DoggCatcher - I listen to podcasts these days more than I do the radio. In fact, I listen to about 10 of them on a weekly basis.  I never really was an iPod guy even before smartphones took off.  My wife bought me a classic iPod 20GB  years ago and I hardly ever used it because I hate iTunes.  And when smartphones took off I used the USB storage on them to download and listen to my music. Without iTunes to listen to these podcasts I need an app to download and manage all of these shows.  To do that I have tried (and bought) a few of them but I have ended up sticking with DoggCatcher.

Doggcatcher has most of the basic features that all podcast players have, audio options, video options and the ability to schedule downloads. In addition to that, it also has some features that set it apart.  With DoggCatcher you can download video podcasts and play them as audio only if you prefer.  This is a feature I have found useful when wanting to listen to a podcast while working in the yard. If you lock the screen on video playing in Android it stops the video. So by listening to the audio only I can save my battery by turning off the screen.  The app even resumes you to the same spot you were at if you were listening to audio and switch back to video.  Because it offers this feature I have started downloading all of the podcasts that I listen to as the video versions.  It is nice to have the option.

Another big selling point to DC is the ability to find podcasts.  I typically add shows to my Google Reader list and DoggCatcher let's me pull them in from there.  Since many shows have websites with the different services and Google Reader is normally one of them it makes finding the show on the phone or tablet much easier.  But the built in list of shows is impressive.  There are a lot of shows listed and the search function works well too.

There is a sleep timer and backup/restore function in the settings. I like that it will backup my settings so that I do not lose them between rom flashes.  There are tons of options in the preferences. You can set global settings and per feed settings.  I have mine setup to download 2 episodes of each show and purge the oldest one as the newer shows come in.  I have some shows set to keep up to 4 shows since they are shorter and updated more frequently.  As shows are viewed it also removes them from the list.  All of this is customizable.  You can specify alternate audio or video players if you prefer to use something other than the stock ones. There are download settings, storage preferences and so much more.  

The main screen where the shows are listed has a row of controls (Play, FF, REW...) at the bottom for the audio feeds. The buttons are decent sized but not as large as the CarCast player.  But the controls are large enough that you won't have to fumble around with them in the car too much taking your eyes off the road. To play video does seem to take more concentration.  You have to click the small Video option then the shows are listed. You click on the title and they start.  I typically start a show before I start driving. To get to another show after one finishes is easier.  Still not the safest option but it is not too bad once you are familiar with the app layout.

I have my DoggCatcher download at night and once during the day. You can specify all of this and if you prefer it can be set to only download over wifi.  With most video shows running 300-500MB it is an easy way to run over your data caps on your "unlimited" data plans. Setting the wifi only option will save you. I guess one of the things I like about  this app is that I don't have to think about it.  The shows just download and are ready for me when I want them.

The app costs $4.99 but if you really want to listen to podcasts and don't want to have to manage and think about downloading it is worth the cost.  Get the trial version to get started and see if it is right for you.

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.snoggdoggler.android.applications.doggcatcher.v1_0&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImNvbS5zbm9nZ2RvZ2dsZXIuYW5kcm9pZC5hcHBsaWNhdGlvbnMuZG9nZ2NhdGNoZXIudjFfMCJd

IMDb - I watch movies and TV shows while surfing the web or social apps on my phone or tablet all of the time.  And while I may not always be paying 100% attention to either activity, I do find myself looking up the shows on IMDb (Internet Movie Database) to see what other shows the actors were in or even look for goofs and trivia about the movie or show.  The Android IMDb app is a great way to look that information up. The app is much like the website (http://www.imdb.com/) in both look and content.  You have catagories at the top you can look through, there is a search bar, a new releases area and notifications section.  The app also has Featured Items and your IMDb watchlist.  

