THE BASICS - WALLPAPER FOR DROID 2 (PART 3)

BEST PLACES TO GET WALLPAPER FOR DROID 2

Wallpaper is everywhere. You can select the wallpaper for your computer, phone, blu-ray player, car display, etc. It's an extension of you, your style, your desires, your likes. It can show that you're a die-hard Phillies fan or let you escape to that Caribbean island where you want to retire. Besides, it's just plain fun! I've done some digging and have come up with the best places to get wallpaper for your Droid 2 - cause you surely don't want to be caught with the default wallpaper that came with the phone.

WALLPAPER APPS

Wallpaper apps are probably the easiest way to get wallpaper for your phone. Just go to the Android Market or AppBrain (my favorite place to get apps) and download one of the many wallpaper apps available. You can find apps that have all types of wallpaper available, separated by category, or you can find wallpaper related to just one theme, such as your favorite sports team. This is also one of the better ways to find live wallpapers.

Some of the best wallpaper apps are:

• Backgrounds 10,000 Wallpapers by Stylem Media
• Zedge Ringtones & Wallpapers by Zedge
• HD Wallpapers by srsdev

WALLPAPER FROM WEBSITES

Google the term "wallpaper" and you end up with over 262,000,000 results. Narrow it down a little by googling "wallpaper Droid 2" and that number drops to 4,960,000. Now throw in the word "gallery" and you still end up with an unsurmountable 323,000 results. Since I'm such a nice person with nothing better to do, I'm going to save you some time and share with you some of the best online sources for wallpaper I have found.

• DroidForums offers a small but nice collection that is categorized and already sized for the Droid 2.
• Mobile9 has over 2000 wallpapers. I like this site because it has a keyword search.
• Droid Wallpapers is sorted by categories and has ratings, but is hard to navigate.
• Deviantart has one of the most extensive wallpaper galleries.  However, most likely you will have to resize the background because most of the wallpaper here is for computers.
• Google Images has images pulled from across the internet. Just enter a term, select "exactly" from the list in the left column under "size", and input 960 for the width and 854 for the height.
  

Be sure to check out Wallpaper Wednesdays coming - you guessed it - next Wednesday. I'll post the cool Droid 2 wallpaper I've found for that week.

ANDROID APPS FOR A CLASSIC VALENTINE'S DAY

(graphic by CubanitaStylez)

There's something to be said about the simple elegance of the classics, especially in this day and age where everything seems to be in your face and over the top. Think of a classic martini - crisp, clean, and smooth. Now remember the last "modern" martini you had. It probably: a) was some bright color, b) had some decoration floating in it, and c) tasted like something from the Slurpee machine at 7-Eleven. Not very impressive, right?

So what are the classics for Valentine's Day? If you ever watched the game show Family Feud....."The survey says:"

1.)  A CARD....

NICKY GREETINGS VALENTINE by 1473labs (free)

Use this app to send a customized Valentine's Day card. Create your personal and colored messages with romantic backgrounds, fonts and nice icons. Then you can save or send them via MMS (MMS is the technical term for a multi-media text message). 

QR Code for Nicky Greetings Valentine

2.)  CHOCOLATE....

CANDY FARM by Candy Mobile (free)

This is an addictive and fun game for your phone. The premise is that for the first time in a century, the gates of the most incredible candy farm in the world are opening at last. Luckily you are one of the holders of the 5 golden tickets and are invited to a one day tour of Candy Farm. (Sounds familiar, doesn't it? I think I can hear the Oompa Loompa's singing in the background.)

How to play: To start with this game is pretty easy, and then the difficulty of the game would increase with the level completed. The goal of this game is to get each candy from the wrapper to its specified gift box which has the same color as the candy throughout your drawing ribbon. For instance, red to red, green to green. The whole game consists of many cities, different city means different level.

QR Code for Candy Farm

3.)  FLOWERS....

ALL FLOWERS AND GIFTS by Ackdev Inc (free)

Need an easy way to buy some flowers? Give this app a try. It searches numerous online florists and let's you compare prices.

