Help Momentarily remorseful buyer--need app advice

[Grievous Angel]

Hello everyone. I purchased this tablet somewhat impulsively yesterday. I got rid of my original iPad shortly after I learned they were dropping iOS updates for it. I have grown generally wearisome of all things Apple over the past year or so and finally swore off ever buying an Apple product ever again over this Samsung lawsuit.

Of course I walked away from quite a few iTunes app and movie purchases. Sacrifices, right?

I'm not totally new to Android and am a very big fan--IN PRINCIPLE. I had the original T-Mobile myTouch and started evangelizing right from there. I have since been issued an iPhone for work, purchased a Samsung Galaxy phone for the wife and a very recent myTouch for my kid. Both very nice. I am absolutely lusting after the latest Samsung Galaxy 3.

My first step in Android redemption and renewal was to buy the Nexus 7 but I never could get comfortable with the idea of a 7 inch tablet so I settled on this one. So far I am happy with the device and the OS and can't wait to get the Jelly Bean update.

However, I am absolutely horrified by the Play Store and the applications. That is where Apple--at least at first blush--is absolutely trouncing Android. I need some advice--from the perspective of ASUS Transformer users--on the best apps available for this format. Unlike iTunes it is hard to separate the Tablet and "HD" versions from the phone versions, and finding apps so far has been like finding a bunch of iPhone apps to run on an iPad. Not good.

I have managed to find a suitable replacement for Reeder HD for iPad in the form of Reader HD for android. It seems full featured and "close enough" where I'm not feeling regret. This is after installing and deleting the offical google reader and gReader.

However, I'm still in the same boat trying to find a replacement for Alien Blue HD (for Reddit) . . I'm currently sitting on Reddit is Fun but find it to be lacking. Any favorites from you Tranformer fans for reddit?

And more generalized app advice would be welcome. Other "top shelf" apps in their category for the Transformer, good resources for finding apps, etc. Much appreciated.

Look forward to discussing and discovering with the rest of you . . .

 

[jerofld]

Apps don't have to be marked HD to work with the tablet. Android apps (generally) scale with the device, due to the large varieties of screen sizes and resolutions. It depends on the programmer, of course.

There used to be a tablet-only section in GPlay, but eventually they removed it due to improvements with app scaling. (I guess they sort of still do: https://play.google.com/store/apps/collection/tablet_featured?hl=en)

This may also help you find stuff: https://play.google.com/store/apps/...EsImNvbS50YWJsaWZpZWQudGFibGlmaWVkbWFya2V0Il0.

Although I don't know if/how outdated that may/may not be.

 

[Kookas]

Generally apps that follow the Holo design standards (Google it if you're not sure what that is) will scale up properly. Apps by big companies tend to be poor iPhone ports and scale up literally (i.e. not properly).

 

[Grievous Angel]

Generally apps that follow the Holo design standards (Google it if you're not sure what that is) will scale up properly. Apps by big companies tend to be poor iPhone ports and scale up literally (i.e. not properly).

Problem is, you can't tell just by looking in the app store. It's pretty clear in iTunes what is designed to work with the iPhone, iPad, or both.

You can only really get small clues from the screenshots in google play. My assumption going forward if they only include "phone looking screenshots" that their app won't work so well in larger form.

And I don't want to wantonly install/delete apps to try them as I've seen other references to Andorid apps being rather "windows like" when uninstalling, leaving fingerprints and traces--doesn't sound like a good thing.

 

[rsarno]

When on the play store, you can find "Staff Picks For Tablets" or something. There is maybe few hundred of the best tablet apps in there.

Otherwise there are many, MANY lists on these forums. Next time i come across one ill drop the link