Android 2.1

Yesterday I got the Android 2.1 update for my Motorola Cliq and it is fantastic. Me and all the other Cliq owners had stopped believing Motorola’s promises that it would be released and I was actually looking at getting a new phone. Yes, yes 2.2 is already out and has even more fantastic features but everything I really wanted and needed is available in 2.1 so I am happy. I am so happy that I decided to list all of my favorite apps/features and why.

1. Angry Birds – It’s addictive and you need a couple games on your phone to kill time
2. Barcode Scanner – I use this all the time. From finding the best price on a product to scanning a QR code on a website to install an app. Everybody needs this one.
3. Bit – It’s Bit from Tron that answers Yes/No to your questions. The most pointless app ever and I love it
4. Dropbox – I use Dropbox everyday for work and personal. It’s 2GB of space that allows you to sync your files online and across your computers automatically. You can share folders with other users and I have found it to be an invaluable tool. With this app I can access all my files without having to be near a computer and that has saved me from quite a few headaches
5. Evernote – My memory is horrible, just ask my wife. With Evernote I am able to jot down a note, take a pic and keep it all organized. This one is going to keep me out of trouble.
6. Facebook – Love it or hate it but you are probably signing into it everyday. It’s not a great app but it works for keeping up with your friend stream. For me it’s great when I am sitting in an room waiting on the doctor to show up.
7. Foursquare – I wasn’t a fan of the location sites but now it has become like a game to me. I use these rarely and mostly just share with my friends.
8. Google Sky Map – Look up at the night sky. If you don’t find it awe-inspiring don’t bother with this app.
9. Gowalla – See Foursquare
10. Kindle – I can read books on my phone. I really don’t need to say anything else.
11. Last.fm – I started using this site at my old job. As I play songs on my iPod, phone, or computer it “scrobbles” them and keeps track of what I like and customized a radio station just for me. It works just like Pandora I just prefer this one.
12. Layar – This is a cool app that uses your camera and shows you details about the places you are looking at. I’m still a newbie when it comes to this one but I like what I see so far.
13. Mint –  I keep track of all of my finances from personal to work using this one. It sends custom email alerts to tell me of important events, helped me setup a budget, and even tries to help me find better rates on my savings accounts and credit cards.
14. Mom 2 Be – A wealth of knowledge about my son. I know week from week about how big he is, how much he probably weighs, how much longer we have, and tips on what is going on with my wife. I check this app daily and smile.
15. Google Navigation – My phone is now my sat-nav. Did I mention it was free? Who doesn’t want a free sat-nav?
16. Nesoid – A Nintendo emulator aka The Wyatt is never bored app. This is the only app that I have paid for, it’s just that good. The developer has also released a Super Nintendo app but I haven’t broke down and bought it yet.
17. Places – Need a gas station? Places will find the one nearest to you. This one is going to come in handy.
18. Shazam – With this app no longer will I wonder what song is playing and who is singing it. If you love music you need this app.
19. Skyfire – This is an alternative browser that allows me to play videos. I use the default browser for everything else but if I want to watch old episodes of South Park I use Skyfire.
20. Skype – I use Skype for work all the time. I probably won’t use it to make Skype calls but I will be using the IM client constantly.
21. Square – Thanks to Square Designsparc can accept credit cards. The credit card reader doesn’t work yet but I can either punch the card number in or use my iPod touch to swipe it. Any app that makes me money is a fantastic app.
22. Google Talk – This is my default instant messenger service. If I am not chatting with you on gTalk we are on Skype.
23. Tricorder – This is another toy, and a very cool toy at that. It is made to look like a Star Trek tricorder and shows some random info like GPS satellites, a compass, strength of radio waves, etc. I like the option to see what the sun looks like and how loud the audio is where you are at.
24. Twitter – Twitter is my favorite social media site. I tried a few twitter clients but never found one I really liked until this one. The crazy part it’s the “official” client and for me it’s perfect
25. Urbanspoon – I am really hoping this app ends the age old dilemma of “What do you want to eat tonight?” “I don’t care, what do you want?” “I don’t care, what ever you want.”. It helps you pick where to go based on location, type, and price.
26. Google Voice – One number that can ring every phone you have. Another free service from Google that is invaluable for me and my business. It also does voicemail to text…poorly. I will admit though it has made me laugh more than once.
27. Voice Recorder – A handy tool when I need to take a quick note or record someone singing when they don’t realize it. This app has actually gotten me into trouble.
28. Wells Fargo – An official app for my bank. I don’t really need it since I have mint but I figure better safe than sorry.
29. Wifi Analyzer – I use this to troubleshoot problems with wireless networks by showing the SSID and signal strength. I can even use it to connect to a network if need be.
30. WordPress – Sometimes inspiration for a blog post hits me and I’m nowhere near a computer. I fire this one up, select which blog I want to update and start typing. I can tell you that once the kid gets here I will be using this app all the time.

Hope you enjoyed the list. Please feel free to tell me I am wrong and why or better yet tell me some great apps that I am not using.