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Google just updated the Google Drive app for Android and iOS.

The app’s most noteworthy new feature is the ability to edit spreadsheets, just like Google Docs. The Drive Team elaborated on the latest update via the official Google Drive blog:

From the Drive app on your iPhone, iPad or Android device, you can create a new spreadsheet or edit an existing one. You can switch fonts, resize columns, sort data, and more. And just like on your computer, you’ll be able to see other people’s edits in real time as they’re made.

The newest version also boasts improved text formatting when pasting, while Android users can exclusively edit text within tables in documents and add a homescreen shortcut to any file in Drive.

The full changelog (on Google Play):

• Edit Google spreadsheets in new native editor
• Edit contents of tables in Google Docs editor
• Formatting is maintained when copy/pasting within Google Docs
• Single tap to enter edit mode in Google Docs editor
• Add a shortcut to Drive files/folders to your homescreen for quick access
• Send Link now supports copying link to clipboard

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After many requests from paying subscribers, the folks over at Spotify introduced a completely overhauled Android app this morning. It features an all new user interface, speed boost, and support for Android 4.0. The app formerly lacked features that the iOS app has, but now it is updated to be on par with the app on the App Store. Spotify for Android allows users to listen to unlimited music and build playlists to their liking for only $10 a month. We are huge fans, especially since Android does not have an iTunes-like solution. Unlimited music anytime, on any device — what’s not to love.

The app adds full support for Ice Cream Sandwich, allowing the latest devices in the Android ecosystem to enjoy the platform. Without ICS support, users were not able to enjoy Spotify on the latest and greatest version of Android. Now that the app is working on the latest generation of Android devices, it is a huge bonus and frankly something that should have been already included.

As you can tell in the screenshots below, the big story here is that Spotify for Android has been given a huge overhaul compared to the old version of the app. Users can use the all-new slide-out navigation, view their friends’ Facebook profiles and playlists right on the app, and view album art in high-resolution. The app also features an overall speed enhancement that is very noticeable when you fire up the app.

Spotify plans to add folders and Last.fm scrobbling to the app before it goes live on the Play Store, but it was not included in the pre-release software that we tested.

Overall, Spotify has made some great changes that allow Android users to enjoy its service. Spotify has done a great job with this app, and it is now on-par, if not surpassing, the iPhone app. Spotify plans to launch the app very soon, and we will keep you updated when the app hits the Play Store. Now we just need to hear some more information on that rumored iPad app.

Check out the full gallery after the break:

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If you are an Android user, but are missing some of the features of the BlackBerry handsets, weep no longer. According to TechnoBuffalo, RIM’s popular BlackBerry Messenger service is set to launch for Android and iOS sometime later this year. Buffalo’s sources were able to provide a shot of the app running in an Android code debugger. Looks cool, huh? Check out another shot of BBM running after the jump.
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Tumblr, a popular blogging service, was updated today with a slew of new features. Most notably, the app features an upgraded user-interface that looks great. Posting on your blog is now much easier and snappier thanks to this update. Tumblr for Android also features “Tumblr Radar,” which displays top posts from across Tumblr’s network of blogs. If you update today, you will notice better photo-browsing and multiple blog notifications. You can check out the full release notes after the break.

 

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Previously only available as an iOS and web application, Vimeo announced today that Android and Kindle Fire specific versions are available now. For the most part, the apps mirror the functionality of the iOS app, with the ability to upload, watch video, share, and view profiles, stats, and subscriptions. The only feature that remains iOS-only appears to be video editing.

When the app eventually lands in the Android Market sometime today, it will be available to all devices running Android 2.3 or higher.

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Google has just started rolling out an update to the Gmail app for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch with a few new welcomed features. First off, users now have the ability to set a custom signature for messages as well as a vacation responder. Both of those new features will be available via the gear icon at the top of the app’s new menu. The update also includes support for nested labels and the usual “bug fixes and UI improvements”.

A new Scribbles feature allows you to open a canvas, draw a picture or sketch with multiple colors, brush sizes and line elements, and attach it to a message within Gmail. Scribbles is available now in both the Gmail iOS app and Gmail mobile web app. Another notable and highly requested change is a new notification sound on iOS 5, making it easier to tell when you’ve received an email

Google also mentioned in their blog post that they are continuing to work on some of the most requested features from users including multiple login support, banner notifications, and a “send as” feature to mail send mail from multiple accounts within the app.

