The apps I used most throughout the year
Google Play now has about a gazillion apps to choose from. A cool part of our job here at Android Central is installing a lot of them and having a look. We then tell you about the great ones, other editors on other Android sites tell you about them as well, and the cream rises to the top. Some are from million dollar development houses, and some are from a guy like you or me who loves what he does, but what matters most is how well an app fits what you want it to do.
I’m not the biggest app user out there, and I find my tastes and choices are fluid. I’m not afraid to change what I use and like. A couple here are mainstream apps you’ll find on just about any list of great apps, and some less so. But they are all apps I would recommend to anyone and everyone.
Jump through, and have a look.
APTuner
Unless you have perfect-pitch ears, you need a tuner to keep your instrument in tune. APTuner is a great chromatic tuner with a perfect interface to keep my guitar tuned, and I don’t have to carry around yet another gadget.
Download from Google Play ($4.99)
CarHome Ultra
I recently switched vehicles, and no longer have an in-dash unit for GPS. CarHome Ultra, when combined with a good dash or window mount for my phone, gives me what I need and more. The interface is fully customizable and it’s easy to add shortcuts to the apps you need to the dash.
Download from Google Play (Free Trial)
F-Stop
The default gallery app on my phone is OK, but I need something that lets me sort local content by tags until i get a chance to upload and categorize everything. F-Stop does this and more, and includes great options for viewing like immersive mode and slideshow tweaks. It’s probably my overall favorite app of 2013.
Download from Google Play (Free Version)
mSecure
I have too many passwords to keep track of. You probably do, too. I use the mSecure password manager because it allows me to sync the master file across my own LAN, across all my smartphones and computers. I’m not usually paranoid about security, but a master list of all my passwords is not something I want someone else to have control of.
Download from Google Play ($9.99)
Notification Weather Premium
It sits in my notification bar, allowing me to have a clean desktop without a big gnarly widget. When I need to see the weather forecast I can swipe down and have a look. It also supports themes and multiple sources for weather.
Download from Google Play ($1.02)
Ever run across something on the web that you needed a better look than you can get from your phone? That’s what I use Pocket for. With a simple tap I can send a link to my own space in Pocket’s cloud, and access it from a tablet or a computer. Another of my often-used apps.
Download from Google Play (Free)
Press
News doesn’t have to look ugly. Press uses the Feedly service — which most Google Reader fans have migrated to — and delivers my RSS feed to all my Android devices. And looks damn good while doing it.
Download from Google Play ($2.99)
Riptide GP2
Tegra 4 device + Riptide GP2 = awesome.
Racing games are a long favorite here, and the Riptide series does the genre well. Great controls for a touch screen, even better with a controller, and incredible graphics make this a must-have for every gamer.
Download from Google Play ($2.99)
Shot Control
Shot Control is a replacement camera app done with the technical aspect in mind. Manual settings for everything your device will support — exposure value, ISO, metering and the like — all done in a way that’s familiar for folks used to a DSLR viewfinder. For phones with decent camera hardware but a horrible camera app (like the Nexus 4) it’s great!
Download from Google Play (Free Demo)