I tend to search 99% of the time that I use the app since I am watching something that may not be a new movie.  By searching a title or for an actor you can come up with many items very quickly. In searching for movies for example, I find the title and release date along with some pictures of the actors or from the movie. There are plot details category listings for the movie (Drama, comedy sci-fi...) followed by the actors. By clicking on an actor you can find other films they have been in or things they have directed. Writers and all cast members can be expanded to gather that information.  Under the Did You Know? section there is goofs, trivia and quotes.You can even buy the movies from Amazon there.  You can see movie trailers, share the links or add to your watchlist for any updates and news.  This is the app for any TV or movie buffs to have.

Sitting at home the other night my wife and I both were searching for some information on a movie that we were talking about, her on her PC and me on my phone.  I was able to get the info slightly faster than she was even launching the app and typing on the Android keyboard.  I find myself looking for one thing and going down a rabbit hole of searches relating from one actor to another.  My youngest son uses the app to try and find the goofs and point them out.  It has become a family app for sure.

The app is free and can be run on phones or tablets.  Most trailers are in HD.  If you are a movie or trivia buff then this app will keep you busy for quite a while.

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.imdb.mobile&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImNvbS5pbWRiLm1vYmlsZSJd

Autozone - I have been having a terrible time lately with cars.  With myself, my wife and 2 teenage kids driving, keeping the "fleet" on the road has been a real pain.  As I become a self taught mechanic I have found my app for today, the AutoZone app.  You may not have an AutoZone store around you to visit and if you do not I am sorry but I think this is the automotive store app that others should try and match features with.

The app is quick and when you first start up it allows you to add your vehicles in and store them for quick access to finding parts.  You can also find stores with the app.  It uses your phones GPS to locate stores in the general area you are in.  Even with the Vibrant's broken down GPS I was able to find stores around me with ease.  You then can save the stores so that when you search for parts you can lookup availability.  I had to make a roadside repair for my son's truck last week and I was able to locate the nearest store with the location and mapping then go pickup the part knowing it was in stock

After you have the essentials filled out you have Find Parts, Find Accessories and Repair Guides as options.  Finding parts is simple enough. You can manually enter the name of the part you are looking for or you can drill down through the list of categories.  I was looking for Starters for a 1989 Ford F-150 pickup.  I went to Starting and charging then Starters.  I was presented with a list and if it was in stock at my local store.  The search is really fast. You can add it to your list and/or click on it to see specs. If you add it to your list the item spins up to the Shopping list menu option. Clicking on that menu shows you your items and price including sales tax! You can long press to delete or change quantity. Did I mention how fast this app is?

Repair Guides comes up with a list of common repairs that you can perform and schematics of the parts. Some sections have removal and installation instructions. AutoZone's website has some grat how-to videos as well and maybe one day those will be integrated into the app.  But for now the part breakdowns and instructions are a nice mobile way to work on your vehicle.

If you are a weekend shade tree mechanic or even a serious mechanic that wants to know prices for parts quickly this app is definitely worth a look.

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.autozone.mobile&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImNvbS5hdXRvem9uZS5tb2JpbGUiXQ..

A Charlie Brown Christmas - This has to be today's app of the day. Charlie Brown's Christmas is one of my favorites. Get it while it is free today!

http://www.amazon.com/Loud-Crow-Interactive-Inc-Christmas/dp/B00696GNC8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=mobile-apps&tag=androidpolice-20&qid=1324655809&sr=1-1

Key Ring - I have noticed that many stores that are offering discounts and discount cards.  Many of these stores give you a key ring card with a barcode on 

it to scan at the checkout counter. I have tried a few of these apps that allow you to scan them into your phone and present them to be scanned. The one I really like is called Key Ring Rewards Card by Mobestream Media. Not only does this app offer tons of preset stores to add in but they also offer discounts on products at many of the stores.  Think of it like a card holder and Groupon mixed.  Unlike other apps of this type, Key Ring also syncs to the cloud allowing you to keep the data even between devices.  With coupons offered and over 700 stores preloaded this is a simple replacement to all of those cards.

