The Android Smartphone operating system is a nerd’s delight with so many features, apps, widgets and websites to access at your fingertips it’s sometimes hard to get the device set up exactly how you want it.
Well we at the Gadget Helpline are here to help with “The Android Setup”, and this week we are focusing on all you movie buffs and fans out there. Whether it be a HTC Desire S, Sony Ericsson XPERIA Arc, Samsung Galaxy S II or the Motorola Xoom, we have the setup for you. So if you know your Bay’s from your Coppola’s or like to compare Studio Ghibli with Pixar then we will show you the ultimate Android setup for any film fan.
The Apps
Name: YouTube
By: Google Inc.
Price: Free
OS needed: Android 2.2 (FroYo) +
Great for: Trailers
Where would any self-respecting nerd be without YouTube? And one of the best things about the Google Android OS is that the YouTube App normally comes pre-loaded on the Android software, but if it’s not then get onto the Market and download it, as you can get up to date Movie news, Trailers and sometimes sneak peeks and behind the scenes vids.
By: Flixster Inc.
Price: Free
OS needed: Android 1.5 (Cupcake) +
Great for: Cinema information
Probably the best Cinema and movies App available – the Flixster Movies app does everything cinema related. Whether it be finding the nearest cinema, local screening times, ticket prices or even film reviews, the Flixster movies app has it all.
There’s even the inclusion of ratings and reviews from RottenTomatoes.com, which bring in reviews from all over the world plus user reviews. The Flixster Movie app really is a must have for film fanatics.
By: IMDb
Price: Free
OS needed: Android 1.6 (Donut) +
Great for: Movie cast information
IMDb (or Internet movie Database) is the mecca for film fans who like to cross-reference the films they have watched, and is a must have for all of those “Where do I know that actor from?” annoying moments. The app itself is a slimmed down version of the IMDb website with easy to use mobile controls and full cast and crew lists as well as interesting trivia, goofs and a continuity errors section.
With access to news, showtimes, TV and even gaming information it’s a great addition to your Android device.
By: arcMedia
Price: Free
OS needed: Android 1.6 (Donut) +
Great for: Video Playback
arcMedia will pretty much play anything in video format, it will easily run avi, divx, flv, mkv, mov, mp4, m2v, m4v, rmvb, wmv, vob and xvid file types, and due to its extensive list of Codec files it very rarely cannot play a video.
It has a simple design and user interface, and is great to use for Movies and videos on the move. Simple yet fantastic.
The Widgets
By: mippin.com
Price: Free
OS needed: Android 1.5 (Cupcake) +
This great widget is available as a download from the Android Market and will place all the latest Movies and TV News and Videos right on your Android handset’s home screen, with an easy to use pop-out box.
Feeding in news from all over the web including Total Film, New York Times, Moviefone and many more, it offers up to date news all the time.
By: Gilles Dodinet
Price: Free
OS needed: Android 2.1 (Eclair) +
Scrollable News Widget is a great RSS feed widget that brings all of the latest RSS news to your Android mobile phone’s home screen. It may take a few minutes to setup the RSS links you desire, but once it’s setup you can set the widget on your home screen with variable sizes (4×2, 4×3, 5×2 and many more) and designate colours to each feed for quick and easy distinction.
Scrollable News Widget has many personalisation features such as limiting the amount of text displayed and even changing the font sizes of the RSS feed news.
A few RSS favourites at Gadget HQ are:
- Empireonline.com
- Totalfilm.com
- Movies.IGN.com
- Cominsoon.net
The Email Newsletter
Now this one isn’t too specific, but with pretty much everything being done digitally nowadays it’s always worthwhile to sign up to a few movie related newsletters and email-outs. Our pick of the bunch would be the weekly newsletters from TotalFilm.com as not only do they have great reviews and features on new, old and current movies they also offer free subscriber’s screenings to the newsletter followers.
Check out the link here and get the news direct to your phone via your email account.
Just for fun
By: Stop The Press
Price: Free
OS needed: Android 1.5 (Cupcake) +
This App has literally minutes of fun… all of your favourite Arnold Schwarzenegger quotes and sayings from his golden turns in the movies are here, including snippets from Kindergarten Cop, Eraser, Commando and even Twins.
You can even press and hold the app and save it as a Ringtone, Alert tone or your Alarm. Great fun and if you get to know it enough you can even try pranking one of your friends with it.
Well that’s it, you should now have a fully equipped Movie mad Android device.
Enjoy!