A Simpler Guide to the best free Android Apps: 100+ apps to inform, entertain and organise
Ceri Clark
Smashwords Edition
Copyright 2011 Ceri Clark
Visit http://CeriClark.com for information about the author
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
About the Author
Ceri Clark has worked in information departments and libraries for over ten years, creating in-house guides and showing library users how to use computer programs and web services.
Contents
PART ONE: INTRODUCTION
How to use this Guide
Rating Systems in this book
Star Rating
Permissions
What are the permissions?
A note about Security
Finding Apps
Other ways to search for Apps
PART TWO: APP CATEGORIES
Browsers
Business
Communication
Chat & Messaging
Social Networks
Texting
Education
Geography
Languages
Maths
Science
Entertainment
Books
Games
Music
News
Video
Photography
Finance
For Children
Lifestyle
Eating and Drinking
Health
Fitness
Horoscopes
Shopping
Security
Tools
Organisation
Personalisation
Space Saving
Travel
Getting there
Holidays
Navigation
Part One: Introduction
Deciding to own an Android phone can be the most liberating thing you do. Now keeping yourself entertained and organising your life couldn’t be easier with the huge number of Apps available on the Android Market.
This guide is designed to be a simple guide to finding the best Apps for what you need as well as listing those I think deserve a first or even second look.
This book is based on the Market available for Froyo (Android 2.2) and above.
How to use this Guide
The first section of this guide deals with finding more apps once you’ve played with the few we’ve suggested. The second recommends free apps I think you’ll love or need. For a full alphabetical list of apps see the end of this guide.
Rating Systems in this book
Star Rating
The rating system used in this guide is based on the overall Market rating by users, however if I have had a particularly good experience with an app, it may be upgraded with more stars. The star system is an indication only. Always check the market for the most up to date rating by users.
1 star
2 stars
3 stars
4 stars
5 stars
Permissions
When you install an app on your phone or tablet you are giving that app permission to run on your phone. Google has different permissions that you can grant. Some apps may need these, others won’t. You have to make the call if you think the app is worth installing and is trustworthy.
There are two things which can help you make this decision, the permissions list and the ratings on the market. I have included the ratings which were correct at the time of writing and a traffic light system for permissions to help you.
Some of you may not be reading this in colour so the letter in each icon will let you know what kind of permissions the developer is requesting, (these are subject to change so always check before installing). There only needs to be one permission in a potentially more risky category to obtain the more risky label. Remember just because the permission could be risky in the wrong hands does not necessarily mean that the app you are thinking about is a risk. These categories are here to help you not frighten you!
0 permissions – These are what I call gold standard apps. They don’t have permission to do anything but are pure entertainment or functionality.
Green permissions – These are low risk permissions.
Red permissions – installer beware. There is probably nothing wrong with these apps but look at the permissions the app has compared to what it should be doing. Does it need those particular permissions?
Remember red (or R) means be cautious but does not necessarily mean malicious intent. For example Handcent is a brilliant texting application, but it can’t perform its primary purpose without the permission to send them!
What are the permissions?
Your accounts – Green Category
This permission allows the app to know if you have an account but nothing about it.
Services that cost you money – Red category
This is one of the most important permissions that you can grant. Think carefully about if the app needs to be able to make phone calls. Who has made the app? Is it a known brand? Look at the comments.
Hardware controls – Green Category
This allows an app to take control of your camera or audio.
Your location– Green Category
Does the app really need to know where you are with GPS? If it is a navigation app such as Google Maps then yes, obviously but just think about what else the app can do. What other functions has it requested? I’m not saying a burglar would necessarily create an app to find if you are out, but its best to know about the possibilities.
Your messages– Red category
This permission could allow your personal messages to be forwarded on through the internet.
Network communication– Green Category
This permission gives the app access to the internet. Most apps will need this and there is nothing nefarious about asking for this as there isn’t for any of the permissions. As ever look at why the app needs this permission and what else it is requesting.
Your personal information – Red category
A worry for privacy, this allows the app to read your messages, along with access to your contacts and the internet. You could be setting yourself or your friends up for spam.
Phone calls – Red category
Another dangerous permission, while it doesn’t ask to make phone calls, it does ask to be able to intercept outgoing phone calls. Be wary of apps asking for this permission, there aren’t many reasons why a developer should ask for this.
Storage – Green Category
This allows the app to modify or delete SD card files.
System tools – Green Category
Apps that can control these could affect your battery life. The app could turn your GPS, Bluetooth or wifi on or off or even stop it from sleeping. It’s not dangerous per se but in conjunction with other permissions could be nefarious.
A note about Security
Android is a more open system than some alternatives. This is a huge advantage but can have some drawbacks. If you are careful then this shouldn’t be a problem. Here are a couple of tips to keep you safe:
Install an anti-virus program such as Lookout
Make sure the author of the app is who it should be. In 2011 some unscrupulous developers were reported to have uploaded modified files on to the Market with the same title as the legitimate file.
