Top 10 Android apps I can’t live without

In its short lifespan, the Android OS has gone from a tiny blip on the radar to the most used mobile operating system in the world. The OS itself is growing like wildfire and while iOS still holds the largest amount of applications in the mobile space, Android certainly isn’t in short supply. I’ve owned seven Android handsets since it debuted in late 2008 and have grown fond of many apps. While I love many more, the following ten Android apps are the ones I just can’t live without.

In no particular order…

1. ADW Launcher (EX)

ADW Launcher has been around for a while and it’s one of the best Android home replacement applications available today. You can make this launcher as simple or complex as you’d like and with the large amount of themes available for it today, you can have a new look to your home screen every day of the week.

ADW Launcher itself is free but there’s also a paid version (ADW Launcher EX). The EX version brings more customization options, so if you’re a fan of the free version it’s worth the money.

While many people may not bother with home replacement application, those who love the hardware of, say, the HTC Sensation, but would rather a stock look than HTC Sense and want a more stock Android look then ADW Launcher would be a great alternative. And since ince it’s open source, it’s the default launcher on the popular custom ROM CyanogenMod.

There are many, many different home replacement applications but ADW is at the top of my list.

2. Colorize Widget

Colorize Widget is a simple application that’s  best paired with a home replacement application, like ADW Launcher. In fact, a home replacement is required. It’s simple in function but provides a feature you simply won’t find on stock Android: scrollable widgets.

The application offers up many widgets, including GReader, Twitter, Facebook, Calendar, Contacts, Messages, and more. I rely on widgets heavily in my homescreen setup and some applications include a scrollable widget but may not be all that nice. Colorize Widget fills that gap with style.

The app is free but a paid version is available on the developer’s site. If you’re one who craves the look of stock Android but admires HTC Sense’s scrollable widget, Colorize Widget will help you have the both of best worlds.

3. Mobile Buzz Widget (Taptu/Pulse)

Mobile Buzz Widget is a simple news aggregator that may not be the prettiest out there but I’ve always come back to it. The developer (mippin.com) has many other widgets for different subjects but since we’re sort of Into Mobile this is the widget I used daily.

The widget itself could really benefit from a cosmetic update but the simplicity of it is what makes me love it. It’s a 4 x 1 widget that shows you the latest news from the category you’ve selected, a direct-share button to the left, and settings on the right. You can choose how often the stories refresh within the settings and change the sub-category. That’s it and we’re ok with that.

When you tap the story a small windows will pop up, displaying the story, a link to the original post, and 19 more stories that you can access by just swiping.

There are other, similar applications available that both look better and are much more functional. Taptu and Pulse come to mind, and while I enjoy both, Mobile Buzz Widget is the one for me.

4. SoundHound

When you ask average Joe about music discovery applications, SoundHound likely won’t be the first thing that comes out of their mouths. That one goes to Shazam. If you ask a geek or someone in the mobile industry, most will say they prefer SoundHound. Most of the IntoMobile team does, and I’ve asked handfuls of others.

So why is SoundHound my top pick? Well, it offers up just about everything you’ll get from Pandora and more, without having a cluttered UI. One of the standout features SoundHound offers is the fact that you can hum a song into the microphone and have the song identified. Even better, it works pretty darn well.  As gimmicky as it sounds, how many times have you had a song in your head that you don’t know the words to and only know the tune? Exactly.

Of course, you won’t be able to use SoundHound on TV ads like Shazam, but I’d take the humming feature any day since it has a real use case that you’ll likely find yourself in one day. Either way, both SoundHound and Shazam are great music discovery apps and it’s really up to personal preference. This is mine.

5. Plume

There are countless Twitter clients available in the Android Market and I ended up usingPlume simply because it included a scrollable widget. Now I don’t think I’ll ever use another Twitter app ever, as Plume is easy to use and included intuitive features that many will like.

With the exception of the nice scrollable widget Plume comes with, my favorite feature is how you actually go about composing a tweet. Plume mimics Android’s notification panel, and you simply drag down the panel from any screen to compose a tweet.

There are many other features that Plume just does right but that doesn’t mean it’s perfect. That said, most of my wishes for Plume have nothing to do with its functionality. As far as aesthetic customizations go, Plume only offers up three themes, normal, light, and dark. Twidroyd on the other hand has about ten different themes you can choose from and look great. Still, that’s just another personal preference I’d like to see but Plume will likely always remain my go-to Twitter client.

6. HBO Go

While not everyone will be able to use this application, HBO Go is definitely one of my favorite apps around for killing time. I honestly never thought I’d use HBO Go all that much but I’ve found myself catching up on an episode of Game of Thrones when I’d usually waste time playing Angry Birds or Cut the Rope.

Unfortunately, HBO Go isn’t supported on all devices right now but there’s a tweak in the browser you can do to get it running using Flash.

As long as you have a HBO Subscription and a compatible handset, you’re good to go and can watch most of anything the premium channel offers.

If you don’t have HBO, you can always just use Netflix.

7. Amazon Appstore

There’s only one reason I have the Amazon Appstore installed on my phone. Of course, it’s because everyday there’s a paid app available for free. That, and Amazon does have some exclusives you won’t find on the Android Market immediately.

Amazon’s strategy has certainly received the attention of users and while I have my doubts that most people will choose it over the Android Market, having both on your phone is definitely a nice match.

Even if you have no intention of really searching for apps within Amazon’s Appstore, it’s worth to have, as one day the application you couldn’t justify spending $5 on may be free.

8. Slacker

Slacker is the SoundHound of online radio apps. Pandora rules the roost, but those who do their research can see the benefits of Slacker. Most of these benefits aren’t apparent unless you use Slacker Plus, the subscription service but it’s nonetheless worth every penny.

The best feature that Slacker’s subscription service offers up is the option to cache radio stations to your phone. This makes the station itself available when you don’t have a data connection, or a finicky one.

Internet radio is now best for finding new music you may not have heard before, as services like Amazon’s Cloud Player and Google Music allow you to take your music with you and stream directly to your phone, and the latter allows you to directly download specific songs your handset.

If you’re looking for an awesome internet radio app, look no further than Slacker Radio. Wen recently reviewed Slacker and you can check it out here to see what the fuss is all about.

9. Google Maps

Does this one even need to be explained? Google Maps for Android is simply the best option available on a mobile device today and is updated frequently with new features.

From 3D maps to viewing maps offline, Android’s official Maps application remains unrivaled from any mobile offering today and it will likely stay that way for some time going forward.

Google Maps for Android has become more and more like the online version you’ll find on a computer and things like Labs is just another cool feature that extends Google’s offering over the competition.

10. Google Music

So you’re not looking to listen to internet radio but would rather rock out to some of your own tunes, eh? Well, Google Music will let you do that without filling up your memory card. While still an invite-only service at the moment, Google Music is an cloud-based music storage locker that allows you to upload your music to cloud and listen to it when you’re on the go.

The service is currently free while the beta tags remains but we could imagine big G will price the service competitively once it more widely available.

One of our favorite features of Google Music is that you can download track directly to your handset if you want access to it at all times, no matter what kind of data connection you’re working with. Another solid feature is that you can access your music from any computer, given it has an internet connection.

While Google Music isn’t necessarily novel, it’s definitely a great option that’s natively integrated into Android’s new, sexy music application and it will remain a favorite for a long time.