Google announces free Android apps
Who wants to pay for phone applications?
Those of you that haven't been on Mars for the last month will know that the new T-Mobile G1 Android phone is coming on 30 October, and from launch there will be 50 free apps for your mobile pleasure.
Many of the free apps are the fruits of Google's Android Developer Challenge, which was designed to get the top developers from the community exploring the possibilities of the new OS.
We all know that paid-for apps are coming in early 2009, and some of these might make that list, so get your hands on them now while they're free and hot. Well, not now, in around a week. Otherwise it would be difficult.
Anyway, here's the list in full, so breathe in and check out all the application-y fun you can have on your G1... we especially like Android Says, though we haven't been able to find out what it is yet. If you developed it, let us know!
Shopping
Barcode Scanner v2.1 - Scans and recognises the barcode of any product
ShopSavvy - Compares prices online and on the high street
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CompareEverywhere - Scans barcodes and gives directions to local stores using Google maps
Lifestyle
Mandelbrot Map - Map viewer
Krystle II - Pet your phone
Pocket Seismograph - Monitors the phone's accelerometer
Translate - Translation tool
Pro Football Live! - Football news / information
BreadCrumbz - Navigate via user-generated pictures
e-ventr - Event organizer and friendship scout
iMap Weather - Weather application
Ecorio - Track and reduce your carbon footprint, 'green community'
Cocktail! - Database of cocktails
Cooking Capsules Taster - Cooking application
Wikitude - AR Travel - Mobile travel guide
AccuWeather.com - Global weather
Multimedia
Shazam- Identify music, store and buy music
PicSay - Personalise pictures with text
Panoramio - Finds pictures of interesting places in your area
TuneWiki - Next generation social media player
BlueBrush - Draw with friends, share the same canvas
Video Player v.01 - Plays video files stored on the G1's SD card
Photostream - Photo browser for Flickr
Ringdroid - Create ringtones
SplashPlay - Music application
Productivity
QuickList - To do lists
WikiMobile Encyclopedia - Wikipedia for mobile devices
Maverick - IM compatible to Google Talk
Tools
Radar - Draw a bearing between the user's current location and latitude/longitude
Task Switcher - Search-Space is the new 'Alt-Tab'
Spare Parts - Android developing tool
Text-To-Speech Translator - Text-to-speech services
Any Cut v0.5 - Home shortcuts to "anything" on your web or your phone
Locale - Manages phone settings based on conditions (e.g. location)
Contacts De-Duper - De-duplicate your contacts to streamline your contacts folder
Shutter Spead - Detailed camera settings to make the most of the in-built camera and web access
DiskUsage - Utility to examine SD card content to manage what you store on your phone
Rings Extended - Replaces standard ringtones
Games & Puzzles
PAC-MAN by Namco
Metamath Solitaire
MisMisMatch
Anagrams v0.2
Slide Puzzle
Divide and Conquer!
CB Blackjack
Bubble Bash
Bonsai Blast
Balls 2 The Wall
Tetris
Android Says
Oh, and apparently the Android-powered G1 also makes calls... but nobody uses it for that, right?
Gareth has been part of the consumer technology world in a career spanning three decades. He started life as a staff writer on the fledgling TechRadar, and has grew with the site (primarily as phones, tablets and wearables editor) until becoming Global Editor in Chief in 2018. Gareth has written over 4,000 articles for TechRadar, has contributed expert insight to a number of other publications, chaired panels on zeitgeist technologies, presented at the Gadget Show Live as well as representing the brand on TV and radio for multiple channels including Sky, BBC, ITV and Al-Jazeera. Passionate about fitness, he can bore anyone rigid about stress management, sleep tracking, heart rate variance as well as bemoaning something about the latest iPhone, Galaxy or OLED TV.