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.froogloid.kring.google.zxing.client.android&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImNvbS5mcm9vZ2xvaWQua3JpbmcuZ29vZ2xlLnp4aW5nLmNsaWVudC5hbmRyb2lkIl0.

Titanium Backup - **Rooted users only**  If you are a rom-a-holic like I am, then you know how much work it can be to get everything back on your phone after flashing a rom. I typically run about 75 apps on my phone between utilities and apps.  That is a lot of setup and configuration to do if you need to do it once.  Try doing that every other day like I do when I really get rolling with new roms!  The solution I have found is Titanium Backup. I have been running this since I started with the My Touch 3G. 

Titanium Backup gives you the ability to backup your phone to the SD card as well as Dropbox for off-device backups.  I backup my phone nightly with the paid version of the app and the built in scheduler.  I like that I can delete apps and restore them with the data.  If I wipe my phone and put a new rom on I simply restore the apps and data.  Most of the apps are just like I had them when they were backed up with all of the settings and data intact.  There are a few apps that do not keep all of the settings but there are not many. 

I usually don't restore system apps just because they cause force close errors.  However, TB has some settings (marked in green) that are fine to restore.  You can restore your accounts and wifi connections for instance.  Titanium Backup also allows you to freeze apps that maybe you cannot remove *cough* bloatware *cough* and prevent it from running. This is helpful on apps that cause your battery to drain quickly.   Additionally, you can remove some apps that may be otherwise un-removable.  

As much as I love the app, the interface is a little strange. I use the Batch operations all of the time but that is only selectable by hitting Menu>Batch.  A small irritation but something that I would have hoped would be fixed by now. Though interfaces are not this apps strong point, execution is.  I highly recommend TB for all users.  This way at least you know your apps are backed up. With the Dropbox feature you can even restore to other devices.

The free version is great but does require you to restore apps individually and scheduling is limited. If you have a ton of apps this is well worth the $6.98 for the paid version. I start my restore and let it go. If you only want to test it and don't care about spending the time to restore then the free version will be just fine for you.  Go download it today.

(Rooted users only)

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.keramidas.TitaniumBackup&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImNvbS5rZXJhbWlkYXMuVGl0YW5pdW1CYWNrdXAiXQ..

Groove IP - I have a very limited amount of minutes to use every month. At this point I hardly use my minutes but I decided that I should look into using VOIP (Voice Over IP) to try and make some of my calls.  Since I use Google Voice as my phone number the obvious choice to allow me to use my data instead of my minutes was Groove IP by SNRB Labs.  I bought mine from the Amazon marketplace since it was actually a $1 cheaper than the Android market.

With Groove IP you login to your Google Voice account through the app and you are then presented with a slew of options.  You can specify how the dialers work, where the call logs are shown and when to use Groove IP.  For instance, you can turn off 3G/4G usage and only have it run on Wifi. You can specify hours that it will run.  Since I am on wifi most of the time I only have mine work across wifi connections.  Today in fact I was on the phone for well over an hour but it didn't count against my 500 minutes a month.  Since I was on wifi it also didn't count against my "unlimited" 2GB a month data plan.  Not bad for a $2 app.  It won't take long to pay for itself.  

If you have a limited amount of minutes each month and use Google Voice to call you need to go download Groove IP today.

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.gvoip&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5ndm9pcCJd

Swype -  (Not in the market - http://beta.swype.com/) One thing I love about Android is the ability to customize almost everything in the system. Case in point, the keyboard. While iPhone users are stuck with one stock keyboard, us Android users have dozens to choose from. My favorite on the phone is Swype. It is not available in the Market but can be downloaded as a beta trial from Swype's website.  It is great because it allows you to put your finger on the first letter of a word and drag your finger over the remaining letters in the word then release to get the result. For example, if I want to spell Android I would put my finger on the letter A and drag around the keyboard over all of the letters in order. I then release my finger and it puts android in. I then go to the next word doing the same thing.  It auto spaces if you leave that feature on.  Double spaces add periods automatically.  It has double characters on the keys so by long pressing the keys you get the secondary character.  This makes typing even faster since you do not need to keep switching between the alpha keyboard back to the numeric one. I use this feature all of the time.

