Filling in the gaps on your Android phone

1. iPhone Top 100 Charts
Moving from the iPhone to Android may leave you missing some of your favorite apps. Thankfully, iPhone Top 100 Charts keeps an updated list of Apple's Top 100 free and paid app downloads and links you to their Android counterpart or an equivalent app. And if no match is found, the app let's you contact the developer to make a request or set a notification so you'll know when it is release. This app, like most on this list, is free.

Get it at: labratsonline.com/iphonetop100

2. Google Navigation
Amazingly, Google has sidestepped the need for independent GPS application by building their own free turn-by-turn GPS app for the Android OS. As with any GPS program, you can manually enter (or speak) your destination and your phone will plan out the route and lead you towards it. An incredible asset that costs you nothing.

Get it: It's already on your phone!

3. DoubleTwist
Until recently, Google didn't have a means of organizing one's music on their desktop. Meaning, many users probably used solutions like iTunes to manage their media libraries. DoubleTwist is both an application and a desktop client that allows your Android device to sync music and playlists from iTunes. It also doubles as a very capable and sleek media player. In some cases, users prefer it to Google's stock offering.

DoubleTwist comes in two varieties, a free and paid version. The paid version allows for wireless syncing.

Get it: labratsonline.com/doubletwist

Get the Windows Desktop client: labratsonline.com/doubletwist-windows

Get the Mac Desktop client: labratsonline.com/doubletwist-mac

4. PicPlz
An Android alternative to the super popular Hipstamatic and Instagram apps on the iPhone. With PicPlz, you take a photo and then apply various filters to create images with a nostalgic edge: Be it sepia toned, black and white or a handful of other effects. The app will also allow you to directly upload your images to a variety of social services. And it's free.

Get it: labratsonline.com/picplz

5. ArcMedia
Here is an app that betters the movie watching experience over the iPhone. Watching media on the Android can be a bit limited in terms of codec support. Thankfully, ArcMedia fixes this problem and then some. The app allows you to play video in a variety of formats, including: avi, divx, mkv, mov, mp4, rmvb, wmv, vob, and xvid. Likewise, it also supports streaming and downloading over wi-fi. Did we mention it was free?

Get it: labratsonline.com/arcmedia

6. Google Listen
Somewhat surprisingly, the Android OS doesn't come with a default podcatcher. If you are a fan of a certain podcast, the best you can do is stream it from the source or upload it to your phone from your computer. Thankfully, Google has come up with a free and capable solution in the form of Google Listen. It does exactly what it should, scans the internet for the podcast you're looking for. Once the RSS feed has been located, you can subscribe to it and/or download individual episodes to your heart's content.

Get it: labratsonline.com/google-listen

7. Google Chrome to Phone
Another app that brings the Android experience beyond anything offered by the others. Chrome to Phone is both an app and an extension for Google's popular Chrome web-browser. When both are installed and linked together (through your gmail account), a simple button press will move any site you're currently viewing onto your phone. A handy way to quickly move a map location or recipe with little hassle.

Get it: labratsonline.com/chrome2phone

Get the Chrome extension: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/oadboiipflhobonjjffjbfekfjcgkhco

8. Handcent SMS
While the default SMS application on the Android is serviceable, it's hardly spectacular. You can improve the experience, however, with Handcent SMS. In addition to adding a variety of cosmetic options such as skins, font packs, smileys and the ability to send high resolution pictures and video to friends to your day-to-day texting, you'll also find practical upgrades such as a built in spell-check and multiple language packs. And yes, its free.

Get it: labratsonline.com/handcent-sms

9. SlideIT Soft Keyboard
An interesting add-on to the Android platform. SlideIT upgrades the keyboard input method for the entire OS. Unlike the iPhone, Android does allow for apps to makes universal changes to your phone. What makes SlideIT unique is unconventional (read: unique) input method: simply slide your finger along the letters of the word you'd like - and the program will write it.

While this sounds like a potential disaster, our experience with the program is nothing short of astonishing. Words are generally interpreted correctly with no fuss. Additionally, you're given alternate word choices in case the program gets it wrong. This app also supports 40 languages and offers a better layout alternative for those running an Android tablet.

There is a free version and a paid version. The free version is limited to a 15 day free trial.

Get it: labratsonline.com/slideit

10. Google Places
Another recent addition to the Android OS. Places uses your GPS plus Google's robust vendor listings to pin-point eateries, shopping centers, gas stations and other points of interest in your area. Think of it like Google's built-in-version of Foursquare or Urbanspoon. When choosing a point of interest, you'll be given venue information, a user-based star rating, as well as the ability to check in and leave reviews. Likewise, thanks to Google Maps integration, it will even tell you how to get the location from where you are.