If you value efficiency and effectiveness, then your Android device should be your best friend. These tech toys are capable of handling all kinds of work and personal tasks, from email and schedules to file management and to-do lists. And all the tools you need are conveniently located right in the Android Market. With so many choices, however, things can get a little complicated.

Here are ten highly rated, absolutely free Android apps that will help you work smarter, get more accomplished, save time and stay organized.

Downloads: 50,000-250,000 Rating: 4 stars

Dropbox is great because it's not just a mobile app; it allows you to manage files in fully synced folders from desktop and mobile devices. Dropbox's Android application allows users to access a Dropbox — and any kind of content it contains, including music and movies — from anywhere. Users can also upload files, such as images and links, to their Dropbox account. This video will give you an idea of how it works:

User comments: "So helpful!" "This worked perfectly for me." "A solid start for a free app."

Downloads: 10,000-50,000 Rating: 4 stars

This simple application allows you to snap pictures of business cards and automatically import that information to your virtual Rolodex. CamCard Pro is also available as a paid app for $9.99; both versions of the app support multiple languages - from English to traditional Chinese.

User comments: "High accuracy, impressive!" "Did a fair job of getting info off the card."

Downloads: 50,000-250,000 Rating: 4 stars

GDocs is a text editing application that allows you to access, view, edit and sync documents stored in a Google Docs account. It also lets users create, send, import and export documents.

User comments: "I like being able to make notes and edit documents and sync them back to my Google account." "Basic text works fine." "Pretty useful."

Downloads: 5,000-10,000 Rating: 3.5 stars

Springpad is brand-new to the Android Market, but has been getting rave reviews from users on other devices. Like Evernote, this app allows you to save items in a virtual notebook. But it doesn't just save these items; it also pulls in data from other sites and helps you take action on your lists, not just remember them.

User comments: "Superb interface." "Online sync is nice." "Great app, saves notes online and locally, so there's no wait to view."

Downloads: 50,000-250,000 Rating: 4 stars

If you struggle with information overload, here's an app that might help you. SlideScreen turns your Android device's home screen into a display of your information with a meaningful hierarchy to distinguish signal from noise. The app shows a summary of data from text messages, phone calls, GMail, your calendar, Google Reader, stock market data, Twitter and Facebook. A pro version is available for $6.99.

User comments: "Keeps getting better! Google Voice would be awesome." "Made for simple people with good taste in phones." "Nice concept and good looks."

Downloads: 50,000-250,000 Rating: 4.5 stars

This app represents mobile task-management at it finest. Users can add and check off tasks on the go, organize upcoming tasks, get alerted when they are near a task location and sync their mobile actions with a web interface. It's available with a $25 yearly subscription to the RTM web interface.

User comments: "It helps me stay on track with what I need to do, and the email service is great." "Great, simple UI." "Very fast and intuitive."

Downloads: >250,000 Rating: 4.5 stars

Astrid is more than just a to-do list; its friendly reminders will help you stay focused and productive. It's location-aware and can sync with Remember the Milk. Best of all, it's open-source and built specifically with Google technologies in mind.

User comments: "Really convenient, I absolutely love it!" "Astrid keeps me out of trouble and on time."

Downloads: >250,000 Rating: 4 stars

Half notebook app, half reminder app, Evernote lets you save your ideas, inspirations and favorite things to the cloud for future access. It's basically a virtual substitute for a good memory. You can record text, images or audio.

User comments: "Ideal for taking snapshots of documents." "Almost perfect, just needs offline support."

Downloads: >250,000 Rating: 4 stars

Here's a simple, useful application for taking notes on the go, capturing ideas, remembering songs or recording interviews. The audio recordings are timed, and files are sent as attachments to your Gmail account. You can search for recordings by title or date, and you can set your recordings as ringtones.

User comments: "Words like a charm." "Good sound quality." "Helpful for class instead of taking notes."

Downloads: 50,000-250,000 Rating: 4.5 stars

Jorte is a personal organizer app that was designed to be both attractive and practical. It's a scheduler and to-do application that syncs with Google Calendar. Its three home screen widgets allow you to quickly view a monthy or weekly calendar or a to-do list.

User comments: "Very good calendar app." "Very user-friendly and good customization."

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