Amazon's Free App of the Day - MLB.com At Bat 11**

written by: Nick Kosmides

MLB.com At Bat 11 is free today on the Amazon Appstore for Android.  No this is not an EA sports game.  Its not a game at all even though it is dated like a game.  Well, its about a game.

Lets just assume you are a true baseball fan and never miss a game from the comfort of your couch.  If this is you, don't bother with this app.  You already know too much.  Though if you are one with a bad memory of stats, then maybe it is right for you.  If you are the type that works too much or is away from a tv more often than all the Major League games ever played, then you should definitely download this app today.

Not only will you save $7, you will have the power of the internet and MLB.com in a tight and convenient app on your Android.  Sure you could get all this info from the site, but not with live updates of every pitch and play.  Flip through and find the stats of games being played in parallel without losing your place in your home game.  When it comes to multitasking, browsers are only as good as the number of tabs they possess.  Your stock browser can probably only do 4 tabs.  This app gives you instant access to MLB news, standings, videos, your favorite teams, ballparks, and some MLB.tv subscriber-only stuff too.

Video clips moments after the clip occurred can be viewed in app.  Though, if you are an MLB.tv subscriber you can watch entire games.  Not live, but after they have been played.  At the Ballpark brings you detailed maps of the park if you are watching a game live.  How about menus of the concession stands that day?  Check in to the game through the app two hours before showtime to unlock expanded video highlights.

**All this and much more, BUT with a huge caveat. This app is NOT compatible with all Android devices.  Don't let this stop you from adding it to your list of owned apps, but if you don't have one of the devices listed below, you'll have to wait for an update:

• AT&T Motorola Atrix
• AT&T HTC Inspire HD
• Sprint HTC Evo
• Sprint HTC Evo Shift
• Sprint HTC Evo 3D
• Sprint Samsung Galaxy S
• T-Mobile/AT&T HTC Nexus One
• T-Mobile HTC Glacier (myTouch 4G)
• T-Mobile HTC G2
• T-Mobile Samsung Nexus S
• Verizon HTC Droid Incredible
• Verizon HTC Droid Incredible 2
• Verizon HTC Thunderbolt
• Verizon Motorola Droid
• Verizon Motorola Droid 2
• Verizon Motorola Droid 2 Global
• Verizon Motorola Droid X
• Verizon Motorola Droid X2
• Verizon Motorola Droid Pro
• Verizon Sony Xperia Play

MLB.com At Bat 11 - $6.99 FREE

Amazon's Free App of the Day - I Must Run!

written by: Nick Kosmides

I Must Run!, a game that falls in the genre of Running games, is free today on the Amazon Appstore for Android.

Having been free recently for PlayStation Plus members on the PS3, the PS Minis version of the game is what I've had the most hands on time with.  Something about consoles that equates to quality and a certain guarantee that the game will work (in most cases).  Android and iOS mobile platforms are both fragmented meaning not all software works with all hardware iterations.

The object of the game is to run, run, run.  Well, and to jump, slide, and occasionally punch your way to the end of six classically detailed backdrops.  They remind me a lot of the old Batman games and scenery.  Various rooftops and other industrial scenes set the stage for mad hops for the escaping pops.

While I had no problem at all installing the 11MB game and running it on my Samsung Fascinate, its often hit or miss.  Fortunately, I Must Run! is a simple and clean romp through the life of a running man on a mission to punch, slide and jump his way into his wife's arms again.

Jump on over to the Amazon Appstore and slide the cash back into your pocket today.  Now hop to it!

I Must Run! - $1.19 FREE

Amazon's Free App of the Day - PrinterShare Mobile Print

written by: Nick Kosmides

Setting the bar a whole slew of notches higher than ever before, PrinterShare Mobile Print is now the most expensive app Amazon has ever given away free as part of their Free Paid App A Day promotion.

With this app, you will be able to find nearby WiFi or Bluetooth connected printers and print to them from your phone, no PC or Mac needed!  And as this is the premium and fully unlocked version of the app you will also be able to use this app to print to any local area printer without signing into anything or using an app on a PC.  With the most common printer models supported, this opens up a whole new world for business or student users.  Premium allows remote printing over the internet.  All that is required is the PrinterShare software installed on the connected PC or Mac, just sign in on your phone and away you print.

I had to spread the word on this one for its pricey significance.  I will be using this and I know a lot of others who could benefit.  With this app, it puts HP ePrint solutions to shame.

PrinterShare Mobile Print - $12.95 FREE

Organization in Application: A One Step Process

written by: Nick Kosmides

The Android operating system allows us to do some really amazing things that just aren't currently possible on other smart phone devices.  One of which is organize our apps outside of the normally folder system allowed by the "front end".  In an iOS device, that means dragging and dropping apps onto one another to create a folder, naming it, and adding other apps to that.  On Android, you can do the same thing to your home screen by adding a folder, naming it, and dragging and dropping apps into that folder. But apps can this better.

An app called Application Folder Pro allows you to create folders within itself.  Making these folders within the app, at first, may seem meaningless and can be meaningless if you choose to do nothing with them.  Creating these folders does nothing to your home screen until you add a widget or shortcut.

All the apps within a folder can be accessed from a single icon on your home screen much like a folder, but maintenance is done through the app.  If you ever decide to remove this folder widget or shortcut, you can always just bring it right back.  On iOS or with Android folders, you'd have to drag and drop all those apps into a folder again and again to recreate the folder if it were ever removed.  But folders through Application Folder Pro are just a long press away from being recreated.

On top of that, you can edit the apps order, add apps or remove apps while the widget/shortcut exists.  Everything is changed from the backend to the front end seamlessly.  Furthermore, the appearance of these folders can be customized.  You cannot customize anything about folders on iOS.  Some home replacement apps on Android will change the look and feel of folders but there still is only one kind.  With Application Folder Pro, there are several different looks to how to the folders open.  And they are all really cool and useful.

My favorite feature of Application Folder Pro is the fact that you can use is as a shortcut on your home screen and not just a widget.  If you have Go Launcher EX installed, you can actually add a shortcut (or other cool things) to any icon in your dock by way of a gesture.  A simple swipe of the finger from the icon, up, will open a shortcut.  In this case, if the shortcut is a custom folder created within Application Folder Pro, then you have just eliminated the need for multiple home screens.

Another app with a similar feature set is called Folder Organizer.  The biggest difference between the two is only in the way they look when used on your desktop.  Folder Organizer allows you to create different sized widgets and even allows for scrolling within the widget if you are using a home replacement app like Go Launcher EX.  Where as Application Folder Pro creates simulated folders.

I highly recommend taking a look at these two apps.  It definitely wouldn't hurt to use them both as I have.  Though I've come to like Application Folder Pro much more for its aesthetics and usability, you may see it differently.  They both can be found in the Android Market and Amazon Appstore.

Application Folder Pro:
Android Market     Amazon Appstore

Folder Organizer:
Android Market     Amazon Appstore