There are so many features of Swype I cannot possibly mention them all.  It is worth trying it out. It is free and even comes preloaded on some devices. My old My Touch 3G had it factory loaded as did my Samsung Tab and Galaxy S Vibrant.  You will see how efficient this way of typing really is.

http://beta.swype.com/

Go Launcher - As someone that puts custom roms on my phone regularly I have found that using a third party launcher makes transitioning much easier.  I have tried several and I really like Go Launcher. It is  very easy to customize the look of Go Launcher due to the many themes that have been developed for it. It is a free launcher with a large user base.  Many people have created themes and there is a Go Store as well as the add ons in the Android Market.  

Some of the nice features of this launcher include a way to back it up to the SD card and customizations of the apps in the tray and desktop.  The transitions and animations in Go Launcher work really well and make it a good choice for someone wanting a different look.  

There are several great Go apps including Go Contacts and Go Clock.  Check them out.

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.gau.go.launcherex&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImNvbS5nYXUuZ28ubGF1bmNoZXJleCJd

Barcode Scanner - One of the basic apps that I always recommend (that should be included in Stock Android) is a barcode scanner.  Since my first Android phone I have been using Barcode Scanner by ZXing Team.  It is a basic app that does just what the name says, scans barcodes. It will read QR codes that are popping up in all sorts of places in addition to standard bar codes. I have used this app to read service codes off of everything from Dell servers to look up products online while standing in a store. It will scan the barcode and prompt you for the requested action. It is easy to use.  I notice that like many camera apps in Android that there is a slight lag but I think that is camera hardware lag and not app related.  It does a great job on QR codes.

Be sure to get yourself the Barcode Scanner app from the Android Market.

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.google.zxing.client.android&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5nb29nbGUuenhpbmcuY2xpZW50LmFuZHJvaWQiXQ..

Airdroid - I love apps that let you copy files back and forth from your PC to your phone wirelessly.  I have tried a few out and found a couple that are good. Airdroid is probably the best one I have seen yet. Airdroid is a web browser based tool where you start the app on the phone then are given the URL (normally your IP address and port 8888) and a password.  On your PC you enter this in your browser and you are given a desktop.  It not only shows you the files, apps and messaging that is on your phone but also lets you can manage files.  You can see your wifi signal level and battery level. There is a storage meter to show you the used and available memory storage space available. 

On the desktop you have Messages, Apps, Files, Market, Photos, Music, Ringtones, Contacts, Call Logs and Clipboard icons. The Messages app lets you see and send text messages through the phone. Apps gives you an apps list and you can uninstall from there. The other icons are just what they say. But with a way to manage them on a PC it is a much more convenient way to get to this data.

It is in beta but now is free in the market.

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.sand.airdroid&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImNvbS5zYW5kLmFpcmRyb2lkIl0.

Droidin - If you are a LinkedIn user and an Android owner you know that there was not a good app from LinkedIn until rather recently. Before that there was DroidIn. It still is a good app if you are a mobile LinkedIn user.  It has your inbox, updates, contacts and now groups.  It is fast and uses the open API and is not just a web page link.  You can also sync your contacts with the built in Android contacts.  This is a great alternative to the LinkedIn app.  

https://market.android.com/details?id=bostone.android.droidin&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImJvc3RvbmUuYW5kcm9pZC5kcm9pZGluIl0.

