While Android most definitely scores points over the iPhone in terms of flexibility and customization, it could be argued that at times the amount of information being presented on your home screen can get a little overwhelming.

Each iteration of Google’s OS has added in more widgets, news feeds and other features – all of which are constantly bombarding you with data.

Esteemed mobile studio Larva Labs – the developer responsible for the brilliant Battle for Mars Android game – has cooked up what it hopes is the ideal solution for this information overload.

Slide Screen collects data from all of your different applications and displays it in a logical manner on just one solitary screen.

The app uses a hierarchical system to fill you in on events such as missed calls, SMS messages, emails, calendar appointments and news stories.

Each type of message has its own color-coded section, with primary alerts being at the top of the screen and secondary alerts – usually from social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook – being at the bottom.

Sandwiched in the middle is your status bar, which contains the date, time, networking connectivity and weather report.

As the name suggests, it’s possible to slide this status bar up and down to increase the exposure given to certain elements.

For example, sliding the bar right up to the top suppresses your calls, SMS and email alerts and expands your Google Reader, Twitter and Facebook information, allowing you to scroll through hundreds of different posts from the comfort of just one application.

Even when you’re not directly interacting with Slide Screen it will move around the various elements to ensure that the most recent entries get your full attention – so if you’ve not had any text messages but you have 5 unread emails, it will automatically hide your SMS tab and expand the email one.

For many heavy mobile users this kind of functionality will come as a real breath of fresh air. With some Android phones boasting seven different home screens bursting with widgets and information, being able to condense all of that data into just one screen is a real achievement.

Quick links on each tab allow you to instantly fire up that particular app – being it the text message composer, Google Mail or a new phone call – which means you’re never more than one touch away from additional functions.

Slide Screen is able to operate in two different ways – you can have it as a complete home screen replacement or you can use it as a separate app which merely shows all of your data in one convenient location.

The former will sit well with those who wish to streamline their Android experience but we can’t help but think many users will miss their widgets, photo frames, music players and other home screen elements.

Android is famed for its wide range of capabilities and using Slide Screen does lock out a lot of the platform’s core elements.

For example, you can’t access items such as the official Android Power Manager widget as this is a home screen-exclusive item that doesn’t appear in your app drawer.

Therefore, many users may wish to opt for the second choice, where Slide Screen only operates when you actually open it up.

Pressing the “home” button drops you back to your default home screen launcher application, which means you can have the best of both worlds.

This configuration would be made even better if it were possible to have Slide Screen automatically launch whenever your phone enters a locked state, but that is perhaps something the developers will look to include in future editions.

The only other bugbear is the rather steep price of the app - $6.99 (around £4.60) is a lot to pay for this kind of program, although admittedly the developer has been kind enough to release a free edition which features all of the same capabilities but has a relatively unobtrusive advert at the bottom of the screen.

It does seem a little unfair to charge almost a fiver for a home screen replacement when apps such as Launcher Pro – which are arguably just as polished – are currently being offered for nothing, but at least there’s the option there to try out the free edition to see if you’d be happy parting with your cash.

Slide Screen info

Ease of use:
Value:
Features:
Overall

Platform: Android

Cost: $6.99

Version: 1.21

Developer: Larva Labs

Website/Demo: Slide Screen website

Google may have introduced the handy power widget in Android 1.6 but it’s impossible to escape the fact that changing the various settings on your Android phone is harder than it reasonably should be.

Toggling ringer modes, putting the phone into airplane mode and turning off auto-rotation are all functions which remain hidden within the Android OS menu structure – until now.

Like the brilliant Quick Settings – which performs very much the same task – MySettings is an app which allows you to effortlessly control several different aspects of your handsets behavior without having to jump through hoops.

The splash screen of the app is a 3 x 4 grid of icons, each relating to a different element of your mobile’s functionality. For example, tapping the Ringer Mode icon opens up a sub-menu with four additional icons, each relating to a different ringer setting.

You can also control things like screen brightness, unlock pattern, sync settings and even which network mode you’d like to use (2G or 3G being the options available).

Some of these features actually drop you into the core Android settings menu rather than allowing you to change them from within MySettings, but it’s not too much of an issue.

In addition to these handy toggles you’re also presented with vital information at the top of the screen, such as available memory and battery level.

