Free Technology Zone

Apple has been known to push the envelope on innovation.  Their releases of personal computers long ago (back in the 1980s) with the Apple II/IIe and especially the Macintosh were innovative for their time.  However, because they only ran on a particular platform controlled by Apple, the IBMPC compatible with Microsoft Windows operating system quickly took over.

By the 1990s, the only people that used apples were the education sectors, those with special multimedia application requirements, and the die-hard Apple fans.  Most users went on the PC/Microsoft Windows bandwagon.  Almost every electronic store you go to you will see various PC brands like Dell, HP, Compaq, Acer, ASUS, eMachine, Toshiba, and IBM.

I see the same pattern with Apple again.  This time it is with the iPhone; and this time the battle is against Google’s Android operating system which is run by many smart phone platforms.  The race is starting to heat up with the recent release and highly marketed DROID phone from Verizon.  Most recently, there has been very strong buzz around Google’s Nexus One. 

From what I can see, features and capabilities that the iPhone have the Android phones also have.  Right now Apple touts over 100,00 apps for the iphone, while the Android has tens of throusands; but because of its open architecture, I foresee Android applications quickly surpassing the iPhone in application count.  And from the standpoint of availability, the Android operating system is more available from more phone service providers than the iPhone, which is limited only to AT&T. 

I predict that within three years, the Android-based cell phones will completely dominate the smart phone market.  The iPhone will continue to thrive, but only for those die-hard Apple fans.  Check back in 2013!

From the factory, the Droid comes with the following built-in core applications:

• Alarm Clock
• Amazon MP3
• Browser
• Calculator
• Calendar
• Camera
• Car Home
• Contacts
• Corporate Calendar
• Email
• Facebook
• Gallery
• Gmail
• Maps
• Market
• Messaging
• Music
• Phone
• Settings
• Talk
• Visual VM
• Voice Search
• YouTube

The unit has 3 desktops you can fill with shortcuts to the above applications and other applications you may install at some point in the future.

The center desktop has the following preset shortcuts:

• Messaging
• Phone
• Contacts
• Browser
• Maps
• Market
• Voice Search

All core applications are quickly explained below.

Alarm Clock

Provides a clock and alarming features which can be set in various ways.  You can add a single alarm, a periodic daily alarm, or an alarm that goes off on certain days of the week.

Amazon MP3

You can browse top music albums or tracks.  You can also browse by genre.  When you find what you like, you can purchase it.

Browser

This is the Internet browser.  The browser is location aware.  Through its GPS function, it knows where it is.

Calculator

Provides basic calculator functionality, including some advanced math functions like sin, cos, tan, ln, log, factorial, pi, exponential, power, and square root.

Calendar

Your Google calendar will show here.

Camera

Provides your basic camera function with still pictures and video capabilities.  The camera can shoot 5 megapixels pictures.

Car Home

The GPS Navigation system.  Has voice command capabilities so that if you wish to go to a particular address, you can say “directions to…”.  Aside from navigation, you can view contacts and the map here.

Contacts

Your contact list resides here.  Any accounts you synchronize with that contains contact information will go here.

Corporate Calendar

If you synch up with MS Exchange, your corporate calendar will show here.

Email

Provides access to e-mail accounts.

Facebook

This is a Facebook application to access your Facebook page on the web.  The interface is pretty straight forward.

Gallery

Provides a means to view pictures and videos in an easy to follow format.

Gmail

Application for Google’s web e-mail–gmail.

Maps

This is just like google maps, but it is location aware.  It will show the Droid’s present location on the map.

Market

This is just like the iPhone’s app store.  The market is where you can get free and paid for applications for the Droid.

Messaging

TEXTing application.

Music

Music playing application.

Phone

By the way, I forgot that the Droid is a phone too.

Settings

This is where most of the Droid customization and settings are done.

Talk

This is an application for Google’s IM called Talk.

Visual VM

Allows user to view voice mail and source of voice mail.  Voice mails can be managed through the application.  This service cost money to use.

Voice Search

Allows user to do searches on anything using voice commands.

YouTube

This is a Droid YouTube application.

Recently I had the opportunity to evaluate a DROID.  Aside from some very useful and impressive core applications, I found these free jewels in DROID’s application market:

• 1Cast News - video news which provides highlights of key news events
• Advanced Task Killer - allows one to manage the multiple tasks that are running on your DROID
• Android VNC - remote control your PC from your DROID
• Backgrounds - provides a vast list of desktop backgrounds
• Barcode Scanner - reads UPC codes
• Cardio Trainer - tracks your position and time
• Chess Online Free - good computer opponent
• Document to go - read-only capability for MS Office documents
• Robo Defense Free - addicting game
• Finance - see real-time stock quotes
• Flexilis Mobile Security - anti-virus for Android
• Free Dictionary Org - handy dictionary reference
• FxCamera - create effects on photos
• Jewels - game
• PicSay - create balloons and other labels on photos
• Ultimate Stop watch - analog stop watch
• USA Today - news
• WeatherBug - location-based weather information
• Where - location-based interest finder on google maps
• Whois - find out info about domains
• WiFinder - see what WiFi signals are around you
• WikiMobile - WikiPedia-like access
• WpTogo - update your Wordpress blog through this app
• YellowBook - yellow pages

Do you know of a free Droid application that isn’t on this list but you think is worth mentioning?  If so, let us know; leave a comment.