10 Essential Apps for your New Android Device

Whether it’s a smartphone or tablet, getting your hands on a new device is always a truly exciting experience. So you’ve turned on your device and Android has booted up — now what?

Aside from the usual social media apps and games, here are 10 Android Applications to improve your overall experience. The best part? They’re all free.

Kicking things off, we recommend that you install these 5 apps before anything else.

1.) SwiftKey

Regarded as one of the best keyboards available, SwiftKey will definitely edge out the stock keyboard of your device. Aside from being able to fully customize it with different themes, it employs a very personalized intelligent prediction system.

2.) Google Chrome

If it doesn’t already come in with your device, you might want to get yourself a copy of Chrome. The most useful feature of the Chrome app is its ecosystem, syncing all your data between the desktop version and from your other devices using Chrome.

Not a fan of Chrome? There is a Firefox for Android, as well as other options available on the Play Store.

3.) Greenify

Greenify is an effective and efficient app at saving you battery life. It quietly pushes background apps into a “hibernation mode” that keeps them from unnecessarily draining your battery.

4.) CCleaner

It is, indeed, the same CCleaner as the popular desktop version. It does a great job at keeping your phone from junk and stray files, effectively freeing you up as much storage space as it possibly can.

5.) VLC Media Player

Another mobile version of a popular desktop app, VLC will play most video files you throw at it, and is sure to be an upgrade over whatever stock media player your device comes with.

 These next 5 apps are some of the most useful utilities out there. You may find yourself using them more than you think.

6.) Snapseed

A very powerful photo editing app, Snapseed has several tools for all your mobile photo editing needs, ranging from filters, to exposure and focus adjustments, to white balance, contrast, and sharpness.

7.) Evernote

You will find that Evernote is a very useful and feature-rich note-taking app. Evernote is a platform for your thoughts and ideas. It allows you to combine typewritten and handwritten notes, voice clips, images, and more, in a clutter-free environment. You can also sync notes across all your devices.

8.) CamScanner

Need to quickly scan a document? Don’t even bother with that clunky old scanner. CamScanner allows you to use your device’s camera to scan documents in a breeze. It even fixes your efforts, with auto-cropping and enhancement features.

9.) Speedtest.net

Testing your WiFi connection or mobile data connection is quick and easy with the Speedtest.net app. It is definitely nice to have a mobile app version of the beloved Speedtest.net by Ookla.

10.) Twilight

Having trouble sleeping at night? It could be because of the blue light that the screens of our devices inherently emit. Twilight works by filtering this blue light, making your screen easier on the eyes.

Now that you have all of these useful apps, your Android device is hopefully better than it previously was.

Did we miss anything? What are your favorite essential Android Apps? Leave a comment. We’d like to see the discussion continue.