Free Android Apps

GDocs Android app Review

Description:

If you are frequently using your Google Docs account then it is high time that you got a mobile app that allows you to create and edit these documents while on the go.  The GDocs Android app does just that.  One of the best parts about this app is that you can use it to get into your Google Docs account and then you can mess with your documents and them import or export them and send them to other people.  While this app doesn’t support all file types, it definitely is convenient enough that it can be a good addition to your list of apps.

Features:

• This Google Documents app has some cool features that lets you upload and download files from your Android to your Google Documents account
• This is a just a little notepad app that lets you view your documents and then you can edit them or even sync them from your account with Google Docs
• You can create your own documents or you can just stick to importing and exporting the documents
• This app also has support from MyBackup Integration.  This is great so you know you won’t lose your important information that you have been working on
• You can use this app to even open up and work with Microsoft Word and Notepad documents

Conclusion:

This app is great for anyone that frequently uses the Google Documents application for their computer.  This app is a great way to access and edit all of your documents and papers that you have stored in your Google Docs account.   You can also even use it to edit your notepad and Microsoft word documents but be warned that it does not support excel or power point so don’t waste your time with those.  It can, however, view PDFs.  It is a pretty cool way to upload your documents and download them and mess with and edit them all from your phone.  There are a few cons with this app however, and they stem around the editing options.  For one, you can’t edit all of the file types out there.  This limits you a bit.  Also, you can open any documents that are on your SD card or even from emails.  They also could have worked to make the app a bit more intuitive.

This app has been given a rating of 3.8 out of 5 stars and also is completely free for you to download off of the Android app market.

Fandango Movies Android app Review

Description:

The Fandango Movies Android app is a great way to stay up to date on all of your favorite movies that are coming out this summer.  You can look up your local movie theaters and see when showtimes are and watch movie trailers.  You can even purchase your ticket from right off of the app.  It’s that easy!

Features:

• When you download and upgrade the Fandango app you can get discounts or even a waived service fee on any movie ticket purchases you might make
• The best part about the app is the ability for you to do in-app movie ticket purchases so that you can get tickets to your favorite shows right from you rphone
• There are also movie trailers that you can watch for upcoming movies as well as reviews from other fans on the movies that were either good or bad
• You can also use the GPS that is built into your phone to find local movie theaters and then look up movies and their showtimes to see when they play next
• This app is also completely integrated with the Fandango.com account so you have access to all of those goodies as well

Conclusion:

There are a lot of different movie apps out there that you can download onto your mobile phone but every once in a while you get one that is really good.  That is the case with the Fandango movies Android app.  This app takes everything that was good about Fandango.com and puts it onto your phone.  You can find a complete list of movie theaters that are near you as well as the showtimes for the movies that have just come out and also see the trailers for new upcoming movies.  On top of that, you can also read reviews that have been given by fans.  The other really cool thing about the app that really sets it apart is the ability to buy tickets straight from the app.  There really aren’t too many bad things to say about this app since it puts the movie theaters right into your hand so you can make sure to always catch the flick that you have been wanting to see.

This is one of the better movie apps that is out on the Android market.  This app has been given a rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars by users that have downloaded and tried out the app.  The other nice thing about the app is that it is free to download.

Layar Reality Browser Android app Review

Description:

The Layar Reality Browser Android app is one of the most ingenious apps to come out for the Android thus far.  You can pull it out and look through the camera lens to be able to see real time footage of  businesses, bars, historical and natural landmarks and so much more.

Features:

• This is a nifty browsing app that allows you to mix real time and digital all onto the little camera screen that is on your Android phone
• All you have to do is pick up the phone and look through the camera lens to be able to see the items that you have searched for.  You can see things like houses for sale, play live games, tourist info, historical and natural landmarks, as well as clubs, bars and shops
• If you find a certain landmark or shop that you are interested in then there is an option to click on it and learn more about it
• You can also use it to find local businesses and learn more about their hours of operation, phone number, and customer reviews of the products
• There are also a lot of different plugins that can be added to the app to help you be more compatible with Flickr, BrightKite, Tweetmondo, and more

Conclusion:

This is a super cool browsing app that allows you to look through the camera lens on your camera and see both real time footage as well as some digital layers of things that you are looking for.  For instance, if you are looking for houses that are for sale you could search it and then pull out your phone and just move it around in any direction in order to show you where the next house for sale is in that direction.  Pretty cool idea for an app and it is kind of a good way to wow your friends and family.  The only gripe with this app is that it is almost more for wow purposes than convenient.  Also, sometimes you may have some super obvious searches and it still may not be able to find them.  Last of all it can sometimes be pretty laggy because all of the information on the screen gets jumbled up.

