Motorola Droid - Killer Apps

[gtc]

I picked up a Droid on Monday... it's pretty damn slick.
There are a few bugs and shortcomings, but overall I think it's a good iPhone alternative. It has a great screen, it is very fast, and there are already a lot of good apps for it. Best of all, I never have to deal with iTunes or Apple's BS regarding unlocked phones.

Here are a few of the better apps I've found so far. Please add any you've discovered, and I'll edit them into this post. Or let me know if there is a better alternative to any of these.

Google Sky Maps - hold up the phone to identify any constellation. Not really useful, just fun to use.
Qik - Records streaming 720x480 video, which is available online almost instantly. No waiting for video to upload to youtube.
aDyno - like dynolicious for the iPhone, except free
Last.fm - like pandora, but better IMO. Learns your tastes from what you play on your phone and how you rate songs.
Weatherbug - weather report for your GPS location, plus google maps with radar and temperature overlays.

Masraum's suggestions:
Games
air attack
bonsai blast
alien blood bath
doom
labyrinth lite
Meteor Brick Breaker
Orbs
Robo Defense
Trap

Apps
anycut free --> bettercut not free -- you can make more types of shortcuts
bar control -- add commonly used apps to the status bar
barcode scanner -- just what it says
bubble -- a bubble level in any orientation, you can calibrate it
buzzoff -- turn off the ringer for a period of time
flashlight (by devesh parekh) -- simple works great
google voice -- lots of cool stuff
gps speedo -- just what it says
gps tracker -- has several cool features, track routes, find your phone
handcent -- better texting app
orienteer -- GPS or Compass
package tracking -- track packages for almost any carrier
scan2pdf (there's free and paid versions) -- pretty cool, take a picture of something and save it to pdf
the weather channel -- good weather app
wifiscanner -- see what's in your area and what the signal strength is

Overpaid Slacker's Suggestions:
Secret Box,
Simple Timer
Ultimate Stopwatch
GPS Tracker
Cop Recorder
Analog Compass
Car Locater
Ringdroid
wikinotes -- good notes app

[berettafan]

Tried to talk my wife into one of these things.

Me i can't let my ol' fashioned Blackberry Curve go. Email, weather, craigslist searches, internet, etc. etc.

[gtc]

I can't stand the blackberry devices. Every one I've tried is SLOOOOOOW.
Did I mention the droid has a removable battery and storage media (micro SD)?

[legion]

I have a Blackberry through work so I don't need another fancy phone.

My wife wants a SmartPhone, and considering my recent firearm purchase, she is getting one. She's leaning towards an Android phone, but she's not a techy person. I hear there is a scaled-down version of the Droid coming out in a little while. True?

[NICKG]

i like my lg. when i push the numbers in the right order, i can TALK to someone...and when they need to CALL me, the just need to enter my numbers in the right order.
it has a cool ap, when you hold the button marked "pwr" down...it turns off

[island911]

The iPhone screen size and resolution was one big leap forward in web-browsing phones (320 x 480) when most were exactly half that. Now, with HTC and motorola offering so many WVGA (800+ x 480)screens, iPhone is looking oh so 2007.

Fwiw, the HTC Touch Pro2 is similar to the Droid in form, but has a better keyboard and runs MW. ...which also has some great features.

[berettafan]

Nick i hear ya on that but you get REALLY used to having certain bits of info at your side at all times.

Not to mention other cool stuff like surfing the web in a waiting room or while your wife is in wal mart. And when you find a cool gizmo you just have to order for the car you can just mouse over the phone number, hit the track ball thingy and you're on the phone.

Wanna add those guys to your address book? couple buttons and it's done.

Wake up a 4am wondering what the storm is doing and when it's going to pass but don't feel like crawling out of bed? Done. Moving radar right on your phone.

I find the operating system to be so incredibly intuitive that i just can't stand traditional phones any more.

