I am a avid sub to r/android, so lets get the ball rolling with android on hubski
Somewhat popular but hasn't been mentioned yet, so I'll go for it: Greenify! It's an app to save some battery life, even without using root. It will keep Android from starting up apps when the screen is turned off for updates/pushes etc and you can select which apps you want to not use energy when you don't use your phone. This way the phone doesn't have to work as much when the screen is off and saves battery. For me, it made a big difference
One of the things I always hated was those discussions on /r/android as if we all have the same needs and use cases. You get too much group think and a very narrow consensus on what people should and shouldn't use based on fanboyism and favouritism. What do you want to do? What are you into? What do you do for a living? Do you like music? Reading? Sports? Do you live in the US or Turkey? It all depends on who you are. So, you have this phone in your pocket...what do you want it to do?
I completely agree. The nexus fanboyism is probably my least favorite thing about that sub. I have used stock android in the past and most of the time I end up flashing a rom for stock android but when I was deciding what phone to get I was torn between the nexus 6 and the note 4 until I realize how much the software didn't matter. I need a sd card and IR blaster, two of the things that the nexus didn't have. I chose the note 4 and have no regrets. Maybe down the road I will flash stock but for now I will stay with touchwiz
Twilight is good for night-time use (dims screen + adds red filter – like f.lux on desktop). Llama is great for simple, free automation; Tasker is a more complicated alternative, but paid.
I used twilight for a while but I found cf.lumen to be better specially with lux auto brightness.
I gave it a go just now, but I don't like how it insists on brightening black to red in red mode. It's probably better if you're rooted though - the auto brightness options do look good.
The apps outside of the default/google published sources that I use the most: Moon+ Reader DroidEdit SD Maid CPU Tuner Serval Mesh (if someone has a better alternative, I love the concept) Spaceteam
Pocket Casts - There's a reason its the go-to option and that reason is that its excellent. Press - Feedly based RSS reader. I find I prefer this over the Feedly client. Telegram - Solid messaging client/platform. Expense IQ - Daily cash-flow tracking. Authy - Condenses a bunch of two-factor options into the same app, complete with an online backup option. Shuttle+ - The best local music app I've come across.
Call Recorder - Records phone calls. Pro version supports other features. Profile Flow - Create profiles to alter phone settings at certain times. Do things like turn media volume up when connected to certain bluetooth network or at a certain time (leaving work) turn off wi-fi, turn on bluetooth, media volume up. Lots of cool features and is simple to use. Prey - Anti-theft app. Also is another app available for the desktop/laptop. A free account allows for 2 devices (i.e., laptop + phone) Fing - Wireless AP analyzer. Great if you are IT, probably unnecessary if you aren't. Google Rewards - Complete surveys for Play Store credit.
If you run Linux and use MPD, MPDroid is an awesome app that allows you to remotely control your computer and music library from your phone. You can browse, set up playlists, turn up/down volume, etc. I also recommend F-Droid. Lots of FOSS programs to choose from in its own repository program separate of Google Play if that's your thing. Syncthing is a great cloud storage app that's complete open source. You set it up on your computer, point it to a directory, and then share that directory with your other devices. It works great, and you don't have to worry about data caps and sizes.
I know most people know of it, but MyFitnessPal is an amazing app for tracking calories and fitness levels.
Notif! It allows you to set custom notifications in the notification tray for yourself. Great for reminders, groceries, and such. If you root, TitaniumBackup is a must. I also really dig Fenix as my Twitter client. Also use Textra for texts. Drastic is a cool DS emulator. I also enjoy the PewPew games. Aldiko for E books.
I have used Fenix before and really enjoy it!
AppHunt is an app that I recently found that lets you post new apps and like or dislike other apps. It has found a permanent spot on my dock.
I love Splitwise. As far as finance apps go, this app is great for keeping track of and splitting expenses with a roommate or family member. My girlfriend and I have been using this to keep track of bills and expenses - it has been a very helpful tool to make sure fairness is a high priority in our relationship, since we both make comparable amounts of money.