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150 Best Android Apps Of Year 2011 [Editor’s Pick]

2011 has been an important year for Android. With devices like Samsung Galaxy S II, Motorola XOOM and Kindle Fire turning heads in the market, atop the release of what is arguably the best iteration of the mobile OS (Ice Cream Sandwich) yet, it was only a matter of time before the head honchos of mobile app development began hopping onto the Android bandwagon. Not only has the year seen many big names debut on the Android Market, but many novice developers make big names for themselves, and to top it all off, the Market is now home to over 400,000 apps.

There is no denying the fact that it is still way behind the iTunes App Store in both quantity and quality (especially where the visual appeal of UI, in general, is concerned), but the degree of improvement that the platform and its apps have undergone the previous year surely exceeds the expectations of most of its fans.  Here at AddictiveTips, we’ve been observing the progress of the platform and its app repository quite closely, bringing you the best apps in and out of the Market day after day. As the year ended, we decided to take a trip down memory lane, and compile a list of the ones we found to be the most unique or useful of lot.

1. Google Currents (Perhaps the best news reader and RSS aggregator for Android yet)

Google-Currents-Android-HomeGoogle-Currents-Android-Magazine

2. AirDroid (Remotely access, and control all the core features/apps of your Android device from any web browser)

02-AirDroid-Android-Home03-AirDroid-Android-Optimize-Memory

3. Baconreader (Arguably the best reddit client available in the Android Market)

01-BaconReader-Android-Login 04-BaconReader-Android-Comments

4. ZeroPC Cloud Navigator (Comprehensive all-in-one cloud data browser for Android tablets)

Zero-PC-Cloud-Navigator-Android-Home

5TeamViewer (Full remote desktop access and control)

My-Computers---TeamViewer-MobileRemote-access-and-control

6. Screencast & Recorder (Rooted devices only: One of the only apps in the Market that records smooth, high quality screencasts)

7. Espier Launcher (Remarkably accurate iOS Springboard clone)

Espier-Launcher-iOS-Clone-For-AndroidJiggle-Edit-Mode-Inside-FoldeEspier-Launcher-App-Switcher-Tray

8. LapseIt (The best time-lapse video creator for Android that we’ve come across so far)

00-Lapse-It-Android-Home 06-Lapse-It-Android-Render

9. Emit (Stream & download audio and videos from desktop and iTunes library over Wi-Fi)

10. Skitch By Evernote (One of the best annotation and drawing tools; integrated with Evernote)

11.  iOnRoad (Augmented reality driving companion with collision detection alerts)

iOnRoad-01

12. Yahoo! IntoNow (Identifies what’s being played on TV, and displays detailed program information)

13. SPRiiD (Remote file sharing between two Android device over the internet)

01-SPRiiD-Beta-Android-Home06-SPRiiD-Beta-Android-Gallery

14. Boat Browser (Chrome and mobile Safari-like browser with tabbed-browsing, quick dial, and support for webpage scrolling via volume buttons)

15. Elixir 2 (Comprehensive system info tool and app/task manager, with a vast suite of homescreen widgets)

16. LBE Privacy Guard (Rooted devices only: Monitors access requests made by apps and alerts you of them, much like Windows’ UAC)

Security-WarningSecurity-Log

17. MiLocker (MIUI dev team’s lockscreen replacement app for all Android devices; has a large online store of downloadable lockscreen themes)

MiLocker-Android-SplashMiLocker-Android-Library

18. Iris (Siri-inspired voice-controlled assistant; indulges in casual chat, and helps you with calling, texting, online searching and launching apps)

01-Iris-Android-Home03-Iris-Android-Sample3

19. Hipmunk (Track shortest and most economical flight routes to worldwide destinations)

01-Himpunk-Android-Home04-Himpunk-Android-Departing-Flights

20. Intel Pair & Share (Stream photos from Android to PC and/or other Android devices over Wi-Fi)

Intel-Pair-&-Share-Android-PairIntel-Pair-&-Share-Android-Home

21. Viber (Free VoIP app to call and text other app users from your contact list; registration done through phone number, much like WhatsApp)

