Welcome back to our weekly Top 10 Android App Updates column, where we take a look at the most upgraded apps for the week. I’ve found that one of the best ways to discover useful apps is to look at what people are actually updating, and not focus on which apps have the most installs.

// [...]]]>

Welcome back to our weekly Top 10 Android App Updates column, where we take a look at the most upgraded apps for the week. I’ve found that one of the best ways to discover useful apps is to look at what people are actually updating, and not focus on which apps have the most installs.

To find the most updated apps, I turn to AppAware. It’s a great tool that shows me which apps have active support from their developers and sometimes reminds me of an old app that I might have removed long ago. Make sure to install it so your activity can help determine our weekly top 10 list.

The following is a Top 10 list of apps which were updated in the last seven days and received the most updates during that time period on AppAware. Based on previous feedback, I am filtering out apps that have over 10 million installs since most are well known. I hope you enjoy this weekly feature and discover some apps that you might find useful.

AppAware – Version 3.1.0

AppAware Find the Best Apps 42matters AG - AppAware PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

What’s new in this version:

1. By popular demand: Bookmarks have been turned into Likes and made public to engage with your friends
2. Added: possibility to share apps also by email
3. Added: full compatibility with Google Play Store
4. Fixed: minor bugs

Have you seen the new AppAware website? This service is so amazing if you are an app lover and I’m surprised it hasn’t passed 100k installs yet. Get the app now, check out the desktop site, and let us know what you think.

Wifi Analyzer – Version 3.0.6

Wifi Analyzer farproc PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

What’s new in this version:

1. Improved translations.

This is a neat little network tool that can help boost your local WiFi network. If you are still using 2.4 GHz 802.11b WiFi, there are only 11 channels available and it’s easy to get interference with your neighbors. This app lets you scan the networks around you and suggest which channel to place your WiFi router on for least interference. Check out the how-to video in the Google Play Store if you need help.

Pulse News – Version 2.8.2

Pulse News Alphonso Labs PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

What’s new in this version:

1. Tablet bug fix
2. Performance enhancements
3. Fresh reading view and easy to use options!
4. Combined sharing view to share to multiple networks at once!

I still prefer Google Reader for keeping up with my news sources, but Pulse is a great reader if you prefer something a little more visually pleasing. The latest update is pretty minor, but download Pulse if you have never tried it before. Make sure to add Android and Me to your feed to get all our latest stories.

Beautiful Widgets – Version 4.0.2

Beautiful Widgets LevelUp Studio PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

What’s new in this version:

1. Multiple weather forecast
2. Web skin market with cloud to device technology
3. Web skin mixer and few others new features
4. Bugfixes such as hiding the background for numbers, etc.

Beautiful Widgets was the first paid app to surpass 1 million downloads and it keeps going strong with new updates. The latest update allows you to add multiple forecasts to a single widget. The app price is back up to $2.79, but it’s worth it if you like to customize your homescreen.

Go Calendar Widget – Version 2.99

GO Calendar Widget GO Launcher Dev Team PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

What’s new in this version:

1. (Fixed) It may get crash when paging the widget.
2. (Improve) If you are not using the GO Launcher EX, you will find an icon in your screen.

The Go Launcher Dev team continues to amaze me. Their Go Launcher EX is one of the most popular home screen replacements and all their apps are of the highest quality. Go Calendar Widget is similar to the default widget, but it supports switching between months by flipping like a real calendar. Just like all the other like other GO Widgets, themes are also supported.

Firefox – Version 10.0.3

Firefox Mozilla PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

What’s new in this version:

1. Improved Sync set-up
2. Bug fixes
3. More: www.mozilla.org/mobile/10.0/releasenotes

Poor Mozilla. They keep updating Firefox, but it’s really falling behind the other alternative browsers like Dolphin HD. Firefox downloads have slowed down and the app maintains a poor average rating of 3.5, while Dolphin has soared past 10 million installs and boasts an amazing 4.7 review score.

Foursquare – Version 2012.3.9

Foursquare foursquare PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

What’s new in this version:

1. Updated translations.

This is a minor update to Foursquare, but I tossed it in because I love this app. Since I started to filter out apps with over 10 million installs, I’ve been surprised at some of the apps that still come up in this list. Foursquare remains my number one app when I travel and I can’t wait to see the overhauled version that is coming soon. Even if you don’t like check-in apps, Foursquare is still very useful for its explore feature that shows you the best places around your location.

TeamViewer for Remote Control – Version 7.0.335

TeamViewer for Remote Control TeamViewer PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

What’s new in this version:

1. Fixed an issue on app startup on certain devices (i.e. Samsung Galaxy Note)

Android has a lot of remote access apps, but not many of them are free like TeamViewer. I’ve never used it, but it already has 1 million installs with an average review score of 4.7. It supports multiple desktop operating systems including Windows, Mac, and Linux and the viewer works on mobile devices with Android 1.6 or higher. The latest update adds support for the Galaxy Note, which I bet provides an amazing remote access experience with its 5.3 inch HD display.

