apps

311 'apps' stories May 2011 - October 2014

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Google launches Primer mobile app to help startups with their marketing needs

Mark Hearn Oct 9 2014 - 10:29 am PT

Today, Google launched a new mobile app for startups called Primer, an interactive tool that helps companies with their marketing needs. Available now on iOS, the software cranks out five minute lesson plans for subjects like Content Marketing, PR & Media and Search Advertising. A simplified experience, Primer is packed with case studies, insider tips and quizzes designed to make marketing easier.

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Google Play now accepts PayPal in Australia, Greece, New Zealand, Portugal, Singapore and Sweden

Mark Hearn Oct 9 2014 - 7:36 am PT

Google started accepting PayPal payments for Google Play app purchases earlier this year in 12 countries, including the US, France and Germany. Today, the company has expanded this payment option to Australia, Greece, New Zealand, Portugal, Singapore and Sweden.

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Nokia’s HERE Maps now available for select Samsung Galaxy devices

Mark Hearn Oct 8 2014 - 7:06 am PT

If you abstained from trying the recent leak of Nokia’s HERE Maps for Android, you can now download an official release — as long as you’re using a compatible Samsung device. Available from the Galaxy app store, this Google Maps alternative packs some nifty features like turn-by-turn directions, public transit routes and its standout offline navigation support.

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For the hearing impaired: new Google Glass app is closed captioning for the real world (video)

Mark Hearn Oct 3 2014 - 12:52 pm PT

From keeping soldiers safe to assisting doctors during surgery, Google Glass is slowly transitioning from being a cool tech demo to a useful real world tool. Soon to contribute to the wearable’s mainstream appeal is a new text captioning app developed at the Georgia Institute of Technology that transcribes spoken word via a companion Android app.

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Google Play to start listing in-app purchase price ranges

Mark Hearn Sep 22 2014 - 12:18 pm PT

Google will soon list a price-range for in-app purchases on items in Google Play. Hopefully this new policy will help reduce the number of misrepresented software lurking in the Play Store. In some cases apps, especially games are listed as free, but later reveal subscription fees and pricey in-game items that can be purchased with real world cash.

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Google Docs, Slides and Drawings now equipped with automated list formatting

Mark Hearn Sep 18 2014 - 11:02 am PT

Today, Google announced a couple of updates for its office software suite that should increase productivity for frequent users. The search giant has added a new formatting feature to Docs, Slides and Drawings that automatically creates bullet points or numbered lists after typing an applicable character at the beginning of a paragraph. For example, if you type an asterisk followed by the spacebar, Docs will automatically add a bullet point to that particular segment.

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Microsoft OneNote now available for Android Wear

Mark Hearn Sep 16 2014 - 10:05 am PT

Today, Microsoft announced that its OneNote application is now available for Android Wear smartwatches. This means that owners of devices like the LG G Watch, Samsung Gear Live and Moto 360 can now install the 3.2MB software and start recording notes with their wearable by saying “OK Google, take a note.”

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New Chrome for Android search feature answers questions as you type

Mark Hearn Sep 15 2014 - 9:36 am PT

You’ve got questions. Chrome for Android has answers. A new experimental feature lurking inside of Mountain View’s mobile browser will attempt to address your queries as you key them into your smartphone or tablet. Similar to the answers displayed at the top of Google’s search results , this new functionality will produce a card in response to your question.

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HTC Lock Screen now available at Google Play

Mark Hearn Sep 11 2014 - 12:20 pm PT

Today, HTC continued its trend of separating its Sense software by releasing its homegrown lock screen to Google Play. The lone change for this quasi-app is listed as a “mechanism to prevent you from unintentionally triggering factory reset.” Compatible with newer HTC devices running Sense 6, this app has likely been added to the Play Store to help the company crank out faster updates for specific software.

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eBay for Android updated with a new design and in-app notifications

Mark Hearn Sep 11 2014 - 10:34 am PT

If you’re eyeing a new smartphone and plan on unloading your old gear on eBay to finance your next purchase, you’ll be glad to know that the world famous e-commerce company has redesigned its Android app. Hopping on the Material Design bandwagon, version 2.7 ships with a simple, flat, sterile look that features larger photos and refined search results.

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Google Play two hour refund policy now official for apps and games

Mark Hearn Sep 10 2014 - 1:05 pm PT

Last month, we found out that Google was extending the return period for some of Google Play’s games from 15 minutes to two hours. A new update to the company’s support page has confirmed the change, making the two hour refund policy official for paid applications and games. An extra hour and 45 minutes sounds great, but it should be noted that way back in the days of the Android Market, Google used to give customers a full day to return undesirable software.

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You can now install free Chrome Web Store apps without a Google account

Mark Hearn Sep 9 2014 - 8:13 am PT

Casual Chrome users rejoice! You can now install free apps without having to sign into the Chrome Web Store. Revealed by platform evangelist François Beaufort, this new option lets people pick up software without the need of a Google account. This type of setup could be useful to people who haven’t fully committed to using Mountain View’s web browser on a full-time basis.

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Twitter’s new ‘Buy’ button lets you purchase products directly from within your timeline

Mark Hearn Sep 8 2014 - 11:13 am PT

Starting today, a small group of US Twitter users will start seeing tweets from the shorthand social network’s partners loaded with products and a sales pitches, along with a new “Buy” button option for quick purchases. In a blog post today, the company announced that this is one of its first efforts to introduce shopping to your timeline.

