Android Authority - Android News, Phones, Tablets, Apps, Reviews

Gardenate

| AUD 2.50 | Hutchinson Software Pty Ltd

Best Android Apps for Gardening and Landscaping - Android Authority - Android News, Phones, Tablets, Apps, Reviews

Here’s a sweet treat for all you green thumbs and plant lovers out there: your Android phone or tablet may be able to help you with your gardening and landscaping projects.  We’ve been on the lookout for the best Android apps that will help gardeners make the most out of their time, money, and resources in making sure those well-loved gardens and plots are tended and healthy. Let these helpful apps do the work for you so you can sit back and enjoy watching your garden grow. Take your pick! If you’re into growing vegetables, you’ll find Gardenate to be handy, practical, and useful. It provides you with all the information you need to get started on your own garden, with detailed growing information, tips and hints, and local planting information for the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, and the U.K. What’s better is that it lets you note down best plant varieties and successes and failures. The app will also alert you on predicted harvest dates so you’re on the ready! This is the one-stop app for everything you’ll ever need, courtesy of America’s leading magazine on organic gardening. Expert advice on pest control, recommended varieties and boosting yields is available under the Crops and Techniques section. More information can be had through the Resources tab, which provides access to more gardening books and products. You’ll have access to a host of news updates through Mother Earth news, plus wonderful illustrations that will make browsing a more enjoyable experience. You heard it right! It goes right into your pocket. Learn over 400 gardening and horticulture terms and concepts through quizzes, flash cards, and dictionaries. It’s perfect for the beginner who’s trying to get started or the expert who’s trying to brush up on knowledge. A neat feature allows you to record Read More

SetCPU for Root Users

| $1.99 | MichaelHuang

Top 5 Essential Android Apps to Install After Rooting Your Android Device - Android Authority - Android News, Phones, Tablets, Apps, Reviews

By now most of you probably have already heard of the term “rooting” and how rooting actually makes your Android device faster. For starters, rooting your phone is actually the same as jailbreaking an iPhone. The benefits you get from a rooted phone is like opening Pandora’s Box. Whether or not you’re planning on installing a custom ROM for your phone, you should probably root your phone, as it can open up myriad opportunities to install apps that require root access. When you root your phone you are actually giving “super user permissions” on your phone. It’s like running Administrator mode on your desktop computer with you controlling the permissions, configurations, settings, and the like. Once you have a fully rooted phone, the possibilities are endless. A rooted phone lets you install custom-made ROMS out of the box and run apps that particularly require root access. There’s a big boundary between installing custom ROMs and rooting. Although installing custom ROMs gives you tons of features that are not directly provided by the phone’s manufacturer, rooting on the other hand can come in handy as most of the features can be added by installing the right apps to get the job done. Below you’ll find a helpful list of apps that I recommend newly rooted phones to have installed. Superuser would be on top of anyone’s list of apps after you successfully rooted your phone. When you root your phone, you are actually establishing administrative rights, and the Superuser app is the one maintaining that control over your applications. Any application that requires root privileges directly passes through Superuser. Ever wondered about tinkering with your phone’s CPU speed without ever touching that pesky configuration command line using the Linux kernel? Then it’s quite hard to pass an offer you can’t refuse, but Read More

Superuser

| FREE | ChainsDD

Top 5 Essential Android Apps to Install After Rooting Your Android Device - Android Authority - Android News, Phones, Tablets, Apps, Reviews

By now most of you probably have already heard of the term “rooting” and how rooting actually makes your Android device faster. For starters, rooting your phone is actually the same as jailbreaking an iPhone. The benefits you get from a rooted phone is like opening Pandora’s Box. Whether or not you’re planning on installing a custom ROM for your phone, you should probably root your phone, as it can open up myriad opportunities to install apps that require root access. When you root your phone you are actually giving “super user permissions” on your phone. It’s like running Administrator mode on your desktop computer with you controlling the permissions, configurations, settings, and the like. Once you have a fully rooted phone, the possibilities are endless. A rooted phone lets you install custom-made ROMS out of the box and run apps that particularly require root access. There’s a big boundary between installing custom ROMs and rooting. Although installing custom ROMs gives you tons of features that are not directly provided by the phone’s manufacturer, rooting on the other hand can come in handy as most of the features can be added by installing the right apps to get the job done. Below you’ll find a helpful list of apps that I recommend newly rooted phones to have installed. Superuser would be on top of anyone’s list of apps after you successfully rooted your phone. When you root your phone, you are actually establishing administrative rights, and the Superuser app is the one maintaining that control over your applications. Any application that requires root privileges directly passes through Superuser. Ever wondered about tinkering with your phone’s CPU speed without ever touching that pesky configuration command line using the Linux kernel? Then it’s quite hard to pass an offer you can’t refuse, but Read More

Plume for Twitter

| FREE | LevelUp Studio

Best Twitter Apps for Android - Android Authority - Android News, Phones, Tablets, Apps, Reviews

