The Android Project Reviews: TMZ app for Android

This one’s more for the wifey than for me, but I can’t deny that I like to check up on the “Thirty-Mile Zone” every so often. For me, this app is a good example of how news should be delivered to a phone in application format. TMZ’s android application is clean and simple. And I give it extra points for asking you if you want to close the application when you exit. So many apps stay open when you exit, taking up precious phone memory in the background. If every application had such a close out option, we wouldn’t have to rely so heavily on task killing apps (see my review of Advanced Task Killer).
The only other celebrity gossip application I know of is from E!, but the interface of the two are so similar that I wouldn't be surprised if they were made by the same developer. So if you’re looking for a quick way to check up on the Pitts or the Octomom, I would recommend the TMZ android app.

Android 2.2 Highlights from Google I/O

Well yesterday was pretty mind-blowing as far as Google and Android news goes. We've all been waiting for and expecting Google to announce the next update of Android to version 2.2, aka "Froyo." However, I was surprised at how many new features Android will be getting. Here is a list of the highlights:

* USB and Wifi data tethering

* SD card app installation and storage

* Automatic app updates and multiple simultaneous updates

* Faster browser

* Flash support

I know Google wants to keep its users happy, but that list is amazing. It took Apple forever just to allow its iPhone to record video, but with a single update, Google is giving us practically everything we've been asking for. I think what I'm most excited for is the ability to install apps on the SD card. A few of the apps I have installed on my phone take up 20mb or more of phone storage, such as The Rescue of Ginger (for my daughter) and Raging Thunder 2 (for me). It gets frustrating when I have to uninstall some apps just to install new ones, but now that problem should be solved.

Unfortunately, those of us who don't own a Nexus One will most likely be waiting for months for the official update to be released by the carriers. Oh well, at least I have something to look forward to!

The Android Project Reviews: Inserty app for Android

Category: Text Entry
Price: Free
Gotta-have-it factor: 7

While I am torn about this application’s name (“Inserty” could be a cute name for a data entry application, or the name of a porno superhero), I am certain that I will keep Inserty on my phone.

The Inserty application for Android allows you to insert pre-defined text entries into any text box, like e-mails, text messages, etc. There is one additional step above the standard installation process to set-up Inserty. Once it is installed on the phone, the user must access the phone’s Language & Keyboard setting and select Inserty as a text input method. After that, you can open up Inserty from the application menu to add whatever words or phrases you use the most. Inserty provides you with about 10 selections that are based on your GPS location or time, such as “The time is 8:55 AM and I’m standing at 408 Hope Pl.” I don’t think I’ll ever use any of Inserty’s selections, but I have entered some of my own. To bring up the Inserty menu, all you have to do is long-press any data entry box on screen and select “Input Method,” followed by “Inserty.” You can then select the text you want Inserty to enter for you and then switch back to “Android Keyboard” once you are done.


What I like most about Inserty is that it allows me to avoid using the horrible on-screen keyboard of my Droid. I don’t always want to slide out the keyboard to enter in text, especially when it’s just to enter in my e-mail address to log into a website. I know that this probably isn’t the most secure thing to do, but I’ve saved my userid and passwords for most websites into Inserty, so I can quickly insert the text without having to peck away at the on-screen keyboard.

I realize that Inserty is only useful in limited situations, and some of you may not have a problem with your onscreen keyboard. But Inserty has saved me a lot of frustration, and for that, I give it a “7” on the gotta-have-it scale.

Google's Larry Page blames poor Android battery life on app developers... Would blame Steve Jobs if he could

Any of you Android owners get a full day's usage out of your phone's battery? Anyone? Well there's something wrong if you don't, according to Google co-founder Larry Page. In a recent interview, Larry Page said that your phone's battery should make it through a full day.

My Motorola Droid gets horrendous battery life, although I will be the first to admit that I have done nothing to maximize my battery usage. I work in an office all day, so I have a plug nearby all the time. The only frustrating part of this is that I either have to carry my charger with me to work, or buy a new charger to keep one at home and one in my office.

My frustration hit a peak yesterday when I was stuck in a jury selection room for 6 hours or so and I forgot to bring a book with me. I spent 3 hours straight playing games and surfing the web on my phone when I noticed that the battery had drained to 20%. At that point I couldn’t risk going the rest of the day without phone access so I had to cut my Android distractions short.

In my opinion Larry is being a bit too quick to pass the blame to the Android app developers for poor battery usage. There will always be room for improvement in the Android OS, and I hope that Froyo will at least make an attempt at fixing the quick battery drain problem. Until then, I will just have to make do with carrying my charger around with me and continue to have people ask “What’s that strange bulge in your pocket?”

