
you splash the cash.
All in all, though, it works very well. The widget hooks up
to Google Reader and you can see new thumbnails and take
advantage of multiple skins and widget sizes.

Scroll through current events as


they happen

Rating

Although this is a great app, you will


need to download a launcher to use it

Price: 0.59/$0.99 Developer: Weiwei Bao

The Wall Street


Reader Lite
A great unofficial news app

As the best-selling newspaper in America (owned


by a division of News Corp, but we wont go there)
The Wall Street Journal is an authoritative voice for
international news. Wall Street Reader Lite is an
unofficial app which allows you to access and read the papers
free content.
The whole app is menu driven so you can narrow down
to your area of interest and view the articles. If one takes your
fancy, click on it to open up the full story. There are slideshows
and podcasts too. If you are going to be in an area without
internet or phone access, use the offline reading option and save
individual articles to the favourites folder. You can view the paid
content if you stump up the 3.79/$6.19 cost of the full app.

Rating
90 Android App Directory

Just tap on the


photos to enlarge them
and read the captions

Save stories to
read later when
you may not have
internet access

News/Mags/Comics

Android

Your phone
vibrates in line
with the text

If you've
not read
these
graphic
novels
you're
missing out

A great read,
it's just a shame
that it's so short

Price: 1.79/$2.92 Developer: Cornerstone Publishing

The Adventures
Of Simon Pegg
A comic book with extras

Everyones favourite nerd Simon Pegg is not content


with producing movies loosely based around comic
books like Paul. Nor is he happy just being a writer. For
now hes appearing in his own comic books as he
tries to save the world while quenching his thirst for Coke Zero.
And its not a bad attempt at all.
The comic strip makes use of some of the phones features such
as vibration when a telephone rings on screen. Its little details
like that which help to bring this enthralling story even more alive
and its splattered with Peggs trademark tongue-in-cheek British
humour that will have you laughing out loud.
As well as the comic itself, you get a synopsis and excerpt from
Peggs book Nerd Do Well. There are only 68 pages but the little
extras do make up for it, such as character biographies and pick
your background music. For Pegg fans, its awesome.

Rating

Price: 3.49/$5.69 Developer: HarperCollins Publishers

Scott Pilgrim

A great introduction to the series


The range of Scott Pilgrim graphic novels dont
come cheaply but fans will surely feel they are
worth every penny. This first volume is packed
with 149 pages of comic goodness displayed via
720 frames. And that just has to be worth the download price
of this app.
For newbies, the world of Scott Pilgrim consists of six black
and white graphic novels by Bryan Lee OMalley revolving
around slacker and part-time Canadian musician who has to
defeat a girls seven evil ex-boyfriends otherwise he wont be
able to get a date with her. The concept was turned into a hit
movie and now you can live it out on your phone.
Download a 39 megabyte file which doesnt take too long,
and then you are ready for the read. Small circles to the left
and right of the screen let you go back and forth without
getting in the way and you can also access a range of secrets.
Disappointingly, the comments facility is disabled because of
some naughty posters. Behave!

Rating
Android App Directory 91

Android

News/Mags/Comics

Price: Free Developer: ComiXology

Price: Free Developer: Zolgatron

Comics

Rage Reader

The first port of call for comic fans

The more unusual style, shall we say

Comics has a brilliant way of presenting graphic


novels, and the built-in reader is wonderful. Right from
the off, you get a selection of free comics to get you
started, and you can flick through their pages in the
same way as you would navigate a
selection of photos, which gives the
whole thing a fluid and natural feel.
Its a class app with great features
including automatic bookmarking, so
you can just sit back and relax. And if
you prefer the physical thing, then
that is catered for too because you
can even buy print copies from within
the app. Its the go-to app for comic
fans, and although its not perfect as it
can be fiddly, its still a comprehensive
overview that does almost everything
a comic fan could ask for.
Comics has a wide
array of well, comics

Rating

If youre into
rage comics,
being able to
browse a
wealth of amateur works will
be welcome. The comics are
drawn by enthusiasts and
tend to be drawn in simple
software such as Paint. The
app lets you see updates
from Reddit and share any
comics that you particularly
enjoy via email, Facebook
and Twitter. You can save
comics to the phone too. Its
easy and blindingly fast,
meaning youll never have
to wait for the next comic.
Its not a looker
but it is funny

Rating

Price: Free Developer: Tortoise Software

Price: Free Developer: Nodjo

Basic Instructions

Fast Dilbert Reader

The work of a stand-up comic

When Scott
Meyer was
looking for work
as a stand-up
comic, he produced a series
called Basic Instructions. As
word of mouth got out, they
became incredibly popular.
With this app you will be able
to tap into more than 400
comic strips, each one
delivering basic life tips in the
most irreverent, sarcastic and
insulting manner. The full app
strips away the ads and gives
you full access to the entire
archive, with search facilities
and push notifications.
A fun way to learn
important life lessons

92 Android App Directory

Rating

Slow readers welcome too

The Dilbert cartoons have had office workers


chuckling for more than two decades with their
wry take on working life. With no ads to mar the
experience, this app presents wave after wave of
hilarious strips, which make you gaze in wonder at the sheer
genius that could come up with so many witty observations
over such a long period of time. Strips can be shared in the
usual ways,
including
MMS, and
download
before you
view them,
which means
there are no
waiting
times.
Amazing.
Dilbert hasnt lost
its humorous touch

Rating

News/Mags/Comics

Price: 1.24 Developer: Weekend Coders, LLC

FeedR News Reader

Price: 3.00 Developer: Trileet Inc

The fast way to get news

Want full articles? Get full articles

Using FeedR, you can view feeds by category and


colour-code them for faster searching. It boasts
integration with a Google Reader account, although
it works perfectly well without it. Articles can be
read offline, complete with images,
which is great if youre stuck in an
area with no reception. As with all
of the best feed readers, you can
share any news you wish. You can
also have the feeder as a widget
on your Android homescreen or
create a shortcut to an RSS feed.
Unfortunately, it looks rather dull
and you cant view all feeds in a
specific category.
You can read articles
offline, great for Tube
journeys and the like

Rating

Newsroom

One of the major selling points of Newsroom is


that you get full articles rather than previews. Its
been around long enough to be very polished
and it boasts background updating, offline access
and widgets that are so handily
configurable that individual icons
can link to separate feeds. One of
the joys of this
app is the
wonderful
interface,
which handles
all of the news.
Only a lack of
Google Reader
support lets
it down.
This is one of the
better news apps

Rating

Price: Free Developer: Patrick Galley

Price: Free Developer: MobilesRepublic

Not up to standard

Become your own news dictatorship

Google News (Regional)


They say the most important news is that which
is happening under your own nose. Google News
takes your present location and offers news
tailored to your region, while also allowing you to
see what is happening elsewhere.
The app has not been made by
Google but it is still of a reasonable
standard, even if it does have issues
such as the lack of auto-refresh. In
essence, though, it just bookmarks
the Google News page while
including an advert, and even
though this app is free, you would
be better off just opening a
browser and going there yourself.
It has the functional look, which isnt
all that appealing, even with images

Rating

Android

News Republic

For all the excitement of breaking news, head for


News Republic, which scrolls the top stories across
the top of the screen and pulls in other relevant
pieces beneath. The main menu is a series of blocks,
with indicators showing how many
articles are unread, and you can
search for featured news, categories,
topics and
articles to get
what youre after
in custom
channels.
Articles can be
shared, and you
can also save
your favourite
pieces for
later reference.
Customise your feed
to get what you want

Rating
Android App Directory 93

Android

News/Mags/Comics

Price: Free Developer: Klaymore

Price: Free Developer: MPM Software

DailyComix

Zits
Comic fans will like
this webcomic app. It
includes a selection of
comic viewers for many
online publications
which means you can use this one app
for most of your reads. A handy feature
is the ability to pick up where you left
off and images can be enlarged with a
click. Phones with Facebook installed
can use the sharing facility too.

Zits is a comic viewer created by Jerry Scott


and Jim Borgman, which lets you see a daily
strip and is guaranteed to keep all users
whether young or old utterly enthralled.
Strips can be saved to the SD card or sent by
email, Facebook or Bluetooth for quickly and easily bringing
a little humour into the lives of your friends and loved ones.
Zooming in is as convenient as applying a single swipe of
your finger. In fact, in general, its a very user-friendly app that
works extremely well and the fact that its completely free
seals the deal for us. For comic lovers everywhere, this should
be at the top of your download list.

Rating

Rating

Price: 0.92/$1.50 Developer: Deep Powder Software

Marvel Superheroes

Price: Free Developer: Robot Media

Jesus Hates Zombies

It is obvious as soon as you open this


application that a lot of work has gone into
it. Youll find a vast gathering of biographies
of both well-known Marvel heroes, along
with a few lesser-known ones, listing a
multitude of stats from their powers to the arch-nemeses
who are constantly out to get them. Its all gloriously geeky,
of course, so theres no surprise that some have complained
its not comprehensive enough. The only downer is
presentation, but when you throw in the descriptions of
vehicles and equipment , you have an intriguing offering
here. (Note, a cape is not included in the price.)

Offensive? Maybe.
But then if you are
offended by the
thought of this app
comic about Jesuss
struggle against zombies and his quest
to kill the lot of them, the best advice
is not to download it! But for everyone
else, you will enjoy a humorous, welldrawn, crazy old story spread over an
impressive 87 screens.

Rating

Rating

Price: 9.21/$14.99 Developer: Ty Landercasper

Price: Free Developer: Jason, Lin

Comic Reader Mobi

ComicBricks Beta

You may gasp at the


price, but when you get
to grips with this app,
you begin to appreciate
its beauty in allowing
full-size comics to occupy the whole
screen of an Android phone. While the
images may be small, you can use the
magnifying glass features to enlarge
the text boxes and the clever trick is
everything else remains small.

A Chinese comic viewer, ComicBricks can


read comics from your Android SD card and
additionally it can pull in graphic novels from
your favourite comic sites, though it presently
only supports four Chinese manga websites. It
is compatible with both the JPEG and PNG file formats and is
noticeably slicker than many of its competitors. Handily there
is a batch download options available too, which makes life
a whole lot easier and speedier when time is of the essence.
All in all, ComicBricks Beta is a very competitive and, were
pleased to say, free rival to other comic viewers currently
available in the Android Market.

Rating

Rating

Price: Free Developer: SK Communications

NateComics

We had issues with trying to get this


application to work its a temperamental
beast at times, to say the least! It is aimed at
people wanting to read NateComics. The
strips are written in Japanese, but you can
still appreciate the artwork and presentation of the app
if you dont speak the lingo. However, while the mangastyle artwork is pretty stylish, the technical difficulties put
something of a black mark against it quite a large one,
in fact. Possibly worth a go if youre a big fan of Japanese
comics, but wed suggest considering the other free comic
applications reviewed in this section first.

Rating
94 Android App Directory

Price: Free Developer: Robot Media

Robot 13

You will have to start


buying this if you
become absorbed in
Robot 13 and, chances
are, you will become
hooked. Its original, looks great and
has cool panning shots that show
a lot of thought has gone into both
the story and the presentation. Robot
Media is doing a sterling job long
may the developer continue.

Rating

News/Mags/Comics

Price: Free Developer: Mariano Kamp

NewsRob (Google Reader/Rss)

Android

Price: Free Developer: CNN

CNN App

Syncing with Google


Reader, NewsRob is an
effective organiser of
RSS feeds. Log in using
your Google Account
username and password and you get a
host of features such as the automatic
marking of news items, the ability to
star posts and share them via email.
Being unable to subscribe to feeds
from within the app is one drawback.

This is the official CNN application and, as


you may expect from such a major news
organisation on the international stage, it is
highly polished but, more importantly, jampacked with articles, videos and podcasts.
For all you wannabe hacks whove always longed to play
the role of citizen journalist, you can even become part of
the news team by sharing your top stories with the iReport
feature. The news is drawn from a wide range of topics with
reports selected from all four corners of the glove sitting
beside the usual suspects youd expect to find, such as sport,
technology, entertainment and travel. A sound purchase.

Rating

Rating

Price: Free Developer: FOX News Network LLC

FOX News

Many people will shun FOX News due to


its right-wing stance on the news agenda.
However, putting the content to one side for
a minute, from a functional perspective, this
app looks like a great deal of others, offering
the usual range of news from across the world and closer to
home as well as videos, slideshows and a favourites button
so you can select the items you want to read the most.
Popular shows can also be viewed and for those who prefer
to go old school, you can also listen to FOX News Radio. It
might not cost you anything, but keeping a pinch of salt to
hand might not go amiss.

Price: 1.83/$3.00 Developer: Androidsx

Any RSS reader + widget


The key to Any RSS
reader is the widget
which takes your RSS
feeds and, instead of
making you open an
app, places them directly on your
homescreen for effortless monitoring.
You can pick your own feed or one of
many suggestions that the app offers
and, were happy to report, it barely
sucks any power from your phone.

Rating
Price: Free Developer: The Mainchi Newspapers

Rating
Price: 0.61/$0.99 Developer: Webolicus

Mainichi News

Sun Alert
Japanese readers will
want to download this
app given that it pulls
content in Japanese
from one of Nippons
main newspapers. With a neat layout
and Twitter integration, getting
around the app is easy although some
users have reported issues of crashing.
But for anyone wanting to keep fully in
the know, this is a belter.

If solar storms blight your life (and we have


to admit, they dont seem to affect ours too
much), then you will most likely welcome an
app which updates you on sunspots, solar
activities and worldwide ozone levels. Sun
Alert aims to forewarn people of potential threats to satellite
communication or navigation systems with daily blasts of
information and UV maps, all wrapped up in a functional
design. With the intensity of solar storms supposedly set to
peak in 2013, maybe this is one of those apps that will come
into its own. A great pick for those with ambitions to be the
next Sir Patrick Moore! (Supply your own monocle.)

Rating
Price: 0.61/$0.99 Developer: Fusion Mobile Solutions

iScanner

If you want to feel like an undercover agent,


hacking into the system, this application
enables you to listen in to feeds from police,
fire and health services in the United States,
delivering audio snippets of live news from
the front line. Depending on your level of interest, you
can hear developments as they happen, tap into weather
reports and listen to air traffic control messages. It wont
work in the UK and some feeds dont work, however. The
interface is clean and intuitive to use and you are able to
search for intriguing tidbits via state, county or category. You
can even eavesdrop on NASA shuttle launches.

Rating

Rating
Price: 1.22/$1.99 Developer: Handmark

Newsweek Mobile
Newsweeks strength is
in compiling the most
interesting and relevant
news of the week into
one easy digest. The
idea is that it allows time-poor people
to get the gist of current affairs which
makes this app rather ironic as it can
be very slow! Sometimes it shows up
as having no articles but then they
appear the next time you visit. Flawed.

Rating
Android App Directory 95

Android

Photography

Photography

QuickPic can be
made your Androids
only picture gallery

Shooting pictures is one of lifes


simple pleasures, and theres no
reason to shell out for an expensive
camera when your Android can do
it for you! From camera filters to
image editing, our photography
pages will cover all the essential
apps you need to start snapping
Top Paid Apps

Top Free Apps

Picsay Pro

QuickPic

Camera Zoom FX

FxCamera

FlickFolio

Little Photo

Staff pick of the section


Pro HDRCamera

96 Android App Directory

Camera Fun Pro

For a free app,


its very useful and
extremely functional

Price: Free Developer: alensw.com

QuickPic

A lightweight replacement
for your stock gallery
An agile addition to your photo-viewing
capabilities, QuickPic can either be used in
addition to your stock gallery or can replace it
entirely. Once installed, you can choose to open
your images through QuickPic or your standard gallery. If
youre sold by it you could, if you have the option, make it the
only gallery available on your device.
The biggest benefit of QuickPic is speed. It is a lot quicker
than any Android gallery and can handle hundreds of images
without slowing down. The images are presented in grids
grouped by individual folders.
Images are really bright and dynamic on the flick-through
presentation mode. You can also choose which folders to
include in your gallery and keep your private ones hidden.
This app does not support either Facebook or Picasa, nor
does it support 3D images yet, though they may be features to
keep an eye on in the future.

Rating

Photography

Android

Price: 2.46 Developer: Shinycore

Picsay Pro

Bright and colourful photo editing


The tagline reads The Fun Photo Editor, and PicSay
Pro surely knows what market to target. This app is
bright, colourful and fun, and it walks the line
between childish and charming, coming out just
perfect for getting good results with a bit of banter.
On the straight-up editing side, it offers the basic functions you
would expect from an editing package such as sharpen, redeye,
crop and straighten. Moving on from these functions, you can add
and edit text and apply effects from Lomo and Tilt-shift to pencil
sketches, among others.
The cutting-out function works particularly well, and you can
take pieces of one image and add them to another. The result is
really natural and seamless, and it requires very little effort.
The stickers make for particularly amusing results. A series of
transferable cartoon objects such as hats and moustaches can be
applied to your images; this is really great for making your own
photographs to send to friends and family for birthdays and special
occasions. Rather than looking kitsch and homemade, these
images really come into their own and prove very addictive to
play around with.

Most functions are fairly easy to figure out except for the tilt/
resize. It will take a bit of practice to get your desired result,
but once you get a feel for how this works its quite simple to
replicate on additional images. The tilt/resize function gives a
really interesting effect, and its worth taking the time to get the
application of this effect right.
Youll need to remember to export your images after youre done
tweaking them. The app will keep the last image youve worked on
open until you select a new one, but your editing will be lost if you
dont remember that all-important export.
The feel of the app is fun and cheeky, but dont discount it for
performing minor editing for serious projects, such as work-related
images. While it does have a more than adequate variety of modes
and options, a paintbrush tool would be a welcome expansion to
its feature set.
Recent updates to PicSay Pro include support for the Motorola
Xoom and other Android Honeycomb tablets. Keep an eye out for
increased support for higher resolutions.

Rating

Its a bright and cheery app to use

Despite its looks, its a powerful app

Android App Directory 97

Android

Photography

Price: Free Developer: ymst

FxCamera

Add quirky effects to your images


The FxCamera allows you take images with a variety
of effects from simple and easy-to-use menus. The
FxCamera launches itself in a landscape orientation
and presents the user with a toggle-through effects
menu which offers six options from Fisheye and Polandroid
through to the amusingly named Andy Warholizer. While even the
regeneration of the Warhol effect is rather dated, this app does a
good job at producing it. If you just cant help turning yourself or
your friends into a colourful artwork, use the FxCamera to do it.
The Toy Camera also performs surprisingly well for a free app.
Take your images from a height and be sure to capture as many
elements as you can in a single image to get the best effect from
this option. On top of the available effects you can shoot in a
Normal mode and add a few basic tweaks to your image. For
some reason the Normal mode graphic appears dull and pixelated
in an otherwise beautifully laid-out menu. The effects you can
choose from in this mode are standard fare and include a colour
filter, sepia and solarise.
Once youve chosen an effect through the configuration tool
available in the Normal mode youll see a live view of what your

x
x

Add interesting effects to your images to make


them stand out
Setting the flash options may allow
you to take clearer pictures

98 Android App Directory

image may look like as you compose your work. Unfortunately


the actual result is not often a true translation of what you see,
especially in the polarise and solarise mode.
Once youve captured your images expect a short wait time
before you see the results. You can view progress on a percentage
bar as the app works its magic, which makes even a long wait
more than bearable. Once processed you can choose to share
your image via any other app downloaded on your device. Quick
and simple.
The basic settings give you quite a high level of control and the
simplicity of the layout means you can see your current settings at
a glance. Basic settings give you the option to choose your flash
mode, auto rotate your images and select the storage directory
that your image will be sent to.
As a free app FxCamera really stands out as a well thought-out
and user-friendly option for camera snappers that want to add a
few great effects to their images without getting too complicated
and bogged down with excessive choice.

Rating

Photography

Android

Price: 2.99/$4.90 Developer: androidslide

Camera Zoom FX

A serious camera app with an abundance of options


If quirky settings and flowery menus arent your thing,
a serious app such as Camera Zoom FX may better
suit your taste. The developers of Camera Zoom FX
have definitely gone out of their way to separate this
app from the mindless
fun apps but they may
have over compensated
on the design side by
creating an interface that
lacks personality. The
buttons and menus are
standard, one
dimensional and
colourless. This may be a
consideration for some
but the developers may
be counting on the fact
that those interested in
its serious features may
not be bothered with
what it looks like.
Its easy to see where
the time and energy has
Information is displayed with minimal fuss
been focused in this app,

and thats in the functionality. The app oozes the thought process
of a photographer who knows what phone camera users want
and need. On opening it launches directly into a shootscreen with
image options located down the side of the frame. From these
you can select a host of options such as white balance, brightness
and a variety of modes and size options; use the slide bar to test
out the range of each options while the live view shows you if
youre moving in the right direction.
The zoom works on the same principle, with the value you
choose being displayed in the bottom right-hand corner to
remind you how far in you are. The zoom is really useful on this
app and overall it performs well, if there absolutely had to be a
niggle, it would be that the zoom button and the shutter button
are located fairly close. Users with particularly big digits may find
themselves shooting an image by mistake when attempting to
adjust the zoom.
The only button which is a bit sticky is the switch between
still image and video mode. Located over on the right-hand side
of the shooting screen it takes up a fair amount of space and can
be quite fiddly to flick up and down. It is duplicated as a selection
in the menu options and possibly this is the only place it should
be located. To remedy this you could choose to assign buttons
of your phone to camera functions a welcome option to
customise the camera. All of the same high-quality functions are
available in video mode which can be
encoded as either MPEG4 or H.264 for
easy transfer.

Rating

The layout of the app may not be that aesthetically pleasing, but it does get the job
done. An example of substance over style

This is an app designed for the more serious


photographers, not as a bit of fun

Android App Directory 99

Android

Photography

Price: 1.22/$1.99 Developer: Kiwiple Inc.

Price: Free Developer: Moment

Magic Hour
Camera

Little Photo
Little only in name

A smart and sassy lil number


The look and feel of Magic Hour Camera is friendly
and relaxed while its functions are hardworking and
rather special. No points for adding anything wildly
original to menus but what the app does offer is well
received and above all it feels good to spend time on.
Over 40 filters are supplied with the app including Emo and
Postcard. A particular favourite is the Vintage filter which gives
every image a lovely semi-aged and beautiful feel. You can also
connect to the Filter Market and download as many free filters as
you like onto the app, saving and marking your favourites as well
as any that have been sent to you.
Another feature that stands out is the Save Your Original Image
option which allows you to preserve the shot you have taken
before tinkering with an endless number of superb effects. Magic
Hour Camera would do well to up its resolution options and add
some functions such as simple rotations, but on the whole the
energy thats gone into the building of this app really outweighs
any shortcomings.

Rating

The aesthetics of this app are simply beautiful


and luckily theyre matched with a really solid set
of functions. Little Photo allows you to edit
images captured through the app or those
already saved in your gallery. Once you have taken the image
you wish to use you drop it straight into edit mode. If youre
using a saved image it gets selected and then added to the
edit mode. While the menus are easy to navigate on the
whole, the app relies on tapping and dragging, rendering a
trackball or optical sensor useless.
The effects on offer all come with odd names and any
that go beyond basic functions need to be tried out in order
to see what they will do. Effects can be stacked up on your
image and you can clearly see which will be applied before
processing. The processing time is quite fast, the filters give an
almost instantaneous result.
The resulting images are rather on the small side, perhaps
this should be expected from the apps name, but a resolution
of 640x480 is enough to post and share images online.

Rating
The images tend to be
rather small when youre
finished with them

You can save your


original shot before
you start tinkering

This is one of the better


fun camera apps available
on Android

100 Android App Directory

There are plenty of cool


effects to choose from

Photography

Android

Price: 1.83/$2.99 Developer: Snapwood Apps

FlickFolio
Flickr on the fly

Korean
menu options
can confuse

Its quite a
stylish app all
in all

Price: Free Developer: KTH

Pudding Camera

This app simplifies most actions available in Flickr and


is a pleasure to navigate and operate. An offline
mode allows you to download you image from your
account and view them on your phone. Coupled
together with a photo viewer its a great solution to show off your
images to friends and family and professional enough to take it to
clients too.
The presentation mode takes into account the photo
dimensions and optimises them for viewing giving a standard and
appealing presentation across your gallery no matter the size of
your device. You can also perform batch uploads which process in
the background, though you cant add metadata directly though
the app, which is a pity.
Exploring Flickr is also an option and you can keep up to date
with the best shots of the day, view your favourites and even add
comments to your own images and those of others. The app also
links directly to other social networking sites such as Facebook and
Twitter as an added bonus. The developer is so confident about
the app that support and refunds are available if it does not live up
to expectations.

