Monday, December 16, 2013

My Favorite Android Apps

John B. Marine | 12/16/2013 04:00:00 PM | | | |
Android is an excellent interface. You can find a good deal of apps if you have interest in apps. I want to suggest some apps in case you are inexperienced to Android. So what I've decided to do is share Android apps I like. If you want to know what Android apps I use and like, this is your blog post. I hope this will help you.


BEFORE I BEGIN...

These apps are based on applications I've used on certain Android devices. Apps are based on devices I've used. These are devices I've used, and for which my app recommendations are based on:

• Samsung Galaxy Player 3.6 (uses Android "Gingerbread")
• Samsung Galaxy Player 4.2 (uses Android "Gingerbread")

One other important thing to note is that these are all apps you can get from Google Play. So while you can upload almost whatever you want (even on a rooted Android device), this is a "better safe than sorry" list of Android apps I enjoy. With this said... let's begin with this post.

NOTE: I am not paid to discuss each featured app in the way I do. They are all discussed solely on personal opinion.





--- Favorite Android Apps ---

Android apps
^ from: www.infosecurity-magazine.com (links to article) (best image I could find to represent this post - So many applications (or apps) to choose from! Which are some of my favorites, though? Find out in this blog post!

There are so many different apps available for Android. Some may be Android-exclusive. Some others are for both Android and iOS and other mobile operating systems. I have long wanted to share some of the many Android apps I've used and enjoyed. This post was made available so I can share and recommend certain Android apps I use. Perhaps, some of the ones you see here may be some that you use! The initial date of this post only indicates some of the latest apps I enjoy using. Now in no way am I addicted to apps. However, I do want to share some of the many apps I use and enjoy willingly. So if you want to know some apps I'd recommend for a number of purposes, you've come to the right place and the right blog post.

Please note that all of these are based on the information posted earlier in this post- there may be some apps exclusive to Samsung as well as some apps that can all be found on Google Play. While you can download almost any app made available for Android devices- even on a rooted Android device, I want to make this post safe for everyone by featuring apps you can safely download through Google Play. Each of the links should take you to Google Play, where you can learn more about each featured app for your Android device.


I may update this blog post to include more apps I would recommend. So you may want to check for updates. Look for "UPDATED..." text at the top of this blog post to seek the latest updates or revisions.

Also note that not every app featured here may not be compatible with every Android device. Be sure to check Google Play to know what apps are and are not compatible with devices you've registered on Google Play.

Here are a list of apps I've used before and liked.


FM Radio (exclusive to Samsung).

One of the selling points of the Samsung Galaxy Player portable media players is FM Radio. The app allows you to listen to FM radio in your area. It is important I tell you that you need to have headphones to be able to access the FM Radio. The headphones act sort of as a receiver to help you receive the radio signal. The app allows you to store as few as four stations and as many as eight. When I used my Samsung Galaxy Player 3.6, I could only store four. My Samsung Galaxy Player 4.2 can store eight radio stations.


News and Weather.

The News and Weather app with base Android allows you to get news and weather updates in a simple program. What I love most about this app is that you can choose certain news topics that may interest you. Each topic you can choose from and choose to get news on is met with about 10 articles in that category from a variety of sources. For example, I use this app to get only certain news topics that interest me. I specially chose to get some kind of racing news. So what I did was specifically get my racing news from www.motorsport.com.

As for weather, you can choose to get your weather from certain sources. I prefer AccuWeather.

This program comes with widgets you can use for your Home screens. You can choose to show news, weather, or news and weather. The only real problem I have sometimes is that the device may often mess up my exact location. The app will say I'm located in South Houston or Pasadena sometimes- and I may be just at home here in Houston! So sometimes, you kind of have to refresh the material to reflect your actual location.


Memo.

I sometimes use the Memo app just to take down some quick notes to quickly reference to when I need to. I am uncertain as to whether or not this is for more current versions of Android, but at least the one I use for Android "Gingerbread" is very reliable and simple to use for typing in quick messages to quickly reference to things when I want to make certain quick notes.


Fancy Widgets.

Here is a fact- the first program I ever paid for from Google Play was "Beautiful Widgets." For as much as I thought this was a great program to dress up my Home screens, I was bitterly disappointed. I got rid of Beautiful Widgets and went back to Fancy Widgets. Fancy Widgets offers up a number of widgets to dress up your Home screens. You can pay money for more Fancy Widgets content, but Fancy Widgets in its base form is FREE.


