Android setup - Apps

March 14, 2013 - 6 min read
android
DiffEdit
Old, archived, and probably outdated

This post might contain some tidbits of info, but don't count on it. It's old and probably not relevant. Kept here for historical reasons..

Intro

I (as probably you), like to customize every aspect of your daily rutine to be as good and efficient as possible. The smart phones that everyone is walking around with today have a potential that is much bigger than what their users uses them for.

I will write a couple of blog posts about my own setup after a great amount of customizing, buying apps (which wasn’t worth it), reflashing, redesigning and a lot of try and fails. This first post is just a list of my favorite apps..

Note; that I don't use any screenshots, but I will provide links and descriptions. Note2; that this is my own personal perfect setup. The best I've found, at the moment.. Please comment if you have better ideas!

General setup

  • Phone: [Samsung Galaxy S3]
  • Android: 4.1
  • Rooted: yes!
  • Mod: [Cyanogenmod 10]

Apps

PS: I have left out some apps from the list, which are good, but not about this blogpost. Like 1Weater, GMail, Linkedin, GitHub, Google StreatView, Google Maps, Google Drive, Dropbox, Firefox, Google Goggles, Evernote and so on.. This list is about getting most out of the phone in general, not which todo-list, mail, hobbies I have :) I also took out Felleskatalogen and Gule Sider which is both Norwegian apps.

PS2: Sorry about the Norwegian currency (converted manually to usd as well). If there is a way to force google play store into displaying the currency in USD, please share! So prices are in NOK/USD!

PS3: The need root list might be a little uncomplete. But that doesn’t mather, because everyone should root their phone :)

PS4: Most of the apps that costs money in this list have free versions as well.. Try them first!

  • Android Tuner

    • Price: 55,- / $9.5
    • Info: An expensive but complete tool for all your android system tuning
    • root: some

  • Better Terminal

    • 22,- / $3.5
    • root: some

  • Business Calendar

    • 32,- / $5.5
    • Info: An advanced, calendar with nice views and nice widgets.

  • DoggCatcher

    • 28,- / $4.5
    • Info: I havent tried any others in a while, but this is a good podcast client.

  • Endomondo PRO

    • 30,- / $5
    • Info: A very good sports-tracker with a nice web overview.

  • Extended Controls

    • 7,- / $1
    • Info: Lots of button widgets that you can toggle and change almost any system setting with

  • ezPDF Reader

    • 23,- / $5
    • Info: A nice pdf reader on steroids.

  • Folder Organizer

    • 8,- / $1
    • Info: Create "tag" folders, nest them, star them and get control over where your apps are located.

  • KeePassDroid

    • Info: The most trusted solution for storing password safe, local, and encrypted

  • Last Call Widget

    • Info: A widget that can display the last contact you had contact with. You can call back with one touch

  • Light Flow

    • 15,- / $2.5
    • Info: Take control over your phones LED and make it useful. This app can control every "alarm" aspect for MANY other apps
    • root: some

  • Locus Map Tweek

    • Info: Add extra maps and some tweeks to locus (like google maps, which are gone by default)

  • Locus Pro

    • 46,- / $8
    • Info: The most advanced map app you will find on the phone. Not the typical navigation app, but stacked with map/gps features!

  • MathStudio

    • 111,- / $19
    • Info: If you are looking to replace your high-end calculator, this is the app for you!

  • Multicon

    • Info: Widgets that take makes 1x1 widget spaces able to contain 4 icons. Very useful to no polute your homescreen with shortcuts

  • Pocket

    • Info: Read long articles from the web that you have "saved" earlier using read-it-later/pocket in your browser.

  • QR Droid

    • Info: An overall good QR reader

  • Root Explorer

    • 23,- / $5
    • Info: A very good file explorer designed for root uses.
    • root: yes

  • Screebl Pro

    • 12,- / $2
    • Info: Detects when you are using/holding your phone to make sure the screen doesn't turn off.

  • Screen Filter

    • Info: Dim the screen light below the normal minimum with a click on an icon. Useful eg. at cinema reply to important texts.

  • Secure Settings

    • Info: Make tasker able to change deep system settings automaticly. Like which keyboard that is default on your phone.
    • root: yes

  • SQLite Editor

    • 17,- / $3
    • Info: Scans and gives a list of all apps internal databases, which you then can look at and edit| some

  • SwiftKey

    • 12,- / $2
    • Info: Probably the best keyboard out there..

  • Tapatalk

    • 17,- / $3
    • Info: A client to connect to different online forums (if they suport tapatalk (which they probably do)).

  • Tasker

    • 35,- / $6
    • Info: Lets you automate "anything", based on "anything".
    • root: some

  • Terminal Emulator

    • root: some

  • Terminal IDE

    • root: some

  • Titanium Backup

    • 37,- / $6 (in-app)
    • Info: A complete root level backup of your phone. Makes small packages of your apps and their settings which you can restore later
    • root: yes

  • Titanium Media Sync

    • 19,- / $3
    • Info: Automaticly sync files (like the titanium backup directory) to a remote server over eg, ssh, ftp or similar.
    • root: some

  • Widget Locker

    • 17,- / $3
    • Info: Lets you have widgets on your lockscreen. You can even interact with them if you want.

  • Wolfram Alpha

    • 17,- / $3
    • Info: Wolfram computes everything! Even tough it needs to use computerpower online, it is good to have this app from time to time

  • Zoom

    • Info: Create small little widgets, using your phone, that heavy integrates with tasker.
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