Friday seems to be the Android web Market team's favorite day to release new features, no matter how incrementally small they may be. Today is no exception, as the web Market now includes a neat little breakdown chart of application ratings on each app page, together with a prominent average score. Have a look at the ratings for the Facebook app, which got an update today:
Every little bit counts, so thanks for this pre-weekend present, Google!
Cheers, Joseph!
Google +1 has been quietly rolled out over the last few months to Google users - allowing them to "+1" (aka, "Like") pages found in Google search results. Today, +1 has been expanded into a number of other Google services, including the Android Web Market:
Pretty neat, right? ROM Manager likes are already piling up. It's very likely we'll see +1 expanded onto the Android Market app in the future, as Google tries to make +1 a part of everyday life for Google users.
Additionally, YouTube, Blogger, and Product Search all have implemented +1. Google has announced a number of partner sites that will have embedded "+1" buttons for content and products (eg, Best Buy, Reuters), similar to the way other social sharing features are incorporated (like Tweet buttons).
Ever since the Android web Market was launched, one of my main gripes with its UI (let's not talk about content discovery here) was screenshot navigation. There were 2 basic problems - you could not click Next or Previous as those buttons did not exist, and the only way to close a screenshot close-up was by finding and clicking a tiny X button.
Most modern "lightbox"-style galleries already solved the aforementioned problems by adding easy navigation buttons and allowing you to click anywhere on the screen to dismiss the close-up. Today, Google quietly did just that, and then some.
Here are the 5 new features I just spotted that weren't there this morning:
Here, have a look:
Visit your favorite app in the Market and check it out for yourself.
A few days ago we reported that Motorola may be working on their own OS due to frustrations with Android fragmentation, lack of Google support, and most importantly, difficulty in developing a standout device in an Android-saturated market.
In an attempt to clarify this, Motorola spokeswoman Kira Golin told PCMag.com that "Motorola Mobility is dedicated to Android." But, in an almost condescending manner, she went on to say, "That's our statement, and I can't control how you interpret or print it."
Naturally, there are a few things that bother me about this statement, the first being the fact that they did not deny the existence of an alternate OS.
In an investor call today, Motorola's CEO Sanjay Jha revealed two interesting tidbits: first, that the ATRIX 4G's Webtop app and accessory are going to be made available for more Motorola devices in the future, and second, that Gingerbread updates for all of Motorola's high-end Android devices are in the works.
On the former, it may be hard for some to get excited about more Webtop action, as the ATRIX 4G's has been dubbed overpriced and "gimmicky." However, it's important to realize that if Moto plans on continuing to offer Webtop accessories and software, they will also continue improving them. Rather than letting the idea die with the ATRIX 4G, it seems likely that Motorola will work to make Webtop a viable and attractive choice for smartphone users, and that means the technology will have to evolve as time goes on.
You read that right: the Market now includes a totally awesome Books site. To be honest though, none of us is really sure what all has changed, since none of us really used it before - but it doesn't seem like a lot, other than a flipped switch. Let's start with what it looks like:
Notably, there's now a dropdown to sort by genre (to the left of the search box, above). When you select a book (protip: Sherlock Holmes is free... or if you're like Artem: Walden is free.), you're presented with the option to read it on the web or, assuming you already have Google Books set up and synced, on your Android device.
Ever heard of MenuPages? I hadn't until today, but I guess I live in a cardboard box. The popular website now offers an Android app for your convenience - but what's MenuPage's big feature when competing against the likes of UrbanSpoon and Yelp? You may have guessed it has something to do with menus.
MenuPages indexes the (wait for it, it's mind-blowing) menu contents of any restaurant their service lists, meaning you can search by the exact food you want, as opposed to browsing through broad genres of cuisine. Pretty nifty for foodies like myself, and I can say right now that this app has made a home on my phone for the foreseeable future.
I recently broke down and picked up a Bluetooth headset. I needed something to talk on while driving a stick-shift or working with both my hands. I wanted to get something awesome because, honestly, it's go big or go home when it comes to Bluetooth headsets, and you get what you pay for. I paid for a Jawbone ERA, and I got the best Bluetooth experience I've ever had (and I've had every iteration of the Jawbone at one time or another). I shot a quick video to show you all the features, but I couldn't show you everything using my camera, so there will be screenshots and explanations after that.
We don't want to jump to conclusions here, but it's February 2nd - the day of Google's Honeycomb- and "Android ecosystem"-related event, and the Market is currently experiencing downtime. It makes perfect sense given the rumors we've been hearing about an upcoming update to the Market, though it could, of course, be nothing more than scheduled maintenance. We hope we'll find out exactly what this is about later today - whatever it is, we'll keep you updated (pun intended)!
Google TV hasn't been in the wild for long, but major content providers like ABC, CBS, and NBC are already blocking their content from Google's awesome little TV companion. This, as you might have guessed, sucks.
With the advent of TV on the Internet, broadcasters have shown us time and time again that they just aren't ready to embrace the fact that we can get their content from sources other than our TVs. Luckily, says Reuters, Google is reported to be in active negotiations with the networks to get this content back on. As I'm sure you've guessed already, that essentially means that Google is figuring out how much money the networks are going to demand.
103,164
61,113
0
7,946
You can subscribe to RSS feeds for individual categories and receive updates on what interests YOU.
Loading ...
