Minor Technical Difficulties

I’ve recently converted from a BlackBerry to an Android phone. I like it, but I do miss my BlackBerry. There are some apps you can install to make your Android more like a BlackBerry. Why would you want to do that? Well, the email and messaging capabilities of a BlackBerry are probably the best on the market: I would go so far as to say a BlackBerry is basically an mobile messaging platform that just happens to make phone calls. Here are some apps I use to better replicate the BB experience on Android:

1. K9
   So far, K9 is the email application which best approximates the BlackBerry email. K9 provides an integrated messaging box with all the email accounts combined into one screen. K9 does not, however, provide a widget to show unread count on the home screen, nor does it combine SMS messages into the inbox.
2. Tasker
   Tasker is a program which supports batch coding based on events. Tasker can be used to replicate the BlackBerry profile mechanism, as well as other scripting. For example, I have created a script that will turn GPS on for location sensitive apps (FourSquare, Google Maps) and then off once the app exits. Obviously, this involves a bit of programming, so this may not be for everyone.
3. DocumentsToGo
   DTG comes built in with BlackBerries (or, at least, with the latest ones). DTG allows full viewing and editing of basically all MS Office documents. The free version is limited to viewing Excel & Word only; complete version does all of MS Office plus PDFs. Complete edition costs $15.

The next two apps require root access. Some users may or may not be willing to root their devices, but I believe it to be worth it.

1. Juice Defender
   JuiceDefender is a program which judiciously controls battery usage. JD can turn on email for checking only once every four hours, or turn everything off except phone calls from midnight to 5am, or leave wifi & GPS active only when Google Maps is running. It’s very flexible and free.
2. Titanium Backup
   Most of the backup programs available on the market only backup a limited subset of data from the phone: SMS messages, call logs and the like. Titanium backups everything; the apps, the configuration of both the phones and the apps, the data from the apps – everything.

Other Android apps which have proven useful:

1. Bump
   Bump allows a user to exchange contact information without requiring paper card exchanges.
2. BarCode Scanner
   For those times when paper cards must be exchanged, I have noticed more and more people embedding QR codes on to the back of the card. I’ve started doing this as well; all that is required is for a barcode reader to scan the code and the information is automatically added to the phone’s contact list.
3. EverNote
   Evernote allows a user to make notes (textual, photographic and/or voice recordings) that automatically sync with other mobile platforms, laptops, or PCs. An example of the usefulness of this app would be taking a picture of a receipt for expense reports; the photo would then sync to the user’s laptop and they could then attach it to their report.
4. Key Ring
   Key Ring allows a user to maintain all of their shopper cards/gym cards/anything with a barcode on it in their phone. Which greatly shrinks the amount of things someone would have to carry in their wallet. Key Ring has the nice plus of being able to sync with other key ring installs. Say, on an iPhone(s).
5. WeatherBug
   A far superior weather application to the stock one.
6. WaveSecure
   WaveSecure allows a user to find their phone (should it happen to be lost) or remotely erase the phone (should it happen to be stolen). If the user has root access, the user can remotely turn on GPS and prevent the app from being either removed from memory or uninstalled.

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