Android Guide (Version 4.2)

Tasker, $6.50
When it comes to advanced Android automation, Tasker is the app of choice. Using triggers like launching an app, reaching a location, or the time of day, it can change settings, send notifications, or open apps. It’s perfect for saving time and battery life.

JuiceDefender, free
JuiceDefender is an excellent alternative to Tasker, especially if your goal is a longer lasting battery. It doesn’t offer the vast feature set you find with Tasker, but it is a simple app that gets the job done.

Google Maps, free
Search for local stores, look up business information, and get turn-by-turn directions, Google Maps will probably be one of the most used apps on your phone. As a GPS unit, it’s nearly flawless, and as a local search engine…it’s Google – it knows how to search.

Google Goggles, free
If you can point your camera at it, Google Goggles can probably do something with it. From scanning barcodes and solving Sudoku to identifying art and translating text, it’s an app that seems to do a little bit of everything.

Google Translate, free
Google Translate can easily translate words and phrases from over 65 languages and even supports voice recognition for a good chunk of those languages. Pretty impressive, considering that it’s a free app.

SwiftKey, $2
SwiftKey is constantly hailed as one of the best alternative keyboards available on Android. Its predictive text and keystroke accuracy are nothing short of astonishing. Even those with clumsy fingers will have no trouble flying through a conversation over text.

Beautiful Widgets, $2.50
Call it vanity if you must, but Beautiful Widgets is the perfect app to personalize your home screen. Its primary feature is a Clock/Weather widget with plenty of skins to dress up your Android with a bit of personality – also, it tells you the weather and gives you some app shortcuts.

Evernote, free
If you use Evernote on your PC, the Android version is a perfect complement, allowing you to seamlessly sync your notes, reminders, and to-do lists between all of your devices.

Torrent-fu, free
While there are a handful of Android torrent clients that will let you download torrents directly to your Android device, doing so is a very quick way to burn through your data allotment. Torrent-fu lets you manage torrents on your PC remotely, so your downloads will be ready for you when you get home without sucking down your mobile data.

WidgetLocker Lockscreen, $3
WidgetLocker allows you to customize your lock screen with added functionality, such as app shortcuts and widgets. It also lets you change up the style to match the look of lock screens from other popular devices.

X-plore File Manager, free
If you want a file manager that does just about everything, like access FTP servers, manage network folders, view SQL databases, and unzip files, all the while integrating platforms like Google Drive and DropBox, then go grab X-plore.

SoundHound, free
When a song is playing on the radio and you’re dying to know what it’s called or who sings it; SoundHound is the app that comes to the rescue. Just fire it up, let it listen to a few seconds of the music, and you’ll have the artist and album info in time to enjoy the rest of the song.

Wikipedia, free
As great as the mobile version of Wikipedia’s website is, the Android app just does it better, allowing you to share articles with friends or save them for later.

avast! Mobile Security, free
Malware is unfortunately starting to become a bit of an issue on mobile devices. So long as you’re diligent about the apps you download, antivirus software isn’t absolutely necessary yet, but if you prefer to err on the side of caution, avast! provides a solid, low impact security suite for free, including theft recovery tools.

SeekDroid Lite, free
– If you don’t feel like you need antivirus protection but still want the security of being able to locate a lost or stolen device, SeekDroid covers all of the basic necessities for theft recovery.

Handcent SMS, free
For whatever reason, Google has yet to see fit to update the rather lacking Messages app for Android. Fortunately, Handcent is readily available to fill the gap. It easily handles SMS and MMS messages while allowing you to manage your texts in a simple, customizable interface.

imo messenger, free
– For those who are into instant messaging, imo covers all of the bases. It supports just about all over the major IM services and manages to remain one of the more stable multiplatform messenger options on the Android market.

Skype, free
– Skype is probably the best app you’ll find if you’re interested in video chatting. In addition to its chat features, it also allows for making cheap phone calls over your data or Wi-Fi connection.

Netflix, free
– Even though it’s best suited for a tablet, if you have a Netflix account, you might as well install it on all of your Android devices. You never know when you might find yourself with a lot of time and very little to do.

Pandora, free
– Pandora makes listening to good music simple. It’s by far the most popular music streaming app in the Play Store, even outdoing Google Play Music, which comes pre-installed on most Android devices these days.

Advanced Task Killer, free – Yes, we said to avoid automated task killers, and even though Advanced Task Killer has an automation feature, that’s not what makes it useful. What it does well is give you quick access to your running apps, allowing you to kill any that are misbehaving.

History Eraser, free – Perhaps you remember that commercial Microsoft ran for Internet Explorer’s Privacy mode? History Eraser follows a similar concept, clearing out your personal data from your device before any prying eyes can happen upon it.