Like Quick Settings, there’s even a torch facility which turns your screen white, allowing you to light-up darkened areas. To round it all off you can choose to tag MySettings to your notification bar for easy access

The design of MySettings – with its big, friendly buttons and easily-identifiable icons – is without question at the center of its appeal.

However, it’s worth noting that while MySettings offers excellent functionality, the free version of the app comes with adverts.

They’re largely unobtrusive and can be ignored after a while, but they might prove annoying for those of you that appreciate clean and uncluttered aesthetics.

If you’re really bugged by their presence then you can opt for the “donate” edition which is technically identical but removes the adverts.

If you’ve already got rival app Quick Settings then it’s still worth giving this app a spin to see what you think.

The design is certainly an improvement, although the recent ability to open Quick Settings with a long-press of your phone’s “search” button has improved the accessibility of that app somewhat.

Those of you who are new to the Android arena and desire greater influence over the settings contained with your powerful new handset should download this without hesitation – you’ll wonder how you ever coped without it.

MySettings info

Ease of use:
Value:
Features:
Overall

Platform: Android

Cost: Free (ad-supported), $2.95 (ad-free)

Version: 1.4.0

Developer: JQ Soft

Website/Demo: JQ Soft website

One of Android’s biggest strengths is unquestionably its modularity - almost every aspect of Google’s OS is a separate entity and that means parts can be improved or replaced by third-party applications or programs.

Launcher Pro is one such example. It replaces the stock launcher application – which is essentially the part of the OS which allows you to open up other apps and browse your home screens – and adds in extra functionality.

However, the way in which Launcher Pro operates will make it instantly familiar to anyone who has previously used Android.

Your home screens still do what they’ve always done and your applications drawer still works as you would expect it to. Even the way in which you place shortcuts onto home screens and apply different wallpapers is identical.

The most obvious change is the ability to boost the number of home screens up to a maximum of seven.

If you have a phone which is equipped with HTC’s Sense user interface then this won’t seem like much of a big deal, but “stock” Android users will be over the moon at the additional space available; even the most recent update – Android 2.2 – only offers 5 different screens.

Another element which is inspired heavily by Sense is the home screen overview option. Using a “pinch-zoom” command you can pull back your view to show all of your home screens at once.

A second tap will allow you to select which one you wish to visit. It’s very much like the “Expose” feature on Apple’s home computers and counts as a seriously impressive feature.

The final major difference is the dock at the bottom of the display. Here you can store four shortcuts to various elements of the phone, as well as a fifth (mandatory) slot for your application drawer link.

The dock allows you to quickly access certain functions instantly no matter which home screen you happen to be viewing, and it also means you have four less app shortcut icons to fit on your home screens (although with seven available, space is hardly an issue any longer).

The default dock configuration has shortcuts such as calls, contacts, messaging and internet access, but you can actually pick any application you want. It’s even possible to use specially created icons which are unique to Launcher Pro, or custom icons that you’ve created yourself.

With these major elements out of the way, further inspection reveals other cool options. For example, holding an icon over the bin removes it from the home screen as normal, but keep it held for a little longer and you’re able to uninstall the app from the phone completely.

Launcher Pro also boasts an impress degree of customization; for example you can toggle the number of application icons that are shown per row in your app drawer.

It’s also possible to tinker with how many app icons are displayed on each home screen when the phone is held in landscape mode. While this might not be all that useful for normal phone users, if you’re using one of the many new Android tablets then it could come in very handy indeed.

Launcher Pro won us over with its incredible functionality and in-depth customization but to top it all off it actually manages to run faster and smoother than the standard “stock” launcher in Android 2.2 – which is an astonishing achievement when you consider that it’s not a first-party Google application.

Moving between home screens is lightning-fast and there’s even a cool “elastic snapback” effect when you flick between each display.

It’s very rare that you come across an app which literally has no negative points whatsoever but Launcher Pro definitely falls into that category.

You could argue that those people running HTC Sense on their Desire or Legend phones already have many of the features showcased in Launcher Pro, and for this reason it’s probably less essential to those individuals than everyone else.

However, for anyone running stock Android or one of the many rival propriety operating systems out there, this is a must-have.

Launcher Pro info

Ease of use:
Value:
Features:
Overall

Platform: Android

Cost: Free

Version: 0.4.4

Developer: Federico Carnales

Website/Demo: Launcher Pro website

Webxit Mobile's barcode2file app for Android allows you to scan any barcode and convert it into text data. This data can then be sorted and saved to your device's SD card or sent to someone via email.

