![50 Best Android Apps: Lifestyle and Productivity Apps [#1 - 15]](/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/aa_nominees.png)
Writing a Best Android Apps list is never an easy job. Android inspires passionate fans who believe their favorite app should be named, so no list will please everyone. Though voters selected their favorites in the Android Network Awards, these are my picks for some of the best Android apps. The apps are listed according to category, not merit.
[#1 - 15] Lifestyle and Productivity Apps
[#16 - 24] GPS and Location Apps
[#25-39] Media and Entertainment Apps
[#40-50] Tools and Utility Apps
Barcode Scanner [#1] – The first app to get is Barcode Scanner, which allows users to scan QR codes – the squares with dots and black lines – and get information. QR codes load contacts, messages, or sends users to a link. For instance, each QR code scanned in this post leads to the app listing in the Android Market.
The Best Lifestyle and Productivity Apps [#2-15]
To-Do Lists, Communication, Research, and General Experience
VoiceText ($1.29)
I wish there was an Android app that recorded your voice and then converted those words into text. Oh wait, there is! Voice Text is a paid app that adds voice transcription functioning to most apps. Say “I am leaving work. Be home soon” and watch as the words appear on the screen, ready to be sent to a contact without distractions. Voice Text even works as an input method, so almost any Android app — notepad or Twitter app a;ole — can utilize the speech-to-text solution.
Astrid
Fact: Astrid is the best to-do list manager available on Android. Ok, that’s an opinion, but it’s an opinion supported by thousands of users of this great app. Astrid creates tasks with notes, deadlines, reminders, tags, and priority. If that weren’t enough, it can even sync with online task manager RememberTheMilk.com. If you’ve got things to do and need an app to help you do them, Astrid is the first app you should grab in the market.
Documents to Go (Free to read, $29.99 to edit)
Microsoft Office is available on Android thanks to Documents to Go. This app can read and edit documents with support for major formatting styles found in MS Excel, Word, and PowerPoint. Anyone who wants to do some light writing, proofing, or last-minute tweaking to their documents needs to bite the bullet and purchase this app.
Possible alternatives: You can also wait around for the ThinkFree office app.
Handcent SMS
There are certain apps good enough to replace the default Android functions. Handcent is one of those apps. This is the best texting tool for sending or reading SMS messages. Settings allow popup notifications, reminders for unread messages, pre-typed quick messages, batch deleting, and a much better interface for communicating than the default texting app. Possible alternative: chomp SMS won the ANA Best Communication App, but I still think Handcent is the way to go.
Twidroid
Twidroid is the can-do Android Twitter app. Tweet, upload photo search, see popular topics, retweet, shorten links, follow, unfollow – almost any feature you want to do is all there. Twidroid also supports Laconia/Identi.ca users and is unquestionably the most-used Twitter app for Android. No wonder it was voted as Best Twitter App in the ANA’s.
TwitterRide
There’s plenty of Twitter apps that meet eat each individual’s needs, but TwitterRide manages to stand out. It offers the standard major functions of Twitter but separates itself from others by being just a bit quicker than the rest. The only knock on it is that color scheme isn’t the greatest. However, if speed and stability are at a premium, TwitterRide is the Android Twitter app to have.
Snap Photo Pro ($0.99)
The default camera in most Android phones is decent, but it could always use improvement. Snap Photo Pro enhances the device’s ability to snap pictures by adding timer mode, multi shot mode, and stability. It also increases shutter speed and can adjust the brightness or contrast of images.
Qik
Qik’s isn’t free from bugs, but it has improved enough to be useable and fun to have. Qik records live events and streams the footage on the Internet. Captured video is automatically archived and available for viewing at a later date. There’s also an offline mode that allows on-device video editing and shortcuts for sharing with contacts or friends on Twitter and Facebook. Qik performs best on 3G or WiFi.
dxtop ($2.99)
Home screen replacement apps add additional screens and appearance tweaks to your Android home screen. There are plenty of options, but dxTop’s quadrant design – four screens easily accessible from any other screen – is the fastest and best way to navigate. Its not as robust as the other apps 5 or 7 screens, but its the one that has been best supported and most improved.
