The main screen has [...]]]> Well, what have we here? It seems that popular mega-retailer Target has quietly released an Android application into the market. Though the 1.0.1 release is still fairly basic, it still manages to sport all the basics people might need from an Android app, and will hopefully only get better with time.

The main screen has three ways to view Target content; users can view the weekly ad for their region, view clearance items, or college essentials. I assume the college essentials will be a seasonal topic that will change from time to time, but without an official press release (that I can find anyway), it’s a bit too soon to tell.

After perusing a bit through some items, it doesn’t appear that you can purchase anything directly through the Target application, but you can view the item’s availability at nearby stores (right down to the aisle you can find the product on), and get directions and store hours for your store of choice. This feature could come in pretty handy, though it would be very nice to see them add the ability to purchase items from directly within the application.

One additional feature the Target app integrates that is a bit surprising is a barcode scanner. I don’t know what use the barcode scanner is going to have other than looking up a price for something that might not have a price displayed, but the inclusion of the scanner is enough to pique my curiosity. I don’t believe Target would go the route of allowing customers to price compare like a ShopSavvy or a Barcode Scanner would, so time will tell whether or not the barcode scanner will actually come in handy for anything.

The Target app is currently available in the Android Market for the low, low price of free. Head on over to the market and download it today! Make sure to let us know what you think about the Target application in the comments.

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Popular textbook money-saving search engine CampusBooks has released an Android [...]]]> As we have now reached the month of August, summer is coming to a close and millions of college students around the country are cramming in as much fun as they can before they need to once more start thinking about heading back to school.

Popular textbook money-saving search engine CampusBooks has released an Android application which hopes to make the back-to-school transition a bit easier on college students. The CampusBooks Android app brings the power of the CampusBooks.com textbook buying and selling hub right to your Android device.

Want to make sure you have the best price when purchasing a textbook? How about at the end of the semester when it’s time to sell those books back? Simply use the embedded barcode scanner to scan the textbook’s barcode, and your phone’s GPS features allows CampusBooks to provide the local cheapest buying price (and highest sellback price) around.

Now, I know what you’re thinking; Barcode Scanner or ShopSavvy allow you to do this relatively easily as well, and you’re partially correct. Though these applications allow you to find the lowest buying price of books, in my experience they have been hit-or-miss with textbooks, and they don’t offer the ability to find the highest price for sellbacks. Because the CampusBooks application specializes in textbook, it simply provides more functionality in this area than the generic barcode scanner applications can.

So whether you’re a college-bound student this fall, or returning for another glorious year, head over to the market and try out CampusBooks and see if it makes your bookbuying experience that much easier. Let us (and other readers) know what you think of the CampusBooks Android application by leaving a comment below.

Best of all, it’s free.