Amazon's Free App of the Day - xScope Browser for Web and File

written by: Nick Kosmides

A veritable swiss army knife of a web browser, x-labs LLC brings xScope Browser for Android to the Amazon Appstore.

I'm not quite sure why this browser has so many unrelated functions contained within, but it does.  Giving users of xScope the ability to kill apps as well as transfer files without hitting the Home button once.  And although users having phones running Android 2.2 or higher have repeatedly been reminded of the unnecessary use of task killers, devs still feel the need to capitalize on the idiot populous.  Please people, device memory is meant to be used while your phone is on, and in the off chance an app is abusing the memory, then you can kill it.  Mind you, your phone already has a task killer, and if it doesn't then with xScope Browser it will.

Exploring your phones files with xScope is easy too.  Just tap the down arrow icon on the browser's bottom row control bar.  Tap the folder icon and you're done.  Now you're viewing the contents of the phone with the ability to edit or share just about anything.  One additional really nice feature this app has is an Exit button.

My early speed tests running xScope alongside the stock Android 2.2 browser has falling in favor of the stock browser.  Graphic heavy sites load faster in the stock browser and scroll smoother.  So I cannot with any bit of honesty side with the reviewers saying that xScope is a faster browser.  My connection at home is solid running slightly over 10Mbps on wireless.

If you're into the all-in-one box deals, the xScope browser is right for you.  Launch, kill, share.

xScope Browser - $0.99 FREE

Amazon's Free App of the Day - Overkill

written by: Nick Kosmides

Overkill is free today.

In summary, in very short summary, I did not like this game.  Very drab graphics, though sharp, were uninspiring.  Music is excruciatingly boring.  UI is acceptable.  And worst of all for my experience were the motion controls.  My ship was basically stuck at the top of the screen.  I'm not even interested in the game enough to wanna try the game again with better calibration beforehand.

Next.

Overkill - $1.99 FREE

Amazon's Free App of the Day - Trip Journal

written by: Nick Kosmides

Trip Journal is today's free app of the day from Amazon's famed Appstore.  So long as Apple doesn't get the best of them, we will continue to call it the "Appstore".

At only $0.99, I can't imagine what you couldn't live without with this vacation journal.  Given that you have a GPS signal where you are vacationing, you can use it to track yourself in-app.  While enroute, take pics, video and notes for location specific memories. Maybe your on an expedition and you use an SLR, Red video camera and pen and paper.  Well not anymore my friend! For only $0.99 or free today you can throw all that equipment you wasted about $20,000 on and do everything from your Android phone.

I kid, I only kid.  Seriously, I think thats what this app is telling us.  Maybe for the average Mac user, this is perfect.  Though given that this is an Android app, not sure how many people other than myself have an Android device and use a Mac at home.  Maybe more than I think.  Trip Journal has excellent sharing options including Facebook, Picasa (Google Photos), Flickr, YouTube and Twitter.  I'm not sure why you'd share with Google Earth, but that option is there too.

For the budding adventurer or Indiana Jones wannabe that has the time to snap of photo of his assailant before whipping him into shape, download Trip Journal to make a fancy mobile multimedia memory.

Trip Journal - $0.99 FREE

Amazon's Free App of the Day - Everlands

written by: Nick Kosmides

Free today is a game of high quality and stamina.  Everlands, an animal-centric strategy puzzle game with total Facebook integration.  High marks go to its ability to grab so many people who meant only to check if it works on their phone and have them find out they just played for over an hour without knowing.

Colorfully bright hexagonal shapes emboss the screen showcasing tiny animals, each with their own distinct powers and abilities.  Numbers line the edges of the pieces indicating strong and weak sides.  The given strategy is to place the pieces so that the weak numbered sides are not touching an enemy piece at all.  Ideally, the objective is to have more pieces than your enemy to win the game.

Noted at the bottom there are two versions of this game.  An HD and this FAAD SD version.  They are both free today, so do yourself a favor and grab them both so you are prepared for a titillatingly advanced graphical experience so long as your device can handle it.

Everlands - $1.99 FREE

Everlands HD - $1.99 FREE

Amazon's Free App of the Day - Memory Booster Ad-Free

written by: Nick Kosmides

Memory Booster Ad-Free is no charge today on the Amazon Appstore, and I wouldn't jump to get this one folks.

You may hear a familiar tune with yet another task killer of sorts being thrown at an unsuspecting population of frugal Android app shoppers.  If your devices is running Android OS 2.2 or higher then you do not need and should not download any task killers, let alone use them.  The reason for this is simply that your operating system is designed to manage its own memory in a way that optimizes battery consumption while allowing apps to run tiny sized files in the background for various reasons.  These background functions are commonly necessary for your phones day to day functions.

For example, most widgets are active widgets displaying some bits of information that may utilize the internet or GPS to show accurate info.  A clock, the Facebook widget, etc.  They require a small amount of your system RAM to function. If you were to kill all the apps running in the background to free up memory, these widgets would just start up again, and the process of stopping and starting can actually consume more battery than just running all day.

On a rare occasion an app may be behaving badly and is consuming an excess of system RAM and/or battery.  You can manual kill that individual app using your built in system resources.  For my Fascinate, I just long press the Home button to get the recently used apps pop up and hit the Task Manager button.  There I have access to kill active apps, uninstall package files (apps), manage the RAM for killing background or inactive processes, and see and summary of everything running.

Now you must understand that your phones RAM is meant to used.  While it is in your phone, having free RAM isn't necessarily a good thing.  It doesn't make your phone running much faster if RAM is not being taxed, though if you are taxing it and you go to open a big heavy hitting RAM users like a PopCap game or other, then you may experience some unpleasantries due to a lack of memory.  Though remember, Android 2.2 is smart about this and will find a way to give you the RAM you need to run what you choose to run.

