10 Great Android Apps you should be
using, but aren't!.
Move over the Angry Birds.
Sayonara, Spotify.
Here are the apps you should have
on your Android device right now.
Finding high-quality Android apps
in the Google Play Store can be challenging--what with 700,000 or so titles to
choose from. Let us help.
Here are some ten apps that you
may not have stumbled across yet, all of which have impressed us in some way.
While these gems may not change your life, they just might make your day a
little easier or a little more fun.
AutomateIt
Your smartphone is pretty smart,
but apps like AutomateIt can make it even smarter.
The app lets you automate actions
on your phone, so that whenever certain criteria are met, the action is
triggered.
You can use AutomateIt for a variety
of tasks,including sending a reply with your phone's location whenever a person
texts you asking where you are. Or you can use it to turn Wi-Fi on and off
under certain conditions to save battery life. You can even have AutomateIt switch
your phone to vibrate mode whenever a meeting saved on your calendar starts.
If all of these settings seem a
little too utilitarian, and just not fun enough, consider this: You also can
use AutomateIt to play audio that says "Don't Touch Me!" whenever
anyone comes too close to the proximity sensor on your phone. Click here to get the app
Price: Free
8tracks Radio
Finding new music can often be
even more challenging that finding new apps. A lot of what's out there is junk,
and what sounds melodious to some may sound like dying cats to you. That's
where 8tracks radio shines: This free app boasts almost 1 million playlists,
each of which has been created by "someone who knows and loves
music." You can browse through music by genres, artists, activity or mood tags,
and more. Get the app absolutely free here.
Uber
Here's a little secret: You don't
have to be fabulously wealthy or famous to have your own private driver. Uber
can hook you up with a driver and make you feel like a VIP. This app, which
works in selected cities in the United States and around the world, lets you request
a ride when you need one. You pinpoint your location on a map, and a car is
sent to pick you up.
You can choose between a sleek,
black sedan or an SUV for larger parties, and the fare--which is comparable to
cab fares in many cities--is automatically charged to your credit card, no tipping
needed. Business users will appreciate that receipts are automatically emailed
to you, and everyone will like the way Uber lets you ride in style.
Price: Free... Download it here
Super Swiss
Army Knife
Okay, so it can't turn your smartphone
into an actual knife, but short of that, there's not much Super Swiss Army
Knife can't do. You can use the app to transform your phone into a flashlight
or ruler, or even a protractor (handy if you have a geometry problem that needs
solving). Super Swiss Army Knife also allows you to measure the distance
between you and another object, as well as the height of that object.
If you're hanging artwork, you'll
appreciate the app's bubble-level tool, which helps you check whether objects
are level, and the cross-vertical-measure tool, which tells you whether an item
is level and--if it's not--the angle of deviation.
Price: Free. Download it here
Car Locator
You may not want to admit it, but
chances are you've forgotten where you parked your car at least once--if not
more. Instead of wandering around the parking lot, install Car Locator. This app
lets you save the location of your parked car, and then helps you find your way
back to it when it's time to head home. Car Locator also keeps track of how
long your car has been parked, which is helpful if you're trying to avoid parking
tickets or steep garage fines. Just make sure you don't get caught feeding the
meter.
Get it for just $4. Download the app here
AutoRotate
Switch
Sometimes, the best ideas are the
simplest ones. Case in point: AutoRotate Switch.
This handy little app lets you turn your phone's automatic screen rotation off
and on. If you've ever been annoyed by a screen that rotates from landscape to
portrait view when you lie down in bed or flop down on the couch, you'll
appreciate AutoRotate Switch.
Price: Free. Click on this link
GymPact
Having trouble finding the
motivation to exercise? Maybe a financial
incentive would help. That's where GymPact comes in. This app pushes you to
exercise by punishing you financially when you miss a planned workout.
With GymPact, you create your own
exercise schedule--basically how many days a week you're planning to workout.
Then, you create a financial stake--an amount that you're willing to pay if you
don't work out. If you miss a workout, GymPact pockets your dues.
If you workout as scheduled,
GymPact pays you back, using the money it collects from all those folks who
missed their workouts. You won't get rich using GymPact, but you will get in
shape and maybe earn enough to buy a pack of gum.
SnapPea
SnapPea allows you to transfer
files--whether they're photos, songs, videos, or more—between your desktop
computer and your phone. It also allows you to control your Android phone from your
computer, using either a Web browser or a downloadable desktop application.
It's almost like iTunes for Android, but without some of the restrictions that
Apple imposes.
Snaptastic
Photo Editor
Smartphone cameras have improved
dramatically these last few
years, but their photo-editing capabilities have lagged behind.
Snaptastic helps rectify this
problem by giving you easy-to-use tools for cropping and editing your photos.
With the app installed, you'll be
able to adjust characteristics of your photos, such as exposure and color
saturation, and easily post your customized creations to your social networks.
A free, ad-supported version of the app is also available if you want to try
out
Snaptastic before spending your
dough.
SpellTower
If Bejeweled and Words With
Friends had a love child, it might look like SpellTower, one of the most
addictive word games around. The object is to find words hidden within a grid
of letters. Once you swipe or tap the letters to make the word, they disappear
and new ones take their place. SpellTower includes a multiplayer option and
different game modes, almost ensuring that you'll never want to put it down. Review it and get it downloaded for the price below.
Price: $2
Keep eenjoying your apps.
