Is the Age of Android here?

Is the Age of Android here?

Android software are now not only limited to smart phones, there are android tablets, in car entertainment units and to a limited extend notebook/netbook computer and even TVs. I read somewhere that 550,000 Android devices a day is being activate, that a large number and thankfully there are many manufacturers for you to choose from! I like competition, as with competition, customer needs always come first.

Why did I choose Android, for me it’s fairly simple to use, (for a person who is a bit techy), very customizable and if you are not too choosy you can customize your phone for free, pricing of the devices available is in a low to high range, further more importantly I can change the battery on my own. In other word I tell you what I want, not you tell me what you think I want!

I Pick up my second Android devise (Samsung Galaxy W) some 6 months back, never did much to customize it back then other then the very necessary (Apps to activate the LED as a Flash light, and a E Book reader), as I need to understand how to operate it by it self first, now 6 months down the road, I felt it time, to customize the phone to my liking and to the maximum it can go (for free – other then Wifi)

So for the past 3 days (off days from work), I have been checking out Apps, downloading them, (auto install from Android Market, now Google Play), trying them out, uninstalling (Very easy process) them when they do not fit my criteria of being partially “Off Line”, especially for games and emergency informative I need this everywhere apps, keeping those I need.

Basically there are widget n apps for you to play around with, when customizing the devise, there is the Built in widget n apps provided by the manufacturer, the free widget and apps, and the paid for ones. In general free widgets n apps are provided by NGO’s, or earn back their money by advertising products, or marketing their developer. But why not just use the Built in Widgets? Even the Free widget and apps can be better than the Built in widget n apps. (that the beauty of android)

Widgets are basically Apps that once install to your Home Pages, will either display information or will do a specific & simple task when tap on, there are some that will do both, within the ability of the devise.

Examples of this are a “Retro Clock” & “Retro Date” replacing by built in Clock and Date Widget, as beside displaying the Time and Date, when click clock will send you to the Alarm Clock, Date will send you to the Calander, 2 in one function! Which free my having to have the Alarm Clock, and Date widget on screen.

Some other widgets are “Task Killer” to free up valuable Ram space, Battery Display widget that tell you how much “Juice” you have still with your phone, call “a” specific person, right from the home screen so you do not have to go digging into the menu’s.

Just find what you like! Some u Pay, Some u can get for free! Your Choice!

Application or Apps are basically software that does a Task, Ie Retrieve Information from the net, Retrieve Information store on the Devise or Memory Card, Enable you do performed a task within the capabilities of the devices, or Enable you to use the functionality of the device for some other purpose . Some are built in, some are available for free, and some have to be paid for.

To make my devise more useful for me, I have down loaded dictionaries (Malay, English, Mandarin), First Air (By British Red Cross), E book reader of the format of e book that I have), Mandarin Phase Book (talking), a Diet app, a Metric – Imperial Conversion apps etc …..

To customize to my liking, a home page launcher, the Go Launcher Ex, & some themes, a calculator that give me a % key without having to flip the device.

To Make use of the Device built in Functionality as it should be, I have down loaded 2 GPS apps, slightly different formats and information,

To use the Device built in functionality for other purpose, a compass, a metal detector (more of a magnetic detector actually), a spirit level, and an apps that is suppose to deter mosquitoes?

It was a fun 3 days, frustrating at times, in weeding out the chaff, downloading something good and then realizing that it only work “on line”, but rewarding in the end, as the end result is a devise that look different with a functionality that fit you.