5 starter apps you should have on your Dell Streak
With thousands of apps for the Dell Streak available both in and out of Android Market, figuring out which ones to install can be pretty overwhelming, especially if you're new to Android.
Most apps are dependent on personal interests and hobbies, but there are some that I would consider to be essential no matter how you use your device. Whether the rest of your apps revolve around office suites, sports, cooking, emulators, gardening, ebooks, music, photography, games, or shopping, I think you should still have these on your Streak.
These are the apps that I install first on every single Android device that comes my way. They're like my foundation. There are other apps that provide the same basic functionality out there, but what's listed below are the ones I like best. They're also free and should give you a nice base to work on.
All linked apps take you to directly to Android Market, so click on them from your Streak.
- Battery Indicator. This is a utility that displays the remaining battery charge as a percentage, which I find more useful than the stock graphic. The icon resides in the notification bar.
- No Lock. This is a nicer-looking alternative to the ScreenModeWidget I previously recommended. No Lock is a small widget that you tap on to enable and disable the Streak's lock screen.
- Barcode Scanner. As its name implies, this app lets you use the Streak's rear camera to scan barcodes and QR codes.
- ASTRO File Manager. This is a comprehensive file manager that lets you manage files (of course), as well as backup apps, install apps stored on your microSD card, view running processes, and more.
- RockPlayer. I've already sung the praises of this app, but it bears repeating that this is the most capable video player out there. If you're going to watch movies on your Streak (and with its 5" screen, why wouldn't you?), this is the app to use.
Other apps I usually install on new Android phones are Handcent SMS (replacement messaging app), a different keyboard, ADW.Launcher (if necessary), Amazon, eBay, eReader, AndroZIP, various benchmarking apps, a Twitter app (I'm using Touiteur at the moment), and some games. I wouldn't call these essential/useful to everyone, though, which is why they're not included above.
I'll put together a list of starter apps for rooted users soon. I also have a running list of other apps I think you'll enjoy (some are really cool), but I'll save those for another time.
On a related note, if this is your first time using Android Market, I wanted to make sure you knew that all paid apps come with a 24-hour refund policy. It's a great way to "try before you buy," especially for apps that don't have a lite/free version, but you shouldn't abuse it.
