android applications

Ask anyone who's lost or had her phone stolen, and she'll tell you it's an absolute nightmare. Having experienced this myself, I can attest that even if you have your phone password-protected, the feeling of vulnerability knowing your phone is in someone else's hands is sickening. If you have an iPhone, Mobile Me can give you remote access to your phone, and now there's an option for Android.

iTag is a free Android app that allows you to locate your Android phone if it's lost or stolen. You can view the phone's exact location direct from the iTag site, lock the keys, delete information, and make it ring — even if the phone is set to vibrate or silent mode. You know, in case you lose it in the couch cushions or under a pile of folders on your desk. (Don't worry, we've all done it.)

Hear a bit more about iTag after the break.

Create a fun, personalized to-do list with Astrid, an Android app that manages deadlines and priorities. The free app, which creators tote as a "task recording dashboard," not a to-do list, organizes tasks by priority, date, and time. To create a reminder, enter the task — anything from "walk the dog" to "pick up boyfriend from airport," a date and time, and tags like "important," "not important," "bills," or "work." There's even a field to enter how long the task will take to help you schedule your time most productively.

You can set fixed reminders ("Pay credit card bill!") or just add one-time events. You can also turn on reminders so the app pings you either before a task is scheduled, at the time it's scheduled, or as the "absolute deadline" (another field you can fill in) has passed. The reminders are cute and cheeky, too: "When you have a minute: Clean out your inbox," for example. Other useful features are the ability to hide tasks until a certain day and a completion meter that gives a visual representation of how much progress you've made on task-completion.

Following the success of their popular iPhone app, travel site TripIt has released apps for both BlackBerry and Android phones. The apps are free, but require you to sign up for a free account on TripIt.com. The applications are an easy way to access your travel plans on the go (say, when you're in a cab from the airport and can't seem to remember the name of your hotel). The app also provides one-click access to call your airline, hotel, or other location directly from your itinerary if you have questions or problems.

I'm a huge fan of TripIt and the organization it provides. Recently, a friend's flight was delayed due to a huge snowstorm, and she received her TripIt flight delay notification (via the app) nearly a half hour before she received a notification from the airline. She was able to quickly rebook a different flight before other passengers attempted to do the same thing, and the rest of her travel plans were unaffected. Both apps are available for download from TripIt's site.