Cool Android apps for the road

New apps for smart phones are arriving daily, if not by the hour or even the minute. We've already covered some of our car-themed favorites for the iPhone and Blackberry, and now turn our focus to Android. Here, we're seeing this buzz-worthy operating system receive serious enthusiast and developer attention.

Android's open platform makes it easier to design compatible apps than some of the others, and well, partly because it's a newer platform, both users and apps are increasing at a furious pace. We've read reports that Android apps will increase five fold over the next year--far ahead of the iPhone's three time app increase that is expected. Then again, iPhone has a big head start with more than 100,00 apps already.

Below are a few Android apps that have proven useful and worth more than their no-charge download fees.

aCar
Price: Free
Essentially an electronic maintenance log book, aCar reminds you when it's time to change your oil, replace the air filter, rotate the tires, or perform other regular maintenance. It'll even remind you when it's time for your car's annual state inspection, and track fuel mileage and costs. The only downside is, you have to do some setup work, like entering service intervals from your owner's manual.

Aloqa
Price: Free
Aloqa automatically displays local listings of your favorite types of restaurants, movies, concerts, shopping, and other points of interest wherever you go. Aloqa is a really cool app that actually works with the iPhone, some Blackberry, Nokia, and Sony Ericsson phones in addition to Android. It's a cinch to use, and you can customize listings so it shows only the categories you like. It can even tell you when Facebook friends are nearby. Find it and a complete list of compatible phones at Aloqa.com

Carr Matey
Price: Free
Carr Matey is another app to guide you back to your parked car, but with a twist: This one has a pirate theme. Using Google Maps and your phone's built in compass, Carr Matey uses themed icons like pirate binoculars to search for your "vessel," displayed as a ship. To use it, you mark your location using the "drop anchor" button, and Carr Matey gives the option of turn-by-turn directions on the street or compass guidance in large, open parking lots. You can even set a timer to alert you when it's time to pay the parking meter. But like all GPS-based car locating apps, Carr Matey may not work at all indoors due to poor GPS reception.