This app has been given a rating of 3.9 out of 5 stars by multiple users and critics.  This app is nice because it is completely free to download off of the Android app market.

Space Invader Android app Review

Description:

In the Space Invader Android app you will have to use your wits and your color smarts to be able to outdo your enemy and capture as much territory as you can.  You get to change your color after every turn to try and capture surrounding blocks of the same color.  The game has three different difficulty levels and is a great time waster.

Features:

• This is a game that involves strategy and tactics.  You will have to plan out your moves in order to outsmart  your opponent and claim your territories!
• The goal of the game is to try and retain the biggest territory that you can.  Every turn that you have will allow you to try and change the color of your territory to capture the neighboring cells that have that same color
• The game is very simple in nature and that is great because it makes it an easy one to pick up and play.  However, you will have to play for quite a while to be able to master it
• You will always start from the bottom left corner of the screen and you will have to try and overcome your enemy that starts in the top right corner
• One thing to note is that you can change your own color every turn that you have but you cannot choose the colors for the enemy territories
• You will have to keep track of your own personal colored blocks as well as your enemies in order to know what move to make next
• There are also a few different difficulty levels for this game including the beginner, advanced, and expert options
• There are also a couple different gameplay modes that include the Player vs. Player mode and the Player vs. A.I. mode

Conclusion:

This is a remake of a classic game that requires tactics and strategy to beat.  It may not be an exact replica of the old Space Invaders franchise but it is a little strategy game that you will love playing to waste time and pass the hours.  There are a few different game modes as well as difficulty levels that you can participate in.  This is great because it makes the app available to a lot more players of all different skill levels.  The only real problem with the game is that it could have used a little more polish as well as some sort of option to be able to save your high scores onto the app.  Without any high scores to compete against, it kind of loses it’s replay value.

This app has garnered decent reviews from Android app users.  It has a current rating of 3.3 out of 5 stars and can be downloaded for free off of the Android app marketplace.

Mint.com Personal Finance Android app Review

Description:

In the Mint.com Personal Finance Android app you will have the opportunity to manage all of your accounts from a single location and see exactly how you are spending your money each month!  You can add accounts for your vehicles, checking, savings, real estate, investments and so much more.  This way you can see an overall view of your monthly expenses or you can break it down to a granular level to see where each dollar is going.  You can even set tags and leave notes on your transactions to make sure you have it all documented.

Features:

• This app is one of the leading finance services that is available on the Android platform.  There are actually more then 3 million people that are using it and are loving the ability it has to help them manage their money and expenses.
• One of the great parts about this app is that it will actually categorize all of your expenses for you so you don’t have to go in there and manually do it every time you make a transaction
• The app will also frequently give you advice and tips on how you can actually save money on day to day activities.  Any tips on how to save money can be much appreciated over time
• The app also has the option for you to get notifications about your budget or balances.  This way you can be notified every time there is a major change to your personal finances and you can deal with it accordingly
• You will be able to view all of your accounts in a single place and make sure that all of your money is in order
• You can also set budgets for your different accounts and be notified when you are about to break that budget, or even when you are getting close to it
• You will be able to look back over your last few weeks of spending and see where most of your money is going.  That way you can either cut back on things or save more money for different parts of your budget
• You can have accounts for your savings, checking, credit cards, cars, real estate, investments, and even for your credit score

Conclusion:

The Mint.com Personal Finance Android app has gotten some pretty good reviews from users and critics alike.  It even has a password security system that is great because it will keep your financial information safe from potential intruders. One of the best things about the app is that you can view your expenses from any point of view.  You can get a high level view of your finances or you can break it down and see the nitty gritty parts and add tags and notes about it.  You also have some leeway in your sorting options and you can split it into categories, dates, or even merchants.  The only main gripe from this app is that you can’t add actual accounts within the app.  You actually have to get online at Mint.com to be able to do that.

This app has been given a 4.2 out of 5 star rating by users and critics of the game.  The nice thing about the app is that it is free to download onto your Android.