Need help with cool apps for Android

[ACF]

I got an HTC Desire smartphone for Christmas and I want to be able to discover new apps for when I'm bored or whatever. I am not too much into technology so when I discover new stuff it's mostly by chance. Any help would be appreciated and rewarded with Tommy Points.

[Kwhit10]

Apps that I use


Handcent SMS: replaces default text client.
Dolphin browswer HD: web browser with tabs and easy bookmarks.
Hapipodcast: to download and listen to podcasts
Dropbox: I have this on all my laptops/desktops/and phones.  It's a folder that if you put files on it from one device it shows up on all the computers/phones that are linked in.
Files anywhere: if you upload files to this app you can then fax them anywhere from your phone.
Juice defender beta: helps save battery life
widget locker: can customize the lock screen
Screebl:  When phone is tilted in certain way it keeps screen awake.  Great if you read stuff on the phone and don't want it to sleep while you're reading.

[Bankshot]

There should be some sort of marketplace app (I think it's Google Marketplace, but I'm not sure) already installed on your phone where you can shop for other apps.  I have a Blackberry, so I'm not sure what the app on your phone is called.  I'm sure someone with an Android phone will chime in and help you out.

[GroverTheClover]

This isn't applicable to just Android but iOS too, on Gizmodo's website, they have a deals of the day (Dealzmodo) where they post free apps (which are normally paid apps) of the day for Android and iOS. It's essentially a woot.com version for apps.

[StartOrien]

Macho Man Randy Savage Sound Board has provided me endless fun.

[boom]

There's a bunch of cool things for the Android! I have an EVO and absolutely love it. I personally use the following, I tried to divide them into categories but some overlap obviously:

Phone Backup/ROMS:
Titanium Backup - creates backups in batches
RomBuddy - lets me use custom ROMs over the stock Android SenseUI. Let's me customize it. (Note: Must be rooted)

Production/Work:
Dropbox - sync docs between phone/pc
LogMeIn - lets me remote into my desktop/lappy
BeeJiveIM - IM client for all major chat apps
PrinterShare - lets me print from my phone
QuickOffice - Office for mobile
PDANet - lets me tether my lappy on the road
AndroZip - lets me extract zip files
Astro - file explorer
Scan2PDF - take a snapshot and make it pdf
Skype

Personal/Games:
Handcent - SMS client, personal favorite over stock
Google Maps
GMail
Google Voice
Google Goggles
Beautiful Widgets - lets me have music/weather/cal/clock customized on my homescreens.
Barcode Scanner
IMDB - app for movie info
ScoreCenter - ESPN
RingDroid - lets me create ringtones out of music on the phone (I dont know why I have this..it's cool, but I use vibrate 100% of the time).
Twidroyd - twitter app
Wolfram Alpha - lets me calculate almost anything
Ultimate NBA - useless facts that I'll never use but good for an argument settler!
Emulators/Roms - Gameboy, SNES, Playstation 1, Sega, etc..


I'm probably forgetting a few, but PM me for more information if you want.


EDIT: How could I forget. I also have SmartKeyboard which lets me switch my keyboard from the stock setup to other skins (such as standard Android, SenseUI, iPhone's, or whatever else you want to download).

Also, some people prefer Swype, which lets you swype your finger rather than peck.





 

[GroverTheClover]

There's a bunch of cool things for the Android! I have an EVO and absolutely love it. I personally use the following, I tried to divide them into categories but some overlap obviously:

Phone Backup/ROMS:
Titanium Backup - creates backups in batches
RomBuddy - lets me use custom ROMs over the stock Android SenseUI. Let's me customize it. (Note: Must be rooted)

Production/Work:
Dropbox - sync docs between phone/pc
LogMeIn - lets me remote into my desktop/lappy
BeeJiveIM - IM client for all major chat apps
PrinterShare - lets me print from my phone
QuickOffice - Office for mobile
PDANet - lets me tether my lappy on the road
AndroZip - lets me extract zip files
Astro - file explorer
Scan2PDF - take a snapshot and make it pdf
Skype

Personal/Games:
Handcent - SMS client, personal favorite over stock
Google Maps
GMail
Google Voice
Google Goggles
Beautiful Widgets - lets me have music/weather/cal/clock customized on my homescreens.
Barcode Scanner
IMDB - app for movie info
ScoreCenter - ESPN
RingDroid - lets me create ringtones out of music on the phone (I dont know why I have this..it's cool, but I use vibrate 100% of the time).
Twidroyd - twitter app
Wolfram Alpha - lets me calculate almost anything
Ultimate NBA - useless facts that I'll never use but good for an argument settler!
Emulators/Roms - Gameboy, SNES, Playstation 1, Sega, etc..


