- The release of the Motorola Droid, Nexus One, and other devices running the Google Android operating system has irrevocably changed the smartphone landscape, and led more developers to consider creating both free and paid applications for Android Market, Google's mobile application store. While questions remain about how robustly Android Market can challenge Apple's App Store, developers have been building thousands of applications for both business use and entertainment.
The following Android applications are some of Android Market's most popular, and allow both office workers and road warriors to do everything from editing documents formatted for a smartphone, to getting real-time stock quotes and weather updates, to listening to a little music or checking their Facebook updates during their downtime.
- Name: Finance
Cost: Free
This application offers streaming real-time stock quotes, offers quick access to market and company news, and synchronizes the user's Google Finance portfolios. - Name: Translator
Cost: Free
This application translates words, phrases, sentences and other chunks of text into a variety of languages ranging from Albanian to Yiddish. - Name: GPS Status
Cost: Free
By displaying your Android phone's GPS and sensor data, and showing the position and signal strength of GPS satellites, this application allows you to determine your position, GPS accuracy, speed, acceleration and bearing. - Name: Voice Recorder
Cost: Free
This application provides users with a voice-recorder interface, with data recorded to an SD card. Recordings can be sent as an attached file via Gmail. - Name: My Maps Editor by Google
Cost: Free
This application lets users create, edit and share personalized maps on an Android-powered phone, synchronized through the My Maps tab on Google Mpas. Users can also mark their location using GPS or attach a photo directly from their phone's library. - Name: Documents To Go 2.0 Main App
Cost: Free
This application lets users view, edit and create PowerPoint presentations; view PDF Files; and view and edit Microsoft Word and Excel documents. "Premium features" are available with a $29.99 upgrade. - Name: Fast Local Search
Cost: Free
Fast Local Search for Android provides access to relevant points of interest, including restaurants and gas stations, making it useful for road warriors. - Name: Pandora
Cost: Free
A little streaming Internet radio can help liven up a day at the office. - Name: Facebook for Android
Cost: Free
Facebook for Android lets users check status updates and friends' phone numbers from their home screen, share photos from their phone, and check their news feed. - Name: The Weather Channel
Cost: Free
Android's Weather Channel App presents customizable weather maps, video forecasts, weather alerts and more.
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