APNdroid for Android Review

APNdroid application for the Android mobile phone OS is designed to allow users to save the battery of their Android devices by barring their data access without affecting the incoming and out going calls on the device. It can come in handy for switching of the Bluetooth at a moments notice. The application comes in handy when the users are running low on the battery and want to save it for important calls. This android 
application is made by Martin Adamek an Android and iOS developer also has made Readingo for Instapaper and AppPicker for Android.


Most applications only let users switch off the Bluetooth, WiFi and GPRS, but APNdroid goes on step ahead by turning of the data access coming from the telecom service provider.


Normally this would mean that phone will not be able to make or receive calls as well. But thanks to some tricky functionality, users can make and receive calls even if their data access has been turned off. The ability to turn off the data access and still make and receive calls is made possible thanks to the fake Access Point Name which is used by the application to switch off the data access.


This application comes in handy when the user is busy attending a show, watching a movie, sleeping or doing pretty much everything which does not require the use of data access functions like GPRS, EDGE or 3G. Upon downloading and installing the device, users can go to the application and select which function to turn off and which function to leave as it is.

However, whenever, users need to send an important file their data services are off, they can always use the WiFi in order to do so. When the application is installed, a small APNdroid appears on the desktop, that acts as a widget when users access the application from the desktop. After making adjustments from the settings options, when ever the need to turn the data access services off arises, users can simply click on the desktop icon to turn the data access functions off. In order to turn them back on, all the users need to do is again click on the desktop icon and the services will be back on.


There are a few options you’ll want to pay attention to if you plan on using this app on a daily basis. First, open the app to access its preferences and decide whether or not you want to keep MMS enabled. If you uncheck this box, you won’t receive media messages like photos, videos, etc. through texts. If you’re a forgetful person, you might want to enable the notifications option which will place an on/off icon displaying your phone’s current status in the notification bar. Lastly, if you’re having trouble disabling your mobile connection, try the “disable all APNs” option.

Conclusion: An essential app for any Android user wanting to improve battery life or prevent data use overage costs APNdroid is no longer free becuase the developer received email from Google saying that the app was suspended because many users reported it as malicious or malware-like. (Too many whiny people basically.) APNdroid is republished in Market for $2.11 with notification ads removed so go grab it it's a great app.