Screen On - There are times when I want to keep my screen on in certain apps. There are a few of these screen controlling apps such as Screebl that will keep your phone on at a determined angle. Screen On by Konstantinos Polychronis in the Android Market is another such app that keeps the screen lit but it allows you to specify which apps.  Say for instance that you want to keep the screen on while you are reading the web browser, set it to stay on in Screen On and it will override your timeout settings.  This is a great utility to load on your phone.

https://market.android.com/details?id=gr.androiddev.ScreenOn&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImdyLmFuZHJvaWRkZXYuU2NyZWVuT24iXQ..

Desk Clock Plus - I use my phone as a computer, game console, entertainment device and anything else I can find an app for.  Most importantly, I use it for an alarm clock. It starts my day by waking me up. We take for granted how important this is when the alarm just works.  But without it, waking up late will completely wreck your day.  I have been using an app that I first found in a rom and ripped the APK file from the system/apps folder. It is now available in the market and it is called Desk Clock Plus by Bob Mueser.  I like this over the stock alarm app because it adds in a screen saver with the time showing. I have removed my old alarm clock completely and have my phone with a handy kickstand show me the time throughout the night. The latest update to this app also has a dimming feature.  There are now themes available for the clock background too.  I use this only at night so I like the black backgrounds to keep it dark.  For those of you with docks for your phone, you can select Desk Clock Plus as the default app to launch when docked. It has other features such as a slide show mode a music launcher and weather.  Like so many apps these days, there are a ton of alarm clock apps out there but I think for the money (Ok, it is free) this one is worth the download.

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.DevBob.DeskClockPlus&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImNvbS5EZXZCb2IuRGVza0Nsb2NrUGx1cyJd

SMS Backup + - I know how you digital pack rats out there don't ever want to lose a single text message, email or phone call log.  For you I strongly suggest SMS Backup + in the app store. This app backs up your text messages to your Gmail account. There are a few advantages to this. First, you can have them in the cloud. If your phone takes a swim in the pool with you where is your text message backups going with other apps? Probably on the SD card that is right there in the pool sucking up chlorine along with your phone.  With SMS Backup + it is stored in Gmail and can be easily restored back to your new phone. You can also select to restore just a portion of the most recent messages too.  They are still in your Gmail but your phone doesn't have to get bogged down with tons  of old messages.  Another advantage is that you can search for messages or see messages from your computer and not just the phone.  Since it is in Gmail they are easily searched.

A couple of points of interest though with this app.  It does backup MMS messages but does not currently restore them. You can email them back to yourself but they are not in the SMS app then.  It also has some issues when it is installed on the SD Card.  So just be sure to leave the app on the phone. 

But you can schedule backups to happen and it will do all of that in the background without having to think about it. Isn't it worth that piece of mind knowing that your messages are safe? Of course it is!

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.zegoggles.smssync&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS56ZWdvZ2dsZXMuc21zc3luYyJd

https://github.com/jberkel/sms-backup-plus/#readme

ICS Rom - Ok, so this is not an app but an OS. However, trying out the highly anticipated Ice Cream Sandwich release on my Samsung Vibrant is pretty exciting.  I thought my flashing rom days were behind me and that I had become a mature Android user.  One that would theme and customize a stable CM7 release so that I didn't have to be sure my Titanium Backup was up to date daily.  Wrong! There are currently 3 Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) releases in the Vibrant XDA developers forums right now.  I first tried the i9000 port version.  I loved it was ASOP Android but it was still too buggy to run all of the time.  I have now tried Neobuddy89's Passion v3 Beta.  It is much more stable and still has most of the stock features of ICS as part of the rom.  He has added some extra apps in that I would prefer not to have but the overall rom seems much like the i9000 port.  There were some live wallpapers removed too but I pulled one back in from the ported version.

ICS is amazing. I really like the smoothness of it.  Obviously, there has been a ton of effort put into this from Google to make it much more fluid and appealing.  The new Roboto font is a big improvement.  The words are very clear and readable.  It is also a thinner font that allows for more text in small areas. The Settings area has been updated in a nice way.  At the top you have the wifi and Bluetooth toggles and settings right where you would like them to be. The new data usage chart is accessible right under them. Below that is the standard Android Sound, Display, storage... settings that were in previous versions of Android.

