AVWARS Blog

Lookout Mobile Security

Security is an issue on every platform. Lookout Mobile performs several functions to keep your Android smartphone working optimally. The security scanner checks your downloads from the Android Market for malware, spyware, and privacy violations. The free app also performs secure backups of your phone’s data to Lookout servers and has a lost device function that will locate your phone by GPS signal, or cause it to emit a loud noise so you can dig it out from behind the couch. More excellent functions are available in Lookout Premium, such as locking or wiping a lost phone, and phishing protection.

Business Calendar Free

We’ve tried many other calendaring apps for Android, including the popular Jorte app, but have never been as satisfied with any of them as we are with Business Calendar Free. It integrates seamlessly with the calendars of as many Gmail accounts as you’d like. I currently have three different calendars displayed on mine and it is very easy to tell which calendar the appointment relates to. You can create a new appointment just by long pressing on the day. I like changing the default view to 5 days from 7 as that allows the app to show more information more clearly but there is a handy slider at the bottom of the screen which allows you to quickly change the view from 1 to 14 days.

GTasks

GTasks is a great task management system for Android. It syncs with the Tasks from one Gmail account. The interface is straightforward, with overdue tasks listed at the top. The best feature is that the first line of the task will display in bold, like a header, and you can then put subtasks underneath it. For example, if you make the first line “Shopping List” and then put your list of needed items underneath it, it will display “Shopping List” in the main screen, with the actual items listed in smaller type right underneath.

Fast Reboot

Memory and CPU usage can be a problem with many phones, but it can be a time-consuming hassle to reboot your phone every time it slows down. Fast Reboot simulates a reboot, freeing memory and speeding up your phone. Don’t pay for overpriced utilities which do the same thing, Fast Reboot is all you need.

Amazon Kindle

I didn’t think I’d read much on my phone. The screen is small so the app cannot display much text on any one screen and the feel experience of holding a phone just isn’t as nice as holding a book or a physical Kindle reader. But the Kindle app for Android is so well-designed that I find myself reading from it quite often. The best feature is cloud syncing for your Amazon purchases, where the Kindle app picks up where you left off reading on your physical Kindle.

News360

We like the Pulse newsreader, we really do. But our top recommendation for reading news on an Android phone is definitely News360. Each story is accompanied by a large color photograph, which brings an immediacy and impact totally lacking in the small Pulse screens. Each story contains links to reporting from other news outlets so if you don’t like the perspective from one source, you can easily get another perspective merely by scrolling down to “more coverage”.

YouMail

YouMail is visual voicemail management for your Android Phone. You can see and play your voicemails from within the app. Visual caller ID is integrated. Once you forward your voicemail to YouMail you gain control over which greetings individual callers will hear, and can easily block unwanted callers from leaving messages. For a couple of dollars a month YouMail will convert your voicemails to text so that you can simply read them without having to listen to the message.

Barcode Scanner

Have you noticed those square QR codes around the Internet and in magazines lately? Barcode Scanner quickly scans those codes so you can look up product information, find a cool new app, get contact information, or visit a new website.

WiFi Manager

Wifi Manager is a graphical interface for managing your WiFi connections. Nothing fancy or spectacular here, just the best way to control your phone’s access to the various WiFi connections it is exposed to. The app also includes handy widgets which can display your phone’s WiFi status or disable WiFi right on your home screen.

RealCalc

RealCalc is a full-featured scientific calculator for the Android operating system. It looks and performs exactly like a real scientific calculator, with trigonometric functions, multiple memories, and even an RPN mode for fans of HP calculators.