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The following contains a listing of best android applications I've used on the Motorola Droid and Motorola Droid 2, a brief description of the application, and my *rating. This listing is up-to-date as of post date noted above. This listing will change as more applications become available. It is possible that some of these applications have paid version. Version reviewed as noted:
- FolderOrganizer [$1.50 USD] - Should be made a standard application on all Android phones. Well-executed and EXTREMELY useful for customization of your Android phone. Allows you to use custom icons for Applications, Bookmarks, and Contacts. You can also use this application to make custom folders essectially replacing the default folder icon without rooting your phone. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this Android application. The best Android application I've used to date. (10/10)
- Home++ [Free] - A home screen replacement application. I've used this on my Motorola Droid to replace my existing home screen and allow four (4) to seven (7) total screens instead of the stock three (3). This application removes the notification bar at the top of the screen. In addition, several functions are moved to the "shortcut bar" along the bottom of the screen. The force closes associated with this application have improved over time, and now is quite stable. With the release of OS v2.1, I reverted back a few versions of Home++ to gain support for LIVE WALLPAPER! I've had a few force closes with this application... aside from that, this is the best free home screen replacement application. (9/10)
- BetterCut [$1.99 USD] - An application that allows you to change icons for application shortcuts placed on your home screen. You can download icon packs and then use BetterCut to change the icons and application names. Very useful app that has a learning curve, but once you figure it out, you’ll be updating all the icons on your home screen. (10/10)
- Handcent SMS [Free] - The best SMS replacement application that handles all your text messaging. An amazing application with a significant amount of customization available. The application allows you to change everything from message bubble color to font style, to background and each can be customized by user. Excellent addition to the Motorola Droid or any Android phone. (10/10)
- aCar [Free] - A quick and easy application to track your vehicles fuel mileage. I could do without the constant nag screens and wish this app were ad-supported instead. With aCar, you enter information at each fill-up. After a few fill-ups, you can view multiple graphs and start to see trends in fuel mileage, fuel prices, cost per mile, etc. (9/10)
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- FTPServer [Free] - Allows you to setup an FTP server on your Android phone. This is extremely useful if your phone has access to a wireless network. Moving files to/from the SD Card is a snap with this easy to use application and saves having to dig out a USB cable. Significantly more options and restriction control than SwiFTP. (10/10)
- Astro [Free] - Invaluable and easy to use file management application. Since the Motorola Droid (and all Android phones for that matter) are missing an easy to use stock file browser, this app allows ease of access to your SD Card, Images, Folders, etc. Overall a rock-solid application. (10/10)
- Google Sky [Free] - Awesome example of the power contained within the Motorola Droid phone. This app makes me very excited about the future of AR (Augmented Reality). Zoom out, it helps immensely with what can become a somewhat laggy application. More an app to show your friends unless you spend a significant amount of time stargazing. (9/10)
- Dolphin Browser HD [Free] - A browser application that supported pinch & zoom before Android OS v2.1. One of my favorite features in this app is the FULL SCREEN browsing, no tabs, no notification, just a full web page! Gestures are nice for basic navigation, but I find the gestures too sensitive resulting in having to enter multiple times. The HD update to the original browser application does a great job incorporating the good (tabs) with a full-screen experience! (9/10)
- Google Voice [Free] - I haven't used Google Voice too much, but free visual voicemail (speech-to-text) sent to your gmail box really can't be beat! Leaves me wishing the the text-to-speech conversion was a bit more accurate. (8/10)
Honorable Mentions (we'd get these on the list if we had room!):
- Places Directory [Free] - Uses your current GPS location to find stores, restaurants, banks, gas stations, hotels, hospitals, and much MORE. Extremely useful application for folks that travel frequently. (10/10)
- Wifi Analyzer [Free] - Fire this app up, and browse all the wireless networks the phone picks up. Check the channel of your home network to see if you could get some better reception using another channel. (10/10)
- Mobile GA for Android [Free] - Keep track of you accounts through Google Analytics. (8/10)
- Not Call Log [Free] - When call is over, go back to home screen instead of call log. Useful application to prevent accidental redial of your last caller after you complete a call. (8/10)
*rating - based on my expectation for the app to work as intended on my Android v2.1 Motorola Droid and be moderately or full-featured.