Android is an amazing operating system for your phone and can help you organise your life, keep you entertained and most of all stay connected with friends and family. The two simple steps above will help stop opportunistic thieves from ruining this.
Finding Apps
The obvious place to go is the Google Market on your phone or the website at https://market.android.com/. On your phone this can be found with all your other applications, simply labelled Market.
Click on the icon (usually a little shopping bag with a green android on it) and it will load. Searching isn’t as intuitive as it could be, then if it was there wouldn’t be a need for this guide!
Search by clicking the small magnifying glass on the top of the screen or browse by Apps, Games, My apps and Featured.
Apps
Apps will take you to a second level of categories which at the time of writing were:
All applications
Books & Reference
Business
Comics
Communication
Education
Entertainment
Finance
Health & Fitness
Lifestyle
Live Wallpaper
Media & Video
Medical
Music & Audio
News & Magazines
Personalisation
Photography
Productivity
Shopping
Social
Sports
Tools
Transport
Travel & Local
Weather
Widgets
Libraries & Demos
Once you click on any of these sub-categories you will be given an extremely long list of apps to browse.
Games
Games are similar with one set of sub-categories. At the time of writing these were:
All Games
Arcade & Action
Brain & Puzzle
Cards & Casino
Casual
Live Wallpaper
Sports
Widgets
My apps
This is really useful to know about. Here you can find all the apps you downloaded and bought from the Market. It will also let you know in bright ‘look at me’ red writing that you need to update them. Here is a warning though, while some updates are for security and to make the apps better, some updates are there to push more advertising. Have a look at what is changing before you update. If you are not comfortable with what the developer proposes, uninstall it. You can do this at any time from either the Market by pressing on the app or from the applications options on the phone itself.
Other ways to search for Apps
AppBrain.com
Figure 1.1 AppBrain screenshot
This is a great site which allows you to browse Android Apps from your computer. Using the site allows you to have more control in your search. For example you can search for Arcade & Action and filter by Free with the most popular. Even better, you can search by category, choose Free on the bottom left and then by your country on the top right (click on the arrow next to More). This is important if you are looking for voucher sites. There’s no point in getting a voucher for Macy’s in the UK or Debenhams’s in the US!
Another helpful feature of AppBrain is they warn you what permissions are needed from your phone. Always check the permissions before downloading apps. If an app asks you permission to make phone calls and send text messages and it only needs to be able to move a file from one place to another you have to think to yourself, why? If you can’t think why, don’t load it. You could be giving someone permission to use your phone to make phone calls half-way across the world.
To check the permissions in AppBrain, click into the App information page and then permissions as in Figure 1.2 below.
Figure 1.2 Location of permissions in AppBrain
AndroidZoom.com
Figure 1.3 AndroidZoom screenshot
AndroidZoom is similar to AppBrain but you don’t have the luxury of filtering by country.
Part Two: App Categories
My App categories are slightly different from Google’s.
Please note while A Simpler Guide to Android Apps aims to help you find useful and helpful apps, it is not responsible or liable for any damages which may occur from downloading apps from the marketplace. This is a guide only giving you the information to make a more informed choice. You have to decide to install them!
Browsers
Dolphin Browser™ HD
Developer: Dolphin Browser
Size: 2M
This app is a very useful alternative to the default browser that comes with Android. This app lets you have tabbed browsing, pinch-to-zoom, flash support and best of all gesture control.
If there is a website you visit every day then the gesture control will make life easier. If you visit Amazon, then simply assign A or a symbol as your gesture URL. Click on the hand icon and draw your letter or symbol. The browser will take you straight there. Why make life hard for yourself?
Another handy tip is if you swipe to the right you will get a window where add-ons you download will appear. You can also switch to desktop mode if the mobile version isn’t your thing and vice versa.
Permissions
Your location
Network communication
Your personal information
Storage
System tools
Mozilla Firefox Web Browser
Developer: Mozilla
Size: 13M
This app takes up a lot of space at 13M and you may not have enough room to install it. However if you have Firefox on your desktop and you can manage to squeeze it on your phone then this will make your life easier.
You can synchronise your history, bookmarks, tabs and passwords between your desktop and mobile - just check you have enough space.
Permissions
Your location
Network communication
Storage
Skyfire Web Browser 3.0
Developer: Skyfire
Size: 1.7M
This is another browser but it is more ‘social’ than others. It includes the usual such as Flash Video but it also has Facebook integration. You can like an internet page just by clicking on your menu button. The video is optimised so that you can download more video on your data plan.
Permissions
Your location
Network communication
Your personal information
Phone calls
Storage
System tools
Opera Mini web browser
Developer: Opera Software ASA
Size: 892K
This is a mini version of the main Opera Mobile app which is quick to load. This is a good browser if you want an extra one but do not have a lot of space.
Permissions
Network communication
Storage
Business
OliveOfficeEditor
Developer: Olive_phone