The sheer choice on Google Play can be
overwhelming, so we’ve picked our favorite free apps to help you make the right
decisions
1. Seesmic
Price: Free
There are many Twitter
apps available for Android- and Twitter itself shook up the scene with the
launch of its own-brand app- but we’re sticking with Seesmic. Offering support
for multiple accounts, a homepage widget showing latest tweets, and an incredibly
slick and professional design, it’s one of the finest examples of app
development out there today.
2. Facebook for Android
Price: Free
Facebook for Android
is lacking in features compared to the Facebook website itself, but a recent
update added inbox support to the Android app, finally enabling its users to
communicate in almost real time. The app is fast and stable, with a simplicity
that reminds you of the old days, when using Facebook used to be a more
bearable experience.
3. National Rail Enquiries
Price: Free
After the original
free, third-party National Rail apps went paid-for, National Rail itself has
finally brought out its very own free app. National Rail Enquires enables you
to check live train times, plan your journeys, and get notifications of delays.
On first use, the app prompts you to enter a home and work train station, and
then you can use the ‘Get me home’ button to see the next available trains.
4. UK Jobs
Price: Free
Hey, times are hard
and you have got to pay for your oppressive monthly mobile phone contract
somehow. Offering a fully searchable database of current UK job vacancies, UK
Jobs, which pulls in its data from independent employment site 1job.co.uk is, a
slightly cumbersome but useful and non-governmental tool to help you find your
next position.
5. Hotmail/Outlook
Price: Free
Microsoft has teamed
up with developer SEVEN to offer an official Hotmail app for Android, which
gives users a simple, clean interface, push notification support and even
enables you to manage multiple Hotmail accounts from within the app. If your
email needs haven’t yet been assimilated by Google, it’s a useful option. It’s
since been rebranded as the Outlook app, in keeping with Microsoft’s changes
its mail site.
6. Google Sky Map
Price: Free
A stunning app that
Patrick Moore would have been proud of. By using your phone’s orientation
tools, Google Sky Map gives you an accurate representation of the stars and
planets on your screen. Point your phone at the sky, then learn what
constellations are visible and whether that’s a UFO or just Venus. Google Sky
Map even words indoors, if you’re not keen on getting cold.
7. Layar
Price: Free
The stunning augmented
reality app Layar has recently gone commercial, adding an online shop that
enables users to buy augmented-reality content, such as travel guides, local
house price apps and much more. But you’re still able to use the numerous free
layers to pop data up over real-world locations, delivering a satisfying
futuristic-style experience.
8. Foursquare
Price: Free
The social media
darling Foursquare is represented in fine form on the Android platform with the
Google app offering easy one-click check-ins integrated Google Maps for a
seamless Google-branded experience, and homepage shortcut options to all your
favorite places.
9. WordPress for Android
Price: Free
WordPress for Android
started out as independent creation wpToGo, before WordPress decided it liked
it so much it bought it up- hiring the marker to develop it in-house. It’s very
feature-packed, with the latest version offering full integration with other
apps, enabling you to spin content and send it directly to the app for easy
updating. It could do with more image-insertion tools, though.
10. Google Goggles
Price: Free
Something of a
novelty, in that Google Goggles enables you to take photos and have Google
analyses them and comeback with a search results page for what it thinks you’re
looking at. However, the app’s main use is as a QR code reader, which enables
you to scan barcodes for quick access to apps and whatever data people have
chosen to embed in those odd little data squares.
11. Winamp
Price: Free
Yes, it’s the same
Winamp that you were using a decade ago. It’s had an Android app for some time
now, with recent updates adding support for iTunes, Mac syncing, plenty of
music streaming options, new release lists and Shoutcast integration for radio
support. It’s a fine, free media player.
12. Samsung ChatOn
Price: Free
There are plenty of
messaging tools available for Android, but Samsung’s beats many of them by
offering multi-platform support-with clients even available for older Samsung
non-smart feature phones. It could be the ideal way to keep in touch with an
out-of-touch relative. More ‘with it’ users will be able to make use of its
drawing, image-sharing and social networking features.
13. Skyfire 4.0
Price: Free
The USP of the Skyfire
browser is that it supports Flash content, popping up a little window when it
detects an embedded YouTube video or something similar. The actual Flash
business is handled by Skyfire’s server, which does all the computer stuff,
then sends the file to your handset. A bit clunky on slower Android phones, but
it works like a dream on models boasting faster processors. Despite the arrival
of Flash with Android 2.2, this is still relevant for those on phones and
Android versions not able to support Adobe’s Flash Player.
14. BBC News
Price: Free
While the BBC’s
Android iPlayer app is a little on the disappointing side, the corporation’s
BBC News app is much more refined. There’s a stylish grid-based front page,
plus you’re able to swipe from left to right to switch between stories in your
chosen specialist category. A recent update also added a couple of homescreen
widgets, too, plus the ability to submit your own news tips, as though the BBC
was a small blog clamoring for content.
15. RAC Traffic
Price: Free
An official production
of the motoring organization, RAC Traffic is dead simple- it guesstimates your
location via the mobile signal, and then pops up the current traffic alerts for
wherever you happen to be. It’s much better than having to constantly listen to
the radio in order to hear the odd update about arterial blockages.
16. Swype
Price: Free (from www.swype.com)
The odd line-drawing
alternate keyboard Swype is a love-it or hate-it thing, with the significant
amount of re-learning that’s required to make the most of it off-putting to
some users. Once you’re familiar with the idea, though, it’s genius- with
advanced prediction options further speeding your line-typing. Swipe is not
available through Google Play- the only way to install it is via a direct
download from the maker.
17. Evernote
Price: Free
After the Android
version of Dropbox, the next best solution for keeping all your ‘business’ in
one place is Evernote. This incredibly handy app enables you to stash and sync
all your text notes, voice memos and file on your smartphone and then access
them through a desktop computer.
18. 18. Flickr
Price: Free
As well as supporting
Flickr uploading, this app also enables you to capture photos from within the
app and comes complete with a set of cool-looking filters, so you can
hipsterise your life with ease. It supports sharing with Twitter and Facebook
as well, so all your other, non-photo-nerd friends can enjoy the results of
today’s snapping session, too.
19. 19. Last.fm
Price: Free
The subscription-based
thrills of Last.fm open up an enormous world of music streaming on your
smartphone. You have to buy in to the somewhat strange Last.fm way of
organizing things and suggesting new music, but if you are easily led and not
restricted by bandwidth, it’s a superb tool.