Previous mentions (no longer making our Top 10 List):
- Advanced Task Killer [Free] - After a day (or 2!) of opening multiple apps on the Motorola Droid, the phone can get laggy. A quick run through with the Advanced Task Killer seems to do the trick. Ability to kill commonly open apps with one touch is a welcome feature. App has ability to stay on the status screen if desired. Only missing feature I can think of is a scheduled task to kill applications overnight or something similar (feature available in the paid version). (9/10) - In the end, a task killer application provides little to no value. Advanced Task Killer is a nice app, but I’ve begun to question it’s actual usefulness. I’ve uninstalled and been fine without it!
- Quick Uninstaller [Free] - Tired of testing out an app only to decide you don't like it... Now you need to serach again on Marketplace to uninstall the app. Quick Uninstaller allows you to browse your currently installed apps and uninstall them with the press of a button. (9/10) - Over time, as you gain more familiarity with the phone, these types of apps end up as “bloatware”, Since I’m not installing/updating as many apps, I’ve removed this app. Home++ also assists with application uninstall, so that may have something to do with it.
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Comments
DON'T DOWNLOAD ASTRO
The reason you should download "OI File Manager" instead of ASTRO listed as the third suggestion on this website is because it has a HIDDEN EXPIRE TIME! In addition to this application expiring and no longer being usable, all the changes made on the SD card before that will be reverted.
OI File Manager is free and does not have this non-advertised, hidden expire time. Astro is NOT worth losing data over. If you try Astro and find it better than OI Manager, BUY IT to lose the expire time OR RISK losing important data.
- PetRiLJoe
GTalk on my Droid at petriljoe at Gmail dot com if you need more information.
ASTRO File Manager
I've been using Astro File Manager on my Droid since November 2009. Astro has been in Beta since then, and to date, they've never moved to take it out of Beta. The application is still free and AD FREE.
As of the last few updates, the expiration date has been clearly mentioned in the application page on the Android Market. I would be EXTREMELY surprised if an uninstall of this application caused one to lose any more data than the application itself. I can't imagine it would maliciously delete files or remove data.
On a side note, I've used the OI File Manager as well, but currently prefer ASTRO. If OI File Manager comes out with a superior application, or ASTRO goes to a pay app, I'd be more than happy to take another look at the OI File Manager.
One last note... ASTRO has surpassed 1 million downloads on Android... And Metago is currently working with device manufacturers in an attempt to pre-load the software onto phones. If anything, it sounds like they're holding out for a licensing deal before making a decision on a paid application on the Market. That would explain the BETA status, the ad-free application, the included EULA, and the extended expiration times... Really trying to maintain the positive brand name for a licensing deal before tainting it with a paid version or ad-enabled application.
Two Questions
I just got the new Droid and I have come across two things that I cannot figure out how to do.
So far, I find that if I have a text, voice mail or email, other than the green blinking light on the top right, I have no idea if I have a text, voice mail or email. Am I doing something wrong or is there some kind of an app that tells me I have a voicemail?
Also, I haven't figured out how to move my email buttoms to the home page.
Thanks for your help.
Application Assistance
At the top of your phone, there should be a status bar. This bar shows application alerts, battery level, signal strength, etc. Some of the application alerts you might find are new email messages, text messages, missed calls, or voice mails. To see detail of these items, press and slide your finger from the top of your phone down. This will "drag" open the status bar when you can get more details on application alerts.
To add or remove items from your home screen(s), press and drag the application drawer (tab at the bottom with the triangle inside a circle) from the bottom of your phone up. This will open the application drawer where all the installed applications on your phone are available (think of it kind of like the windows start menu). Press and hold the desired application and it will be copied to your home screen.
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