Technology: 10 Essential FREE Android Apps!
I was so happy last christmas when my other half presented me with my new Sony Ericsson Android smartphone. Switching brand loyalty after eight years from trusty Nokia was difficult but he eventually convinced me that Android was the best way to go and this was a better phone (He's I.T. written all over him with a capital I.T. and so knows his software technology).
No offence to all iPhone enthusiasts as of course they have their merits, but during the purchasing decision process an Apple product was never a likely option for me. I seem to have a unique view in the world when it comes to Apple products and get awkward shocked looks when I explain that I find their goods quite standard and bland looking - C'mon it's not like I just ran over your cat! - I know they come in all colours of the rainbow but I've never been a fan of their 'one button does all philosophy' and think it takes away from the overall look and personality of the hardware. But then again I had a Creative Nomad Jukebox mp3 player in 2000 when no-one really knew what 
an mp3 player was and before iPods where on the market (they launched 2001) and do possess a little tech knowledge myself. BTW the above comments are not to offend the great work of genius Steve Jobs (R.I.P.) - well done on the insightfulness, innovation and marketing campaigns.. Skipping slightly ahead to the following Android Apps, many of which I'm sure you can obtain for the iPhone or Symbian operating systems - these are 20 of my favourite FREE Android Apps..
1. Advanced Task Killer (Preserve Battery Life) - This app may not be very exciting but it does an all-important job - it protects the life of your phone battery! It allows you to switch off other apps that you may not be using to save on battery power and shows you how much memory you are using while using other apps. Android does its own task management, but as someone who is still using Android 2.1, this helps immensely.
2. Astrid Tasks (Organiser) - Do you like 'To-do' lists? Indeed, the only chance any of us has to manage our increasingly complicated lives is with lists to make sense of them. Paper lists are great, but on the Android platform, Astrid is the best task manager I've used. It syncs with just about everything, from Outlook and Google Tasks to Remember the Milk. Add this download to your list today.
3. Tiny Flashlight & LED - turns your phone into a powerful little latern. It can use both the screen’s brightness and the flash bulb for the camera, the latter providing enough light to see in even the darkest places.
4. Google Maps - Download the latest release of Google Maps and never carry a paper map again. Get Google Maps with Navigation (Beta), Places, and Latitude. Navigation: Free, voice-guided GPS navigation system, Places: Find, rate, and get recommendations for places, Latitude: See friends on the map and check in at places.
5. Facebook - Social networks thrive with a reliable app and Facebook's for Android is solid. The Android version has the quintessential Facebook-branded interface but some unique functionality that's absent in Facebook's iPhone App such as the side-scrolling preview pane of recently shared photos in the dashboard area.
6. Double Twist (Music player) - All I ever wanted from my phone
was to sync with iTunes and be able to move playlists and music files.
Apple wants this to be an exclusive feature of the iPhone and iPods, but
thanks to DoubleTwist, it doesn't have to be. Install DoubleTwist on
your PC, install it on your phone, and you can get access to your iTunes
playlists in minutes. This app is an iPod killer, pure and simple.
7. FX Camera
- Not every smartphone running Android has a great camera, so get
better photos with the help of a little software. The free app 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.
8. Kindle (Books) - Amazon has sold a lot of
Kindles, but its real strategy is to make Kindle books available on
every device: iPad, iPhone, and, of course, Android phones. 'Kindle for Android' shows you color covers of all you books and will remember your location
across devices. It also lets you adjust your screen brightness for
maximum readability. Recently, it added support for newspapers and
magazines. If you have a Kindle account and an Android phone, you have
to have this app.
9. ConvertPad - ConvertPad and ConvertPad Plus are the most powerful and fully featured Unit converter, Currency converter and Calculator. This app is a simple but the most powerful unit converter to use.
10. Twitter - The best app for Twitter is Twitter
(although some people would actually disagree with that). 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.