But, let’s talk about the applications now… I’ll talk about what android apps I use and then later talk about what I have on the imate… (it’ll be a while … I still need to fix it!)
1. Calendar Widget (intrinsic to Android (iA)): shows date and next appointment. not skin-able
2. Analog clock Widget (iA) not skin-able
3. Alarm Clock: (iA) simple alarms. I use it sort of as a timer (the laundry will be done in an hour so set the alarm for…)
4. Digital Clock: shows a digital clock face, adjusts the brightness and color (so I have very dark red colored numbers set to very low brightness. It’s very easy to look at in the dark), it plays what ever mp3 I want as the alarm and is resets daily. I use it as my morning alarm.
5. MoonPhase Widget: shows the shape of the moon. I like it mainly because it reminds me to LOOK UP once in a while.
6. Calculator (iA) just a basic arithmetic calculator. Black and not skin-able.
7. AutoSync OnOff: In the Android settings you can choose to have the “autosync” on all the time or off all the time. In order to get your calendar, contacts, and gmail to sync you have to select [menu], [settings], [data syncronization] and then each item you want to sync. With this app, it turns the autosync on or off. So I leave it off most of the time and once in a while hit it to sync everything up. A downside to this is that I have to consiously decide to sync – which happens irregularly. I’d love it if I could set it to sync at certain intervals.
8. gtasks: an application which syncs to google tasks. Its much easier to use than the gtasx application that opens to the web portal of the same system. not skin-able
9. Battery Graph: shows me the energy amount in the battery over time. Lets me check for times of major battery drain to help me pinpoint better what is going on so I can change that. Sometimes lets me realize I accidentally left GPS, WiFi, or autosync on.
10. Close Everything: Applications don’t always close when you leave them. This makes sure everything that can be closed, is. Helps with battery life.
11. Nice Battery: like the AutoSync OnOff, gives me less buttons to hit to get to WiFi, GPS, Cell location, Bluetooth, and 3G settings. It cuts out the [menu] [setting] [security & location or wireless control] button pushes. I’d like it better if it turned them off or on right there, but ohwell.
12. Note Me: a pretty easy note pad.
13. My Backup: backs up data, non-paid for applications and settings to your sd card. Able to set up automatic backups. Works pretty well.
14. Voice Recorder: I need a voice recorder for my work. This only works so-so. It takes a while to load and I hate having to push so many buttons to get it going (compared to Klaus, anyway…) on the other hand, I get to send it as a file to my desktop so there’s no sd card transfering. Sadly, it’s a quicktime file that I have to convert to listen to.
15. System monitor: shows me how much cpu, memory, storage, and battery is being used.
16. Google Voice: this app lets other people see YOUR phone number and not google’s when you call them as well as let you see THEIR phone number when they call you. Ok. Delayed.
17. Music (iA) a music player. Does not strike me as either bad or good. not skin-able
18. Google Maps (iA). enter an address, identify your location, get directions. From my limited experience with the iPhone, I definitely like this one better – the directions are written down as you move along the main markers. I did not see anything like that on the iPhones I’ve used for navigation, but maybe they just didn’t find that in the options. Also, they didn’t show what the traffic was like on the road… again, options?
19. SK-LJ: a livejournal updating tool. Perfect for when I’ve just had a nightmare in the middle of the night and want to write it down without having to turn on the puter.
20. facebook: an app to let you easily read other’s updates or post your own. I find this almost as overwhelming as the pc version and mostly just use it to update my status.
21. GDocs: gives me access to my google documents with improving functionality (for a while the spreadsheets werent’ supported, but they are now and working well!).
22. Where: locate yourself, search for whatever. It’s only so-so .. I don’t think we’ve ever actually followed its directions or suggestions…
23. Gmail (iA): write/read emails
24. ADC 2: try out the Android Developer Challenge contestant’s programs! I tried a pretty awesome photo journal one that I hope is released soon. (Although I’d like to be able to post it to my livejournal or facebook, rather than to their own webpage…)
25. Better cut: change the icons on the desktop – fun!
26. Calorie Counter: a cool idea of a program to track calories. Sometimes problematic in how it is used, but one of the coolest things is you can scan the bar codes of many foods and get the nutritional information through your phone.
27. ES File Explorer: I’ve used this a couple of times, but I don’t store much on this phone… Most of my stuff is through google now.
28. Google Sky Map: SWEET!! hold your phone up to the sky and all the stars are labled and constellations are drawn in. VERY COOL. That’s pretty much all it’s good for… unless you’re navigating a space ship!
29. Pandora: plays the pandora radio project. Great sound and no lag that I’ve noticed. Although of course you have to guard your battery.
30. PhoneFlicks: supposed to be your netflix, but I’ve never used it. I’d most want to use it to rate the movies my friends have rated, but I can’t find that in it.
31. Star Contact: a different way to organize and view contacts. Seems ok. Probably should take it out and try regular version…
32. Sticky Memo Widget: puts post its on your screen – I like this for short and insistent notes!
33. Wheel of Yum! put in your 10 favorite restaraunts and spin the wheel – where it lands is where you go! Ends the endless “I don’t know, where do YOU want to go?”
34 White Noise Lite: several sounds to drown out ambient sounds. I like the white noise and crickets in this one (tried Dream but the sounds were too tinny).
35. Power Control Widget (iA – new with Donut!) Ooo! I just now found this: controls WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, AutoSync AND brightness right on the desktop as a widget! LOVE IT! Deleted the (7) AutoSync OnOff and (11) Nice Battery applications.
Games:
1. Flood it: colored boxes. I have never won once and am starting to not enjoy it…
2. Labyrinth: the wooden box marble labyrinth! Shows the direction sensing/gyroscope off very well!
3. Graffiti: a drawing program. I like that you get to choose the transparency of your “marker” but the finger control is problematic – it’d be better on the imate!
4. Mystique: a mystery game. Spooky, but would be cooler if it used the direction sensing in the phone for roaming the halls and searching for items…
5. Solitare (both FreeCell and regular!) A MUST have for me! Still the game I play most frequently. Free Cell is a bit cramped in the landscape mode though.
6. Abduction: save your cow friends from aliens by using the directional controler to control how you jump!