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Posts Tagged 2.0

Top 5 Android Apps for Motorola Droid

Nov 17

Posted by Sam Lustgarten in Android, Apps, Cell Phones | 15 Comments

It’s been a couple weeks without my iPhone, I expected withdrawals; instead, I’m loving my new Droid. This device is powerful and when people ask what I think, I don’t know how to respond. You’ll like your iPhone, no doubt, but give this device a chance and you’ll go crazy over the Motorola Droid. But this isn’t a review, we’ve already done that.

I’ve been trying to hone in on the most important and vital apps for my new Android 2.0 phone. With the help of Twitter followers and Luke, I’ve come up with a great list of top 5 Android apps for my wonderfully powerful Droid. If you enjoy this, check out our Top 3 News and Weather Apps for Motorola Droid too!

  • Google Voice – [Link to Site]
    • GV_ScreenGVI’ve been addicted to Google Voice, it saves me something like $15 to $20 every month on texting and I can call ANY number with a secure, controllable line from Google. Google Voice may actually be more important, relevant, and usable than Google Wave. There’s so much potential with this technology. On an Android phone, unlike the closed off iPhone, you can have the Google Voice App take over all calls — even international ones! By taking over the device, any call that I make through the phone emulates my Google Voice number. No inconvenient Google Voice mobile website for me [on an iPhone], now I just make a phone call. The application transcribes my voicemails and allows for a visual form too. This visual system saves me yet another $2.99 — Verizon charges that for visual mail access.
    • Downsides: No messaging app support, SMS messages are not pushed (fetched at every 5 mins — fastest rate), must have a data connection to make phone call through GV number.
  • Pandora — [Link to Site]
    • Pandora_screenPandoraThis is nothing new, and it’s still the ultimate personalized radio. Pandora delivers a fantastic application and service to Android and iPhone. The experience is hindered by a basic ad on the bottom of the application, but it’s nothing compared to the ads and messages that Pandora places on its website. Pandora let’s you create personalized stations with a thumbs up/down voting system. It allows you to bookmark songs and artists for later viewing. The application also supports the adding and removal of new “stations” that can be based off of artist, song, album, etc.
    • Downsides: Advertisements on the bottom of application, improper Bluetooth support (doesn’t stop playing if Bluetooth headphones are disconnected), and still slow, despite the Droid’s processor power.
  • DoggCatcher — [Link to Site]
    • DoggCatcherDoggThere is no native application to download, subscribe, and listen to your latest podcasts. DoggCatcher is the perfect accoutrement to your powerful device. It comes at a price though, $6.99, which makes it one of the most expensive apps in the Market. In fact, it’s the only app that requires a purchase on this list. But it’s still well worth it and powerful. DoggCatcher lets you select and subscribe to your favorite podcasts, and unlike the iPhone (AT&T), you can download as large a file as you’d like. While burning through battery, it can download that 131 MB episode of Diggnation for immediate viewing. And if you don’t feel like burning through battery life, you can choose to have the device only download new episodes on Wi-Fi and/or while being plugged into power. Unlike Pandora, DoggCatcher responds to disconnects from headphones and Bluetooth, pausing where you are.
    • Downsides: Price tag ($6.99), no automatic downloads despite a subscription (still need to queue downloads), and small selection of suggested podcasts.

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“Droid Does” will lead to “iPhone Does Too”

Oct 18

Posted by Sam Lustgarten in etc. | No Comments

Just a few days ago, I wrote a post on the Google/Verizon collaboration and what that means for Apple.  Now, Verizon is gearing up with their campaign entitled, “Droid Does.” The campaign aims at the missing attributes of Apple’s little iPhone.

The iPhone doesn’t do/have: multitasking, a 5MP camera, open-source development, Google Voice, etc. But here’s an early prediction, Apple will soon have a face off with Verizon’s new “killer.” If the environment and competition warrants it, I foresee Apple and AT&T retracing a number of their preventative methods, which hinder the phone’s greater capabilities.

Verizon’s Droid is due to come out on October 30th, with some estimates pointing to an early November release date. Either way, the phone its accompanying specs will quickly stunt the iPhone’s growth; that is, if Apple and AT&T do nothing.

That’s where I think we’re going to get a healthy does of competition. Apple can quickly and easily allow apps to background and therefore multitask–it just takes the flick of a switch and a major press release to developers. All of a sudden, apps like Pandora and NPR, which stream over 3G/EDGE/Wi-Fi, will operate for as long as you want, even while checking your email. No doubt, their will be complaints over battery drain and AT&T’s horrid wireless network. But at least the iPhone will have built-in multitasking capabilities.

Soon after that, we could see a firmware update with a major megapixel upgrade to the iPhone. FM capabilities will be a must. Google Voice may soon be approved. And we could see improvements to AT&T’s troubled data network.

Maybe the last couple sentences are more of a hope than reality. But without a doubt, competition will force Apple to finally step up. It’s time to take advantage of everything the phone is already capable of!

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