The Top 30 Android Apps And Games Of 2011

Android apps come in all shapes and sizes – literally.
Unlike iOS applications, which are basically created for two form factors, Android apps need to be developed with dozens (if not hundreds) of device-types in mind. This is on top of the inconsistent operating system releases still mucking things up. While all of this fragmentation is a headache for developers, ignoring a platform with 50 percent market share would ultimately lead to their peril.

1. Any.DO: To Do List | Task List (full AndroidApps review)
Funded by Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt, Any.DO is the best productivity and to-do application tailored specifically for Android devices. The app’s elegant interface is optimized to limit actual typing through voice-driven commands. Users can swipe each task when complete, and shake their phones to clear them from the screen. The app also offers (mostly) seamless integration with Google accounts.

2. Lightbox – Photos & Effects (full AndroidApps review)
More than just an Instagram for Android, Lightbox offers features like photo journals and the ability to arrange pictures by personal timelines that make it unique and, to some, indispensable. The app’s stunning visual display and compatibility on multiple Android devices set the standard moving forward for photo-sharing apps on the platform.

3. Amazon MP3 (full AndroidApps review)
Along with Google Music (see below), Amazon MP3 is the best way for an Android smartphone and tablet owner to kick an iTunes habit. The app provides access to a library of nearly 20 million songs, 5GB of free storage, and reliable offline listening. Subscriptions to Amazon’s Cloud Drive service start at a reasonable $20/year for 20GB of storage, but you can store as much of your own music as you like with that subscription.


4. AirDroid (full AndroidApps review)
Android devices offer so many customization features that sometimes using a larger screen, mouse and full-sized keyboard will help you get the most out of your smartphone or tablet device. This free app lets users operate their smartphones from a PC with a Wi-Fi connection. Additionally, AirDroid emphasizes privacy protection with password changes for each use.


5. SwiftKey X Keyboard (full AndroidApps review)
After launching a beta app last year, SwiftKey X arrived on Android smartphones and tablets in 2011. The app has larger keys as well as superior word and sentence prediction algorithms than what is typically found on Androids. SwiftKey also learns from previously typed emails and messages, and offers three color schemes to simplify the process and brighten things up.



6. Skitch (full AndroidApps review)
Acquired by Evernote, Skitch lets users annotate photos with sketches, images and words. The app has dead simple editing tools and the ability for users to draw with multi-colored crayons. Skitch is a great app for kids in addition to serving as a functional and unique photo-sharing service.


                                    
7. BlueStacks Cloud Connect (full AndroidApps review)
While still in Alpha, BlueStacks is demonstrating how Android applications can run on Windows-based PCs. The Android app works in concert with the Windows-based BlueStacks App Player to run mobile applications on PCs. The venture-backed company and application, which has attracted more than 500,000 early adopters since launch, expects to debut a Mac OS version in 2012.




8. Qello (full AndroidApps review)
Available as separate applications for Android smartphones and tablets, Qello offers a great catalog of high definition concerts (mostly rock, but with other genres sprinkled in). Users can sample the 500+ titles for free, or lease any of them on a weekly ($1.99) or monthly basis ($4.99).



9. AccuWeather for Honeycomb (full AndroidApps review)
Developed specifically for Honeycomb-based tablet devices, this all-inclusive weather application showcases the beauty and utility of Android on larger form factors. The Lifestyle section, which informs users on things like whether it is a good day for biking or bad day for allergies, is a nice humanized touch.




10. HD Widgets (full AndroidApps review)
Android is all about customization, and there is no better and more comprehensive widget app available than this one. Optimized for Android tablets and smartphones, HD Widgets is great for Android experts and first-timers alike. Users will also appreciate the “fanatical” customer service of the developers.
Here are the five best Android apps developed by Google that were released or received significant updates in 2011.



11. Google Currents (full AndroidApps review)

As long as Flipboard remains exclusive to iOS devices, this new release from Google serves as the premier news reader on Android smartphones and tablets. More of a fast and elegant aggregator than social magazine, Google Currents benefits from an organized layout and dead simple third-party publisher platform. There is also — shockingly — nice integration with Google+, including curated content from the likes of Robert Scoble and Guy Kawasaki.



