Android Apps Tools

Adobe AIR Android app Review

Description:

Developers are using Adobe AIR Android app to help them create some pretty incredible new apps.  This helps them to have more storage space, to make more quality apps and games, and also to transfer them across platforms.  This is the next generation of apps so it is important to get it on your phone so that it will be able to handle all of then new things that will be coming out for it.

Features:

• The point of this app is to install it so that you can enjoy some of your favorite we apps while you are using your Android phone
• You can learn a lot more about what all Adobe AIR can do at the official site, but this is the actual app that allows you to play those apps that have been developed using it
• Once you click install on the app you will be agreeing to the license agreement and therefore will be subject to it
• The biggest feature of this app is that it will open a lot more doors for your favorite developers to create tools and other development objects from Adobe AIR and to target certain games that can be transferred across platforms
• Be prepared, however, because it is a pretty big file that you will have to download in order to get it onto your phone

Conclusion:

This app might be sort of a weird download if you don’t know what it is.  Essentially, Adobe AIR is one of those development runtime apps that runs over the top of Android in order to allow games and other apps that use AIR to be developed into your phone.  This app is only for devices that are 2.2 or above and is a great way to usher in the next generation of app and game development.  This type of platform will greatly enhance the level and quality of applications that are created for the device and will allow the apps to process more power as well as contain more storage space.  Really, this is just an appendage to your smart phone to make it even smarter.  The only real downside to this app is that it is a pretty big file to download onto yoru phone.  It is a total of 16mb once it is installed and there is no option to put the apps on the SD card in order to help save space.

This app has been given an all-around rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars by Android app users.  One of the other great things about the app is that it can be downloaded onto your smart phone for free.

Box.net Android app Review

Description:

The Box.net Android app is a web based service allowing you to view and share files.

Features:

• The Box.net Android app is a cool little application that lets you share and view different files.  You can browse through the files on box if you want
• You can also view documents, media, and other sorts of files while using the app.  They even give you up to 5 GB free
• In order to share files you simply email the link to other people so they can click on it and then view it
• You can also upload any files that you want right to the device which is nice and makes your smart phone that much more convenient
• You can also use the search feature to look through many different files if you would like
• You can also manage, share, and collaborate all of these files through the online version of the app
• The user interface is clean and easy to use and the setup of the app is really simple

Conclusion:

The Box.net Android app has quite a bit going for it.  For one, being able to share the files is a nice touch.  You can do it easily by just viewing the file and then clicking the little arrow on the right side of the file name.  Once you do that the share option will come up and you will be able to see a bunch of different bluetooth and mail accounts.  You can send the link to the file through email and then your friends and family can open it up and see what you’ve sent to them.  The only problem is that the links are not password protected so you will want to be careful the kinds of things you are sending links to.  On the other hand, viewing the files sent to you can be a bit of a pain.  Most of the files that are sent are directed to other sorts of programs and the office documents come up in preview form.  The web version of this app works perfectly but it looks like these bugs weren’t figured out for the Android app.  Also, the app has some functionality issues and you can’t decided whether to download files or actual folders.

This app has been given a rating of 3 out of 5 stars by Android app users that have tried it out and used it quite a bit.  The other nice thing about the app is that it is completely free to download onto your mobile phone.

NAVIGON MobileNavigator USA Android app Review

Description:

The NAVIGON MobileNavigator USA Android app is a complete navigation app that will get you anywhere you want to go.

Features:

• The NAVIGON MobileNavigator USA Android app essentially turns your phone right into your own personal navi system that you can use for all of your traveling needs
• You can use the text to speech function in order to have the app read back your written instructions and have it also read you the directions on how to get there
• You can also pull up the traffic live feature in order to see what kind of traffic updates are linked to the route you are taking
• You can also use the reality scanner so that you can take accurate routes and or take multiple routes
• There is also the Reality View Pro feature that you can use as well
• One of the nice things about the app is that the NAVTEQ maps are actually all offline maps so you won’t have to worry about using a lot of data when you are trying to get around from place to place
• The voice directions are excellent and you will love having a complete navigation system right at your fingertips

Conclusion:

This navigation app is actually pretty decent when compared to the other ones that are currently out there.  The feel of this app is a little bit different because it has a ton of features that you would find on a device that is dedicated just to GPS and navigation.  If you are into just the basic GPS nav app that works precisely but doesn’t add all of the fluff of travel itinerary and crap like that then this is the app for you to get.  It gets the job done and will get you to where you need to go.  There are some gripes that users have had with this app however.  For one there is no integrated voice function to use so you have to manually type everything in that you are looking for.  The other problem is that the POI search isn’t very efficiently categorized so you may get a little bit lost when looking through those.  And last of all there is no icon that is actually listed in the notifications area when it is being used so you could potentially drain out your battery really quick if you aren’t very careful.

This app has been given a rating of 3.75 out of 5 stars by Android navigation app users that have tried the app out and downloaded it onto their phones.  The app also costs $39.99 during the two week promotion price, other than that it costs $59.99 to download onto your smart phone.