I'm probably forgetting a few, but PM me for more information if you want.


EDIT: How could I forget. I also have SmartKeyboard which lets me switch my keyboard from the stock setup to other skins (such as standard Android, SenseUI, iPhone's, or whatever else you want to download).

Also, some people prefer Swype, which lets you swype your finger rather than peck.





 

Just out of curiosity, how easy is it to root an Android device? I've heard some horror stories about Android powered Moto devices being nearly impossible to root. I have a Pre Plus and it's stupidly easy to root and overclock. (Konami code to get into dewmode)

[ACF]

I guess there's just about enough to get me started. Very cool and Tommy Points all around. Keep it coming if you've got something that hasn't already been mentioned.

Also, another cool thing is to be able to be in the forums and see everything as it is on a PC, instead of only text which you get on a regular cell phone. And you're able to hand out TP's, too 

[boom]

Just out of curiosity, how easy is it to root an Android device? I've heard some horror stories about Android powered Moto devices being nearly impossible to root. I have a Pre Plus and it's stupidly easy to root and overclock. (Konami code to get into dewmode)

Ummm, honestly it all depends on the device. With my EVO, I used unrEVOke's tool, where I literally clicked on a single button and it ran it's thing and boom, done.

xda and androidcentral usually have some good write-ups on how to do it for all devices, I'd check there.

I do like the Konami Code to get into the dewmode though!

[kozlodoev]

Just out of curiosity, how easy is it to root an Android device? I've heard some horror stories about Android powered Moto devices being nearly impossible to root. I have a Pre Plus and it's stupidly easy to root and overclock. (Konami code to get into dewmode)

For most devices, it's quite easy. There is an app (Universal Androot) with which you can root device just for one session (until phone reboot) or root it permanently if you so wish. It's fairly simple, and there is no need for any console programming. Unfortunately, it doesn't work with all devices, so check compatibility before trying.

The main problem with rooting Android devices may come from the fact that AT&T does not allow installing apps that do not come from the Marketplace, and Androot is obviously not to be found there anymore. However, there is a solution to this as well: use the Sideload Wonder Machine to install apps from your PC to your Android via USB.

If your phone is not from AT&T, then no need to worry about sideloading, of course

[kozlodoev]

Juice defender beta: helps save battery life

Apparently this doesn't work correctly with Android 2.1.

[bdm860]

I'm a simple guy, so  my apps are kind of simple:

I like to read old comic strips, so I have the following apps:

Calvin & Hobbes
Dilbert
Boondocks
DailyStrip (which has hundreds of comics, but I just use it to read Foxtrot).

Even though Calvin & Hobbes and Boondocks aren't written anymore, they all update daily and they re-run old ones in order, so it's still pretty cool and gives me a good chuckle every morning when I check them.

I don't know how things work for you over there in ACF land, but the most useful apps I use are:

Barcode Scanner: (there's several of these, just scan a barcode of a product at a store, and it tells you the price and if another store close by has it cheaper somewhere else).

Flixster: best movie app I've used (and I've tried a few).  Tells you what theaters are close by, what's playing at what theater, what's coming out soon, what's coming out on DVD etc.

Now the rest of the apps I use are games, which I tend to rotate out (but the games I play are pretty simple):

DroidEmuLite - let's you download old Nintendo, SNES, Genesis, Gameboy, etc. games.  (I use a different app called Rom Buddy to download the games).

Connect4 - if you want to get your butt whooped at Connect4 download this and I'll be more than happy to whoop you 

WordFeud - if you like scrabble this one is to have, seems like a large online community and you can play several games at once (because since you play on your phone you have like 24 or 48 hours to move, so it's good to have a few games going at once).


TrafficJam - a good puzzle solving game (you rearrange traffic to get your car out of the lot, get's pretty hard).

Abduction! and the Papi series of games (PapiJump, PapiRiver, PapiCatch, PapiPole, etc.) basically just move your phone to play the game, very simple but very fun.

That's about it for me.  Those are the main ones I find fun and useful, but I'm a simple guy.