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Is the mobile operating system Android a threat to the iPhones high standing in the marketplace? Not quite, but it could be. The only phones that Android is available on are the G2 Touch, HTC G1, Samsung 7500, HTCMagic and most recently, the HTC Hero (which I bought).It has been gaining popularity slowly, but surely.
Certainly, the volume of Android apps currently available pales in comparison with the iPhone, Android is still an infant. Thats not to say that the apps are not powerful, they are, very much so. And eventually, with the open source nature of Android, and developer support, will produce better and even more powerful apps than the iPhone (thats a little controversial).
In this post you will find 45 Google Android Apps that demonstrate the potential power of Android. And yes, it is the perfect iPhone replacement.

What is Android?

50 Cool Android AppsAndroid was built from the ground-up to enable developers to create compelling mobile applications that take full advantage of all a handset has to offer. It was built to be truly open. sFor example, an application can call upon any of the phone’s core functionality such as making calls, sending text messages, or using the camera, allowing developers to create richer and more cohesive experiences for users. Android is built on the open Linux Kernel. Furthermore, it utilizes a custom virtual machine that was designed to optimize memory and hardware resources in a mobile environment. Android is open source; it can be liberally extended to incorporate new cutting edge technologies as they emerge. The platform will continue to evolve as the developer community works together to build innovative mobile applications.
(Source: www.android.com).

Andoroid 1.5 Video Demo

The latest version of the Android platform brings new features, improvements, and enhancements to Android-powered phones. View some of these demos below.

Android Utilities
Astrid – Simple Task Recording Dashboard

50 Cool Android AppsAt first glance Astrid appears to be a basic Task Manager. It is so much more. Astrid is a very easy to use and feature rich task or tracking system designed specifically to make you more productive with minimal fuss.

Astrid Video Review/Demo

Visual Voicemail Client

50 Cool Android AppsYouMail Visual Voicemail lets you see, play, read, and manage your YouMail voicemail, directly from your phone. Be warnrd, it does not work with all mobile carriers.

Visual Voicemail Client Video Review/Demo

AndFTP – FTP, FTPS and SFTP Android Client

50 Cool Android AppsAndFTP allows you to manage several FTP servers simultaneously, it provides you with both a device file browser and a FTP file browser, it also provides download and upload features with support for easy download resuming. You can use the device menu to rename, delete, copy, set permissions and it can also create folders.

No Signal Alert

50 Cool Android Apps No Signal Alert detects when your phone is in a “dead zone” or with zero bars and immediately sends a customized alert to the user, notifying him or her that the phone currently has no service. The alerts are customized by the user, which means that you get to pick how you want your phone to alert you that there is no phone signal.

Waze:Way To Go

50 Cool Android AppsWaze is a social mobile application providing free turn-by-turn navigation based on the live conditions of the road.
100% powered by users, the more you drive, the better it gets. Join the community of drivers in your area today and experience the power of Waze for yourself.

Mobile Defense: Recover and Protect

50 Cool Android AppsMobile Defense displays real-time location information of a lost or stolen phone on an interactive map. In addition to locating your phone, Mobile Defense offers a robust set of tools to safeguard your privacy and data: Remotely lock and backup, notification of suspicious activity and fraud detection, monitor SIM card changes, proximity alerts, and other unauthorized actions.

Mobile Defense Video Review/Demo

chompSMS

50 Cool Android AppsWant more features for your SMS messaging? Then chompSMS is for you, with lots of extra features like chat-style bubbles, contact pictures, quick reply, signatures, heaps of customizations, and more!
You can use chompSMS as a replacement to the built-in Messaging application, and send SMS messages via your mobile carrier as you normally do. Or, if your mobile carrier charges a lot, you can buy credits to send SMS messages via the chompSMS network, which can be much cheaper.