WinAmp for Android.

I personally only use WinAmp for one reason- SHOUTcast. WinAmp does allow you to listen to a variety of different audio formats. You have to purchase WinAmp for Android to be able to use some of the other different perks and features of WinAmp. I keep WinAmp on my device mostly to listen to online streaming radio stations. As much as I use this for streaming media, WinAmp would often times not be able to play some of my WAV-format material. So I would recommend another app for that, which is...


jetAudio.

On my PC, I once used a program called jetAudio as my program for listening to a number of audio songs. Despite it being so excellent, I eventually have had to retire it and look for a better audio player. jetAudio for Android has been highly-rated and for good reason. Unlike WinAmp, this program lets you listen to a number of other formats. It also has better sorting of files. I usually sort my files by folder. Unlike WinAmp, however, jetAudio is not for online streaming. If you do like jetAudio, I recommend you purchase jetAudio Plus so that you don't have to worry about nagging advertisements while using the program. It even comes with some widgets you can use for your Android device's home screens.


Podcast Addict.

When you have Android, it is tough to get something like iTunes. A solution that worked for me was Podcast Addict. Podcast Addict is a very good program to use if you listen to podcasts. Since you don't have iTunes to fool around with in Android, the next best thing (at least to me) is to use Podcast Addict. You can even link to certain podcasts that are normally available through iTunes. As an example, I listen to the podcasts of Group Therapy Radio With Above and Beyond and the Global DJ Broadcast with Markus Schulz. Purchase Podcast Addict from Google Play to be able to use Podcast Addict without having to worry about nagging advertisements.


Text Edit.

Text Edit is a simple-sounding program that delivers an invaluable service if you type a lot. Rather than type up text on your PC or if you don't have a Bluetooth keyboard, you can use Text Edit to make and edit text files on your Android device. I sometimes copy-and-paste text from Text Edit for use in pasting comments to blog posts when using my Android device. It is convenient to me.


Yahoo! Sports.

I only mostly use Yahoo! Sportstacular app to get quick dibs on games either coming up or in progress. Those into pick 'em style sports action can pick whomever will win a certain game. You can use this app to keep up with all or most of your favorite sports.


Team Stream.

The Team Stream app from Bleacher Report only offers you the latest topics on the sports and teams you care about. I use this program from time to time to keep up on my favorite teams. Just choose the sports and news you want to follow. What the app will do is offer you the latest news and notes in the sports and teams you select. For example, I can set the Team Stream app to follow some of my favorite teams- like the Houston Texans and the Houston Rockets. What the app will do is find some of the latest articles on Bleacher Report and some of the latest tweets on Twitter in relation to my favorite teams. If you love sports, this is a great app to pick up.


Merriam-Webster.

It's always nice to know you can quickly look up a word you don't know the definition to. I regard Merriam-Webster as the very best dictionary anyone can use. You can type in a word you are unsure you know the definition to. Or, you can speak a word to this app, and it will try to find out what word you want defined. You can save certain words as favorites in case you want to know again and again what a certain word means or how it is spelled. So this program can be VERY useful to you all.


TuneIn Radio.

A host of streams are available to you ranging from local radio to international radio with the TuneIn Radio app. Listen to NOAA weather reports, police and fire radio, all or most of local radio, various national and international radio stations, and a lot more. TuneIn Radio has you covered! TuneIn Radio sometimes issues notifications for you to listen to the app to follow some of the latest stories in news and sports.


iHeartRadio.

The iHeartRadio app keeps you up with Clear Channel Broadcasting material. If you enjoy listening to various Clear Channel radio stations, this is an app for you to download.


Radio.com.

This is the Internet radio app for CBS Radio stations. Use this one to keep up with certain CBS Radio stations you otherwise may or may not be able to keep up with.


Barcode Scanner.

When you spot bar codes for certain items or QR (Quick Reference) codes, you can access certain online content. Barcode Scanner has been a program that has no problem allowing you to access unique material online. Just scan the item using your device's rear camera (granted it has one) to be able to access certain sites. You then need to accept going to that site. Of course, you must be careful in that you aren't accidentally accessing a suspicious website. Just know that this is about the best program I've used in scanning codes.