This app serves a very simple purpose, and uses a simple yet functional UI to fulfill that purpose. The main window of the app has a large text area where the items you scan will appear. This area is editable, allowing you to add your own notes or thoughts about the items you're scanning. Beneath this big text area is a button to launch the scanner, and then two more buttons for sending the data and saving the data are found at the bottom of the screen.

There is little in the way of customization in this app, though there are a few options in the menu. About shows a little blurb describing the app and what it can do, just in case you weren't sure when you downloaded it. Next to that is an option that can delete all of the codes you've scanned, allowing you to start over or start with a new list.

One neat function for organization's sake is the Count Codes option. This option will go through the codes you've scanned and count how many of each one it finds. So, instead of listing 013348665414 five times, the app will then display 5x 013348665414. This means you can scan several items and then find a duplicate of something you've already scanned and not have to worry about becoming disorganized.

After that is an option to import a previously scanned file. Files are saved onto the root of the SD card, with the naming convention of barcode2file-YYYY-M-DD-HH-mm-SS.txt. Assuming you're keeping track of the time, this should make locating whatever list you're trying to load fairly simple. It'd be nice if the app would save to its own directory and allow you to manually name the file for further organization, though.

This would be a great app for anyone who owns or operates a small business, as this would allow inventory to be taken and organized easily with just an Android device. Outside of that niche, though, this app's limited functions will probably not be of much use to anyone. Still, it's a fun app to play with and at least deserves a checking-out.

barcode2file

Ease of use:
Value:
Features:
Overall:

Platform: Android

Price: Free

Developer: Webxit Mobile

Website/Demo: Webxit Mobile

Download barcode2file from the Android Market by searching for the app name, or by scanning the following QR code with your phone:

When you buy an Android-based smartphone you’re making a very bold purchasing decision; the moment you hand over your hard-earned cash you’re essentially telling the world that you won’t be suckered in by Apple’s glitz and glamour and that you desire a phone which is versatile and capable, rather than a device which is all mouth and no trousers.

Assuming this to be the case, we have to wonder why an app such as Lock 2.0 exists. It’s basically a lock screen which is an almost exact replica of the one seen on Apple’s iPhone – the Android platform’s biggest and most deadly rival. Could it be that beneath the bravado, Android owners are secretly regretting their choice of phone, and that this program is shamelessly pandering to this technological insecurity?

Possibly, but it could be argued that there is a legitimate reason for Lock 2.0; while it obviously sells itself on the aforementioned iPhone mimicry, it actually performs a wide range of useful tasks, especially when you consider that the screen-lock feature currently available on Android is a little lacking (and isn’t even configured by default – you have to set it up manually from your phone’s security menu).

On its most basic level Lock 2.0 sits on top of your phone’s menu screen and features a sliding unlock mechanism, just like Apple’s. Even the most steadfast Android devotee will admit that it’s a brilliant system that prevents accidental phone use when it’s in your pocket, and we’re personally very happy that an equivalent option is now available for Google phones.

The lite version of the app gives you just one lock screen theme but if you purchase the paid-for edition then you can alter this to suit your personal preference. The app even features real-time updates, just as its Apple counterpart does; battery level is displayed, as is the time.

The top bar is initially set as a “fake” image overlay but you can choose to replace this with the Android notification bar, although this does mean that the screen isn’t fully locked as you are able to pull the bar down at any point.

Indeed, conflict with other elements of the Android OS is Lock 2.0’s biggest failing. Because it sits quite awkwardly on your menu screen and is treated as a fully-fledged app rather than a built-in portion of the operating system, Lock 2.0 can sometimes clash with your other settings and requires a lot of tinkering before you can get it to behave how you like.

Because every Android user has a setup unique to their phone, chances are the more stuff you have going on in the background the more hard work Lock 2.0 is going to be to get working properly.

Many dedicated Android users will probably give up after a few force-closes and uninstall Lock 2.0 but we imagine that these people aren’t the ones that will flock to this app anyway; Lock 2.0 is likely to be more of a hit with casual users who genuinely wish they could have an iPhone but don’t have deep enough pockets.

Lock 2.0 info

Ease of use:
Value:
Features:
Overall

Platform: Android

Cost: $1.99

Version:1.9

Developer: Android Apps

Website/Demo: Lock 2.0 website

One of the main things that makes us love the Android OS is quite how much it lets you edit your phone's interface. You can change everything from the lock screen to what software the built-in camera uses. These phone-changing apps don’t even need to be official either, anyone can make ‘em.

