Your smart phone is really just a dumb phone if you’re not taking advantage of the apps that have the potential to make it genius. But sifting endlessly through the 500k+ apps available in the Android Market or on iTunes to find a diamond in the rough that will really make your life or business better isn’t anybody’s idea of a good time – it can be just as frustrating as searching for a home.
To help you out, we’ve got a list of some new apps that have game-changing potential.
AirDroid
AirDroid lets you do everything on your Android phone without even touching it. From your web browser you can send text messages, organize files, photos, and videos, install apps, and more! Originally released late last year, AirDroid’s latest update includes a completely overhauled home screen and browser interface, the ability to stream video, and more. Best of all, it’s free!
Clueful
Clueful lets you see what your apps are doing behind the scenes and lets you know which ones track your location, read your address book, send your credentials unencrypted over the web, or keep GPS running in the background and needlessly drain your battery. If you’re an app power-user and are concerned about safety, the $3.99 isn’t much to pay for peace of mind.
Lookout Ad Network Detector
As mobile usage increases, advertisers are getting more creative and aggressive – particularly on Android devices where ads can be displayed outside of applications. If you’re a victim of unwanted ads, this free app will identify the culprit so you can uninstall. Like Clueful, it also gives you insight into what information ad networks are gathering from your phone.
Sparrow
Sparrow offers one of the best interfaces to manage your email. Users love the unified mailbox, panel and swipe navigation, intuitive threading system, and even pictures to make email more friendly. The app is $2.99 in the iTunes store, and soon it will also offer push notifications for an additional yearly subscription.
Google Drive
Google’s answer to Dropbox lets you access and share all of your files with ease and comes with 5 GB of storage for free. Google Docs are also included. Whether you’re a Google fan or just looking for extra cloud storage, this is a must-try app. Currently free for Android, Google Drive is also expected to be available for iPhone users in the near future.
Launch Center – Tap Tap Go
App Cubby says of their latest app, “It’s like speed dial, but for more than just phone calls.” They’re right. It’s also a lot more fun than speed dial and it makes everything faster. Listed by PC World as one of the Top 15 iPhone Apps of 2012, So Far, Launch Center lets you get to where you need to go and do what you need to do with fewer clicks with easy-to-create shortcuts. The app is currently for sale in the iTunes store for 99¢ and is well worth the time it will save you.
Locale
Locale intelligently controls your phone’s behavior based on conditions like the time or location without big battery drains. The app can update your ringer, wi-fi, clock, brightness – even your wallpaper. Want your phone to vibrate instead of ring when you’re on the go with clients? Easy. Want your phone to conserve power automatically by turning off Bluetooth and dimming your screen when your battery gets down to 25%? Easy. Available for $4.99 on Android, we’re sure you’ll find lots of other useful scenarios to make use of this ingenious app.
Trulia App for Agents
Trulia’s own app made just for agents has been getting rave reviews in the iTunes store, and we’ve been getting tons of requests from our Android audience to make it available in the Android market. Well, the wait is over! This one-of-a-kind app that lets you easily manage your leads and contacts, and Android users can now check-in to listings! Download this free app now to broadcast your listing knowledge to potential clients and connect with listing agents so you can close deals more easily.
Available for Android and iPhone
Have a favorite new app that didn’t make our list? Let us know in the comments below.
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