# Just Got an Android Phone. What do I need? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 14, 2009, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-do-i-need/517543 "2009-11-14T11:51:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ReuvenB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc348/32.png) [@ReuvenB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReuvenB)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2009, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-do-i-need/517543/1 "2009-11-14T11:51:53Z")
So I just got myself an Android phone. I ordered an unlocked HTC Tattoo for myself, as I like smaller phones, and it seems to be the smallest android phone around. Who else has gotten onto the Android train? What apps do I desperately need? What should I avoid? What are some tips I might not pick up right away? ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2009, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-do-i-need/517543/2 "2009-11-14T13:51:40Z")
> **[Browse All of Google's Products & Services - Google](https://about.google/products/)** > > Browse a list of Google products designed to help you work and play, stay organized, get answers, keep in touch, grow your business, and more. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2009, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-do-i-need/517543/3 "2009-11-14T15:23:04Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > [Google's products and services - About Google](http://www.google.com/sky/skymap.html) JFC that’s the coolest thing ever! That’s the first app I’m downloading once I get my Droid. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2009, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-do-i-need/517543/4 "2009-11-14T15:29:09Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > [Google's products and services - About Google](http://www.google.com/sky/skymap.html) Here’s what I have on my G1 ToggleWifi (toggles wifi on or off with one touch) Twitdroid (twitter client, which I haven’t used in months actually) MeeboIM (Instant messaging to all IM systems, doesn’t use text messages) ShopSavvy (scan barcode of product, gives you online and nearby prices) GoogleSky Facebook OpenSudoko CBReversi (Reversi/Othello game) Shazam (it listens to music and identifies for you) Dizzler (finds and plays almost any song you throw at it) Pandora (plays your [Pandora.com](http://Pandora.com) stations) ---
**Author:** ![Pseudocode](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/59ef9b/32.png) [@Pseudocode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pseudocode)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2009, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-do-i-need/517543/5 "2009-11-14T20:28:19Z")
Check out [Layar](http://layar.com). ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2009, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-do-i-need/517543/6 "2009-11-15T04:56:29Z")
Small request for people posting their apps… Any chance you can post the price? I am THIS close to getting a droid, but I’m cheap. So I would love to know if these are free or cost money. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2009, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-do-i-need/517543/7 "2009-11-15T05:36:43Z")
Missed the edit window: Google sky basically just sold me on the droid. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2009, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-do-i-need/517543/8 "2009-11-15T05:56:01Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > Small request for people posting their apps… > > Any chance you can post the price? I am THIS close to getting a droid, but I’m cheap. So I would love to know if these are free or cost money. > > Thanks! All the ones I mentioned are free ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2009, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-do-i-need/517543/9 "2009-11-15T15:47:10Z")
I he Advanced Task Killer. The guy at the store downloaded it, saying it was a must have. What it does is it kills all the apps you are running, so they don’t run out your battery. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2009, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-do-i-need/517543/10 "2009-11-15T15:55:25Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > All the ones I mentioned are free Awesome. Thanks! > [@RandMcnally](#): > > I he Advanced Task Killer. The guy at the store downloaded it, saying it was a must have. What it does is it kills all the apps you are running, so they don’t run out your battery. So that means that they aren’t on when you aren’t using them? But you can still start em when you want? ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2009, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-do-i-need/517543/11 "2009-11-15T18:15:45Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > So that means that they aren’t on when you aren’t using them? But you can still start em when you want? Yup. Advanced Task Killer just turns off all the apps at once. You’re free to turn on whatever apps you want, it just prevents you from forgetting an app’s running and it drains your battery. ---
**Author:** ![dzeiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/46a35a/32.png) [@dzeiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzeiger)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-do-i-need/517543/12 "2009-11-16T05:49:56Z")
[Tricorder.](http://code.google.com/p/moonblink/wiki/Tricorder) Yeah, at first it may sound like some lame prop for some sort of Star Trek LARP, but it’s really a seriously cool app. ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-do-i-need/517543/13 "2009-11-16T06:05:51Z")
Great idea for a thread! I have the HTC Hero and will be bookmarking this and following along. ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-do-i-need/517543/14 "2009-11-16T07:13:20Z")
For those of us who just love our old HP calculators, here’s a nice little RPN calculator app: [RpnCalc](http://www.efalk.org/RpnCalc/) ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-do-i-need/517543/15 "2009-11-16T09:28:45Z")
In addition to the apps mentioned Handcent SMS CadreBible LE EStrongs File Explorer gStrings Tuner Rehearsal Tuner beebPlayer TaskPanel X AndNav2 is developing, but if Google release Turn-by-Turn for Google Maps… Si ---
**Author:** ![ReuvenB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc348/32.png) [@ReuvenB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReuvenB)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-do-i-need/517543/16 "2009-11-16T11:12:09Z")
Ive checked out some of the suggestions in this thread, but ive got a question. Does anyone know of a CAS for android, like Eigenmath? ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-do-i-need/517543/17 "2009-11-16T17:19:40Z")
Anyone know of any free live sports score/stats apps? ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-do-i-need/517543/18 "2009-11-16T17:24:50Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > Anyone know of any free live sports score/stats apps? [http://www.androidtapp.com/sportstap/](http://www.androidtapp.com/sportstap/) ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-do-i-need/517543/19 "2009-11-16T18:09:48Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > [http://www.androidtapp.com/sportstap/](http://www.androidtapp.com/sportstap/) Beautiful. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Peg\_Leg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/90db22/32.png) [@Peg\_Leg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peg_Leg)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-do-i-need/517543/20 "2009-11-16T19:01:45Z")
In addition to some of the ones mentioned previously, Ringdroid is fun. Get to clip sounds from just about any kind of sound file and convert them into a ring tone or alarm. Maybe it’s childish, but now when my boss is calling me my phone does the peon “Work, Work” from Warcraft, and I get Butter’s “Oh Hamburgers!” when I get a text. Had a lot of fun with this app. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-an-android-phone-what-do-i-need/517543.md?page=2)