…. on the other hand I do own a copy of “Ice pirates”

I have always bought off the wall movies. In my collection sits such off beat flix as “Road to Bali” and “Fear of a Black Hat”. I have always kept them in the same place and most of the time I know what I have and where it is.  I just found a very useful app to put my mind at ease when it comes to my movies. (As well as my books and CD’s)

The app I am speaking of is called “PackRat”, a free download in the market. It is so easy to use it is silly. Simply take a picture of the bar code on the back of your movie, CD, or book and it will identify it and add it to your collection. In only about an hour and a half I inventoried 100 DVD movies with only about 5 not found. It then stores my entire collection on the device. It can even track when I lend out any movie in my collection simply by me moving it to another “shelf”. It also has a great want list feature. If I see something I friend has, I can scan that barcode and remember what to look for the next time I am at the movie store.

PackRat is a great productivity app that can track what you have. Whether you are looking for something to inventory for insurance purposes or to make sure you do not buy another copy of the Simpsons cd, it is an easy way to keep track of something in your hectic life.

Now since I inventoried “Ice pirates”, I really should watch it.

So addictive; so much carnage

I cannot even imagine tallying up the time I have spent standing in line, waiting on hold or sitting in the cold chairs of the DMV. (Which I believe is the dress rehearsal for purgatory) In all of these cases I have some white time, or time to fill. After I downloaded Robo-Defense from the android market, I have found a way to make that time pass. This  highly addictive game will entertain you for hours.

The object of the game is that you have to prevent the robots from getting from one side of the screen to the other. Sounds simple right? In fact it is… shoot them before they get to the other side. The higher the level the tougher the robots get. As you play you earn points to spend to upgrade your explosives, how fast your rockets reload and everything else you can think of that could be upgraded.

It is a seriously simple game, and it is simply addictive. The simplicity of the game is the key on this one. Every time you kill a robot you get money to spend on the next tower. When you get thru all of the enemies on that level you get your points to spend.  The more you complete the levels the more you want to upgrade to get to the next tier. Every time you complete an increment of 10 levels you have access to the next 10 levels. It is a personal challenge when you are at level 210 and the screen says

“The max level is 210. Win level 210 to increase the max to 220!”

The game drags you in this way. It taunts you with the next level. It almost dares you to try one of the other scenarios There are 5: basic, the Ruins, the Factory, the Courtyard and VR training; all with their own original challenges. You figure out the best configuration to setup your towers, but spend your money wisely on your next tower purchase. You never know if it is a tank, jeep, jet or helicopter that will be running across the screen next.

The bottom line on this one is that at least download the free trial. It will hook you and the 2.99 for the cost of this in the Android “market” is well spent to fill in that time that you would otherwise be daydreaming or counting the people in front of you for the 15^th time.

Welcome to Android Archive

The new phenomenon of android is amazing. I have been in the wireless industry for over a decade and I am really watching something cool take place. An open platform that anyone can use and anyone can create from.

It is the greatest electronic blank slate ever. The only challenge I see is that, to the average user, Android can be overwhelming. I mean 38,000+ apps and counting?

How will I know which ones will work for me?

How does the average person pick up one of these devices and make the most of it?

How do I know my time is not wasted on an app that really sucks?

That is where I come in. I have spent years translating what tech support says down to a level the average user can understand. Let’s face it the divide between geek to standard speak could use a translation. I hope I can be that for you. In the coming posts, I will be profiling apps, tips and tricks and giving honest reviews of what I would deem as useful or worthwhile. Please feel free to suggest an app or submit a question about android. I will be glad to answer or have a great time figuring it out.