So now that I've written about gadgets in general and phones, in particular, time to spread the love and talk about those little pieces of code and innovation that make Android (or iOS) so much better than their Windows, BB or even Amazon counterparts: the apps. You see, while Microsoft might tell you that the number of apps in an app store might not be really relevant, the truth is that smartphone marketshare and app developer preference tell a completely different story. Microsoft might have been a couple of years too late to market with their Windows phones, but they are easily years behind in terms of app selection. The best new apps still come to iOS first followed closely by Android (Android version fragmentation does not help) and a year or so later, if at all, to Windows and other devices. Unless something changes very drastically, this is one battle Microsoft / BB are fated to lose.
For me, apps are the lifeblood of the entire ecosystem, enlivening what would otherwise be a bland piece of glass and some electronics. Android apps are especially interesting because, unlike iOS, very few settings or system functions are out of limits for app developers, as a result of which the user can customize and extend the functionality of his / her device beyond what Google or the manufacturer originally had in mind. And all this with little or no coding or advanced knowledge required.
So, let's get in to it. Here is my list of must-have apps for your Android device assuming, of course, that you have already installed and configured the essentials (i.e. Gmail, Watsapp, Facebook etc.)
Nova Launcher (Free)
There are tons of Android launchers available on the Play Store, but Nova is the best of the lot. A launcher takes the default home screen, app drawer and navigation on your device and allows you to completely customize and in the case of Nova, speed up your device as well. Nova is extensively customizable (even without unlocking the paid Prime edition), with smooth and lightning quick transitions and boasts of all the features that the default Google Launcher offers. Nova is recommended for anyone who has experienced laggy animations and slow performance, especially in older Samsung devices.
Swiftkey Keyboard (Free, with in-app purchases)
Swiftkey is THE definitive keyboard replacement. Just last year, Swiftkey made the decision to go the free-mium route (i.e. offer the app for free and charge for other things, like themes), but even without that, paying $1.99 for the app was never a tough decision. Swiftkey is incredibly smooth, quick at patching bugs and uncannily brilliant at text prediction. What's more, it learns from your typing behavior (so much so that I sometimes have entire chats with my wife without having to type a word), has a pretty good "Hinglish" keyboard and a brilliant Flow mode. Even compared to the fast improving Google Keyboard, SwitftKey holds its own.
Flipboard (Free)
Flipboard was the first, and perhaps only app, which managed to successfully replicate the look and feel of flipping through a magazine. It also has great curated content from a vast library of contributors, which is wonderful if you are looking for a particular topic and want to read the latest news or updates on the same. Just search for Football or Fashion or News and pin the same on the home page of the app and you are off. And if you are not really a news reading kind of person, Flipboard's got you covered for that with feeds for Facebook and Twitter as well. Just sign in to see your FB and Twitter feeds and flip through them like you would do a magazine. It's a different experience from the standard endless scrolling apps.
SMS Backup+ (Free)
Because being prepared for the worst case (losing your data as well as your phone) is always a good idea and because Android still does a bad job of restoring everything on your device. Having to factory reset your device (which you may need to do once in a while) is a hassle, but with SMS Backup, at least your SMS and call logs are safely stored in your Gmail inbox. It solves a specific need, because while the Play Store will save your apps, photos can be backed up to Dropbox or Facebook or Google Plus, no one has really provided an innovative and simple solution for the humble SMS and call log.
Inbox by Gmail (Free)
Gmail is pretty great, but when the guys at Google decide that they want to revolutionize email once more, you sit up, sign up for an invite and get yourself on that gravy train. Inbox is not all that different from the new versions of Gmail, but it is faster than any mail app around, it automatically categorizes your emails, shows notifications only for stuff that is really priority (bit of a hit and miss feature) and uses smooth gesture recognition to navigate around. It's still a work in progress but there are some killer features here, like the ability to snooze an email till you reach a particular location, say Home (great for reminding yourself to pay a bill when you reach home). It's a nice nifty app which shows a lot of promise.