22. Remote Tablet (Remotely control one Android device with the other over Bluetooth)

Tablet-Remote-Android-Home1Tablet-Remote-Android-Controls

23. Undelete Beta (File/data recovery tool for Android)

01-Undelete-Beta-Android-Home02-Undelete-Beta-Android-Restore

24. SHREDroid (File shredder; removes traces of deleted files from internal memory and SD card to prevent file recovery)

Deleting

25. Pops (Custom animated alerts for your text messages, Facebook, Twitter and Emails)

26. Cloudless (Two-Way media sync between Android & PC over Wi-Fi without a desktop client)

02-Cloudless-WiFi-Media-Sync-Android-Home00-Cloudless-WiFi-Media-Sync-Android-Account

27. TouchRetouch Free (Allows seamless removal of unwanted content from images)

Masking-or-painting-over-with-brush-hintMasking-or-painting-over-with-brush-hintResult

28. Dropsync (Provides two-way sync between your device’s local storage and your Dropbox cloud)

DropSync-For-Android-Two-Way-Dropbox-SD-Card-Sync

29. Hearing Saver (Automatically changes media volume to predefined levels when headphones are plugged in or unplugged)

Hearing-Saver-For-Android

30. Plug In Launcher (Auto-launches an app of your choice when usb/power cable or headphones are connected)

31. Magic Hour (Lets you apply photo filters, edit existing filters or create your own from scratch; has a massive online filter repository as well)

Magic-Hour-for-Android-(Homescreen)Editing-existing-or-creating-new-filtersTexture

32. MX Video Player (Media player with support for all popular video and subtitle formats; no additional plugins required)

33. Cheetah Sync (Two-way data sync between Android & PC/Mac over Wi-Fi)

Cheetah Sync-01Cheetah Sync-07

34. Voxer (Push-to-Talk IM client that supports sharing images, location and voice messages; saves voice messages, and plays them while offline)

06-Voxer-Android-Play05-Voxer-Android-Record

35. TalkBox (Cross-platform voice messenger that merges the conventional text chat interface with voice communication)

Recent-conversationsTalkBox-voice-messaging

36. Merriam-Webster Dictionary (Official Merriam-Webster Dictionary app; the dictionary is offline and supports voice search)

Search-bar-suggestions'Merrium-Webster-Dictionary-For-Android

37. Any.DO (An elegantly designed and feature-rich task management & reminder app)

Any.DO-Android-HomeAny.DO-Android-Schedule

38. SkyAMP (Stream music on Android device from your Windows SkyDrive account)

39. BitTorrent Remote (Remotely control torrent downloads/uploads on your desktop BitTorrent client)

02-BitTorrent-Remote-Android-Home04-BitTorrent-Remote-Android-Download

40. WiFiKill (Rooted devices only: Lets you disable internet for any device/user from a WiFi network that you are connected to)

41. Sonalight Text By Voice (Text-to-Speech & Speech-to-Text based messaging app for incoming and outgoing text messages)

01-Sonalight-Text-by-Voice-Android-Home01-Sonalight-Text-by-Voice-Android-Home

42. Wi-Fi Network Analysis (Provides a comprehensive collection ways to monitor Wi-Fi networks, and relevant information)

02-Wi-Fi-Analytics-Tool-Android-Home07-Wi-Fi-Analytics-Tool-Android-Signal-Meter

43. Say Cheese Camera (Voice-controlled camera replacement with an additional ‘stealth’ mode)

Say-Cheese-Camera-For-Android

44. Steam For Android (Unofficial steam client with an ICS-like user interface)

 

45. Add Friend (Lets you add Facebook friends by touching your NFC-capable devices together)

Add-Friend-For-Android-[Facebook-NFC] facebook-Friend-Profile

46. MagicLocker (One of the best lockscreen replacements out there; has several downloadable themes)

MagicLocker-For-Android-iPhone-Lockscreen-CloneLost-Robot-Lockscreen-3-point-Unlock

