Almost everyone has to manage multiple devices in their day-to-day lives. Desktops, laptops, tablets and handsets are the usual suspects, each with its own purpose. With such an array of hardware, staying organized can be problematic. These Android apps will help streamline the digital media and services you use daily right to your phone so you can use your Android as the center of your multi-platform lifestyle.
Dropbox
The poster child for sync service finally released its Android app. Dropbox lets you create a folder, with up to 2 GB of space for the free version, and share it with all your Web-enabled devices. It manages this by uploading all of the files in your shared folder to the cloud. This allows you to access your files simply by logging into the Dropbox website, without even needing to download the app, which is good for those times when you’re on a machine you don’t own. However, the new Android app gives you access to all your data though a slick mobile interface. Using the app, you can easily read all of your files, as well as upload any media from your phone directly to Dropbox, giving you a simple way to transfer files between devices without having to physically link them. The Dropbox app is available as a free download in the Android market and you can see a demo of it in action below:
Evernote
Evernote is your go-to note-taking application. It can handle your text, voice, pictures or files and like Dropbox, and will sync uploads to the cloud. The client is more complicated than Dropbox, as Evernote is pitched as a productivity app and not a simple way to keep files consistent across machines. Also, you will need to upgrade to Evernote’s Premium service before it will allow you to upload any file type you like. However, for taking notes or making reminders on the fly and the ability to view those on any device, Evernote can’t be beat. You can download Evernote for free from the Android Market.
Dolphin
Android’s built-in browser gets the job done, but with basic features. Dolphin changes all that. It is billed as the mobile “social” browser, but it also has built-in capability to sync with some of the most widely-used Web services. Dolphin seamlessly integrates both Google Bookmarks and Delicious into the browser to keep your bookmarks mobile and up to date. Also, it’s RSS detection and subscription capabilities make using Google Reader, or any other RSS reader, feel native to the browser. The ad-supported version of Dolphin is free from the Android Market, or you can upgrade to an ad-free version for $5.
Astrid
Google’s built-in calendar app is a great schedule keeping tool, but seems too much for simple task management. Astrid takes care of that and is capable of handling events, as well as everyday to-do types of activities. For the important stuff (or any event you deem necessary), Astrid will let you update your Google Calendar with the info, as well as sync all your tasks and items to your Remember the Milk account. Astrid is a free download.
