I always feared that Android phones were hyped and overhyped, mainly because it was said that the Android platform itself was apparently fragmented, as there were multiple versions running on multiple phones, therefore apps didn’t always work as well as they should. The telephones. Android itself was a bit immature compared to the long-tested reliability and standardized interfaces of Nokia phones, mostly Symbian-powered. But over the years, outdated platforms have disappeared as manufacturers catch up.

I had been a Nokia stalwart all along, but finally gave in and migrated to an Android phone about 3 weeks ago, like many of the fast-growing legions of Android fans. I thought I’d stick with my trusty Nokia 5530 for a bit longer, but I think the temptation to hug that little green robot was too great. After all, customization is the name of the game in tech these days. My Nokia did a lot for me, and I particularly rely on it when I travel. After unlocking it with a simple hack to grant me full access to the ability, I loaded it with tons of apps or ‘apps’ as they are commonly called. When I bought my ZTE Blade running Android 2.2, ‘the cheap’, made in China, great value for money, I expected it to outperform my Nokia in terms of usability given the hundreds of thousands of Android apps on the ‘Android Market’. ‘. Well, Iphone has more apps, but for some reason, I never went with the Iphone camp, maybe because I guess I like supporting the underdog better! After having the phone for 3 weeks, I must admit that Android hasn’t let me down, and I’m very happy to hear that it has lived up to your expectations.

I like my apps to count to a minimum. I mostly install apps that are useful for organizing my life or for when I travel. If you’re an Android newbie and feeling overwhelmed by the huge Android market, here’s a short list of some great Android apps (I’ve installed them all) if you’re okay, an absolute minimalist like me who appreciates power, ease of use, quality applications. The bad news is that some apps are not free and the best apps or those with advanced features often require you to “root” the phone, which means performing a simple “hack” to give the phone full “superuser” capability. like you can install any app or other modified phone firmware with unrestricted access. Rooting could also void your phone’s warranty, so it may not be a good idea to root your phone right away before making sure it has no hardware or software faults. It’s best to test your phone for a few weeks before rooting it, just to be sure. There is no need to go into details here as there are thousands of pages on Android apps, installing custom Android firmware, and rooting on Google.

Utilities:(important as Android devices consume a lot of memory and battery)

• Set CPU – Vary CPU clock speed and manage battery optimization using customizable profiles
• Advanced Task Killer Pro – automatic removal of background applications
• Easy SpeedUp – Kill running background apps with one click
• AutoRun Manager: Prevent some apps from starting automatically
• AutoKiller Memory Optimizer – kill apps when memory reaches preset levels
• Blade Buddy Pro: optimization settings to speed up the phone
• Spare Parts Plus: more phone optimization options
• Application installer: to list applications and install them
• Power Control Plus – Additional features and toggle buttons to enable/disable airplane mode, lock screen, bluetooth and many more with one click
• Battery widget: battery level indicator in percentage and direct access to display control, bluetooth, etc.

File Managers:

• Astro File Manager – file explorer
• Root Explorer – like Astro, with access to phone system files too
• Launcher Pro – Improves the stock Android home screen and adds more features
• Keyboard:
• SlideIt – One of the first apps I installed Great keyboard, similar to the better known Swype. I prefer SlideIT for its superior speed and predictive accuracy.

Media:

• PowerAmp – An absolute must-have for audiophiles, widely regarded as the best Android music player today. The sound is impressive with its 10-band EQ with separate Bass/Treble controls.
• Player Pro (with optional DSP equalizer plugin) – alternative to PowerAmp
• Rock Player – Supports most popular video formats including mkv and avi

Document readers or editors:

• Quickoffice Pro: to view and edit MS Office documents
• RepliGo Reader – Great for viewing and editing PDF files. Free!
• Cool Reader – ebook reader compatible with most formats like Fb2, ePub, pdb, etc.

productivity:

• Easy Money – expense manager
• Checkmark ToDoList – Shopping, To-Do & General List Manager
• CheckIt Off – task manager and daily tasks
• George – calendar app
• Launcher Pro built-in calendar: also comes with a brilliant scrollable widget, embeddable with Google calendar

GPS and Location:

• GPS Essentials: For practical information on nearby satellites and other useful GPS tools, it also comes with a nifty compass
• Google Maps – the best known. It is usually preloaded on Android
• NDrive – Simple navigation that may not compete with Google Maps, but can be used offline. However, country maps are not free.

Web Browsers:

• Opera Mini – my all-time favorite for its speed and easy-to-use interface
• UC Browser: good, well-made and functional browser

others:

• Handcent SMS – Much better than android sms app with features like assigning individual sms tones to contacts, sms scheduling and many more
• Go SMS – alternative to Handcent
• Concise Oxford English Dictionary: Quick reference for English language enthusiasts and a useful companion for reading e-books
• XE Currency – Free mobile version of a great currency converter for travel
• ConvertPad – conversion utility covering many categories from length and weight to temperature, horsepower and torque

Many people download apps directly from the phone’s built-in Android Market app. I prefer to download the relevant ‘.apk’ file to my PC, transfer it to the phone, just run the file and install it. That way I can better research and review apps before I install them. The above list is by no means the best. The features may be the same in similar applications, but the user interface and personal preferences differ. I love the simplicity and speed, but go with what you want and need.

Android is quite easy to understand. I didn’t have to become a geek since I got my phone. The platform is also constantly evolving and can only get better with time.