Cool Apps for the HTC Magic

Developed in conjuction with Vodafone, the HTC Magic is the latest smartphone to run on the much-lauded Google Android operating system. It is packed with exciting features, although perhaps the most exciting of all is the ability to run a range of third-party software on your phone, as you might with a desktop PC. They can all be obtained from an online store called the Android Market, which is similar in concept and execution to the iTunes Apps Store. Here are just a few of the Apps that are currently available:

Metal Detector: This uses the magnet inside the phone to help you find metal, so you can finally fulfil all those childhood dreams of going hunting for buried treasure in the woods. Who knows, maybe you will find a pot of gold! It could also be used for recreating the infamous airport security scene in the movie Spinal Tap, although remember to wrap the cucumber in foil first!

Barcode Scanner: This cool app allows you to use the camera on the magic to read bar codes and obtain price information off the internet. Perfect if you are wanting to check whether something on offer in a shop is genuinely a good deal, although it does not work on every bar code.

Trap: A modern re-mix of the old mobile gaming favourite, this version of Trap makes use of the Magics touch screen to enable you to draw the lines that trap the balls in real time with your finger.

The new interface gives this game an immediacy it didnt have before, which can make it dangerously addictive. If you bought a smart phone to help keep up your productivity levels on the move, then you should steer clear of this one!

NRU: This application basically turns your phone into a kind of boozy sat-nav system, using the internal compass and GPS chip to point you in the direction of various bars, nightclubs, and bowling alleys all over the world. Now if only they could make one that showed you how to get to the nearest autoteller...

Google Maps: You do not even have to download this, as it comes pre installed with the phone. It basically turns your phone into a satellite navigation system of the kind that you might have seen taxi drivers use.

The street view option, although marginally less useful, is a lot more fun, as it allows you to virtually wander through real photographed and mapped 3D streets anywhere in the world, simply by moving your phone.

About the Author:
Vodafone offer a huge range of phones and price plans. If you like smart phones, you will love the Samsung Jet with its fast internet for express browsing and downloads.