Millions of people all around the world use Twitter to keep in touch with one another or to stay updated with the latest in news and trends.  In fact, Twitter has become one of the most pervasive social networking avenues today that apps for the Twitter service have been produced not just for desktops but also for Android smartphones and tablets. There are literally hundreds of Twitter apps on the Android Market.  It would be insane to try each of them one after another, hoping to find the best one that suits your needs and tastes. Here’s some time-saver for you.  We’ve selected 5 well-liked and popular Twitter apps for Android.  Admittedly, the features of these apps extend beyond Twitter–but as a minimum, each one does support the basics. If you’re the purist type of tweeter, and you prefer Twitter’s official app for Android, you can settle for that one, too–it’s free from the Android Market.  It generally works to satisfy your tweeting needs, lets you browse latest tweets, search followers, share pictures, follow your friends, post tweets, retweet, and other basic features–just like its Web-based counterpart. However, the official Twitter app for Android is built for simplicity and lacks additional features for advanced users with above-average, borderline-genius tweeting IQs. If you are looking for a Twitter app that provides advanced features, you can try searching on the Android Market–and, trust me, it’s like looking for a needle in a haystack.  Before you go looking for that needle, Android Authority gives you a headstart with these 5 recommended Android apps for Twitter (arranged in no particular order).  If none of these meets your needs, then we wish you well in your search for that needle. Just like its desktop counterpart, Tweetdeck is a free social platform app that supports Twitter, Facebook, Read More

Linda File Manager

| FREE | nylinda.com

Android Apps Your Phone Should Have - Android Authority - Android News, Phones, Tablets, Apps, Reviews

There are a total of more than 150,000 Android apps out on the market now. The overwhelmingly huge amount of application choices can be mind-boggling to a new Android phone user. Here is an attempt to make the decision a little easier. Presented below are some apps that by their features and popularity can be labeled as ‘must-haves’. They cover most of the common uses and aspects of an Android phone from basic operation to entertainment and security. As the name says, this program enables you to accomplish the basic routines quickly without eating up your phone’s resources. These tasks include viewing system information, monitoring battery power and memory usage, and closing and uninstalling programs. This app can be called the Android version of Windows Explorer as it provides similar file management functions. The phone will feel like a PC as you copy, paste or rename files and folders, change folder views, and navigate through directories. Profiles allow you to centralize control of your phones basic features such as those for volume, ringtone, and connectivity. With this app you can set up various profiles and manually or automatically shift to any them. Automatic profile changes can be triggered by time, battery life and even location. Most task manager types of apps provide a way to change the wallpaper but rarely do any of them provide a stock of excellent high-definition images. Consider this app if you’re the kind of Android user who values personalization tweaks on his phone. If you want to save some money on your data subscription then you’ll need a fast loading web browser on your phone. Opera’s browser for mobile platforms does the job quickly because it uses their servers to compress web pages. This is actually a packaged set of apps for sending instant messages, sharing Read More

Angry Birds Rio

| FREE | Rovio Mobile Ltd.

A Hive of the Best Apps for Android Honeycomb Tablets - Android Authority - Android News, Phones, Tablets, Apps, Reviews

Honeycomb might not be top of everyone’s mind yet when it comes to tablets, but we’re placing a big bet that it will be soon. With so many awesome Android tablets in the pipe, and with Google working diligently to improve the interface of Honeycomb with each subsequent release, and with the upcoming Ice Cream Sandwich to unify Google TV, Android Smartphones, and Tablets, we’re confident it’s going to be a big hit with consumers around the world. Because of that, we’ve compiled the best apps around that you can load onto your own Android tablet. Here’s our big list of apps that are optimized for your Honeycomb tablets! You got some top class 3D flying action right here. Destroy enemies, destroy buildings, just make sure you get to the next stage. I honestly couldn’t put it down when I sampled it and everything gets high marks from the sounds to the graphics to the gameplay. Definitely a must buy. Instead of pigs, you topple primates but everything else works pretty much the same as the original version featuring those crazy macaws you saw in the movie. It’s all presented in HD and is a perfect past time for you or your little ones. Special mention: Angry Birds Seasons Tegra was built from the ground up with entertainment as a top priority, pushing the way we consume video and audio on mobile devices. While there are many Tegra-powered apps out there for Honeycomb, the Android Market doesn’t do as good a job of highlighting them. Enter Tegra Zone, a marketplace that showcases all the best games for Tegra 2. If you’re looking for a game that makes the most out of your tablet’s powerful processor, this is the place to go to. Ustream is the app that delivers all your favorite live Read More

Ustream

| FREE | Ustream, Inc.