[berettafan]

btw, i hit a few buttons and i've got the results of preprogrammed craigslist searches in front of me.

got an email from a lady wanting to buy a desk i had on CL. moused over the phone # and was setting up a meet time in seconds.

unlike phones with fun games and 'apps' the bb actually improves efficiency and is a darned useful tool that i couldn't imagine being without.

[masraum]

I've had an Android G1 for a year. Here's my list

games
air attack
bonsai blast
alien blood bath
doom
labyrinth lite
Meteor Brick Breaker
Orbs
Robo Defense
Trap

Apps
anycut free --> bettercut not free -- you can make more types of shortcuts
bar control -- add commonly used apps to the status bar
barcode scanner -- just what it says
bubble -- a bubble level in any orientation, you can calibrate it
buzzoff -- turn off the ringer for a period of time
flashlight (by devesh parekh) -- simple works great
google voice -- lots of cool stuff
gps speedo -- just what it says
gps tracker -- has several cool features, track routes, find your phone
handcent -- better texting app
orienteer -- GPS or Compass
package tracking -- track packages for almost any carrier
scan2pdf (there's free and paid versions) -- pretty cool, take a picture of something and save it to pdf
the weather channel -- good weather app
wifiscanner -- see what's in your area and what the signal strength is
wikinotes -- good notes app

[masraum]

Originally Posted by legion

I have a Blackberry through work so I don't need another fancy phone.

My wife wants a SmartPhone, and considering my recent firearm purchase, she is getting one. She's leaning towards an Android phone, but she's not a techy person. I hear there is a scaled-down version of the Droid coming out in a little while. True?

What carrier is she on?

My wife can use her G1 and she's not a techy person. It's pretty easy and intuitive IMO.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by berettafan

Nick i hear ya on that but you get REALLY used to having certain bits of info at your side at all times.

Not to mention other cool stuff like surfing the web in a waiting room or while your wife is in wal mart. And when you find a cool gizmo you just have to order for the car you can just mouse over the phone number, hit the track ball thingy and you're on the phone.

Wanna add those guys to your address book? couple buttons and it's done.

Wake up a 4am wondering what the storm is doing and when it's going to pass but don't feel like crawling out of bed? Done. Moving radar right on your phone.

I find the operating system to be so incredibly intuitive that i just can't stand traditional phones any more.

Yep, +1. I was a late hold-out for getting a cell phone or pager (which is funny, because I'm a techy guy). Once I had a cell, I couldn't imagine being without. Then for many years I always had the cheapest most basic Nokia. They were like a Timex watch, great phones, great reception always worked. But a year ago when I spent a few days playing with my wife's G1 so I could show her how to use it, I was hooked. Now, I'd freak if it was gone.

[legion]

We are currently on Sprint. We will probably switch to Verizon because:

1) Sprint does not have coverage in Houghton, MI or Mountain Home, AR, two towns we visit family in for at least a week each every year.

2) Sprint has outsourced the service of its network. Service will surely suffer.

3) Sprint, AT&T, and Verizon were each offered the ability to put in-house cell repeaters in my building (my employer has contracts with each). Sprint was the only company to decline the offer.

[Overpaid Slacker]

In addition to the ones mentioned, I've kept:

Secret Box,
Simple Timer
Ultimate Stopwatch
GPS Tracker
Cop Recorder
Analog Compass
Car Locater
Ringdroid

Qik just launched a new Beta for its HD recording as well.


EDIT -- also, Contact Owner. It puts up a phone # and brief message when the phone is locked, so if you lose it, the finder will know how to get in touch.

JP

[HHI944]

I switched from my iPhone on ATT to a Droid on Verizon when they came out, primarily because of VZ having much better coverage in my area. I couldn't be much happier with the Droid. There are certainly bugs, but no more than any of the iPhones have had initially. The phone is lightning fast and I've actually become rather fond of the physical keyboard for banging out a more in-depth e-mail, etc. I don't have a lot of apps on it right now: Calvin and Hobbes, Advanced Task Killer (essential with the level of background processing the phone allows), Pandora, DockRunner, a battery widget, weatherbug widget...........blah blah blah.