Rating

Tasty toy camera

Pudding Camera offers nothing new as far as toy


cameras go but its a good free app and as its free
its worth a download and a play around. It
supports small, medium and large file formats at
472px, 700px and 1024px respectively and offers a mix of
cameras and films to use.
The menus can be a bit sticky at times and as its in a mix of
English and Korean some functions are unclear and trial and
error is the name of the game. Some Android models report
varying levels of usability but once it works the results are
surprising. The Vivid option gives particularly striking results. It
doesnt work very well in low light but this is to be expected
on apps at this level.
The resolution on images is fairly acceptable and its really
useful to share fun images with friends on social networks or
via MMS. It wont do for any level of printing but as a digital
format it performs well. This app has recently been updated to
support Android OS 2.3 Gingerbread.

Rating

This app is mainly aimed at those


who tend to use, or plan to use,
Flickr to share photos

There are refunds available if you arent


satisfied with FlickFolios performance

Android App Directory 101

Android

Photography

Price: 1.83/$2.98 Developer: Almalence

HDR Camera+
Instant HDR on your mobile

Fast Burst Camera


Giving you rapid fire results

HDR images layer


a single
composition in a
variety of
exposures to give a dramatic
effect. The worry with HDR is a
ghosting effect that happens
if your images arent aligned
correctly; this app gets around
this problem by working on a
series of algorithms that take
into account hand shake and
moving objects.
No app can produce a
consistently perfect result but
HDR Camera+ performs well
though processing times can
be quite long.
This is a great app for
HDR fans

Price: Free Developer: Spritefish

Rating

This is really useful for two situations. Firstly for actionfilled events such as a football games and dance
recitals, secondly for really important moments
where you cant afford to miss the shot. In either case
you have the capability to take between five and ten shots per
second on two modes. Holding the shutter down gives you a
burst of continuous shots and tapping it allows for single shots.
Youll need a lot of light to get good pics; also as it works with
high volumes
of images. It's
worth noting
the resolution
of the images
will not be the
highest
resolution
available on
your phone.
The images won't
come out in high-res

Rating

Price: Free Developer: PinGuo Inc

Price: 0.61/$0.99 Developer: Adva Soft

Abundant effects in a single app

A staple editing app

Camera360free

TouchRetouch

The wide range of modes and effects available with


this app are neatly organised and easily accessible
through the launch menu. Its jam-packed with
everything from Lomo and Retro effects to Tilt and
Colour Shift and a few funny modes too. For a free, fun app there is
a lot on offer and each mode does what it says. With such a vast
variety it may seem that the developers have gone for a Jack of all
trades, master of none approach but most of the functions
perform quite
well. Keep an
eye on your
battery
through as
Camera360free
burns through
its life quicker
than you might
expect it to.
Watch our for your
battery life using this app

102 Android
iPhone App
AppDirectory
DirectoryVolume 5

Rating

A well known
and trusted
editing tool,
TouchRetouch
removes unwanted objects
from your images. It gives
you a the choice of using a
brush or lasso tool to
highlight the offending
person or object. This app
works better on a tablet as it
allows better control in your
selections but the software
does minimise distortion to
the final image and the
results are good considering
the ease of use and the
processing time.
Perfect for cleaning
up your images

Rating

Photography

Price: 1.22/$1.99 Developer: EyeApps LLC

Price: 1.83/2.99 Developer: mnApps

Good results, limited compatibility

A little box of camera tricks

Pro HDRCamera
Many HDR
applications rely
on taking one
image and
processing it for highlights
and shadows before
merging the images. Pro
HDR camera captures
separate images in two
different exposures and
merging the two the result
can be saved as a high-res
image of up to 8 megapixels.
The app is tested for
Motorola, HTC and most
Samsung phones. Other
devices, such as LG may
experience limited capability.
The levels help you
find the perfect picture

Rating

Camera Advance
Camera Advance attempts to transfer at least part
of the menu options on a standard DSLR onto
your Android device. While some apps may
receive negative press for making photographers
lazy and moving them further away from the know-how
behind the image, Camera Advance offers live camera
histogram and exposure compensation to intelligently
capture shots. Some features are only available on certain
models so
check
before
buying. The
options are
easy to
navigate
with a
series of
icons.
An app with lots
up its sleeve

Rating

Price: 1.20/1.95 Developer: RubberBigPepper

Price: 0.61/0.99 Developer: Spice Loop

The full monty of camera control

Attention grabbing tomfoolery

Ig CameraPro

Camera Fun Pro

Its a little bit boastful really, an app that gives total


control of still image, video and audio settings. With
all this functionality its to be expected that it only
runs off Android 2.1 or higher and that some of the
settings might only work on particular devices. A free version is
available to test before purchase. For those lucky enough to access
the full menu youll find a range of functions available over all
three media options. Aside from the range of manual settings one
of the most
helpful
functions is
unglamorous,
with the apps
ability to
handle and
recognise a
variety of file
types.
Whatever the file type,
this app supports it

Rating

Android

A light-hearted
and ludicrous
app, Camera
Fun Pro offers
29 lenses, each with their
own unique effect. Once
you have chosen your lens
view how the image will
turn out first a small
blessing when retaking
funny images becomes a
buzz kill. The Bulge and
Avatar lenses are guaranteed
to have your friends in
hysterics, on the serious side,
options include Sepia and
Sketch. A great little app
worth the tiny price tag.
Perfect if you want to
have fun with pictures

Rating
Android App Directory 103

Android

Productivity

Productivity

You can choose


which apps to kill to
save battery life

If you have a
newer Android, dont
bother with this app

There just isnt enough time in the


day, but thankfully there are plenty
of apps to help you out. Whether
its sorting your own schedule out
or simply getting your phone to
become a slick, trouble-free device,
these Productivity apps will save
you plenty of trouble and time
Top paid apps

Top free apps

Root Explorer

Google Goggles

JuiceDefender
Ultimate

Quick Settings

AndroZip Pro File


Manager

Go Launcher EX
Notification

Staff pick of the section


Business Calendar

104 Android App Directory

Thinking Space
Pro

Price: Free Developer: ReChild

Advanced
Task Killer

Useful for older Android phones


This program collects all of the apps that you are
currently running and displays them on a single
screen. Each of the live apps will be configured
with a tick mark situated next to each. To stop that
app running, you press the tick mark. Another useful but
hidden option is to kill a service. To do this, you need to click on
the Menu button to access further options. Pressing the
Service button will provide a list of currently running services.
Touch to stop and start them again.
On the plus side, the program can provide a list of apps and
services that you may not have been aware were actually in
use, but that is offset by the fact that this app does drain the
battery somewhat. With careful use, it may be of use to many,
but more modern Android phones (version 2.2 onwards) may
care to forget this app as the OS itself manages resources quite
efficiently: manually killing apps may cause complications such
as notification problems.

Rating

Productivity

Android

Price: 2.49/$3.90 Developer: Speed Software

Root Explorer
Control your phone with this feature-packed file manager
Root Explorer presents Android phone users with the
ability to manipulate core data that is held on their
phones. A file manager, Root Explorer gives you
access to the entire Android file system, providing a
graphical view of the heart of your phone which is useful if you
need to move files from one place to another, for example.
The app has the ability to perform quite complex operations
but, to best explain Root Explorers functions, lets look at
performing a simple task for starters. Take the SD Card, an
important piece of hardware in any phone users life. In order to
access the contents, load up the Root Explorer app which will
display all of the files and folders within the root directory. To
access the SD card, you need to scroll down the folder and file list
until the SD Card label appears. Click on it to open the folder and
peer inside to view the contents. If you wanted to move a file from
here to the main phone memory, for example, then you would
press your finger on the file name until an Options menu appears
as a pop-up. Then you select the Move option, exit the Options
menu and then decide where you want to move the file. Your
next task would be to select which part of the phone you want to

move the selected file to. Use Root Explorer to get there and then
press the Paste button to deposit the file.
Other features include the ability to create and extract
compressed files under zip, tar, rar and gzip. It is also possible to
perform quite technical tasks such as mounting or remounting
files and changing the permissions related to an app. You can
execute scripts, multi-select files, utilise the built-in text editor,
bring up the APK file viewer or send files via Bluetooth, email and
the other means. Root explorer also offers the function of viewing
thumbnails of your images and any files can not only be moved
but also deleted, copied and pasted perfect if you like to keep
your phone neat and tidy.
To further manipulate the content of your Android phone and
to open the contents you will need to do what those in the know
call rooting your handset. Rooting an Android phone is similar
to jailbreaking an iPhone. Doing so, will enable you to enter within
and modify the devices firmware to allow you to add custom
themes, apps, OSs and ROMs.

Rating

With Root Explorer you can view the


contents of the SD Card at a glance

The app allows you to easily


manage all your files
Moving, copying and deleting
files has never been easier

Android App Directory 105

Android

Productivity

Price: 4.33/$7.13 Developer: Latedroid

JuiceDefender Ultimate
Control and save your battery power output
How many of you carry a spare battery around just
in case? How many of you dont feel safe leaving the
house unless youve also stuffed your battery charger
in your pocket to plug in at every available
opportunity? How many of you perform quite complex, manual,
battery-saving operations?
The aim of this app is to stop all of that nonsense. In many
respects, you could describe this app as a power manager. Its
function is to save you money but, above all, hassle and despair
during any given battery power loss. Quite unlike those other
battery-related apps that show you a few pretty pictures and the
odd graph, however, JuiceDefender performs a number of active,
automatic actions to save you power.
In use, you can choose a number of ready-made setting plans
including: balanced, aggressive, extreme, customize and advanced.
This means that, for example, the harsher the profile, the more
connectivity will be reduced as the more power on your phone
is saved. There are also two variations of customisation that you
can adopt with one offering more settings to tweak than the
other. Hence, the app can close down your Wi-Fi feature plus 3G.

Had enough of running out of battery at


that crucial moment? Look no further than
JuiceDefender Ultimate

All the options are explained to ensure


power saving is tailored to your needs

106 Android App Directory

For those who have a data-rich tariff and dont really utilise phone
calls, this app can even close down the phone radio to prevent
incoming phone calls. Other useful features include a keyguard
which stops your phone springing to life in your pocket or bag
and wasting battery power that way. The app will even look at the
light sensor setting plus the brightness setting.
Other core-based features include examining the basic CPU
speed of your phone. This means altering the maximum and
minimum speed to save power when the phone is idle.
There is a free version of this app available but the paid-for
version arrives with extra features. For example, it is location-aware
when it comes down to turning your Wi-Fi on or off, while it also
caters for your lifestyle by triggering night, peak and weekend
schedules for your different needs at different times.
A thoroughly comprehensive app with some excellent attention
to detail; that is, connectivity can be on when charging but off if
charging from a PC or laptop when charging from this source is
slower. A top-notch, practical app, if ever there was one.

Rating

Productivity

Price: 1.74/$2.81 Developer: AgileSoft Resource

AndroZip Pro
File Manager
Lean, mean archiving machine
with a few frills on top

On the face of it, this app serves as an archive


compression utility and, as such, it can handle
compression formats as diverse as ZIP, RAR, GZIP, TAR
and BZIP2. It can even have a stab at 7-ZIP which is
currently undergoing beta-testing and can create files under TAR,
GZIP and ZIP. Able to be installed on a SD card, AndroZip provides
file manager-like facilities but also a task manager and an app
installer. AndroZip will let you search and send files too.
The principle highlight is the fact that this app is lean,
streamlined and doesnt feature fattening dead-code to bloat
its interface. Hence, it is easy to use and efficient. Whether you
actually need a task killer is neither here nor there because its
an adjunct to the main program and its hidden away under a
secondary menu, in any case. As it stands, this app goes some
way to bringing computer facilities to a mobile phone and it can
handle large ZIP files pretty well.

Rating

Android

Price: 3.46/$5.70 Developer: Appgenix Software

Business
Calendar

For those who want Outlook


calendar quality on their
Android phone
Sometimes, if you are within a business
environment, a basic calendar is just not good
enough. This app looks to handle your schedule
no matter how frantic your day might be.
Offering a sensibly laid-out design, BC provides up to 14 days
of calendar with several views focused on the likes of Agenda,
Day or Month, or Events, along with a valuable search function
for those complex busy periods. The drag-and-drop facility is
especially useful at these times to speed up the interface.
Further, you can also link a contact to an event to further
speed up your business processes.
Other aspects of the app are just as useful such as the
configurable widgets, which are available in different sizes,
while you will find switching between timeline bars and event
titles in Month view very easy to accomplish. Also, users who
may have found other calendar apps rather clunky during the
sync process should be impressed by the same operation
when using Business Calendar.

Rating

If the files on your


device need a tidy, this will
take the strain for you
AndroZip can already
handle a wide range of
compression formats and is
looking to take on more

Business Calendar is like a PA you


can carry around in your pocket

Android App Directory 107

Android

Productivity

Price: 2.03/$3.31 Developer: AnderWeb

AdwLauncher
Ex
A flexible, stable and fast
launcher app

On an Android phone, when you press the Home key,


you will normally see the phones own interface
handle the apps and services. With ADWLauncher Ex
installed, however, you now have the option to take
control of those apps and services with this program. Highly
customisable with many themes to keep the desktop lively, this
launcher app arrives with a launcher dock that can feature up to
five shortcuts to provide a further enhancement in the apps
efficiency. That efficiency has also been enhanced by the ability to
edit the screen in order to add, remove and swap your desktop
screens. Other features include a dockbar which is hidden and can
be customised while supporting unlimited icons via scrolling.
The look of the launcher can be changed in a variety of ways
with different animations while navigating through your desktop
screens. These include a variety of new icons, while the size of the
icon can be varied, the font colour can also be tweaked.

Rating

Price: 2.63/$4.29 Developer: SoftXPerience

Note Everything
Pro Add-on
Takes note-taking to a new level

An app for taking notes is not, on the face of it,


especially sexy. Basic, yes, standard and workmanlike, certainly, but sexy? This example takes the
sub-genre to a new level with the ability to think
laterally. This means that you can write a note but you can also
paint one. Thats right, there is more than one method of notetaking and painting is one of the more unexplored methods.
You can also take a voice note. This variant might not be so
unusual but to have it provided within the same app is a
welcome bonus. More than that, you can organise your notes
so that, as they build, you can place them into folders and
attach shortcuts for each and send them to friends and
colleagues very easily. You can even import your old Palm
memos, if you wish, as well as handling Outlook notes. This Pro
version also allows you to stick notes on to the status bar as
well as include encryption for security purposes.

Rating

Take written or
spoken notes

Change font colours


and icons

Change the themes of


your phone's homepage

108 Android App Directory

The qwerty keyboard


gives ease of use

Productivity

Android

Price: 1.99/3.24 Developer: TeslaCoil Software

WidgetLocker
Lockscreen

This is more than just a tool to


lock your phone's screen

Create complex
mind maps with
different colours

Don't let that


brilliant idea
escape, it could be
the next big thing

Price: 1.99/$3.24 Developer: Kinesthetic Ltd

Thinking
Space Pro

An app to lock the screen of your Android mobile


phone but one that provides you with a lot more
control over how it performs. Hence, you can add a
range of sliders, widgets and even shortcuts. When
these triggers have been applied to the screen, you can tweak
them to be applied to just about any action. For example, you can
link a slider control to make a call to a specific person or to launch
a favourite app. You can also attach a range of notification badges
to these actions too. Other features include an Easy Wake Mode
which provides the extra flexibility of allowing, not just the power
button to wake up the entire phone, but any other button that
you care to assign. You can resize your widgets and have access to
a custom grid size. An excellent app that offers a range of options
and is highly tweakable which, despite the rather harsh draw upon
the internal battery, is only limited by your imagination.

Rating

Bring your ideas to life


Ever had an idea and then tried to keep it all in
your head while attempting to manipulate it
before you forget essential bits of it or lose the
thread of the whole thing.
Even worse, have you then ever tried to communicate that
idea to someone else? This is what Thinking Space Pro is all
about. The concept is to put your thoughts and ideas down
on paper in a sort of mind map. But, as this an Android phone
were talking about and not the reverse of a receipt, you get
the chance to link one idea with another, introduce different
colours and boxes and attach icons. You can connect these
thoughts and feed them into other apps such as Freemind,
Xmind, MindManager and MindMeister API.
The Pro version has extra features such as integrated links
within your idea to external files plus the option to sort your
ideas into folders to enable faster searching later.

Rating

Add shortcuts to your favourite


apps, and easily call specific people

Customise your background and what your


homescreen displays

Android App Directory 109

Android

Arcade
Productivity

Price: Free Developer: Metago

Price: Free Developer: Droidla

Astro File Manager

QR Droid

A good quality file manager with a useful


selection of bonus tools

Start scanning barcodes now


QR codes are
advanced
barcode
variants that,
when scanned, trigger
content that can be
displayed via your
smartphone. This software
reads QRs via your phones
camera and codes shown in
your phone browser, saved
on your SD card or QR
image via its Internet URL.
You can create QR codes of
your own that can include a
range of content from SMS
messages to contact
information and images.

File managers are becoming increasingly necessary for


day-to-day use of a smartphone. This example
includes the basic file manager facilities but also adds
other programs under the menu button via a Tools
header. It includes back-up options
for both files and apps. Other
features include viewers of images
and for text while you also get a task
and app manager. Couple that lot
with a compression manager
covering file formats like Zip and this
program emerges more as a suite of
programs rather than an app with a
specific use in mind. It's not
particularly user-friendly but
definitely good for those who want
an all-encompassing file manager.
It's an intimidating
app to use at first

Rating

QR Codes are
becoming popular

Rating

Price: Free Developer: Google

Price: Free Developer: Google

Google Docs

Google Goggles

A text editor thats at its best

Search engine using pictures, not text


Google Docs for
Mobile is a useful
method of
creating and
editing text documents.
Others who are sharing can
also receive the same
universal edits in real time so
that everyone has the
updated information. Its also
possible to share any
document with those on your
contacts list.
You can edit spreadsheets
and take a photographs and
add textual content into a
Google Doc file by prompting
a text conversion.

Functional but can be


very useful too

110 Android App Directory

Rating

This app takes the traditional, text-only, search


engine and utilises images as the interface. Take a
picture of an object with your camera phone and
Goggles uses image recognition technology to
return search results. They may take the form of retail outlets
who sell the item to information on the history of the object, or
even additional
images of the
target object.
The app also
recognisesa
range of books,
DVDs, landmarks,
logos, contact
information,
artwork,
barcodes and
even text.
It's really a search
engine using pics

Rating

Productivity

Price: Free Developer: Catch.Com

AK Notepad

Price: Free Developer: Sergej Shafarenka

Taking notes the modern way

Start saving battery life

Quick Settings

A notepad app that is reminiscent of the same


breed of app you can find as standard on the
iPhone but AK Notepad has the benefit of an archive
function which can prevent accidental erasures
triggering a calamity, an extremely
helpful addition.
It also has a reminder calendar
function which can be selected for a
variety of time delays, which is more
useful than it may seem. Simple it
might be but an undo option would
have been nice to see as a standard
feature. Nevertheless, a useful app
that will be appreciated for its lack of
bloatware and staying focused on its
main one USP.
It's basic but AK Notepad
gets the job done

Rating
Price: Free Developer: GO Launcher Dev Team

Go Launcher Ex
Notification

Practical addition to an already top launcher app


This is a plug-in for the parent Go Launcher app, a
home page program that features themes, screen
transitions, folder and
task management. This
add-on allows you to see your
missed calls, unread SMS messages
and Gmail emails. Hence, when you
receive any missed calls or
messages, an additional number is
shown sitting on the top corner of
the relevant icons on the home
screen and dock bar. Remember to
enter the settings to complete the
finally set-up, however.
This app will help
organise your life

Rating

Android

This app looks to save power by allowing you to


control your phones internal settings, such as
brightness. Press on that and youre presented
with a slider to alter the settings. The volume
setting, however, brings up a host
of individual sliders from the ringer
to the alarm. If the setting you want
is not present,
then you can
enter the
Customize
section to
drag
previously
hidden
settings into
view.

Rating

It's a helpful
organiser app

Price: Free Developer: Softexperience

Note Everything

Even this cut-down model offers plenty to work with


The basic version of the note-taking app without
photo notes, checklists and durable checklists
options. There may not be the reminder, encryption,
the chance to stick notes to the status bar or provide
full automatic backup to an SD card
but you still have a more than capable
note-taking app that offers flexibility
to provide text,
paint and
barcode-related
notes. There is a
voicenote facility
and you can
also grab some
notes from
Google Docs (as
part of an extra
add-on).
It's a surprisingly
comprehensive app

Rating
Android App Directory 111

Android

Shopping

Shopping

Theres nothing particularly glamorous about the interface

Price: Free Developer: ZXing Team

Whether its pinching pennies or


buying luxuries, shopping is an
essential part of life as well as a
hobby for some. Regardless of how
you see it, our selection of apps will
ensure you get that perfect bottle
of wine, get groceries to your door
and save money where possible
Top paid apps

Top free apps

Mighty Grocery
Shopping List

Official eBay
Android App

Wine + List,
Ratings & Cellar

Shopping List

Out of Milk Pro


Unlocker

Tesco Groceries

Staff pick of the section


Whats It Worth?

112 Android App Directory

Inventory Droid

Barcode
Scanner

Effective but not exemplary


Barcode Scanner utilises your camera to scan the
barcodes found on the back of products. However,
it can also scan additional items, such as 2D
barcodes which are better known as QR Codes
(which are increasingly popular) or Data Matrix. Apart from the
opening help screen you won't find much of a front-screen
interface and as such you are literally thrown into the app to
get scanning straight away.
Scanning, however, was quick (even from a GPRS
connection), but a few barcodes had trouble scanning and the
returned data was not the most graphically presented, but it
did list the correct item, plus the price (with the place to buy).
However, on a number of occasions the price listed did seem
to be the official RRP, but you can perform manual searches or
download Google Shopper if you want to perform additional
searches for the cheapest prices. On a plus note, Google
Shopper certainly revealed some bargain prices.
When it came to QR Codes the app does have a really cool
share feature that allows you to generate your own QR Codes,
for example this could be a contact from your address book
and then displays the results on the screen for others to access
(you can also email the QR Code too).

Rating

Shopping

Android

Price: Free Developer: eBay Mobile

Official eBay Android App

Selling on the top auction site has never been easier


Most people will or should have heard of the auction
site eBay as it's one of the best places to go if you
want to pick up a bargain or you have something to
sell. By default you utilise a web-based interface on
your computer or a compact mobile version on your phone's web
browser, but having used the dedicated Android app we can
honestly say this is one of the best ways to experience the auction
site! eBay has done a cracking job and produced an inviting and
intuitive interface that packs in all the features you will need, right
in front of you.
Immediately you can access your profile to see your feedback
score or get an overview of what items you are currently watching
or have bought/sold.
Selling items is even easier than the desktop version as you
can tap into a barcode reader (which incidentally is powered by
its own RedLaser app, one of the more accurate readers on the
market). After scanning, the app fills in most of the fields/details
you need for the item, leaving you with very little to add for the
sale part providing the item actually has a barcode. The barcode
reader can also be used when searching for items, for example if

you are out shopping, you can compare the price of items to the
ones listed on eBay, by simply scanning the barcode in the shop.
Searching is also made easier by the handy sort feature, which in
most cases is the same as you find on the desktop version.
Items themselves are displayed in a list format, clearly stating
the time left on the auction, the current bid, payment details and
the condition of the items. On the top-left corner you can also
view product images. Using the options below the listing you can
quickly add items to your watch list or tell a friend via the share link
(as it opens up Gmail).
What's also useful is being able to see a description of the seller,
which is a key factor when making any purchasing decision so you
can see their feedback score.
Of course you can also purchase items and place bids directly
on your handset too. eBay Mobile is certainly a great app and
as it is free you would be mad not to use it if you are a regular
buyer/seller or simply want to get hold of the odd bargain around
birthday/holidays.