47. WiFi QR Code Generator (Generates QR codes that can be scanned by Barcode Scanner to join WiFi networks)

WiFi-QR-Code-Generator-For-AndroidSaved-Access-Points

48. MIUI Launcher (Clone of the MIUI custom ROM’s native launcher)

MIUI-Launcher-Clone-2Editing-Folder-Name

49. Gifinator (Easy-to-use animated GIF creator)

Shoot-GIF-GIF-Preview-Speed-&-Quality-Alter

50. Agile Lock (Great HTC Sense 3.0 lockscreen clone)

Agile-Lock-For-Android-Sense-3.0-lockscreen-ReplacementApp-Shortcut

51. DC Comics & Marvel Comics (Official DC & Marvel comics clients for Android with built-in, frame-to-frame based comic readers)

DC-Comics-For-AndroidComics-Reader

52. Visidon AppLock (Apply face-recognition lock to apps of your choice)

Visidon-AppLock-For-Android

53. SkyDrive Browser (Unofficial SkyDrive client with dual-pane browser)

54. Nemus Launcher (Homescreen replacement with unique App Drawer and folder widgets)

Widget-PlacementApp-Drawer-Zoomed-out

55. Do It (Tomorrow) (Task management two days at a time)

Do-it-(Tomorrow)-Today-PageDo-it-(Tomorrow)-Tomorrow-page

56. GO Contacts EX (Enhanced version of the GO dev team’s popular, feature-rich contacts replacement app)

57. Outdoor Navigation (Swiss army knife for travelers)

Outdoor-Navigation-for-AndroidSOS-Message

58. Social Jogger 2 (Sleek social media aggregator for Facebook, Twitter, Flickr & Plurk)

Trasition-3DSocial-Jogger-2-Messages-Widget

59. SaveMeeting (Record, save and share audio recordings of meetings, and their text transcripts; transcripts are generated via Text-to-Speech)

02-SaveMeeting-Android-Home04-SaveMeeting-Android-Mettings

60. DeskSMS (Forwards incoming texts as mail or chat messages to your Gmail or Gtalk account respectively; provides the option to toggle forwarding for each via a homescreen widget)

61. Hacker’s Keyboard (Full 5-row keyboard replacement)

Hacker's-Keyboard

62. ChannelCaster (A feature-rich news reader and social media app mashup)

63. Unlock With WiFi (Automatically disables lockscreen when connected to user-defined WiFi network)

Unlock-with-WiFiDevice-Unlocked-when-WiFi-turned-on

64. Connection Checker (Automatically toggles WiFi or mobile data in case of weak signals until a stable connection is established)

Connection-Checker-For-Android-(WiFI)image

65. IVONA (High Quality, realistic alternative to the stock Android Text-to-Speech engine)

IVONA-Kendra-(Voice)

66. Andie Graph (Emulator for TI graphing calculators)

Andie-Graph-Running-TI-86-ROM

67. Android Theme Launcher (Highly customizable launcher-style Live Wallpaper)

Android-Theme-Launcher-LWEditing Live Wallpaper

68. 360 (Easily create and share panoramic photos with other users and friends)

360-For-Android-Update-Panoramic-Photos

69. Limit Your Call (Set custom notification patterns and automatic hang-up time for your calls to cut down on phone bills)

70. ShakeCall (Receive and end calls by shaking the device)

Shake-to-receiveShake-to-disconnect-callSettings-Menu

71. Soundtracker Radio (Extremely feature-rich music discovery app that fetches lyrics for songs of your choice, and lets you explore musical taste of local users)

Soundtracker-Android-Home Soundtracker-Android-Widget

72. MightyText (Previously known as Texty; lets you send and receive your Android device’s text messages to and from your desktop)

