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Apr

Google I/O 2013: Google's To-Do List This Year

Posted by Ron Amadeo in Android OS, News

Last Updated: May 3rd, 2013

Google I/O is coming! We'll know about all of Google's new projects in just 2 ~~short~~ agonizingly long weeks. While we desperately count the days until May 15th, we thought it would be a great idea to take stock all of the things we've caught wind of lately.

Calling this an "I/O Preview," sounds a little too certain. I'm not predicting everything here will come out at I/O, this is just a list of everything we know Google is working on - their "To-Do" list. Just like any to-do list, Google could cross something off and release it, or endlessly procrastinate, or completely cancel something.

Nov

Android 4.2 SDK (API Level 17), SDK Tools r21, NDK Released Along With API Docs

Posted by Liam Spradlin in Android OS, Development, Jelly Bean 4.2, News

Today, with the official release of the Nexus 4, Nexus 10, and Nexus 7 HSPA+, Google has released the Android 4.2 SDK, "a new and improved Jelly Bean."

Along with the SDK release, Google has made available SDK Tools r21, the Android NDK, and of course some helpful API documents. Highlighting some of the benefits of the new SDK (and, by extension, Android 4.2), Google touts "Renderscript computation directly in the GPU" for the Nexus 10, "a first for any mobile computation platform," lock screen widgets, Daydream, incredibly enhanced support for external displays, and optimizations for international users.

A full list of changes (specifically those pertinent to developers) can be found in the API docs, linked at the end of this post.

Sep

Google Drive Update For Android Brings Improved Presentation Viewing, Basic Table Support In Docs, And More

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Applications, Google, News

Before I get your hopes up, no they haven't improved spreadsheets yet. However, that is on the way. What is arriving now, though, is the ability to add comments to your documents, view tables, and improved Google presentations viewing support. You'll even get speaker notes and the ability to swipe between slides.

There are more features on their way. Here at Android Police HQ, we've been eagerly awaiting proper spreadsheet editing (which is currently horrible to an unusable degree), and Google has seen fit to name check that very feature in its "More to come..." section. Hopefully it won't be too much longer, and we'll finally be able to see the results of that Quickoffice purchase.

Jun

Google Drive Updated To Version 1.1.1.6, Brings The Ability To Transfer Any File Type, Faster Navigation While Transferring, And Text Alignment In The Document Editor

Posted by Cameron Summerson in Applications, News

Google Drive just saw its first update since back in April when it shed the Docs nametag. The update is relatively minor, but still brings some worthwhile enhancements and tweaks:

Quickly find files that have been recently opened, edited or shared with you
Upload/Download all file types to/from your Google Drive
Selecting contacts to share with is easier
Faster navigation of folders when syncing in the background
Choose text alignment in the documents editor

Frequent users of the Drive app will surely take pleasure in the faster navigation while sync is in progress, as the app could get quite sluggish at times; the ability to upload all file types is definitely a welcome improvement and one more step in Google's quest to take out cloud storage heavyweight Dropbox.

Jun

[Update: Rollout Begins On June 22] Verizon's DROID RAZR/RAZR MAXX ICS 4.0.4 (Build 6.16.211) Update Docs Now Live

Posted by Liam Spradlin in Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0, News, RAZR / RAZR MAXX, Verizon Wireless

Update: Verizon just posted on its official blog that the rollout is slated to begin today, June 22.

Verizon has just uploaded the official support documents for the RAZR / RAZR MAXX Ice Cream Sandwich update (which by the way will be build 6.16.211 – the same build that recently leaked). With the docs going live just moments ago, users should expect the update to officially start rolling out any day now.

The update, besides upgrading your device to Android 4.0.4 (including many of the features we've come to love like folder creation, data usage, etc), brings global roaming, improved Bluetooth audio quality for music enjoyment, and other various other improvements to Verizon apps and basic phone functions.

Jun

[Breaking] Google Acquires Quickoffice - Let The Productivity Wars Begin

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Google, News

So, Google just acquired Quickoffice, one of the leading distributors of productivity and office software for Android. The company, best known for being better than Docs or Microsoft Office on Android, has now been purchased by the search giant. Google says that the company will be working to bring Quickoffice's "record of enabling seamless interoperability with popular file formats" among other "powerful technology" to its Apps product suite.

This is exciting news for Google ~~Docs~~ Drive. The company's interest in its office software has been growing lately, with a revamp of its Docs service, and the addition of the Dropbox-like Drive software.

Apr

Extensive Hands-On With Google Drive: They Forgot The Beta Tag

Posted by Ron Amadeo in Applications, News

Google Drive is real, and it's out, and I've been playing with it. If you haven't heard, Drive is Google's cloud storage offering. You get 5 GB free with an option to buy more.

You're going to hear two phrases over and over again in this hands on, so you'd better get used to them now: get ready to see "like Dropbox" and "like Google Docs" a lot.

Google Docs, by the way? Gone. It's dead. Totally replaced by Google Drive. The Android Docs app updates to Google Drive, the website has changed over too, and "Docs" is now replaced by "Drive" in the black navigation bar.

Apr

Google Docs Becomes Google Drive, Is Now Live On The Web And In The Play Store

Posted by Cameron Summerson in News

It's already shaping up to be one hell of a day from Google - first the Galaxy Nexus lands in the Play Store, and now Google Drive is go! Drive.google.com is now up, the app just landed in the Play Store (updated Google Docs), and a pair of videos just hit YouTube details Drive and the SDK.

Once you sign up for the free 5GB of storage space with Drive, it takes you directly into your Google Docs page, where it asks if you want to convert Docs into Drive. Once accepted, you can download the Drive app for your Windows desktop.

Mar

Zoho Finally Takes On Google In The Mobile Space, Releases Docs and CRM To The Play Store

Posted by Cameron Summerson in Applications, News

Despite what many people think, Google Docs is not the only online-based office suite. In fact, some may say that a few of the others - like Zoho Office, for example - are even more full-featured than GDocs.

If you've been thinking about leaving El Goog behind and jumping over to Zoho's house, but the lack of an Android app has been the deciding factor that kept you from making the leap, we have good news: ZOHO Docs is finally available on Android.

ZDocs looks strikingly like to GDocs, which should aid in making the transition into the new home for all of your on-the-go office needs a quick and easy one.

Feb

Microsoft OneNote Arrives On The Android Market, Uses Your SkyDrive To Sync Notes, Is Gorgeous

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Apps/Games, News

Google Docs on Android is, to put it politely, crap. While the app was recently updated with a nice tablet interface for viewing documents, editing them has always been kind of a pain, and ugly to boot. Microsoft is stepping up to save the day with their simple, elegant OneNote app for Android. Because screw your expectations.

The only downside seems to be that if you already have .one files on your Android device, OneNote won't read them. Disappointing for already-avid users, but for the rest of us, OneNote will act very similarly to Google Docs by syncing with your SkyDrive account automatically.