Rating

x
x

Regular eBay users and watchers will recognise


the menu screen
Scan in the item's barcode and the
details are automatically displayed

Android App Directory 113

Android

Shopping

Price: 1.91/$2.95 Developer: Mighty Pocket

Mighty Grocery Shopping List


Make your weekly shop much easier
Mighty Grocery Shopping List is one of the most
polished shopping list apps we have used. Its key is
not only in the features it provides, but also in the
presentation. For example, content and menu items
are laid out in such a way that you can dart between options with
ease. An extra drop-down list can also be deployed which
uncovers more useful settings such as the barcode reader.
When it comes to adding shopping the developers have already
provided five empty lists named after the large supermarket
chains, ie Tesco, Asda and so on, but its easy enough to create
your own unique shopping list. For testing, though, we opted for
the softwares default Groceries list and we found that you can
start adding items quickly by searching through the pre-defined
Pick list. Here you will find hundreds of shopping items, arranged
in categories. Most of the common types like eggs, bread and
milk are already listed and these will be added instantly to your list
once selected.
At this point you can select the item and key in specific details,
ie price, quantity, unit type (pounds, ounces), the aisle you are
likely to find the item in and any coupons you may have. Whats

x
x

You can tick off items once you have put them
into your trolley
The Android theme is very much
prevalent throughout the app

114 Android App Directory

interesting here is that using a simple toggle, the software can


be set to remember the details you input and any changes made
throughout the app will propagate through to any list. Additionally,
as you go through your list you can cross off items and then dart
to the checkout tab to see how much money you have spent.
Of course, if you cant find the items from the Pick list, you will
need to manually add these yourself, but luckily the software has
a few tools to make life easier. The first of these is the voice input
control; by simply tapping the mic icon you can specify the name
of the product or add in the price and quantity. However, this last
bit is a little tricky, but practice makes perfect. Another option to
use is the barcode reader. We found it could detect most of the
items we tried to scan, but for the ones it couldnt you can add
these in manually and upload the results for the community to
benefit from. The only disappointment was that it did not provide
a picture for the item we scanned, nor can you add one manually.
Apart from this, theres a handy recipe feature and sync and
backup option, allowing you to store your lists on the cloud.

Rating

Shopping

Out of Milk Pro Unlocker

Android

Price: 3.06/$4.99 Developer: Capigami

A colourful way to create shopping lists

Out of Milk Pro is best described as a fun way to input


your shopping lists. This becomes apparent when you
behold the large colourful icons that adorn the front
screen. Even if the concept is similar to the majority of
other shopping list programs on the Market, the developers have
injected some new ideas which sets it apart.
As well as being able to share lists and create custom shopping
lists, you also have a handy To-Do List feature and Pantry List.
The latter is great for noting what items you have left in your
cupboards. We also loved the slider allowing us to set how much
of each item is remaining. Best of all the Android software also
syncs data with its web-based desktop counterpart so you can see
your lists on any computer with an internet connection.
Adding items (along with price and quantity info) can be
performed via manual text entry or using voice control, barcode
scanning or a handy search facility to bring up any pre-installed
items. Barcode scanning was a touch hit-and-miss, but you can
manually add the items in if it cant detect them properly.

The big, colourful icons make the


app a pleasure to use

Rating

Create a list of groceries you need,


and also use it as a to-do list

Price: 3.06/$4.99 Developer: RomiSys

Inventory Droid
Keep track of your possessions

Inventory Droid is an app that allows you to store


and keep track of the items you have dotted
around the house. To make your life a little easier
the developers have deployed a barcode reader
facility that allows you to scan the barcodes of your products
and store the results into pre-defined or custom categories (TVs,
DVDs, Hi-Fi, Games etc). This works well, but it is still reliant on
the scanner to get things right, and its not always accurate.
On the plus side we like the ability to take a snap of the
product in question, as well as being able to capture the receipt.
Once added all we had to do is key in some extra info, including
the serial number (which you can get by scanning with the
barcode reader again), the items location or who has borrowed
it (useful for DVDs you may have lent out). As an added bonus
the software also comes with a free desktop client, so you can
keep track of your inventory away from your smartphone.

Rating

Enter all the relevant


information for your
item of choice

You can note


down where you
bought the item, and
take a picture of it

Android App Directory 115

Android

Shopping

Price: 1.31/$2.15 Developer: Twofingers Apps

Whats it worth?
(aka eValuator)
eBay price guides for Android

Whats it worth? is an app that allows you to search


for items on eBay and from the results determine
the average value of a selling item. The apps
interface is a little basic, yet this should not detract
from how useful the software is. After typing in a search criteria
you can then choose the condition of the item you want to look
for (All, New or Used). The software then scans eBay and brings
back a series of calculations.
However, at this point you need to use some common sense,
because if you search for something like Xbox 360 Kinect, by
default it brings back any results containing those words
resulting in lower than expected figures. Refining your search
further, by looking at sub-categories, brings back some great
information. From the resulting change it shows the median
price (inc shipping), the net price and the min/max values.
Extra options allow you to browse items (with shortcuts taking
you to the web version of eBay) or look at statistics. The latter is
handy for seeing how much a product goes for on a particular
day of the week.

Rating

Its easy to search for items


and youre likely to be pleased
with the results

The statistics
page will let you
know how much
certain items sell
for at a given time

116 Android App Directory

Price: 3.06/$4.99 Developer: HeadCode

OurGroceries Key
A basic app with a few ideas

OurGroceries Key is basically the same version as


the free version, but without the ads, so if you don't
mind this then you have a competent shopping list
app at your disposal.
The layout of the app is rather basic and at the time of writing
there was no barcode reader function at your disposal. There
is a voice command function to help, but its internal database
of products was also limited, as was its ability to add price
info to each item. With all that said the program does have its
merits, the first of these is the recipes function. You can quickly
add a recipe title and then add items from the ones you have
previously entered. However, the best of its features is the ability
to share your lists with others; this could be members of your
family or your other half. Any changes made on one device will
then reflect on all the others.

Rating

ShopSavvy
Barcode Scanner

Grab yourself a bargain


and never pay over the odds
Simply scan the barcode of
the item you wish to purchase
and a list of results will appear.
Theres also a real-time list of
scanned items

Shopping

Android

Price: Free Developer: Fivefly

Shopping list

Plenty to offer and all for free

Find the food you


need to make a cake!

Share your lists and


recipes with others

Price: Free Developer: ShopSavvy

Find the best deals online


ShopSavvy is a polished app that has instant appeal.
Great use of colours, large icons and an eye-catching
scrolling product list at the base of the screen first
catch your eye. These are items being scanned in realtime by other ShopSavvy users.
Selecting an item from the above list or when scanning new
items with the barcode reader provides you with a quick turnaround, showcasing the products image at the base of the screen,
along with three options. The first and most useful option is the
best online price, which it displays instantly or you can click on the
option to fully discover any alternative stores selling the item online
(the retuned results are normally good).
Other options provide you with local store locations (including
directions) and reviews of the particular product. Additionally you
can add your own reviews if you so wish (other users will then
be able to benefit from your knowledge). Even if you dont buy
the item then and there, you can click on save and add the item
to one of the pre-defined or custom lists, which could include
groceries as well as electronic consumer products or share the
product with others via Facebook, Twitter or email.

Rating

Shopping list is another free shopping app that it


has to be said puts a lot of the paid-for apps to
shame. The interface is inviting and the small ads
position isnt that intrusive, so you can quite happily
navigate through the software without clicking on it. It also
provides a dashboard option where you can create lists,
categories, units or synchronise your shopping lists with another
person. Being able to customise units (ie measurements) was
certainly useful as this is normally missing from most apps. Each
category also had its own colour bar which is placed down the
side of each list, therefore helping you to visualise the item
better. Voice recognition was not onboard, which is not a major
problem as the barcode reader helped with adding items into
our custom lists. Additionally we could add images from our
cameras photo gallery which was a brilliant feature as we could
visually see what the products looked like!
The only thing we did not like is that when ticking off items
and adding them to your cart, it does not display the total unless
you go back to the front screen. Even so for a free shopping list
app this has plenty going for it!

Rating

Get a glimpse of what the


item youre after looks like
thanks to this app

The app is
simple to use and
the ad isnt too
intrusive

Android App Directory 117

Android

Shopping

Price: Free Developer: Barcode Scanner

Barcoo

Price comparison with added style

Price: Free Developer: Tesco plc

Tesco Groceries

An app where every little helps

Barcoo is another price comparison app that is


adorned in a stylish back drop and red text.
Using the barcode reader can take a little bit
of time to return results and the number of
online resources it finds could be larger. We loved the way
the app breaks everything down
into tabs, giving access to price,
ratings and data.
There is a ScanTicker option to
showcase the most popular items
or those being scanned in realtime by other users. Useful in some
ways, but to us this section felt
under-utilised. As did its series of
mini guides, which despite being a
nice added touch, are limited to a
handful of drink related guides.

Rating

Tesco Groceries
is an ideal app
for those
looking to make
home deliveries from their
phone. Presentation and
general ease of use is top
notch, and this quality flows
straight into the items that
are listed via the Shop icon,
as everything is laden with
images and descriptions,
plus the latest offers. You
can also use a voice control
function or use the barcode
reader to scan items from
your cupboard, saving you
from manually adding info.
A good app from
the major retailer

Rating

Price: Free Developer: Amazon Mobile EU

Price: Free Developer: Scanbuy, Inc.

Amazon UK

ScanLife Barcode Reader

A poor turnout by the worldwide retailer


Amazons app
has a similar feel
to its mobile web
browser interface
and in some ways the latter is
still needed because the app
doesnt support Kindle books.
Even so the main interface is
clean and intuitive to use and
for users of Amazons online
site it has most things you
will need out the box, from
buying items and tracking
your packages to viewing/
cancelling your orders.
Sadly there are a few glitches
which can lessen the
experience overall.
Good, but not great by
Amazons standards

118 Android App Directory

Rating

Scanning made simple

With ScanLife you are sent straight to your camera


screen to begin scanning. Scanning either barcodes
or QR Codes seemed accurate and felt quicker at
coming back with the information we required.
The above information included both price and reviews, with
the price field sometimes containing multiple search results
which you can
follow to the
online store.
Other than this
the only other
option is History,
which displays
the last items
you scanned.
You can also
share results
with others.
xTheres no messing
around here

Rating

Shopping

Price: Free Developer: eBay Mobile

RedLaser Barcode Scanner

Price: Free Developer: Groupon, Inc.

Barcodes and QR Codes at the ready!

Save money with this top app

RedLasers interface is simple, but it does display the


last items you scanned on the front page, so they
are always to hand. More importantly the barcode
reader itself is pretty accurate, and displays the
scanning interface in a portrait
fashion which felt more intuitive to
use and easier to take scans using the
one hand. Additionally the scan
interface provides an easy-to-access
multi-scan option, which is a nice
touch. When multi-scanning though
you did need to tap on the barcode
ID number afterwards to display the
results, but it picked up our products
quite quickly. Best of all, though, the
software has the feature to create QR
Codes, ranging from web addresses
through to contacts.

Rating

A great multi-scan
option with RedLaser

Price: Free Developer: LivingSocial Deals

LivingSocial

Find local deals on the move


LivingSocial is another deal-of-the-day-style app
that supports a nice home screen widget, that in
some ways was more appealing than the main
interface. On our Samsung there was a large gap
at the bottom of the screen which
seemed a waste of space and even
when running over Wi-Fi there
seemed a fair amount of time for
deals to load. Deals were also pretty
limited in our area, but it displays
them in a nice format. The escapes
section lists holiday destinations,
but its heavily Americanised, so we
are not confident that these would
be valid in the UK.
The apps use of
space isnt great

Rating

Android

Groupon

Groupons mobile app is an extension to the webbased counterpart, it quickly displays and alerts
you (via the Notification bar) about the latest deals
(like meals or days out) in your area. Presentation is
first class and there is plenty of
information to hand if you need to
learn more about the current deal
(including a location map or the
ability to share the deal with
friends). Only the deal of the day is
shown on the full screen to start
with, but there is the option to get
more deals or look for ones outside
your area. Groupons deals are not
for everyone, but they do come up
with some crackers, so its a useful
app to own.
Get great deals in
your local area

Rating

Price: 2.44/$4.00 Developer: Metosphere

Wine + List, Ratings


& Cellar
A wine app that gets better with age
Wine + List is an app that allows you to store
information pertaining to wines in your collection or
wines that you have spotted out and about. Utilising
the barcode reader or multi-scan option provides a
quick way of cataloguing your wines, but at times it had trouble
focusing on the label, which meant we had
to input fields by hand. Thankfully you can
add descriptions, ratings, images, notes and
information pertaining to the wines location.
Your wines are then visible on the front page
and can be sorted into different orders to
suit. Additionally, click on the Others tab to
view wine reviews from other users. Extra
tools such as the export to CSV (allowing you
to view your wine list in Excel), makes this an
ideal package for wine connoisseurs.
View and record your
favourite wines

Rating
Android App Directory 119

Android

Social networking

Social
networking
The interfaces are
very clean and easy
to use

Time will tell if this


is real competition
for Facebook

Calling people is good but its not


the only way to stay in touch on
Android, with the rise of social
networking seeing plenty of apps
taking advantage of its growth.
On these next pages are the best
apps of that bunch
Top paid apps
Tapatalk Forum
App

ProBoards

Loky

Top free apps


TweetCaster

Foursquare

LinkedIn

Staff pick of the section


Geeky Avatar

120 Android App Directory

LED Scroller 3

Price: Free Developer: Google

Google+

Comes with fewer pluses


than we expected
The new contender to the Facebook throne of
social networking comes from the powerhouse
that is Google. For a basic, overall view of the
service lets just call it like Facebook, but a bit
different. Its easier than getting into any murky waters about
privacy concerns and the stress of deciding what circle to put
someone you know in.
The free app accompanying Google+ isnt anywhere near as
fully featured as we expected. While photos can be uploaded
to the service by ticking a box, we found no way of uploading
multiple pictures to albums they just appear as posts. It also
simply doesnt convey all of the information that the browserbased version does, like who has you in a circle and the like.
As a service, Google+ is still in early days it will improve
and is, right now, an interesting prospect. As an app, Google+
isnt amazing on Android. Again, it will improve (and is arguably
already better than the Facebook app), but the version we
have reviewed in the here and now is a bit of a let-down.

Rating

Social networking

Android

Price: Free Developer: Facebook

Facebook For Android

Bringing friends together, one poke at a time


The biggest social network in the world has a free
app available for Android users. If you have an
account already you can jump straight in, link your
information through your phones settings and be
updated throughout the day with messages, notifications, friend
requests and all that other guff. If you dont yet have an account,
its a simple process by which you sign up and get involved
unless you object for any moral or privacy reasons, naturally.
Facebook For Android doesnt do everything the full desktop
version does, but it covers the most important bases. You can
view comments, post your own, look at pictures and other general
social network-type things that we all love so much. If you want
added functionality and ease of use, youll still want to stick with
the non-Android version, but for what it needs to do and for quick,
easy checking of messages and updates its fine. To have it sitting
in your pocket or bag all day, checking for new messages etc every
half an hour or so and updating you if and when they are received,
its absolutely fine.
While you can get pretty much everything you would want
to get from Facebook on the app, there are a fair few hoops to

jump through to get there. Screen after screen of jumping back


and forwards just to get to the one pertinent place on the social
network you wanted to be isnt exactly an experience that lends
itself to ease of use, even if the rest of the experience is relatively
simple. Then theres the oft-missing notifications you werent even
aware you have until you log in using more traditional, home
computer-based methods. It doesnt make the whole thing broken
so to speak, but it does mean theres a chance of missing an
important message or update they do sometimes happen on
Facebook, surprisingly.
On one hand Facebook For Android is perfectly fine good,
even as it does what it sets out to do. But the fact it isnt as
flawless as you would expect, what with it being made by
Facebook itself, is a huge let down and drags the whole app down
somewhat. It would be incredibly harsh to write the whole thing
off because its not perfect, but theres no ignoring the fact our
expectations were not totally met. Recommended, but could
and should be a lot better.

Rating

x
x

The apps interface


will feel familiar to
those who already use
Facebook

The app works


well but it could
have been quite a
bit better

Android App Directory 121

Android

Social networking

Price: Free Developer: Twitter, Inc

Twitter

Say hello to the new new media


Twitter, in case youre still somehow unaware, is the
social media phenomenon of the last couple of years.
It allows users to post quick snippets of up to 140
characters on anything they want to talk about,
linking to sites, showing pictures or videos etc. You would be
forgiven for thinking that sounds a bit pointless, or boring, but the
simple fact of the matter is Twitter has been taken up by the
internet-savvy generation to such a degree that the service has
genuinely changed the world around it. Twitter users have had a
hand in breaking news stories before mainstream media
organisations were even aware of them, theyve helped protests
and campaigns keep their momentum up, theyve even had a
hand in bringing about revolutions. Its a fair step up from
Facebooks poke.
Anyway, the casual Twitter user isnt likely to be bringing down
the government any time soon, but they will still need a method
with which to access their feed, post their thoughts/links and
the like and generally converse with followers and those they are
following. The official Twitter client provides a highly functional, if
admittedly basic, app thats great at doing exactly what you would

x
x

Using the official Twitter client means that you


know youre in safe hands
You can perform the functions
youd expect from the app

122 Android App Directory

hope it does. The design is streamlined enough to allow for quick


navigation, and most features from the full version of the service
are present we didnt find a way to view which users have retweeted your messages, however.
It isnt all hunky dory though, as sometimes it can take a while
for messages to appear on your feed when manually updating,
and we found a few times direct (private) messages simply didnt
show up, at least not in a timely fashion, even though they had
definitely been sent. These are minor concerns though, and the
sort of thing the active development team at Twitter HQ is sure to
be beavering away at in order to fix updates are fairly regular.
If youre the kind of person who isnt willing to stray into the
realms of unofficial clients, preferring the safety net of knowing
the company that developed the site made the app you are using,
Twitter is perfect for the job. Yes you can get extra bells, whistles,
specialisations and tweaks on other clients, but for the basic,
straightforward tasks of tweeting, reading tweets and the allimportant re-tweeting, the official Twitter client will serve you well.

Rating

Social networking

As Foursquare becomes more popular,


youll find more people using it

Android

Find people local to you and see what


they are up to

Price: Free Developer: Foursquare Labs, Inc

Foursquare

The new mayor of Android


Foursquare is a location-based social network tool,
allowing users to update friends and others that they
have checked in at countless locations the world
over. They are awarded points for doing so, which can
be turned into badges and even leading to becoming mayor of a
location, if they check in to a single place frequently enough over
the course of 60 days. Its a perfect fit for smartphones, so its no
surprise to see it available for free on Android.
Users can check quickly and easily for nearby locations available
for check-in, and the app uses GPS functionality for added
precision. Streets, houses, individual rooms you can check-in to
them all with a couple of taps, so long as your connection (and the
Foursquare server) is up and running.
But its not all fleeting silliness on a grand scale there are
benefits to using the service and cultivating your mayoral
influence. A quick tap of the Specials button brings up a list of
local landmarks (usually businesses) that offer a reward for being
mayor of that particular place. It can be a monthly prize, 20 per
cent off your bill at a restaurant, free pizza and a host of other
things its useful to keep an eye on, and encourages you to
actually keep using the service. Well played, Foursquare Labs
Some users report issues with the app either not picking up
nearby locations, or acknowledging them then claiming to be
too far away to check in when pressed. While its fair to bear these
criticisms and issues in mind, we experienced no such problems
using the service. It might be the app itself, it might be an issue

The Specials service is a great way to reward users and encourage people to
keep on using Foursquare

with the network provider, it might be the smartphone device


but while its good to bring up a reported issue, its equally fair to
point out that we didnt experience it.
In our view Foursquare, as a service, is likely to either merge
with something grander Facebook, or Google+ - or simply fall
by the wayside. But that really doesnt matter right now, as its
up and running with millions of users across the globe. The app
works very well; its simple to use, covers everything and only
rarely suffers problems though it receives regular updates. And
the actual game of Foursquare itself? Well, it can be maddeningly
addictive, and you will be annoyed when someone steals your
mayorship from a local landmark. Or pub.

Rating
Android App Directory 123

Android

Social networking

LinkedIn

Price: Free Developer: LinkedIn

A social network for professionals


The LinkedIn service is useful for professionals of a
wide variety, allowing people to keep in touch with
contacts on a professional level, rather than the usual
mates and acquaintances approach. There have been
unofficial versions available for a while, but the free, official
LinkedIn app is now available to all Android users.
The app itself is functional and very quick, with sleek menus
offering you everything you would want out of the service.
Contacts can easily be searched for or scrolled through, messages
and pending links are easy to access easier, in fact, than the
browser version of LinkedIn and there are even related news
headlines to tide you over.
Its all very good, but there are security and privacy concerns in
the most recent version of the app, with passwords stored on your
device in plain text and contact details raided by the app without
the users prior consent. These issues might not bother you in the
slightest though but bearing the caveats in mind, the LinkedIn
app is very good indeed.

The app is easy to use, although


beware of some security concerns

Rating

LinkedIn will recommend other


people you may know

Price: Free Developer: Bump Technologies, Inc

Bump

Next up: grind

It sounds like the kind of futuristic babble you


would hear on Tomorrows World: bump fists with
another smartphone user to share contact details,
photos and apps instantly. Its a shame the real
version of this concept is more gimmicky than it first seems.
The registered bump is merely the phone reacting to being
jolted, and the transfer of details can be done just as quickly
via Bluetooth. Its the future, but not as we expected it. Bump
makes sharing some things, like apps, that little bit easier than it
normally would be. But for its main draw sharing photos and
contact details it really is little more than a gimmick. The app
itself works fine, though it would be nice to be able to share
music on Android, and functionally speaking there are no real
issues (except for a lack of select all option when choosing
contacts to share). But that has to be balanced against the need
for such an app and there really isnt huge need for this.

Rating
124 Android App Directory

Although the app


works, you have to
wonder if you need it

The ability to
share photos is
nice, but its really
just a gimmick

Social networking

Tapatalk Forum App

Android

Price: 1.81/$2.95 Developer: Quoord Systems Limited

All your forum arguments together in a single app


Forums have taken a back seat in the modern
internet, but they are still frighteningly popular with
those wanting to discuss, share, debate and, well
argue online. Tapatalk is one of those simple ideas
we all wish wed come up with: it gives users the ability to access
10,000+ forums directly via the app. This means any messing
about with browser or mobile functionality is negated and we can
discuss (and argue) to our hearts content.
As well as being a great idea it helps that Tapatalk works very
well indeed. Its quick, simple to navigate, uncluttered and doesnt
need any real expertise to find many forums youre looking for. Not
every forum is supported, but thats more an issue with the forums
themselves than the app.
Some have criticised Tapatalk for charging users to access free
forums, and it does admittedly feel a little cheeky. But the positives
far outweigh this negative, and the nominal fee charged to gain
access to a lot of forums you frequent in a simple, easy-to-manage
way is worth every penny.

It may seem unfair to have to


pay for access to free forums, but
we think its worth the price

Rating

Navigating your way around the app and


the forums is simple

RomeoLive

Price: 2.61/$4.26 Developer: Oliver Blasnik

Gay dating on the go

Dating sites are getting to the point of being


ubiquitous, so its no surprise to see apps popping up
supporting individual companies. RomeoLive is such
a thing, supporting the GayRomeo mens dating site.
Though it isnt officially supported by the proper site, users with
accounts on GayRomeo can download RomeoLive and use their
existing log-in details to get online.
Once the app is up and running, the service can be used just
like you would do through a browser, with full access to chat and
messaging functionality along with the ability to check out other
users profiles. Exiting the app keeps it running until you log out,
meaning you can (and will, from our experience) receive messages
that you will be notified of through the Android pull-down menu.
Functionally its spot-on, but it does seem a bit cheeky to
charge for a gateway to a site that is generally free to use. As such,
RomeoLive comes recommended, but with the condition you
have to be willing to pay though a free, 24-hour trial is available
via the developers website.