12. Google+ (full AndroidApps review)
Google became a relevant player in social networking this year with the successful launch of Google+. While the service is also available as an iPhone app as well as a web app through BlackBerry, Windows and Symbian platforms, Google understandably treats its own platform as first among equals. Check-ins for business, for instance, rolled out first on the Android app.


                                    13. Google Maps (full AndroidApps review)
A November update to this trailblazing application introduced indoor mapping functionality to mobile devices. Google Maps 6.0 helps users more easily navigate within airports, shopping malls and other locations where GPS technology is spotty.





14. Google Docs (full AndroidApps review)
While no mobile application matches the utility of Google Docs on a desktop or laptop, this official version for Android is pretty close. If you’re a hardcore Google Docs user, this app will help you break free from your desk and still read and edit docs and spreadsheets on the fly.




15. Google Music (full AndroidApps review)
Like Amazon MP3 cited above, Google Music is a way for Android users to comfortably cut the cord (or cloud) on iTunes (at least on their mobile devices). The app lets users store up to 20,000 songs for free in the cloud, with a portion available for offline access.
These next 10 apps were initially released for iOS devices. They are included here for their utility, entertainment value and impact on the Android ecosystem.


16. Price Check by Amazon (full AndroidApps review)
When Amazon unveiled this price-comparison app to Android devices just before Black Friday, the company’s retail Death Star became fully operational. Sure, Price Check was available to iPhone owners a year earlier, and there are similar apps across all major mobile platforms. But having an Android app gives Amazon critical mass in this category, and allows the company to (again) upend physical retail as we know it. This includes offering discounts to consumers on their phones during the point of comparison.


17. Netflix (full AndroidApps review)
There were a lot of things that Netflix did horribly wrong in 2011. Releasing a killer Android app for smartphones and tablet devices was not one of them. As Android tablets become ready for prime time and more plausibly compete against the iPad, entertainment apps like Netflix will flourish.


18. SoundTracking (full AndroidApps review)
The most innovative music detection and discovery app of the year finally arrived to Android in December. SoundTracking not only identifies a song a user is listening to, but shares it with Facebook, Twitter and foursquare friends and followers. The advantage of the Android app, relative to the iOS version which launched earlier this year, is that users with Spotify and Rdio can listen to entire tracks (as opposed to 30-second snippets from iTunes).


19. Hipmunk Flight Search (full AndroidApps review)
Hipmunk differentiates from the run-of-the-mill flight search applications by predicting how painful your traveling might be. The app’s “Agony Index” takes into account factors beyond price including flight duration, Wi-Fi access and other variables. Once users choose the least painful flight, the app accommodates direct booking and provides access to third-party services.


20. Fooducate Shopping Scanner (full AndroidApps review)
This app translates nutritional information found on food packaging into plain English, and offers a letter grade as to how healthy or harmful an item can be. The app offers comprehensive coverage of both mainstream brands and niche delicacies via the scanning of barcodes. Best of all? The app suggests healthier, similar alternatives to the worst offenders.



21. Marvel Comics (full AndroidApps review)
Reading classic comics within this app works on virtually any size Android screen — which is no easy feat. Marvel Comics also offers panel-by-panel viewing that features beautiful art and more legible word balloons. While most titles require a subscription, there are an ample amount of classic comics available for free.



22. Syncplicity (full AndroidApps review)
For digitally promiscuous users who store and share files on multiple devices and operating systems powered by Android, iOS and Windows, Syncplicity is a useful way to manage libraries found within all of them. Unlike many cloud-based alternatives, Syncplicity uses encryption to secure files.



23. Starbucks (full AndroidApps review)
After launching initially on iOS and BlackBerry smartphones, the official Starbucks app finally arrived on Android earlier this year. Better late than never. The app lets users manage their Starbucks Cards and purchase coffee and the like at nearly 7,000 U.S. locations.


24. LinkedIn (full AndroidApps review)
After what seemed like an eternity in beta, LinkedIn finally launched an Android app ready for prime time in the spring. While not perfect, the LinkedIn app is a much better alternative than the company’s more limited mobile site. Finally, this indispensable professional networking service found a full-time gig on Android.



