# Just got an android phone - what apps?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-apps/569996
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [February 3, 2011, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-apps/569996 "2011-02-03T06:46:15Z")
**Posts on this page:** 19
**Page:** 4
### Author:  [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)
#### Post date: [March 5, 2011, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-apps/569996/61 "2011-03-05T00:36:08Z")
Also, making my requisite first post directly from my phone. No Tapatalk though just straight from the Dolphin browser.
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### Author:  [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)
#### Post date: [March 6, 2011, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-apps/569996/62 "2011-03-06T19:50:49Z")
> [@Misnomer](#):
>
> BTW, the [Android Market is now accessible via the internet](http://market.android.com/). 🙂
Thanks!
That is a great link - and I found a couple of interesting apps to get news and videos from Germany. Cool.
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### Author:  [@Lare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lare)
#### Post date: [March 7, 2011, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-apps/569996/63 "2011-03-07T17:29:51Z")
> [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#):
>
> Okay so I just got my first smartphone, Motorola Atrix of course.
>
> I need some assistance in regards to background task management. Using the default task manager I have plenty of applications set to end when the screen times out, but when I go a little further into application management, there’s still a lengthy list of things happening in the background. Most of them related to widgets/applications I have not even started/opened yet.
>
> So my question is, in addition to the task manager, do I have to go through and “force stop” all these damn things? If so, how do I make sure they don’t just restart?
If you’re running at least Froyo (Android 2.2) then the current consensus is that you don’t really need to worry about them. I refer you to [this](http://geekfor.me/faq/you-shouldnt-be-using-a-task-killer-with-android/) article that explains it in more detail than you might like…but has a tl;dnr at the bottom for those who just need the salient points.
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### Author:  [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)
#### Post date: [March 7, 2011, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-apps/569996/64 "2011-03-07T19:09:38Z")
Yes I’m on Froyo, so thanks for the link. I suppose I should go back and read all those others that were linked to in regards to task killer applications.
**New Question** :
Without using Paypal or a credit card, how can I legitimately acquire Tasker For Android? My debit card apparently has an unremovable block for international purchases. My alternatives are Paypal or a true credit card. Neither of which I have any interest in. Are there any alternatives or should I just bite the bullet and sign up for Paypal?
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### Author:  [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)
#### Post date: [March 7, 2011, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-apps/569996/65 "2011-03-07T19:53:22Z")
Wordsmith Free- Basically Scrabble that you play over your phone with friends.
Glympse- Let’s others view you on GPS. Send to friends and family when your “on your way” and they can watch you drving down the road.
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### Author:  [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)
#### Post date: [March 7, 2011, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-apps/569996/66 "2011-03-07T20:00:47Z")
Oh, I recently picked up [**Stupid Zombies**](https://market.android.com/details?id=com.gameresort.stupidzombies&feature=search_result). It’s the new Angry Birds, you wait and see.
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### Author:  [@Alpine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpine)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-apps/569996/67 "2011-03-16T02:33:46Z")
Just picked up my Droid X yesterday, and I’m making a list of apps from this thread. I’m not much of a game-player, but it sounds like Angry Birds is a requirement for owning an Android phone.
Can anyone give me specifics on what security app you’ve found? Lookout, McAfee WaveSecure and AVG are the ones I’ve looked at. I don’t mind paying for a full-featured app, I just don’t know which one to pick!
Also looking to bump this thread for more ideas 🙂
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### Author:  [@Alpine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpine)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-apps/569996/68 "2011-03-16T02:40:39Z")
Forgot to ask: do you have a favorite ringtones app? I’m looking for unobtrusive sounds, not jingles. Maybe bird sounds?
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### Author:  [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-apps/569996/69 "2011-03-16T03:09:53Z")
> [@Alpine](#):
>
> Just picked up my Droid X yesterday, and I’m making a list of apps from this thread. I’m not much of a game-player, but it sounds like Angry Birds is a requirement for owning an Android phone.
>
> Can anyone give me specifics on what security app you’ve found? Lookout, McAfee WaveSecure and AVG are the ones I’ve looked at. I don’t mind paying for a full-featured app, I just don’t know which one to pick!
