10 Coolest Android Apps for 2011

10 Coolest Android Apps for 2011
By popular demand! Here is the list of ten coolest Android apps that I use most frequently on my Galaxy 3 (i5801).

Disclaimer: This is a personalized list. I do not claim the apps listed here within are best of the lot. Also, installing and testing new apps from Android Market is my hobby, so the list may get enhanced / updated from time to time..

A) Management

All Samsung Smartphone users are aware of the extremely problematic, unreliable and buggy piece of software known as Kies. After searching for numerous alternatives, I zeroed on following apps to easily browse and manage my phone contents.

1. Remote Web Desktop: No matter how big your phone screen is, it certainly can’t be bigger than your desktop monitor! :) This app allows you to remotely utilize your smartphone’s functionality in a web browser, through WiFi connection on your PC. It offers a convenient and eye-pleasing GUI and lets you browse and send SMS, set wallpaper, manage multimedia content and more. Also includes WiFi keyboard utility. Truly outstanding!

Alternative-

* SwiFTP FTP Server: Simply configure your phone as an FTP server and browse + manage the contents using a web-browser. A no-frills alternative to remote web desktop mentioned above.

B) Security

Do you wish to protect personal / sensitive info from your nosy friends and colleagues? Now you can selectively lock things such as Messaging, Contacts, Gallery, Camera and anything else with one the following security apps. *Do not forget to EXCLUDE security apps from Task Killers!! *

2. App Locker II: Made by the same intelligent developers of Remote Web Desktop, this security app simulates a fake app crash when someone tries to access what they rather should not. You can customize this behavior as per your liking. Highly recommended! Free version allows only 3 lockable apps.

Alternatives-

* Carrot App Lock: Password protect up to 3 lockable apps in the free version with no suggestive "this is locked!" prompts. Also includes a desktop widgets for fast locking. Recommended for newbies…

* Smart app Protector Free: Similar to Carrot App, but free version allows up to 4 locakable apps and more customization options.

C) System Tools

3. Sense Analog Clock: Mimics the Sense analog clock look and feel of HTC Smartphones very closely. Couple that with additional info of battery level, available memory, internal storage and SDCard storage, makes this essentially a 5-in-1 app. Very handy and available in many variants! Includes optional weather info too…

4. My Settings: Control all the most frequently used settings in one convenient full-screen view, via toggle buttons. While Galaxy 3 already has a pull-down menu that allows WiFi, GPS and Bluetooth toggle, this app ALSO gives you toggle buttons for brightness, auto-rotate, flight mode, auto-sync and many more.

5. Easy Answer: Do not like the slider bar for accepting and rejecting calls? Use this app to replace it with (somewhat too) large buttons!

6. JuiceDefender: Given the generally weak battery life of most of the smartphones, this app is one of the MOST essential ones. Users have reported to gain up to 40% more battery life with this app..

7. Battery Indicator: After trying Juice Defender (or others), you need some sort to a indicator to know whether its actually working! Battery Indicator app sits in the notification area, thereby freeing valuable screen space. Not needed if you are already using one of the Sense Analog Clock variants mentioned above.

D) Multimedia

8. Dhingana.com: Like Bollywood music? Me too! This little app lets you hear latest and not-so-latest songs from Bollywood, turning your phone into a personalized jukebox. The songs are neatly categorized and are of generally higher bit-rate. You will also find regional songs from Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Tamil and more. Works best on WiFi.

9. Fliekie Wallpapers: My personal favorite app for browsing a vast collection of good quality wallapapers. It also auto sets the desired image as wallapaper without needing the crop.

10. Album Art Grabber: Galaxy 3 is braced with one of the best audio players in the market. It displays the album art as background while playing the song, but uses random camera pics when it doesn’t find one. Use this app to grab missing album art. Very handy!

Feel free to comment on the list and also let me know which apps YOU find as the most essential and cool ones! Depending on the feedback, I will publish another list..