What to Install on a New Android Phone

A selection of useful free apps for your new Android Phone.

 

AirDroid
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sand.airdroid
Manage all the content and functions of your phone from a web browser including files, SMS, apps, photos, contacts, and music via a password-protected secure connection.

 

App 2 SD (move app to SD)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.a0soft.gphone.app2sd
Free up space on your phone by moving apps to the SD card. Also a good way to manage apps, cache and data.

 

Bike Hub Cycle Journey Planner
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bikehub.journeyplanner
Cyclist and walker-friendly journey planning app with GPS and links to OpenCycleMap

 

Dolphin Browser
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=mobi.mgeek.TunnyBrowser
A much better browser than the standard Android browser.

 

Glympse
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.glympse.android.glympse
When you want to share your location with friends or family some of the time, but not all the time.

 

Textra SMS
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.textra
A much better SMS than the standard Android SMS.

 

Hotspot Toggle
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=bohlool.net.toogleHotspot
If you use your phone a lot as a MiFi, this widget turns it on and off quickly.

 

K-9 Mail
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.fsck.k9
A much better email than the standard Android email.

 

OsmAnd
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.osmand
Free OpenStreetMap sat nav app that uses offline maps from mapsforge. Much quicker than Google Maps if you have offline maps.

 

RealCalc Scientific Calculator
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.nickfines.RealCalc
A powerful scientific calculator that’s also beautiful and easy to use.

 

Retro Clock Widget
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nl.jsource.retroclock.android
Very clear clock and date widgets that are also links to alarm and calendar respectively.

 

Seesmic (Facebook, Twitter)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.seesmic
Everyone has their own favourite Twitter app. This is mine.

 

StopWatch & Timer
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sportstracklive.stopwatch
A simple and clear-to-read stopwatch and timer app.

 

TeslaLED Flashlight
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.teslacoilsw.flashlight
Use your phone’s camera LED as a torch.

 

The Guardian Anywhere
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.futureplatforms.android.guardian
Still better than the official Guardian app.

 

Where’s My Droid
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.alienmanfc6.wheresmyandroid
Find your lost or stolen phone with a text message.

 

WiFi Analyzer
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.farproc.wifi.analyzer
A better way of finding and selecting a WiFi network to connect to.

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What to install on a new MacBook

I have lots of applications installed on my MacBook, but this is the list of software I’d install first and use most.

 

Adium
http://adium.im/
Chat with multi-protocol instant messaging. I really don’t need ten applications to do the job of one.

 

BBC iPlayer Desktop
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/install
Watch BBC TV online or offline in high quality. There’s no need to be a slave to the TV schedule.

 

Dropbox
https://www.dropbox.com/
Share or publish files. I use this for ease of sharing non-confidential files.

 

GIMP on OS X
http://gimp.lisanet.de/Website/Download.html
Convert, edit, and retouch photos and scanned documents. This version includes some useful extras.

 

Gutenprint
http://gimp-print.sourceforge.net/MacOSX.php
Print to any known printer. Uses the standard Apple CUPS interface but has more and better drivers than Apple.

 

LibreOffice
http://www.libreoffice.org/download/
Read and edit documents, spreadsheets and presentations. You can use this well as, or instead of, Microsoft Office.

 

Mozilla Firefox
http://www.mozilla.org/firefox/
Browse the Internet. I prefer this to Apple Safari.

 

Mozilla Thunderbird
http://www.mozilla.org/thunderbird/
Manage your email. I prefer this to Apple Mail.

 

Skype
http://www.skype.com/get-skype/
Make video and voice calls. Not everyone has Apple FaceTime.

 

Sophos Anti-Virus
http://www.sophos.com/en-us/products/free-tools/sophos-antivirus-for-mac-home…
Protect yourself from malware with minimum fuss. Don’t pretend that Macs are invulnerable.

 

YoruFukurou
https://sites.google.com/site/yorufukurou/
Talk on Twitter with a power-user’s Twitter client. This is my current favourite.