This has resulted in a load of rubbish being released on the App Store, but there are a few gems out there too, and a lot of them are free. Digital Clock Widget is one of those gems.

It’s very simple, comprised of just two clock Widgets - one that takes up the whole width of the home screen and a smaller one that only takes up a half-screen.

The key to what we like most about Digital Clock Widget’s clocks is how stylishly simple they are. Each is made up of simple text, relaying the time and date, either on its own or over a translucent black block.

You can’t change the font of these, but the default one is entirely inoffensive, while retaining enough style to look good on any image-conscious person's home screen. Compared to one of the top clocks on the Android Market, that of Beautiful Widgets, Digital Clock Widget is understated and – truth be told – a lot more mature looking.

If you’re after a clock that makes no statement other than ‘yes, I’m a clock, what of it?’ you should give this app a download.

Aside from picking whether or not to have a background to your clock, there’s not a huge amount of customization options to Digital Clock Widget. That said, you can independently enter the text color of both the time and date, and the format of each – so, you can use a 12- or 24-hour clock and choose from between seven different date formatting types.

The great thing about such simplicity is that it very rarely goes wrong. We’re used to enduring fairly frequent crashes in Android apps – even some of our favorites – but Digital Clock Widget remains pretty stable for us. Of course, the best bit about Digital Clock Widget is that it’s free.

There may be several handfuls of free clock Widgets you can download on the Android Market, but Digital Clock Widget is one you should certainly try out before picking your final Android home screen look.

Digital Clock Widget info

Ease of use:
Value:
Features:
Overall

Platform: Google Android

Cost: Free

Version: 1.7.6

Developer: Maize

Website/Demo: N/A

ASTRO File Manager consists of a file management utility, a process management utility and a backup utility wrapped into one app, and it provides a great tool to help organize your data. It is also capable of displaying various usage statistics about your phone, such as memory usage by file and memory usage by app.

Navigation through the file browser portion of ASTRO is quite simple. Operations can be performed on a single file (or folder) by pressing and holding over the file name. Operations include viewing file details, such as file size, permissions, and modified date; attaching the file to an email (sent from within the app); or various editing functions such as moving, deleting or renaming the file. File access is not limited to just the SD card -- any file on the phone can be accessed in these ways, although permissions may prevent you from moving or deleting critical system files. Additional navigation options are available through the navigation bar located at the top of the screen, though we were disappointed by the lack of any sort of quick navigation function.

Other app functions are available under the Tools menu located in the main menu of the app. The built-in process manager, SD card utility and application manager can be accessed through this menu. The process manager provides tools for managing that apps and services running on your phone. It lists each app running and displays relevant process IDs, CPU usage and memory consumption. The SD card manager lists all of the files and folders on your SD card. Not only does this function show how large each file or folder is on your card, it also calculates what percentage of your total used storage is in each different area -- very handy. If you find yourself needing to delete a large quantity of data fast, this will help you determine which areas of your file system are most bloated.

The last function available through this menu, the application manager, allows you to view description data, uninstall and even launch the apps installed on your phone. This app also provides a function that many potential users, especially those not using modified firmware, will find attractive: Application backup. Using the backup feature you can copy apps onto your SD card. This allows you to free up space and resources by deleting seldom-used apps, but also allows you to quickly and easily reinstall an app the next time you need it.

ASTRO File Manager

Ease of use:
Value:
Features:
Overall:

Platform: Android

Price: Free

Developer: Metago, Inc.

Website/Demo: ASTRO

Download ASTRO File Manager from the Android Market by searching for the app name, or by scanning the following QR code with your phone:

Google’s Android Market may be easy to use but it’s come under serious fire lately for failing to adapt and evolve as the number of apps available for the Android platform has ballooned.

Therefore it’s unsurprising to discover that developers are coming up with their own solutions via some particularly useful search tools; My Market is just one example.

On the surface it looks very much like the Android Market; the developer has consciously made the decision to base the design of My Market on Google’s original sales portal, thus making the transition between the two less painful.

Just like the Android Market you can browse the various games and applications currently on offer either by popularity or date. When you tap an item, it opens a small icon-based sub-menu which allows you to perform such actions as looking at the app in more detail, tagging it as a recommended item, bookmarking it for consultation later on or removing it from the My Market search altogether.

