Jul 19 AT 10:16 AM Anthony Domanico 29 Comments

Top 10 app downloads of the week: Monday, July 19th, 2010

As the application guy for Android and Me, it is my humble duty to advise our readers of new applications to try out and which you should stay away from. As a part of this service we bring to the community, we are launching a new segment featuring the top 10 applications that were downloaded for the week. With this new weekly piece, we hope to help you (and us) discover new awesome applications for your mobile pleasure. If you’ve already had some experience with any of the applications we mention, share your experience (positive or negative) with other readers by leaving a comment below.

Without any further ado, your top 10 most downloaded applications for the week of July 18th, 2010.

10. Barcode Scanner

Barcode Scanner for Android on AppBrain

Barcode scanner is the must-have Android barcode/QR code reader application. Simply scan the barcode/QR code and easily access multiple types of content. Scanning barcodes at stores gives prices and reviews for all kinds of products from multiple stores.

9. Shazam

Shazam for Android on AppBrain

Shazam allows Android users to figure out song titles and lyrics by listening to 5-10 second segments. Recently, they have announced a paid and free version of this application, with the paid version allowing unlimited number of tags.

8. ASTRO File Manager

ASTRO File Manager for Android on AppBrain

ASTRO file manager is arguably the premier file manager for the Android platform. ASTRO allows you to manage all the content on your phone and SD card in a similar file format to what you’re used to on your PC.

7. Fox News

FOX News for Android on AppBrain

Fox News is a recently released news application by the popular news conglomerate.

6. Smart Measure

Smart Measure for Android on AppBrain

Smart Measure is a cool new tool Android users can use to approximate the height and distance of an object using your phone’s camera.

5. AppBrain App Market

AppBrain App Market for Android on AppBrain

AppBrain is a front for the Android market that allows users to install Android apps to their phone right from their PCs.

4. MicDroid

MicDroid for Android on AppBrain

MicDroid is an app that brings auto-tune functionality to the Android platform. A free and donate version are both available.

3. Opera Mini

Opera Mini browser for Android on AppBrain

Opera Mini is a popular browser replacement application for Android, which features (among other things), the ability to quickly load pages thanks to Opera’s compression functionality.

2. Onion News Network

Onion News Network for Android on AppBrain

ONN is a new application that features access to the entire Onion News Network’s massive satirical newscast.

And the most downloaded Android application for the week of 7/18/2010 is….

1. SwiftKey Beta

SwiftKey Keyboard Beta for Android on AppBrain

SwiftKey Beta is a beta version of a popular keyboard replacement application. Early reviews have noted pretty significant advances in word/text prediction.

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29 Comments Join the discussion!

MiguelGuest 07/19/10 10:39 AM

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I installed SwiftKey a few days ago. In it’s current state I can’t use it too much.

My biggest issue is that when composing an SMS or e-mail, typing in the “To” field doesn’t always automatically bring up a relevant list of contacts on my Nexus One running Android 2.2. I have to remember the person’s e-mail. I have never seen this behavior with the stock keyboard.

Other gripes are the very aggressive autofill, and the mere 3 suggested words, versus five on the stock keyboard. The suggested words are also not very accurate.

Finally, since I am bilingual, I frequently switch between languages. The Froyo stock keyboard allows me to seamlessly switch between English and Spanish by swiping the Spacebar key. This is not possible with SwiftKey.

Not to mention that you give up the Speech-to-Text button (little mic) using SwiftKey.

Maybe I’m wrong but I find the stock keyboard more usable. Sure the Swiftkey keyboard “feels” more accurate due to the haptic feedback. But is it really?

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0 Sinanovski 07/19/10 11:10 AM

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Astro looks like it has some sort of error on Vibrant. When the apps are”stored” the word “stored” covers the app version number. Hoping they will fix this.

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PaulGuest 07/19/10 11:28 AM

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I’m glad the country is getting well educated by downloading the FauxNews app. Not.