Texty-App-and-Chrome-Extension-For-Android

73. Battery Calibration (Rooted devices only: Re-calibrates your device’s battery)

74. BITS Widget (Create your own clock and weather homescreen widgets)

BITS-WidgetEditing

75. AutoCAD WS (View, edit and share DWG files stored locally or on your AutoCAD WS cloud)

Editing-toolsSharing---Email-DWG

76. HDMwIn (Full HDMI mirroring for HTC EVO 4G; no root required)

ResolutionsAudio output

77. Kernel Manager (Rooted devices only: Download and flash custom kernels for your device)

Kernel-Manager-For-AndroidDetailed-Info- -Download

78. Angel Browser (One of the most feature-rich Android browsers to date)

Speed-DialScreenshots

79. Volume Sync (Mutes the media volume whenever the ringer volume is muted)

Ringer-Muted-ToastRinger-Unmuted-Toast

80. SD Maid (Clear your SD card and internal memory of residues left behind by deleted apps and other unnecessary files)

Cleaning-SystemSystem-Cleaner-Settings

81. Hulu Plus (Official Hulu client for Android)

Hulu-Plus-For-AndroidHulu-Plus-For-Android-TV-shows

82. Dock4Droid (Adds a gesture area at the bottom of the screen for quick task switching)

83. PCAutoWaker (Automatically turns your desktop on when your Android device connects to the same WiFi network)

List-of-added-computersWake

84. ZDBox (All-in-one system monitoring and management toolkit)

85. Ultimate App Guard (Scheduled lock/unlock profiles for apps with up to seven methods of protection)

01-Ultimate-App-Guard-Android-Home 04-Ultimate-App-Guard-Android-Lock-Modes

86. NVIDIA Tegra Zone (Game discovery app for Tegra-powered Android devices)

87. GO Locker (One of the best lockscreen replacement apps to date; has its own online repository of downloadable themes)

88. Yahoo! Play (Identifies songs, lets you make mood-oriented playlists)

landscape mode

89. Lightbox (Capture photos, apply filters and sync with the web)

My-Lightbox-(Social-Meida-Facebook-Twitter-feed)Viewing-Twitter-photosApplying-filters

90. Wallpaper Changer (Automatically cycles through wallpapers of your choice after a specified interval of time)

Wallpaper-Changer-For-AndroidWidget

91. Ripple Lock (Honeycomb-inspired lockscreen replacement)

Ripple-Lock-Honeycomb-LockscreenRipple-unlock-effect-2Ripple-unlock-effect

92. Read It Later Free (Archive web pages/articles and read them later from within your device, desktop browser or other mobile platforms)

Read-it-Later-homescreenArticle-viewEmail-Article-View

93. PicsIn Viewer (Aggregates images from cloud and social networks as well as from gallery, and lets you upload/download them from within the app)

01-PicsIn-Viewer-Beta-Android-Popular06-PicsIn-Viewer-Beta-Android-SD-Card

94. Android Lost (Comprehensive anti-theft, remote access and control solution; now allows controlling multiple devices at once)

AndroidLost

95. Mutli Texter (Send unlimited SMS to an unlimited number of contacts at once)

01-Multi-Texter-Android-Home02-Multi-Texter-Android-Pick-Messages

96. Smart Rotator (Allows you to specify apps for which you want auto-rotate to remain enabled)

Auto-rotate-enabled

97. UC Browser 8.0 (High speed, data saving web browser with support for caching browsed content)

07-UC Browser8-Android-Tools08-UC Browser8-Android-Traffic-Stats

98. Conimgo (Expense/budget management app for roommates)

03-Conmigo-Android-Homescreen06-Conmigo-Android-Settle-Up

99. SD Increase (Rooted devices only: Boosts read and write speeds of SD card)

SD-Increase-Activated

100. Bird Bar Notifications (Drag and launch notifications drawer from within fullscreen apps)

101. Application Folder (Highly customizable folder widgets for your homescreen)

Badge (scroll view)Window-view

102. RemebAR (Facial recognition app to remember friends, and share meetings with them on your Facebook wall)

RemembAR-Android-Settings

103. BrowsAR (Scan QR codes to view Facebook profiles in profiles in augmented reality)

 

104. MXHome Launcher (Homescreen replacement with unique App Drawer concept and 3D graphics)

105Regina 3D Launcher (Homescreen replacement with amazing 3D graphics)