ES File Manager (Free)
For an OS preferred by and developed by geeks, Android has lousy file manager system. Which would have been ok, if the latest Lollipop update hadn't replaced the earlier Gallery app with the new Photos app. Ever since that fateful day, I have had issues deleting videos from my device (which can be a problem due to the multiple Watsapp groups I am on). Step in the ES File Manager. The app is a basic bare bones file manager app which lets you do everything that Android should have allowed by default, by itself. Install it, use it and forget about it, till the next video of a cute baby comes along.
Agent (Free)
Agent is a recent addition to my phone, but its already something that I love. An automation app that brings driving, meeting and sleep modes to devices which don't have it automatically installed. It can see if there is a meeting on my calendar and automatically silences the phone and even allows you to reject any calls or messages during the duration of the meeting (you can configure who gets through and even allow messages to get through in case the word "urgent" appears in the message). It's pretty cool and puts the smart in to your smartphone.
Google Fit (Free)
This is an app that I have already covered here. But it's worth going over again particularly considering that step tracking apps which are accurate and don't take a toll on your battery are pretty hard to come by. There is virtually no installation process, no settings to switch on, just set up your target (in terms of active minutes), carry your phone and off you go. While this is no way a definitive fitness tracking app, this is a pretty good app especially if your phone does not come with an in-built pedometer.
Google Keep (Free)
A light, fast, little app which allows to you "Keep" notes, list and pictures on the cloud and access the same across devices. I use it for making a shopping list which I share with my wife and we can tick stuff off in real-time. It's pretty much the same functionality as Evernote which is also great but didn't make this list since I had a bad experience with Evernote a few months back and haven't gone back. Keep has been, if anything, quite reliable, which is what you want from such a basic app.
Google Drive (Free)
Now, as you would have guessed, I am quite a Google fan. So I have been using Google Drive to store a bunch of my documents online for quite a while now. Again, while Dropbox does pretty much the same stuff, the killer part here is the unbeatable integration with Gmail, allowing you to not only attach documents directly from Drive but also save attachments in to the Google Drive. No more having to download and re-upload them again. Saves a bunch of effort and you always have access to your important documents. Sounds like a must-have for a smartphone.
There are a bunch of other apps which just missed out, including Plex (it's a must have for a Chromecast owner, but a recent update to their Media Server has ruined the experience and I can't quite forgive them for it) and Commandr for Google Now (an amazing extension to Google Now that you should have if you like more control over your phone using your voice).
Let me know which of these must-have apps you have on your phone and which ones make your list.
For me, apps are the lifeblood of the entire ecosystem, enlivening what would otherwise be a bland piece of glass and some electronics. Android apps are especially interesting because, unlike iOS, very few settings or system functions are out of limits for app developers, as a result of which the user can customize and extend the functionality of his / her device beyond what Google or the manufacturer originally had in mind. And all this with little or no coding or advanced knowledge required.
So, let's get in to it. Here is my list of must-have apps for your Android device assuming, of course, that you have already installed and configured the essentials (i.e. Gmail, Watsapp, Facebook etc.)