I tried out Swiftkey, but honestly, wasn’t too good for me. Was too distracting because I *wanted* the word suggestions when I hit spacebar but it was getting so many wrong it was annoying to hit the correct one while I was using the hard keyboard. *type type type type* *hit screen* repeat.

HTC IME is the best keyboard for me right now. Only downside is its size.

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- Shane AllenGuest 07/31/10 2:52 AM
  
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  “I’m glad the country is getting well educated by downloading the FauxNews app. Not.”
  
  And I suppose you think CNN is the actual purveyor of “Fair and balanced coverage”? Give me a break.
  
  If I have to have news thats skewed from the truth, let’s at least skew it in favor of the people who are trying to keep me from having to pay for illegal aliens to slowly take over this country, deadbeat welfare leeches, and a healthcare plan I don’t want, just to name the first three most annoying things that– come on, let’s at least be honest with ourselves– CNN’s target audience is trying to push on me.
  
  I don’t argue with you that Fox News’ tagline of “Fair and balanced coverage” is probably not very accurate, but I haven’t seen very many news outlets of any kind that *aren’t* skewed. It’s a lesser of an infinite number of evils kind of thing.
  
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DerekGuest 07/19/10 12:38 PM

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Yes, HTC IME is a better keyboard. Also, top 10 apps and droid explorer isnt included?

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Mary Beth LowellGuest 07/19/10 12:42 PM

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The barcode scanner itself tempts me to move from BlackBerry to Android…

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- RaechGuest 07/19/10 4:12 PM
  
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  Barcode scanner is awesome. And the fact that you can quickly make any contact, app, or URL a QR code that can be scanned by your friend off your phone or sent to FB etc is awesome.
  
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- KarlGuest 07/25/10 5:13 AM
  
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  I’ve switched from a BBerry Curve to the droid. Overall a good move. But if I were using it for business I’d have to stay with BBerry. The messaging options are dismal on the droid, whereas with BB’s messaging is it’s primarty and strongest function.
  
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AlexGuest 07/19/10 2:55 PM

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MicDroid is a really fun app. There are tons of options to distort your voice, and the end product is always really neat. Makes me sound like T-Pain!

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AdamGuest 07/19/10 4:00 PM

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Fox News app permissions are unacceptable for a simple news app.
Why on God’s Green Earth does the Fox News app require permission to “directly call phone numbers” or “disable keylock”? It’s a news app! No good.
And, IMHO, SoundHound is FAR superior to Shazam.

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- RaechGuest 07/19/10 4:10 PM
  
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  Did you leave the feedback on Fox news app. Because yea that is nuts.
  
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a1qkhanGuest 07/19/10 4:22 PM

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FOX NEWS?! If you love bias BS*, then yeah, it’s a good app.

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hellboyGuest 07/19/10 6:33 PM

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I used Swiftkey for a few days, but went back to Swype pretty quick. Swiftkey kept inserting stupid words far too frequently for my liking…

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ObsceneJessterGuest 07/19/10 9:22 PM

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Why all the Fox news hate? I don’t like to get into politics because I could really care less. I don’t vote, nor am I registered to vote. I think all politicians are thieves and only out for there personal benefit. That being said. Correct me if I’m wrong but Fox news is the number one cable news channel by a long shot in the U.S., right? Bill Oreilly has the number one rated cable news show in the U.S., right? This either tells me that most people in the U.S. are conservative or people watch Fox because they enjoy getting both sides of the story. Even if 90% of Fox commentators are leaning to the right, you can’t tell me they never have left leaning guests on. When the guys in the firehouse watch Fox news, I usually see both sides, right and left arguing with each other.

In the end, can we please keep the conversation to the actual app quality. If you want to talk politics, take your ass over to the Huffington Post.

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- JoeGuest 07/20/10 8:17 PM
  
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  If you apparently don’t care or know much about politics for whatever ridiculous reasons you may have, then would you kindly leave the analysis of news outlets to those that know and care.
  
  This argument kills me every time. “I don’t care about politics but…” You should just stop right there, because if you don’t care about something then you most likely don’t know anything about it, and therefore cannot make informed judgments regarding political issues or, in this case, the politics of certain news organizations.
  