My Market also allows you to filter the searches that you make by specifying words or developers you wish to ignore. For example, one of the default filters is ‘soundboard’ – something that will undoubtedly please long-term users of the Android Market. Using the developer filter you can make sure that apps created by unscrupulous software companies never sully your beloved Android handset.

While My Market offers loads of neat features that really should have been included in the Android Market as standard, the biggest advantage it has is overall speed – the app is much, much faster to use than Google’s version, which makes browsing a lot more enjoyable.

But before you start saying good riddance to the clunky Android Market, it’s worth noting that My Market can’t be viewed as a serious alternative just yet.

For starters, it still relies on the real thing for purchasing and downloading apps. If you want to buy something using My Market, you have to hold down your finger on the item to fire up the Android Market, where you then make your download as normal.

Another issue is that My Market lacks some key features, such as a ‘My Downloads’ area. Although it helpfully tells you when you’ve already installed something during searches, it would be great to have everything in one place.

My Market is an application that is standing on the brink of being truly essential. If the developer can work to include some more must-have options then this really will be the Android Market replacement you’ve always dreamed of.

My Market info

Ease of use:
Value:
Features:
Overall

Platform: Google Android

Version: 0.9.7

Price: Free

Developer: Chris Hager

Website/Demo: Chris Hager's website

It goes without saying that phones built around Google's Android platform rely heavily on accessing the Internet. It's the modus operandi of the device - always connected, always online and always up-to-date.

However, as great as this omnipresent connectivity is, it comes at a cost. Unlike its domestic counterpart, mobile Internet comes with a hefty price tag - for the time being, at least.

While most Android users are likely to have some kind of unlimited data package with their network supplier, it's common knowledge that ‘unlimited' rarely means what you think it does - most operators will have a fair usage policy, or even a discreet cap on the amount of data you can sift through in a single monthly billing cycle.

Clearly keeping track of the amount of information you're eating through is a good idea, and that's why Network Traffic Counter has been devised.

This ingenious little app tracks the amount of data you've accessed whilst online. It boots automatically whenever you turn on - or restart - your phone and in its default form breaks down your net usage into four categories: Total, Monthly, Weekly and Daily. Tapping a category reveals a more detailed breakdown of your activity, listing the amount of data you've both received and sent.

These counters can be reset manually at will, or you can select a certain date you'd like them to automatically start over from.

Naturally such an application is invaluable for tracking your net use, but you can also configure it to alert you when you go over a predetermined amount of data. You can set the limit in anything from single bytes to terabytes, and once you cross that figure you'll trigger the alarm. This is an extremely useful feature to have if you're concerned about going over any allowance your network provider might have stipulated.

It's even possible to export information regarding your data usage to your SD card in CVS format, which is great if you're keen to keep a record of how much you hit the internet on your phone.

The app's watchful eye isn't solely focused on your 3G/EDGE network activity, though - it will even calculate the amount of data you've accessed via WiFi as well.

The version we reviewed is technically at the beta stage (the app is shown as v0.9), but to be honest it's hard to see how the developer can make this any more effective; it's already packed with features and performs its function brilliantly.

If you're constantly fretting over your monthly Internet allowance then this is definitely worth a download. In summary, Network Traffic Counter is an effortless way of ensuring you don't get stung by your provider for hogging the mobile information superhighway.

Network Traffic Counter info

Ease of use:
Value:
Features:
Overall

Platform: Google Android

Price: Free

Version: 0.9

Developer: Cyril Jaquier

Website/Demo: The developer website

Despite the improved data transfer speeds afforded by technologies such as 3G and EDGE, the swiftest way to get information to and from your Android handset is unquestionably via a Wi-Fi internet connection.

These wireless access points are thankfully popping up all over the place and if you happen to set foot in a large town or city these days you can virtually be assured that you’re within spitting distance of an open Wi-Fi point.

However, given the rapid proliferation of these hotspots it can sometimes be difficult to ensure that your phone is connected to the best one. Thankfully, WeFi has been created to solve this very issue.

The app automatically connects you to known or open access points, saving you the bother of having to manually select which hotspot you’d like to use. If local Wi-Fi points require a password, it will prompt you before connecting; otherwise, it simply hooks you up with the bare minimum of effort.