Possible alternatives: Too many to discuss here. Try aHome, Fresh Face, Panda Home, Open Gesture, Open Home, Sweeter Home
ActionComplete
ActionComplete is geared towards people who need more than just a to-do list; its for managing projects, separate jobs, and time. It is great for GTD/workflow management thanks to detailed actions, reminders and built-in timers, filter or project labels, and location-aware options that allow you to automatically load work projects in the office and freelance projects at home.
Better Keyboard ($2.99)
Not a fan of the Android on-screen keyboard that comes with the G1 or myTouch? Don’t worry; you’ve got options. Better Keyboard provides some options like skins, three different keyboard layouts/views, and slightly larger keys to help deal pick up the slack.
Possible Alternative: Read about Touchpal or grab the HTC keyboard for FREE on-screen keyboards
3banana
Remembering events or tidbits throughout the day is easier with 3banana, an app that keeps track of photos and notes that you enter. Snap a photo of something inspirational you see in a magazine and add contextual reminders explaining why you want to remember it. Or simply jot down an ideas in the app instead of on a napkin. 3banana then syncs with your 3banana.com account so your idea stream is even browseable online.
Note Everything (Free regular, €2.99 Pro)
Jot down all of your notes in Note Everything. Users can type, paint, or voice record their notes and organize them in folders. They can search notes and import or export notes on the SD card. Photo notes, reminders, notifications, and encryption are also available in a pro version.
Possible alternative – AK Notepad, Text Edit
Sportypal
SportyPal is a handy tool to help get users in shape. Users improve their running and cycling experience by analyzing past workout stats. See the distance traveled, total time, and an estimate for the amount of calories burned. There’s even an option to share with others, making SportyPal a great workout tool.
Possible alternative – Cardio Trainer
August 31st, 2009 at 4:50 pm
I'm afraid your QR codes don't seem to work properly with Barcode Scanner. I found that it ended up searching for strings like "pname:com.handcent.sms" which gave an error. It should probably just code to search for "com.handcent.sms" which did work in the Market search when I typed it manually.
August 31st, 2009 at 7:00 pm
Had never heard of Handcent before I read this article. Loving the new SMS program! Thanks for shedding some light on it for me!
September 1st, 2009 at 4:05 pm
If people haven't had the chance to try it already, I'd go for Camera ZOOM (better stability controls, quad camera, etc.) rather than SnapPhoto. Faster and smaller install size.
September 1st, 2009 at 9:13 pm
I like web based HyperOffice because it lets me access my office mail on my mobile.
September 2nd, 2009 at 8:25 am
Yesterday I downloaded Sportypal,
This morning went jogging and tested
I AM DELIGHTED!
The presentation is great, works perfect and the mapping of the route on http://www.sportypal.com is made great.
So, a clear recommendation!
September 2nd, 2009 at 10:38 am
50 best androip apps… 1 – 15.
where da hell is the rest?
September 3rd, 2009 at 11:50 am
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September 3rd, 2009 at 9:24 pm
good list!
qr codes are NOT working tho..
September 4th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
QR codes worked for me, I just installed nearly every one of these via QR code (HTC Magic)
September 6th, 2009 at 2:58 pm
Hi all,
Check this out,
The Craigslist for gPhone webapps :
http://i-craigslist.appspot.com
Thank You.
October 15th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
@nooneukno The list of 50 apps is broken into four pages. The links are at the bottom of the article.
November 5th, 2009 at 7:15 am
Couldn't get the QR codes to work on this site. I've never had a problem using them before, strange.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:42 am
I've been unable to find the VoiceText app for my HTC Droid (1.5 version) or my motorola Droid (2.0 version)… which is very VERY disapointing. I was so excited to find an app like this. If I use the bar code scanner it 'finds' the app, but when I tell it to install, no joy. What's up that? It cant be part of the top 50 if it doesnt install, thus, doesnt work…right?…but I agree, the concept is great, and in the top apps.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:58 am
2.0 is too new for some apps to work. Voice Text cannot work on the HTC Sprint according to the developer.
