AndroidStats helps users keep up with growing number of apps

As the number of apps and games continues to grow for Android, it's getting harder to keep on top of everything. Rather than trying out every title that enters the Android Market, I like to look for specific genres of apps.

For instance, I really enjoy casual games on my T-Mobile G1. I always find at least a few minutes of downtime throughout my day so I'm constantly trying to get a new high score or unlock a new puzzle. However, as much as I'd love to try out every brain game that's released, it's simply impossible for me to do so. Instead I look for the titles that seem to be making the most noise in the market. For this, I use an Android app called AndroidStats.

As the name implies, it provides statistics into what's going on in the Android Market. I glance through the app every few days to see if there are any significant movers or shakers I've yet to play. AndroidStats is very straightforward in that it lets me see how apps are performing from day to day as well as over time.

Two features of AndroidStats that you won't find in the Android Market are Biggest Weekly Movers and Yesterday's Price Changes. The former shows users which apps or games have gained the most ground in the last seven days. I find it very similar to Heatseekers on Billboard's music charts. The latter lists apps that have changed in price as compared with the previous day. While most of these are price drops, occasionally you will find price increases.

If you find an app that captures your interest, you can view the title and you'll get the same description that developers provide in the Android Market. One bonus here is that URLs are clickable. In addition, an accompanying chart shows how well the application or game has been performing in terms of overall rank. The menu button provides the option to find other apps by the author or go directly to the download page in the Android Market.

AndroidStats is a free application, but does have an unobtrusive AdMob advertising bar at the top of each page. For a glimpse into how it all works, you can also visit AndroidStats.com to see a Web-based setup.