Rating

The app is really just a gateway to


the GayRomeo mens dating site

You can browse peoples personal details,


which go into quite a bit of depth

Android App Directory 125

Android

Social networking

Price: 4.92/$8.00 Developer: Noah Seidman

Shady SMS 2.0

A pricey way to keep your secrets

Price: 1.22/$2.99 Developer: iCorpsOnline

iCorps: Pocket Reference


Is it an ooh-rah or a boo-rah?

If you need an app that can hide details from the


prying eyes of others were not here to judge,
some people do want or need that service then
Shady SMS may be
the answer to your prayers. It is
basically a completely hidden
SMS client inaccessible but
through dialling a personalised
code, and all but invisible in the
phone itself. It is reasonable to
raise issue with the relatively
high cost of the app, but if
privacy and security matters to
you a great deal its a fine app for
purpose, but it is certainly not an
impulse buy.

iCorps: Pocket
Reference offers
the ability to
visit the
iCorpsOnline forum on the
go but thats not the main
function. No, this is more of
an in-depth and robust
reference tool for all things
Marines. Need to check
what weaponry is used in
combat? Need to know the
Marines ranks? Badges?
Keep up to date on Marines
news? This app really does
cover a lot of ground and is
interesting both to service
and non-service personnel.

IKeep things secret


with this SMS app

Rating

Learn about the


Marines on the go

Rating

Price: 1.84/$2.99 Developer: ProBoards, Inc

Price: Free Developer: DKIT Android Ltd

ProBoards

LED Scroller 3

Limited choice, but still a good app


ProBoards offers
users the ability
to browse forums
that use the
ProBoards software in a single
app. New forums can be
added, suggestions taken and
existing forums searched for
its all very user friendly, and
handy as ProBoards forums
can be tricky on mobile
browsers. Theres no free
option though, so no way to
check if a forum is usable on
the app before you buy it.
Having said that, other apps
dont offer ProBoards vast and
impressive functionality.
Access ProBoard
forums while mobile

126 Android App Directory

Rating

Probably not one to spend money on, though


We cant argue with the functionality of LED Scroller
3, as its perfectly fit for its intended purpose. Users
can edit scroll speed, what the text says, its colour
and how big it is (though this is limited to big or
not) as well as a couple of other bits. There isnt much else to
say beyond its free and it works, so it is fine in that regard. While
the app is free, it
costs 1.70 to
remove adverts
this is entirely a
personal
decision, though
we wouldnt
exactly rush to
put our money
down on such a
throwaway
program.
Scroll your LED
text for free

Rating

Social networking

Price: 1.22/$1.99 Developer: End Of Time Studios, LLC

Forum Runner

Price: 1.22/$1.99 Developer: Jon Fimek

Try before you buy

Auto-responding: do you need it?

Yet another forum browsing app for your Android,


allowing users to partake in discussions of every
topic under the Sun. For a small entry price (a free
version is available with limited features) thousands
of forums can be accessed from one
enclosed app. Its simple to navigate
and easy to search for the forum you
are looking for though they might
not necessarily be supported, as this
is the concern of the forum admins,
not the app developers. It is
functional, but suffers some crashes
and other minor flaws that hold it
back the alternatives are better, for
the price.
A few bugs stop this app
reaching its full potential

Rating

TXT MSG Away

TXT MSG Away automatically sends a response to


any texts received when switched on, informing
the recipient that you are not available to text
them back. An interesting idea, though not one
we see a great deal of necessity for.
A free version is available, though
this lacks some features like the
ability to
customise
your response
text. Either
way, both free
and paid
versions work
well and do
what they set
out to do.
Set up an
automatic response

Price: Free Developer: OneLouder Apps

Price: Free Developer: Seesmic

Choosing a Twitter client is hard

A social media menagerie

Tweetcaster

Another excellent alternative to the Twitter client,


Tweetcaster brings with it a wide array of features
and one of the most simple, yet genius touches
tweets related to you are a different colour to
other ones. Simple, and brilliant. But
its not just one feature you can
zip those you dont want to read
without unfollowing, use multiple
accounts (along with Facebook)
and use the Twitlonger function,
among many other features.
Frankly, its brilliant and has very
little in the way of problems
regularly updated and for free, this
app is highly recommended.
A great Twitter app with
some top features

Rating

Android

Rating

Seesmic

Seesmic allows users to manage multiple social


networking accounts at the same time Twitter,
Google Buzz and Facebook join a few others in
making this a robust and full-featured app. Its
impossible to list everything Seesmic
does in such a small space, but safe to
say, it does most of what you could
want it to do
when it comes
to Twitter.
Facebook and
other services
have some
issues, but this is
basically a
Twitter app, so
thats to be
expected.
Seesmic really only
works with Twitter

Rating
Android App Directory 127

Android

Social networking

Price: Free
Developer: AOL

Price: Free
Developer: CyberAgent, Inc

Price: 1.22/$1.99
Developer: Bostone Consulting

Price: Free
Developer: 10centAPPS

The idea to cover a number


of messenger services that
include Google Talk and
Facebook chat, for example
along with Foursquare and
Twitter compatibility and the ability to send
free text messages (with some stipulations)
makes AIM a very interesting prospect.
Unfortunately this app suffers some
annoying bugs and issues that stop it from
being truly great.

Blog editing and uploading


software for users of the
Ameba blogging service,
this app lets you blog on
the go. In theory, we think
you'd agree, that this a great concept for an
app. However, the original site and the app
are completely written and presented in
Japanese, so if you haven't got the first clue
about the language or the characters that
represent it, ignore this.

Droidin Pro is a functional


Linkedin client that allows
users to browse the world of
professional contacts with
ease on their smartphones.
Perfect for revising before a job interview.
While a great idea, it has however since been
usurped by Linkedins own app something
just as smooth and functional, and also
available for free. Droidin Pro is now, as a
result, redundant.

Easy Birthday Reminder


really is just that you
import your contacts' details
(including date of birth)
and Facebook friends and
it will automatically set up birthday and
anniversary reminders for you. It works near
perfectly and takes a lot of hassle out of
setting up your own reminders. An ad-free
version is available for 1.22/$1.99.

AIM

Ameba

Rating

Droidin Pro

Rating

Rating

Easy Birthday
Reminder

Rating

Price: Free
Developer: AdaptiveBlue

Price: 2.99/$4.88
Developer: Loky

Price: 0.60/$.0.97
Developer: The App Factory

Price: 1.76/$2.87
Developer: datayeah!

A similar concept to
Foursquare, GetGlue allows
users to check in and tell the
world what they're currently
up to, such as watching TV
shows and movies in order to be awarded
badges and other prizes, as well as discover
new shows, music and so on. The app works
well, but is sometimes can be a little slow
and the selection of options available can be
a bit limited.

This is a privacy app, which


allows users to hide text
messages and files as well
as some other functions
behind a pin-protected wall
on their phones. Its a good app though
not perfect (why is Loky itself not hidden?)
but still very much worth the entrance
fee. The shake to close feature is borderline
genius, so that you can quickly hide what
you were up to.

MySpace Pro is, quite


obviously, a version of
the social networking site
MySpace for your Android
smartphone. And thats about
it. Were not sure why youre expected to pay
just under a pound/dollar for the privilege of
uploading the Pro version when the site itself
is free to use on the internet, and the waning
popularity of MySpace will put some off. Its a
functional app, however.

MyTumblr takes away the


hassle of trying to navigate
the wealth of Tumblr blogs
through regular mobile
internet browsers, bringing
everything together in this easy to use app.
Highly functional and feature-rich, its very
good indeed. A lack of animated image/gif
support is one of the very few bad points
to highlight. A free, ad-supported version is
also available.

GetGlue

Rating

Loky

MySpace Pro

Rating

Rating

MyTumblr

Rating

Price: 0.92/$1.50
Developer: MJRAndroid

Price: 1.76/$2.87
Developer: Levelup Studio

Price: Free
Developer: Doan Ly

Price: 0.91/$1.47
Developer: MOBiSTERS

Have you ever wanted your


Facebook friends to be shown
to you in a pink zebra
way? Put simply, this let's you
view Facebook pages that
have a pink zebra stripe to them. Well, if yes
then you can pay less than a pound/dollar
for the privilege. Pink is an odd concept for
an app, perfectly acceptable as an idea, but
questionable as to whether it should be
charging for what is, basically, a reskin.

Plume is a fantastic Twitter


client that brings a whole
wealth of functionality to your
vanilla Tweeting experience.
This Premium version
removes the adverts from the free one, so its
entirely a personal choice. You can even keep
track of more than one account at once.
Either way, Plume is absolutely excellent,
allowing users to customise their experience
a great deal.

The name of this app sort of


gives it away, but Speed Dial
is an application that allows
users to assign shortcuts to
dial selected phone numbers.
Its very easy to use and works exactly how
its supposed to, with no real surprises or
bonus extras that stretch the app beyond
its single unique-selling point. It would be
nice if it informed you who you were speed
dialling, though.

While its true you can just


draw things out from the pro
keyboard on your Android,
Symbols makes the whole
process a lot easier as it comes
with pre-made textart. Ascii characters are
arranged in specific ways to make them
look like faces and other things, useful for
posting to social networks. Not one for work
communication then.

Rating

Rating

Rating

Pink (Zebra)

Plume Premium

Speed Dial

SymbolsKeyboard
& TextArt Pro

Rating

Price: 0.61/$0.98
Developer: Ipthing LLC

Price: 3.06/$4.94
Developer: All Around Applications

Price: Free
Developer: Tumblr

Price: 0.99/$1.60
Developer: James OBrien

Text Styler adds the ability to


use new fonts and include
more images to your basic
text editing, meaning you
can post more interestinglooking things to social networks and texts.
Unfortunately we found recipients pointing
out they couldnt see the new text style on
their end, rendering it a bit pointless. Free
alternatives are also available, so you should
give this app a miss.

Over three pounds/four


dollars for the privilege of
being able to maliciously
interfere with someone elses
phone, by sending them too
many texts too quickly for their handset to
handle? While the developer clearly states
it is not intended for this use, the fact is
you can do that with it as that exact use
is ultimately what it was designed for. Not
recommended at all.

Modify, post and browse


Tumblr blogs with this official
app. Unfortunately its riddled
with problems, such as how
it takes you back to the
dashboard on reblogging. Hopefully the app
will receive the updates it needs, because
right now youre better off using the mobile
browser version on your Android, which is
more convenient owing to the lack of bugs
or problems.

While slightly better than


the official app, Tumblroid
still doesnt quite offer the
kind of smooth, functional
experience we would hope
for. You can browse, post and edit Tumblr
blogs as expected, but there are numerous
glitches especially with image posting
that stop the experience from being a
particularly pleasant one. Again, it's better to
use your Android browser.

Text Styler

Rating
128 Android App Directory

Textbomber 2.0

Rating

Tumblr

Tumblroid

Rating

Rating

Social networking

Android

Price: 0.66/$1.07
Developer: rwmthings

Price: 0.61/$0.98
Developer: TwistByte

Price: 1.22/$1.97
Developer: Crinus

Price: 1.00/$1.60
Developer: Devsmobile

If youre the kind of lazy


person who cant be
bothered to press a few
buttons to check-in on
Foursquare, then let Auto
Check In press those virtual buttons and do it
for you automatically. This paid version allows
unlimited check-ins (a lite version is available),
but there are issues with multiple check-ins
when they are done one after the other, and
other problems hold it back.

The inexorable rise of txt spk


has left us with thousands
of abbreviations and a lot
of confusion. Fortunately,
simple apps like Chat Lingo
exist to help search through around 4,000
abbreviations to find their meanings or how
to abbreviate common phrases, add your
own, bookmark, copy and paste its very
good indeed and will help you cut through
the gobbledygook out there.

A simpler way of adding


events to Google Calendar,
along with adding contact
details. It's pricey for
something you can do
anyway, but theres no denying it makes
creating events and adding everyone you
need to remember to said event a lot simpler
and quicker. The clear format is a strength
and although it doesn't justify the price, it
makes the app a joy to use.

Users of Formspring the


questions and answers
website should look into
Droidspring as a functional
alternative to the mobile
browser version of the site. The mobile
nature lends itself well to the quick burst
format of Formspring and while some issues
really need to be mended with updates, this
is a solid way of answering all the questions
thrown your way.

Auto Check In

Rating

Chat Lingo Pro

Contact Event

Rating

Rating

Droidspring

Rating

Price: 0.61/$0.98
Developer: Crinus

Price: 1.22/$1.97
Developer: Itay Ma Sarano

Price: Free
Developer: Roger Reed

Price: 0.61/$0.98
Developer: Geeky Friends

This is a bit of an odd one


Easy Sync allows you to
(easily) keep updated as to
your Facebook friends and
their ever-changing picture
uploads. It performs its task well so should
earn itself a high rating but then you have
to consider Easy Sync costs money to do
something that you can get other apps
to do completely free of charge. Hard to
recommend for that reason.

Even more expensive than


the already-too expensive
Easy Sync, FContactsSync
also offers users the ability to
keep their contacts' Facebook
photos up to date. Paying 1.22/1.97 for this
is completely pointless though, not just
because it's a fairly trite app to begin with
but because there are other apps available
that do this for free. There is no need for
this app.

Feep is a Facebook client that


brings everything together
in one simple widget. While
it works exactly how it says
it should, the fact its so
thoroughly ugly makes it somewhat of a
nightmare to navigate or even look at on
your Android. Updates can fix this, but while
the user interface remains as cluttered and
awkward to get around as it is, it's good
rather than great.

This app allows users to create


their own custom avatars
in place of actual pictures
for their phone contacts,
with faces, clothes, hair and
accessories all customisable to different
degrees. If you have an (admittedly limited)
creative itch, we cant argue with Geeky
Avatar for a fun way to freshen up your
contacts list. An ad-supported free version is
also available.

Easy Sync

Rating

FContactsSync

Rating

Feep

Rating

Geeky Avatar

Rating

Price: 1.76/$2.84
Developer: Kazaloo

Price: 0.61/$0.98 Developer: Great


Lakes Development Group, LLC

Price: 0.61/$0.98
Developer: Joansoft

Price: 0.53/$0.85
Developer: Vincent Dubois

The name says it all, really


Kazaloo is an app with which
users can chat to others and
share photos. The free version
is ad-supported and doesnt
allow downloads of images. It works okay
most of the time some issues are sure to
be sorted through updates and for anyone
looking for a social chat client, its definitely
worth a try.

A privacy app allowing you


to hide who is calling you,
Little Black Book fails in some
startling ways. Its easy to
get around the non-existent
security and find all the records that are
meant to be hidden, meaning you actually
have no privacy at all. Worse still, the app
does nothing to stop texts from being
shown, which undermines what its sole use
should be. Terrible.

Essentially a locator device,


Mapus Pro allows users to tell
others where they are, find
out where friends are and
even locate a lost phone. In
theory, it would be a useful app for a big
night out (especially in an unfamiliar area)
but unfortunately the experience is marred
by a fair few crashes and a very slow upload/
download rate. A good idea that just needs
more work on it.

My Birthdays is another app


that ties in with your contacts
and Facebook account to
provide a one-stop reference
with reminders of friends
birthdays. It works okay enough, but some
issues with adding photos persist and
sometimes (though not always) it can be a
massive battery drain. Updates will hopefully
fix this as this could be useful for those with a
lot of contacts.

Rating

Rating

Kazaloo Chat &


Photo Swap

Rating

Little Black Book

Rating

Mapus Pro

My Birthdays

Price: 1.22/$1.97
Developer: Coderine

Price: 0.92/$1.48
Developer: Apps By That Dude

Price: Free
Developer: Alex Beggs

Price: 1.84/$2.97
Developer: Smittyware.com

We had mixed experiences


with Photobeam its meant
to be a one-touch upload
solution for your images,
allowing you to put them on
Facebook, Flickr, ShutterFly and a few other
photo sites quickly and easily. Sometimes
it worked fine, other times it seemed to
ignore our requests. Not recommended in
its current state but hopefully updates will
knock it into better shape.

Yes, as you might have


guessed from the name, this
is an automatic poking app
for Facebook users. Poke King
can be set up to poke and
re-poke friends constantly throughout the
day at whatever rate you desire, if thats the
annoying kind of person that you are. A free
version is available this novelty app isnt the
kind of thing you really want to be paying
money for.

This app allows PlayStation3


owners to check up on their
PSN accounts on the move,
seeing trophy levels and
statuses, as well as being able
to edit their own status. It does exactly what
it sets out to do and barely has any issues a
no-ads pay version is available but you're
more likely to use this in short bursts rather
than extended periods, the free version is
perfectly adequate.

Socializer is an events
organising app, allowing users
to organise, view and indicate
attendance to a plethora of
different events around the
world. It doesnt do anything beyond what
you could do via the internet-based browser,
however, but it is functional. It's a good idea
and has been well implemented. Our main
complaint is that it's a fraction too expensive
for what it is.

Rating

Rating

Rating

Photobeam Pro

Rating

Poke King

PS3 Friends

Socializer

Android App Directory 129

Android

Sports

Sports

You can follow all


your teams here
Theres a lot of
ground that ESPN Score
Center covers

It might be football, boxing,


baseball or Formula 1. Whatever
your sport of choice is, theres
definitely going to be apps that
cover it and weve rounded up the
best selection to keep you informed
on the latest transfer talk or live
scores from around the globe
Top paid apps
Soccer Scores Pro

Trackmaster

SportsTracker Pro

Top free apps


ESPN Score
Center

Live Scores

Formula1.com
2011

Staff pick of the section


ScoreMobile

130 Android App Directory

MLB.com At Bat

Price: Free Developer: ESPN Inc

ESPN Score
Center

ESPNs app brings news, scores


and standings to your mobile
ESPN Score Center is a free app that allows the
user to tune in to a variety of sporting events no
matter where they are in order to access current
scores and statistics. From basketball to cricket,
baseball to hockey, ESPN Score Center delivers an easy-to-use
user interface packed with features to make getting the latest
information on a users favourite team simple and enjoyable.
The backbone of the app is ESPNs editorial content, which
is streamlined for a mobile experience and made available to
the user through personalised news feeds. The news can be
tailored by the user according to which sports, leagues and
teams they choose to add to their myTeams list. The feed is
updated on a minute-by-minute basis and delivers analysis,
commentary and video direct from ESPN. Overall, ESPN Score
Center delivers good functionality for zero cost and, as such,
should be considered if you have broad sporting interests.

Rating

Sports

Android

Price: Free Developer: Yahoo! Sportacular

Live Scores

Media giant Yahoo! delivers a fast and free app to keep bang up
to date with the latest sports scores from around the globe
Live Scores from Yahoo! Sport is one of the Android
Markets best-reviewed applications, allowing the user
to keep up to date with a wide-variety of sports from
around the globe. Delivering statistical coverage of
Major League Baseball, the National Football League, PGA Golf and
NASCAR among many others, Live Scores grants live play-by-play
updates, key statistics, news and scores, as well as allowing
individuals to tailor the app to their liking with a comprehensive
options menu. In short, its everything a sports fan could want and
covers every conceivable angle.
From tagging favourite teams for quick access, to viewing
team pages and player profiles, Live Scores is designed to make
checking up on your teams progress significantly more efficient
than opening a dedicated HTML webpage. A good example of
this is the apps trending games feature which can be accessed
instantly and is based on a popularity ratings system that
helpfully promotes exciting and current games so they can be
accessed by a simple tap of the screen.
In addition to delivering live coverage of major sporting events,
Live Scores also delivers a comprehensive suite of past statistics
be that player, team or season as well as information on future

events in most sports categories. This not only allows users to


analyse a player or teams performance during the game but also
across the season, allowing them to see who is in form and out of
it, as well as who they are playing next.
Relevant sporting news is dealt with by a sport-by-sport menu
option, which once pressed, proceeds to open a news feed
detailing all relevant stories to the sport or individual team. This is
a handy way to filter news and is undeniably one of the apps best
features, allowing users to find out if their favourite player is being
transferred during the close season for example, or if the deal fell
through at the last minute. It helps that news is gathered from a
variety of media outlets such as ESPN, Fox, CBS and Yahoo! itself.
In terms of usability, the app loads quickly, offers a clean and
minimalist user interface and provides a variety of alert options to
notify the user of an events progress. There are a lot of options yet
Live Scores delivers them without feeling cluttered or complicated
to use. Considering the app is free on the Android Market, Live
Scores should be on the wishlist of all sports fans.

Rating

Given its free, theres a


stunning amount of depth to
this sports app

Whether its basketball or baseball, Live


Scores brings you the latest on every sport
you follow

Setting up alerts means Live Scores


does the legwork letting you know whats
happening rather than the other way round

Now that the Premiership season is in full


flow, this app will no doubt come in handy
every Saturday afternoon

Android App Directory 131

Android

Sports

Price: Free Developer: Formula1.com

Formula1.com 2011

Stay in pole position for all the motor racing news and statistics
Streaming real-time data from the official Formula 1
Managements Technical Centre, the Formula1.com
2011 application for Android is a one-stop shop for
everything F1. Everything from driver numbers, names
and positions, through lap times, sector times and straight line
speeds, and onto circuit data such as air and track temperature,
humidity, air pressure and wind speed, this app is statistical heaven
and takes the user a step closer to the real event like never before.
Indeed, the information available through Formula1.com 2011 is
quite staggering especially considering the app is free in the
Android Market and excitingly is the exact same information
supplied to individual teams during the race. As well as the
aforementioned statistics, which are neatly displayed by a selection
of colourful charts and tables, other handy information is also
provided, such as lap counts, session countdowns and track status
indicators, and practice race and qualifying results can be viewed
within seconds simply by launching the app.
As well as covering all the live events and races comprehensively,
Formula1.com 2011 also delivers a host of information about
the Formula 1 season in general, coming with an in-built race
timetable with countdown timer, full championship standings (for
both driver and manufacture) and an in-depth season calendar.
This allows users to easily and efficiently track the progress of their

favourite driver or team, as well as plan for future races and see
which venue is hosting.
One of the apps best features, however, is an in-built live
commentary system. Here, when viewing race statistics, users can
simply tap a commentary button to be instantly taken to a live
feed covering the races action. This is updated continuously with
tweet-style messages, telling the user of any positional changes, pit
stops, retirements, collisions, team orders and manoeuvres. These
short bullet-point updates are perfectly suited to such an intense,
high velocity sport and deliver instant knowledge to the user.
Using Formula1.com 2011 is simple, with a matte black user
interface and colourful, high-resolution icons that make tapping
and swiping intuitive. Information loads quickly too, with no
delays as with full webpages as they open with their inevitable
advertisements. For these facts alone, it is hard not to recommend
Formula1.com 2011. There is, however, one pre-requisite for using
the app users must sign in to the official Formula1.com website.
This process is quick and free, but if not undertaken, then the
app will cease to work after one Grand Prix weekend. Even so, its
recommended for Formula 1 fans due to its incredible coverage of
the sport.

Rating

This is how in-depth the Formula


1 app gets, which is brilliant for fans

The colourful graphs help this app find a


slick and sexy identity of its own, and it helps
that it loads so quickly too

132 Android App Directory

Though unlikely to appeal to casual fans,


its ease of use helps Formula 1 followers find
the info they want and quickly

By far the best feature is the in-built


live commentary, which echoes BBCs
text coverage of sports events

Sports

Android

Price: 1.70/$2.78 Developer: NorApps

Soccer Scores Pro

One of the foremost football tracking apps


No matter which major football (or soccer) team you
support around the globe, Soccer Scores Pro allows
you to instantly access key information and statistics
on them in seconds. Covering almost every major
league in the world from the British Premier League, through the
German Bundesliga and Italian Serie A, and onto Major League
Soccer and the Spanish La Liga, this app allows information to be
accessed on various levels, be that league, team or player.
It comes with an in-built alerts system that the user can
customise to notify them whenever a goal is scored or a match
begins and ends, as well as a handy favourites tab that they can
fill with their supported teams for quick access. Soccer Scores Pro
is designed to keep the user at the cutting-edge of all footballrelated action and news. This fact is superbly demonstrated by the
streamlined user interface, which offers quick access to live scores,
match statistics including team lineups, player stats, yellow and
red cards and substitutions league tables, fixtures and top scorers
for every major team and league in the world. If you live in England
but your second team is Porto, then checking on their progress
couldnt be easier.

