JettMartinez
Newbie
New to the forums and new to Andriod. Any suggestions on must have apps I should check out while waiting for my Epic to get shipped?
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Help Must have apps for an Epic Newbie?
- Thread starter JettMartinez
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- samsung epic 4g
Johnny Cakes
Android Enthusiast
Lots of apps will do useful things, depending on what your interests are. But for the gee-whiz, 21 century, impress your friends app, I would recommend one of the "smart" apps which use rules/conditions to modify your phone's behavior. For example, wi-fi ON, ring silent, when at OFFICE. Or, ring at max volume when at your kid's soccer field.
I still use Setting Profiles, just because I got it when it first came out and know it.
Most people seem to like Tasker now. If I were starting out, I'd probably check that one out first.
The only one to avoid is Locale. It was the first in this genre and was great for a while. Then it went to a (very expensive) paid app and, at the same time, completely changed the code. Numerous complaints followed. If they had just kept the same code, they might have gotten away with charging so much, but the high fee and lousy performance killed the app. That is exactly when Setting Profiles first launched which also caused the demise of Locale.
Anyway, a smartphone needs a smart app.
I still use Setting Profiles, just because I got it when it first came out and know it.
Most people seem to like Tasker now. If I were starting out, I'd probably check that one out first.
The only one to avoid is Locale. It was the first in this genre and was great for a while. Then it went to a (very expensive) paid app and, at the same time, completely changed the code. Numerous complaints followed. If they had just kept the same code, they might have gotten away with charging so much, but the high fee and lousy performance killed the app. That is exactly when Setting Profiles first launched which also caused the demise of Locale.
Anyway, a smartphone needs a smart app.
JettMartinez
Newbie
I'll check out Tasker too, sounds pretty handy.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Orlando Boom
Newbie
The first app I downloaded was Shazam. It's an app that records a few seconds of any song being played anywhere. You can be in a elevator and if you want to know the name of the song, just fire up this app and record. So many times I listen to a sweet song and trying to find the name only to fail and never hear it again 
The free one gives you 5 free a month. The paid one gives you unlimited plus a few other goodies.
The free one gives you 5 free a month. The paid one gives you unlimited plus a few other goodies.
Some of my "gee-whiz" show off apps to impress friends are:
Layar Reality Browser - Overlays your camera view with various information and map overlays including a restaurant search and wikipedia. It's neat showing them that you just swing the phone around and it overlays little pinpoints on relevant things.
Google Sky Map - A Google Labs app similar to Layar that overlays star formations and planet info over the night sky above you. You point the camera at Orion or the big dipper, etc and it draws the formation over the picture.
GBCoid - It never fails to impress people that I can play gameboy games on my phone.
Google Shopper - Another Google Labs app with pretty good integrations with image search (scan barcodes or just take a picture of something like a book, CD or game cover) and voice search for google marketplace. It's neat to pick up a random book or CD and then be ordering it from my phone or calling or getting navigation directions to the nearest store with it in stock all in a few clicks.
Shazam - Already mentioned, and the only one of my gee-whiz apps that is also available on iPhone
Layar Reality Browser - Overlays your camera view with various information and map overlays including a restaurant search and wikipedia. It's neat showing them that you just swing the phone around and it overlays little pinpoints on relevant things.
Google Sky Map - A Google Labs app similar to Layar that overlays star formations and planet info over the night sky above you. You point the camera at Orion or the big dipper, etc and it draws the formation over the picture.
GBCoid - It never fails to impress people that I can play gameboy games on my phone.
Google Shopper - Another Google Labs app with pretty good integrations with image search (scan barcodes or just take a picture of something like a book, CD or game cover) and voice search for google marketplace. It's neat to pick up a random book or CD and then be ordering it from my phone or calling or getting navigation directions to the nearest store with it in stock all in a few clicks.
Shazam - Already mentioned, and the only one of my gee-whiz apps that is also available on iPhone