However, the really clever part is the burgeoning community database that WeFi communicates with once it’s found an open access point. The location of any hotspot you connect with is verified with the database. If it’s a new spot, it’s added to the system so that when another WeFi Connect user is in range, the application automatically connects them to the same point.

This process obviously works both ways – when you’re in the vicinity of pre-approved hotspots then WeFi will can access the community system and will know which ones are the best to connect with.

Naturally using Wi-Fi can be a serious drain on your battery life so thankfully there’s an option to disable the auto-connect feature. The app also has a handy switch for toggling your phone’s Wi-Fi signal on and off with one touch, which saves you having to search for the same feature in the Android’s operating system (it happens to be frustratingly tucked away inside several menus).

There’s even a button which launches your web browser, which means you can get online without even having to leave the comfort of the We-Fi menu screen.

WeFi is a pretty simple concept when you think about it, but the fact that it’s backed by a community-driven database of quality Wi-Fi hotspots is a real benefit and as more and more Wi-Fi access points appear in our towns and cities (many of which are of dubious quality, it should be added), WeFi’s quick selection feature could prove to be indispensable.

WeFi info

Ease of use:
Value:
Features:
Overall

Platform: Google Android

Price: Free

Version:1.0.2

Developer: WeFi

Website/Demo: WeFi website

It goes without saying that Google’s Android mobile phone platform is incredibly powerful and offers bags of potential for those of us that like customizing our handsets, but the lack of a dedicated file manager has been a thorny issue for users.

Even the most basic Sony Ericsson or Nokia phone allows you to find your way around the phone’s internal memory, but sadly the Android platform doesn’t currently permit the same level of navigation – a truly bizarre oversight.

That’s where OI File Manager comes in; once installed this application presents your handset’s internal memory as folders and files – just as it appears whenever you hook up the phone to a PC via USB and ‘mount’ the phone for mass storage.

The one huge bonus of this approach is that you can quickly and easily manage your memory without having to laboriously traipse through all of the individual portions of the Android operating system. With the standard OS, you would have to enter the Music application to delete MP3 files or fire up the Photo viewing app to remove images you no longer wanted.

With OI File Manager you can do all this from one single application; it’s also possible to create new folders, rearrange existing files, send items via MMS or email and even rename documents.

What’s more, the application seamlessly integrates with existing programs already on the phone; tapping an MP3 will effortlessly launch the Android music player, for example.

After a few minutes of experimentation you’ll legitimately wonder how you ever lived without this application; however, after a few moments longer you’ll begin to notice nigglesome shortcomings that take a little bit of the shine off the entire experience.

For example, you can’t delete folders that contain files. Instead, you must painstakingly delete each individual file, which is both time-consuming and irksome.

Also, not all file associations seem to be recognized. For instance, we noticed that some of the JPG images we had on our SD card gave ‘Application Not Available’ errors. What’s puzzling is that other images with the same extension opened without any problems.

As is the case with all of the applications currently offered on the Android Marketplace, it’s a given that OI File Manager will improve with time; the developers have created an excellent starting point from which to build on and if they can rectify some of the relatively minor problems then they’ll have answered the prayers of many Android users that still remain perplexed as to why their phones didn’t possess a basic file manager in the first place.

OI File Manager info

Ease of use:
Value:
Features:
Overall

Platform: Android

Price: Free

Developer: OpenIntents

Website/Demo: OpenIntents website

While the standard-issue SMS and MMS messaging service on the Android platform is perfectly useable, it’s hardly what you’d call feature-rich. It gets the job done with as little fuss as possible but also lacks some of the exciting mod-cons we’ve come to love on other mobile phones.

Thankfully the Android system has been created with customization in mind and as a result we’ve been gifted with numerous messaging apps, of which Handcent SMS currently appears to be the most beloved - if its rating on the Android Market is anything to go by.

Handcent SMS is a communications program which augments your Android phone with thrilling new messaging features and options. The most notable is the interface – the default setting mimics the one seen on Apple’s iPhone, which will either please or annoy you, depending on your opinion of the aforementioned near-ubiquitous device. Thankfully for Google purists there’s the option to switch the theme to an Android-flavored one.

Handcent SMS essentially gives you unprecedented control over how your SMS and MMS messages are displayed; you can change the layout from the familiar iPhone “speech bubble” format to the more formal Android default. You can even pick which font you’d like to use, or apply a fetching background wallpaper to provide visual stimulation during your exhausting text sessions.