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Google has just pushed out an update to the Google+ iOS app compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad, bringing it up to version 1.0.7.2940 and introducing a few new features including full resolution photo uploads, search, and photo +1. Also included are the usual bug fixes and performance enhancements. As always, you can grab the update from the App Store now or download the free app if you haven’t already.

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Google has updated Google Voice for Android to version 0.4.2 — a small update — but the app now features group texting, offline voicemail, and improved text message notifications.

Offline voicemail is definitely the big feature here, letting users listen to voicemail in spotty coverage areas. Now if there could be some improvements to the iOS app and MMS available on all carriers. Download it now!

What’s in this version:

1. Prefetch voicemails so they can be listened to even when there is no data coverage
2. Allow sending text messages to multiple recipients
3. Improved text message notification

While you might usually ignore the 99 cent Android apps being discounted on Amazon, you’ll probably want to grab today’s deal with productivity suite OfficeSuite Professional 5 discounted from $15 to $0. If you’re unfamiliar with the app, expect the ability to create, view, edit, and share Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files. (as well as view PDFs) with a slick file browser, Google Docs integration, and a two-pane UI optimized for Honeycomb tablet users. The app’s page on the Market also claims it’s the only “mobile office for Android that allows opening of password protected” files. We haven’t had time to put OfficeSuite 5 to the test, but many OEMs including Sony Ericsson selected it to come preinstalled on over 20 million devices, so they must be doing something right. There’s a video of the app in action courtesy of AndroidAuthority after the break.

If you haven’t checked out the latest version, here’s what’s new in OfficeSuite 5:

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In addition to an updated iPad app, VMware has also announced today that the Android version of their mobile View client is officially available for public consumption. Until now, the Android client had only been available as a tech preview.

“Whether you are using a Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 or 10.1, an LG/T-mobile G-Slate, a Motorola Xoom or any of the other newly available Honeycomb-based Android tablets or the Cisco Cius, you can get the most of your View desktop on the Android tablet you choose.”

Available as a free download in the Android Market, the VMware View for Android client allows you to access a Windows-based virtual machine running in the VMware View 4.6 (or later) desktop software over WiFi or 3G.

Much of the look and feel of the Android client mirrors the recently updated iPad version. The client supports multitasking, (allowing you to switch to another Android app without losing your current session), and the majority of other features including quick connect VM list, an overall similar UI, embedded RSA soft tokens, and support for the PCoIP display protocol.

The app currently includes support for German, French, Japanese, Korean, and Simplified Chinese languages, as well as local input mode as explained below:

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AllThingsD is reporting this evening that Google will shutdown Slide, a company they acquired for $200 million last year. All of Slide’s products will be shutdown — except Prizes.org (via TechCrunch). While the rest of the Slide team will continue to work at Google, Slide’s found Max Levchin is leaving. A Google spokesperson told AllThingsD:

“Max has decided to leave Slide and Google to pursue other opportunities, and we wish him the best. Most of the team from Slide will remain at Google to work on other opportunities.”

Before being shutdown by Google, the Slide team was hard at work on Photovine, a photo sharing app that was released by Google just one week ago. The app was focused on sharing photos specific to a certain category, or vine, with the community. Sadly, Photovine will receiving the axe over the next few months — along with Slide’s other products like Disco and Pool Party. So why would Google kill off a part of their company that released something just a week ago.. and paid $200 million for?

Updated: Slide’s official blog post has gone up. Continue after the break..

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdT3eKdto4w&feature=player_embedded]

Historypin, a user-generated map displaying historical data of nearby locations (previously only available on Android devices), is now available as an iOS app for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Created in partnership with Google by not-for-profit We Are What We Do, the app allows users to add their own historical photos by pinning them to a map, capturing historic moments as they happen, and creating replicas of historical images. The images are then shared with users requesting data for a specific location….

Historypin uses Google Maps and Street View technology to reveal the user-generated photos and data related to historical events that happened close to your current location. It does this by “overlaying them onto the live camera view”…essentially aiming to give you a live snapshot of what your surroundings looked like in the past.

Simply holding your phone up in the street will provide you with relevant nearby images. Selecting one of the images allows it to be overlaid onto the iPhone’s camera view. You can then fade between the image and your live shot for comparison, as well as pull up stories and data related to the image and your current location.

