Top 10 free apps for android

avast! Mobile Security & Antivirus (for Android)

avast! Mobile Security & Antivirus is everything you want in an Android security suite and then the kitchen sink as well. The app comes with top-tier protection from Android malware but can also deter thieves by letting you remotely track, lock, and message a lost Android. It even comes with browsing protection and call and SMS blocking. All this, for free.

Comics (for Android)

Comics is the place to go for digital comics (unless you want Dark Horse titles). Create an account to shop for digital comics, and even subscribe to monthly titles. It's also a powerful reader, bringing the panels from your favorite stories to your tablet or phone. It's enough to make a die-hard print reader like me think twice. Also, be sure to check out our monthly list of the 10 best digital comics.

DeaDBeeF Player

If you're the kind of person who has a lot of fan-made concert recordings sitting around, then DeaDBeeF Player is for you. Unlike Google Play Music, DeaDBeeF fully supports lossless formats like OGG and FLAC—no transcoding. It also features a 10-band equalizer, so your recording of Wilco playing Hill Auditorium sounds just like it did in 2004.

Evernote (for Android)

While there are lots of apps out there for note taking, Evernote is still the gold standard against which all the others will be measured. With power search features, extensive tagging, optical character recognition for photos, and nesting Notebooks, Evernote makes it easy to find and organize your notes. A free account with Evernote gets you 60MB of uploads per month, a pro account will cost $45 a year and allow 1GB of uploads per month as well as a slew of other extras.

The Google Family

Google really brings its A-game app development to Android, which comes as no surprise. Google Chrome is a fast, stunning browser on Android. Google Translate brings strong voice recognition and translation to your phone. Google Goggles connects you with useful information from your pictures. Google Drive and Quickoffice give you unprecedented mobile storage and document editing. Gmail is a smart, simple email client and Google Play Music lets you stream and store all your tunes. The Android Device Manager helps keep your phone safe, and the nifty Google Keyboard will totally change how you interact with your phone.

Polaris Office (for Android)

While Polaris Office fell short of Editors' Choice (which went to OfficeSuite Pro), it is a fantastic office suite at an unbeatable price. What costs you $12.99 on iOS is free on Android, and will get you a powerful word processor, spreadsheet editor, and PowerPoint presentation suite. The only drawback? Polaris Office will only run on a few devices. If yours is one of them, be sure to pick up this beautiful freebie.

Umano (for Android)

There are lots of music apps on Android, and lots of reading apps as well, but Umano bridges the gap. It delivers in-depth news stories from sources like The New Yorker as read by professional voice actors. It's a great way to tackle those long-read articles, though it doesn't have as many controls as I'd like.

Viber (for Android)

Messaging apps like Viber let you send text, pictures, and even video to other users for free. These apps are becoming more popular, but I was particularly impressed with Viber's ability to seamlessly move between video calls on your phone and your computer. It's a great way to keep in touch and save money, especially when texting friends and family overseas.

Snapseed (for Android)

Instagram is great for fast and dirty smartphone photo edits, but for those looking for more should consider Snapseed. This app gives you far more control over how filters and effects are applied, but it's still easy enough for anyone to pick up and use. Try running your pictures through Snapseed before sharing them on Instagram.

Slacker (for Android)

Slacker Radio is already a favorite of the desktop music-streaming crowd, and their updated Android app brings an even better music experience to mobile. With human-curated stations, and tons of unique and niche content (like Yacht Rock) it's a great service for just jumping in and listening. In addition to music, Slacker also has stations for news, talk, and sports.