Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

UPDATE 2/11/2013: This Battery HD freebie app has been an excellent one on my first generation Kindle Fire since it was installed not long after it first came out earlier in 2012. As of this update, Version 1.24 functions properly on the Kindle Fire HD series and other Android devices. See the check boxes at the upper right of the product details to see if it will function with your device. Battery HD is designed for Android 2.1 devices, and so far I've used it with the Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD and more recently with a new Samsung Galaxy SIII smartphone. It's system load is minimal, taking only 5.2MB, a consideration if you run out of memory resources, and it takes less than sixty seconds to download. But what makes this app good is that once it's installed and calibrated, you'll know instantly how much time you have for whatever it is that you'll be doing, in hours and minutes: ◆ Music playback ◆ Video playback ◆ Internet browsing (Wi-Fi on the Kindle Fire) ◆ Time left to recharge ◆ 2D and 3D games ◆ Reading books (of course!) ◆ Battery health ◆ Battery Technology (Li-Ion on Kindle Fire) ◆ Temperature and voltage This is just a partial listing, and other Android devices (smartphones, etc) will find additional options. The large visual battery color can be customized from boring to bright, and the notification settings and the charge level alerts can be customized as well. Calibration of this app is highly recommended, as it appears to be required for specific devices. That menu reminds you to unplug the charger, lets you know if you have the necessary charge level for calibration, notes that a Wi-Fi connection is required (at least on the Kindle Fire), and to not use the device during calibration, which will take 60 to 90 minutes. There are two versions of this app available here, the one that I'm reviewing is Battery HD, which is the freebie. I started with this free version, then later upgraded to the Pro version, largely because this works so well that I thought the developers deserved something for their efforts. The only difference that I could find is that the Battery HD Pro app has no advertising, and is the only one of the two that will work with the Kindle Fire HD devices. The ads in this freebie are not irritating, and are very small, but when I find a very good and useful piece of software, it's worth purchasing, if only to encourage the developers. The good part is that if you start with the freebie here, then later upgraded, your settings and calibrations can be imported easily. Either version is highly recommended. Whichever one you choose, Battery HD or Battery HD Pro, you'll find an excellent 5-star utility app, and this app is an essential for Android devices. 9/18/2012: Updated 2/11/2013