The launcher lets you put apps on the bar beside the app launcher icon. Above that you have a line and the desktop.  The desktop allows you to place icons on it like before but new to ICS is a grid showing you where it will be placed. If you are in the apps list press and hold the app to drag it to the desired location on the desktop. The desktop then snaps back out to full screen so you can see your icons. This is all very smooth.  There is a Google search bar at the top of every screen on the desktop. I thought I would find this annoying and a waste of screen, but instead I hardly notice it.  The transitions of the apps in the list are like trays getting shuffled. It is a nice touch Google.  Also, the soft buttons that the new devices without hardware buttons will get are not shown with a device that has buttons.  I like that they didn't double it up on old devices.

The new people Center app has all of your contacts in it. There are three areas at the top that allow you to see those contacts, groups and favorites. There is also a search option. I have been on custom roms so I don't see a big improvement there but it is a nice centralized app to find your contacts.

For me, the biggest improvement may be the notification bar. I laugh when IOS users show me their "new" notification bar in IOS5 like it is a revolutionary feature that Apple created.  It is so Android last year! The new notification bar in ICS pulls down and has an icon for Settings right there. It is so much more convenient.  Below that are your system notifications. You want to clear just one of them? No problem, just swipe it off to the right and it is gone.Of course you can still click it to open the app or message.

I like that you can browse widgets now too.  Though I keep forgetting where that feature is. It is a second tab in the apps list. I know it makes sense but I keep looking for it in Settings>Apps.  Small gripe but the feature is helpful. You can see the widget before placing it on the desktop.

Google+ is built right in.  All of the apps are starting to look like Google+ and that unified platform.  Gmail, Maps, Calendar and the other Google apps now have that same look and feel.  No longer do they all look like they were designed by different companies. Finally!

So far I am very impressed with Ice Cream Sandwich. What an improvement over Gingerbread and even Honeycomb.  I feel proud to show off the stock OS now to IOS users. Before it just looked rough and like engineers designed it. Now it looks like someone with a keen eye for design laid it out.  But the design didn't come at the cost of added lag. Oh no.  They sped it up and made it look nice. It is functional and even on my "old" single core 1GHz CPU Vibrant that Samsung has since forgotten, is very fast and responsive. I was about to go pre-order the Galaxy Nexus but now I am having second thoughts. Rather than breaking my contract and having ETF's I may stick with this until my contract is up. 

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1362961

DropBox - Dropbox for Android give us that use Dropbox a way to get to your online files from your phone.  If you are a heavy Dropbox user and store your life's works on the site you need to get this app.  It allows you to see you files and you can even email files as attachments from within the app.  If you want to be sure to save your photos to Dropbox the app allows not only pictures but videos too.  There is also document editing capabilities.  You know what Dropbox does so go get the app.

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.dropbox.android&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5kcm9wYm94LmFuZHJvaWQiXQ..

http://www.dropbox.com/

FREEdi YouTube Downloader - I sent the Freedi YouTube Downloader to +Troy King of the Android Vibe and he reviewed it but I thought it was worth mentioning again.   This app allows you to rip YouTube videos down to your phone without using a computer. You simply go out to YouTube to find your video that you want to rip down and click the Share icon.  In the list select the Freedi YouTube DOwnloader to have it download and format the video. It saves it to your SD card and is in your list from the video app on your phone or tablet. I use this to save videos to watch later.  It rips the videos very quickly and the quality is decent. This app isn't available from the Android market (I think I got it from the Amazon market) but I will provide a download link for you.

http://www.amazon.com/MicroMacro-Mobile-Inc-YouTube-Downloader/dp/B004UID2LC

http://slideme.org/application/freedi-youtube-downloader

Rings Extended - Have you really ever wanted to make your ringtone a song but you're not sure how to do that? Rings Extended by Dianne Hackborn in the market will let you pick any sound file to be a ringtone or event notification.  Just install the app and when you go to change a notification sound you will get a prompt for what app to use (usually the Android system does this automatically) and pick Rings Extended.  You can download wav files or MP3's and make them your ring or notifications. 

