Android Central Editors' app picks for Jan 21, 2012

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]