Top 20 Free Android Apps | Download Now

If you are a long-time Android user,

Some of these apps will look familiar, although in a few cases, the best apps in a certain class aren�t necessarily the ones that have been most popular for a stretch of time. New comers are supplanting some tried and true favorites.

As Android apps grow, so will our list, so stay tuned for updates to the Blog. http://software-review2010.blogspot.com

Dolphin Browser HD | Download Now

Dolphin Browser HD is a veritable trickster of a mobile browser. You can change this Android app�s look and feel through custom themes, add capability with Add-ons, or even navigate by gesture. When you encounter a pesky mobile site, you can don a disguise, for example, you can masquerade as an iPad � to unlock the un-cropped page. Flummoxed by Flash? No more, so long as you�re running Dolphin and Android versions 2.2. The browser lacks a full syncing service, but it does support Google Bookmarks.

 

Google Maps | Download Now

Whenever I ask people to name their five favorite Android apps, �Google something� almost always makes the list. Google Maps may be one of the most popular of the Android apps from Google. A few of its signature features, such as navigation and layers, work better on Android than most other mobile operating systems. It�s indispensible for finding addresses, service providers nearby, and just for simply getting around.

 

 

Wikidroid for Wikipedia | Download Now

Looking up information on a smartphone should not only be easy, but also something you do frequently. Otherwise, what�s the point of having so much data at your finger tips? Wikidroid pulls articles from Wikipedia and optimizes their display for easy reading and searching from your mobile phone. The app has elegant search functionality, too.

 

 

 

LastPass Password Manager Premium | Download Now

LasPass manages and fills in your user names and passwords for you automatically. You�ll only have to remember one password ever again: the one to get into LastPass, so make it strong. Another advantage of using a password manager is it ensures you use a different password for all the sites you visit, as recycling passwords leaves you prone to identity theft and other online crimes.

 

 

Wheres My Droid | Download Now

How many times have you claimed your phone was stolen, only to find it, days later, wedged between the couch cushions, muffled from ringing loud enough to hear when you called it? If you are prone to losing your phone, Wheres My Droid will put your mind at ease. The app helps people find their lost or stolen Android phones by forcing it to ring at maximum volume or vibrate when the phone receives a text message containing a specified phrase, such as �Where�s my Droid?� The app can also tell you the phone�s location, as long as its GPS is enabled.

 

Dropbox for Android | Download Now

If your files live all over the place, your office computer, home desktop, laptop � having a dependable syncing program is a must. Dropbox, the service that lets you store your files in the cloud and access them from anywhere you have a signal, fills that role nicely with an Android app. It has a simple interface, easy uploading, and swift syncing across all accounts.

 

 

Astrid Task [Todo List] | Download Now

Many Android users gravitate to Astrid because it is, quite simply, the best list maker and task manager that exist for Android phones. Astrid has all of the features every list-maker needs, including due dates and alarms, and it also conveniently syncs with Google Tasks. Unfortunately, it doesn�t sync with Remember the Milk, although it used to.

 

 

Yelp for Android | Download Now

The most comprehensive review app, Yelp turns out to be a pretty invaluable tool for finding businesses nearby, especially when you�re in a town you don�t know well. Yelp�s mobile app has helped me find a hairdresser when I was in a pinch in Washington D.C., and a suitable lunch while driving through Ohio. The quality of the reviews can be touch and go but for finding businesses and services, and vetting out ones that are very poorly received, Yelp�s the app you need.

 

Facebook for Android | Download Now

Social networks thrive with a reliable app, and Facebook for Android is undeniably solid. The Android app has the quintessential, familiar, Facebook-branded interface, but it also offers some unique functionality that�s absent in Facebook�s iPhone app. This includes a side-scrolling preview pane of recently shared photos in the dashboard area. Very cool.

 

 

Twitter for Android | Download Now

The best app for Twitter is Twitter. Plenty of third-party Twitter apps and social media aggregators have graced the Android Marketplace, some with pretty terrible performance track records, but the one that works best is Twitter�s own. Starting with version (2.1.2), Twitter for Android adds support for multiple accounts as well as optional push notifications (alerts that appear on your phone similar to an alarm or incoming text message), two features that had been sorely lacking prior to this release. A clean user experience and smart design doesn�t hurt either. Best of all, if you don�t have a Twitter account and aren�t interested in joining, you can still use the app to search and read the site.

ooVoo Video Calls | Download Now

Stable and reliable video chat apps for Android aren�t easy to come by, but ooVoo is terrific. The Android video chat app supports group video, voice calls, and instant messaging � across iOS, OSX, Android, and Windows! Not only do you get solid Android video calling, but you can practically video chat with anyone.