Nova Launcher (Free)
There are tons of Android launchers available on the Play Store, but Nova is the best of the lot. A launcher takes the default home screen, app drawer and navigation on your device and allows you to completely customize and in the case of Nova, speed up your device as well. Nova is extensively customizable (even without unlocking the paid Prime edition), with smooth and lightning quick transitions and boasts of all the features that the default Google Launcher offers. Nova is recommended for anyone who has experienced laggy animations and slow performance, especially in older Samsung devices.Swiftkey Keyboard (Free, with in-app purchases)
Swiftkey is THE definitive keyboard replacement. Just last year, Swiftkey made the decision to go the free-mium route (i.e. offer the app for free and charge for other things, like themes), but even without that, paying $1.99 for the app was never a tough decision. Swiftkey is incredibly smooth, quick at patching bugs and uncannily brilliant at text prediction. What's more, it learns from your typing behavior (so much so that I sometimes have entire chats with my wife without having to type a word), has a pretty good "Hinglish" keyboard and a brilliant Flow mode. Even compared to the fast improving Google Keyboard, SwitftKey holds its own.Flipboard (Free)
Flipboard was the first, and perhaps only app, which managed to successfully replicate the look and feel of flipping through a magazine. It also has great curated content from a vast library of contributors, which is wonderful if you are looking for a particular topic and want to read the latest news or updates on the same. Just search for Football or Fashion or News and pin the same on the home page of the app and you are off. And if you are not really a news reading kind of person, Flipboard's got you covered for that with feeds for Facebook and Twitter as well. Just sign in to see your FB and Twitter feeds and flip through them like you would do a magazine. It's a different experience from the standard endless scrolling apps.SMS Backup+ (Free)
Because being prepared for the worst case (losing your data as well as your phone) is always a good idea and because Android still does a bad job of restoring everything on your device. Having to factory reset your device (which you may need to do once in a while) is a hassle, but with SMS Backup, at least your SMS and call logs are safely stored in your Gmail inbox. It solves a specific need, because while the Play Store will save your apps, photos can be backed up to Dropbox or Facebook or Google Plus, no one has really provided an innovative and simple solution for the humble SMS and call log.Inbox by Gmail (Free)
Gmail is pretty great, but when the guys at Google decide that they want to revolutionize email once more, you sit up, sign up for an invite and get yourself on that gravy train. Inbox is not all that different from the new versions of Gmail, but it is faster than any mail app around, it automatically categorizes your emails, shows notifications only for stuff that is really priority (bit of a hit and miss feature) and uses smooth gesture recognition to navigate around. It's still a work in progress but there are some killer features here, like the ability to snooze an email till you reach a particular location, say Home (great for reminding yourself to pay a bill when you reach home). It's a nice nifty app which shows a lot of promise.ES File Manager (Free)
For an OS preferred by and developed by geeks, Android has lousy file manager system. Which would have been ok, if the latest Lollipop update hadn't replaced the earlier Gallery app with the new Photos app. Ever since that fateful day, I have had issues deleting videos from my device (which can be a problem due to the multiple Watsapp groups I am on). Step in the ES File Manager. The app is a basic bare bones file manager app which lets you do everything that Android should have allowed by default, by itself. Install it, use it and forget about it, till the next video of a cute baby comes along.Agent (Free)
Agent is a recent addition to my phone, but its already something that I love. An automation app that brings driving, meeting and sleep modes to devices which don't have it automatically installed. It can see if there is a meeting on my calendar and automatically silences the phone and even allows you to reject any calls or messages during the duration of the meeting (you can configure who gets through and even allow messages to get through in case the word "urgent" appears in the message). It's pretty cool and puts the smart in to your smartphone.Google Fit (Free)This is an app that I have already covered here. But it's worth going over again particularly considering that step tracking apps which are accurate and don't take a toll on your battery are pretty hard to come by. There is virtually no installation process, no settings to switch on, just set up your target (in terms of active minutes), carry your phone and off you go. While this is no way a definitive fitness tracking app, this is a pretty good app especially if your phone does not come with an in-built pedometer.
Google Keep (Free)
A light, fast, little app which allows to you "Keep" notes, list and pictures on the cloud and access the same across devices. I use it for making a shopping list which I share with my wife and we can tick stuff off in real-time. It's pretty much the same functionality as Evernote which is also great but didn't make this list since I had a bad experience with Evernote a few months back and haven't gone back. Keep has been, if anything, quite reliable, which is what you want from such a basic app.Google Drive (Free)
Now, as you would have guessed, I am quite a Google fan. So I have been using Google Drive to store a bunch of my documents online for quite a while now. Again, while Dropbox does pretty much the same stuff, the killer part here is the unbeatable integration with Gmail, allowing you to not only attach documents directly from Drive but also save attachments in to the Google Drive. No more having to download and re-upload them again. Saves a bunch of effort and you always have access to your important documents. Sounds like a must-have for a smartphone.There are a bunch of other apps which just missed out, including Plex (it's a must have for a Chromecast owner, but a recent update to their Media Server has ruined the experience and I can't quite forgive them for it) and Commandr for Google Now (an amazing extension to Google Now that you should have if you like more control over your phone using your voice).
Let me know which of these must-have apps you have on your phone and which ones make your list.
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