Kik Messenger Android app Review

Description:

The Kik Messenger Android app takes after the blackberry messenger and lets you see when other people have read your message.

Features:

• The best part about this messaging app is that it is completely free.  This is a cool messenger that takes after the cross platform BlackBerry Messenger
• The setup for installing and putting this app onto your phone is actually very easy to do
• The other nice thing is that it will actually work really well across three different platforms.  This includes the Blackberry, the Android, and also the iOS
• One of the nice things that it does is that it will actually send you a notification whenever you are signing up for other contacts that are also using Kik messenger
• The messenger app will also run in the background of the phone so that it will notify you of new messages while using the notification bar at the top of the screen
• You can also see when someone else has opened up and has read your message because you will actually be notified.

Conclusion:

The Kik Messenger is awesome because it is a cross-platform app that has been developed around the idea of the Blackberry Messenger.  Have you ever sent out a message to someone and wondered if they ever even got it?  The cool thing about this app is that it will let you know when you message has been sent and delivered and also if the person actually opened  up and read your  message.  You can also see when the other person is currently typing to you.  You will be able to see a mixture of the messages that you have in the background as well as show you the notifications across the top of the screen. The whole point of the Kik Messenger app was to make text messaging a more real-time chat or conversation rather than a standard statement.  They have said that the next thing they will implement is that of music.  The main gripes to this app are that you can only share text messages but you can’t send pictures or videos.  Also, you can’t control the initial notifications that are sent out and there isn’t a lot of value in keeping it installed on your phone for the moment.
This app has been given a rating of 4 out of 5 stars by Android app users that are looking for a better messenger app.  The game is free to download off of the Android app marketplace.

SliideScreen Android app Review

Description:

The coolest thing about the SlideScreen Android app is that it puts everything right at your fingertips.  You can get all of your latest news and information all in one place and it shows up right on the homepage.  This way you don’t have to go to all of the different apps in order to see what is going  on, you only have to scroll down the list on your homepage and see what needs to be taken care of.

Features:

• This app is a great way for you to get a home replacement screen for all of your pertinent and important information
• You can get summaries for all of your little apps like your GMail, your SMS text messaging, your missed and recieved calls, your calendar, your Google Reader, any Stocks or Bonds, and also Twitter
• The best part about this app is that all of these things are placed in one location so that it is very easy and convenient for you to be able to pick one of them
• The user interface of the app is also super slick and you will find that it is very easy to navigate and the controls are easy to use

Conclusion:

This is a really cool app that has been designed to help you replace your original home screen.  One of the really cool things about this app is that it will actually load all of your information right on the home screen.  That way you can have a list view of all of your newest emails, the time and date, and Tweets you may have,the current weather, your stocks and bonds, and any phone calls you may have missed.  All you have to do is click on it to bring up that specific application.   You also have the option of adding up to 8 different apps that you use very frequently.  All you have to do is just longpress on the app and then tap it over to the slot above that it is empty.  There are a few cons to the app however.  For one, it is much different than the default so it takes some getting used to and number two it doesn’t start up as quick as the default home app.

This app has been rated as a 4.1 out of 5 stars and you can download it off of the Android app market either for free or you can get the upgraded version for $6.99.

Advanced Task Killer Android app Review

Description:

The Advanced Task Killer Android app allows you to take control of your mobile phone and make sure that your phone isn’t working too hard.  The Android allows you to multitask but it doesn’t always do so efficiently.  Many times if you open up an app and then quickly leave it to do something else, the Android will continue running that app in the background.  With the help of this app you can simple select the apps that you would like to force close and then just press the big button that gets rid of them.  A great way to help your phone run smoothly and efficiently.

Features:

• This is one of the most popular tools apps on the Android because it is so simple yet so effective.  In a nutshell, this app will kill all of the applications that are just running needlessly in the background of your phone
• The user interface of the app is really easy to use.  Pretty much you just select the apps that you would like to kill off and then press the big app at the top that says “kill selected apps”
• There is also a settings tab so that you can customize it a little bit to make sure you are comfortable with the actions that it is taking on your phone
• If you want to activate any of the pop up menus then all you have to do is just long press on each of the apps that is available to be selected
• You can also access the autostart ignore feature by going to the menu and settings and notification bar icon that shows up on the app
• This app helps you to regulate the amazing things that the Android can do.  The Android allows you to multitask but isn’t always efficient at turning off apps that you are not using.  This app allows you to have control over that and make sure that you are only running the apps that you have chosen

Conclusion:

This has become a staple of most Android users and allows you to close all of the tasks that you are not using.  This helps you to save battery life and allow your phone to process different things quicker because it doesn’t have a bunch of needless apps opened.  This app has gotten reviews of 4 out of 5 stars by multiple users and is also free to download off of the Market.  There is also a paid version with more features that runs for $4.99 and doesn’t have any banner ads.

xScope Browser Android app Review

Description:

You can’t have a smartphone without a smart browser.  One of the main features of having a smartphone is being able to cruise around the internet and look up your favorite sites and have access to information no matter where you are.  With the xScope Browser Android app you will not only get a browser that allows you to have tabbed browsing, video downloading, and pinch zoom, but it is also a task killer.

