Best Android Apps: Top 10 Picks

The Android based phones have a various of applications available. For the new Android user, it can almost be overwhelming choosing which apps to install. With the recent release of new Androids handsets from major brands like Samsung, Motorola, HTC, and Google, the Android developer community has been given a boost to crank out good quality Android software. Today, Android Marketplace features more than 10,000 apps from personal finances to games and utilities. While some applications are more useful to some than others, here are my top 10 Android apps.

1. WiFi Analyzer
If you need to see what wireless networks are around you and how strong their signals are, this is the application for you. It is also useful for troubleshooting Wi-Fi as it shows what channel the network is using and where various networks overlap. It can also indicate secure versus open networks.

2. App Manager
App Manager is an Android application that makes managing your applications simpler. It allows you to backup unprotected applications to your SD card. It will also allow you to easily uninstall an application and to reinstall an application from your SD card. 

3. Connect Bot
Connect Bot is an absolute must-have application for anyone that works with Unix or Linux servers. This app is a very decent and capable secure shell client for the Android phone. Connect Bot is an SSH Client for the Android Phone which allows you to connect to remote servers directly from your hand-held device.

4. Ping
This is another top Android app for anyone that works with networked computers. Need to know if your web server is up and running? Ping will let you check from your Android phone. This application does just what it says, it allows you to send ICMP pings to a server from your Android phone.
 

5. Bar Code Scanner

This Android application uses the camera in your phone to read bar codes. This application reads both UPC style bar codes and QR codes. This application works with other Android applications such as the Amazon application to look up information and prices on products.

6. Got to Do
If you use David Allen's Getting Things Done organizational system, you will love Got to Do. This Android application implements the core concepts of GTD to manage tasks and projects.

7. Handcent SMS
The default messaging application on Android is pretty capable but it lacks a few features like saving MMS attachments. Handcent is a great replacement that shows messages in comic style bubbles, supports saving MMS attachments and has virtual greetings you can send to your friends.

8. Snap Photo Pro
Snap Photo Pro is a win at only $0.99 for the application. This Android application replaces the camera application that ships with Android. It features a software zoom and a stabilization. It also shows a grid representing the horizon and supports adjusting the white balance. I've found that this Android application takes much better photos than the default one.

9. Shazam
I love music. And I love finding new music. Shazam is an Android application that can listen to a piece of music at a club or on the radio and identify the title, the album and the artist performing it. Amazingly, it is extremely accurate and works even on non-English songs.

10. Pic Say Pro
Photoshop for Android is still very much in its infancy but Pic Say Pro is an Android application that has a number of photo editing features. Even the free lite version outperforms the current incarnation of Photoshop for Android. This is a must have for editing your photos on the Android.

There are lots of Android applications available today. Some are clearly better than others. My top 10 Android applications include networking tools, replacements for some of the default Android applications, a organizer,  photo editor and music application. These top 10 Android applications will give you a great start with your Android mobile device.

May be useful... ^_^