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5Feb/101

How To Use Android Barcodes (QR Codes)

The barcodes you may see when browsing this site are very useful tools. Typically they are used to provide a direct link to an app in the android market. We must make clear though, that these barcodes are actually called QR Codes. The QR standing for Quick Reponse, which they certainly are when you want to get straight to a specific application.

They are very easy to use too, just follow this simple guide and you're on your way:

  1. Download 'Barcode Scanner' from the android market. There are a few options, but the best I have found is the one developed by ZXing Team. To get quickly to this specific app just search for 'ZXing Team' from the android market on your phone.
  2. Now open up the app.
  3. Point your camera at the QR code and hold still for a couple of seconds until the scanner has read the code.
  4. Click open market
  5. Download!!

Easy! Now give it a practice using this QR code, if you are successful you should get a link to WaveSecure, one of the apps I highly recommend in my Top 50 Apps for Android 1.5 post.

WaveSecure QR Code

3Feb/109

Top 50 Apps for Android 1.5 (Cupcake)

There are lots and lots of apps for android, at the time of this post there are an estimated 20,000 apps available via the Android market, and this number is growing daily! Because of the large number of apps available, it can be difficult browsing the market without a clear goal in mind as to what you are looking for, and this is where I come in.

Android Cupcake

I have decided to make a list of 50 Android apps that are compatible with Android v1.5 i.e. the version that is currently found on the HTC Hero (amongst other phones as well). This list is designed to introduce you to the types of apps that are available on the market, what the Android platform is capable of.

Where appropriate I have also included a number of alternative apps that can offer the same sort of experience, I'd highly recommend you try most if not all of the apps on this list.

So lets get to it:

3Feb/1037

HTC Hero New User Guide

Getting a new Hero is a great experience, but for someone who may not have enountered smartphones or android phones before, then is can also be a daunting experience. This guide is designed to ease you as a new user into your Hero, and as a consequence into the hidden semantics of the Android platform.

HTC Hero

Once you have had a look through this guide, then I'd recommend taking a look at the top 50 Apps for android 1.5, the android version your HTC Hero is running.

So without further ado, lets jump into the guide..