106. SemiSilent (Enable ringer for calls from specific contacts while keeping your device in silent mode)

snap20110617_180459snap20110617_175800

107. Strimz (Stream live video recordings to your Facebook Wall)

Strimz-Android-iOS-SplashStrimz-Android-iOS-Live

108. Draw n Chat (Real-time virtual drawing board sharing between two Android devices over the internet)

01-Draw-n-Chat-Android-Send-Invitation03-Draw-n-Chat-Android-Drawing

109. Tablet Market (Medium for finding great Honeycomb-optimized apps on the Android Market)

Tablet Market-01Tablet Market-01

110. Voice Control Without Internet (Launch Android apps via voice commands without an internet connection)

Voice-Control-Without-Internet-RecognizeVoice-Control-Without-Internet-Prompt

111. Cisco Connect Express (Remotely manage & monitor your Cisco routers)

02-Cisco-Connect-Express-Android-Home 04-Cisco-Connect-Express-Android-Router-Management

112. Invisibright (Allows you to control brightness by swiping along the edge of the screen or tilting your device)

InvisiBright-For-Android-Brightness-control-modesInvisibright-Pro-Version-Features

113. Trulia Rent A House (Helps you find the best places for rent around your location)

03-Trulia-For-Rent-Android-Search-Filters06-Trulia-For-Rent-Android-Amenities

114. MIUI Music Player (Standalone MIUI music player app for all Android devices)

115. QISS (Comprehensive IM and social networking browser with support for sharing texts & photos across major micro-blogging web services and social networks)

116. Call Master (Customized, schedule-based settings for incoming calls and texts for individual contacts & groups)

Call-Master-Android-HomeCall-Master-Android-Call-Actions

117. The Social Radio (Reads your Twitter feed out loud, with music of your choice playing in between tweets)

The-Social-Radio-For-Twitter-Android-Welcome The-Social-Radio-For-Twitter-Android-Player

118. K-Adroit (Comprehensive online encyclopedia for Android smartphones and tablets)

119. Meporter (Citizen journalism app that allows you to share geo-tagged news & photos)

120. Hitlantis (Music discovery app with an intuitive UI)

02-Hitlantis-Android-Home 05-Hitlantis-Android-Player1

121. Alfred (Personal virtual concierge that suggests eating places as per your preferences)

Alfred-Android-Start Alfred-Android-Ideas

122. goHow Airport (Comprehensive airport finding and flight tracking app that fetches real-time information directly from some of of the top airports around the world)

goHow-Airport-Android-HomegoHow-Airport-Android-Track-Flight

123. ViBe (Create & set custom vibration patterns for individual contacts or groups)

01-ViBe-Android-Splash03-ViBe-Android-Standard

124. Evoqu ShopAdvisor (Find red-hot shopping deals, scan barcodes, analyze recent market trends, and check user reviews of technology products from major online merchants)

01-ShopAdvisor-Android-Search05-ShopAdvisor-Android-Advise-Me

125. Volume Rocker (Switch between as many as 5 customizable sound profiles from within the app or its homescreen widget)

06-Volume-Rocker-Android-Normal01-Volume-Rocker-Android-Home

126. Weather Services (Detailed weather forecasts with live weather cam images from various regions of the world)

Weather-Services-Android-Home Weather-Services-Android-Webcams

127. AppAware (The easiest and most convenient way of finding and sharing trending apps and games from the Android Market; supports displaying local apps)

AppAware-Android-Home AppAware-Android-Widget

128. Calendar Silencer (Syncs events from multiple calendars, and automatically silences your device according to selected activities in your schedule)

01-Calendar-Silencer-Android-Home02-Calendar-Silencer-Android-Events-List

129. Birthday Scheduler for FB (Automatically sends personalized wishes to your Facebook friends on their birthdays)

130. Ask.com (Official Android client of the famous web-based Q&A platform)

131. Prox (Uses your device’s proximity sensors and accelerometer to read hand gestures, and perform various actions)

Prox-Android-Banner

132. Mobli (Instragram-like photo and video-sharing app for Android)

133. Student Timetable (Easily the most feature-rich student planner for Android that we’ve come across)

01-Student-Timetable-Helper-Android-Home09-Student-Timetable-Helper-Android-Widget

