Top 5 Must Have Apps for Designers

Android is one of the most popular operating systems at the moment, and many designers use their Android phones for doing some small design job when they don’t have a PC near. Of course, no smartphone comes with built-in apps for designers, but you can find hundreds of them on Google Play (previously known as Android Market). To help you navigate through that huge number of apps, we’ve listed the best 5 we managed to find.

1. Adobe Photoshop Express

Adobe’s Photoshop program has been a favorite of designers for years, and is now available on mobile phones for photo editing on the go. Photoshop has entered general language as a term for editing a photo, which shows how widespread the program is. The mobile version is available on iOS, Android and Blackberry as an express program, but still provides great photo editing possibilities if used properly. Whilst this won’t replace the PC version of the program, once the phone version is got used to, it provides a great portable alternative.

2. WordPress Mobile

WordPress has been a favorite of bloggers and web designers for years as an easy tool to create web pages and edit them. However, now that function is available on the move, with an app available on Apple, Blackberry and Android phones that is extremely easy to use. The phone allows redesign, complete creation and editing of all pages belonging to you, that enables use on the go. This app can be particularly useful for any person who requires minute by minute updating of their blogs when covering a situation or event. The app is extremely easy to use and requires little tutorial if already familiar with the computer based version.

3. iDesign

iDesign is a vector drawing design app that is available from all major app markets, and is extremely popular amongst designers. The app enables a variety of means in order to design a precise drawing of whatever is required, going to the extent that structure design can be enabled through scale drawings where feet or meters are used to determine the dimensions of the drawing. The app costs approximately $5, but for any serious designer, this is certainly worth it for the ability to design on the go, no matter where you are. Using the app requires some skill, but no more than is required for ordinary use of a program on a PC required for design.

4. Photogene

Photogene is an app that is available on iPhone that has been popular with designers since its launch in 2008. The app enables photo editing in a style that is friendly with those used to the Mac style of interface, rather than Adobe’s Photoshop editor which is more geared towards PCs. The app enables quick and easy photo editing on the go that can either be very simple such as cropping or resizing, or complicated full redesign of photographs. Add-ons to the app are available for extra costs, but are not essential.

5. Color Dictionary

Color dictionary is a far more basic app, but no less essential than the others mentioned so far. The basic function is to provide a designer with a specific color including the name of that color and the code. The app can be very useful for finding the perfect hue for a website design, or graphic design that requires precise coloring. Also featured on the app is a storage function so that you can bookmark required colors. The app costs approximately $2, but for any designer, particularly for those using HTML, it can be an app that is used time and time again on the go.

Author bio

Amelia Hunter is an ordinary reporter who writes about dull daily news, but she likes to spend her free time reading and writing about the latest news in the world of modern mobile technologies. She’s especially interested in Android smartphones (namely the upcoming ICS phones like the HTC One X and the LG X3), Android apps and tweaks.