My favourite Android apps: 2014 update

27 April 2014 Mobile android, applications

I thought I’d update my list of recommended applications. Let me know if there’s some missing!

Quick note: I use only Nexus devices (direct from Google) so it has some shortcomings that are fixed by HTC, Samsung etc. But I prefer to fix some of them myself instead of living with all the bloat and slow updates from the other vendors. 🙂

Highlights

• Agent – Lets you silence your phone when sleeping or in meetings. Read messages out loud when driving and remember where you parked. Nice little utility.
• Amazon Kindle – Yeah. Books. 🙂
• Audible – Audio books for my commutes. 🙂
• Authenticator – 2-factor authentication. If you don’t know what this is it’s time to read up on it after Heartbleed. Works for Evernote, Gmail, Dropbox, Amazon and lots more.
• CamScanner – Scan documents with your cell camera. Awesome. 🙂
• Circa – News summaries. Works really well for catching up fast, and lets you follow topics once you find them interesting.
• DashClock Widget – Customize your lock screen in awesome ways.
• Deliveries – Package tracking for ALL providers
• Dropsync – Some folders in Dropbox I actually want offline and on the phone, so this handles that. And it’s two way, so when I delete something on my computer it gets wiped off the phone too.
• Evernote – Everything that needs to be remembered. It’s extremely flexible so you need to find your way of using it, but it’s worth it.
• KineMaster – Video editing for your mobile phone. Pretty slick.
• LastPass – Remember passwords and use different ones for each sites. Heartbleed…
• NRK Cast – Cast NRK programming to Chromecast. Norway only.
• Plex – Your media available everywhere. And with Chromecast. 🙂
• Pocket – Read it later, got way too much stuff stored here.
• PriceSpy – Compare prices. Think it’s limited to Nordic countries.
• Shush! Ringer Restorer – Automatically restore your ringer when the meeting is over.
• SwiftKey – Must have keyboard replacement. Just try it.
• Textra – Simple and easy SMS and MMS application. Because I run Nexus the only other app installed for SMS is Hangouts. But try it, even if you have a decent one already.
• Waze – Awesome free and social GPS driving application. Real time updates and re-routing based on traffic from other drivers that use Waze.

The rest

• AirAudio – Sends your audio to AirPlay compatible devices. I have several Airport Express throughout my house that are wired to speakers. Spotify in sync over the entire house. 🙂
• AllCast – Lets you cast videos and pictures to your Chromecast. Big screen baby!
• ASTRO File Manager – Good file manager with support for advanced operations.
• Avia – Media player with Chromecast support.
• Banjo – Social media aggregator that focuses on friends near by, or just a map of everything that happens around you.
• Battery Left – Predicts how many hours you have left of battery time based on you normal usage pattern.
• BitTorrent Sync – Sync between your mobiles and computers. No central storage like Dropbox, but free and it might be a good thing the files doesn’t pass through the US. 🙂
• Chromecast – Well not really much functionality here except for managing your Chromecast. It really means you should buy an Chromecast. 😉
• ClockSync – Synchronizes your clock with the big internet. Requires ROOT.
• Cloud Print – Print documents from your phone if you have set up cloud print on your computer.
• DashClock Fitbit Extension – Well, used in DashClock to show Fitbit info.
• DashClock Sunrise Extension – Shows sunset and sunrise on Dashclock.
• Dashclock Yr Extension – Shows you the local weather in Dashclock
• Device Manager – Locate your lost tablet or second phone. 🙂
• Dropbox – Well, Dropbox. Let’s me access things on Dropbox without using space on the phone.
• Endomondo PRO – Exercises. Great Fitbit integration too.
• Facebook – Well, Facebook 🙂
• Fitbit – Because I use a Fitbit Flex. 🙂
• Flipboard – Good news aggregator for social media. Slick experience.
• Foursquare – Best check-in network I guess. Not the most active user, but I’m intrigued by the recommendation possibilities.
• Instagram – Yeah. 🙂
• LinkedIn – Yeah
• Markers – Simple graphics.
• Meetup – Find Meetups and events close by. Great resource in Oslo as there’s a lot going on.
• Messenger – Facebook Messenger. Despite all the noise recently about forcing everyone to use this, I really like this app.
• Muzei – Dynamic wallpapers with multiple sources
• Muzei 500px Editors Choice – A source for wallpapers
• Netflix – Well, Netflix…
• Nirvana ✓ – My TODO app. I like it’s adherence to the basics with some flexibility.
• NRK Super – Entertain your kids in a pinch. Norway only.
• NRKRadio – Live and recirded radio. Norway only.
• NSB – Trains and tickets in Norway.
• OpenVPN Connect – Call home… 🙂
• PhotoCast – Cast photos to Chromecast. Does it in a fancy way. Still too slow though.
• Pushbullet – Custom notifications from everything. Supported at IFTTT too.
• QuizUp – When you have too much time on your hands… 😉
• Quora – Awesome Q&A site. Get really insightful information on whatever you are wondering about.
• Remote Desktop – Access your computers.
• RuterReise – Oslo bus, tram and subway info.
• Server Auditor – SSH client.
• Shazam – Identify that song playing right now.
• Skype – Yeah…
• Snapchat – Well…
• Speedtest – Check your network speeds wherever you are.
• Spotify – Music…
• Sun Surveyor – Check how the sun moves around a certain spot. Awesome when buying a new house.
• Sync.ME – Sync information from LinkedIn and Facebook to your Google contacts.
• Tasker – Make your phone do just about anything automatically.
• Timely – Simple clock, alarm, timer, countdown app.
• Titanium Backup – Backup and restore applications with settings. Requires ROOT.
• Trello – Simple boards for todo, project, kanban etc.
• TripAdvisor – Find and write reviews of everything. They also have specific offline guides for large cities, so make sure to search the market for them before travelling.
• TripIt – Manage your itinerary and booking information.
• TuneIn Radio Pro – Radio. Lots of radio.
• Untappd – Social network for beer drinkers. 🙂
• Vivino – Social network for wine drinkers. 🙂
• Wakelock Detector – Since I am running a lot of applications I need to find the bad boy sometimes. This helps me find the ones using up battery. 🙂
• Wifi Analyzer – Helps me diagnose bad connectivity and crowded channels.

Alright, as you see this is a quick alphabetical dump of many of my apps. Let me know if something can be done differently.