Jumping Ship

I bought an Android phone, the LG Optimus V, yesterday evening. Usually when I buy a new gadget, I can't stop playing with it. That hasn't happened yet. I'm sure I'll get there (I hope), once I get it "personalized" with my data and likable applications. I want to replace both my ancient Treo 700p and my old first-generation iPod touch with this Android (3G and WiFi). I want a single device that I carry everywhere, unlike the handful I carry now.

I am currently in the no-man's-land of waiting for my cell phone number to port from the old phone to the new phone, so I have no coverage on either phone despite many bars of service. No WiFi, no Android connection.

Where I need to start is a list of what applications I use on the older devices.

any smartphone or PDA worth its salt:

• Calendar
• Tasks
• Contacts
• Email (not strictly needed for a PDA)
• Alarm (meeting reminders and timers)

Palm OS 5.4.9:

• Graffiti Anywhere and ShortCut (may not need on Android, but invaluable on my Treo)
• NoteTaker (for the sync-to-Mac text files, a Palm sine qua non for me)
• Patience (solitaire, to play when Cale's almost asleep and I want my brain to turn off)
• Eat Watch (weight tracker for Hacker's Diet)
• NFP (female cycle tracker)
• TCPMP (The Complete Portable Media Player, very awesome to play almost any media, another Palm sine qua non)
• Handy Shopper (perfect for Palm, otherwise try ZipList for shopping lists)
• Labor Timer (I don't need this anymore, but it was absolutely top-rate when Cale was ready to arrive)
• FileZ (file manager)
• VNC (Palm VNC for Palm)
• ssh (pssh)
• RPN Calculator (because I really do prefer RPN)
• Toast Timer (for timers and countdowns)

All of those Palm applications are free, most from Freeware Palm, and I love 'em. I don't need to duplicate all of those to Android, but those were worth a spot on my Treo. I never did find a Palm application for drawing that I liked as well as what was built-in on my Palm Tungsten T3, so that was always an open spot.

iOS 3.1.3:

• Dropbox - if you use it, you want the app
• Evernote - ibid
• Simplenote - ibid, and this could replace Palm's MacNoteTaker
• Wunderlist - ibid, and this could handle the most basic Tasks
• White Noise - I have insomnia, he snores, and we travel together
• Stanza - or another book reader
• ZipList - could replace HandyShopper in most ways
• Air Sharing - I love this, but I'm not sure if I'll need to replicate it
• Twitter - if you use it, you want an app for it
• Sudoku - if I need a break from solitaire, even though it doesn't put me to sleep
• GasBuddy - if you drive, you want the app
• site-specific applications like Yelp, SparkPeople, eBay, WRAL and whatever else you like
• Flashlight - don't laugh, this is more useful than you think!
• Handy Level - ibid
• Pandora - you know, I haven't used it yet on my iPod ... it may not need to make the jump either
• Frotz - ibid
• Subnet Calc - single-purpose, but fills that niche
• EasyTask - I notice I haven't used it in ages ... it was the best fit to my checklist so I bought it, but the user interface just never pulled me
• and kid games to keep me and the kids sane at times

I'm sure I'll want Google Docs, Firefox, Photos, and Music too; those seem like reasonable expectations nowadays.

And then I'm sure there are Android-specific needs to fill. At a glance, Astro File Manager, Gist, Google Sky Map, and Barcode Scanner as well as GTasks, Toddler Lock (but Cale will miss Spongebob), Color Flashlight, Smart Measure, Spirit Level Plus, and Barcode Scanner (again) all look appealing. And I get the feeling I want to be on the AppBrain train as well. Zoinks, that's a lot of work ahead of me just so I can make friends with my new phone that doesn't even place or receive calls anymore! Ugh, I think I'll head to the water cooler ...