As well as live scores, Soccer Scores Pro also comes with a


decent news tab, which is filtered dependent of which team or
league the user is currently viewing. While holding no affiliation
with the BBC, Sky Sports or ESPN, the news is current (updated
every hour) and sourced from major news outlets, providing short
bursts of copy with low-resolution pictures of any breaking or
trending story. From injuries to transfers and suspensions, the news
feed covers them all and is neatly integrated into the user interface.
In terms of usability the app is slick, and providing you have
decent network coverage works just fine when out and about,
taking little longer than a couple of seconds to load any content.
Needless to say, if you are in Wi-Fi-enabled area, the content
loads instantaneously. Some additional smart features also help
it stay one step ahead of the competition, such as the ability to
comment on matches with other Soccer Score Pro users, as well as
its customisable push notifications. If you then throw in the apps
low price currently 1.70 and option to theme the interface to
your liking, then Soccer Scores Pro becomes good value for money
if football is your passion. Definitely worth seeking out.

Rating
The news
updates are
sourced from
a number of
reliable places

Whether youre a fan of


Arsenal, Real Madrid, AC
Milan or FC St. Pauli, this app
has you covered
The apps interface is simple to follow and designed so users can get quick
access to the information they want

Android App Directory 133

Android

Sports

ScoreMobile for Android


Is this really the best sports app ever?

Price: Free Developer: Score Media Ventures Inc

Featuring push notifications, live scores, statistics and


current video content from the world of sport
including Major League Baseball, Tour de France
cycling, Mixed Martial Arts among others
ScoreMobile is a neat app that helps users stay bang up to date
with their favourite team or league no matter where they are.
Offering streaming news, videos and opinion from a range of
news outlets, the app makes getting instant sporting information
hassle free. In addition, smart features like Share allow users to send
any hot news story, interview or gossip directly to their friends inapp, be that via email, text message or on a social-networking site
like Twitter, Facebook and Google+. This last feature is especially
welcome in such an app and makes sharing exciting information
with other sports fans a simple process of tapping on the screen a
couple of times. For an app that has been downloaded over one
million times, it is not surprising that the user interface is slick and
the production values high, with ScoreMobile easily contending
for the best sports app crown.

The video content lifts this above


just another sports stats app

Rating

Its a slick app with a high-quality


finish, especially for a free offering

Price: 5.99/$9.73 Developer: sportstracklive.com

SportsTracker Pro
Stay on track with ease

Powered by your handsets GPS, SportsTracker Pro is


a physical exercise app that lets you record, analyse
and upload any run, cycle ride, ski, sail or gliding
you may undertake to work out. Designed to track
your personal performance and cardio fitness over an extended
period, it aims to improve your fitness and beat your personal
bests with a handful of good features and statistics. The suite of
trackers is indeed impressive, with SportsTracker Pro capable of
recording your speed, distance, time, altitude, heart rate,
breathing rate, skin temperature and cadence among many
others (although certain high-end features such as skin
temperature require purchase of extra equipment). In addition,
the app enables you to record custom tracks and replay them
on Google Maps, delivers real-time zoom-able charts for route
planning and even keeps you updated on the weather so you
dont get soaked at that next event. It more than earns its price.

Rating
134 Android App Directory

Whether its gliding or


skiing, SportsTracker Pro
has you covered

Its really a
workout app but
covers many speed
disciplines too

Sports

Price: Free Developer: Lineten ltd

Arseblog

Price: 1.40/$2.29 Developer: mydroidsoft

The official app for Arsenal Football Club

The end of traditional golf scorecards?

The official Android app for the Arsenal Football


Club blog, Arseblog mobile enables supporters
to read up on all the latest news, transfer gossip
and opinion from players, staff and fellow fans. The
applications homescreen is laid out
in a tile arrangement, and provides
one-click access to the blog itself, an
Arsenal news feed, the official
Arseblog podcast, a live user blog
and dedicated columnists section,
where fans and staff give their own
two-pence on the life and times of
being a Gooner. For any diehard
Arsenal fan this is a must-have, if not
for the opinion, then for the rapidly
updated team news.
Wed love to see similar
apps for other footie teams

Rating

Android

Easy Scorecard Pro


An app aimed solely at golfers, Easy Scorecard Pro
is designed to remove the need for a traditional
cardboard scorecard, in favour of a purely digital
one on your Android phone. Allowing for 9, 18, 27
and custom hole scoring for more
than four players, as well as the
ability to track USGA/EGA/CONGU
handicaps and
export the
card to email
or Facebook et
al, the app
works well and
is easy to use
from the very
first tee-off to
the final putt.
Its essentially a
digital golf scorecard

Rating

Price: 6.10/$9.99 Developer: MLB Advanced Media, LP

Price: 6.10/$9.99 Developer: Trackaroo

Probably the best baseball app on Android

Into motor sports? Then this will rev your engine

MLB.com At Bat 11

A great way to follow your favourite Major League


Baseball team, MLB.com At Bat 11 delivers a way
to watch live games, access video highlights,
check live scorecards as well as current news,
listen in to home and away
broadcasts and track the action
pitch-by-pitch. At Bat 11 also
enables users to access a video
archive that is searchable by player,
team or keyword, and comes with
its very own scorecard widget for
the users homescreen. The
production values are great and the
price tag is not much to ask of
hardcore baseball fans of all ages.
The production values justify
the higher price for this app

Overall Rating

Trackmaster

Trackdays are on the rise in Britain currently, with more


and more people getting involved in the thrills of
motor racing. Now users can record their laptimes on
their Android handset with Trackmaster. This is
because the app features the ability to
record a vehicles position, speed,
acceleration, altitude, bearing,
absolute time,
elapsed times
and total lap
time. Data can
then be viewed
in a series of
graphs and/or
shared with
others via email,
or the major
social networks.
Motor racing fans will
love the depth here

Rating
Android App Directory 135

Android

Sports

Price: 14.99/$24.56 Developer: Soft Pauer

F1 2011 Timing App


Unprecedented mobile access to F1 action and stats
This is one of the
best Formula 1
apps on Android
right now.
Featuring real-time track
positioning on a fully
interactive 3D map, selectable
cameras, live timing data, live
leaderboards, driver tracking,
live text commentary and a
comprehensive event counter
and notifications system, the
F1 2011 Timing App seems to
justify its high price tag with a
smorgasbord of high-end
features and tools. If youre
serious about Formula 1, you
cant go wrong here.
The high price means
only fans should invest

Rating

Price: 2.45/$3.99 Developer: Strike Labs

Xercise

For people who are serious about working out


An app dedicated to CrossFit enthusiasts, Xercise
delivers a selection of tools and logs to make the
most out of each workout. Logs can be imported
into the app via XML, the applications main website
or by RSS feed, as well as constructed in-app examples include
creating rounds for time and max effort lifts. Tools include a
stopwatch, tabata timer, countdown timer and GPS run tracker, as
well as a series of demonstration videos showing most CrossFit
movements.
A niche but
effective app
designed by a
CrossFit
enthusiast
for those
looking to
stay in shape
on the go.
There are lots of tools
to help you exercise

Rating

Price: 3.06/$4.99 Developer: Trackaroo

Price: 3.06/$4.99 Developer: Golf Frontier LLC

A powerful tool to track and analyse


drag races on your Android handset

A versatile range finder

Dynomaster

Golf Frontier

With the rise of


GPS-enabled
smartphones,
various GPS golf
apps have become available.
Golf Frontier is one of the
Android Markets better
examples, delivering
accurate measurements for
shots over a whopping
14,800 courses worldwide.
With fully interactive hole
maps, a one-touch interface
for measuring shot distances,
automatic hole transition
and sensitivity adjustment,
this is recommended
for keen golfers.

Keen dragster? Well then Dynomaster for Android is


worth your consideration. The app is a dedicated
dyno and drag racing app that delivers quarter-mile
and custom ETs, data replay, a power calculator, dyno
graphs, satellite and Street View
maps, a G-meter, custom speedos
and social networking connectivity.
The package, which retails at a
modest 3.06, is pretty
comprehensive, and the app works
perfectly, providing you have GPS
coverage on your mobile.
Dynomaster also does not require
any calibration, and statistics can be
exported to Microsoft Excel or
compatible software for analysis
and reference.
Drag racing is niche
but this app covers it well

136 Android
iPhone App
AppDirectory
DirectoryVolume 5

Rating

Interactive holes
will help golf players

Rating

Sports

Android

Price: 0.61/$0.99 Developer: Justin Hopper

Price: 2.45/$3.99 Developer: Golf Swing Analysis

Track various tournaments and leagues on Android

Improve your golf swing with Adam Scott

iTrack MMA

Similar to the
MMA
Underground
app, iTrack
MMA allows users to follow
mixed martial arts from their
phone. Covered series
include the UFC, WEC, MFC
and BFC. News, events,
betting lines, statistics, fighter
profiles and fight cards are all
available through the app, as
is a calendar link, enabling
users to log the dates of
upcoming fights to ensure
that they dont miss them.
iTrack MMA offers a great
way to stay in the fight.
MMA fans will
appreciate the calendar

Rating

ProVideos: Adam Scott


This app allows users to analyse PGA Tour
professional Adam Scotts swing in an attempt to
improve their own. The app comes with a range
of videos showing Adam hitting various different
shots, from 300-yard drives to green-side bunker pitches, all in
high quality and super slow-motion. The high-speed camera
really makes the difference here, as it allows users to carefully
track his swing from start to finish, pausing at key points to
evaluate his
and their
positioning.
Compare
your swing
with
Adams in
one of the
apps best
features.
This app can really
help your golf swing

Rating

Price: 0.88/$1.44 Developer: Rob Knapen

Price: Free Developer: Eurosport

Track your dives with this handy app

Stay in the sporting loop with this new app

Dive Log Key

Eurosport.com

If you like deep sea diving, then Dive Log Key will
help you record your exploits and adventures for
future consultation. Essentially the app is a tracking
device that helps its user record personal information,
dive depths, dive sites and key statistics before exchanging them
with other divers as a CSV file that can be used in a number of
programs. There is no doubt that this is a niche application, but
the good execution and clean styling at a reasonable price means
that anyone
with an interest
in diving
deep sea or
no can
get good
functionality
and great
value from
the software.
Though niche, its
cheap and very slick

Rating

Eurosports
pedigree in
delivering
sports news,
reviews and commentary is
well-founded, and it is
something that is transferred
well into this app. Offering
up-to-date news, results,
fixtures and tables from all
current major sporting
events, it delivers a zero-cost
way to stay on top of sportrelated content. This is a
well-designed app that
should be considered
seriously by anyone with a
love of sport.
A great mix of news
and commentary

Rating
Android App Directory 137

Android

Sports

Price: Free Developer: the OTHER media

Price: Free Developer: BSkyB

ECB Cricket

Sky Sports News

The perfect app for cricket fans

Keep up to date with all the action

Cricket might be one of the sports that experiences


more peaks and falls in popularity than any other, but
ECB Cricket is at least consistent in quality. It has plenty
of news and information from all corners of cricket,
along with plenty of stats that can be called up on demand. The
only letdown here is that it can be a little bit slow updating during
matches, which means its not brilliant for live service but as a news
database,
this app is
almost
perfect.
The ECB
Cricket app
could really
prove to be
an essential
for fans of
this game.
This app is a great
news database

Rating

The free Sky


Sports News
app doesnt
have any real
surprises or thrills in what it
does. This is the sports
equivalent of its bigger new
brother. Which means you
get a slick app thats easy to
navigate and crams in a
ridiculous amount of sports
info and news. Its a shame
there are no widgets
available but as a one-stop
sports app for all the news
you need, this does the job
with no fuss and it wont
cost you a single penny.
A great app thats
packed with sport

Rating

Price: Free Developer: Handmark

Price: Free Developer: Score Media Ventures

Goal.com

SportsTap

Stay connected to the world of football on the move


Built off the back
of one of the
foremost
websites for
football news, reviews,
highlights and commentary,
Goal.com allows users to
access the site's content in a
streamlined, mobile format.
Delivering live scores, player
profiles, news and fixtures in a
clean interface, Goal.com
makes following your favourite
side easy. Downloaded almost
a million times, it's one of
highest rated football tracking
apps, delivering great
functionality at zero cost.
It's easy to get the right
football info with this app

138 Android App Directory

Rating

A mobile portal to the world of sports news


SportsTap acts as a portal to various news and
statistical feeds from worldwide sports. Detailing
news, stats, schedules and scores from the NFL,
MLB, NBA, NHL, PGA, ATP, WTA and MLS among
many others. Users can access current information on almost
any sport as well as set up push notifications to alert them of
key events. The
design is simple
and pages load
quickly.
SportsTap comes
with its own
Android widget
that can be
positioned on
the handsets
homescreen for
quicker updates.
SportsTap has the
major sports covered

Rating

Sports

Price: 1.83/$2.96 Developer: V1 Sports

V1 Golf Premium

Price: 1.22/$1.97 Developer: Adept Mobile llc

Improve your golf swing

Get all the latest UFC and MMA news

Professional golfers make hitting the ball with great


power and accuracy easy, when actually it requires
great skill and technique. Luckily with this golf swing
tool, amateurs of all levels can analyse the
positioning and swing action from
some of the worlds best players from
the comfort of their smartphone. V1
Golf Premium delivers a host of highquality slow-motion videos detailing
the swings from Lee Westward,
Darren Clarke and Nick Price among
others, as well as a series of drills to
improve your swing. The app also
allows you to record your own swing,
edit the footage and upload it to
social media sites like Facebook.
You can record and
upload your swing

Rating

MMA Underground
Check up on all the latest news from the Ultimate
Fighting Championship and Mixed Martial Arts
league. Delivering a news feed, fight cards and
statistical search in a database of over 100,000
fighters, upcoming events log and
access to a special Underground
forum, the app delivers the goods
in an efficient
way. Access
the apps
various
features via
the menu bar
and scroll
through. A
great app for
UFC fans.
Comprehensive
info on all fighters

Rating

Price: 1.22/$1.97 Developer: Paul Goldstein

Price: .149/$2.40 Developer: Lee Jeary

Lower your scores with this GPS golf rangefinder

For those Sir Alex Ferguson wannabes

Skydroid Golf GPS

One of few standout golf GPS tracking tools,


SkyDroid Golf GPS makes it easier than ever to
select the right club and hit the green thanks to
some refined tools. The app delivers GPScalculated distance for any green
on any course worldwide, as well
as any bunkers and hazards that
may stand in your way. In addition,
the app provides satellite views of
every course, a shot-tracking
feature and an easy-to-use
interface, with courses
downloaded by searching for their
name. A cheaper way to judge
shot distance.
The GPS helps you avoid hazards
on the course

Rating

Android

Fantasy Premier Manager


For those who have a fantasy football team using the
official Premier League site, this app provides a way to
manage your team on the move. It's great for those
panic moments on Saturday when you've forgotten
to update your team and kick-off is
hours away. It's not so good that the
app doesn't always let you log in and
has some bugs
which need
stamping out.
Great when it
works but it's a
shame this app
can cause
almost as much
panic as it's
supposed
to solve.
Transfers can be tricky
to action on the app

Rating
Android App Directory 139

Android

Tools

Tools

The latest version of Flash Player is free


and also runs noticeably smoother than its
previous, older iterations

Price: Free Developer: Adobe Systems

Bulking up your Android by


downloading the right tools is an
essential part of looking after it.
Playing videos, grabbing music and
using voice search are just a few
of the things made easier with the
right apps. Here, we cover the best
apps in the digital toolshed
Top paid apps
Smart Keyboard
Pro

System Panel Pro

Titanium Backup
Pro Key

Top free apps


Flashplayer 10.3

Voice Search

ROM Manager

Staff pick of the section


Tasker

140 Android App Directory

SetCPU For Root


Users

Flash Player 10.3


The envy of iPhone users

Adobe Systems releases its latest version of Flash


Player 10.3 which improves on many of the
features that previous versions boasts. Most
noticeably is how much smoother it runs, making
720p videos play fluidly, with barely a dip in the frame rate
however, the quality really fluctuates depending on your
Android phone model across the 2.2 and 2.3 range. Youll really
notice the difference when running Flash-based games,
making the action rocket along seamlessly and giving you
perhaps the best reason to download it to date, if you havent
done so already.
There are other bug fixes and security enhancements in
place additions that mainly go unnoticed but the slightly
improved battery life is always welcome, as it now means youll
get a lot more time watching your favourite videos before the
whole thing shuts down. It is by no means perfect some
websites are still choppy, it takes up quite a bit of space and
most annoyingly of all, it cant be moved to your SD card but
overall it is a big, big improvement on the previous iteration.
Smooth videos, longer-lasting battery and uncompromised
browsing makes it a complete no-brainer when it comes to
getting the best out of your Android phone experience not
to mention being the envy of every iPhone owner around the
world. And the best bit? Its free of charge.

Rating

Tools

Android

The speaker is clear


and has no problem
picking up what
youre saying

If Voice Search understands what youre saying, itll make a


huge difference to how easy it is to use your Android

Price: Free Developer: Google Inc

Voice Search

Voice recognition
technology isnt quite
there yet, so this app
isnt perfect

Something to shout about

Simple, stock phrases such as this is where Voice Search


really stands out as a useful app

Voice Search is one of those oft-overlooked apps that


can provide a huge amount of ease-of-access for your
Android phones features that is if it understands
what youre saying. Voice Search allows users to
simply talk into the handset and navigate through their contacts,
map applications, search engines and call people. However, much
like other voice recognition software, the app is fallible.
Asking Voice Search to hunt through Google for movie titles,
such as Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, was met with
positive results. However, looking for character actors, or offbeat
phrases was met with bizarre interpretations of what was said.
Voice Searchs technology runs through Googles servers, which
will now log up to two years of your voice commands in order to
more precisely parse what you're saying, while also accessing a
library of accents and contextual data to help it achieve accuracy.
However, we found it less successful when using Voice Search
with Google Maps. Searching for Buntingford, Hertfordshire
resulted in the misinterpretation, Banking Good Heart Picture.
More prominent locations werent so much an issue but anyone
looking to easily find somewhere more rural may struggle to use
the app. However, when it does work the time it saves typing is
surprisingly high.

The default function on the app is voice search through Google


search engine, however once installed youll find the voice prompt
selectable next to a variety of features across your entire phone.
You can customise voice commands to certain contacts, making
it easier for Voice Search to accurately manoeuvre around your
phone with your voice as a trusty guide. It is impressively put
together, without any of the fuss other voice recognition software
often gets bogged down with so theres no elaborate training
exercise that has to be completed before the app is activated and
you can get going.
Voice Search can be a huge time saver and theres no doubt
its an incredibly intelligent piece of technology, which proves
to be as impressive as it does useful. However, voice recognition
and transcription software is yet to be perfected and so Voice
Search faces the same problems discovered elsewhere with other
software. Its not faultless but Voice Search can prove to be a
valuable app when used properly, potentially saving time and even
helping out with complicated spellings. It all depends on the users
voice but Voice Search is a worthy application and a valuable app
for any Android phone.

Rating
Android App Directory 141

Android

Tools

Price: 3.77/$6.14 Developer: Titanium Track

Titanium Backup Pro Key


The secure root to backing up your data
Titanium Backup Pro is an extremely advanced
backup tool for root users, which comes with a
friendly enough UI to ease in less-experienced
Android owners who run root. It can backup and
restore system data and user data to your SD card. As you open
the app, details on how much space you have left on your phone
is displayed at the bottom in a grid next to details on SD card
storage. Its designed to keep things simple when it comes to
backing up the most important data on your Android mobile.
Its a dream to use for any advanced users with rooted Androids,
allowing them to backup information within each app, making
any mistakes made through flashing ROMs rectifiable instantly
especially with batch app restore. You can filter through your
applications (with colouring and scheduling support), set weekly
automatic back-ups, freeze apps and even restore system settings
(such as Wi-Fi access point lists).
A massively comprehensive back-up application, with the
biggest pro being the ability to even backup market links on
apps which means, you can not only restore previously used
apps, but also download their updates. Theres so much here that

x
x

Back up the data on your phone and SD card to


ensure you don't lose information
With this app you can restore your
apps settings

142 Android App Directory

many wont even scratch the surface. A free version offers a huge
amount of the features mentioned, but the Pro version contains
vast amounts of advantages, including options such as multiple
backups per app, batch verification, hypershell speed and the
ability to send backups by email.
For anyone who considers themselves an Android enthusiast,
running root, then this demands to be downloaded immediately.
Youll be able to quickly and efficiently backup your most
important data, supporting ROM downloads and flashing. Most
impressive is how specific you can get with the data you wish
to backup a feature that makes it massively different to its
Marketplace competitors. You can even backup user data within
each app. Titanium Backup Pro is clearly designed for the most
experienced users but has a lot of accessibility for those less
knowledgeable with their root device. No matter what your skill
level, this is a wonderful tool, with a huge amount of detailed
features to offer its users. There isnt a backup application like it on
the Marketplace, so it is well worth a download today.

Rating

Tools

Quickly manage
themes and back up
your device

Android

By optimising your
phone, you can save
your battery life

Set the speed and


performance levels of
your device to get the
best results
Downloading the latest
upgrades to your phone
is simple and quick to do,
with this app

Price: Free Developer: ClockworkMod

ROM Manager
A cleanup app for root users

ROM Manager is a simple, easy-to-use application for


Android enthusiasts. ROM Manager is only for rooted
devices but is indispensable for anyone looking to
quickly manage their custom ROMs, themes and
backing up the ROMs on your device. The main screen is easy to
navigate, listing the different features available with the app, such
as rebooting, checking for updates on your ROMs and
downloading new ROMs. One of the better features with the app
is the ability to backup any ROMs that you have, speedily
transferring each of them onto your SD card.
The UI is clean, easily understandable and makes it easy to
navigate through your library, download new ROMs and backup
existing ones. You can also find out about the latest upgrades
and download them quickly. Its an app that will appeal to a niche
crowd but theres for ROM enthusiasts, its one of the best ways of
keeping track of your collection and making sure you stay on top
of the latest ROM updates and releases. For the more advanced
user, it makes the act of flashing your phone a complete doddle.

Rating

Price: 1.22/$1.98 Developer: MichaelHuang

SetCPU For
Root Users
The ultimate root app

If you have your Android device rooted (removing


all software/firmware restrictions), then SetCPU is
a performance-boosting app, that optimises your
Android phone for the better. The app mainly
saves battery life, boosting its performance significantly.
The app changes your CPU settings (if the device is rooted)
and places a widget on the homescreen that allows you to
tweak the controls. Easy to use, you can adjust your minimum
and maximum, set profiles and set a certain temperature for
the CPU to reach, before it decreases the speed, making sure
your phone stays cool at all times.
The app is aimed at a niche market of Android buffs,
but once you can optimise your phone to maximise its
performance, then youll soon find yourself singing its praises.
The UI is a little basic and takes some time to get used to, but
SetCPU For Root Users is a must-have for any root users who
take their phones performance seriously.

Rating
Android App Directory 143

Android

Tools

Price: 1.76/$2.84 Developer: Dexilog

Smart Keyboard
Pro
The best way to type
Most would agree that the Qwerty keyboards
physical input far outweighs the interaction that
touch-screen keyboards provide. Thats where Smart
Keyboard Pro hopes to rectify the issue of lowresponse touch-screen typing. Once loaded onto your Android
device, go into your settings and select it as you default keyboard.
Once, done the multi-touch support makes fast typing a breeze,
with no real lag issues that you get with standard keyboards.
In much the same way as Qwerty keyboards work, each key has
an alternative icon, which can be typed by holding the key down
for slightly longer. Its a small addition but one that nicely replicates
the easy, free-flowing nature of physical phone keyboards.
Different skins and layouts make the keyboard fully customisable
and after some general tweaking it feels intuitive. There are spell
check options and voice recognition among other options, making
for the definitive keyboard app.