Features:

• This is a web browser for the Android and it is great because it is completely loaded with awesome features.  It has a free version with banner ads but there is also a paid version that offers no ads but does add some extra features that are not available with the free version
• Not only can you browse through web pages and see the internet right from your phone, this app also doubles as a task killer so you can help save battery life
• When you are browsing online you will also see that you can open a few different tabs at the same time which is different than most other web browsers on the Android
• You can download information including videos.  This means that you can get onto YouTube and download all of your favorite videos in different resolutions
• With the paid version you will have the opportunity to save even more favorites onto your browser so that you don’t have to type them in each time that you get on
• You can also open any files that have been sent to you or send files yourself right from the browser
• You can see the user agent for each domain name that you come across
• You can put files into a zip folder to be able to make it easier for organization as well as sending the information
• You can take screenshots of different screens as well as share url’s and files all across the browser
• This app also lets you take full advantage of the multi touch user interface.  You can use the pinch zoom as well as the double tap
• You can get full access to the search areas, the bookmarks, the sharing options, the pinch zoom and other advanced features that are available

Conclusion:

This is a pretty all inclusive web browser for the Android market.  The ability to have tabbed browsing, saved YouTube videos, and a task killer all in one is a great way to sell an app.  The only gripe with this app is that there are a few different versions on the app Market so it can be confusing as to which of the options is actually the right one to get.

This app has been voted a 4.4 out of 5 stars by multiple Android users and is considered one of the best mobile browsers for the Android.  It is also free to download off of the online app market, or you can get the full version which will cost $2.99.

Swype Android app Review

Description:

The Swype Android app is one of the best alternative keyboard apps you are going to find for the Android.  Although it is still in its beta version, it has shown that it’s features and functionality far outweigh those of its competitors.  The technology is simple: Simply drag you finger across the screen to create words rather than having to type in each letter individually.  If you make a mistake it is very easy to fix.  This is a great way to improve you touch screen texting speed!

Features:

• Another drag and spell keyboard for the Android with some improved features
• This app contains patented technology to allow you to use one finger to swipe across the screen and spell different words
• It has been clocked that you can put up to fifty words a minute on the screen with the ease of motion on this Android app
• Can work across a variety of different technologies including phones, consoles, tablets, televisions, and much more
• Th app is actually very fast and accurate, and what’s even better is that it is very simple to learn how to set up and use
• You can view this keyboard app in either the landscape mode or you can turn it and have it in the normal portrait mode
• There are easy ways to make it capitalize the first letter in a word as well as use the predictive text
• If you spell a word wrong all you have to do is double tap the word and use the auto correct function to pick the word you would rather use.
• There is also an in-depth tutorial that has a variety of different help tips and advice if you need it

Conclusion:

This is actually one of the best alternate keyboard apps that are out there for the Android today.  You will love how easy it is to use and the editing options.  Unlike other keyboards, if you drag the word and end up spelling it wrong it is still very easy to fix.  All you need to do is double click on it and pick the correct word.  That part of it is great.  The only bad part about this app is that it is still in its beta version so you can’t really download it yet and have it be an integral part of you phone.  As soon as it hits the app market it is sure to be a hit.

Voted 4.5 out of 5 stars by Android app users and currently is free for downloading purposes.

ShapeWriter Keyboard Android app Review

Description:

The ShapeWriter Keyboard Android app takes into consideration the touchscreen abilities of the Android and tries to capitalize on them.  With this keyboard app the letters are enlarged a bit so that they are easier to see and distinguish from one another.  The main difference with this keyboard, however, is the fact that you simply drag your finger over the letters in the word you are looking for and it will create the word.  This makes typing much easier and faster than having to pick each letter individually.

Features:

• Fully utilizes the Android’s touchscreen capabilities to bring you a great gesture keyboard
• The main difference with this touchscreen keyboard and other touchscreen keyboards is that you can actually just drag your finger along the letters to create the entire word
• Much quicker and easier than having to type in the letters one at a time
• A good alternative to having to use the tiny little buttons on the SMS text messaging that comes as a default with the Android phone
• The letters are enlarged so it is easier to switch from the top row down to the bottom row
• The display is easy to distinguish and you will find that it is very easy to understand what you are supposed to do to make it work correctly

Conclusion:

There are a lot of different apps like this that are meant to improve on the default SMS text message system. This app almost pulls it off.  It offers some good benefits with the drag and slide option, but overall it can be a little hard to use.  There are only a few problems with it but it is enough to make you doubt if the app is worth downloading.  For instance, it can be hard to type words sometimes because as you are dragging your thumb from top to bottom you can’t see the letters underneath.  This makes it hard to type accurately and correctly.  Also if you make a mistake on one of the letters and then decide to backspace, it will actually delete the entire word.  This can be super annoying at times to have to try and drag the entire word over again.  Overall, this app does have a cool idea but it is up to you if you think it is worth it to install it on your phone or not.

Voted 3.6 out of 5 stars by Android app users and is currently free for you to download.