Truck drivers use their cell phones for a lot of their job duties, but cell phones are also the primary way that they communicate with their families and entertain themselves during down time. So, while we’ve featured many mobile apps for Android phones and the iPhone that help truck drivers get help for their profession, their finances and their nutrition, sometimes we like to post up fun stuff too.
Today we’ll be looking at free and low-cost Android apps. We will follow up this article with one for iPhone OS apps. These apps are all recommended by the editors at the official Android marketplace, what’s now known as Google Play.
Just a reminder – Google Play has apps for all types of Android phones, but some you find through links in this article may not be compatible with your phone. It only takes a second to check, so remember to look for the quick warning when you arrive at the page before downloading. Few things are as frustrating as a misfiring mobile app on an outdated phone.
Alright truck drivers, let’s get to it!
Big Win Baseball – Price: Free
This is more of a strategy sports game than an action game. You don’t get to throw and hit, but you basically combine skill boost cards that can be applied to the whole team, or individual players which will affect the outcome against matched teams. It’s sort of a like a simplified fantasy team league.
We have to admit, for not actually getting to “play” the game, Big Win Baseball is strangely addictive. Each game gets you more fans and coins that help you buy more skill card packs and free agent players. Skill cards are things like “Plate Focus” which helps your players see things coming and make proper plays quicker, and “The Cannon” which helps your pitcher come up with some real heat when needed. Have a look at the game in action at Google Play.
FRONTLINE COMMANDO
This free movement level play shooter has great graphics, easy controls and lots of power-ups to keep you involved in the story. It doesn’t quite have great enemy AI that makes them particularly formidable, but hey – it’s a mobile game. AI takes up a lot of processing power, and even newer Android phones are pretty underpowered when it comes to processing game play.
Emerge from destructible cover points to take down helicopters, jeeps and heavily defended enemy bases. Fight off increasingly difficult waves of enemies over a variety of combat mission types. Take to the frontline with an artillery of assault rifles, sniper rifles, shotguns, rocket launchers, med kits, and armor.
Flick Golf
The Flick series of games have been taking the gaming community by storm. They’re easy to learn, but the strategy is tough to master. Flick Golf cuts everything to the basics – gauge distance, wind, elevation and slice or hook to get that hole in one. No puts, chips or sand traps to ruin the fun. Just punch the button, then spin your ball in mid-flight using your touch screen to get it in the hole.
Think you can master the wind and bounce to sink that ultimate hole in one? Many have tried, and failed, but remember “ Practice makes perfect!
Get it at the Amazon Android Market right now and start swinging!
Machinarium – Price: $4.99
Machinarium is one of those rare games that are completely realized on the Android platform, and becomes instantly addicting. Why? Excellent, one-of-a-kind graphics, brain-teasing puzzles, charming characters and interesting music.
Machinarium follows a lonely robot through a world filled with steam powered devices and some threatening adversaries known as Black Cap Brotherhood robots. These robots test our hero’s brains and agility using cryptic clues, traps and machinery. You have to see and hear it to believe it.
ESPN Scorecenter – Price: Free
We know truck drivers have to work long days. Sometimes you don’t want to work your way through lots of puzzling worlds, strategic planning or loud war zones. Sometimes you just want to sit back and catch up on the scores of all your favorite sports teams. No one does sports action recaps quite like ESPN. It just so happens that they put all their recaps into a free Android app.
It also lets you customize your sports news feed by team or sport. ESPN Scorecenter covers daily and real time scores in leagues like the NFL, MLB, MLS, NHL, NASCAR, MMA fighting league, and college sports. Go have a closer look at this great free Android app at the Amazon mobile marketplace.