The navigation has been very accurate so far and the voice search has about a 90% accuracy rate.

[red-beard]

I want a Palm Pre - but not until they come out with the GSM version. Sprint? WTF?

[masraum]

Originally Posted by HHI944

The navigation has been very accurate so far and the voice search has about a 90% accuracy rate.

G1's don't natively support the navigation, but I've rooted my phone, and the developers on the Internet have figured out how to get the navigation installed on G1s, so I installed it last night and tested it on my way to/from work today and in a short trip to the store. It's pretty good.

I really love my phone and am quite happy with what it can do, but I'm very very excited about what will be available in the next couple of years. I'm sure that the smart phones will progress by leaps and bounds becoming even closer to richly featured hand held computers (actually, they pretty much fit the bill already)

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by gtc

I can't stand the blackberry devices. Every one I've tried is SLOOOOOOW.
Did I mention the droid has a removable battery and storage media (micro SD)?

Try the Bold or newer generation versions. Much faster and I cannot get ahead of mine.

[Wickd89]

Who cares about the Droid.

T-Moible has had an-droids for over a year (98% same apps and view).
I had a Verizon employee show me the Droid like they had just invented the wheel; give me a break..you are a year behind..

I had the G1 (it was great -all I had to do was put the Wifi activation as a widget).

I now have the Mytouch and it is perfect. Great at everything!

And Tmobile gets high ratings by JDPowers and the coverage/price plan works for me..

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Wickd89

Who cares about the Droid.

T-Moible has had an-droids for over a year (98% same apps and view).
I had a Verizon employee show me the Droid like they had just invented the wheel; give me a break..you are a year behind..

I had the G1 (it was great -all I had to do was put the Wifi activation as a widget).

I now have the Mytouch and it is perfect. Great at everything!

And Tmobile gets high ratings by JDPowers and the coverage/price plan works for me..

Yeah, I love the G1, and since it's rooted, I can do a few more things that are really important to me than if it wasn't.

I think the big key is that the Droid has a faster/better processor and more memory, and because of the processor, has gotten a few extra, cool features that aren't going to officially be available for the G1 ever.

I've had T-mobile for a VERY long time (before it was T-mobile), and love it. I've always had great service.

I can't wait to see the next generation of G1 (The MT3G is basically the same minus the keyboard, so I don't consider it the next gen, it's more of a coupe vs cab thing).

And whatever, if the hype that the Droid is getting and the commercials that I'm seeing for the My Touch and HTC and other Android devices is indicative, then that just means that Android based devices are going to gain popularity and strength which can only be good for people that like them. It'll me more money put into development, more options, more apps and a better selection of products.

I'd like to play around with a netbook that runs Android.

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by masraum

Yeah, I love the G1, and since it's rooted, I can do a few more things that are really important to me than if it wasn't.

I think the big key is that the Droid has a faster/better processor and more memory, and because of the processor, has gotten a few extra, cool features that aren't going to officially be available for the G1 ever.

I've had T-mobile for a VERY long time (before it was T-mobile), and love it. I've always had great service.

I can't wait to see the next generation of G1 (The MT3G is basically the same minus the keyboard, so I don't consider it the next gen, it's more of a coupe vs cab thing).

And whatever, if the hype that the Droid is getting and the commercials that I'm seeing for the My Touch and HTC and other Android devices is indicative, then that just means that Android based devices are going to gain popularity and strength which can only be good for people that like them. It'll me more money put into development, more options, more apps and a better selection of products.

I'd like to play around with a netbook that runs Android.

Instead of a Netbook, maybe have Celio make the Redfly work with Android. They have just updated the software so they it will work with some Blackberrys.