Enkin: Navigation Reinvented

50 Cool Android Apps“Enkin” introduces a new handheld navigation concept. It displays location-based content in a unique way that bridges the gap between reality and classic map-like representations. It combines GPS, orientation sensors, 3D graphics, live video, several web services, and a novel user interface into an intuitive and light navigation system for mobile devices.

Enkin Video Review/Demo

Wiggle

50 Cool Android AppsWiggle is an application for Google’s Android OS that allows you to set phone profiles based on the wireless networks in range. You do not need to be connected to a network in order for your profile to be applied, all you have to do is be “in-range”.
Wiggle uses your phone’s Wireless to detect networks in range, as well as networks that you have connected to in the past. When you start the application for the first time, you are presented with a list of “Remembered” networks and “Available” networks. A third option “Connected” will also appear if you are currently connected to any network. “Remembered” networks are those networks that you’ve previously connected to and are currently saved on your phone. “Available” networks are those networks that are currently in range.

Foursquare

50 Cool Android AppsFoursquare’s a fun location-based social network that quickly shows you what your friends are doing. It also doubles as a game, where checking into locations earns you different badges and points toward your city’s leader board. Now Google Android users can get into the game, with a gorgeous Android app that makes even the iPhone version of Foursquare look a little shabby.

Layar Reality Browser

50 Cool Android AppsLayar Reality Browser 2.0 is an app that will bring you real time digital information on top of reality from your camera screen.

Layar Reality Browser Video Review/Demo

City Audioguides

50 Cool Android AppsCity Audioguides uses the Android frameworks positioning and other technologies to improve your travelling experiences by delivering audio content relative to your current physical location. Bringing museum-like audioguides to a larger scope.

WordPlayer v3

50 Cool Android AppsWordPlayer is a book reader. You can download from amongst thousands of books in seconds or load from your SD card. Its page navigation, bookmarking, and many customizable settings make reading a breeze.

Rotary Dialer

50 Cool Android AppsAre you bored of your traditional touch button keypad? Roll back the years and download this retro Rotary Dialer for Android.

Compass for Android

50 Cool Android AppsCompass for Android is a navigational instrument for determining direction relative to the Earth’s magnetic poles.

fBook

50 Cool Android AppsfBook is an Android app that wraps and optimizes the Facebook iPhone website for your Android phone. In addition to the features available from Facebook’s iPhone web app, fBook adds several important new features.

fBook Video Review/Demo

GPS Status 1.4.1

GPS Status is an application which displays the information received from the phone’s GPS receiver. In addition to the basic location information it can extract and display the state and location of each visible GPS satellite which is displayed on a simple sky view. The outer circle represents the horizon while the center corresponds to the zenith right above your head. The little blue arrow represents true north, while red means south.

My Tracks for Android

50 Cool Android AppsMy Tracks is an application that enables you to record GPS tracks and view live statistics – such as time, speed, distance, and elevation – while hiking, biking, running or participating in other outdoor activities. Once recorded, you can share your tracks, upload them to Google Spreadsheets and visualize them on Google My Maps.

My Tracks Video Review/Demo

PicSay

50 Cool Android AppsWith the free edition of PicSay yu can spice up the pictures on your Android mobile by adding word balloons, titles, graphics, and effects like distortion, color correction and highlighting. All in a fun, intuitive, and easy-to-use interface.

Media Androids Apps
Shazam on Android

50 Cool Android AppsShazam is one of the coolest apps available for your Android phone. With Shazam you can identify music tracks, store them, and buy them; plus you can learn more about the artist and connect to their MySpace page. A must download.

Last.fm Android

50 Cool Android AppsWith the Official Last.fm Android App you can choose an artist or genre and Last.fm builds the perfect playlist just for you, fresh every time, featuring your favorites and new discoveries powered by millions of Last.fm users sharing the music they love. You can skip any song and find out about concert dates, too.

TuneWiki

50 Cool Android AppsTuneWiki is an application that downloads songs lyrics from the web and shows them synched with the song in real time, karaoke-style.