25. Path (full AndroidApps review)
A significant December update to this social blogging app on Android and iOS devices served as an early holiday present to its passionate and vocal adherents. Beyond sharing photos, users can now tell the world about what music they are listening to and other activities they are doing. The app’s new design and “Automatic” feature, which recognizes when users deviate from routine schedules, also separate Path from the pack.
And finally, we present the five best games to arrive to Android devices in 2011. Notably, they all first appeared on the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

26. Cut the Rope (full AndroidApps review)
While not a household name like Angry Birds, Cut the Rope is among the most addictive and popular mobile games of all time. The graphics and music are superb, and Cut the Rope is optimized and plays very well on larger Android tablet devices. This is another multi-platform grand slam for (Angry Birds) publisher Chillingo.



27. World of Goo (full AndroidApps review)
One of the most original and well-crafted physics-based puzzle games around finally made its way to Android devices in late November. Originally an indie hit on PCs, World of Goo is a construction game in which users must connect goo balls together to build structures so that other goo balls can get to the end of each stage. The abstract art and imagery alone make it worth the five bucks to download.


28. Where’s My Water? (full AndroidApps review)
A clever and addictive puzzle game by Disney, Where’s My Water? combines whimsical design with killer gameplay. Players are tasked with keeping a sewer-dwelling alligator named Swampy clean and pristine while guiding him through urban terrain. Easier said than done, particularly with Swampy’s alligator buddies standing in the way.



29. Plants vs. Zombies (full AndroidApps review)
This classic title from PopCap, which was acquired by Electronic Arts in July, first came to Android earlier this year via the Amazon App Store. It was sold exclusively on Amazon until early December. Fans of the cartoony tower defense game will enjoy tapping into Plants vs. Zombies on Android devices.




30. Asphalt 6: Adrenaline HD (full AndroidApps review)
The best racing game available for Android devices, Asphalt 6: Adrenaline HD combines plenty of cars and game modes — including a psychedelic “Adrenaline” boost — with superlative visuals and gameplay. This one deserves the checkered flag.

The 5 best online bookmarking services

Social bookmarking is like a quiet, clever sister among her fancy Web 2.0 siblings. YouTube and Facebook are so much fun; they get all the attention. But the social bookmarking services are in many ways much more useful for most people and they are equally social (or at least they could be).

Diigo
Diigo is fun! It is my absolute favorite. This service has an enormous amount of tools and features — it is more than a bookmarking service, it is a complete tool for online research.

Delicious
Delicious is owned by Yahoo. It is by far the most popular social bookmarking tool out there, but it is not rich in features. It is easy to use, though, and has a huge community, which makes it a very valuable tool. 


Furl
Furl is part of the Looksmart family and has been around forever (like Delicious, Furl launched in 2003).
It has a solid security policy (the importance of this has been highlighted after Ma.gnolia crashed and lost most of the boomarks of its users) and advanced sorting, searching and editing tools.


Mister Wong
Mister Wong is developed in Germany and is Europe’s largest bookmarking service. Though it started in German, Mister Wong is now available in English, Russian, Chinese, Spanish, and French. 

Simpy 

Simply is another old-timer in the world of social bookmarking. Unlike Furl , Simpy hasn’t updated its look much. This gives it an odd but cute retro look. This does not compromise ease of use, though. 

15 Best Websites for Android Apps Download

There are literally tons of Android apps download available. It’s hard to pick out the gems when you’re confronted with that many apps. I have collected 15 Android apps download websites that I believe will help you wade through the endless supply of apps and find the ones you truly want. We love our electronic gadgets and it’s always a good idea to use covers and cases to protect you precious HTC, Kindle, Ipod, Iphone etc

Android Tapp
Android Tapp offers app reviews, recommendations, and interviews with app developers.  The apps and reviews are sorted by category and seem relatively easy to find.

Appitalism
Appitalism brands itself as the Social App Superstore.  This site depends on its users to collectively determine the best apps.

AppBrain
AppBrain aims to help you find the best Android apps downloads.  They do this by giving you the ability to browse apps based on rankings, reviews, and categories.  They also give you the chance to see app statistics such as costs, free vs paid, storage space, and categories.

AppGuide
AppGuide is part of the PCWorld.com group of sites.  You can browse by category as you can on most app sites.  But here, you get the benefit of editor reviews.  The editors from PCWorld.com routinely give expert reviews.  Mixed in with these editor reviews are reviews from users as well.

