The must have
Android apps?

By Anoop Varma

The Android devices come with a fistful of pre-installed apps. But there are more than 500,000 apps available in the Android market place; it would be a real slog to shift through that many. So we are here to do the hard work and list a few unique gems. You won’t find the names of Facebook, Twitter and even the Angry Birds apps in the list that follows, as they already well known.

3G Watchdog

A 3G connection can really enhance your Internet experience, but the sky-high tariffs are a real bugbear. If you exceed your data usage quota, then the money in your account will start getting depleted at a rather feverish pace. The 3G Watchdog proves quite effective in helping you keep an eye on your data usage. The app is available in two versions. 3G Watchdog is free, while the 3G Watchdog pro, which boasts of features like advanced graphs, billing rules, predictions, and more configurable widgets, carries a price tag of Rs. 155.25.

RemoteDroid

How about using your Android smartphone to remote control your laptop. Your own WiFi network can turn your smartphone into a wireless keyboard and mouse with touchpad. The RemoteDroid system consists of two parts. The first part is the free app that you can download from the Android Marketplace, and the second part is the companion server application for your computer that you can download from this link http://remotedroid.net/. You can also go in for the RemoteDroid Pro, which has more features and costs only Rs. 99.70.

Wheres My Droid

How many times have you spent valuable minutes scrounging for the phone, whose ringer you turned off! If only you had Wheres My Droid installed. All you need to do is text a custom attention word to this free app and it will turn the ringer volume up and make your phone ring. You can also get the GPS location of your phone in latitude and longitude and a link to Google maps.

Dolphin Browser HD

All of us are used to having IE or Firefox on our laptops, but in the mobile space, Dolphin Browser HD is the smartest browser. It comes with an array of custom themes, capabilities and add-ons that can be used to change the browser’s look and feel. You can even navigate by gesture. It allows you to play all kinds of tricks. For instance, if you encounter a pesky site, you can masquerade as an iPad for unlocking an un-cropped page. Dolphin HD makes running Flash a breeze.

Qik

This free app will enable you to capture special or spontaneous moments on video by using your mobile phone. You can also use the app to share those videos live or later, with anyone, anytime. The system can be used for sending and receiving video mail, so you can stay in touch through the amazing system of 2-way live Video Chats. You can also post on social networks, and broadcast to blogs and video sites in an easy and seamless way.

FxCamera

The camera in most Android devices does not allow you to create beautiful effects for your pictures. But once you have downloaded the free app called FxCamera app, you get access to several cool filters and all kinds of easy to implement special effects. The app also contains an Autofocus system that is of great help in keeping the pictures sharp. A sharing feature helps spread the word on social networks like Facebook.

Wikidroid

If you happen to be one of those who frequently use their smartphone for looking up information, then the Wikidroid is the right app for you. This app is capable of pulling articles from Wikipedia, and optimising their display for easy reading on your mobile phone screen. The app also incorporates an elegant search system that leads you to the kind of information that you need. The fact that the app works at lightening fast speeds is, of course, a great help.

WiFi Finder

If you move around a lot, finding a free WiFi hotspot or a connection in a new city can turn out to be quite troublesome. Go for the WiFi finder app, which has the coordinates of more than 500,000 free and paid WiFi hotspots in over 144 countries.?