Rating

Price: 1.83/$2.95 Developer: NextApp Inc

System Panel
App
Killing (apps) in the name of
A slightly pricey task manager app on the
marketplace but one that remains up-to-date and
comprehensive in light of Android updates. The
beauty of System Panel App isnt just task killing
but the swathe of features that explain which tasks should be
shutdown and why.
With the aim of preventing just randomly closing down
applications to save battery life, the basic UI gives a breakdown
of exactly the power-consuming properties of each app while
theyre running. You can monitor all of your apps, viewing how
much battery each one is using, allowing for more reasoned
closing down. Its not just the damage each app is causing
to the battery you can view either, System Panel monitors
the CPU and memory use of different apps, allowing you to
optimise performance and speed. You can even uninstall
applications via the app if you notice something pointless
bringing down your phones performance. A smart, useful
application, which stands above other task-killing apps with
the sheer amount of options available.

Rating
Although pricey, this app
helps save battery life

Each key has an


alternative icon when
you hold it down for
long enough

Smart Keyboard Pro


solves the problem of
always pressing the
wrong keys

144 Android App Directory

Arcade
Tools

Tasker

Android
Android

Price: 3.99/$6.44 Developer: Crafty Apps

An ingenious app bundle that does everything


An app that not only executes all the functions that
plenty of other separate apps perform on the
marketplace but puts them all together to give you
maximum control over your Android phone. The app
comes with over 160 in-built actions, with simple functions such as
lowering screen brightness and turning on airplane mode, which
can all be timed and set up in ways to make your phone fully
customisable to you day-to-day life.
So whether a gesture with your phone transports you back to
the Home Screen, or you want out-of-office style text messages to
be sent to certain contacts when they contact you, it's possible to
tweak and build your phone experience extensively. The interface
is a little bewildering to begin with, as you script various programs
to act in certain ways even creating Home Screen widgets that
perform tasks. But you dont need any programming or scripting
experience to master the app and after investing some time,
youll find yourself wielding one of the most powerful Android
applications on the marketplace. Dont let it go to your head.

This app is vital if you want


complete control over what
your Android phone does

Rating

There are over 160 actions in this app for


you to take control of your Android

SlideIT Keyboard

Price: 3.97/$6.41 Developer: Dasur Ltd

A Thorough Glide To Texting

SlideIT Keyboard aims to be a revolutionary aid to


texting, making navigating the keyboard an effortless
glide. Its simple enough: you just slide across the
letters you want to input on your touch-screen
keyboard and all the letters will spell themselves out magically on
the screen. To begin, it takes some time to adjust to the new input
experience but after getting to grips with it, you can feel the
benefits of the fast-moving inputting of words.
The app is quite clever, working out what youre trying to spell,
even if you dont quite hit the right letters. Its not exactly going
to appeal to everyone but those willing to invest the time into
learning a new way of texting will feel the difference and will find
themselves saving a surprising amount of time. It also supports
multiple languages (enabled by downloading packs from the
Android Market). However its not perfect and youll find symbols
being lost and grammar suffering as a result. Nevertheless, an
inventive, alternative way of inputting text that holds a huge
amount of promise for those willing to spend time mastering it.

Rating

Once you get used to the app, it


actually becomes a much faster way
of texting

Sliding the letters is the alternative to typing


provided with this app

Android App Directory 145

Android

Tools

Price: 0.92/$1.50 Developer: Sam Lu

Price: 0.61/$1.00 Developer: GTMedia

Apps 2 SD Pro

SeekDroid

Moving isnt always a hassle

Find your phone, anywhere, any time


A very handy app
tool for anyone
looking to free a
bit of space on
their phone. Apps 2 SD Pro
filters through all of your
phones applications and
highlights which are eligible to
be moved to your SD card for
storage. Its not exactly an app
youll get regular use out of
but it saves some of the fuss
that comes with Androids
in-built app settings. With
sorting features and the ability
to install all apps to SD Card
in bulk, its a handy little
time saver.

If you need memory,


then grab this app

Rating

SeekDroid is a great app to alleviate some of the


stress that comes with losing your phone, or getting
it pinched. SeekDroid installs itself as a security
administrator, allowing you to remotely access your
phone and its features in case you get
parted from your handset. You can
lock applications and format your SD
card to prevent anyone looking in
areas they shouldnt be. You can also
track where your phone is and check
out what the last few calls were. Most
of this is done through seekdroid.com
and, as the app isnt constantly
running in the background, this
means that it doesnt drain the battery
either. A vital app to ensure peace of
mind for worried Android owners and
well worth the money.
SeekDroid does a
great job of security

Rating

Price: 1.22/$1.99 Developer: CApp Plus

Price: 1.74/$2.85 Developer: Mobitobi

Get better protected

A wake-up call for snoozers

App Protector Pro

Gentle Alarm

An app that heightens security across the whole


of your Android device, App Protector Pro can
set passwords on any app on your phone. Its
handy for keeping people aware from sensitive
material, or even just from stopping
kids mucking around in areas they
shouldnt. Most security apps are only
usually compatible with certain other
applications, so it is refreshing that
App Protector Pro can be used with
anything, with the extra flexibility
making it far more useful than you
might expect. The settings are simple
and if you dont want to be entering
passwords all day yourself, you can set
all the security measures to be off until
you tap the All App Unlocked button.
A great app.
This is the app you need
to protect your phone

146 Android App Directory

Rating

Theres strong
research to
suggest that
the sound that
wakes you directly results in
how well rested you feel.
Gentle Alarm is one app that
uses a gradual alarm to make
you feel your best each
morning. You set your alarm
time like normal but the
alarm eases you out of your
deep sleep phase into a light
sleep phase, before waking
you up. It works well, making
for more energetic mornings.
However, it is a bit of a
battery hog.
Wake up to Foo
Fighters, if you like

Rating

Tools

Android

Price: Free Developer: Darshan Computing

Price: 1.97/$3.22 Developer: Richard Gruet

A simple and straightforward battery app,


that displays information on your battery
life in the notification bar on your Android
phone. As well as the standard battery life
(displayed in percentage) that gives you an
instant indicator of how much juice you have left before
your phone dies, youll get a great round-up of additional
information, such as temperature, health, voltage, and time
since it was last plugged in. Its great for anyone after either a
more precise indicator of the life left in their phone or a more
extensive look at their battery usage to zero in on where the
battery life is being spent.

Want to keep an eye on your internet usage


allowance each month? Well 3G Watchdog
Pro is a great little app that monitors how
much of your monthly allowance youve used
up, taking into account your billing rules, and
ultimately helping you prevent any unwanted charges made
from your network provider.
Its not the best looking app youll ever install on your
Android phone but with five widgets and a redesigned
user interface, its very simple to use and perfect for anyone
afraid of exceeding their limit. Youll never incur any nasty
charges again.

Rating

Rating

Battery Indicator

3G Watchdog Pro

Price: 0.87/$1.42 Developer: Fabio Collini

Price: Free Developer: Google Inc.

An app to help with any Home Screen clutter


and, well, organise all your apps, as the name
suggests. With a list of all of your apps in one
place, you can then categorise them and
place them all into folders, so that you can
seamlessly navigate around your phone apps. The widget
comes in a few different flavours and styles but all provide
quick access to your most important phone applications.
Worth the cost if youre one of those Android owners who
likes to download lots of apps, especially given how easy it is
to get into the addictive habit of sampling free apps on the
Android Market.

Like with all Google applications, this is a well


designed and reliable add-on for your phone.
It is completely straightforward: you place text
in one box and it is translated into the desired
language in the box next to it.
It doesnt get much simpler than that and the accuracy
of the translation is good enough for you to trust and soon
come to rely on. With a huge amount of languages and Voice
Search integration, its another concise and outstanding
application from team Google and an essential addition for
any Android owner thinking of venturing abroad. Youll never
be lost for words again.

Rating

Rating

Folder Organizer

Google Translate

Price: Free Developer: Adobe Systems

Price: Free Developer: Alienmanfc6

Adobe AIR finally reaches Android and


paves the way for a whole host of developer
creativity to be accessed straight through
your Android phone. It allows AIR apps and
games to be ported or developed with
smartphones in mind. This obviously means its targeted at
a certain niche.
While those curious might be tempted by the fact that
its free, its worth noting that it takes up a fair bit of memory.
Even so, it allows for a lot of exciting new content to be
accessed straight through your phone and performs its job
as flawlessly as you might expect.

Ever lost your phone and couldnt find it


because its on silent? Wheres My Droid
rectifies this simple problem: with the app
active, simply text your lost phone with a
selected attention word and itll disable silent
mode and start ringing. That should be enough to find out
youve lost your phone down the back of the sofa but if
you still cant track it down, then this nifty little app can also
locate your phone via GPS if you already have the function
turned on. If you somehow still manage to lose your phone
with this app well, it just wont happen. So you wont. A
great app indeed.

Adobe AIR

Rating

Wheres My Droid

Rating

Price: 0.61/$1.00 Developer: Droid Shogun

Price: Free Developer: Lookout Inc

A fairly simple app that offers a massive


amount of customisation options for your
power control widget. So while you can have
all the standard toggles available such as
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS and the like, you can
further tweak it to include extra options such as flashlight,
reload SD card and speaker mode. You can even extend
the widget and customise advanced options to tailor it to
however you want it to work. This all adds up to a neat little
app that places further control into the users hands without
being too complicated or cumbersome to use. A great
addition to your Android phone.

Lookout Mobile Security is a hugely


comprehensive three-in-one security
app, built with accessibility in mind. The
uncomplicated design and understandable
user interface makes it an invaluable security
aid for everyone. It allows the user to scan your Android
phone for viruses, back up personal data and locate your
device if it ever gets lost or stolen. With this app being
unobtrusive, practical and free, if youre concerned about
security then it comes highly recommended.

SwitchPro Widget

Rating

Lookout Mobile Security


& Antivirus

Rating
Android App Directory 147

Android

Travel/Transport

Travel/
Transport
This app really
is surprisingly
comprehensive

This app helps


you quickly track
down your car

Just because youre going away on


holiday, that doesn't mean the end
of the journey for your Android.
The apps on these pages will help
you make the most out of your
travels, whether its a local trip or an
international voyage
Top paid apps

Top free apps

Maverick Pro

Google Maps

CarLocator

KAYAK

AA Parking

GeoLover

Staff pick of the section


GPS Test Plus

148 Android App Directory

TheTrainLine

Price: 2.44/$3.95 Developer: Edward Kim

Car Locator
Dude, wheres my car?

A neat antidote to the problem thats plagued


users of shopping malls or airport carparks, this
app should save a whole lot of anguished runs
around identical banks of parked vehicles.
Simply using your phones GPS (which is an absolute must
to be activated for this one to work properly), the app asks you
to register where you are when youre standing next to the
car, then provides a detailed update of how far you are from
it. Expressed in metres, a directional arrow and even a tracker
with a blinking red dot, the apps really fun to use as well as
highly functional.
On top of all this, the app also tells you how long the cars
been parked for, and even offers to let you know when an
allotted time has passed, so it could easily save you picking up
parking tickets as well.
Its a fairly cheap price to pay for such useful features, and Car
Locators clear visuals, striking design and accurate navigation
make it one of Androids better apps of this type.

Rating

Travel/Transport

Your location affects Wazes usefulness

Android

Tasks will earn you experience points

Price: Free Developer: Waze

Waze:
Community GPS
Social networking for your car

There are plenty of pointless social networking ideas


in the world. Theres Foursquare, with its habit of
turning walking around and visiting shops into some
kind of competition, or Farmville, which charges
players to own better virtual real estate than their friends.
Waze is different in that, while it might reward you with
experience points just for driving, also provides a useful and
focused experience; it encourages its users to build a dynamic,
ever-improving satellite navigation system for each other.
You can partake as lightly or heavily as you like. The mere act of
slowing down in a traffic jam, for example, will alert other Waze
users driving behind you whats going on, because your car will
be followed by a red line to indicate youre suddenly slowing.
You could then choose to report this occurrence directly to the
database and even, if youre at the front of the queue, take a quick
snap of whats obstructing you to give everyone else a little more
piece of mind. What this all means is that Waze also offers a free
satnav service, and very good it is, too. With an automated voice,
lightning-fast update even on 3G, and a full set of local points of
interest to flash up, its a comprehensive system.
When led astray, it soon comes up with alternative suggestions
to get you back on track. The only niggle is that it can get
muddled occasionally if too many directions come thick and fast,

As Waze grows, it could become one of the essential travel apps

coming out with statements like At the roundabout and never


finishing a statement.
Judged purely as a satnav, the likes of Garmin and TomTom dont
have an awful lot to worry about from Waze just yet, but time will
tell. Its definitely a lot of fun to use, and as more and more people
join the network, it could easily gain plenty of support.
How well Waze works for you depends largely on where you
live, and who else around you is feeding into the information
network. But unlockable awards and achievements are certainly
a sweetener for an otherwise long, boring journey, and Waze is
brilliant enough to be switched on in your car at all times, simply
for the quirky joy of seeing what it comes up with next.

Rating
Android App Directory 149

Android

Travel/Transport

Price: Free Developer: Google Inc.

Google Maps
Google clearly does it best

Its probably no surprise that the greatest map


application on Googles Android platform is the
companys own mapping system. With a massive
amount of the known world mapped in minute detail
and a robust geolocation function, Google Maps provides the
crucial combination of knowing exactly where you want to go,
and knowing where you currently are in relation to it. Even on a
basic 3G connection, the wandering blue arrow stays
approximately true to where you are, and when you start using
Street View, being lost becomes such a thing of the past, its an
almost hilarious concept in itself.
The find function allows you to bring up local amenities such
as petrol stations, shops and restaurants with ease, linking back to
Google with starred reviews of each location, and custom search
strings can be added to this as well.
Route directions and local amenities arent the only thing on
offer, either, with more pre-built, optional layers adding traffic
reports, driving directions, Google Latitude indicators, and even
Wikipedia links for other local points of interest you may never
even have considered.

Wherever you are in the world, Google Maps


will help you find your way
Google Maps is incredibly easy to use,
regardless of where you are

150 Android App Directory

Street View is, of course, the sizeable cherry on the top of this
navigational super cake. The pasted-together, 360-degree rotatable
still photographs of any Google Map roads marked in the telltale
dark yellow have been scaled for Android. The maze of yellow lines
marked up with tiny road signs that youd find on a PC have been
smoothly replaced with an uncluttered portrait view, the road
names branded with a large translucent font instead.
The touch screen makes the point and click element of Street
View the easiest thing in the world to use, literally allowing you to
take the walk with your finger, drop the yellow Peg Man where
you want, and watch the minutiae of your projected route unfold.
Working reliably pretty much anywhere, Google Maps
effectively (as long as you have a roaming net connection) makes
maps, guidebooks and, to a certain extent, sat nav equipment
pretty much redundant. And as the Google team continues
roaming the world in its little camera-topped cars, this is a free
service thats only getting stronger, clearer and easier to use year
upon year.

Rating

Travel/Transport

Android

It doesnt seem like much but GPS


Essentials is really good fun

Price: Free Developer: Mictale.com

GPS Essentials

An app you never knew you needed


A GPS app isnt really the sort of thing that appeals to most people.
Beyond frequent travellers, geography enthusiasts and other
people who would presumably demand such services, its hard
to picture an audience lusting after an app that claims to be the
Swiss Army Knife of GPS apps. And yet, after just a few minutes of
playing around with GPS Essentials, its just as hard to picture going
without it ever again.
What makes it such a great app is that it contains an exhaustive
list of options that cover absolutely everything you can imagine
even remotely related to a GPS service. The basics are covered,
such as a GPS map, which is provided courtesy of Google Maps
and is uncomfortably accurate, pinpointing your exact position
and even which way youre facing (an easily overlooked function
on most tracking apps). Then theres the compass, which is well,
a compass. No prizes for guessing what this does.
Yet its the other functions that provide the real interest here,
providing the overlap between the hardcore GPS enthusiasts
outlined in the opening paragraph and those likely to just tap
away in curiosity. For example, theres an option for Tracks. This
allows you to get your phone recording what it is youre doing as
youre moving about the time taken, the highest point (in height,
not emotionally), the lowest point (again, not emotionally), your
top speed, the overall gain and so on. It doesnt sound like the sort
of thing that should be of any interest but then, having not had
devices that tracked this sort of information readily available for
the price of nil, its not as though you would have realised such a
thing existed.

Its not just an app for the niche hardcore GPS enthusiasts crowd

This kind of attention to detail spreads throughout the other


functions the app provides. Camera adds a spirit level to the reticle
and allows you to snap pictures, Routes gives you the option to
plan where youre going, Charts gives you a nice infographic of
similar information to that found in Tracks, while Satellites even lets
you know about what GPS satellites are in the area. Its certainly a
comprehensive app.
Finally, GPS Essentials presents a multitude of different widgets,
so you can have information such as altitude, distance to location
and various other parameters available on your Androids
dashboard. Only a few instances of crash and bugs hold this back
from a perfect rating.

Rating
Android App Directory 151

Android

Travel/Transport

Price: 3.67/$5.97 Developer: Code Sector

Maverick Pro
The hardcore map app

An extremely powerful GPS device for its modest


price tag, Maverick Pro is primarily designed for
geolocation when youre out so far beyond civilisation
that GPS wont even work. Its therefore been
designed from the ground up to keep on accurately locating you
even when theres no satellite coverage around.
Its got many of the same features of Google Maps, but is
centred on far more rugged activities than merely giving you
vague directions. Theres a track recorder, which makes the phone
record each of your steps in a walked journey and share them,
effectively allowing you to share routes and walks with anybody
else in the interest group. Waypoints can also be easily added to
any area, and then your course and vicinity to each plotted in great
detail with the compass and route planner.
With a wealth of choices of terrain map source, from places
like Mapnik, Osma, Google, Bing and Wikimapia, theres so many
different ways to view the land around you that you start to build
an appreciation for the area that would just never be possible with
a simple paper map. There are just so many tools in Maverick Pro,
and so many ways of using them, that experimenting actually
becomes part of the process and part of the fun in using the app.
The app can sometimes, in fact, veer on the wrong side of
complex, as the developer keeps bolting more and more bits on

that all have to go somewhere; causing yet another menu option


to appear. Its not the easiest of apps to use but thats due to the
sheer wealth of options available as much as its due to a difficult
user interface.
Theres even a geocaching section in the menu, which links
straight to geocaching.com and informs you of any packages
hidden in your local area via the pages forum. This could be
interesting, but could also be the last thing on your mind when
youre in the middle of hiking Exmoor.
Still, Maverick Pro clearly sets out to be everything that Google
Maps isnt, and succeeds on this level admirably. Stuffed with
genuinely useful tools, its got the feeling of one of the upper-end
of the Swiss Army Knife range; all the essentials and more are
present and at excellent quality, but the overall package is perhaps
too far padded out with unnecessary extras.
In actual fact, youd do well to consider the standard Maverick
app. Its free of charge, and already contains so many features
that the ability to lay more than five waypoints and more than
one track in the Pro version may not be such a huge problem
for you anyway.

Rating

It feels like the Swiss


Army Knife of apps, with
a tool for every job

Maverick Pro has got more options


than Google Maps

152 Android App Directory

It can be intimidating to use and isnt


particularly user-friendly either

Maverick Pro pulls map data from various


different sources

Travel/Transport

Android

Price: Free Developer: Visual IT Limited

London Underground Free


Find your way

One of several apps of its type on Android, London


Underground Free wins out because it provides two
clear ways of visualising your route. The app plots
your Tube changes in text (though lacks the exact
timings of other apps, for example Pubtran London, instead opting
to estimate the typical regularity of the next Tube), complete with
detailed descriptions of where to catch the next one in a given
station. The other option, though, is a full Tube map with changes
marked at stations as coloured blobs. Youre free to cross reference
both against each other to make absolutely sure, and its a fast and
clear duo of options.
Theres also a huge info menu, which covers anything from live
quality of service information to check for problems on certain
lines, to the nearest location of hospitals, restaurants or galleries.
Finally, the app will geolocate you to the nearest Tube station,
which is pretty invaluable if youve taken a wrong turn, though
thats admittedly nothing Google Maps couldnt fix. Overall, an
excellent package of Tube-related features.

It shows your route through


the underground with a clear
coloured line

Rating

Having a Tube map always to hand is


extremely useful for residents and visitors

Car HUD

Price: 0.61/$0.99 Developer: Code Slinger

Pretty pointless projection


Car HUD is clever in that it reflects its GPS-driven
speedometer onto your windscreen, but thats
about as far as the appeal goes.
The Eco Guage (sic) didnt appear to do anything
during our testing and the elevation gauge, meanwhile, will hold
little use for most people. What does it matter how high above sea
level you happen to be driving?
All thats left is a basic read out of your driving speed, in MPH or
KM/H as you choose. This is nothing the average GPS app wont
provide already, and seeing as a lot of those are free, there seems
little point in paying for one particular app that does just that, and
little else.
Still, theres no doubt that having a green, LED representation of
your speed reflected into your windscreen at night is a pretty cool
effect, though its simply because its a mirror image of the text on
the normal screen. That also makes it considerably less effective in
daylight, of course. Overall this app may hold some novel appeal,
but it actually has little practical use.

Rating

With such a limited USP, there


isnt much scope for flexibility or
customisation options

Your overall speed is reflected in the


windscreen, which is a clever gimmick

Android App Directory 153

Android

Travel/Transport

Price: Free Developer: Tripit Inc

Tripit - Travel Organizer


Taking the pressure off travelling

Tripit seeks to keep track of and organise journeys you


take by simply asking you to forward any itinerary
emails you receive from travel or hotel companies
straight to Tripit Inc, who will then automatically add
them to the trip roster on the app.
An auto import function, which scans Google and Yahoo email
accounts for any trip reminder emails from travel companies, is
a particularly useful addition too, though a drawn-out process,
particularly if youve already made a Tripit account with the same
address you wish to scan, which still necessitates filling out a
bunch of details and access allowance forms over again.
The Tripit Pro upgrade, which costs $49 a year (approx 30),
mainly features a flight delay text message service. Seeing as this
is information that can often be gleaned by checking the internet
or contacting the airport, it seems a fairly high amount to pay for
a little extra convenience. The upgrade does also contain a travel
rewards tracker, which puts all your air miles and suchlike in one
handy screen for you to keep on eye on.
Not just including planes, trains, and hotels, Tripit also keeps
track of car rentals, restaurant bookings and even cinema tickets.

If you have no concern sending Tripit your


email itineraries, it will organise on your behalf
The crystal clear layout makes it
easy to know what to do next

154 Android App Directory

It can even provide local weather reports before you get to a new
place. It feels entirely feasible to chain together a series of transport
methods and events, kick back and trust your phone to do all
the thinking for you. Its simple, no-nonsense, and goes together
clearly and logically. Most importantly, it can automatically
calculate time zones, instead of waiting for you to get them wrong,
which saves further hassle down the line and shows that Tripit
really has thought of everything.
All in all, then, this is a sensible and complete travel planning
package that takes a weight off your mind when it comes to
figuring out what to do next. Theres perhaps a concern, though,
about the way Tripit works. By asking for permission to access
a variety of your private records, its effectively a data-mining
application. In a time in which were becoming more and more
aware of the true problems of large-scale hacking, some people
may be concerned about sending copies of financial transaction
emails spinning off to more places than they really need to be
going to.

Rating

Travel/Transport

Android

Price: Free Developer: KAYAK.com

as

KAYAK

Jolly (cheap) holidays

You can find


the nearest bike in
London thanks to
this app

Its a handy app


for holidays or
days out in the
UK capital

Price: Free Developer: Barclays Bank PLC.

