Clove Technology’s Blog

Many Thanks to Brandon and Jacob at Android Social Media who have put together this list of essential apps for the Android Operating System

1. SMS Backup. This app will automatically upload your sms threads into your gmail and archive them under the sms label. This means keeping a constant backup of all your communications. This will also make you feel better about deleting your text messages on the phone every once in awhile. Why wouldn’t you download and install this?
2. DGAway. This app gives you options with regards to phone calls and sms messages. Set it up to automatically respond to missed calls with a predefined text. Set it to automatically forward texts to another number, or to prompt you to choose between four predefined messages to send missed calls. I love it.
3. Bedside. When I’m sleeping at night I don’t want to be disturbed with sms and email notifications. This app will silence all notifications except phone calls and the alarm clock. It also displays a nice bedside clock! There is a lite and full version…. I’ve only ever used the lite.
4. Buddy Runner. As an avid runner I was super excited to find this app. It utilizes GPS technology to track my runs including: distance, time, page, calories, etc. It uploads them to my dashboard and also tweets them out to my friends. This app alone would make it worth it to a runner to buy an android device. Need more proof… check out my online dashboard: http://www.buddyrunner.com/jacob
5. vRecorder. This is my favorite voice recording app. Because I think I’m 007 its cool to be able to record conversations without people knowing what I’m up to. Despite what it says it really isn’t good at recording phone calls unless you use the speakerphone.
6. I LOVE Useful switchers. it is an app that QUICKLY controls all the things you usually have to dig around in your settings all right there in an easily accessible one touch UI, PLUS, Bonus… FLASHLIGHT.  BOOM now you don’t need some dumb flashlight app taking up space because we all know how precious our space is on our phones. controls include; ringer mode, silent mode, WiFi toggle, GPS on/off, Wireless location on/off, bluetooth toggle, brightness, screen timeout, airplane mode toggle, auto sync one touch, 2g/3g toggle ….also, FREE. Awesome.
7. Guilty pleasure app #1 Call Faker… haha ok so this app gives you complete control over awkward situations. “oh sorry mom id love to hear all about your _____ but my boss is calling.”  You can schedule a call and input anyone you want PLUS call faker has the option to just select a contact from your list and have them call when you want.  Also this app works a little better than fake a call (which i paid for and loved b/c the developer was so responsive to my feedback, but alas didn’t make the cut) because it uses the ring-tones which i have created from mp3’s on my phone using Ringdroid. The other apps fail to do that effectively, meaning the song just plays and plays and plays ad you have to turn off the phone to get it to shut up… not quite effective.  Also i use Facebook sync to sync all the contacts in my phone with their corresponding (and most recent) Facebook profile page, which pops up during the fake call.  So, Gents, your on a date with someone a little out of your league? ok solution, pick your FB friend with the prettiest FB profile pic and have them “call” while on your date, your value is built by association. Ladies, your boyfriend has done it again and he needs to know this is the LAST straw, Simple, your phone is out, and your “ex calls”  he notices, you say that you have been helping him with relationship troubles (your bf will IMMEDIATELY recognize that this is a “two way conversation”) and you had better believe there are flowers from him on your desk come Monday at lunch time. I don’t know really, I just like the app alot.
8. SMS popup. This app is a simple app that allows you to control how your sms messages and sms notifications are handled. you can change the vibration pattern, choose from their list, or you can compose your own. You can choose the color of the LED notification blink and how fast it blinks. And i really like how the iPhone (I know bad word, bear with me) has the text messages pop up and you can read them w/o opening the messaging app. this does that, it has privacy, immediate delete and if your using facebook sync (another plug b/c I can only have 5 on my list) the profile picture appears with the text. love it.
9. SMS wishes. I love this, it allows you to schedule a text message and have it sent to any contact at a time of your choosing.  Pretty simple, it also has an option to schedule the same message re-occuring daily, weekly, monthly etc… my only beef with it is that the sent messages don’t appear in your messages, they are just lost, so its possible if you forgot you scheduled a text and you get a response you wont know what the hell the person is talking about.. ha.
10. and finally, I LOVE the new Google maps app from Google.  If you haven’t seen/ downloaded it yet… Do it now. its AWESOME. That is, if your into GPS. Which I am. On the same note, we were asked by the developer of an app called Waze to to use and review it, its ok so far… expect a full review here soon. Waze is a mobile social map… what? Yeah. It is kinda like the love child between Google Maps, Twitter, and wikipedia. Again, Yeah. Pretty cool, it allows real time traffic updates, and warnings (from other users) about hiding cops, speed traps, traffic congestion. But like Wikipedia, if you put crap in you get crap out so its only downfall could be the fact that it is dependant on the honesty of the users… but were excited to see it grow and were exercising our faith in humanity to not eff with us in rush hour but just be straight up and legit about the roads. So check either out.