 

 

IMO Instant Messenger | Download Now

Multi-purpose instant message apps can falter on mobile phones, crashing frequently or draining the phone�s battery. While it�s not perfect, IMO Instant Messenger is by far one of the lesser offenders. Android reason it�s better than some others is it supports instant messaging across an impressive 11 networks: MSN, Yahoo!, AIM/ICQ, Google Talk, Myspace, Skype, Facebook, Jabber, imo, VKontakte, and Hyves.

 

 

Movies App for Android from Flixter | Download Now

Movies, by Flixster (some people know the app better by the developer�s name), puts theater times, release dates for movies and DVDs, film reviews, and trailers in the palm of your hand. If, for example, you need to know the exact date that A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas will be hitting theaters, Movies can confirm the November 4, 2011, release. By default, the app pulls movie ratings from Rotten Tomatoes, although you can override this feature if perhaps you don�t think The 400 Blows deserves a 100 percent critics� approval rating. You�d be wrong, but you can do it.

 

Angry Birds for Android | Download Now

There�s just no denying that Angry Birds has been the hit game across mobile devices. The casual puzzle game challenges you to destroy structures by flinging crotchety little birds at it using a giant slingshot. The franchise has dozens of titles, like Angry Birds Rio and Angry Birds Seasonal, but the original Angry Birds is the one to download to your Android phone first. (Also see The Best Free Android Games.)

Words with Friends Free | Download Now

The Scrabble-like game from Zynga, Words with Friends, is among the most popular mobile social games around. If you own an Android phone but your friends are on other devices, such as iPhones or iPads, you can still challenge them to head-to-head wordplay, as it doesn�t matter on which platform your opponents are playing. While some Android users have reported stability problems with the game, Words with Friends is in such high demand that most people will grin and bear it, especially since it�s free.

 

Kindle for Android | Download Now

Read books, magazines, and newspapers right on your Android phone without ever buying an e-reader. The Kindle app is by far the most popular reading app in the Android Marketplace because it gives you access to buy or download for free hundreds of thousands of books, and more than 100 different newspapers and magazines. And while some users have complained that they can�t uninstall Kindle once they�ve downloaded the app, it is possible (but it takes a little effort).

 

NOOK for Android by B&N | Download Now

Anti-Amazon book lovers might prefer an app by Barnes & Noble for reading on their Android phones. NOOK and Kindle largely do the same thing (give you access to an impressive library of books newspapers, magazines, and other things to read), although their interfaces and experiences are different. Whether you like Amazon or B&N is largely a matter of personal preference. The NOOK feels a little more graceful in its design, whereas the Kindle app looks more utilitarian.

 

 

Pandora Internet Radio for Android | Download Now

Of the music streaming apps available to Android phone owners Pandora steals hearts for having very good quality streaming even over a 3G signal. Newcomers to the Android arena, including Slacker Radio and Spotify, are earning more and more market share every day, but Pandora tends to be the most reliable, likely because it has a longer history running on Android.

 

 

FxCamera App for Android | Download Now

Not every smartphone running Android has a great camera, so get better photos with the help of software. FxCamera adds filters and effects, like �toy� and fisheye lens, to enhance even modest pictures. It also helps to arm yourself with some additional tips for getting better photos from your phone.

 

 

ESPN Score Center for Android | Download Now

ESPN�s free app lets you check the game quickly, and discreetly when necessary (with your phone under the dinner table, (for example). Sports fans of all stripes will find this app useful; it covers more sports types than most other sports and news apps out there. It can pull game data from baseball, basketball, American football, the sport the rest of the world calls football (soccer), ice hockey, cricket, rugby, and more. For stat lovers, ScoreMobile is a fine option, but only if it has the sport you follow, as it misses a few, like rugby and boxing.

App�s reviewed by PC Mag � 2011

Selection and Published by PC Supporter � 2011