20 Best Entertainment and Media Apps for Android Honeycomb Tablets - Android Authority - Android News, Phones, Tablets, Apps, Reviews

Honeycomb tablets are designed for stunning visuals, there’s no doubt about that. The powerful graphics chipsets, large HD-capable screens and even surround sound capability make them ideal for watching trailers, videos and shows. Not only that, it’s handy enough to be used as an ebook reader and then some. Here are a few of the best media and entertainment apps for your Android tablet. Plays everything and anything you can throw it. It’s the best media player for Android, and for Honeycomb as well. Definitely something you need to install on your tablet. Special mention: DicePlayer, which uses hardware acceleration to decode video and audio. Try it out, it says it uses less battery and can play full 720p. The best part is it’s Honeycomb supported. Thanks to Liperty below for the tip! Watch live video anywhere, any time with Ustream. Everything from live radio shows to sports events, it’s like TV and then some. BONUS: Plex ($4.99) If you have lots of media and want to watch it from the comfort of your tablet, Plex is something that you will definitely need. While it does need some setting up and an additional app running on your computer, it shows off some of the best things you can do on a tablet. Be sure to read the description to understand how it works. Watch trailers, read reviews and catch showtimes. It’s the app you need to enhance your theatre going experience. 4. IMDb (free) Your all-access pass to everything and everything shown on the big screen (and small screen too). Get celebrity info, TV recaps, awards and trivia about the newest movies and hottest stars. Music Missed that concert? Don’t fret, Qello has it in full HD glory. Now you don’t need to be groupie to get that backstage pass. If you’re looking for a new Read More

Qik Video

| FREE | Skype Software SARL

8 Free Apps To Make Free Calls On Android - Android Authority - Android News, Phones, Tablets, Apps, Reviews

With the arrival of Viber into the Android Market, making free calls with your Android phone is becoming easier and better. Carriers might be putting a choke hold on unlimited data plans but that doesn’t mean that you’re losing out. Free WiFi hotspots are still popping up everywhere plus you’ve still got free WiFi at home and in your office. Heck, you might even have one of those free cell phones the government gives out. The best part is free international calls using free apps! Let’s round them up, shall we? Fring has a lot going for it, from calls to chat to video calling. This app lets you add other communication services from AOL to Google Talk as well as connecting with your phone book, letting you talk with anyone on just one app. Of course, the catch for free calls is that the other party needs to have Fring on their phone, which isn’t a problem since it is available not only for Android, but also on iOS, Nokia and via a mobile browser. Their newest feature is being able to video call with up to four people at a time over any data connection. It’s fun to try out but a bit choppy. You can also call to regular phones by buying some credits so you can talk to landlines and feature phones locally and abroad. Nimbuzz is like a swiss army knife for calls and messages. Bring over friends from Facebook, ICQ and yes, even MySpace. You can make free calls once they’re on Nimbuzz, as well as free texts and free video, photo and music sharing. It works on almost every phone out there from Android to iPhone, from BlackBerry to feature phones that can run Java apps. It’s also available on the desktop so you can call people Read More

Crackle - Movies & TV

| FREE | Crackle

Crackle App Brings Free Movies To Android - Android Authority - Android News, Phones, Tablets, Apps, Reviews

Everyone likes free stuff – especially free entertainment. That’s why you see the popularity of piracy after all. Well, free movies are coming to the Android platform and it’s piracy-free. We already know about Netflix’s excellent app that provides access to their service, while Google has its own Movie service. There’s a third entry into the ring though. Crackle, is a movie- and TV-watching service that hasn’t been getting the attention they deserved. To change that, the company has launched v2.0 of its Android app – that gives you access to a wide selection of free movies and TV shows. Read More

Shazam

| FREE | Shazam Entertainment Limited

The Top Android Apps For Music Lovers And Avid Listeners - Android Authority - Android News, Phones, Tablets, Apps, Reviews

The siren’s crooning, the heavy bass, the melodies in the air. These are the things you can never get enough of. Whether you want to dance out to your music with everyone or just like to put on the earplugs for some personal auditory relaxation, music is within your reach especially if you own an Android phone. Not only music in fact, since you can also get the best books, podcasts and more. Here, I’ve collected a few of the best Android apps to get that aural experience your ears deserve. If you listen to internet radio, you definitely know about Pandora. It’s how radio should be – a personalized service that sends you only the music you like. Just train it to know which tunes you like and you’re ready to go. You can even use the widget mode to get your fix right on the homescreen. This app is free and requires no subscription fees, though you do need to reside in the US to use it. You can also check out Last.fm’s app for something similar. Sometimes we get to love a song even though we never know anything about it. If all you know about that catchy Korean tune is the chorus, Shazam is what you need. Just hum or let the app listen to the song and it will dig through its library to get a match. You can buy the track, tag songs, read album reviews and artist bios and of course, belt out the song’s lyrics. It even includes a social feature that lets you share tagged songs with friends and look at what they’ve tagged as well. Download this free app and you’ll never have a problem grabbing that song you hear in the club or on the radio. Of course, not all radio Read More