Memory Booster is a fine app for what it worth.  It is attractive and simple in design.  This simplicity gets the best of it though as the app shows you ALL process running in the background, even the phone or OS specific programs that are required by the phone.  Killing these apps can cause some serious headaches to your phone potentially ending you up in a place with a non-operational phone.

When you download this app I will automatically put itself into auto-task killing mode.  It calls it Memory Boosting but we all know better.  This app will run in the background killing the same apps all day long because they just keep reopening.  In the end, don't download this app and don't get into the habit of killing apps.

Memory Booster Ad-Free - $2.99 FREEa

Amazon's Free App of the Day - Flick Kick Football

written by: Nick Kosmides

The title may be misleading for most American's because this is not American football, its soccer in fact.  Flick Kick Football is free today on the Amazon Appstore.

Many reviewers are reporting a great game, at least the first time it was loaded.  Upon loading it the second time they were confronted with endless force closes.  Now I've played this thing once so far and am extremely compelled to boot it up again to see about these force close stories.

As for the app itself, it has an arcade style to it that will keep you entertained for minutes to come.  It is not Zenonia, and I've said that before about other apps I know, but there is something about kicking a soccer ball past randomly placed cardboard cutouts of soccer players and moving goalies that keeps me coming back for more.

I've played Flick Kick Field Goal and had an awesome time with it.  Varying up the distance from the field goal and shifting winds brings the same sort of arcade draw to it.  And the one thing that both of these games have that I've said over and over is the major omission in most games, Open Feint for achievements and social gaming.  Love it.

Anways, recommended download but don't be surprised if it doesn't last past the first playthrough.

Flick Kick Football -

Amazon's Free App of the Day - WiFi File Explorer PRO

written by: Nick Kosmides

WiFi File Explorer Pro is free today.  Said by phandroid.com's own Chris Chavez as being one of his favorite apps and a proper solution to file sharing to your Android device from the internet of any PC.

Not sure what actual limitations there are, but since one reviewer mentions using this app to transfer a 250MB movie to his phone from the computer while they are on different floors though on the same WiFi network, I'd say thats pretty cool.  No cables required, no bluetooth pairing, no hassle.  Just use a custom web address to send the files and tada, you've got instant local file sharing.

If this fills a niche or necessity dear to you, hop on over to the Amazon Appstore before midnight tonight to receive your 100% discount.

WiFi File Explorer Pro - $1.49 FREE

Amazon's Free App of the Day - Pinball Ride

written by: Nick Kosmides

Don't know that this gives anyone enough time to jump on a game tonight, but if it does Pinball Ride is a good one to jump to.

Though its just one pinball table and not a collection like most pinball games, even on Android in a game called Pinball Deluxe.  In Pinball Ride's Story Mode you play as a character who does a lot of driving and picking up women.  You can collect contacts by hitting bumps, engage in races with anonymous drivers or gangs.  Ram them off the road by hitting all the lit ramps.  Collect a ton of achievements, but that is where the fun ends.

To ding this game is not fair, because it is a good game.  Very nice graphics, solid controls - a few times the touch controls didn't work and it cost me a ball - and a ripping soundtrack that I'm sure would get old if played too long.  If you're going to bring attention to achievements and put this much time into them, it doesn't seem wise to me to not include Open Feint.  They provide developers with the codes necessary to tap into their well established online network of users, not to mention the achievements that have attracted so many mobile users to all sorts of crap games.  Its XBOX Live or PSN for Android/iOS devices!  Win-win if you ask me.

Anyways, go grab the game before midnight, or don't.  Its now up to you.

Pinball Ride - $0.99 FREE

Amazon's Free App of the Day - New York Post

written by: Nick Kosmides

Free today, not tomorrow, is the official app of the New York Post.  Amazon Appstore has introduced many new mobile apps, developers and users to their world.  This marks the first time thus far that the app being introduced comes from a place older than most of the dirt we stand on.  Unless you are reading this from New York, then its the same dirt.

Speaking of dirt, the hype reads all about it.  Since 1801, the NYP has delivered the news, and now they are sort of the middle man to the newest source of all information and technology - Android.  Of course, NYP also provides a handy section especially for celebrity gossip.

Reviews are pouring in two at a time.  As of this writing (12:24am) there are exactly two reviews.  Both of which are loosely positive.  Outside of the fancy smancy CNN news app, I can't see where any developer could screw up bringing the news to an app.  It works to bring all facets of news to your device with an aesthetically pleasing UI and plenty of text to read.

EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT!  ANDROID NEWS AND VIEWS BRINGS NEWS OF AMAZON APPSTORE FOR ANDROID BRINGING NEWS OF AN APP FOR ANDROID BRINGING NEWS OF THE NEW YORK POST BRINGING THE NEWS!

New York Post - $1.99 FREE

Amazon's Free App of the Day - Refraction

written by: Nick Kosmides

Game time people!  Refraction is free today on the Amazon Appstore for Android.

A puzzler involving connecting colored lasers to a matching circle using prisms or mirrors.  Combine colors to form new colors when the solution requires it.  How many mirrors or prisms you are allotted is controlled by the particular level you are attempting to solve.  Have you a red and yellow laser but only an orange circle?  No problem, combine to form orange and voila!

There are 120 levels to beam through.  The game has a screen shot utility that saves to the SD card.  They explain the permissions needed to execute this on Android so that it is clear what the intent is behind the permissions.

Check out the YouTube video review done up by the guys at TheAppInformer.

Refraction - $0.99 FREE