Helpful Android Crowdsourcing Apps
With the release of the Samsung Galaxy S2 scheduled for October 12, 2011, the search for Android powered crowdsourcing applications has risen. It’s a good thing such apps are so plentiful then, don’t you think? Here are some you might want to consider:
The FCC has released two new Android apps that give users the ability to test their mobile broadband speed and to notify the agency of deadzones where broadband can’t be accessed. Both are available as free downloads from iTunes.
WeTap.org offers an application that maps the location and water condition on public drinking fountains. Although the app is still in beta, the goal is to make it available free to anyone with an Android phone, and ultimately any type of smartphone, in an effort to encourage users to carry a refillable water bottle and spare the landfills some plastic.
If you’re looking for some decidedly local news, anecdotes or other information, try the localized talk radio app from Broadcastr. The app gives folks from all over, the ability to upload audio files, which are then sorted and organized geographically, allowing users to hear local stories on a variety of subjects wherever they go.
Dropbox users will be glad to find the Dropbox app for Android that allows you to save, sync and share files via the Dropbox interface. You can connect via the Web, your PC, and now your smartphone to ensure the files you need are available wherever you go.
Of course, there are hundreds of other crowdsourcing apps such as Gmail that allows you to keep in touch via email, Office Suite that lets you to read, edit and share Word, Excel or Powerpoint documents, schedule apps and alarms to help you keep track of meetings and coordinate projects, and more. The biggest problem will be deciding which apps to try first.
One thing to keep in mind as you search for apps is that there are several styles available. If you try one and decide you don’t like it, you can always look for something else that offers the same basic functionality but possibly in a slightly different format or design.
