How to Find Great Android Applications
One of the biggest differences between the iPhone and Android is the way that each of these phones handles applications. The iPhone has the App Store that contains hundreds of thousands of apps in an easy to search interface. You can download apps quickly and easily and there are many different categories to search for apps. The Android Market is similar, but one of the biggest complaints about Android is that it is difficult to find interesting apps that are actually useful. As the market expands, hundreds of new apps are added each day and consumers are left trying sort through all of the average apps to find the great ones they want. Because of this, there are now many sites online that aim to be an "Android application directory," where people can search for, rate, and review apps on their computers before downloading them on their phones. This article is going to show you how to use various resources online to find the apps you really want.
The Essential Apps Directory
When you first get your phone, there are a number of applications that are so useful, they should be downloaded right away. To help organize these 20-or-so apps, Gizmodo has created an "essential apps directory" with a list of apps it thinks are the most important. Here is a link.
Once you've downloaded the apps that you need from there, it's time to think about Android "application discovery." This means finding the apps that you really want when you search for them as well as occasionally being introduced to new apps that you may like.
Android's Market Online
The first place to visit is the Android Market's online webpage itself. The Android Market is a great place to browse the current "best" and "top" apps.
AndroLib
In an effort to categorize and promote top apps, a website known as AndroLib appeared. This site isn't affiliated with Google like the previous site is, but it does a great job of offering a complete collection of apps on the market. It is a great place to sort through the wide offering of apps to find the one that works best for you. They even offer QR codes to help download the apps on your phone.
As you can see, there are a number of great directories online to help you find apps. It's better to look around online first and see user reviews and screenshots of the apps before you download them on your phone. Android's Market on the phone itself is good, but searching online is better. Remember, if you still can't find what you're looking for, a simple Google search like "best GPS apps for Android" will reveal a lot of hidden gems.