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Facebook for Android passes 1 billion Play Store installs, becomes first non-Google app to do so

Stephen Hall Sep 2 2014 - 11:31 am PT

Following Google’s official Maps app hitting this big milestone earlier this year, the Facebook app has become the very first third party application to hit the 1 billion install mark on the Play Store. Not many apps ever reach this number, but with Facebook being the world’s most popular social network, it would make sense that Zuckerberg and Co. would be the first outside of Google to do it. Notably, this actually proves that Facebook is more popular than many of Google’s own offerings, including Chrome, Hangouts, and Google Search. Which of Google’s apps have hit the big billion? Maps, as mentioned, along with Google Play Services, Gmail, and YouTube have all beat Facebook.

Google Opinion Rewards now available in the Netherlands

Mark Hearn Aug 28 2014 - 2:04 pm PT

Google’s fairly new Opinion Rewards app is now available to Android users in the Netherlands. If you’re unfamiliar with this piece of software, it’s pretty much Mountain View’s take on quid pro quo, with users taking brief surveys in exchange for Google Play credit.

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OneDrive for Android updated with merged business and personal account access

Mark Hearn Aug 28 2014 - 11:31 am PT

Microsoft’s OneDrive cloud storage mobile app received an update today across multiple platforms. The Android flavor of the new software push mixes work with play, giving users access to their personal and business files at the same time without having to switch accounts.

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Refreshed Hangouts in Gmail makes it easier to see who’s online

Mark Hearn Aug 26 2014 - 2:37 pm PT

Today, Google announced an update that improves Hangout’s integration in Gmail. In an effort to make your contacts more accessible, this new tab displays friends who are online first, followed by those who aren’t. You can still send messages to offline contacts, however they won’t get them until they sign into Hangouts from a desktop, smartphone or tablet.

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Tech News & Weather updated with new widgets and a refreshed UI

Mark Hearn Aug 26 2014 - 10:29 am PT

Google rolled out a new update for its News & Weather Android app today that brings a much needed facelift for the aging software. Version 2.0 introduces a new Material Design inspired setup with a card layout akin to what you’d see with Google Now that lets users navigate the app’s menu by swiping through content.

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Amazon’s Fire Phone gets its first update, mostly things it should have had in the first place

Ben Lovejoy Aug 19 2014 - 4:59 am PT

Amazon’s Fire Phone didn’t get off to the best of starts, with most reviews panning it, but it just got a little better thanks to its first over-the-air update – mostly providing things it should have had in the first place.

Fire OS 3.5.1 provides a quick means of switching between apps, app folders, pinning of favorite apps to the home carousel, improved battery-life and more. To install it, swipe down from the top of the home screen to open Quick Actions, select Settings, then tap Device > Install system updates > Check Now to download. Once it’s downloaded, tap Install System Update and wait for the restart.

If the improvements are enough to make you consider a Fire Phone of your own, it’s available direct from Amazon from $649 outright or from $0 to $299 on contract.

You can read chapter-and-verse on all the improvements below.
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Google Now updated with alternate flight recommendations for delayed travelers

Mark Hearn Aug 13 2014 - 7:22 am PT

If you frequently travel, then you know that airports can be a mess. You arrive a couple hours before your flight to make it through an airline’s grueling check-in process, only to find out your flight has been delayed. Now playing the waiting game, you sit around wondering if it’ll be minutes or hours before you board your flight. Apparently Google is aware of this type of situation and the company has updated its Google Now platform with new features for globetrotters.

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Google turning down its Flash Maps API on September 2nd

Mark Hearn Aug 12 2014 - 7:16 am PT

Google announced today that it’s completely turning down Google Maps API for Flash on September 2nd. This decision follows suit with the company’s initial depreciation period, which started almost three years ago. Developers now have three weeks to migrate their outdated applications to JavaScript Maps API v3 in order for them to remain relevant.

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New apps on Fire TV: Disney Channel, NFL Now, MLB.TV, Animal Planet L!ve, more

Stephen Hall Aug 4 2014 - 6:58 am PT

Amazon has announced this morning that a slew of new media apps are now available for your enjoyment on the Fire TV. On top of the platform’s already large number of apps, you can now access WATCH Disney Channel, WATCH Disney Jr., MLB.TV, Animal Planet L!ve, and the WWE Network. The company says that even more are coming though, including WATCH ABC, NFL Now, A&E, Lifetime, and more.

The press release also touts the company’s TV gaming endeavors including its exclusive deal with Rovio to bring Angry Birds Family to the Fire TV. The company says that many more apps and games are on their way to the platform, and that this is just the beginning.

New services include WATCH Disney Channel, WATCH Disney Jr., MLB.TV, Animal Planet L!ve, and WWE Network, and more are already on the way—by the end of the year TV services such as WATCH ABC, WATCH ABC Family, NFL Now, A&E, Lifetime, Outside TV, Young Hollywood, North Face TV, Fashion TV, Green TV andDailymotion will all be available to Fire TV customers.

Google Maps navigation beta now available in El Salvador, Libya, Nicaragua, Paraguay and Tunisia

Mark Hearn Aug 1 2014 - 11:43 am PT

A beta for Google Maps navigation is now available in El Salvador, Libya, Nicaragua, Paraguay, and Tunisia. While some countries may take this feature for granted, other territories don’t widely have access to this type of free software. For example, residents of North Korea have combined their efforts to produce a community developed version of Google Maps.

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Wunderlist updated with new layout and real-time list syncing

Mark Hearn Jul 31 2014 - 4:12 pm PT

6Wunderkinder released a new version of its Wunderlist productivity app today and according to the company this is the software’s biggest revision yet. Wunderlist 3 ships with over 60 improvements, however its standout changes are a retooled design and real-time sync which keeps your lists up to date across multiple devices.

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