134. SMS Board (Forwards incoming SMS to email as well as Facebook and Twitter as private messages)

01-SMS-Board-Android-Forward02-SMS-Board-Android-Edit

135. Mr. Mouse (Motion-Tracking WiFi Mouse)

Mr.Mouse-For-Android

136. Speaklib (Clipboard manager that reads copied text out loud in multiple languages)

137. Snapbucket (Photobucket’s photo styling app with customizable effects; lets you unlock additional filters by snapping more photos)

PresetsCustom-Set

138. AppPlus (Check latest price drops of apps in the Android Market)

AppPlus02 AppPlus01

139. Legimi (eBook reader & downloader with option to sync local library over the internet, and publish highlighted text to Facebook)

02-Legimi-Android-Home06-Legimi-Android-Quotes

140. N3xGen Theme Manager (Comprehensive gallery for Android themes and launcher skins from the Market)

01-N3xGen-Theme-Manager-Android-Home03-N3xGen-Theme-Manager-Sample-Theme

141. MyAlbum (Download entire Facebook albums to your device with a single tap)

142. Quick Event (Automatically creates calendar events from simple text; identifies information within the text and enters it into appropriate fields)

Quick Event For AndroidEntered In Respective Event Parameters

143. Sleep Timer (Automatically plays, pauses or stops multimedia during user-specified time intervals)

144. Wi-Fi Chat (IM that lets you chat with users connected to the same Wi-Fi Network)

145. Default App Manager (Clear, set & edit default apps)

146. ProCapture (Handy camera replacement app with multiple capture modes)

01-ProCapture-Android-Interface

147. Autodesk Inventor Publisher (View 3D assembly instructions on the go)

3D-Animated-Assembly-Instructions- -Part-selectionInstruction-steps-(keyframes)

148. CNN for Android (Official CNN client for Android; lets you submit your own stories via iReport)

homescreemCNN RadioSubmit-iReport

149. NASA App (Official NASA client; lets you explore the best from space)

150. Hotmail (The official Hotmail client for Android)

03-Hotmail-Android-Folders02-Hotmail-Android-Account

So which of the above fall into your list of favorites? If you didn’t find one or more of your favorite apps in our list, feel free to tell us about it in the comment section below. If you liked this list, you might also want to check out the following:

150 Best Windows Applications Of Year 2011

100 Best Mac Applications Of Year 2011

85 Best iPhone & iPad Apps Of Year 2011

30 Best Windows Phone 7 Apps Of Year 2011

20 Best Cydia Tweaks Of Year 2011

30 Comments

  1. Great work, I was surfing web searching for useful apps and I found this list and downloaded over 30 of them o.O best list I found! THANKS!

    • *but there are still missing some useful apps like swipe pad, root explorer and other useful good apps but still REALLY great work

  2.  

    FREE pill/med reminder mobile APPLICATION for
    android – MedDose – TRANSLATED IN 7 LANGUAGES with many advanced features
    COMING SOON!!!!! This is a must have app for
    anyone taking medication.

  3.  

    FREE mobile
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    specify which medication you take, how much you take and exactly when you take
    it. With MedDose you will never forget to take your meds. This is a must
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  4. Hi Guys,

    I couldnt find app which can turn you phone as WIFI router and can be used for internet on Laptop or any WIFI enbaled device. Any idea??
    Thanks
    Sunil

    • That is because the functionality has become a native Android feature.

      If you have Froyo (Android 2.2) or above running on your device, you can find what you’re looking for (WiFi hotspot) in Settings > Tethering & portable hotspot or Settings > Tethering (Settings > More > Tethering & portable hotspot if you happen to have ICS i.e. Android 4.0 and above).

      If your OS version is below 2.2 (you can see what version your OS from Settings > About phone, under Android version), here’s something you can use to tether internet to your desktop without having to root your device.
      Koush Tether: https://www.addictivetips.com/mobile/koush-tether-android-to-desktop-internet-tethering-without-root/Only catch is, it will be over USB.

      If you have root access on your <2.2 device, then all you need to do is Google or search the Market for "WiFi Hotspot". You'll find more than a few root-only apps that tether internet over WiFi.

  5. You really did some research here, found some great apps I never knew existed! I can also recommend Amazon Buzz, it’s saved me loads…

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