The T-Mobile G1 launches today folks! And if the fact that it’s free on contract isn’t incentive enough to buy one, and you don’t fancy social networking on the fly, these apps will prove that you simply can’t afford not to have this Android phone in your life. It makes moolah!
Yes, we’ve actually found a way to generate cash from T-Mobile’s finest, as well as saving you precious pennies too.
Want to know how to make that mobile of yours pay? Read on, spendthrift, read on!
Compare Everywhere
Scan a product yourself with the G1′s camera and you can find the current price of a product across dozens of stores in an instant, so you know where to shop. It can even tell you what to shop for, bringing up reviews of the item. It wouldn’t be an Android app without a GPS feature of course, and sure enough, it’ll bring up the location and directions of all the nearest stockists.
Ecorio
Tracking your carbon footprint isn’t just for hippies – it saves us sensible folk money too. Drive around with this on your G1 for a while and it’ll work out your footprint, presumably berate you for killing the world ever so slowly, then come up with tips based on your info to save petrol, save money and save the world. Not the cheerleader though.
Dyno
A car that’s not up to scratch can leave you thousands out of pocket in wasted fuel. Check how efficient your motor is with this handy app, and head to the garage for a tune up if your engine turns out to be more wasteful than a public sector quango. Uniquely, Dyno makes use of the accelerometer to give you accurate speed and horsepower readings, rather than just laggy old GPS.
Piggyback
Speaking of motors, this carpooling app will save you a bundle on one. Just let it know how many spare seats you’ve got, and it’ll find nearby folks who’ll chip on the journey for you. Pick up points are all updated on the map, and if you need to bum a ride yourself it’ll show you up to ten different drivers making the trip you want.
Synchrospot
Show David Dickinson who’s the real bargain hunter with Synchrospot and get alerted to the latest deals not just in your area, but on the very street you’re walking along. Its main feature is to alert you to location sensitive reminders (“Get milk” as you pass Tescos) you set yourself, but it’ll also be funded by ads. Companies taking part can offer discounts to anyone walking by with a G1, and given that HTC is set to sell 600,000 this year alone, expect many chains to take advantage.
iSkoot
You don’t need a Skype phone to chat online on the go. This Android app brings the VOIP program straight to your G1, letting you call friends in foreign places for free. Never mind network minutes anymore, though be careful you don’t go over the phone’s monthly data limit.
Amazon MP3
Pick n mix your favourite songs, or just download a whole album for cheaper than the cost of the CD. You can even be listening to it before you leave HMV, just to rub it in their low-tech faces. It won’t work in the UK just yet, but Amazon has said we should see it before the end of the year here.
BreadCrumbz
Make LonelyPlanet readers really lonely by scrapping the travel guide with this navigational app. Don’t get ripped off by those map vending machines on the Underground: follow the routes, trails, info and snaps left by other users around all the hotspots and landmarks.
Maverick
Say so long to SMS – save on your contract by using Instant Messaging instead of texts. Maverick makes Google Talk and Mac iChat incredibly easy, and the G1′s QWERTY keyboard means you can say more than 153 characters faster, and for less.
cab4me
A taxi might be cheaper from a rank, but that’s hardly helpful if you’ve no idea where one is. Don’t waste money on summoning one to you – cab4me uses the Google Maps API to let you know where free ones normally congregate in the area. Don’t worry – if there’s nowhere it’ll still call one for you.