Appolicious (in association with Yahoo!)
When connected to Facebook, Applicious will recommend apps that your friends are using.

Aproov
Aproov gives you filtering by category and the ability to search.  Aproov has their own algorithim called App Rank to filter apps to the top of lists based on several rankings.

GetJar
GetJar is the worlds largest free app store.  The store boasts over two billion downloads to date and over 150,000 apps available across many different platforms.

Google’s Android Market
This is the original.  The site is well laid out.  Easy to search.  Visually appealing.  Down the left side of the site is a quick listing of top apps from free, paid, grossing, and top new paid.

Handmark
When I think of Handmark, I think of a company in the application creation business.  But they are also now an application delivery company.  The main view on their site is by top recommendation and you get category views as well.

Handmark
When I think of Handmark, I think of a company in the application creation business.  But they are also now an application delivery company.  The main view on their site is by top recommendation and you get category views as well.

PocketGear
PocketGear bills themselves as the world’s largest Android apps download marketplace.  And this very well may be true.  PocketGear has been around for a very long time.  PocketGear like most other sites give you the ability to search and offers views of top apps in different areas.

How to Install Android OS on PC

Mobile phones under the android platform always deserve a best place in market. Smart phones have the tendency to make it flexible on every other medium. For instance, you can use android phone as a webcam. After experiencing android in your smart phone you can also try the android OS  in your netbook or laptop and here is the procedure to experiment it. You can actually install it on your memory cards or flash drives and then start test with android OS on your system.

Download android from Android-x86 and copy it in your flash drive or memory card. Scroll down and download it from the stable release section of the site. This will download an ISO file from the website. Also Make sure your memory device having memory more than 256MB and make your memory drive clean before copying android into it.

How to Use Android on PC ?

Step 1: You need UNetbootin (Universal Netboot Installer) to run android on your system. It is available for all the leading operating systems.

 Step 2: Insert your drive which you going to install your android OS. UNetbootin extracts the ISO file of android OS which you downloaded and install it in the target disk.

Step 3: After selecting the target disk, android will start extracting from ISO file and gets installed in your disk. Now your flash drive will get installed with android OS. This may take few minutes depending on the speed of your flash drive.

Step 4: Setup is done and now Reboot your system with the flash drive.

How to update an Android OS

Android is the fastest-growing smartphone platform in the United States. There are many manufacturers of Android devices, and the downside to so many manufacturers is keeping them updated. Google has updated its Android OS several times in the past year, but not all devices receive the update at the same time. Depending on the carrier and manufacturer, some phones receive the update as soon as its released and others take months. Updates for the Android operating system are downloaded over the air and are checked in the phone’s Settings menu.

Instructions

1. Turn on your Android device.
2. Press the “Menu” button, represented by four horizontal lines, the word “Menu” or four small squares, and select “Settings.”
3. Scroll down and select “About Phone.
4. ”Tap on “System Updates” and your phone automatically checks for new software. If there’s no new software to be downloaded, you’ll see a message confirming you are fully updated.
5. Press “Install Now” if there is new software available. The update will download and your phone will restart.

13 Alternative Search Engines That Find What Google Can’t

Google has become the standard search engine of virtually every web-goer on the internet today. In fact “to Google” is pretty much synonymous with “to search”.
But that certainly doesn’t mean that other search engines can’t do a decent, if not better, job and this list has been compiled for just this reason.
So check out this catalog of awesome alternative search engines that are certain to help you search faster and more efficiently on that World Wide Web.

Music & Video

MP3Realm

If you’re one of the countless people today who gets their music digitally, then MP3Realm is for you. The site features a basic search for MP3′s as well as song lyrics. MP3s can be streamed, added to playlists and of course downloaded. The advanced search option also lets users browse MP3′s by genre (a ton to choose from) or by artist.

 TuneFind

I’m sure that some part of all of our lives has been spent in front of the television and I always manage to find a song that catches my fancy no matter what I’m watching. That’s where TuneFind comes in; the site is dedicated to providing users with the names of artists/song titles that have appeared on their favorite television shows, and even movies.
You can even reverse look up artists, to see which films and shows their music has been featured on.