  And seriously Android and Me? Fox News app on the top 10 list? Are you kidding me? This is exactly why Fox “News” is number one, because people just default to them. Walk into any doctor’s office, and they will have Fox on the TV in the waiting room. This app recommendation is laughable at best. Think. The app itself might be good, but they should also be gauged by the content they contain.
  
  Total fail.
  
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  - 0 markblues07 07/22/10 10:59 PM
    
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    Umm, I pretty sure that Android and Me is just displaying the top 10 downloaded apps whether or not they agree with them or you agree with them is irrelevant. They’re just stating the list. Oh and the reason why Fox News is number one out there is not because people default to them but people go to them because they’re tired of the crap you find on main stream media, or even worse channels like CNN or MSNBC….just saying…you brought up politics where it didn’t need to be.
    
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AustinGuest 07/19/10 9:30 PM

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Is Opera Mini really that much better than Dolphin HD that it has gotten that popular O_o?

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MaliekGuest 07/19/10 11:57 PM

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Good list. How are apps selected for this list? Is it by volume of downloads or what?

Also, someday one of my apps will be on this list.

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- OskarGuest 07/20/10 12:56 PM
  
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  What is your app?
  
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0 stalker 07/20/10 12:53 AM

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Nice list.. thank you.

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JacobGuest 07/20/10 1:02 AM

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I can tell this segment will be really useful. Though it would be nice if the prices were shown.

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Tony RamosGuest 07/20/10 7:31 AM

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Good list, mediocre writing. The correct phrase is “without further ado.” The word “adieu” is French for farewell or goodbye. The way it appears here may cause readers to, in the words of George W. Bush, misunderestimate the quality of the entire article. Cheers!

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- 99 Anthony Domanico 07/20/10 3:19 PM
  
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  Changed it just for you.
  
  Thanks for pointing it out. <3
  
  Sad that one word constitutes mediocrity.
  
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  - FutureboyGuest 07/23/10 1:13 AM
    
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    I think the real issue is that Android and Me could really use an editor or proof-reader. This place is riddled with typos and/or incorrect word usage.
    
    See also: July 20th Snaptic article, second paragraph: “I would be amiss…” should be “I would be remiss…”
    
    See also: July 21st SwiftKey article, in the “Cons” section: “The only think I’ve found,” instead of “thing.”
    
    See also: etc, etc, etc.
    
    Don’t take me the wrong way. I’m not putting anyone down here. You guys do a great job of bringing us all the android news, and Anthony, you seem pretty diligent in keeping up with the comments to your articles which is nice to see. However, the site could stand to put a bit more effort into proofing articles before publishing.
    
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ChrisGuest 07/20/10 8:33 PM

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If this is the “top 10 most downloaded applications for the week”, I’m assuming we will see the same app multiple times in future weeks? Also, this seems that it will encourage people to leave comments regarding the apps on these weekly articles as opposed to the individual app review articles. Regardless, I do think this is a great idea and I will be checking it weekly.

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IvanGuest 07/21/10 10:55 PM

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I prefer EStrongs ( estrongs.com ) than astro file manager. U can access just any devices connected to your phone. ftp, LAN, WAN, bluetooth. just name it.

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xperia android userGuest 07/25/10 1:56 AM

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Opera mini is my MUST app install on my all gadget including the android phone.

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Benny ForsbergGuest 07/25/10 5:40 PM

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Opera is good – but not at organizing your every-day browsing.
Finaly there is a new smart way to access web stuff you like on your mobile without typing!

Squace – the new remote to all that You love on Internet

Squace is a social mobile browser designed for smart usage of bookmarks and contacts. As a cloud based service Squace makes it easy for user to access there bookmarks or contacts on all devices.

Tip: Get the full potential of Squace with the PC bookmarklet tool – reduces mobile typing.
Go to: http://www.squace.com or http://labs.squace.com

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club penguinGuest 08/23/11 10:59 PM

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good advice

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