Features:

• Save criteria for future searches
• Browse, filter products by price
• View product details with sale pricing
• Share products description and detail URL with friends
• Great performance, searches 1,000's of online sources quickly, usually <5 seconds
• Stores & categories added weekly

QR Code for All Flowers and Gifts

4.)  JEWELRY....

JEWELRY TELEVISION by JTV (free)

Ahhh, nothing says "I love you" or helps you with item number 6 on this list like a gift of jewelry. This app lets you connect to Jewelry Television - a cable tv shopping show that has been around since 1993. With this app you can:

• Watch JTV live
• Shop their online store
• See the current item up for sale
• Access a guide to gemstones that includes photos and videos
• Access various articles on jewelry in their learning library

QR Code for Jewelry Television

5.)  DINNER....

URBANSPOON byUrbanSpoon Team (free)

I like Urbanspoon over the popular app Yelp. With Urbanspoon, you can find restaurants by using the default slot machine interface. To use this app, give your phone a shake and the different wheels will spin for a few seconds before stopping on a random restaurant selection. You can lock down any of the three criteria if you're not feeling like much of a gambler. Also, there is a browse option in the settings where you can access  more selection criteria, such as romantic or outdoor dining. Reviews, menus, phone number, and a map are available for each restaurant. 

QR Code for Urbanspoon

6.)  SOME SWEET SWEET LOVIN'....

LOVE POSITION by EZI Studio (free)

Now for the fireworks portion of the evening. This app provides a list of different sexual positions from the Kama Sutra. Each position includes a description and a basic illustration (and I do mean basic, so all you teenage boys are better off looking at National Geographic Magazine or just watching cable tv). 

Wait a minute! Before you head for the comments section of this blog to point out that a collection of different sexual positions that includes the likes of the "monkey" is not classic. Let me just say that since these positions come from the Kama Sutra, a book from the 2nd Century AD, you can't get much more classic than that.

QR Code for Love Position

ANDROID APPS FOR SUPER BOWL XLV

Unless you've been watching that other "football" the last five months, you know that Super Bowl XLV is this Sunday. The game starts at 6:30 p.m. ET and is being televised on your local FOX station. Before you grab that terrible towel, put on your cheese hat, grab a couple of beers, and get a good seat in front of that big screen tv, try out these Super Bowl apps that will get you primed for the big game.


SUPER BOWL XLV by NFL Enterprises (free)
This is the official Super Bowl app released by the NFL. However, it's really only useful to those old guys in the tv commercial who have attended every Super Bowl ever played and the rest of the people who decided to blow their kid's college tuition on tickets. The app provides a map of Cowboys Stadium and the Dallas area and points out the location of your seat at the stadium, concessions, restaurants, bars, restrooms, parking, etc. It will also list and locate all of the official Super Bowl week events.

QR Code for Super Bowl XLV

SUPER BOWL COUNTDOWN LITE by Carr Solutions (free)

If you have ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), this app will provide a countdown clock to the game. If you have some money left over after buying beer and wings, you can upgrade to the $0.99 version that removes the ad support.

QR Code for Super Bowl Countdown Lite

SUPERBOWL XLV SQUARETRACKIT by StarBarApps (free)
Do you want to run your office Super Bowl squares pool like a pit boss from Vegas? Or maybe just keep track of your winnings so you can see if you can leave the brown bag lunch at home on Monday? Then this is the app for you! You can set up your pools, have the app randomly set up squares, email out who has which squares, email or text updates to players each quarter, and email or text the final results.

QR Code for Superbowl XLV SquareTrackIt

And what list of apps can be complete without some wallpaper....


FANPOWER STEELERS WALLPAPERS by FanPower (free)
A collection of Steelers wallpaper.

QR Code for Fanpower Steelers Wallpapers

NFL WALLPAPERS by Black Hat Designs (free)
For some reason, I could not find any free Packers wallpaper apps. There were plenty of paid ones though. (C'mon cheese heads, there must be someone in the state of Wisconsin that can put together a free wallpaper app?!?!) So I had to resort to this app that provides wallpaper for all of the NFL teams.

