I have been using Nexus One for almost a month now and I can safely say that it by far one of the top phones I have used in the last 2 years. With 1.0 Ghz processor and 512MB RAM coupled with Android 2.1, Nexus One sure is one of the fastest smart phones there is right now.
Having said that, Nexus One does have some limitations and short comings when it comes to the applications it comes pre-installed with. Like, although it is mutlitouch but there is no easy way to exit the applications you are running, thus you end up using the battery more than intended (and the battery does not last more than a day on average to moderately heavy use).
Here are 7 top notch apps I dug up to use with Nexus One, which will not only give you a piece of mind but will also give you an extra edge over using stock apps in the phone. The apps are not in any particular ranking so ignore the numbers 🙂
1. Advanced Task Killer
This is my favorite app as it does what it says. The icon sits in the drop down menu on top of the screen and all you need to do is run it. It will give you currently running apps and also provides you the freedom of selecting which apps to close. The nifty application is by Rechild and currently runs a version 1.7.0.34. Most of all, the updates and bug fixes are done frequently so you are always up to date.
2. ES File Explorer
Now this one is a full blown file explorer which gives you control over your installed memory card. It is customizable and very easy to navigate. One may take a little time to get used to of the interface but it performs the jobs beautifully. Cut, Copy, Paste is one of its best features. It is by EStong Inc and currently runs a version 1.x
3. Volume Conrol
This is by far the most needed application for Nexus One. The native stock volume control does not perform to the max and I had issues hearing my phone ring in crowded place. Volume Control gives you that extra juice which is limited by the OEM thus taking the speaker to the max. The controls are slider so moving them from max to minimum is very easy. Moreover, you can also have your presets defined thus giving you a extra profiles so load when in meetings or maybe sleeping. It is developed by RevoSolutionary Development and you get updates to the app frequently as well.
4. Zedge
A must have application for those who really want extra ring tones and wallpapers. This app is developed by Zedge and it is extremely good as it provides the same search and download capapbility as you would get on their website. Moreover, in Nexus One, when you are selecting a ringtone or wallpaper, the system asks you whether to use Nexus one or Zedge for setting ringtones and wallpapers. Excellent app to have with millions of ringtones and wallpapers available in your control.
5. Viz Battery
A very useful tool to have a quick glance over how much battery is left. It is actually a widget which sits right on one of your home screens and provides accurate battery information. Unlike when you need to know how much battery is left, you would have to go into settings and then about the phone and then status to know the same. It does not do anything else but knowing how much battery you are left with, in percentage, is pretty good in itself. Although I would have liked something like an approximation of hours or minutes left but then again, percentage is good to.
6. Air Control
This is one addictive game. You play Air Traffic controller where you have to land in the incoming helicopters, single prop planes, big cargo and passenger planes. The best part is that you do it by guiding the plane to the air strip with your finger. At start you may feel a little awkward with frequent crashes but once your "touch" is accurate, there will be no stopping you. An excellent app for killing time while waiting at the doctor or anywhere. it comes with global scoring so you would know how well did you do after playing the game. Highly addictive and highly recommended.
7. PeakMem usage
A useful app which gives you the accurate picture of which applicaiton is running in foreground and which is running in background. It also provies you with an option of killing any running app but also cautions you what that app is currently being used fo so you don't kill it just because you don't know what it does. It also gives you running apps status as per priority. A regular automatic application update is available for this application as well so you won't have to worry about the bugs and fixes.
There you have it. These are the best apps which I think every Nexus One user should have and do comment if you have any more apps to tell about.
All of these apps are available through Google Market Place and some run with adverts in them. It did not bother me and I think it won't bother you too, as there has to be a small price to pay even if something is free 🙂