It also makes good use of your contact photos by placing them alongside each person’s conversation in the main menu of the application – it’s a simple touch but it makes the whole thing a little more personal.

However, possibly the biggest advantage Handcent SMS has over its rivals is notifications. With the app installed it’s possible to have pop-up alerts – again, similar to Apple’s iPhone – which appear on-screen and divulge the contents of each text message.

You can even assign different notification tones to each person so you know exactly is trying to contact you before you even peruse the contents of the message.

Other benefits include the option to automatically convert messages to MMS format if your essay-length text is longer than three SMS messages and there’s also a compatibility checker which ensures the communication you’re about to send is going to be readable on handsets that aren’t packing the Android OS – special characters unique to Google’s platform can sometimes cause problems.

The package is pretty impressive thanks to the presence of all these options but sadly it does have some stability niggles – it crashed a few times during our review which might suggest that there’s almost too much content being shoehorned into the app.

Still, when it does behave Handcent SMS is a powerful tool which lends credence to Google’s ultimate vision for Android – the OS is merely a platform for developers to create astonishingly useful applications, and this is unquestionably a prime example.

Handcent SMS info

Ease of use:
Value:
Features:
Overall

Platform: Google Android

Cost: Free

Version: 2.9.24

Developer: Handcent Software

Website/Demo: Handcent Software website

Google’s experimental Google Labs division has cooked up some truly amazing pieces of software over the past year or so.

Google Sky Map does for the night sky what Google Earth did for terra firma itself and Google Listen has revolutionized the way in which Android users enjoy podcasts and other audio items.

Now Google Labs has turned its attention to search engines, or more specifically the manner in which we hunt for information when using our mobile phones.

At present, tracking something down online – be it the name of a painting, the location of a landmark or simply the track listing of a CD – has been restricted to text-based input. Granted, Android 2.0 has given use voice search, but that’s really just an extension of typing anyway.

Google Goggles is the next definitive step in mobile phone searches and take our word for it, it’s truly world-shattering. Welcome to the world of visual search engines.

The functionality seems almost basic at first; you take a photo of something and Google Goggles will attempt to find data about the subject online. For example, a snap of a book cover will produce information on the author, publisher and other information – just as if you’d typed the name of the book into Google.

This on its own isn’t particularly amazing – there are already numerous apps which do the same thing – but Google Goggles isn’t just about looking for products online. You can use it for other things, such as landmarks, works of art or even shops.

Taking a snap of Big Ben will throw up data on the famous clock tower, and when you’re next in an art gallery and want to know more about the person who created the painting you’re admiring then simply whip out your phone and click away.

Another example of this app’s incredible versatility is text-recognition. As the video tutorial so helpfully points out, you can snap a friend’s business card and Google Goggles will extract all the relevant information, such as address, telephone number and email. You can then use these items to create a contact for that person on your handset.

It’s not just image recognition that comes as standard here; Google Goggles also uses GPS to determine where you are in the world and what places of interest might be nearby, thus allowing you to dip your toe into the exciting world of augmented reality.

If you’re in a busy high street the app will find your location and display data on nearby establishments, such as stores or cafes. Tapping on the name brings up more information, which could potentially allow you to order a table for an evening meal or book a cinema ticket without even having to move from the spot where you initiated the search.

The possibilities are practically endless, but Google Goggles does have some limitations. It’s obviously only as good as the information it has to work with and there are bound to be some items it currently doesn’t have within its database at present.

Also, the quality of your photography is of utmost importance – with things such as books or paintings you have to fit as much information into the frame as possible, but there are times when busy shots simply confuse the software.

Also, as the developers are quick to point out, the app is bewildered by things such as animals, cars or items of clothing. It’s also exclusive to Android 1.6 or above, so if you own a phone which is currently running 1.5 (HTC Hero owners, take note) then it won’t work.

However, like all of the products that roll out from Google Labs, Goggles is still very much in the development phase and new features will be added over time.

Even at this early stage it’s an amazing piece of software that proves Google has some of the brightest minds on planet; if they can keep cranking out innovative software like this then the Android platform’s future is very bight indeed.

Google Goggles info

Ease of use:
Value:
Features:
Overall

Platform: Google Android

Cost: Free

Version: 1.0.1

Developer: Google Labs

Website/Demo: Google Labs website

It goes without saying that phones built around Google's Android platform rely heavily on accessing the Internet. It's the modus operandi of the device - always connected, always online and always up-to-date.

