The end of the year is fast approaching! More people than ever were using their phones and tablets in 2011 to get things done. Besides my computer, my phone was probably my most used gadget of the year. I was on that thing constantly -- much to the detriment of my social life.
Since I spent so much time on my phone (in apps -- not making calls), I figured I should come up with a list of some of my favorite apps I've used this year. Not all of them were necessarily released this year, but I still found much enjoyment and use,
Changelog Droid (https://market.android.com/details?id=com.cypressw...)- Got sick of looking at each app in the Market to see what's new after an app updated. This has a nice list of all the recent changes. Really hate the ads though.
Tweetdeck (https://market.android.com/details?id=com.thedeck....)- This app has been around for a while and it has a bad reputation because people tried it when it was just released (and was really buggy). They haven't updated it in a while, but I can say if you like Tweetdeck on the desktop, you'll love the app for Android.
So I'm sitting at the airport, waiting for my plane to arrive and I just remembered another app that is awesome if you're away from WiFi (and I'm using it right now). EasyTether. Install the app, install some software on your laptop, hook up your phone via USB, and BOOM free internet tethering with your phone. No root required. No extra charges from your carrier. There's a lite version and a paid version. I think the only difference is the paid version allows you to visit secure sites. Anyways, download them here:
Google+: It is good to finally have Google+ sharing support system-wide. I haven't even used the Hangout feature on the phone yet, but look forward to it when I have some time. (https://market.android.com/details?id=com.google.a...)
Text Edit: I am writing the first draft of my current book using this app and a Bluetooth keyboard. It is so nice to be able to walk into the coffee shop without carrying the full laptop bag of distractions. (https://market.android.com/details?id=org.paulmach...)
Pretty tame list, I know, but I don't do a lot of "playing" on my phone. Rather, it is my primary means of keeping up with news and info, and getting things done while on the go. 90% of my usage goes into Gmail, Google Listen, Google Reader, Twitter, and Google+. There's no way I could keep up as well as I do without it.
Does ESPN ScoreCenter create notifications when one of your "My Teams" scores a goal? I heard this is a feature for iPhone's but I have yet to get a notification on android.
Another great sports app that I have found that I find superior to ESPN Scorescenter is ScoreMobile bit.ly/wSLd5D Great interface and it allows for customization of various alerts that you can choose from
Tweetbot:itunes.apple.com/us/app//id428851691?mt=8 - I don't constantly check my tweets, so I love this app for it's ability to load older tweets in a way that doesn't make me scroll up and down and up, to get through them all.
Apps for Things I Like: - This is my favorite category/folder on my iPhone, and it contains all the apps I have for keeping track of things I like and want to remember
Downcast: itunes.apple.com/us/app/downcast/id393858566?mt=8 - I listen to a lot of podcasts, and so far this is my favorite app to listen to them through. I've tried others, but this is my favorite, mostly because they offer many options to listen to the podcasts in 1.25x, 1.5x, 1.75x, 2x...etc speeds. I've found 1.5x is the best for me.
Songkick:itunes.apple.com/us/app/songkick-concerts/id438690... - This app will scan your music library and let you see where your favorite artists are having upcoming concerts near you. I love going to a nearby concert every once in a while, and this app is very helpful with that task.
Games:
Muffin Knight:itunes.apple.com/us/app/muffin-knight/id447610616?... - One of my favorite games of the year, it's a plat former and you try to collect as many muffins as you can while killing enemies at the same time. Very fun, and addictive game.
Space Miner: itunes.apple.com/us/app/space-miner/id353853276?mt... - This game has been out a while, but it's an amazing game. You go around space, collecting ore, shooting asteroids and dodging enemies. As you gain more money, you can upgrade your ship. Great game to check out if you haven't already.
Food/Restaurants:
Evernote Food:itunes.apple.com/us/app/evernote-food/id481893372?... - I cook /go out to eat a lot, and I love to be able to document the meals I have. This is a great app to do that with, and I'm excited to see what they bring to it in future updates.
Cor.kz: itunes.apple.com/us/app/cor.kz-wine-info/id2943791... - I love trying new wines, and this app is the best way to discover new wines that you'll love. It's great when you're in the grocery store, and want to see what other people rate a wine you see there. Just scan the barcode and it gives you a ton of info about that wine.
Mixologist: itunes.apple.com/us/app/mixologist-drink-recipes/i... - I just discovered this app, and it's great for finding drink recipes. You can input the alcohol and mixers you have laying around the house, and it will spit out all the drinks you can make with what you already have.
TV/Movies:
Sidereel: itunes.apple.com/us/app/sidereel/id417270961?mt=8 - I watch a lot of tv shows, and sometimes it's hard to keep track of what episode I'm on at any particular date. This app keeps track of all your shows, and you check off episodes as you watch them. Helps me out a lot, especially when I go away from a show for a while, and then come back to it, and I know exactly where I left off.
The Economist (iPad/iPhone) the best implementation of a digital magazine, the only one I subscribe to. It comes with an audio version of every issue.
Tweetbot (iPhone) with twitter's official app a mess now this is the best iPhone twitter app.
Runkeeper (iPhone) great run tracker with maps, pace and voiceovers.
MLB At-Bat (iPhone) still the best sports app even with its high price.
Al-Jazeera and NHK World (iPhone) streaming news when events happen and CNN, msnbc, and Fox News continue to suck.
Grand Theft Auto 3 (iPad) admittedly I never played the Playstation version so I'm experiencing it for the first time now. Controls are little wonky for accurate aiming, but otherwise it's thoroughly enjoyable.
I realize this isn't a new app but it's new to me and I finally caught the Twitter bug but I've been addicted to TweetBot this year. I use Instapaper and Kindle a lot as well as Editions.
Jetpack Joyride is probably the most compelling game I discovered this year.
-Instagram -Twitter (after update) -FourSquare -Pirq -LinkedIn (I put this on here because I really like this app, it destroys facebook's app) -Mirrors Edge (game)
