Reviews of Android OS Apps

[Johnny T]

Application: Swiftkeys
Price: $3.99USD (2 weeks free trial available, bought it for $0.99)
Requirements: Android OS
Grade: A++

Swiftkeys is a keyboard replacement app with highly accurate text prediction.

I started using Swiftkeys in its beta stage and was throughly impressed. When it was first released to the Android market I bought it right away. The text prediction accuracy is excellent and it has multi language support. It has dramatically improved typing experience on my smaller screen (compared to many Android devices).

Good option for anyone looking for a 3rd party keyboard with a more traditional typing style (as opposed to the highly rated Swype).

[Ed Hardy]

Application: Opera Mobile
Price: Free
Requirements: Android OS
Grade: B

Generally speaking I prefer the standard Android OS web browser, but there's an exception: when I don't have access to a fast wireless connection I switch to Opera Mobile.

This is a decent browser, but the only reason I turn to it is it uses much, much less bandwidth than the standard browser. So if I'm somewhere that the connection is slow, it still serves pages relatively quickly.

It's not really suitable to replace the regular Android OS browser because it offers only one level of zoom. You can zoom in and you can zoom out. Zooming in works well enough, I guess, but it's very limited.

It's a proxy-based browser, so it's a bit less secure than a standard one, so I wouldn't do anything like pay my bills over it.
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[Inner Prop]

May I make a request? I'm very interested in whether an app needs to be on-line to work fully (or at all) and if it will pull it from wifi or the 3G (or 4G is you have it). I'm intending to have absolutely the minimum possible data package so it would be good to know if an app is going to want to go on-line to do it's thing when I'm away from my wifi.

For instance, Google Sky Maps, does it work when you aren't on-line? Does the GPS work off-line?

Could we please include that in the general review parameters or is that just too silly or difficult?

Thank you very much.

[MSL]

Applications: Truphone & Skype
Price: Free + $ if you use non-free features
Requirements: Android OS
Grade: A

I mention both of these multi-platform VoIP products because each of them now run on mobile devices, including Android. They each have slightly different features, but for making cheap international calls, I've found Truphone to be really great. Skype is good as well, though I've used it much less.

You get a US or UK number as part of the Truphone sign-up process, whereas you have to lease one separately with Skype. In the short-term, Truphone can be cheaper per year. However, for long-term heavy use, my calculations suggest that Skype (with a paid Skype telephone number) runs less than Truphone.

Neither will work on US 3G data network connections, but are great over a decent WiFi connection. To be sure, Truphone does not seem to be blocked by the carrier in the same way as Skype is over 3G. Jpwever, I couldn't get Truphone to work on my T-Mobile 3G connection, though it tried to register and make calls. Truphone and Skype both worked on my UK 3G network (using a Nokia SymbianOS phone), as well as over WiFi. The WiFi connection nearly always gave better voice quality, but not every time.

Not sure which Android devices marketed in the US as 3G will also work as 3G devices on European networks. However, if you're like me, you use the local carrier for business calls and brief personal calls, and Skype or Truphone for extended personal calls where you're more likely to have a WiFi connection anyway (such as your hotel).

I hated the PC-based Skype with its headphone/mic albatross, but a mobile VoIP solution that is part of a smart phone is another thing altogether.

I've really been pleased with the VoIP calling capability, and found few countries where it couldn't be used (some places aggressively block VoIP traffic, though there may be work-arounds). I've been able to keep in close touch with friends and family while travelling, and for very little money.

[anshuman_b45]

Android technology is having one of the multi-transferred feature that enables all the software into one unit.

Whether it may be Adobe Flash Builder 4,the mobile applications with various servers like BlazeDS,Coldfusion are being embedded within the mobile software.

[jigwashere]

Application: Read It Later Pro for Android
Price: $2.99
Requirements: Android OS
Grade: A+
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I picked this up on a one day Amazon.com sale for free. I love being able to easily save articles to view later. It's very easy and convenient to use. The interface is terrific. I typically save articles while at my desktop to view on my NOOKcolor, but I can also "share" them from Dolphin Browser HD for later reading. Apparently it can do video, but I haven't tried that yet.

Try the free version, which has a few limitations, before paying for Pro.

[jigwashere]

Read-It-Later (continued)
I just installed the Read It Later Firefox add-in (there's one for other browsers, too). One cool feature: There's a Read It Later flag next to RSS feeds in Google Reader. I haven't used Google Reader in a few years, but this will offer me the opportunity to scan through my subscriptions and select ones I want to read later.

Also:

Click to Save Mode

Fly through your personalized homepages, news aggregators, and social media sites by switching on ‘Click to Save’ mode. Push Alt + M (customizable) and any link you click won’t be followed through, instead it will be added to your reading list.

This is seriously cool. I can go to Google News, for example, and after activating 'Click to Save' mode, I simply click the links for articles to read on my Nook. It's a great way to browse through my local paper, too.

[SGosnell]

Application: DolphinHD browser
Price: Free
Requirements: AndroidOS
Grade: A

This is the best browser for a mobile device I've found, although that's damning with faint praise. It's really as close to a PC browsing experience as you can get on a tiny screen. I've tried Firefox, Opera, and most of the other browsers available for Android, and DolphinHD is by far the best of the lot. It's fast, configurable, and easy to set up. I like it a lot. Obviously a browser has to be online to work.

[SGosnell]

Application: ClipStore
Price: Free
Req: AndroidOS
Grade: A

Face it, entering data on a touchscreen is a PITA no matter what input method you use. ClipStore saves your clipboard entries and lets you reuse them. It's a clipboard manager like those on other OSs, and I regularly use one on my PC. It stores clipboard entries for later use, and I can get to several entries easily without having to go back and copy things again and again. It saves a lot of work and time. No need to be online, it works anywhere, anytime.

[SGosnell]

Application: Jorte Calendar
Price: Free
Req: AndroidOS
Grade: A

This is a calendar widget that shows a selected period of time, and goes to a fill-screen window with a tap. It syncs with Google calendars seamlessly. I've tried several calendar apps, and still have PimlicalA installed, but this is what I use almost all the time. I don't need a complicated calendar, and this one satisfies my needs. It has to be online to sync with Google calendar, but only for the sync. After that it has the data stored locally.