Looking for some new apps for your beloved Android device, well you are in luck today. Hit the break with us and let's check out some of the teams favorite applications from this week.
Anndrew Vacca - My Tax Refund by TurboTax (Free)
As if the cold wind and blowing snow wasn't enough to make this time of year miserable, here's a 
reminder: you've got taxes to file! But don't fret. If you're lucky enough to escape a bill and expect a refund from the IRS, be sure to grab My Tax Refund for free from the Android Market. You won't find any 3D graphics or mind-blowing interfaces; instead, My Tax Refund is a bare-bones app that provides real-time federal and state refund tracking. You'll need your social security number, name, and date of filing (don't worry-- TurboTax will keep your information safe) for accurate results. Now if only there were an app to double that refund... [Market Link]
Richard Devine - Pocket Casts ($2.99)
Not a new app for me this week. Those that read my most used apps of 2011 post will know that Pocket Casts topped the list. This week it received a tasty little update that made it worth featuring one final time.
Said update finally brought lock screen controls with it. This for me has been the only missing feature, since i frequently have to pause podcasts quickly to answer another phone. It also fits a little better into the holo UI and still for me has the most complete podcast directory of any podcatcher I've tried on Android, and that also include video podcasts.
The developers have been really good with updates over the last 12 months, and I'm struggling now to think what more they need to do to improve it further. To me this latest update has made it complete. [Market Link]
Jerry Hildenbrand - Ultimate Guitar Tabs ($2.99)
There are lot of ways to view guitar tabs, but with the advent of big screened smartphones, I'm starting to feel that mobile works the best for me. Ultimate Guitar Tabs gives me access to 
hundreds of thousands of tabs (via Ultimate-Guitar.com) from all sorts of music, and displays them full screen on my phone. Add in the auto-scroll tool, and the music scrolls as I play it. If faced with something I need to hear again to play correctly, I can even listen to the chords played on real-sounding instruments.
I'm no Eric Clapton, but when I pretend I am I find this one to be a real winner. You can find it in the Android Market for $2.99. [Market Link]
Jared DiPane - Flick Golf ($0.99)
I like simple games on my mobile devices, I can't seem to get into shooting games or anything that I 
can't back out of and put down in a moments notice. Flick Golf allows me to do just that, and it provides some fun along the way. The concept is simple, flick the golf ball and try to get it in the hole. You control the spin by swiping left or right on the screen, and distance is controlled by how hard you flick the ball. For $1 I have spent countless hours flicking and trying to beat my previous scores, and seeing how many times I can get a hole in one. Give it a shot, odds are you will like it. [Market Link]
Reader comments
Android Central Editors' app picks for Jan 21, 2012
I've been looking for something like Pocket Casts for ages, looks good so far. Also if you shop at Amazon check out Amazon Buzz it's saved me a few dollars: https://market.android.com/details?id=zureus.amazon.buzzx
has anybody used stitcher, a found it to be alright, kind of wonky at times. Dogcatcher to me seem to complacated.
agree on pocketcasts. Super clean UI. Yes, there are some features which you will not find, but I think this is what helps to keep it simple and uncluttered.
I use both PocketCasts and PodTrapper. PocketCasts wins hands down on the polish and UI front. Podtrapper, however, allows for more customization IMO and overall options. Both are good but if I had to just buy one, it would be PocketCasts.
Pocket Casts works well for me on my UK-GS2, but there are a few problems on older 2.2 devices, like the Archos70. The updates to deal with ICS have been flowing like a river lately.
I think my favourite podcast app is Stitcher Radio. Will try out Pocket Cast.
I bought PocketCast. Meh, it's OK. Went back to Doggcatcher, though, which is by far the best out there.
Agreed. Doggcatcher is the best of the ones available. Great support, frequent updates. And it works with Presto to increase the playback speed of the podcasts...I usually go with 1.5x faster.
I'll second the support for doggcatcher ... By far my favorite!
Does PocketCasts support automatic playlists? For example, can I have it set to automatically add new episodes of All About Android and TWIG when they are downloaded to a playlist I have created, or do I have to manually add episodes to a playlist after they are released/downloaded? The Android Market listing isn't all that clear about this.
Yay! I adore Pocket Casts! It's perfect :)
What player are u using with pocket cast? I used stock player but when I switch to check email or screen goes out it shuts down. I also can't get it to import my google listen account.
I should read the entire article before commenting :-(
I have owned Pocket Casts since the Amazon debacle. Purchasing it in the market to help support them. It has been updated 3 times in the past week, and with each update, it gets a little flakier. I don't have lock screen controls. When the app is playing a podcast, with it being on screen when the screen goes off, and I use Bluetooth controls to pause and restart playback, instead of pocket casts, the stock music player responds to the controls. I wake up the phone and pocket casts is still the app on screen. I wish I hadn't upgraded the app. It worked much better 4 versions ago. Running on a rooted, but stock droid X w/gingerbread.
Amen.
Beyondpod will also save your place in any podcasts. It is the best I've ever used and it was recently updated for ICS.
Yes, and the new BeyondPod does the ICS integration as shown, which is handy as it will work cleanly with face unlock.
Not sure why you got ranked as spam, but I'll second Beyondpod. I'll check out Pocket Casts though. Anyone who has used both want to chime in on which is preferable?
If you haven't already, BUY Pocket Casts! Developers that take the time to really polish their apps and integrate them properly into the Android platform like these guys should be rewarded.
I'm sick of uninspired iOS ports, and the best way to convince developers to work harder is to show them that quality work is profitable.
Pocket casts will stop playback at whatever location you are at when the app is interrupted. If it was stopped to accept a phone call it will automatically resume when the call is disconnected. It is the only podcast app I have used but I think it has a lot of playback and storage options and is easy to use. It was the amazon free app of the day a long time ago.
Flick Golf is a horrible iPhone port. No one should support this game or any other by the developer Full Fat. The devs are so lazy it does not even fit on our screens correctly (black bars on top and bottom), as the only resolution size is whatever the iPhone's is.
What in the world are you talking about? I've used this game on three phones, all with different resolutions, and it displays perfectly on each. Works on the Evo 3D, the Photon, and the Epic Touch, and each has different resolution. Dude, you may have a bum phone.
I am talking about the black bars on the top and bottom as seen in this screen shot from my phone. http://img813.imageshack.us/img813/8140/screenshot2012012212431.png
Works fine for me, too. The resolution is right on my Galaxy S and gTablet.
Hello Richard,
Does that podcast app have the ability to keep track of where you are on a podcast if you exit the app? To be more specific, I want to download all the podcasts through that app and then play them when I get home. If I stop listening to a podcast half way through and switch to another one or another app, will the other podcast still be at the halfway mark if I go back? Thanks! (I just don't want to have to keep using my ipod anymore...)
yes. it keeps track of where you are. It's an EXCELLENT app!
Awesome thanks! Buying now...
Very smart choice. I have tried many different Podcast apps on Android over the years, and this one is by far my fav.
The recent updates to PocketCasts have not been kind. It used to be a great app. Sorting is broken and the widget does not work well.
yeah, i've been using Pocket Casts for a while now i have a GN.
the widget is very unpredictable.. lock screen controls are also unreliable.
sometimes the lock screen controls just stay on the lock screen for a long time even when you're not playing anything.
it's a decent app but they need to make a lot of fixes.. probably like 2-3 more.
Also using with Galaxy Nexus. Agree 100% with Bqrius. Also, it occasionally it won't download an episode of a podcast automatically. It's the best looking and laid out podcast app in my opinion, they just need to work out the last of the bugs.
Yes