MuviBee

A site dedicated to the best of both worlds, MuviBee lets users search for music and music videos (via YouTube) that might be associated with the song. The site proves to be versatile and certainly unique, providing users with Top 10 Charts from iTunes, the US, UK and Germany as well as direct links to Amazon and iTunes if you should decide to purchase music you like.

ClipBlast

ClipBlast features short videos from a variety of mainstream sources, including Hulu, TBS, BBC etc. The site is easy to use and loaded with enough content to keep you busy for hours.

Blinkx

Blinkx is another quality video search engine that collects results from hundreds of video/television providers and incorporates them into your search. The site also lets you browse videos from a myriad of topics.

Files & Others

Rapidshare1

Rapidshare has become a premium site for uploading and serving content for hungry web users. It’s natural then to expect a site devoted to searching for files on Rapidshare, and Rapidshare1 is it. The site is dead simple and all you need to get going is something to look for.

Filestube

Filestube takes Rapidshare1 to another level by aggregating its searches to include several other networks including MegaUpload, YouSendIt, Filefront etc. Searches can also be filtered by file type which adds more convenience to the engine.

FileSnatcher

Another good site, FileSnatcher lets you look for files on a few different file sharing networks, including Badongo, Mediafire and 4shared.

Fun

Tickex

Trying to buy tickets online? Well then check out Tickex, the site that collects search results from multiple ticket providers for concerts, sporting events and theatre. Searches can be made by venue, country, event, city etc. The site also provides direct links to retailers to simplify your experience even further.

Quotiki

Looking for something clever to say in your next argument? Try out Quotiki, a quotation search engine that has collected some of the wisest and shrewd idioms the world over.

 

 

20 Free Digital Audio Editors You Should Know

A digital audio editor is defined as a computer application for manipulating digital audio. As a multimedia creator, we normally use audio editor for recording audio, edit the duration and timeline, mix multiple sound tracks, apply simple effects for audio enhancement and create conversion between different audio file formats.
There are countless ways that digital audio editor can be used, and fortunately there are plenty of good and free digital audio editors out there to help you with your own implementation. So if you’re thinking to purchase a license for Adobe Audition, Cool Edit or Soundforge, hold that thought first. Not to say they aren’t cool, but it’s always wiser to tryout free applications before going to the pay deal.
Here’s our collection of 25 free digital audio editors. Full list after jump!

1. Audacity

   Audacity is free, open source software for recording and editing sounds. It allows you to record live audio, converts tapes and records into digital recordings or CDs, edit Ogg Vorbis, MP3, WAV or AIFF sound files. You also can cut, copy, splice or mix sounds together with Audacity. Built-in effects are given to remove static, hiss, hum or other constant background noises.
   
   

2. Power Sound Editor

   Power Sound Editor Free is a visual audio editing and recording software solution, which supports many advanced and powerful operations with audio data.
   You can use Power Sound Editor Free to record your own music, voice, or other audio files, edit it, mix it with other audio or musical parts, add effects like Reverb, Chorus, and Echo, and burn it on a CD, post it on the World Wide Web or e-mail it.
   
   

3. mp3DirectCut

   mp3DirectCut is a fast and extensive audio editor and recorder for compressed mp3. You can directly cut, copy, paste or change the volume with no need to decompress your files for audio editing. Using Cue sheets, pause detection or Auto cue you can easily divide long files.
   
   

4. Music Editor Free

   Music Editor Free (MEF) is a multi-award winning music editor software tool. MEF helps you to record and edit music and sounds. It lets you make and edit music, voice and other audio recordings. When editing audio files you can cut, copy and paste parts of recordings and, if required, add effects like echo, amplification and noise reduction.
   
   

5. Wavosaur

   Wavosaur is a free sound editor, audio editor, wav editor software for editing, processing and recording sounds, wav and mp3 files. Wavosaur has all the features to edit audio (cut, copy, paste, etc.) produce music loops, analyze, record, batch convert. Wavosaur supports VST plugins, ASIO driver, multichannel wav files, real time effect processing. The program has no installer and doesn’t write in the registry. Use it as a free mp3 editor, for mastering, sound design.
   
   

6. Traverso DAW

   Traverso DAW is a GPL licensed, cross platform multitrack audio recording and editing suite, with an innovative and easy to master User Interface. It’s suited for both the professional and home user, who needs a robust and solid DAW. Adding and removal of effects plugins, moving Audio Clips and creating new Tracks during playback are all perfectly safe, giving you instant feedback on your work!
   
