9 essential apps for kickstarting your new Android tablet

 

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Picking the first apps to download for your Android tablet becomes a lot harder as the Android operating system grows in popularity and Google Play grows in content offerings. However, there are a few essentials that we recommend every tablet owner pick up. We've listed nine apps below that make your Android tablet experience just that much better.

1. Dropbox

Download: Dropbox

Price: Free

Most Android tablets do not come with a native app for sharing files between your device and smartphone or computer. Enter Dropbox, an online file storage service that integrates with your file storage on your computer as a folder, and apps that will run on your Android tablet or smartphone. With Dropbox, sharing a file is as easy as copying it into the folder on your computer, running the app on your tablet, and opening the file. That file lives in your Dropbox for as long as you like, until deleted.

2. DoubleTwist with AirSync

Download: doubleTwist Player, AirSync

Price: Free ($4.99 for AirSync app)

Most Android users bemoan their inability to easily synchronize music between computer and tablet, as iOS users can do with their devices and Apple's iTunes. Fortunately, DoubleTwist provides a solution: its simple UI makes transferring music to your tablet a breeze, and the AirSync feature means you don't need to go hunting for that pesky USB cable — just make sure your computer and tablet are connected to the same wireless network. AirSync is a separate app for your tablet and will set you back $5.

3. HootSuite

Download: HootSuite

Price: Free

Do you like having all your social networks in the same view, with the ability to post updates in one hit? You'll definitely want to check out HootSuite, then. HootSuite handles Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, and LinkedIn accounts together and aggregates all your networks into a single home stream. You can use HootSuite for both personal and business networks — HootSuite supports multiple Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Best part? Access to HootSuite is also available through its website, so you can have the same layout and user experience on your tablet, smartphone, or computer.

4. Evernote

Download: Evernote

Price: Free

There are many options in the world of synchronized note services. Evernote stands above the rest in terms of organization and functionality. Evernote makes taking notes, storing recipes, and recording meetings a breeze, and the recent tweaks to the notebook system mean you can nest notebooks — great for when you want to organize your recipes by type, meal, or complexity.

Want to get an extra layer of use out of your Evernote app? Use your tablet to take a picture of things like receipts or bills, and then send the picture to Evernote as a new note. Text in your picture is searchable, making for a great on-the-go system to track travel expenses.

5. Flipboard

Download: Flipboard

Price: Free