The Android Project Reviews: QuickDesk BETA

Category: OS Functionality

Price: Free

Gotta-have-it factor: 2
Developer: Faruq Rasid

I just read about a new Android application that was supposed to solve one of my big problems with Android: difficulty with changing commons settings while an application is open. QuickDesk is an application that claims to solve that problem.

A quick note, QuickDesk is created by the same person who developed the HelixLauncher home replacement apps, which I love. I always found the HelixLauncher home replacement to be fast and lightweight. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same thing about QuickDesk. Here is a quote from QuickDesk’s market page, which describes what it is supposed to accomplish:

“Ever went into Browser and realized you haven’t turned on your WiFi? Ever wanted to skip tracks while playing Jewels?

Now you can. Here comes the new app that help[s] you better multi-task: QuickDesk.”

QuickDesk allows the user to bring up an alternate homescreen with widgets or shortcuts selected by the user by simply double-pressing the homescreen menu button, or long-pressing the search button. The functionality that QuickDesk provides is already the reason I have the Bar Control application installed on my phone. The only problem I found with QuickDesk is that is severely slowed down my transition from an application to my normal homescreen. Once I uninstalled QuickDesk, the snap returned to my Droid (if you know what I mean).

Keep in mind that I am using an overclocked MotoDroid running BuglessBeast, so my experience may be different from somebody running a stock Droid, Nexus One, or any other Android device for that matter.

However, for my purposes, I can’t have an application on my device that slows me down.  Remember that QuickDesk is currently in BETA, so hopefully future versions of QuickDesk resolve this issue, because otherwise, I think this application has huge potential. But for now, I’m giving it a “2” on the gotta-have-it scale.

Let me know in the comments if you have a different experience with the QuickDesk application.

The Android Project Reviews: Advanced Map Live Wallpaper

Category: Wallpapers

Price: Free
Gotta-have-it factor: 5

I realize that it’s been a while since I’ve posted anything on this blog. Work has been pretty crazy lately, so my extracurricular activities have to take a back seat. Things have calmed down a bit and I’ve regained some motivation to start working on the blog again so you may see a few more posts in the near future.
Today, I wanted to write about a recent discovery that I made while perusing the interwebs for cool stuff to put on my Droid. I found a cool new Live Wallpaper called Advanced Map. Advanced Map is fairly self-explanatory. This Wallpaper brings many different types of maps to the background of your homescreen. It’s not just limited to Google Maps.

Now I’ve hesitated to use Live Wallpapers in the past because they use up processing power and don’t add much besides aesthetic value. However, the developer of Advanced Map Live Wallpaper came up with a way to cut down on processor and battery use. The map tiles are cached locally on your phone once they are loaded, which should cut down on the data downloaded to your device and the app shuts down whenever the homescreen is not visible.

Advanced Map Live Wallpaper is still in beta, but it’s as polished as most of the other apps I’ve seen out there, and it’s free. So jump to the Market right now if this is something that interests you. I gave it a gotta-have-it factor of 5 because many people still don't have access to Live Wallpapers.* Let me know what you think about it in the comments.

* Remember that Live Wallpapers are only supported on Android 2.1 and up. I’ve also noticed that only certain home replacement apps support live wallpapers, so your mileage may vary depending on your setup.