   

7. Ardour

   Ardour is a digital audio workstation. You can use it to record, edit and mix multi-track audio. You can produce your own CDs, mix video soundtracks, or just experiment with new ideas about music and sound. Ardour capabilities include: multichannel recording, non-destructive editing with unlimited undo/redo, full automation support, a powerful mixer, unlimited tracks/busses/plugins, timecode synchronization, and hardware control from surfaces like the Mackie Control Universal. If you’ve been looking for a tool similar to ProTools, Nuendo, Pyramix, or Sequoia, you might have found it.
   
   

8. Rosegarden

   Rosegarden is a well-rounded audio and MIDI sequencer, score editor, and general-purpose music composition and editing environment. Rosegarden is an easy-to-learn, attractive application that runs on Linux, ideal for composers, musicians, music students, and small studio or home recording environments.
   
   

9. Hydrogen

   Hydrogen is an advanced drum machine for GNU/Linux. It’s main goal is to bring professional yet simple and intuitive pattern-based drum programming.
   
   

10. WavePad Sound Editor

    WavePad Sound Editor lets you make and edit music, voice and other audio recordings. When editing audio files you can cut, copy and paste parts of recordings and, if required, add effects like echo, amplification and noise reduction. WavePad works as a wav editor or mp3 editor but it also supports a number of other file formats including vox, gsm, real audio, au, aif, flac, ogg and more.
    
    

11. Sound Engine

    SoundEngine is the best tool for personal use, because it enables you to easily edit a wave data while it has many functions required for a mastering process.
    
    

12. Expstudio Audio Editor

    Expstudio Audio Editor is a visual music file editor that has many different options and a multiple functionality to edit your music files like editing text files. With a given audio data it can perform many different operations such as displaying a waveform image of an audio file, filtering, applying various audio effects, format conversion and more.
    
    

13. DJ Audio Editor

    DJ Audio Editor is easy-to-use and well-organized audio application which allows you to perform various operations with audio data. You can create and edit audio files professionally, also displaying a waveform image of audio file makes your work faster.
    
    

14. Eisenkraut

    Eisenkraut is a cross-platform audio file editor. It requires Java 1.4+ and SuperCollider 3. It supports multi-channel and multi-mono files and floating-point encoding. An OSC scripting interface and experimental sonagramme functionality are provided.
    
    

15. FREE WAVE MP3 Editor

    Free Wave MP3 Editor is a sound editor program for Windows. This software lets you make and edit voice and other audio recordings. You can cut, copy and paste parts of recording and, if required, add effects like echo, amplification and noise reduction.
    
    

16. Kangas Sound Editor

    Fun Kangaroo-themed program that allows the user to create music and sound effects. It uses a system of frequency ratios for pitch control, rather than conventional music notation and equal temperament. It allows instruments, both musical and percussion, to be created.
    
    

17. Ecawave

    Ecawave is a simple graphical audio file editor. The user-interface is based on Qt libraries, while almost all audio functionality is taken directly from ecasound libraries. As ecawave is designed for editing large audio files, all processing is done direct-to-disk. Simple waveform caching is used to speed-up file operations. Ecawave supports all audio file formats and effect algorithms provided by ecasound libraries. This includes JACK, ALSA, OSS, aRts, over 20 file formats, over 30 effect types, LADSPA plugins and multi-operator effect presets.
    
    

18. Audiobook Cutter

    Audiobook Cutter splits your MP3 audio books and podcasts in a fast and user friendly way. The split files can easily be used on mobile MP3 players because of their small-size. Their duration allows smooth navigation through the book. The split points are determined automatically based on silence detection.
    
    

19. Jokosher

    Jokosher is a simple yet powerful multi-track studio. With it you can create and record music, podcasts and more, all from an integrated simple environment.
    
    

20. LMMS

    LMMS is a free cross-platform alternative to commercial programs like FL Studio, which allow you to produce music with your computer. This includes the creation of melodies and beats, the synthesis and mixing of sounds, and arranging of samples. You can have fun with your MIDI-keyboard and much more; all in a user-friendly and modern interface.