5 Android Apps to Make a Law Student’s Life a Little Better

Update: If you got here by link or bookmark — Please update your information!  We’ve moved to our permanent address, and you can read this entry there, at: Trial and Error.

I hate the iPhone.  Wm! has one, but I think it’s lame.  I actually downloaded an app on my phone that I call the “Lame Phone Detector,” and when I wave it over an iPhone, it beeps.  Bahaha.  I also think Blackberries are the stupidest thing humanity has ever invented, and I say that being fully aware of this monstrosity. Obviously, I, and every other reasonably prudent person, uses an Android phone.  I have therefore put together a list of all the apps that I think make a law student’s life a little better – be it through fun procrastination or great task management, these are the ones I recommend.

I currently use the Motorola Droid, so be aware that these apps have only been tested by me, on my Droid.  If you have an HTC phone, they might clash with your Sense UI… hopefully at the end of this week I’ll be getting an HTC phone with Sense, so I will test them then!  Here we go!

1) Astrid To-Do
We Love Astrid
Free

Astrid is amazing – it’s a tiny little widget that sits on your home screen and fixes your life.  This is above and beyond the best task management app available for Android, and I know for a fact it works on HTC devices too.  It’s totally free, and it offers truly powerful task management with very little intrusiveness.  As a bonus, it plays nicely with Google Calendar, adding your to-do items to your calendar (public or private) with just the touch of a button.  I’d forget my ass if I didn’t have Astrid to remind me.

2) AP News
(no link, in the Android market)
Free

This is the best news app available on Android.  It’s highly customizable, you get your local news and only the regional, sports, or whatever coverage you want – meaning, no junk headlines.  The one drawback I’ve found is that it’s conspicuously missing a widget, you have to open the program to see the news, and there’s no little headline banner refreshing on your home screen. Still, I strongly recommend it – it’s the best way to get the news while waiting for the bus…

3) One Bus Away (thanks, wm!)
Paul Watts
Free

Another free app you shouldn’t live without… if you’re living in Seattle. Available for both the iPhone and Android, totally free and open source, this app will tell you where your bus is and how much longer you need to stand in the rain. Excellent for planning when to leave the house, and soothing the rage of being soaked and freezing 10 minutes after your bus was supposed to arrive.

4) Enjoy Sudoku
By Enjoy Sudoku for Android
$1.99

This is the best Sudoku game on the Android market. Come on, we can’t always study. The beauty of this game is the simple lessons that replace the “hint” or “solve” option on other games. Rather than giving you the answer, this game teaches you the best way to get the answer. I started on Easy and am now playing Difficult – so satisfying! It’s well worth the $1.99

5) Google Star Map
From Google
Free

Going on a date? Looking up at the stars? Bring out your Android phone, fire up Sky Map, and really impress him/her! Just point your phone at the sky, and the GPS determines where you are pointing, and overlays a constellation map on your view of the stars. How romantic!

Enjoy!