Check out the latest and greatest in apps for your Android smartphone with our monthly app roundup.
Stickybits
Foursquare for objects, rather than places.Stickybits, which has recently been overhauled for Android (but is also available on iOS), is a social barcode scanner. When you scan a barcode in Stickybits, it creates a page for that barcode (the equivalent of a “place” in Foursquare), complete with a “wall” where you can post text, photos, videos, or audio. The next person to scan that barcode will see what you left behind, and can leave something else behind, too.
You can also print off your own barcodes from stickybits.com, and stick them to whatever you want. Maybe your business card? Maybe a chain letter going around the world? And because each scan tags its location, it’s a great way to see where your objects end up.
You can also receive rewards by completing challenges or scanning items. I like the concept of a social network built around objects, and how objects can have little stories created around them, but the biggest stumbling block for Stickybits is its lack of local users. So, do me a favour, and help this network grow.
Free > StickybitsSamba Filesharing
If you’re looking for an easy way to quickly access the files on your rooted Android phone’s SD card from your Windows/Linux/Mac machine, then Samba Filesharing is your answer.
After connecting to your Wi-Fi network, simply specify a username and password, a device name, Workgroup name, an optional NETBIOS name, and start the server.
Then, in Windows Explorer, simply type in the IP address or device name, and you’re ready to copy, paste, delete and rename the files on your phone.
Free > funkyFreshTorrent-Fu
Torrent-Fu allows you to search for a (legal, I assure you) torrent, and send it to your Transmission or U-torrent client for download. You can do this over your LAN via Wi-Fi, or – with a static IP or Dynamic DNS service – over the web.
You can also start, stop, pause, or delete torrents from your queue, as well as check their progress.
It supports custom search providers via RSS, and comes pre-loaded with some of the most popular search engines.
Free > Matt MundayGPS Share
When meeting someone in an unfamiliar area, it can be difficult to describe where you are.
Apps like Glympse can solve this problem, but what if the person you’re meeting doesn’t use that app?
GPS Share creates a Google Maps URL for your current location, which you share out using the in-built Android Share Menu. The app has no advertising, doesn’t make your location public, and the link can be read by any device with a web browser.
Simple. Perfect.
Free > Ken Kinder