Currency Converter.

If you need a money conversion, use this app from OANDA to convert most currencies by their current rates. Maybe you want to buy something in US Dollars to a site or store that sells items in British Pounds or Japanese Yen. What's the conversion rate? If you have this app, you'll be set!


Facebook for Android.

Access Facebook on the go with Facebook for Android. You can use this program to stay connected with your Facebook friends in Android. Download the Pages Manager if you have a Facebook fan page and want to keep up with your Facebook fan page(s) on the go. You can add Facebook widgets to your Home pages so you can quickly keep up with Facebook activity. Only problem I sometimes have with this app is that the app may sometimes not respond for a few seconds and may make you want to kill the program using Task Manager. So if you sometimes may experience this problem, I recommend you set up a bookmark to Facebook Mobile through the Android Internet browser or your favorite Android browser.

(cheap advertisement) And if you're on Facebook, keep up with me on Facebook by "liking" my Facebook fan page at www.facebook.com/TheJohnMarine. :)


Twitter for Android.

Keep up with Twitter by getting the Twitter app for Android. You can conveniently send and receive Tweets from others. Only problem I've had some times is that the Twitter app sometimes takes too long trying to load up the latest Tweets. So you may want to make a bookmark for Twitter mobile.

(cheap advertisement) Keep up with my Twitter nonsense by Following me @johnbmarine! :)


YouTube for Android.

You can keep up with all the latest YouTube videos and be involved with all things YouTube through the YouTube app. This app keeps you in the YouTube loop via Android. Check out the latest videos and even get involved in the YouTube community through this app. If you have problems with the YouTube app, you may want to make a bookmark through YouTube's mobile web site.

(another cheap advertisement) I'm on YouTube! Find me at youtube.com/JohnMarineTube.


Bloglovin'

If you follow various blogs online (including my blogs), Bloglovin' is a great way to keep up with various blogs. The Bloglovin' app is as effective and useful in following blogs as Bloglovin' itself. You can even use this app to take a look at some of the best blogs in certain categories. For example, you can look up the best fashion blogs on Bloglovin' if you follow fashion. It can be a real useful app for you blog readers out there.

(last cheap advertisement- I swear!) Keep up with my blog(s) with Bloglovin'! Visit my profile page on Bloglovin by going to www.bloglovin.com/johnbmarine, then Follow any blogs of mine that interest you- including if "John's Blog Space" interests you.


World Clock.

World Clock allows you to learn times of places around the world. If it is 5:25 PM in Detroit, what time is it in Paris? You can choose several places to add so you can keep tabs on times in other places around the world. You can even set up a widget in your Home screens to know the time of other places.


WiFi File Transfer.

One of the biggest dilemmas is in trying to transfer files from an Android device to your computer. I was looking for some kind of way to put files onto my device without needing to plug it into the computer. I tried one WiFi program and didn't like it. Now enter WiFi File Transfer- a program that allows you to properly and efficiently send files wirelessly to and from your Android device. Your device will have a certain IP address when you activate the program. After activation, open a browser on your PC to access your Android device on your PC. Feel free to add certain programs or files to your Android device through WiFi. You can use it to send files wirelessly from your PC to your Android device. You have a limit of about five megabytes of data sharing between devices with WiFi File Transfer.


Again- if I find any more apps that I use and love, I will be sure to update this blog post as many times as need be. You may even recommend me some apps if you so choose. I'll be sure to have a look at them if my device(s) can support the app.





--- Android Apps: Special Request! ---

I want to share this with you all. If you enjoyed my blog post on Android apps, I'd like to direct your attention to the link below this paragraph. If you shop on Amazon, you are free to shop for Android apps and games by using the link below. All or most of apps you could get on Google Play can also be had on Amazon. I would appreciate your business if you found any Android apps you will enjoy using. Apps both free and paid are available here. Your involvement is voluntary (meaning you don't have to do this if you don't want to), but you can visit this link below to find a variety of Android apps for your Android device:

Amazon.com: Apps for Android

The one thing I am unsure of is that some apps may not be compatible with your device. Even still, you can properly see if your device(s) can support certain apps by visiting Google Play (formerly Android Market).





I wanted to do this topic for a long time here on "John's Blog Space." I am glad I finally rolled out this post for you all. Thank you for reading!

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