TuneWiki Video Review/Demo

Meebo for Android

50 Cool Android AppsThe Meebo service lets you access your buddies on all the major networks (AIM, Yahoo!, MSN, Google Talk, ICQ, Jabber) and gather them into one single and easy to manage buddylist.

IMEEM – What’s on your playlist?

50 Cool Android Appsimeem is a social music service, enabling music fans to discover, interact and express themselves with music and playlists, and connect with other people based on shared tastes and interests. With the downloadable Android app you can create stations with free streaming music from your favorite artists, stream the music you’ve uploaded, discover new music through recommendations and features, share your favorite songs with friends via email and you can also buy songs from Amazon MP3 with one click. Cool.

AudioManager

50 Cool Android AppsAudioManager is a home-screen widget that allows you to get live readings of your current volume levels on your Android phone (similar to your computer’s Volume Mixer). The widget shows the current volume for the following streams: Music and media volumes, as well as controlling alerts, voice, alarms, system and voice call volumes.

Qik – Share Live Video

50 Cool Android AppsQik enables you to share your video moments live with your friends, family and the world—directly from your mobile Android phone.

Spotify

50 Cool Android AppsSpotify is a digital music service that gives you access to millions of songs. Online the service is free, via your mobile you need to signup for a premium membership. Mind you at $10 a month its not a lot for what you get.

Spotify Video Review/Demo

Social Media and Services Android Apps
Babbler – Facebook Android

50 Cool Android AppsWith Babbler you can see your newsfeed and your friends’ walls, comment & like wall posts, change your status, write on walls, view friends’ profiles, view events, browse friends’ photo albums and tagged photos, background notifications, background photos/videos uploads, share links from Browser or Youtube and also share photos/videos from the Gallery.

Cutewit

50 Cool Android AppsCuTewit comes with choice of two home screen widget. A 4-icon wide widget allows you to scroll through 20 twits right from the home screen. You can also post a quick update right from the widget. A micro widget shows you profile image of latest twit and count of unread twits. It occupies only a single icon space.

Twidroid

50 Cool Android AppsTwidroid is an award winning Twitter and identi.ca application for Android. There are two versions available, premium and free. The powerful free version is packed with all the features you would excpect from any Twitter client and is sufficient for any everyday user. The premium version, which is only $5, gives you added features like video-posting and multi account suupport iand is aimed more for the Twitter power user.

Tidroid Video Review/Demo

Pocket Auctions for eBay

50 Cool Android AppsPocket Auctions for eBay lets you bid, compare prices, and search active and completed items on eBay all from your mobile phone! View pictures, read item descriptions, check on items you’re bidding on, watching, and selling in My eBay, and receive automatic phone alerts when you are outbid or when your items sell.

PayPal Application for Android

50 Cool Android AppsThis application will give you easy access to your PayPal account right from your Android phone. Features include: Direct integration with the contact list, recent history and balance checks.

iCraigslist

50 Cool Android AppsiCraigslist was intentionally designed and implemented for iPhone usage, but it works really well and looks really nice in any modern PC browser and Google Android gPhone as well, offering a neater, tidier and more organized new look & feel compared to the original version.

wpToGo

50 Cool Android AppswpToGo is a small application that allows you to publish posts on your Wordpress blog. You can upload new posts including the title, content, tags and select multiple categories with multiple wordpress accounts. You can also upload a full size image and thumbnail, customize the thumbnail size and you also have the option to publish instantly or to save it as a draft.

Aloqa

50 Cool Android AppsAloqa is a mobile service that proactively notifies you of interesting places, events, and Facebook friends near you. Instead of having to search, you can just look at your phone and see your favorite hotspots, friends, events of interest, and recommended bargains close by. Whenever You Want. Wherever You Are.

WikiMobile

50 Cool Android AppsWith WikiMobile, you access to all 2 million Wikipedia articles, including pictures and quick facts. Bookmark your favorites for quick and easy tracking.