However, as great as this omnipresent connectivity is, it comes at a cost. Unlike its domestic counterpart, mobile Internet comes with a hefty price tag - for the time being, at least.

While most Android users are likely to have some kind of unlimited data package with their network supplier, it's common knowledge that ‘unlimited' rarely means what you think it does - most operators will have a fair usage policy, or even a discreet cap on the amount of data you can sift through in a single monthly billing cycle.

Clearly keeping track of the amount of information you're eating through is a good idea, and that's why Network Traffic Counter has been devised.

This ingenious little app tracks the amount of data you've accessed whilst online. It boots automatically whenever you turn on - or restart - your phone and in its default form breaks down your net usage into four categories: Total, Monthly, Weekly and Daily. Tapping a category reveals a more detailed breakdown of your activity, listing the amount of data you've both received and sent.

These counters can be reset manually at will, or you can select a certain date you'd like them to automatically start over from.

Naturally such an application is invaluable for tracking your net use, but you can also configure it to alert you when you go over a predetermined amount of data. You can set the limit in anything from single bytes to terabytes, and once you cross that figure you'll trigger the alarm. This is an extremely useful feature to have if you're concerned about going over any allowance your network provider might have stipulated.

It's even possible to export information regarding your data usage to your SD card in CVS format, which is great if you're keen to keep a record of how much you hit the internet on your phone.

The app's watchful eye isn't solely focused on your 3G/EDGE network activity, though - it will even calculate the amount of data you've accessed via WiFi as well.

The version we reviewed is technically at the beta stage (the app is shown as v0.9), but to be honest it's hard to see how the developer can make this any more effective; it's already packed with features and performs its function brilliantly.

If you're constantly fretting over your monthly Internet allowance then this is definitely worth a download. In summary, Network Traffic Counter is an effortless way of ensuring you don't get stung by your provider for hogging the mobile information superhighway.

Network Traffic Counter info

Ease of use:
Value:
Features:
Overall

Platform: Google Android

Price: Free

Version: 0.9

Developer: Cyril Jaquier

Website/Demo: The developer website

One area where the Android platform scores big points over the iPhone is multitasking.

While Apple’s device currently doesn’t allow you to run more than one application at any given time, Android allows you to have several different programs operating in tandem, which means you don’t have to shut down an app to open another.

This kind of functionality is why Android owners swear by their devices and would never even contemplate picking up an iPhone, but it does come with one irksome caveat – it’s all too easy to lose track of what applications you have open and this can negatively impact the speed and performance of your handset.

The current Android operating system doesn’t feature any kind of task management out of the box but in keeping with the open philosophy of the platform, it should come as no surprise to learn that several industrious coders have created their own applications to suit the purpose.

Advanced Task Killer is arguably the cream of the crop. This intuitive app allows you to easily see what applications are currently running and offers the ability to terminate them quickly and easily, thus freeing up valuable memory for other processes.

Apps appear in a list and can be checked or unchecked using the tick box on the right-hand side of the display. Some apps – such as Googlemail or messaging – you’ll want to stay running no matter what activity you’re participating in. Handily, Advanced Task Killer remembers your selections, so next time you fire it up, previously spared apps remain unchecked whereas repeat offenders are ticked and ready to be shut down.

However, if you’d like to be more specific with your selections you can add an application to your Ignore list, which means that it will never be raised as a possible candidate for a task kill. Entering the settings menu allows you to view exactly which programs are on your Ignore list at any one time, so if you change your mind you can effortlessly alter the settings.

There are other neat features, too. You can choose to have Advanced Task Killer start at launch and there’s even the option to have it appear in your notifications bar for swift access.

This is one piece of software that will quickly become an indispensable tool in your Android armory. The best thing of all is that it’s free – although this is thanks to the paid-for adverts which appear at the bottom of the screen. If these prove to be too distracting then you can invest in the premium version, and show the developer a bit of support in the process.

Advanced Task Killer info

Ease of use:
Value:
Features:
Overall

Platform: Google Android

Cost: Free

Version: 1.4.4

Developer: ReChild

Website/Demo: N/A

10 underwhelming things about the Nexus One

Nexus One vs Apple iPhone 3GS

10 reasons why Android 2.1 kicks ass

Google Nexus One review