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.angryredplanet.android.rings_extended&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImNvbS5hbmdyeXJlZHBsYW5ldC5hbmRyb2lkLnJpbmdzX2V4dGVuZGVkIl0.

SBAutoLogin - With the holidays upon us you might find yourself taking a well deserved shopping break at a Starbucks. Since most of my family works for Starbucks I find myself in one more often than most people probably do. The problem is that their free wifi requires you to accept the agreement to allow your phone complete web access.  There were several times I walked into a store and had my wifi automatically connect but since I didn't accept the terms I was not getting to the Internet. That stops emails from coming in for most phones.  To fix this dilemma I have found a handy app called the Starbuck Wifi Auto Login by vzaliva. It accepts the terms and gets your phone or tablet connected right away. I now do not even think about it and by the time I hit the counter my phone is logged in. If you use the Starbucks card app to pay this will allow you to open the cards u and sync right away.

The think I like about this app is it requires no configuration.  Just connect to the wifi and away you go.  The app shows when you logged in and you can turn it off. This is great if you do not have a data plan and need the wifi to get email or check Facebook.  The comments in the market are saying that it works for any attwifi hotspot. Many users claim that it connects to McDonald's wifi hotspots as well.  This is an app that you need if you go to these hotspots on a somewaht regular basis. It is just one less thing to have to think about.

https://market.android.com/details?id=org.crocodile.sbautologin&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsIm9yZy5jcm9jb2RpbGUuc2JhdXRvbG9naW4iXQ..

Fancy Widget - If the Retro Clock Widget is not your style and you are looking for an app with more style, Fancy Widget is your ticket. There are free and paid versions ($2.89) available and it is now one app that can be unlocked. I bought the old one and it was a separate app than the free version. If you have the old version it can be upgraded to the newer app (though it is a pain every time you update it), but I digress.  Fancy Widget has clocks, weather and battery info available to display among some of the features.  It has a way to skin it to give you matching looks to your home screens.  When I first started with this app there were only a handful of skins but now there are tons of them.  They even have their own market to get skins and add ons.  With widget sizes of 1x1, 2x1, 4x1, 4x2 and 4x4 you are sure to be able to find one that suits meets needs.  Beautiful Widgets is also another highly recommended competitor to Fancy Widgets but I have seen some awesome home screens with Fancy Widget clocks that really set it off.  Try the free version and start getting your desktop design juices flowing!

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.anddoes.fancywidgets&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5hbmRkb2VzLmZhbmN5d2lkZ2V0cyJd

Retro Clock - I know there are a TON of free clock widgets out there in the market.  That being said, how about one that has been around for a long time and just works. I am talking about Retro Clock Widget by lingen.me.  It is a flip clock widget that lets you have just the time, or date or put both widgets on.  By pressing it you can have it be a shortcut to your alarms or calendar apps.  I know there are much fancier clock widgets out there but if you want just a simple widget that is easy to read and easier to use check it out.

https://market.android.com/details?id=nl.jsource.retroclock.android&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsIm5sLmpzb3VyY2UucmV0cm9jbG9jay5hbmRyb2lkIl0.

