When looking at star-ratings in the Android Market, you should also take into account how many individual users have submitted ratings. For example, if one application has a five-star rating out of five possible stars, but only ten users have rated it, one of whom gave the application a one-star rating, it might be wise to go with another application that has only a four-star rating, but with 100 total user-ratings.

In addition to star-ratings, the Android Market lets users submit short, written reviews. Before downloading or purchasing an app, I also suggest you read through the review to see if anything jumps out at you. You might notice that while the app seems to work great for the majority of users, Android owners with your specific device or OS version are having issues, for instance. Or you might learn that the app works great, but only if you've "rooted" your handheld.

You may also want to check out apps of interest on third-party app stores to see if they're cheaper...or maybe even free, as could be the case with Amazon's Appstore for Android, which offers a different paid app for free each day. (Read more about .)

Just as it's a great idea to read reviews of applications on the Android Market before downloading, it's also good practice to rate and review any applications you spend significant time with, so other users can benefit from your feedback.