TechyGamer.com » Android

HTC Evo My Two Cents

The Stanz — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 07:12:48 +0000

The HTC Evo has been released by Sprint and so far it's been shaking things up in the Android world. The Evo has proven to be a big hit for Sprint and a worthy opponent to rival the recent release of the iPhone 4. I have taken the plunge with Sprint and dropped my T-Mobile Mytouch for this upgrade and I am quite satisfied. The phone is VERY snappy and responsive, something the Mytouch lacked due to it's processor limitations. The screen is bright and colorful albeit not as good as the new iPhone 4's new screen but unless you had them bumped up against each other - you wouldn't notice.

The Bad:
I'm pretty easy to satisfy when it comes to smartphones but I have one gripe with the HTC Evo. For anyone who hasn't tested out this device; the HTC Evo has only 3 'true' buttons (Power, Vol Up/Down). The problem with this is not the lack of hard buttons but their locations. The only way to wake the phone up from standby is to hit the power button - that's normally not a problem and certainly understood; my problem is the fact that the button is not easily accessible. The power button is located on top of the device corner (think ipod headphone jack) and since the phone is LARGE - I find it quite difficult to keep hitting this button hundreds of times during the day. This difficulty further increases if you buy a casing around the phone which typically hinders pushing this button.

Overall, I am satisfied with my software upgrade but dissatisfied with the hardware design.

-The Stanz

Android App AndFTP

The Stanz — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 21:14:20 +0000

For a while I have been trying to find a good solution for getting files on my android phone without the need for connecting it to a PC. This is when I found "AndFTP", this lightweight app is exactly what I needed. This app is real handy for connecting to your FTP and downloading any files you'd like. This is especially helpful to get media files such as music or movies straight to your device while you are on the move and don't want to connect to a PC and wait for the transfer. Check it out - it's FREE.

-The Stanz

Android App Accudial

The Stanz — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:01:31 +0000

For those of you lucky enough to have Google Voice accounts, this is a must have Android app. Accudial simplifies the ability to dial out to your google voice number and make a call via Google Voice's automated system. This is a better alternative than allowing Google's Official Voice application decide where it's going to call before it connects your call. See the pro's and con's below for specifics..

Pros:
Always dials out to YOUR google voice number before connecting a call. (Hint: Calling circle/MyFaves...anybody?)
Free version is sufficient for all of my needs, should meet yours too if you plan on using it in the same manner as I have described above.

Cons:
Unless the number is listed in your contacts, you will have to manually dial.
Takes about 10 seconds before your call is connected to navigate through the prompt system.

-The Stanz

Android App – “Where”

The Stanz — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 22:54:50 +0000

"Where" is a great addition to your Android's application arsenal (nice ring to that..). "Where" allows you to find businesses quickly and effortlessly in your immediate area.

Say you're on a road trip and really craving a double cheeseburger but you're unfamiliar with your area and where to find said cheeseburger. That's where 'Where' (ha!) steps up to the plate and delivers. The application is very robust and very easy to use.

When road tripping from New York to Kansas City, this app was a life saver to find meals.

Check it out :

-The Stanz

Create Qr Codes

The Stanz — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 22:34:52 +0000

Need a quick and easy way to create QR-Codes?

Kaywa's QR Generator can be used to create all sorts of QR Codes such as URL's, Phone numbers and blocks of text. Simply scan the pictures with a barcode scanner to retrieve the information. For example, the one above is a URL to my blog.

The Stanz

Android App – Torrent Fu

The Stanz — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 02:26:29 +0000

Torrent Fu is a free android app that I've recently found on the Android Marketplace while browsing around aimlessly. The idea behind the app made it very appealing to me so I figured I'd give it a test drive.

Torrent Fu works with uTorrent on your PC to allow you to remotely manage your torrent downloads. For example, you can start/stop/pause your torrent queue at any time with your Android device. The highlight of the app is the bar code scanner, you can now scan the bar code of any media you have in your home and it'll do a quick torrent search for that movie/cd. From there, you can choose to add that torrent to your queue on your PC for downloading. Very slick app - requires very little configuration which can be found here : http://www.neondemon.com/archives/android-app-torrent-fu

Enjoy,

The Stanz

Android App – Robo Defense

The Stanz — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 04:25:52 +0000

Robo Defense is free tower defense game available on the android marketplace. Robo Defense's creators "Lupis Laps Software" also have a paid version of the game which includes additional content and features. This game was recommended to me by the T-Mobile salesman who completed my 'mytouch' purchase and was the first application that I installed on my device. I logged a lot of hours passing time with the free version as it kept me entertained during my long bus rides back and forth from work. After annihilating the free version over and over, I finally decided to plop down the cash for the paid version. I am happy to announce that I was not disappointed in doing so. This game is very well done and it is clear that the developers put a lot of effort and work into making this an enjoyable, rich handheld game.

If you've never played a tower defense game before, the concept is very easy to grasp - build defense towers and destroy the enemy before they reach the end of the map. You are given a broad choice of towers each with their own unique upgrades. The best part of this game is trying new strategies with different tower combinations to learn the best tactic.

-The Stanz

Android App "What The Doodle!?"

The Stanz — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 08:29:31 +0000

"What The Doodle!?" is currently a free multiplayer game on the android market. I found this little gem while I was browsing the market and have since become very addicted. The object of the game is similar to the game "Pictionary" where one player is assigned a word and he/she has to draw this word with up to 4 other players guessing. The game comes with mulitple difficulities and game modes ranging from "Easy" to "Team Hard". Although the game comes with these different modes, I have noticed that most people tend to hit the "Easy" mode since it's the first icon presented and usually has the most players. The game requires 5 players before starting which sometimes can take a while depending on how many players are active. The games are 10 rounds each giving each player the ability to draw twice provided no players quit.

Scan this picture to add the game to your device or find it on the marketplace while it's still free:

Let me know what you think of it in the comments.

Enjoy,

-The Stanz