AppBrain - Before the Android market was the useful tool it is today *cough*, there was AppBrain Market. It was a market that you could browse Android apps from your computer and have it remotely install and sync apps. It had updates that pushed out and really did what the market does today, well before Google added these features. So you might be thinking, why then would I want AppBrain today? They have evolved the market to include recommendations broken down by categories and added app2sd functionality for moving your installed apps to the SD card on your phone.  It is also a list of apps installed on your phone that gets synchronized with your online account to help you reinstall your apps if you upgrade phones or are like me and flash your phone constantly.  They now also have a huge selection of wallpapers that you can download directly from your phone or push from their website from your computer.  I actually use this from the web more than I do from the app but you need the app so that it can sync your changes.  If you would prefer to find apps and read reviews from the PC rather than a small phone screen this app is your best way to get straight to apps and not have to navigate through the new "features" on the web based Android market site.

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.appspot.swisscodemonkeys.apps&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5hcHBzcG90LnN3aXNzY29kZW1vbmtleXMuYXBwcyJd

http://www.appbrain.com/

Contract Killer: Zombie is a great Android game. The game is "Free", meaning you can download the game for free and play the levels, but to get better weapons you will need to put up real money to purchase them. Even though I will never pay real money to buy better guns I really enjoy this game. Glu's games seem to be a higher quality game but encourage users to spend money through in-app purchases and CK: Zombies is no different. 

I am not a big zombie fan but even I find enjoyment killing some for a few minutes at a time. It is a great game to load up and create some carnage and get back out. I find myself playing a level or two and then jumping in and out throughout the night while watching TV. I am not much of a gamer on the phones and even so, there is something simple and enjoyable about this game. 

The story is brief and to the point. You are a wheelchair bound zombie killer and you are protecting the various people as they try to escape on a helicopter or they gather supplies. You have a collection of weapons that you use ranging from a pistol up to automatic weapons. There are also health guns that help your injured friends. The game controls are simple. You have a shoot button on the bottom right of the screen, a weapon changing button above that and you use your finger to aim left to right and up and down. It is very simple and the response time of the weapons and aiming works well for this game. Much better than Duke Nukem controls. 

The graphics on this game are great and surprisingly it does not seem to slow the phone down at all. I was drawn to this game because the graphics looked so good and it has been impressive.

Overall, I would say that for people who want to go in and kill for a few minutes at a time on their mobile or tablet that CK: Zombies is a great download. If you get addicted or are a more serious gamer you might like paying real dollars for upgraded weapons. I have opted for the free route and I am now shooting a machine gun and own a sniper rifle. Better weapons can be obtained if you are patient.

http://www.glu.com/game/contract-killer-zombies-0

Wifi File Explorer is a utility where you can set your phone up to be browsed via wireless connection. You start the app and it gives you the IP address of your phone that you can plug into a browser and access your files. It is a great way to manipulate files between your phone and a computer. Uploads and downloads are supported. You can also delete files off of your SD cards. If you like to copy files to and from your computer and phone give this free app a download.

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.dooblou.WiFiFileExplorer&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5kb29ibG91LldpRmlGaWxlRXhwbG9yZXIiXQ..

Timerriffic - Are you a creature of habit? Do you have places that you always go to on Tuesday at 6:00pm and need your wifi turned on and sound silenced? Timeriffic is an app that may be perfect for you. It is an app that lets you schedule events to turn on and off system functions such as bluetooth, wifi, display, sounds and data modes. There is an app called Locale that will do this based on the network you are connected to whereas Timeriffic does it based on the day and times you set. Also, Timeriffic is free.

I have been using Timeriffic almost since I started with Android. It is one of the apps that runs in the background that you forget about. That is the beauty of it. I don't turn my phone settings on and off throughout the week. I have it turn on the sounds every Monday through Friday at 6:00am while bringing up the display brightness. It turns the wifi off when I leave the house until I get to work at 7:30. At night I have it shutdown brightness, turn off most sounds and vibrations. I also have special events setup to silent it at those time. Without thinking, I do not have to change any settings on my phone except for the rare occasions when my schedule changes.

For a free app it is definitely worth a try. 

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.alfray.timeriffic&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5hbGZyYXkudGltZXJpZmZpYyJd

http://rdrrlabs.com/

The Android App Geek blog is here!