Our Top 5 Android Apps Of 2012

I have been an Android user for more than a year now and have seen the ecosystem progress from Eclair to Ice Cream Sandwich. The platform has indeed gotten better with age and now looks like an offering which will give Apple and iOS a lot of headaches in the near future. Like the iPhone, the heart of Android are the apps. Android, however in contrast to iOS is much more customizable thus making it a clear choice for ‘Open ecosystem’ enthusiasts like me.

So let us quickly get into my top 5 Android apps list.

1. Pocket:

There are many read-it-later apps out there but Pocket on Android is simply the best app for information junkies who don’t find the time to always be hooked to their smartphone. Before Pocket, I used to be always on my smartphone consuming content and conveniently forgetting that I had a day job. Now with Pocket the situation is much more stable.

With Pocket, you can simply save the everything that you want to read on the net for later reading. Are you on your desktop? No issues, you can install the browser plugin. You can use Android’s built in sharing function to save every piece of web or app content onto Pocket. Pocket’s interface is the best and the app also allows tagging and archival. It is free to download, so go get it.

Download Link | Pocket

2. TuneIn Radio:

Smartphones do indeed bring out the music junkie in you because of the easy availability of music streaming apps. One app that caught my attention was TuneIn Radio, which is actually the best radio and music streaming app there is on the platform. However varied your tastes may be, the app will get you the music that you love without any hassles.  It even has News, Podcasts, Sports, Trending and Local Radio features.

The app comes in both the paid and free versions but I suggest that you go for the full version to unlock all the features in the app.

Download Link | TuneIn Free | TuneIn Pro

3. Endomondo:

If you have resolved to get fit and workout when the New Year starts, then this workout tracker is the best thing there is. It has all kinds of crazy features which track every single aspect of your workout experience. It covers all kinds of workouts and sports right from windsurfing to boxing and many more.

The app uses GPS to track your distance and the calories you burn during each workout. This gives you some very good looking reports along with Google maps integration. The best part about the app is the social network that comes with it where you can add workout buddies and connect with many other people.

The app is available in Pro and Free versions but I recommend using the Pro version if you are serious about your workouts.

Download Link | Endomondo Free | Endomondo Pro

4. Pixlr Express:

Although Instagram remains the most talked about photo app this year, I have to say that the Pixlr Express from Autodesk is the best photo editing app on Android. The app has all the usual filters but also adds a bevy of awesome effects and edit options which let you touch up the images and correct them for contrast, color, red eye, sharpness and everything else.

Adding filters and effects is a huge bonus. Incidentally, this app has more filters than Instagram. You can also add cool effects and borders to your images. There is no social networking backend like Instagram but there are social sharing functions included. The app is free to download.

Download Link | Pixlr Express

5. Wunderlist:

I tend to forget a lot of things and this has previously wreaked havoc in my personal and professional life. So I finally started searching for apps that would help me remember tasks easily and efficiently. Even though Evernote seems to be the favorite for remembering things, I found another very competent app that was completely cross platform and nicely designed. It is called Wunderlist and has currently been upgraded to Wunderlist 2. The new version brings with a lot of features and design tweaks. The app is designed to do one thing – remember tasks and it does a really good job.

You can have many lists like personal, work, food etc.. and keep setting tasks for yourself. You can choose to set reminders to these tasks along with due dates. The app sends you a notification using push capabilities of Android. It also helps in collaboration with other Wunderlist users and is a cheap and good way for teams and groups to get their stuff done. The app is free and is available for almost every mobile and desktop platform.

Download Link | Wunderlist

So these were the top 5 apps I discovered this year. I have not included apps like Gmail, Whatsapp, Twitter etc. because these are common and everyone  uses them by default.

So what are your top 5 Android apps? Tell me in the comments.

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