Barclays Bikes

Englands capital on two wheels

Rather more than the advertising plug for cheap


travel website KAYAK.com wed initially feared it might
be, the KAYAK app is in reality a fairly comprehensive
selection of tools. The hotel and flight booking
portions work extremely well, clearly and concisely taking you
through the search, price comparison and usual extra option parts
of the journey, before ferreting out the correct links or telephone
numbers to help you complete the bookings.
On top of that, the KAYAK app offers management of car hire, a
trip itinerary, a flight tracker and even a price alert that will let you
know the second any prices youre watching change. It has airport
information, a beacon to help you locate friends using the service,
and theres even an in-built widget to stick an up-to-date price
ticker on your phones home screen. KAYAK is a tidy package, and
no mistake.
Kayaks website does a really great job at comparing hundreds
of different travel sites, and the company has perfectly transcribed
those abilities to a pocket-sized, comprehensive app. Its definitely
a useful thing to keep around and could really help out those who
travel a lot.

Rating

With London now offering its own rent-a-bike


scheme to get around the capital, theres a new
problem facing Londoners and especially those
visiting where you actually get the bikes from?
This app, as you might have guessed from the name, solves
that problem by telling you where the nearest bike station
is. By using GPS and the maps provided, you wont have any
problems finding the nearest docking station. In addition to
that, it also allows you to plot a route to another bike docking
station in London, allowing you to get on with the fun stuff of
actually taking in the sights of Englands capital on two wheels.
The only issue it has, besides being somewhat niche, is that
its hit and miss when it comes to reporting accurate data.
The routing system isnt the best, particularly given Londons
unpredictable nature when it comes to roadworks affecting
journeys and the like. Also, while it tells you how many spaces
each docking station has, it would be nice to get regular
updates on the more popular docking stations, which can ruin
a particularly well planned journey.

Rating

As it compares results from so


many travel sites, youll rarely be
disappointed with what it finds

The app is split into different categories, which


makes it easy for you to navigate

Android App Directory 155

Android

Travel/Transport

FlightView
Flight Tracker

Price: 0.61/$0.99 Developer: FlightView

Easily stay in touch with all


things air-based
This is a slick, well-produced app for keeping track of
various international flights, either for the benefit of
your own itinerary or for keeping tabs on those you
may be expecting to meet off a plane. Allowing you
to bookmark flights to return to at one touch, the information is
also compounded by instantaneous updates on delays or other
problems at airports. You can even see a map of the planes
current position in the air, and its nearby weather conditions.
Searching for flights can be carried out by flight number, time
its due to land, or even by something as vague as the city you
expect it to land in. This can be handy if youre on the way to meet
somebody and youve forgotten to pick up any of the details.
For your personal travel use, various flights can be added to a
single trip, and hotel and car rental information can be brought
up too. FlightView would have benefitted from being more of an
all-round app that covered more aspects of your travel plans other
than just flight, but it handles what it does exceptionally well.

Flight Tracker does


everything youd expect it to
given the name of the app and
it does it well too

Rating

Price: 1.99/$3.24 Developer: Satsports GPS

Satski

Get to know the piste

Satski is a bespoke real-time piste map that shows


you exactly which route youre on (and should be
on). As with most of these specialist GPS apps,
though, the innovation doesnt end there. Apart
from 3D, Google Earth-integrated flyover maps, the app is also
capable of recording your routes and speeds to allow you to
share with other skiers later, as well as analyse on your PC in
more detail using Satsports free Stats Viewer software.
With seemingly every major skiing resort in the world loaded
into the apps index, and downloadable within seconds from the
database, the only slight concern about the app is whether, with
GPS enabled throughout, youll get anything even approaching
a full days skiing out of your phone before the battery runs out.
Still, aside from spending hundreds of pounds on a dedicated
outdoor pursuits handheld GPS, its worth that risk for this
decidedly cheap alternative.

Rating
156 Android App Directory

Theres an incredible
wealth of skiing data
within this app

The app quickly


drains the battery,
which is a shame

Travel/Transport

Its use is somewhat


niche but theres no
denying this performs
its USP rather well

It looks confused
but the info is easy
to understand and
access too

Geolover is brilliant
at finding places it
thinks you might
want to go to

Price: Free Developer: Peter Gyorffy

Geolover
Everyones a critic

Geolover is a fairly powerful trip planning tool. While


its happy to scout your local area for locations of
interest, its real point seems to lie in investigating a
place youre going to be visiting, and making up a list
of places youd like to go. When you get there, Geolover will tell
you where they are and how to get to them.
Each of the earmarked places has its own information page,
generally dragged from Wikipedia, but Geolover users can
also add star ratings and tips about the places after theyve
been. The overall rating will then help to give the marks a quick
recommendation, from essential to visit if you have time.
The way visit rosters are displayed is the real winner here;
a shopping list of places to go in preference order can be an
excellent way to organise a day trip. Also, the opportunity to
change your plans as you go by throwing a quick search of the
nearest square mile always holds a certain promise to make the
day even better. This is an excellent app that could really help
improve your visits to new places.

Rating

Android

The information is
cleanly laid out and
easy to follow

Price: Free Developer: Point Inside

Point Inside
Airports & Malls

Interiors made easy

Point Inside is a company that wants to do for the


inside of buildings what mapping software such
as Google Earth does for the area around them.
Its offering on Android is a free app which shows
you detailed maps of the inside of malls and airports, showing
you where all the shops and conveniences are, and even how
to get to the nearest set of stairs, elevator or escalator. Toilets,
banks and ATMs are also included.
It feels pretty pointless to begin with, but for an eventuality
when youre shopping last minute or dashing to the airport
toilet before having to suffer a cramped aeroplane facility, it
could become fairly useful.
Also, aspects such as opening hours and a quick link phone
call to the buildings helpline are all fairly useful additions. Its
true to say theres nothing quite like Point Inside, but that could
be because theres not a massive need for it. Thats only for
you personally to decide.

Rating
Android App Directory 157

Android

Travel/Transport

Price: Free Developer: Layar

Layar Reality Browser


Discover the hidden places around you
A genuinely fun
and interesting
way to find
places by
pointing your camera around
you. Pubs, restaurants, gigs
and more in close proximity
are visually represented in the
form of icons.
The ability to plot a route
by plugging into Google
Maps and check out (or write)
reviews on the Layars linked
reviews and comments site
just completes the package.
Powerful and fun, Layar is a
great way to explore the area
around you.
Layar is constantly
being updated

Rating

Price: 1.50/$2.43 Developer: Chartcross Limited

GPS Test Plus


Leave no stone unturned

Absolutely the most in-depth GPS test app in


existence, GPS Test Plus does the lot. Compass,
latitude and longitude, distance above sea level,
speed Absolutely any option you can possibly
think of, its all here. Theres even an
optional HUD mode to reflect the
information onto your car windscreen
should you wish to use GPS Test Plus
on the move.
Clear and concise while also being
quite spectacularly techy and nerdy
to an almost fun level, this is an app
thats just as much of a joy to simply
mess around with as it is to achieve
anything useful. The choice of colour
schemes just makes everything even
more portable, too. A hidden delight
on Android.
It looks techy but
this is surprisingly fun

Rating

Price: Free Developer: Wikitude GmbH

Price: Free Developer: Pocketools.com

Discover the world around you

Does what it says on the tin

Wikitude World Browser

Currency Converter

Basically a rival to Layar (above), Wikitude does exactly


the same thing in terms of augmenting reality around
you. However, this app includes finding local Tweeters
(who are happy to display their location). It might just
be us, but the GPS update seems a
little faster with Wikitude too, and its
building a community mighty fast.
With both apps
being available
for free, theres
really no reason
to choose
between them;
carry them both
around, and see
which one suits
you in a given
situation.
This is a perfectly viable
alternative to Layar

158 Android App Directory

Rating

Currency
Converter is just
another
reminder why
smartphones are great. No
more programming a travel
calculator with last weeks FT
figures, this converter
streams data direct from
Yahoo finance.
It also provides financial
news, as well as a base
currency comparison sheet.
This, in addition to the useful
graphs in the converter
window makes the app
handy for keeping an eye on
the markets in general, too.
This does far more
than mere maths

Rating

Travel/Transport

Price: Free Developer: Reach Unlimited

Android

Trapster

Price: .126/$2.04 Developer: Pich

Self-policing speedtraps

A speed tracking app that offers nothing new

Speedometer HUD

With nearly 13 million users on the network, Trapster


is way more than just a mere app; its a massive
community of speed camera hunters. Its incredibly
basic in execution; switch the app on in your car
and, once youve created an account,
drive normally until the app warns
you youre approaching a camera. If
you see one thats not currently
known about, report it. In this way,
millions of people are constantly
communicating the state of our
roads, and reducing speeding fines
all round. We would, however, like to
take this opportunity to remind you
that driving in accordance with the
speed limit is, of course, preferable.
Speed camera locations
are always being updated

Rating

Largely identical to Car HUD, except it actually costs


money and doesnt have a fuel readout, this is a
waste of money.
Nothing more than a GPS-fuelled readout of your
miles per hour, there are free GPS apps or free car HUD apps
that already do the same, or better. Theres a map included but
its hardly got
the quality or
functionality
of a sat nav.
This just
feels like a
simple proofof-concept
experiment
turned cynical
cash cow.
This isn't worth
the money sadly

Price: 1.26/$2.04 Developer: binarytoys

Price: Free Developer: dlek

Need for speed

I see (no) ships

Ulysee Speedometer Pro


As speedometers go, this is a pretty
comprehensive one. MPH, KM/H and even knots
is available, had you ever wondered how fast
your car might be going if it was a boat. The app
also continues working on your
phone in the background if you
switch something else on useful
for in-car phone calls (via a headset)
or to be used at the same time as
speed trap apps, etc.
Brightly coloured, simple to use,
but very reliable, this is an excellent
speedometer app. Please also note
that the free version is identical,
apart from carrying ad banners.
If you can put up
with ad banners, get
the free version

Rating

Rating

MarineTraffic.com
Ever wondered exactly what that speck on the
horizon is? Whether youre a sailor, an anorak or
simply a curious bystander, this app lets you chart the
progress of, find out information about, and even
upload photos of most water-going
craft. It reads boats mandatory AIS
feed and is pretty fascinating;
watching the
multicoloured
icons whizzing
about the world
map in almost
real-time is
simply a joy in
itself. It could
make you a
dedicated boat
spotter.
Not too practical but
absolutely fascinating

Rating
Android App Directory 159

Android

Travel/Transport

Price: Free Developer: gamijo

Price: Free Developer: BluMediaLab.com B.V.

As compass apps go, this is actually pretty


cool. Its in full 3D, which means you can angle
your phone to raise or lower the compass and
also flatten it out for better reading. You can
also lock its orientation. Its true that a lot of
navigation apps will have compass as one of the options but
as a way to quickly get a compass without having to wade
through menus, this is probably worth the free download.
All in all, 3D Compas is a fun freebie that looks and performs
better than most others of its type.

As the name makes it clear, Hotels near me


does its job of telling you, well, what hotels
are near you. So far, so usual, no real reason
not to download. However, when a myriad
of other tools youll probably already have
on your phone (like AroundMe) do the job of finding and
rating a nearby hotel, but also tell you how to get there and
offer a plethora of other options, there seems little reason to
entertain this app. If youre low on app space and wish to be
specific, though, its absolutely fine and as stated, performs
its job well enough without any real problems. It could just
benefit from opening itself up to more options and features.

3D Compass

Hotels near me

Rating

Rating

Price: Free Developer: Where Inc.

Price: Free Developer: StarObject

Its similar to Wikitude or using Points of


Interests on Google Maps, so there are some
strong competitors, but theres a certain
element of fun with Where that makes it
interesting to pick up. Essentially you discover
nearby places and see recommendations. Features like
detailed friends profiles, and the ability to bump your
phones to share favourite places are entertaining and ensure
this app doesnt feel as dry as the competition. Its just a pity
then that this apps overshadowed by more polished, featureladen services and so we cant wholeheartedly recommend it
owing to the amount of excellent free alternatives available.

This is certainly an excellent translator,


perfectly capable of converting anything you
type in, or any text messages you feed it, into
over 40 languages. Its also easy to use while
remaining fairly comprehensive to cater for
the different methods of text input and output, so youd
think this would be an essential download. However, there is
a rather serious flaw that holds it back from being considered
among the Android elite; it must be connected to a network
in order to work. Thats obviously not a problem if youre
at home but its no good if you have no 3G roaming tariff
abroad, now is it?

StarTranslate

Where

Rating

Rating

Price: 1.99/$3.27 Developer: The AA

Price: 3.07/$5.04 Developer: FlightStats

As the name suggests, this app will help you


find parking spaces. Its an absolute godsend
mostly for the fact that its very, very good. All
you need to do is tap in the location of where
youre going (or simply say it) and youll have
a list of all parking spaces, the distance, the type of parking,
whether it has disabled parking and the current rate. Tapping
further will give you directions to get to the parking space
along with the rates throughout the day, so there are no
nasty surprises when you get there. AA Parking has a clean,
efficient design married to near flawless execution an
essential app for drivers.

FlightStats for Android tells you where flights


are going, and can help you sequence your
trip if youre changing flights quickly, so
it eases some of the potential worry and
stress inherent with long haul trips. But
unfortunately, many apps available on Android Market do
that, and do it for free, and theres little here to make this
stand out from the crowd. While its simple and effective, its
just not worth that hefty price. The good news is that there is
also a free version called FlightStats Lite for Android available
which is ad supported, so you can try this app out.

Rating

Rating

AA Parking

FlightStats for Android

Price: Free Developer: Share your where

Price: Free Developer: Frantisek Hejl

With this app you can share your location in


real time with anybody you like, for as long
as you like (tinkering with the options means
it can turn itself off after a while). Imagine
Foursquare if it could be left permanently
running and updating your location and youre pretty much
there. The Glympse software isnt even needed to see
where you are; a simple web link emailed to their address
lets whoever is interested have the ability to track your
progress. It may seem fairly pointless but its a perfect way
to satisfactorily explain lateness, or simply pretend youre in
some kind of ridiculous spy thriller.

Pubtran London is a rail map, a Tube map,


and a route planner based on actual
projected departure times of each and every
type of vehicle, which comprises Tube, buses,
trains and even your feet. This is incredibly
useful but more importantly, as frequent London travellers
will tell you, it also has Tube line service status a godsend
on weekends when underground works tends to take place.
Even better, it has a history of your previous journeys, to
save you searching again. This is an extremely useful app
for travelling through the UKs capital and its an essential
download for visitors and residents alike.

Rating

Rating

Glympse

160 Android App Directory

Pubtran London

Travel/Transport

Price: 2.50/$4.11 Developer: pinkfroot limited

Ship Finder

This is just like MarineTraffic.com, except


this ship-tracking app has a relatively hefty
price-tag attached. You can pick up every
ocean-going vessel from its AIS feed, check
details about it, and pretty much follow
everything in near-realtime with GPS. Its not a particularly
practical app as you wont need it to help you travel
anywhere but again, as with MaritimeTraffic, its a fascinating
look into the nautical world that you likely wont have seen
before. Its rather interesting, and while Ship Finder isnt quite
so hot on 3G, it is still a great way to waste half an hour at
the seaside.

Android

Price: 2.49/$4.09 Developer: Whitecat Software

EZCam Speed
Camera Detector

With Trapster and Waze doing this in


massively supported communities already
and for free, we could question the point
of this app. A feature that sets it apart,
though, is it works offline, detecting speed
cameras simply from saving offline data from a database,
which makes it slightly more useful than you might expect.
However, when you get live streaming information free on
other services, why do such a thing except in critical low
battery emergencies?

Rating

Rating

Price: 0.79/$1.30 Developer: nomadrobot

Price: 1.93/$3.17 Developer: Hexter Labs Software

A bit cheaper than apps like Car Locator, this


does largely the same thing of helping you
find your car. The big difference here is that
it doesnt look quite as good doing it, not
quite having the same style or user-friendly
approach of its competition. The app itself is by and large
the same though tell the app where your cars parked,
wander off, and get guided back later. No problems there
and nor should there be, given the simplicity of the task at
hand. It also includes a notepad to write things like next
to second lamp post on the left, in case the GPS isnt quite
enough to guide you exactly to your car.

How many car locator apps does the


world need? Loads, appears to be the
answer if Android Market is anything to go
by. Car Finder AR is no different from the
competition on the surface but what sets
it apart from the rest is that it allows you to find three cars
at the same time. Yet think about that. Do you even know
somebody who owns three cars, let alone have the need
to park every single one of them in places they cant find, at
the same time? You might want to consider getting an app
like Car Locator instead, which still stands tall as one of the
best in this crowded field.

My Car Locator

Car Finder AR

Rating

Rating

Price: 2.50/$4.11 Developer: pinkfroot limited

Price: 1.84/$3.02 Developer: Simon Morgenthaler

Plane Finder allows you to track planes,


providing near real-time virtual radar air
traffic maps. The app isnt exactly practical but
instead, its fascinating for the light it shines
on the world of aviation. The most interesting
thing about this app is it shows you just how crowded it
gets up in the skies above us. Replete with the nerdiest
information, illustrations and baffling technical data to wade
through, this surely replaces binoculars and an old radio for
serious planespotters thanks to the wealth of information
at hand. Or anyone else whos just interested to see Aunt
Jemima whizzing overhead on her way to Australia.

Fuel Log Pro provides an utterly ridiculous


amount of statistics and presentation styles
to monitor your vehicles fuel usage, from
average amount per day all the way up to a
year. Its so comprehensive that at times, its
almost in danger of drowning the important information in
the useless stuff. It tells you how often youve filled up, and
how often youve had it serviced. Of course, you have to
remember to enter all this data yourself, but the numbercrunching rewards are worth it.

Plane Finder

Rating

Fuel Log Pro


License Key

Rating

Price: Free Developer: thetrainline

Price: 0.80/$1.31 Developer: Hodel

Those who travel by train are more than


likely to be familiar with thetrainline.com
by now, and its ability to help you find train
times and book tickets, so this app wont
exactly need a full introduction. However,
its extremely simple to use, lets you check, book and pay
for your tickets in just a few touches, and will even supply
you with electronic tickets via a barcode to your phone. It
performs its task well, without any fuss, and is staggeringly
simple to use thanks to how easy it is to navigate, correct
mistakes and so on. It just couldnt be better and its free
too. An essential download.

There are just so many speedometer apps


on Android nowadays, its tough to stand
out from the crowd. This one does little to
differentiate itself, however, doing exactly
what you would expect of a speed app no
more, no less. You can pick between digital or analogue,
but then your cars generally got an analogue speedometer
anyway, rendering that feature null and void. Overall,
Speedometer Pro has little point in most circumstances,
although maybe for cyclists perhaps. Use a more fullyfeatured GPS instead.

thetrainline

Rating

Speedometer Pro

Rating
Android App Directory 161

Android

Weather

Weather

Clear, concise and


straight to the point

Theres an
exhaustive
amount of data

Price: 2.20/$3.61 Developer: MeteoGroup

Sunny, cloudy, rainy or worse, our


Weather apps will help you deal
with those unpredictable twists
and turns with the climate to plan
ahead for that perfect holiday
or even something as simple as
enjoying a nice family day out
Top paid apps

Top free apps

Rain Alarm Pro

GoWeather

Solaris Alpha

WeatherEye

PYKL3 Radar

3D Digital
Weather Clock

Staff pick of the section


Weather, Alerts,
Quakes, Barometer

162 Android App Directory

Rainy Days

WeatherPro

A weather report you can trust


This is a comprehensive weather app that boasts a
swathe of features, accurate enough to tell you
what the weather will be like in a specific region
or city on a particular day. Hosting an exceptional
amount of information on seven-day forecasts and weather
reports across over 2 million locations worldwide, theres not a
lot this app doesnt know about whats going on in the skies.
The level of detail is impressively abundant, with information
on wind speed and direction, humidity, pressure and
precipitation levels its the sort of handy information that
proves indispensable when planning those days out.
A slick interface is a welcome addition, with animated radar
and weather patterns for the local area (the downside to this
is that it only works in certain countries). Most importantly, its
accurate; finding the nearest weather forecasting centre to you
via GPS, it uploads a ton of information about what you can
expect weather-wise over the next 14 days.
So whether youre planning a trip to the seaside, a spot of
golf, or even a holiday abroad, WeatherPro is extensive enough
when planning your time out.

Rating

Weather

Android

Price: 2.65/$4.29 Developer: Michael Diener

Rain Alarm Pro

A weather app that rings a bell


Given the volatility of summertime, Rain Alarm Pro
proves a surprisingly handy warning app that notifies
users of incoming rain (and snow if things get really
chilly) by an alarm on your phone. Helpful for long
days out, a BBQ, shopping trips or even if youve just got your
washing on the line, the alarm will sound when it detects rain or
snowfall within around 20 miles of your current location. Using the
GPS locater on your phone, the app is extremely accurate;
warnings can come within minutes of rain or snow hitting your
area, leaving plenty of time to react before the weather takes a
turn for the worst and leaves you drenched.
The alarm displays information on how far away the weather is,
the strength and its current location. If you use the widget on the
Home screen then youll find it adds some extra detail, including
precipitation levels without any alarm, allowing you to scope out
the weather at your own convenience. The customisation features
make it easy to tweak the settings depending on your activity,
making sure that the app is optimised to your needs.
Satellite maps also track the weather coming in. You can watch
the direction the rain or snow is heading in with up-to-date radar
animations, as the clouds loom forward over your location. The

Rain Alarm Pro is stuffed with infographics


that give you a quick, visual guide on what to
expect from the weather in the days ahead

app uses Google Maps, which comes loaded on Android phones,


as a background map that works alongside the radar animations
of the incoming weather. There is an alternative version of the
app in case you dont have Google Maps Rain Alarm Pro OSM
which uses OpenStreetMap as a substitute. Both of which work
seamlessly, providing fast and accurate reports on the encroaching
weather patterns.
A free version of Rain Alarm is also available, loaded with adverts.
However, its bigger drawback is that it features a silent alarm,
so the end result is that its nowhere near as effective as the Pro
version with its audible alarms proving a saving grace. A polished,
reliable and very accurate application, loaded with a slew of
features, including animated maps to keep an eye on the weather
and a widget that slims down all the information. Rain Alarm Pro
proves itself a worthy application to keep installed on your Android
handset. Frankly, when it comes to the British weather, youll soon
find it indispensable and a worthy investment for keeping your
days out dry. Its cheaper than an umbrella too.

Rating

You can even set alarms that notify you of


forthcoming rain, which is far handier than it
might sound

Android App Directory 163

Android

Weather

Price: Free Developer: Go Dev Team

GO Weather
Ready, set, GO Weather

GO Weather is a visually delightful weather application


that puts as much effort in its sharp visuals as it does
providing the most up-to-date weather information in
your local area. The most gorgeous feature of this app
is the live wallpaper it provides with more available to download
for free which has animated backgrounds based on the current
weather in your location. Even without this feature selected, the
app itself showcases some equally impressive animated images,
with the current temperature displayed clearly in the top-left
corner, with further information including a barometer, humidity,
visibility, dew point and sunrise/sunset times available at a click.
Its fairly comprehensive, with the weather for the next seven
days listed at the bottom of the screen scroll to reveal further
days and its all easy to read and simply displayed. Theres a more
detailed text analysis of the weather available just by scrolling
the bottom menu upwards, revealing a thorough breakdown of
everything thats going on. While it lacks hourly updates, theres no
doubt that it provides a wealth of information for the average user
to get a clear understanding of what to expect from the weather
within the next few upcoming days.
The widget is also well presented, with customisable size and
style keeping the attractive visuals consistent across the app. With

The live
wallpaper
is really
attractive,
but theres
substance
here too

164 Android App Directory

information on your current location, the time, temperature, wind


speed and current weather, it is a concise and well-developed
widget, paired with an app that offers a little twist on the standard
weather application.
You can add multiple locations to your favourites, making it easy
to stay on top of the weather while travelling around. Youll also
find that there is a huge amount of customisable options, allowing
you to tweak text sizes, your widget skin and what information
is displayed, so that you can completely tailor the app to your
specific needs. Do bear in mind that while the HD animations and
crisp visuals are stunning to look at, some may wish to conserve
their battery and opt for more basic imagery to represent the
current weather.
GO Weather is one of the best-looking weather apps on the
Android Market. However, beyond the attractive videos, HD
backgrounds and stylish widgets, the weather information is
accurate, fast and reliable. The amount of content available packed
into this free app is outstanding. So if youre not worried about
draining your battery, then get downloading this beautifully
elegant app today.