Full list of features and some shots of the app in action after the break…

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Google has just released a new version of the Google Search app for Android that includes several welcomed UI enhancements and new features. Among the more notable, an “updated and simplified” UI (image above),  country-specific suggestions and search results,  and suggestions can now be grouped by type (web suggestions on top).

From the Google Mobile Blog:

• Suggestions grouped by type, with web suggestions at the top.
• Country-specific suggestions and search results for all countries with Google domains.
• Long press to remove history items.
• Faster, smoother performance, with an updated and simplified user interface.

The update is available for devices running Android 2.2 and up… you can swing by the market and grab it now. Google also posted some tips for some of the enhancements that have been incorporated in the update:

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Google has just pushed an update for the official Google+ app for iOS, bringing with it support for iPad and iPod touch, two devices the app was previously unavailable for, among a few other features including aggregated circle add notifications, huddle settings, and the usual “Performance and stability improvements”.

You should be able to update the app now via the App Store or swing by iTunes and grab the new version now. We’ll keep you posted with any other discoveries we might make in this latest update.

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8gvHaX1cwY&]
Have Google+ notifications been unreliable on your Android device? Thanks to a rather hefty update to the Android app last night, Google has now introduced much needed “improved notifications reliability”, among the other dozen or so improvements and fixes included in the update.

Version 1.0.5 of the Google+ app for Android includes some of the enhancements made to the browser version of the service such as grouping new Circle related notifications together, rather than bombarding your notifications bar with each new addition.

The notifications system is said to be more reliable in this latest update, but whether or not it will cure issues users are having with infrequent, outdated, and often non-existent notifications is yet to be seen. Even if you haven’t experienced these issues, we recommend dropping by the Market now and grabbing the 1.0.5 update to take advantage of the other handful of welcomed fixes listed below.

What’s in this version:

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Available in the Android Marketplace, FastCustomer allows you to skip the wait involved with calling a company’s customer service line. After you select which company you’d like to talk to, FastCustomer will call you when an actual customer service rep  is available — no longer do you have to sit through thirty minutes of elevator music. Luckily, there are close to 2,500 companies available. FastCustomer is also available on the iPhone.

via Gadget Box

While most apps size up well on most of Android’s tablets and larger smartphones, the Android team has announced a new feature that will allow users to size apps that won’t quite fit their screen. Any Android app on the Market that doesn’t target a larger screen through code will get this new feature.

To enable this functionality, developers need to add one line of code:  android:xlargeScreens=”true”.

If a larger screen target can’t be found, Android will enable the feature in the bottom right of the device. Users can either select “stretch to fill screen” or “zoom to fill screen”. Since larger 1080P Google TVs run Android, this is a great feature to have. Also, does this  help or hurt Android fragmentation?
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Google+ user Ufuk Kayserilioglu was able to use his Google Apps account in Google+ for a short time today — sorta. As he notes below, he was able to sign into Google+ with a Google Apps account with some accidental trickery.

I discovered it by accident: I was logged into Google+ with my Google Account and into my Google Apps account (on the Paralaus domain), as secondary, with multiple sign-on. For some reason Google decided to log me off all my Google accounts. At that point, I made the initial login with my Google Apps account and secondary with my Google Account. I was unaware that Google+ was open on another tab. I tried to reshare something publicly, and was confused that it was saying Paralaus where it should be saying Public. Picking that options told me that only “People on Paralaus can find and view” my post. It was then that I realized I was able to use Google+ with my Google Apps account in a hybrid mode where I was not fully logged in but some elements were available; almost as a preview. ;)

Our own Seth Weintraub would love to see this feature come to Google+, as I’m sure many of you would too. While this was just a ‘preview’, we do expect Google Apps support to come very soon.

via Google Operating System
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The Facebook for Android app has been updated giving users the ability to upload video, see more story types in news feed, and browse Page walls, reports Inside Facebook. In this age, being able to post video is obviously a crucial feature. Users take videos everyday, especially on their smartphone, and want to share them with their friends.  Lastly, when users browse to a Facebook Page they can view the Page’s wall to read news and updates.

Facebook for iPhone still has the upper-hand when it comes to features, but these updates are a step in the right direction.
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