Top 10 Android apps–May 2012

Thanks to Clove Blog reader Sean Fowler (who also contributed this piece on the Tegra S3 vs Qualcomm S4) for this month’s Android top 10 apps. As well as the apps, there are a few great game recommendations included.

1. Google Maps. Possibly the most useful app ever, especially now that it tells me which direction I’m facing!

2. Apparatus. Fantastic graphics, great physics engine and a game that non-gamers will happily join in on, at least on a tablet. Some of my solutions have felt a little random but that’s all part of the fun.

3. DS Audio. This is only of use if you have a Synology DiskStation; it streams music from your home server and works very happily over 3G. If you don’t have a DiskStation then there are other options, but this app is very convenient for me.

4. Cool Reader. Not the most stable ebook reader but the best I’ve found so far for reading on a tablet. My favourite for the phone is still MoonReader.

5. Dark Meadow. Not sure about the longevity of this game as it’s only just come out, but it looks pretty amazing on the Transformer Prime.

6. Where’s My Water. Seems childish at first but gets quite fiendish later on. Not a game I’d play on my own but my girlfriend and the young ladies at work are very keen on it; it’s quite a social game for non-gamers.

7. Advanced Task Killer. Probably my most-used app; saves a lot of reboots.

8. Spotify. Finally works on ICS. Clearly optimised for phones; I hope they spare a thought for tablets. I like having access to my own music collection through DS Audio, but this could easily replace that.

9. Riptide GP. It’s a fairly standard racing game except for the graphics, which really show the Tegra 3 off nicely. The support for controllers is very handy too; using my PS3 controller over Bluetooth makes for a far more enjoyable experience; on-screen controls for action games need to die. Shadowgun THD deserves an honourable mention, again great graphics and controller support.

10. Zinio. It’s a very useful app for buying and reading magazines, and unlike ebooks the magazines are significantly cheaper than their physical counterparts. The app needs some serious usability testing; I’ve sworn at it quite a bit because of the sheer stupidity of some parts (especially when I was trying to give them money) but the core functionality works well and is great for tablets. I may never buy another phyical magazine!