AccuWeather 3.0.5.5 - app

AccuWeather allows you to check the current weather anywhere in the world, from a huge database of towns and cities.

AccuWeather displays the current conditions and the temperature in centigrade or Fahrenheit, depending on your preference. It also displays a forecast of the maximum and minimum temperature for the day ahead.

If you want a forecast for the coming few days, you need to click on the clock icon at the bottom of the screen. This will load your phone's browser and take you to the AccuWeather.com home page, where you can few forecast information. AccuWeather also gives you information about wind speed and direction, visibility, UV index, etc. within the application.

AccuWeatheralso has a satellite feature, which lets you view current cloud activity around the World. We were also impressed by the Weather Finder feature, which allows you to select any place in the World, via Google Maps, and tap on it to view the current conditions.

In general, AccuWeather is pretty easy to use icons and large and touch-friendly, and the attractive background image changes depending on the current weather.

Although it's forecasts are not always correct, AccuWeather does provide a fast and reliable way to check the weather anywhere on Earth.

Google Earth 7.1.1.1781 - app

Google Earth is a monster of a program. Now you can take it with you wherever you go in this version of Google Earth for Android.

The good

Google Earth makes a great first impression. The program is controlled completely from the touchscreen, so users with larger screens are in luck. Tap to zoom in, and pinch to zoom out. It couldn't be simpler. There's almost nowhere on the globe that you can't access with Google Earth, so swipe and zoom until you've surveyed the whole planet. There's also a search option under menu, for more direct access.

Also under the menu, you'll find more features that will take your Google Earth experience to another level. My Location will take you to where you are using the app, while under the Layers option you'll be able to enable and disable secondary sources of information, like Wikipedia and Panoramio photos. Under Google Earth's settings, you'll be able to specify more technical details, like whether or not to use your phone's hardware sensors for navigation and the ability to limit the cache, so Google Earth doesn't suck up your resources.

The bad

Unfortunately, Google Earth just doesn't follow up on its excellent first impression. Although the scale of the app is awesome - in the most literal sense - it doesn't measure up in usability. Navigation can be sticky, especially when the Look around feature is enabled, and close-up graphics aren't crisp. The 3D feature for viewing famous landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower and Taj Mahal doesn't always work, while the Layers feature is also wanting.

Although Google Earth offers eight Layers - and you can enable and disable them at will - they just don't work well. Too many, and the interface becomes unusably crowded. You can't add more Layers, or remove them from the list, and the icons are indistinct and fiddly. These usability problems are disappointing. Google Earth is an amazing concept and works fantastically on other devices. Unfortunately, Android isn't yet one of them.

Google Earth for Android is a great idea that unfortunately has some unforgivable usability issues on Android.

The Weather Channel 4.1.2 - app

The Weather Channel is one of the most popular apps in the Android Marketplace, and it's not hard to see why.

The application delivers personalized weather forecasts to your Android phone through a clean, easy-to-navigate user interface. You start by selecting a location using the 'Add a place' icon, or telling The Weather Channel to detect your current whereabouts from your device. Once added, the current conditions and temperature in that location will be shown on the main page. You can have multiple locations set on this screen, making for a quick reference to the weather in the places that matter to you.

Click on a location and The Weather Channel will pull up more detailed information and forecasts. You can get hourly, 36-hour, or 10-day forecasts, making it an excellent tool for those who need precise weather information.

There are a few other neat features in The Weather Channel, including maps that display visual indications, and video summaries and outlooks. There aren't that many settings to tweak in the program. In fact, the only thing you can really change is whether to display temperatures in Fahrenheit or Centigrade.

If you're looking for an easy and reliable weather forecast tool for Android, you'll struggle to find anything better than The Weather Channel.

Glympse 2.10 - app

Glympse is a free service that lets you share your location with whoever you like.

It's function is simple yet wonderfully implemented. To share your current location with someone you simply type their phone number or email, or select them from your contacts list. They will then be sent a link to their email/SMS which, when clicked, will open a map view in the person's browser on their PC or mobile.

This map - also displayed in the Glympse app on your phone - plots your exact position in real time, tracking your movements with a green line. You also have the option to plot a destination point, so whoever is watching the map can see exactly where you are and where you're heading.

Glympse allows you to share where you are more publicly, too. You can send a Glympse to Facebook or Twitter, for example, so your friends and followers can see where you are and where you're heading too. Very useful if you're planning to meet up with a bunch of people and want them to see that you're on your way.

Glympse boasts a range of useful features, including the ability to set a profile picture, send messages with your Glympses, change the map service, or 'bump' a Glympse to someone else using the Android Beam function (Android 4.0 devices only).

The application even syncs with your calendar, allowing you to quickly share you location with other participants in the meeting just before it starts so they can see that you're en route to the meeting.

With all these features, and a great looking user interface, Glympse is a near-perfect Android app. There's no better way to show people where you are from your phone.

Gmail 4.5-694836 - app

Gmail is one of the most popular web-based email services out there, and it's also available for Android smartphones.

Day to day life can get pretty hectic nowadays. That's why it's useful to be able to access your email no matter where you happen to be. Gmail makes it easy to keep up with your email on the go.

You'll be notified the moment you receive a new email via Gmail's push notification system, which is convenient for people who are expecting messages at certain times. In addition, you can easily access any messages that have already been synched if your data connection is off.

Gmail even has an organization system that lets you star or label important messages to easily find them in the future. Searching is a simple click and type function that will help you find messages by keyword. There's also support for multiple Gmail accounts so you can receive mail from more than one account at a time.

Responding to messages might be a little tricky, depending on your phone's keyboard, and some advanced features like adding attachments might be a challenge simply due to the nature of the smaller screen. These are minor issues compared to the simple usability of the app's interface.

Gmail has been a simple and comprehensive way to check your mail online for years now. This Android app just serves to make communicating all the easier while you're away from your computer.

Download Gmail 4.5-694836

Kik Messenger 6.4.0.38 - app

Kik Messenger has been tested by Softonic, but it still doesn't have a review in English.

Download Kik Messenger 6.4.0.38

IM+ 6.4.8 - app

IM+ has all your messaging needs covered, regardless of whether you want to text your address book contacts or stay in touch with your IM contacts. Introducing Beep: free mobile-to-mobile in-app messenger. We figured you've been looking for a free alternative to SMS for a while now. And now we've got that right in IM+. Whenever you send and receive text messages, photos or voice messages, IM+ Beep will make sure that your message was successfully sent and notify you when it is safely delivered. Push will make incoming messages instantly pop up on your device. Always on, always instant, always fun!

Send text messages, photos, and voice notes - Group chats in Skype, MSN, AIM, ICQ - Chat history - Multiple accounts per service - Create personal and geo status messages - Customize your IMing experience with different sound notifications and emoticons - Typing notifications

UI is optimized for both Android smartphones and Android tablet computers. The app changes its appearance on 7+ inches tab screens with 3.0+ OS to 2-panel interface.

Anyone who has an Android device and account in Facebook, Skype, MSN etc. IM+ allows you not to be tied to a desktop if you want to contact your friends or family.