QR Code for NFL Wallpapers

COLLECTION OF ANDROID GUIDES AND BEST APP LISTS

I don’t believe in reinventing the wheel, so I’ve put together a collection of links to various articles on the internet about getting the most out of your Android phone. Some of these links list the “must have” apps for your phone, while others give instructions on how to get the most out of your phone. Just click on the links below to check them out. There should be something useful for everyone!

GUIDES

Jumping Ship From Iphone To Android: A Switcher's Guide via Lifehacker

You Got An Android For Christmas: Five Next Steps via Pocketnow

The Beginner Guide To Android via Make Tech Easier

10 Tips For First Time Android Owners via Lifehacker

Just Got An Android Phone? The Best Apps, Accessories, And Tips via Endgadget

APPS, APPS, AND MORE APPS

5 Essential Android Apps via Cnet

New Android Device For Christmas? Download These Apps First via Android Apps

The 12 Best Apps For Your New Android Device Via Download Squad

Best Android Apps via Lifehacker

Top 10 Android Apps via Lifehacker

Best New Year's Apps For Android

It's time for the last party of the year! And to help you celebrate, I have put together some Android apps to help you ring in the New Year in style. So get a babysitter, put on your best outfit, and get the noisemakers and champagne ready. We're gonna party like it's , errr 2011!

Times Square Official Ball App by Countdown Entertainment (free)
Just because you are out and about in Middle Of Nowhere, USA, don't feel like you have to miss out on the traditional New York celebration. Celebrate New Year’s Eve in Times Square LIVE to your phone! Join millions of revelers around the world to celebrate New Year’s Eve 2011 LIVE. The Official Times Square Ball App is your exclusive access to be part of the activities in Times Square as you watch the LIVE co-hosted official show featuring A-List musical performances, celebrity appearances, first Times Square Wedding, hourly countdowns and the midnight Ball Drop!

Features:

• Participate in the celebration by submitting your New Year’s photo for friends, family and other revelers to vote on. Their favorites may be selected to be seen on the Toshiba Vision sign atop One Times Square directly beneath the Waterford Crystal New Year’s Eve Ball on December 31st! The selected photos will also be featured on the LIVE Show.
• Discover everything you need to know about the Times Square New Year’s Eve Celebration including the history, news, weather, photos, relevant maps and LIVE Show schedule.
• Send New Year’s Eve kisses and share photos with friends and family.
• Watch live streaming of the events in Times Square leading up to New Year’s Eve throughout December as well as the highlight promo and other exclusive video content.
• Customize your Toshiba Countdown Clock with your personal photo and time zone.
• Check-in via Foursquare, Facebook and Twitter to find out how far away you are from Times Square.

QR Code for Time Square Official Ball App

New Years Buzzer by Iconosys Inc (free) 
This app covers all of your New Year's requirements by providing a count down, tracking your resolutions, and letting you send out a quick "Happy New Year" to all your friends with no effort. New Year’s Buzzer let's you:

• Place and track your 2011 New Year's resolutions. A daily tracking prompt is presented where you can confirm that you kept your personal commitment to bettering yourself. Celebratory congratulations are given each day where the resolution is kept. 
• Display an attractive New Year’s countdown running on your phone. 
• At 10 seconds to New Year’s, the phone wakes, strobes, and a huge crowd counts down with you and your party until the stroke of midnight. 
• Gives you the ability to text simultaneous your custom Happy New Year’s wishes to anyone and everyone in your contacts list. But beware - the default adds everyone in your address book unless you edit it.
• New Year’s Buzzer is available in English as well as Spanish.

QR Code For New Years Buzzer

New Year Greetings by XStudio Technologies (free)
Need a toast or want to appear a little more coherent than the multiple alcoholic beverages you have consumed would normally allow you to be? Then this is the app for you. Get a collection of all types of New Year Greetings - inspirational, funny, motivational and poetic that you can send via SMS, Gmail, or post them on Facebook and Twitter.