Google Android Apps
Google Sky Map

50 Cool Android AppsWith Google Sky Map you can discover and browse the night sky just by pointing your phone to space. Using the phone’s orientation sensors, you can view a star map for your location. Explore planets, stars, constellations, and a hell of a lot more.

Google Sky Map Video Review/Demo

Google Maps

50 Cool Android AppsGoogle Maps on Android uses the built-in GPS to show your location on the map. And if GPS reading is temporarily unavailable, My Location shows your approximate location on the map. So you can always find where you are.

Google Maps Video Review/Demo

Google Voice

Places Directory

50 Cool Android AppsPlaces Directory allows you to browse nearby places in categories like Restaurants, Movie Theaters, Hotels and Banks. You’ll see distance and directions to the destination, and if you tap on the listing, you will receive ratings and photos. You can also call the business or view its location on Google Maps.

Places Directory Video Review/Demo

Voice Search

50 Cool Android AppsYou can start searching by voice with just the touch of a button. On the home screen search widget, look for the microphone button right next to the search box and the search button. Press that button, wait for the “Speak now” prompt, and then say your query. You’ll soon see search results formatted for the Android browser.

Google Voice Search Video Review/Demo

Internet and RSS Android Apps
Opera Mini

50 Cool Android AppsIf in the off chance you don’t like the minimal functionality of the web browser (Chrome) that is packaged with Android, you might like to try Opera Mini. Opera Mini is the closest fully functional desktop-like web browser that you can find.

Android-RSS

50 Cool Android AppsThis fully functional Android RSS reader was originally created as a way to learn the new Android platforms SDK. Its simplicity and minimal features are what I loved about this app, sometimes you just want the headlines and not an overblown feature heavy app that takes an eternity to set up.

OI News Reader

50 Cool Android AppsGet the latest news to your phone with the OpenIntents News Reader. Subscribe to popular feeds or add your favorite blogs RSS feeds and you will always be up-to-date with its automatic updating. You can also read the feeds offline.

….finally
Rounded Labs Widgets

Android app developers, Rounded Labs, have recently released five small individual, but very useful apps. They are ringer, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, brightness and GPS toggle widgets. I have found that these are the apps that I use the most frequently.

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There are 37 Comments › Leave your comment
  1. Ansar Mehmood
    15 Sep, 2009

    Hey Paul,

    Glad you like our widgets and thanks a lot for the mention.

    Regards

    Ansar

    Reply

  2. Yael K. Miller
    15 Sep, 2009

    As an Android user who loves it, thanks for collecting these apps.

    I’d recently been importing my books in Google Books so I can see what I have. This ability is fueled by two Android apps which enable me to scan an ISBN and upload the info to Google Books

    Book Mobile is the app that sends the information to Google Books. Its scanning function is powered by Barcode Scanner. You also have to install Barcode Scanner for Book Mobile to work.

    Reply

  3. Aaron
    15 Sep, 2009

    You may not have known it but Pandora internet radio just released an app and Facebook released their official app which I like more then fbook. They were both released just last Friday

    Reply

  4. Jelle
    15 Sep, 2009

    I think eBuddy for Android is waybetter then Meebo for Android. Compare it for your own: http://www.ebuddy.com/android/

    Reply

  5. James
    15 Sep, 2009

    Hey, you missed GPS Logbooks.
    I was watching a guy last night flying his Cessna 172 on my phone in real time! Sweet.

    Jim

    Reply

  6. Spork Lover
    15 Sep, 2009

    Interesting phrasing of the headline…. but I have one question or maybe an observation.

    Iphone is a OS/Software + Hardware package.

    Android is a OS. You can’t call Android a perfect replacement without mentioning which piece of hardware you are basing this off of.

    Reply

  7. Glenn
    16 Sep, 2009

    That was a great post, thankyou. I didn’t realise the variety and quality of apps out there to be honest.
    It’s really good to see Android start to take off, although I think that the market for Android is different to that of the iPhone, as are the products themselves. Android is more of a geek friendly OS that is quite open and customisable, not to mention free, while the iPhone is a single device, running on a closed and controlled environment, that has the quality of its design to allow general users to achieve tasks much more easily than they have previously been able. For instance, see how long it takes to do a google search on windows mobile vs an iphone.
    Keep up the great work.