>
> Also looking to bump this thread for more ideas 🙂
I use Lookout, it’s free and no problems.
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### Author:  [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-apps/569996/70 "2011-03-16T10:52:11Z")
> [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#):
>
> Okay so I just got my first smartphone, Motorola Atrix of course.
>
> I need some assistance in regards to background task management. Using the default task manager I have plenty of applications set to end when the screen times out, but when I go a little further into application management, there’s still a lengthy list of things happening in the background. Most of them related to widgets/applications I have not even started/opened yet.
>
> So my question is, in addition to the task manager, do I have to go through and “force stop” all these damn things? If so, how do I make sure they don’t just restart?
What default task manager? If it’s an application, get rid of it. Task managers don’t help you on Android.
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### Author:  [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-apps/569996/71 "2011-03-16T10:57:15Z")
> [@simster](#):
>
> If you plug your phone in with a USB cable to the PC and “mount” it - you can access the microSD card on it just like any other drive -
>
> In it there is a DCIM folder - and under it a 100Andro folder -
>
> Files in the 100Andro folder are photos taken with the camera
> I have found if I put an image in the DCIM folder, but not in the 100Andro folder (next to it) I can easily apply it to my contacts. (no other apps needed).
>
> Also - there is an “AUDIO” folder -ringtones are stored in the AUDIO/ringtones folder, MP3 files are in the AUDIO/MUSIC folder.
>
> One time I found a file explorer on the Android, but for the life of me I can’t find it now.
It’s called the Astro File Manager. The most recent build of Android has something like it built in, though.
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### Author:  [@Lare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lare)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-apps/569996/72 "2011-03-16T14:26:21Z")
> [@Alpine](#):
>
> Can anyone give me specifics on what security app you’ve found? Lookout, McAfee WaveSecure and AVG are the ones I’ve looked at. I don’t mind paying for a full-featured app, I just don’t know which one to pick!
Take a quick look at “Seek Droid” too. It’s 99 cents in the US market and has a smaller footprint than the ones that do any virus scanning–because it doesn’t do any virus scanning! Its list of features is quite comprehensive though and it offers a couple more features than some of those others.
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### Author:  [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-apps/569996/73 "2011-03-16T17:55:51Z")
> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#):
>
> What default task manager? If it’s an application, get rid of it. Task managers don’t help you on Android.
Yes it’s an application and by “default task manager” I mean it came preloaded on my phone and it’s called “Task Manager” and I can’t uninstall it.
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### Author:  [@Lare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lare)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-apps/569996/74 "2011-03-16T18:00:38Z")
If it’s the task manager I got on my Droid 2 Global, running Android 2.2 (Froyo), that task manager is really pretty good (as we talked about in posts #63 and 64) and can be completely ignored while it does its stuff in the background. Because it’s in the ROM of the phone you’re right: you can’t uninstall it unless you root the phone.
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### Author:  [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-apps/569996/75 "2011-03-16T18:51:26Z")
I’m trying to find a folder organizer for my phone to group apps together and save on space. Any recommendations?
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### Author:  [@Lare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lare)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-apps/569996/76 "2011-03-16T18:55:25Z")
On my phone, I can press and hold on an empty space on one of the screens and I get a dialog box asking me what I want to do. I can select a “folder” to appear in that space. Open the folder by tapping on it.
Now open the app drawer and press and hold on an app. This moves (copies) it into the folder.
How’s that?
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### Author:  [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-apps/569996/77 "2011-03-16T19:11:07Z")
> [@Lare](#):
>
> On my phone, I can press and hold on an empty space on one of the screens and I get a dialog box asking me what I want to do. I can select a “folder” to appear in that space. Open the folder by tapping on it.
>
> Now open the app drawer and press and hold on an app. This moves (copies) it into the folder.
>
> How’s that?
Oh, thanks! I didn’t use that because I couldn’t figure out how to rename the folder, but I just did.
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### Author:  [@Alpine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpine)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-apps/569996/78 "2011-03-16T22:07:41Z")
Thanks for the responses on Lookout and SeekDroid. I will probably go with Lookout and see how things go.
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### Author:  [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-apps/569996/79 "2011-03-16T22:25:18Z")
I just tested finding my phone with Lookout. It worked.
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