I just got an Android tablet for the first time (I know I'm late to this area of tech). What are the essential apps (security and/or other) that you would recommend to a newbie?
A good security app such as Sophos (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sophos.smsec&hl=en) should be the first app you install.
34 of the Best Free Android Apps http://www.androidauthority.com/best-free-android-apps-329422/ Lifehacker Pack for Android: Our List of the Essential Android apps http://lifehacker.com/lifehacker-pack-for-android-our-list-of-the-essential-819094535 Google's list for Best Apps of 2014 https://play.google.com/store/apps/collection/promotion_3000f13_best_of_2014 Personally for me, Pocket is a must-have.
As Android is prone to malwares, the first thing to be installed is definitely an AV solution. I for one can recommend the new Norton Security (2015 product line). In my testing it proved to be even better and lighter than Webroot. Secondly a cleaner, I ditched Chinese Clean Master in favour of CCleaner and it turned out to be the right decision. Clean Master is bloatware being full of ads. From CCleaner you will get the top notch cleaner you're used from its Win version. You cannot omit a file manager, Total Commander is my choice. Another essential application should be a browser, I use Opera Mobile as I'm used to it from Win. Adguard will filter all ads in a browser, its premium version filters not only browsers but all applications. Next should be a video player, I ended up with MX Player. Don't forget also on an office application, I use OfficeSuite+PDF that suits me the most. I use also variety of Google applications (Gmail, G+, Drive, Map etc.). You don't need to stop here, obviously continue with other applications to your liking. The last but not least, common sense is required to be used.
I've tried CCleaner and didn't like it just like the Windows version. I find SD Maid Pro to be the best app for cleaning junk. But, once I get a new phone without highly limited storage space, I won't be too worried about doing cleanups. No essential apps come to mind. I don't even think an antivirus is that important. I've downloaded hundreds of apps from Google's Play Store over the last few years, lots of apps from 3rd party app stores (I've got 7 3rd party app stores currently installed on my phone) and I've installed a number of apps directly from the APK files. In spite of this I've never got infected. If you want to use an antivirus, I've used literally tens of different antiviruses for Android, and in my opinion their is no clear winner. Currently I'm using CY Security which is free, uses Kaspersky's signatures, and I'm happy with it.
F-Droid https://f-droid.org/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-Droid Pretty much anything listed here: https://prism-break.org/en/categories/android/
Cheers for the suggestions and links so far. There seems to be so many apps it's a bit mind-boggling.
Of which, we would most likely use about 2 dozen apps only http://techcrunch.com/2014/07/01/an...ers-only-use-around-two-dozen-apps-per-month/ We all go through the stage where we try out plenty of apps and then eventually settle down with the most useful/applicable for our needs.