The app makes the weather easy


to read and understand

Rating

With the animations enabled, GO Weather


isnt overly kind on your phones battery life

Weather

Android

Price: Free Developer: Hugo Visser

Rainy Days

Keep an eye on the storm


A slight, simple, but well made app if youre looking
for a quick, efficient radar app to track the weather,
then Rainy Days is the perfect download for you. It
does exactly what you would expect of it, providing
you with satellite imagery of precipitation and rain across the
United States, Europe and some other countries as well.
As a free app, it is more than worth trying out to see the
pinpoint accurate patterns in the air above. Simply just enter your
location (or let your GPS do the locating) and the map will switch
to your location and display any rain currently hovering above you.
It also cycles through the last hour, giving a clear viewpoint of the
direction that the rain is heading in.
It loads quickly and the animation is smooth and can be paused
at the bottom of the screen at any time you like. Theres also an onscreen legend that can be toggled on and off, which gives a clear
understanding of exactly what the formations mean and whether
youre likely to get really drenched if youre standing underneath
any of the swirling colours on the screen. Using Google Maps, the
app makes use of radar Doppler images from a variety of sources,
including Buienradar, Meteox, Vderradar, Eumetsat and NWS.

Theres nothing complicated about this app,


but it fills its role very well

The functionality with Google Maps is pretty impressive,


enabling you to zoom in and out on locations at your leisure, so
you can get an exact idea about where a storm will hit at that
moment in time. Pinching and double-tapping zooms, and you
can drag across the map to move. The slider bar at the bottom
controls the opacity of the radar, which is quite useful, especially
with the aforementioned pinpointing of exactly where the rain is
currently perched over.
Its clean, simple and very easy to use. While it doesnt provide
any information on other weather conditions and theres no
interface outside of the main radar/map screen, it is one of the
most accessible radar applications currently available on the
Android Market and should find itself useful for weather-watchers
and anyone frightened of being caught out in soggy conditions.
We wouldnt exactly call it a must-have app but if you are looking
for a radar application for dummies, then this freebie is worth
checking out.

Never get caught out in the rain again by looking


at this in-depth radar for precipitation

Rating

The app is simple to use, so it very much suits those


starting our with radar images

Android App Directory 165

Android

Weather

Price: Free Developer: Factory Widgets

3D Digital
Weather Clock
Style over substance

Price: Free Developer: The Weather Network / MeteoMedia

WeatherEye

A content-packed weather app

This is a sharp-looking 3D clock widget, with up-todate information on the latest weather in your current
location, while also providing the date and time.
These are most of the features youll find loaded on
any standard weather widget, with forecasts and current weather
being the main functions. The battery icon on the clock is a nice
addition but youll soon notice how draining the app can be.
The main imagery is vibrant, with just the two weather layouts
popping off the screen with some standard 3D graphics. Its not
particularly showy dont expect any flash animations but it
effectively displays the information clearly.
It lacks the extensive features of other weather apps but if youre
looking for a sleek weather widget to display all the valuable
information, then its suited for quick-glance updates. However, it
doesnt offer enough in the way of detail or variety, leaving anyone
looking for a more comprehensive app left out in the cold.

A no frills weather app that offers hourly to longterm forecasts, so you can plan everything from a
night out to your whole week. The widgets
simple setup makes for ease of use and theres
enough detail here to satisfy most, using radar maps and GPS
locators to provide the latest news for your area.
The general functionality is straightforward, as is the
interface, displaying information in an accessible manner. Its
not stylish by any means but the content more than makes
up for the lack of visual panache. A neat extra is the ability to
upload your favourite weather snaps to the Weather Network
website. However, the greatest strength is in its weather alerts,
sending any severe weather warnings for your area straight to
your phone.
With plenty of statistics for wind speed, humidity, pressure
and visibility, its an intelligent, comprehensive app for the
bargain price of nothing, packed with detail. Who needs style
when youve got this much substance.

Rating

Rating
For a free app theres a
lot here to praise

The interface is
simple, which is great
for seeing the weather
update at a glance

Its a simple app,


with nothing fancy to
it, but it does what it
does well enough

166 Android App Directory

Its simple style is backed up by great content

Weather

Android

Wetter.com
Surprisingly dry

Price: Free Developer: Wetter.com AG

A basic weather app that offers little of its boasted


features to UK residences. What they do get is a seven
day forecast delivering information on general
weather, wind speed, temperature and risk of rain, all
for your local area. Selecting any day of the week breaks down the
weather into different parts of the day, which is a nice addition.
Theres also the option to look at the weather around the world
too, with the use of GPS maps.
The layout is simple, with the information displayed clearly.
A widget can be placed on your phone which only gives a
basic view of the current weather and temperature. More
disappointingly, the app features a great-looking rain radar and
weather videos hosted by a presenter that are only region specific
to Germany and a couple other European countries. It makes
the overall package of the app disappointingly slight for UK
residents, with a lackluster widget, which could offer a lot more if
the premium content was available worldwide. So unless youre
planning a trip to Deutschland, theres not a lot to recommend.

This is a great app for when


youre visiting Germany, but it
wont help out most

Rating

The layout is really clean and simple


so the information is clear

Weather, Alerts,
Quakes, Barometer

Price: 1.84/$3.00 Developer: Elecont software

Extensive, Accurate, Unique, Great

A hugely detailed weather app thats sure to


overwhelm many with its user interface. Featuring
barometer displays, earthquake information from
around the world and UV radiation levels, along with
a 14 day weather forecast, theres no shortage of weather statistics
here. The widget is a little rough, featuring a clock that displays all
the temperature levels across the face, but matched with the
information around it this feels cluttered.
A unique aspect to the app is the earthquake features, which
holds information on earthquakes that have occurred all around
the world. All the other usual information you would expect from
your forecast, including wind speeds, air pressure, and sunrise and
sunset times, make it compatible for day-to-day life. However, this
app offers a huge amount more to weather enthusiasts looking for
extensive knowledge about the climate around the globe.

Rating

The amount of detail given


to you is really great

The widget is a little messy to look at,


but this app is packed full of good stuff

Android App Directory 167

Android

Weather

Price: Free Developer: Stridge Project Inc

Namazu Alert

Keep updated on quake activity


A free earthquake
alert app with
push notifications
proves a
welcome idea in the wake of
the recent quakes. The app is
primarily for residents of Japan,
as you select which region in
the country you want
warnings for (all terms and
conditions are in Japanese).
Unfortunately, reports suggest
that the app is inaccurate, not
picking up major earthquakes
in certain regions. The
information it does supply is in
lists, giving an idea on time,
location and quake severity.
A great app for those
who read Japanese

Rating

Price: 1.22/$1.97 Developer: Tomasso

Solaris Alpha

Watch the sun in the palm of your hand


A great-looking application that features real-time 3D
views of Sun and Earth. If youre interested in solar
flares and space weather, then you wont find a more
dazzling app, with gorgeous visuals displaying all the
relevant information.
A ringtone will alert you when
new solar flares are detected, a
geomagnetic storm level increases,
or when the aurora may be visible
from your phone's location. You can
move around the Sun and look at
x-ray flares and sunspots, with the
ability to zoom into specific regions
on our planet's closest star with ease.
It is an engaging, visually sumptuous
application, using advanced
technology to make outer space more
accessible for everyone.
Be alert when there's
a solar flare

Rating

Price: 1.07/$1.72 Developer: Down South Customs

Price: 4.90/$7.91 Developer: PYK Consulting a

Discover when the next storm will hit

The perfect app for weather watchers

Track-It Deluxe

PYKL3 Radar

If you're going on holiday or live in the world's


renowned inclement weather hotspots, then you'll
like a hurricane tracking app thats simple to use.
Featuring satellite loops and news on the latest
hurricane activity in the Atlantic and
Pacific regions. Its ease of use is
welcome and the widget fits nicely
onto the homescreen.
Further news on hurricanes isnt
as easy to read you'll find it listed
as scrollable text but the satellite
imagery, broken into specific areas in
both regions, is full of detail and loads
quickly. While the Deluxe version is both
fast and efficient, theres also a basic
iteration with just a small amount of
the features and comes at the cost of
absolutely nothing.
Track Atlantic and
Pacific storm paths

168 Android
iPhone App
AppDirectory
DirectoryVolume 5

Rating

PYKL3 Radar
(pronounced
Pickle Radar) is a
great app for
meteorologists and weather
enthusiasts alike, looking to
keep a detailed eye on
whats going on with major
weather movements in their
area. The extensive radar
viewing offers multiple tilts
of reflectivity and velocity
across the map. If youre a
storm chaser looking to track
down hurricanes, tropical
storms and other weather
patterns, then this app is a
must-have.
Satellite imagery
shows weather paths

Rating

Weather

Price: 1.40/$2.25 Developer: Windfinder

Price: 4.29/$6.92 Developer: Mobile Dev Group

Make sure you get the wind in your sails

Weather watching for pilots

Windfinder Pro

Aimed at
worldwide
kitesurfers,
windsurfers,
surfers, sailors and
paragliders, this application
breaks down the local wind
forecast (and general
weather information) in
15,000 locations worldwide.
Theres a handy map view,
getting an up-close look at
what to expect. Also,
Windfinder News lists events,
such as kitesurfing
competitions. There is a
standard version of the
application for free.
Find the windiest
locations on earth

Rating

AirWX Aviation Weather


A detailed weather guide aimed towards pilots or
anyone interested in air travel conditions, with
current reports and radar maps displaying a huge
amount of information.
The interface is more functional
than eye-catching but it gives
you METARs (International), TAFs
(International), NOTAMs (US Only),
Weather Charts (US Only), Radar
Images (US Only), and Approach
Plates (US Only) the plates are
automatically saved to your device.
Its fast and extremely accurate,
with a swathe of other features
that pilots can use. Not just an
interesting and expertly crafted
app, but one that can support
flight safety across the globe.
Check this before
you head into the air

Rating

Price: 0.70/$1.13 Developer: bergfex GmbH

Price: 1.22/$1.97 Developer: Earth Networks

Get ready for the slopes

A bug youll want to catch

bergfex

WeatherBug Elite

Bergfex is a ski-based weather application, perfect for


planning your time cruising down the snowy slopes.
It unfortunately misses the French ski resorts off its list
but has snow reports and weather information for a
lot of favourite locations across Austria,
Switzerland, Germany, Northern Italy
and Slovenia. With daily up-to-date
snow heights, Google Maps
integration and webcam footage, its
practically indispensable if youre
planning on visiting any of the resorts
it covers.
Theres the handy option to organise
ski resorts into your favourites, and
detailed maps of each resort so you
can both plan the optimum time to ski
and which slopes and runs youll be
rocketing down.
The perfect skiing
companion

Rating

Android

This app holds


a huge amount
of data, through
information
gathered from over 8,000
weather stations and 1,000
cameras, providing an
accurate outlook of
temperature, humidity, wind
strength and direction via
hourly updates, maps and
video forecasts. If you can
overlook the bland UI, then
youll find a weather app
loaded with fascinating,
precise and informative
content, well worth
spending time with.
Possibly the only
app you could need

Rating
Android App Directory 169

Android

TM

x
e
d
In

Index

Android App
Directory

Your at-a-glance guide to whats inside


Books/ Education/Reference
Wikidroid Plus ...................................................8
Thesaurus ..............................................................9
Kids Numbers and Math Life ...........10
Spelling Bee......................................................11
Spellchecker Pro .......................................... 12
Google Sky Map ......................................... 13
Dictionary.com ............................................. 14
Wolfram Alpha.............................................. 15
Moon Phase Pro ......................................... 15
ASL Dictionary...............................................16
Kids Shapes .......................................................17
Kids Piano Lite.................................................17
TerraTime ...........................................................18
Aldiko Book Reader .................................18

170 Android App Directory

Test Your English..........................................18


Science Facts ..................................................18
LDS Scriptures App ..................................19
Kid Mode ..........................................................19
Human Japanese........................................19
Bible........................................................................19
Monkey Preschool Lunchbox .........20
Star Chart .........................................................20
My First Puzzles ..........................................20
Perfect Ear Pro ...............................................20
UK Driving Theory Test .........................21
Mobile Observatory Pro .......................21
MathPac: CollegeCalculator
U.S. Presidents................................................21
Brilliant Quotes & Quotations...........22

MacGyver How To Handbook .......22


Pocketbook Appendix+ ......................22
Urban Dictionary ........................................22
Sundroid Pro Sunrise Sunset ..........23
Moon+ Reader Pro ..................................23
FBReader ............................................................23
Wikipedia Encyclopedia ....................23

Business/Finance
Documents To Go .....................................24
Exchange by TouchDown Key .......25
Pageonce Pro.................................................26
Checkbook .....................................................27
aCurrency Pro ...............................................28
Chase Mobile .................................................28

ES Task Manager ..........................................28


Easy Money 1.0 ............................................29
Debt Payoff Planner ................................30
Mortgage Calculator ..............................30
Ledgerist ...........................................................30
Converter Pro .................................................30
LogMeIn Ignition ...................................... 31
Timeclock Time Tracker ..................31
Budget Book...................................................31
Moola Checkbook ....................................31

Entertainment/Music
Movies .................................................................34
PowerAMP Media Player .....................35
MixZing Upgrader .....................................36
PS3 Trophies Pro .........................................37
Spotify ..................................................................37
Jango Radio ....................................................38
Audio Recorder Machine.....................38
ChordBot Pro..................................................38
Spark 360 ..........................................................38
SlingPlayer Mobile ....................................38
Xbox Live Stasticis .....................................38
IMDb Movies & TV .....................................38
TuneWiki Lyrics & Music....................39

Index

Android

Battle.net Authenticator ......................39


Androidify ........................................................39
Phit Droid...........................................................39
Raziko Extension..........................................39
iTag Pro ................................................................39
DJ Studio ............................................................39
Robotic Guitarist .........................................39

Games
Cut The Rope ................................................42
Angry Birds .......................................................43
Doodle Jump.................................................44
Fruit Ninja...........................................................45
Robo Defence ..............................................45
Apparatus .........................................................46
Trial Extreme....................................................46
Gem Miner ......................................................47
Modern Combat 2: Black Pegasus
.....................................................................................47
Caligo Chaser 2.............................................48
Bubble Blast 2 ................................................48
Bejeweled 2 ....................................................49
Need For Speed: Shift ...........................49
Bebbled .............................................................50
Bouncy Mouse..............................................50
Game Dev Story ........................................51
Go! Go! Rescue Squad! .........................51
UniWar ................................................................51
Jewels ..................................................................51
Pinball HD for Tegra .................................52
Everlands HD .................................................52
Homerun Battle 3D ..................................52
Pro Evolution Soccer 2011...................52
Samurai II: Vengeance.............................53
Blast Monkeys ................................................53
Death Worm ..................................................53
Fruit Slice ............................................................53
N.O.V.A. 2 HD...................................................54
Red Stone .........................................................54
Open Sudoku.................................................54
Trap! .......................................................................54
Raging Thunder...........................................54
Hot Springs Story .......................................54
Paper Toss..........................................................54
Drag Racing.....................................................54
Order & Chaos Online ............................55
Abduction.........................................................55

Grand Prix Story ...........................................55


Hot Springs Story .......................................55
Angry Birds Rio..............................................55
Backbreaker 2: Vengeance..................55
Alchemy Premium.....................................55
Drop 7...................................................................54
Worms .................................................................54

Medscape .........................................................65
90Droid for P90X.........................................65
Weight Watchers Diary..........................65
Instant Hearty Rate Pro .........................65
iTriage....................................................................65
Racing for CardioTrainer .......................65
Daily Ab Workout ......................................65

Health/Medical

Lifestyle

Endomondo Sports Tracker .............58


Runkeeper .......................................................59
ICE: In Case of Emergency ..................60
Epocrates ...........................................................61
CardioTrainer Pro .........................................61
White Noise .....................................................62
Baby ESP .............................................................62
Ultimate Weight Watchers Diary...63
C25K Pro ............................................................63
Push Ups.............................................................63
Sit Ups ...................................................................63
VirtuaGym Fitness ......................................64
Daily Butt Workout ....................................64
AnyTimer Pill Reminder........................64
Prognosis: Your Diagnosis ...................64
Calorie Counter Pro...................................64
Pull Ups................................................................64
Mens Health Workouts..........................65

Sleep as an Droid ........................................66


Horoscopes......................................................67
My Movies Pro...............................................68
Jamies 20 Minutes Meal.......................69
Mnuze...................................................................69
Mixology Drinks Recipe ........................70
Bartender ...........................................................70
Days Left Widget.........................................70
AroundMe ........................................................71
Deluxe Moon .................................................72
Galaxy Tarot Lite/Pro ................................72
Relax And Sleep ...........................................72
Alarm Clock Tokiko....................................73

Tiny Flashlight ................................................73


SimplyNoise.....................................................73
Allrecipes.com Dinner Spinner........74
Gossip Buzz Widget ..................................74
Daily Horoscope ..........................................74
In The Kitchen.................................................74
Identity In Christ Daily Bible...............75
Private Diary (Free) ....................................75
Bedside ................................................................75
X3 Watch Accountability......................75

Media/Communications
YouTube ..............................................................76
iSyncr for PC.....................................................77
Gmail......................................................................78
WhatsApp Messenger ...........................78
XDA Premium ................................................79
KakaoTalk ...........................................................79
AudioManager Pro ...................................80
Sketchbook Mobile...................................80
Yahoo Mail ........................................................80
Opera Mobile.................................................80
Titanium Media Sync...............................80
Hide Pictures In Stocks...........................80
mVideoPlayer Pro .......................................80
Act 1 Video Player ......................................80
TivoRemote ....................................................80

Android App Directory 171

Android

Index

Video Safe License.....................................81


Wunder Radio................................................81
Video Caller ID ..............................................81
DicePlayer .........................................................81
Spy Camera ....................................................81
File Cover ..........................................................81
Plex For Android ..........................................81

News/Magazines/Comics
World Newspapers ...................................84
Msnbc.com .....................................................85
Read It Later .....................................................86
Mango Manga Reader ......................87
Android Comic Viewer .........................88
Comic Strips.....................................................88
gReader Pro .....................................................88

172 Android App Directory

Manga Watcher............................................89
Pure News Widget.....................................90
The Wall Street Reader Lite ................90
The Adventures Of Simon Pegg ...91
Scott Pilgrim ....................................................91
Comics .................................................................92
Rage Reader ....................................................92
Basic Instructions ........................................92
Fast Dilbert Reader ....................................92
FeedR News Reader .................................93
Google News (Regional) ......................93
Newsroom........................................................93
News Republic..............................................93
DailyComix ......................................................94
Zits ...........................................................................94
Marvel Superheroes.................................94
Jesus Hates Zombies ...............................94
Comic Reader Mobi .................................94
ComicBricks Beta....................................94
NateComics .....................................................94
Robot 13 .............................................................94
NewsRob ...........................................................95
CNN App............................................................95
Fox News ...........................................................95
Any RSS Reader ............................................95
Mainichi News...............................................95

Sun Alert .............................................................95


iScanner ..............................................................95
Newsweek Mobile.....................................95

Quick Settings ............................................111


Go Launcher EX Notification.........111
Note Everything........................................111

Photography

Shopping

QuickPic ..............................................................96
Picsay Pro ...........................................................97
CameraZoom FX .......................................99
MagicHour Camera .............................. 100
LittlePhoto .................................................... 100
Pudding Camera......................................101
FlickFolio ..........................................................101
HDR Camera+ ............................................102
Fast Burst Camera....................................102
Camera360Free.........................................102
TouchRetouch............................................102
Pro HDRCamera........................................103
Camera Advance .....................................103
Ig CameraPro...............................................103
Camera Fun Pro .......................................103

Scanner.............................................................112
Official eBay Android App ...............113
Mighty Grocery Shopping List.....114
Out of Milk Pro Unlocker ..................115
Inventory Droid .........................................115
Whats It Worth?........................................116
OurGroceries Key.....................................116
ShopSavvy Barcode Scanner ........116
Shopping List ..............................................117
Barcoo................................................................118
Tesco Groceries..........................................118
Amazon UK...................................................118
ScanLife Barcode Reader ..................118
RedLaser Barcode Scanner .............119
Groupon..........................................................119
LivingSocial ...................................................119
Wine + List, Ratings & Cellar ...........119

Productivity
Advanced Task Killer..............................104
Root Explorer...............................................105
JuiceDefender Ultimate .....................106
AndroZip Pro File Manager.............107
Business Calender ...................................107
AdwLauncher Ex......................................108
Note Everything Pro Add-on ........108
Thinking Space Pro ................................109
WidgetLocker Lockscreen...............109
Astro File Manager ................................110
Google Docs ..............................................110
QR Droid ..........................................................110
Google Goggles .......................................110
AK Notepad .................................................111

Social Networking
Google+ .........................................................120
Facebook for Android..........................121
Twitter................................................................122
Foursquare ...................................................123
LinkedIn............................................................124
Bump..................................................................124
Tapatalk Forum App..............................125

Index

RomeoLive ....................................................125
Shady SMS 2.0.............................................126
iCorps: Pocket Reference...................126
ProBoards ......................................................126
LED Scroller 3...............................................126
Forum Runner ............................................127
TXT MSG Away .........................................127
Tweetcaster...................................................127
Seesmic ............................................................127

Sports
ESPN Score Center ..................................130
Live Scores .....................................................131
Formula1.com 201...................................132
Soccer Scores Pro.....................................133
ScoreMobile for Android...................134
SportsTracker Pro......................................134
Arseblog ..........................................................135
Easy Scorecard Pro ................................135
MLB.com At Bat 11..................................135
Trackmaster...................................................135
F1 2011 Timing App...............................136
Xercise................................................................136
Dynomaster .................................................136
Golf Frontier .................................................136
iTrack MMA ...................................................137
ProVideos: Adam Scott .......................137
Dive Log Key ...............................................137
Eurosport.com............................................137
ECB Cricket.....................................................138
Sky Sports News.......................................138

Goal.com.........................................................138
SportsTap ........................................................138
V1 Golf Premium ......................................139
MMA Underground ..............................139
Skydroid Golf GPS ...................................139
Fantasy Premier Manager.................139

Tools
Flashplayer 10.3 .........................................140
Voice Search .................................................141
Titanium Backup Pro Key..................142
ROM Manager ............................................143
SetCPU For Root Users........................143
Smart Keyboard Pro ..............................144
System Panel App...................................144
Tasker .................................................................145
SlideIT Keyboard.......................................145
Apps 2 SD Pro ............................................146
SeekDroid.......................................................146
App Protector Pro ..................................146
Gentle Alarm................................................146
Battery Indicator ......................................147
3G Watchdog Pro ....................................147
Folder Organizer.......................................147
Google Translate.......................................147
Adobe AIR ......................................................147
Wheres My Droid.....................................147
SwitchPro Widget ...................................147
Lookout Mobile Secure......................147

Car HUD ...........................................................153


Tripit Travel Organizer ......................154
Barclays Bikes ...............................................155
KAYAK.................................................................155
FlightView Flight Tracker ..............156
Satski ...................................................................156
Geolover..........................................................157
Points Inside Airports and Malls..157
Layar Reality Browser............................158
GPS Test Plus ................................................158
Wikitude World Browser ...................158
Currency Converter ..............................158
Trapster .............................................................159
Ulysee Speedometer Pro..................159
Speedometer HUD................................159
MarineTraffic.com....................................159

Android

Weather, Alerts, Quakes,


Barometer ......................................................167
Namazu Alert ..............................................168
Solaris Alpha.................................................168
Track-It Deluxe............................................168
PYKL3 Radar ................................................168
Windfinder Pro .........................................169
Bergfex ..............................................................169
AirWX Aviation Weather ...................169
WeatherBug Elite ....................................169

Weather
WeatherPro ...................................................162
Rain Alarm Pro ............................................163
GO Weather..................................................164
Rainy Days ......................................................165
3D Digital Weather Clock..................166
WeatherEye...................................................166
Wetter.com....................................................167

Travel & Tramsport


Waze: Community GPS ......................149
Google Maps...............................................150
GPS Essentials..............................................151
Maverick Pro.................................................152
London Underground Free............153

Android App Directory 173

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