    Reply

  8. dootzky
    16 Sep, 2009

    great list of apps dude, thanks a lot! :)

    cheers from Serbia,
    dootzky

    Reply

  9. Jeff
    16 Sep, 2009

    Glenn, think about how easy it is to do a google search on android vs an iphone :)

    Reply

  10. Kavan Wolfe
    16 Sep, 2009

    Yes, yes, this is all well and good, but until it syncs with iTunes or a similarly feature-rich media library, it’s no iPhone replacement. If the Palm Pre can do it, so can an Android app.

    Reply

  11. sean
    16 Sep, 2009

    Wonderful collection.

    Reply

  12. daglawy
    16 Sep, 2009

    hi there, great blog – great postthanks for sharingfeel free to visit my bloghttp://foundhere.co.cc

    Reply

  13. wien
    17 Sep, 2009

    cool, thank u

    Reply

  14. Ulrik
    17 Sep, 2009

    Nice list. Android is interesting and worth following, but not an iPhone killer yet. (Maybe it will be in the future, at least the competition is a benefit for the cosumers). However the apps listed here are nothing but ordinary and for 90% (+/-) available on iPhone as well. Even as an iPhone user I hope Android developers keep up the good work – when OS and apps have matured I’ll swap from iPhone to Android :) I guess it’ll take at least a year before it has matured enough for the iPhone user to see the light ;)

    Reply

  15. Ben S
    17 Sep, 2009

    No mention at all of Trapster? or Skype? Sure they are in their beta stages but they are still very useful.

    Reply

  16. Markus
    21 Sep, 2009

    Don’t forget: Buddyrunner for your workout: http://www.buddyrunner.com/

    Reply

  17. philmiller
    21 Sep, 2009

    This is exactly why I need Verizon to get an Android phone! Windows mobile can’t even compare to this!

    Reply

  18. Sonia Kofman
    23 Sep, 2009

    hey, i think you missed http://www.wikipock.com/. very interesting tool you can use in order to get all the information you need from Wikipedia in a very simple, effective, and fast way. available in 17 languages.

    Reply

  19. Randy
    25 Sep, 2009

    what’s the best podcast freeware for android?

    Reply

  20. Chris
    27 Sep, 2009

    Check out SomaView for Android – augmented reality that just works!

    Find places to eat and drink, photos, transportation, hotels, sights, tweets, nightlife, shopping, and videos. Backed by the most famous data sources (currently Flickr, Google, Panoramio, Qype, Twitter, Wikipedia, and YouTube) SomaView finally enabled easy to use and user-friendly augmented reality.

    Reply

  21. Jack
    8 Oct, 2009

    I’ve just order my first Android (HTC Hero) phone and I can’t wait to try all these widgets out. Bookmarked ! Thanks.

    Reply

  22. gamierge
    18 Oct, 2009

    Merci beaucoup! Very usefull list of apps. Très bon travail :-)

    Reply

  23. manny
    22 Oct, 2009

    great list am sure to get an HTC hero, so awesome

    anyway i would say android phones will eventually overwhelm the iphone in affordability (with most of the same functionalities) and get a lot more popular all over the world.

    outside the USA the iphone is not really that popular, specially in japan where android is to be available in many, many phones.

    android is the substitute of symbian which is still the dominating OS

    oh and don’t forget android “smartbooks” ($200, 10 hour battery, fanless mini laptops, to be released in december) will be the perfect combo for your phone

    Reply

  24. Mary Ann
    4 Nov, 2009

    Great list- thanks. I love a good Android app list… but don’t forget:

    Androids need nourishment too, so don’t forget to pick up some free Cooking Capsules from the Android Market.