The Android Project Reviews: Astrid the To-Do list App for Android

Category: Productivity
Price: Free
Gotta-have-it factor: 9

I would put Astrid in my Top Ten Apps for Android (if I had such a list (although what Android website would be complete without a Top Ten Apps list?). This is one of those apps that do so much more than I would have ever expected that I can’t believe it’s free.

I would call Astrid a simple “To-Do” list, but that would do it injustice. It’s like the A-rod of To-Do lists (i.e. it’s on steroids). Once you set up Astrid, there is a text entry box at the bottom of the screen sitting next to a ‘+’ button. You enter in the name of a task you want to complete (like “shave my back”) and press the plus button. That adds the task to your list. Once you have added a task to your list, you can select the task, which expands to reveal two buttons: “Start Timer” and “Edit.” The start Timer button obviously allows you to keep track of your time spent on that task, which can be nice if you want to know how long it takes you to shave your back.

The Edit button opens up a whole new menu that allows you to set goal deadlines and priority, manage notifications, add the task deadline to your Google Calendar, and more. The only part of Astrid that I have not tried yet is syncronization with rememberthemilk.com. I don't really need access to my tasks list online, so I'm not sure if I will ever need to syncronize with an online website. However, if I do, I will update this post with my experience.

The only negative I can think of with Astrid is that the notifications might bother some people with their “cuteness.” It doesn't bother me, and I think I pay more attention to them because they are different than the normal phone notifications.

If you are in the market for a “To-Do” list, I would definitely give Astrid a spin. For me, the Astrid App for Android gets a “9” on the gotta-have-it scale.

Catching up on Android News

Well, I apologize that I wasn't able to post a review today. I got called to do my civil duty today, so I was at the courthouse waiting to get my number called to serve on a jury. However, I wasn't one of the lucky few who were chosen, so I ended up sitting in a large room for 7 hours straight. Oh well, to make up for my time lost, I've decided to post some Android news:

• Amazon will be releasing a free Kindle app for those of you who believe your phones are perfect for book reading. The app is scheduled to be released later this summer. I personally think the value of this app depends on the price of the books available for download. If it's anything more than $3, I'd rather just buy the paper copy. I can also recommend the Aldiko book reader app for Android phones, which I currently have on my phone. I will put out a review of Aldiko soon.
  

• Yesterday, Gameloft opened a website to sell 10 new 3D games for Android, but it appears that the launch didn't go as planned and the website has been pulled.
  

• Google has updated the online Android Marketplace, although Appbrain is still a better way to discover apps. Why is Google so behind on the times?

• This news is a bit stale, but apparently Android 2.2 will add tethering via USB and Wifi, in addition to Flash support. Please tell me the Droid will get Android 2.2 before the end of the year. Somehow, I doubt it.
  

The Android Project Reviews: Fish Food Game for Android

Category: Game
Price: Free
Gotta-have-it factor: 6

As far as gaming goes, the Android OS has been best suited to puzzle-type games for a while now, with very few exceptions. I’m not sure if this is caused by hardware limitations in the phones themselves, or if the OS itself is to blame, but hopefully we’ll see some more complicated games in the future with updates coming to the OS, and more powerful handsets coming out every few months. I am not personally a huge gamer, so it doesn’t bother me that much, but I believe that if Android OS is going to appeal to a broader demographic, there will have to be some improvements in the number and type of games available.

That being said, one of my favorite games available in the Android Market right now is called Fish Food. It is a puzzle-type game with some similarities to Bejeweled. The play area is set up like a Bejeweled board, but instead of different colored jewels, you get different colored fish. The fish are also different sizes. The twist on the Bejeweled formula is that you don’t try to line up three same-colored fish in a row to get rid of them. The strategy in Fish Food is to get the larger fish to eat the fish one size smaller. The green, being the smallest, cannot eat any other fish, but can be eaten by a blue fish. When a blue fish eats three green fish, it becomes a purple fish. The purple fish can only eat the blue fish. Once a purple fish eats three blue fish, it becomes a red fish, which is the largest of the fish. The red fish will explode by being long-pressed, or by eating three purple fish. The red fish also blow-up any other red fish in the immediate vicinity. The more you blow up, the better your score.



The game is actually much more simple and easy to pick up than that previous paragraph indicates. My wife and I have become addicted to it and compete against each other for the high score. The graphics are also a major plus, as this game looks much more polished than other puzzle games I have seen in the market. Another plus to the game is that it is free, although ad-supported.

The game had a few bugs in the beginning, but the developer seems to have ironed out most of them so far. If you love Bejeweled, Tetris, or similar puzzle games, you should give Fish Food a shot. It’s one of the better ones out there.