I just got a HTC Desire HD with Android 2.2.1 (I was long overdue for a decent phone. Been using a flip phone for 2 and a half years and before that a bar phone for 3 years). Recommend some good Android games (apps too if you want but this is a gaming forum) for me to get. I got Game Dev Story. Originally a iPhone game but it got ported to Android. I heard excellent stuff about that game back when it was iOS exclusive so when I found out it got ported to Android I just had to get it. I got it, tried it, it's insanely addictive. I also have Zenonia 2, which is an Action RPG. Theres lots of emulators out on Android. I'm going to be getting those as well. There's some strategy RPG for Android called Spectral Souls. Not sure if that's any good. It's like $15 (yikes. Isn't that kinda high for a smartphone game? lol). Metacritic has a page on iOS games but not for Android so it's kinda harder to tell what's good on Android.

Angry birds is addictive.

Despite being so popular in the android and others may tell you that task killers are must have. Don't install them, they are bad for your battery and they DON'T boost the perfomance.

Get ebuddy or nimbuzz for instant messeging.

Dolphin is said to be the best browser on android but I use default one, it's good enough.

Root explorer because Android doesn't have a file manager.

i use task killer and it makes my battery last twice as long.

are you sure your killing the apps by pressing the button rather than just downloading it and thinking it does it for you automatically?

as for the games, im not really impressed with any but i will get the playstation emulator once my samsung apollo gets 2.2 update.

I had a SE xperia x10 phone that comes with Sony modified android and it comes with lots of crappy apps that keep loading by themselves. At first I didn't use task killers and the battey was ok but after using a task killer I did notice that the battery started sucking and the perfomance get jerkier after some time. It turned out that when u forceably close the app it loads again after XX minutes and which requires processing power -> less battery. However, If your phone comes with the stock android (not a modified one) it doesn't make much of a difference because android is programmed to automatically close them.

Here's where I read all about: http://geekfor.me/faq/you-shouldnt-be-using-a-task-killer-with-android/

OP: I know htc devices have an HTC pdf viewer (tried it, it's probably the best pdf viewer for androids) and notepad apps by default. if yours don't it then get: AK Notepad

- My battery has been draining like crazy since I was playing around with the smartphone a lot since I got it. It's not my apps though, it's my display that really seems to be draining my battery. I'll have to go into the settings to adjust down display brightness settings and what not. Which task killer program are you referring to? The one called TasKiller with the Red Droid?

- As for file managers, I downloaded ES File Explorer in order to access files I've transferred over to my microSD card. Though maybe it's not as advanced as Root explorer.

- I've seen Angry Birds in the "top free" section before. I just sent it to my phone. Is the game actually completely free or is that just a trial?

- Sent ebuddy and nimbuzz to my phone as well. Having all-in-one IM on the go would be pretty handy.

- I also downloaded Skype yesterday. In Canada apparently you're allowed to use G network data with Skype (I've only tried it with Wi-Fi thus far). But in the US you can't apparently.

- Yes, screen brightness is a major batterying draining element. All referred to all task killers, they are all bad according to the link i posted above.

- any file manager will do :)

- it's completely free,.Surprising because I have to buy it in the iphone :/

- good.

- There are two version of skype, one that u can use with wi if connections and it has the voice calls feature. The one that with G networks is only for chatting. That's the situation here at least. :)

angry birds is free. I also play unblockme free as well 

I also have the HTC desire HD, i myself never having an luxary phone then an small period with an iphone 2G that struggled to work most the time. 

Its an great phone despite its Battery. Play games on that thing and it drains fast. 

on my long days at school i dont turn it on unless someone messages me or calls me because by the time i am hearding home at 8:30 at night or my phone wil be dead and i wil be walking from the station

I adjusted down the display settings to zero screen brightness. Hopefully that'll extend the life of the battery a good deal. And I'll cut back on things like gaming, browsing, etc. I'm just playing around with it a lot lately because I'm still testing out the features and stuff. I have heard that the HTC Desire HD in particular has poor battery life so I know I can't be abusing that thing.