QR Code For New Year Greetings

New Year’s Eve Multilanguage by Neuro Software (free)
Do you want to impress fellow revelers by wishing everyone "Happy New Year" in several languages? Then this is the app for you! Multilingual "Happy New Year" greetings for 91 different countries in more than 30 languages. Actual pronunciations are provided via google translation. Send greetings by text, Facebook, Twitter, Gmail, Messenger, and Yahoo e-mail. LONG PRESS on a country to say Happy New Year translated that language to your foreign friends
sort by population or alphabetically.

New Year's Eve Multilanguage

New Years Tidbits by Radiant Monkey Software (free)
Be the geek of the party by providing a plethora of informational tidbits about New Year's Eve in true Cliff Claven fashion (reference to the TV show Cheers). You can also send the info via email and Facebook.

QR Code For New Years Tidbits

New Year’s Eve Toast 2010-2011 by Neuro Software (free)
We don't need no stinkin' champagne!!! Not when you have your Android Phone with the amazing New Year's Eve Toast application. With it you will have all the well known drinks to toast with and also, when shaking (toasting with your phone) you will hear a crystal clear toast sound coming from the glass inside your phone. So enjoy a high tech way to toast everyone in a sober but festive manner without having to resort to drinking that awful sparkling apple juice.

QR Code For New Year's Eve Toast

Best Free Android Christmas Games

Merry Christmas everyone! I've put together a collection of some of the best Christmas games to play on your Android phone this holiday season. There's something for everyone - from kids to teens to adults. So start downloading and start playing.

Angry Birds Seasons by Rovio Mobile (free)
This is the Christmas version of one of the most popular mobile phone games out there. Don't pass this one by! The cold weather and Christmas season hasn't slowed down the birds or the pigs at all. Launch the birds at the pig's hideouts to squash the hiding pigs.

QR Code For Angry Birds Seasons

WHAC-A-MOLE Whacky Xams FREE by Kilo Games (free)
Get rid of some of your Christmas frustrations by taking a mallet and whacking a couple of moles with this fun, mindless game. Oh, I think the mole on the right looks like Uncle Stanley - you know, the one that is always sitting there around the Christmas tree quietly passing gas with a smile on his face.

QR Code For Whac-a-Mole Whacky Xmas Free

Bubble Blast Holiday by Magma Mobile (free)

In Bubble Blast, you have to destroy all of the holiday themed christmas bubbles that appear on the screen. Each time you touch a bubble, it either expands to the next size, or it bursts. When a bubble bursts, it also impacts the surrounding bubbles by either bursting them or increasing their size. You have a limited number of touches for level. Therefore, you need to plan out your touches.

QR Code for Bubble Burst Holiday

Christmas Puzzle : Jigsaw by MobileMelon (free)

This is a jigsaw puzzle game where you drag the pieces around on the screen to complete the holiday image. The more you advance, the harder Christmas jigsaw puzzle gets.

QR Code for Christmas Puzzle: Jigsaw

City Jump Xmas Season by DroidHen (free)

In this game, you help either Santa or Rudolph jump between buildings, avoid obstacles, and kill enemies (I guess Christmas just got a little more ruthless this year!). Tap screen to jump. Kill enemies by jumping in the air. Avoid hurdles on walls. Power up by eliminating 3 enemies of the same kind.

QR Code For City Jump Xmas Season

GRave Defense Christmas by ArtofBytess (free)
It looks like zombies aren't just for Halloween anymore in this game where in a post apocalyptic world you try and save the few remaining humans from zombies decked out in their holiday finest.

QR Code For Grave Defense Christmas

Kids Connect The Dots Xmas by Anahoret (free)

This is a dot-to-dot kids game for preschool-age kids. Kids join all the dots and reveal colorful image that is sure to excite your kids. 25 puzzles are included.

QR Code For Kids Connect The Dots Xmas

Christmas Slots by Apostek Software (free)

If you have to take a break from the casino in order to celebrate Christmas with the family this year, then this game is for you. Play a slot machine with Christmas images. C'mon Santa, mommy needs a fur coat!

QR Code For Christmas Slots

Santa's helper by Apostek Software (free)

Help Santa deliver Christmas presents this holiday season by tossing gifts to the waiting children.

QR Code For Santa's Helper