November 11th, 2009 at 1:08 am
Hi,
great list. It's always interesting to see what people's favourite apps are. I've discovered more great apps this way then by just browsing the Market. (There's a lot of good and a LOT of bad on the Market…)
If you're interested, I recently published a list of my favourite free android apps on my blog called: http://trotsky.us/technology/7-free-android-apps-...
I didn't base it on feature set or popularity but instead on which apps I found myself using the most.
Cheers,
TheTrotsky
November 12th, 2009 at 2:55 am
Handcent SMS does the same things Voice Text does
November 17th, 2009 at 3:25 pm
I am a beginner to the Android. Someone help me out with this…. PLEASE before I throw it up against the wall!!
When I log on to a website and review it and then done with the website – how do I X out of it? It stays in the background allowing it to eat up the battery. I just need to know how do i get out of the website. Thank you for any help!!
November 21st, 2009 at 11:33 pm
Go to the 'Market' and install the free 'Advanced Task Manager' – it allows you to see which apps are running in the background and turn them off 9one by one or all at once) – will make a world of difference for battery life – did for me anyways.
Happy downloading!
November 30th, 2009 at 2:19 pm
Hi iwas able to install many using my android phone. They were my first downloads. Thank you.
But when I click the qr code from my phone, I see no easy way to install that. It would nice to provide a link for each to install when your article is being viewed from an android phone.
December 9th, 2009 at 1:21 am
Hi It’s always interesting to see what people’s favourite apps are. Go to the ‘Market’ and install the free ‘Advanced Task Manager’.
December 14th, 2009 at 9:55 pm
The new Qik app is great! Working like a charm on my Droid. Thanks for the tip!
December 16th, 2009 at 3:11 am
Does Action Complete not have a version for 1.5? I'm unable to find it in the market by the QR code or a manual search.
December 17th, 2009 at 8:16 pm
Don't use BARCODE SCANNER, it's crap. Use NEOREADER
December 21st, 2009 at 7:40 am
Hey! That's great! I also find this article on how to put DVD movies on Motorola Droid to make more fun – http://www.ehow.com/how_5743071_watch-droid-make-...
December 27th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
Codes aren't meant for Barcode Scanner. They're for the program ScanLite
December 31st, 2009 at 6:57 am
i am new too. lol install task manager and widget onto your face screen. then what you do is click on that and it should stop all open applications. if its like your email which was the case for me when i opened my email (aol account) i could not log off. you just look at your account and press your finger and hold it there till another window opens up. then you can click delete account. as far as the opening of applications its best if you use the task manager you can find it on droid marketplace for free. hope this helps
January 5th, 2010 at 11:08 pm
I agree. Barcode Scanner sucks. NeoReader rocks!
January 6th, 2010 at 3:32 am
and now one of the most popular iPhone App – "AstroSwami Pro" also enters the Android Market place with it's classic app! It just got introduced and you all are going to love it! – Check it out at http://www.SimplyAstro.com/iphone OR the android app's quick view at http://www.androidzoom.com/android_applications/l...
January 15th, 2010 at 7:50 pm
The apps I use most frequently are:
1. TuneWiki
2. Movies
3. Voice Recorder
4. Qwiklist Voice
5. chompSMS
6. Live Scores
7. PDANet
January 23rd, 2010 at 5:50 am
Great list Andrew! I like how you are using QR Codes to make it easier to install apps. I just want to share that we have been working a QR Code generator (Maestro) and have an API to easily generate QR Codes. We recently added an Android App feature. Please use it and let us know what you think.
here is the link: http://www.mskynet.com/static/maestro
QR Gen API: http://www.mskynet.com/static/QRGenAPI
thanks,
peter
January 23rd, 2010 at 3:54 pm
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January 26th, 2010 at 9:30 pm
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January 26th, 2010 at 9:31 pm
android phones ROCK!!!!
January 26th, 2010 at 9:34 pm
I LOVE ANDROID PHONES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
February 7th, 2010 at 8:12 pm
The most underrated use of Documents to Go is the ability to read PDF docs! Nobody else has made a decent reader for Android!