    Choose from our menu of tasty recipes, then:

    Watch: a quick how-to show after work.

    Shop: with the grocery checklist @ the store

    Make: with the step-by-step list at home

    http://www.cookingcapsules.com
    @cookingcapsules on Twitter

    Find the “Cooking Capsules Taster” in the Lifestyle section of the Android Market (search for “cooking”) and look for more new recipe collection apps (to be announced very soon) so stay tuned!

    Please help us spread the word!

    ;-)

    Reply

  25. Rose
    11 Nov, 2009

    Great post. Check out a cool new app that just launched– AddressBook by Asurion Mobile, where you can add content from Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, etc. right into your contacts and then set notifications for just the type of content you want from only the people you want (not all your friends or followers).

    Reply

  26. senior phone
    16 Nov, 2009

    These apps seem cool, but the phones don’t look very easy to use.

    Reply

  27. Glen
    7 Dec, 2009

    I found a app excelent…”Squirrel” is very nice for you can remember the locations and come back using the radar…:-D…But my favorite option is than you can export your point like .gpx…and after can see it in Google earth…:P

    Reply

  28. Gligor
    8 Dec, 2009

    Great article, most of app are very useful but I found SPORTYPAL the best for loging your sports activities, and it is winner of Android network awards. MUST HAVE if you take care of your workout activities.

    Reply

  29. John
    9 Dec, 2009

    Thanks for the great information on all these apps. I am trying to decide between a Google phone and an iPhone but my need for google products – analytics, webmaster tools etc is pushing me more in the Android direction for my music on hold and royalty free music website.

    Reply

  30. Paul Lewis
    14 Dec, 2009

    Great overview of Google Apps.. Did a post on the latest Google Android apps contest here – http://pglewis.co.uk/mobile/2009/12/google-android-and-apple-apps

    No doubt there are even more apps for you to review now so please keep it up.

    Reply

  31. Android Apps
    19 Dec, 2009

    This is a wonderfully comprehensive list. There needs to be better ways to bubble up the best apps, thankfully lists like these help Android owners heaps!

    Reply

  32. My Coupons Android App
    29 Dec, 2009

    FREE! My Coupons on the Google Android market is a top-20 free app that actually puts money back in YOUR pocket! Free meals, famous retail stores offering 50% off and more! And with tens of thousands of new users installing daily & millions of monthly views, it makes for a small-business advertiser’s dream venue!

    Visit http://surveynotify.com to download or contact.

    http://www.android.com/market/free.html#app=mycoupons

    Reply

  33. ihlas temizlik robotu
    5 Jan, 2010

    OMG! Thank you guys, it’s awesome!

    Reply

  34. Anand
    20 Jan, 2010

    QwikList Voice is a great app. From the website: This is a handy home screen app that allows you add items to a list, send SMS, or quick add to Google Calendar by speaking to your phone Uses Google voice to text. You can quickly and easily create reminders, shopping lists, to do lists, task lists with speech. Now supports adding item to list via barcode scan. One of the only Android apps that allows easy quick add to Google Calendar in widget form and adding to list with voice.

    Reply

  35. Peter
    22 Jan, 2010

    Great list of apps. Thanks for sharing. We have been working on a QR Code Generator (Maestro) that makes it easier to share your Apps using QR Codes.

    Give it a try and let us know what you think: http://www.mskynet.com/static/maestro

    We also have an API(QRGen): http://www.mskynet.com/static/QRGenAPI

    thanks,
    peter

    Reply

  36. Hanif
    27 Jan, 2010

    I am a final year student who currently doing my research on Android.Could someone give me the codes or similar codes of Places Directory, chompSMS and WikiMobile.It might helps in doing my research on Android just as reference for Knowledge Management technolgy.My email,hanifazis@gmail.com

    Reply

  37. Fireworks Wisconsin
    2 Feb, 2010

    I think the metal detector android app is pretty sweet but have no idea how it works! And I agree with Anand, QwikList Voice is super sweet.

    Reply