File Expert – Version 4.1.4

File Expert Geek Software Technology Inc. PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

What’s new in this version:

1. Fix bug that pictures can’t display in the middle in landscape mode
2. Fix bug that the dialog box can’t slide on Android 4.0 OS
3. The donate plugin was renamed to Pro Key plugin for using exclusively features. Please go to Google Play to update.
4.  Add Memory Manager for all Pro Key owners(need root permission).

File Expert comes from Geek Software, makers of Root Explorer. The claim it’s the ultimate file manager and it looks to have the features to back it up. It’s designed for both advanced and entry level users and allows them manage files  stored on a local SD card, local WiFi network, or cloud storage servers like Dropbox and Box.net.

SoundCloud – Version 2.2.4

SoundCloud SoundCloud PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

What’s new in this version:

1. Maintenance release
2. refreshing streams to get rid of incorrect items
3. small bug fixes

SoundCloud allows users to record, listen and share their sounds privately or publicly on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Foursquare. The app also includes a social stream that lets users listen to, favorite and comment sounds from others. This latest update is a maintenance release that mainly includes bug fixes.

Go Weather – Version 1.9.16

GO Weather GO Dev Team PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

What’s new in this version:

1. (Fixed) Some MOTO devices are unable to play cloudy video.
2. (Improve) Color of text in default video.
3. (Improve) User experience of updating weather data.
4. (Improve) Save your battery in Position operation
5. (Improve) Add feedback option in the Menu

What more can we say? It’s a weather widget from the Go Launcher Team. If you like their other work, then you will love these widgets.

Honorable mentions

Did you see any Android apps that received notable updates in the last week? Share your suggestions in the comments below and we will add them to our honorable mentions list.

When I got my first Android phone a little over three years ago, one of my favorite things was to browse the Android Market and watch which apps were being pushed to the Android Market. Developers soon began to exploit the Just In section of the Android Market with fake updates to get their app to the [...]]]>

When I got my first Android phone a little over three years ago, one of my favorite things was to browse the Android Market and watch which apps were being pushed to the Android Market. Developers soon began to exploit the Just In section of the Android Market with fake updates to get their app to the top of the list, so Google eventually removed that feature.

Now when I want to see what’s new in the Android Market, I turn to AppAware. I’ve covered the app before and it’s been around for a couple years, but they just relaunched a couple months ago with a completely overhauled version that turned the service into a social network for app discovery.

AppAware Find the Best Apps 42matters AG - AppAware PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

I’ve found that one of the best ways to discover useful apps is to look at what people are actually updating, and not focus on which apps have the most installs. This shows me which apps have active support from their developers and sometimes reminds me of an old app that I might have removed long ago.

The following is a Top 10 list of apps which were updated in the last seven days and received the most updates during that time period on AppAware. I hope you enjoy this weekly feature and discover some apps that you might find useful.

Google Maps – Version varies with device

Since it comes pre-installed on most devices, I’m sure most of you already have this app. I’m still amazed at how many of my friends never update their apps though. The latest version features improved battery performance, so make sure you grab it right away.

What’s new in this version:

1. Improved battery performance for Latitude and Location History users.
2. Bug fixes

Maps Google Inc. PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

Adobe Flash Player 11 – Version varies by device

Flash Player for mobile devices is essentially dead, but Adobe is still pushing out minor bug fixes and performance tweaks. The latest version improves support for Android 4.0 devices and includes performance improvements, so grab it while you still can.

What’s new in this version:

1. This update to Adobe Flash Player 11 includes compatibility with Android 4 supported devices, performance improvements and bug fixes related to security and stability. The complete set of release notes can be found at: http://adobe.ly/s16mAX

Adobe Flash Player 11 Adobe Systems PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

Facebook for Android – Version varies with device

Facebook is the most popular Android app and it saw a major update this week. New additions includes games, faster navigation, access to mobile timelines, and more. Consider this a must update for any Facebook fans.

What’s new in this version:

1. Navigate anywhere, fast: Get to your groups, apps, pages, and settings with a single press
2. Search and you will discover: Look through friends, subscribers, apps, and pages
3. See your friends tags on pictures and zoom: New photo viewing experience
4. Faster notifications: Get alerted in real time with new push notifications
5. Games & Apps: Play games and access your favorite apps on the go
6. Access to mobile timeline (If you already have a timeline)
7. Access to friend lists and subscriptions

Facebook for Android Facebook PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

Kindle – Version varies with device

I don’t know what triggered it, but Kindle has seen an explosion in installs during the last 30 days. This recent update is just a minor bug fix, so we have nothing cool to report. If you have never checked out Kindle, they have thousands of free ebooks to read along with over a million books to purchase.

What’s new in this version:

1. Fixed a critical bug where the app would not open on certain devices.

Kindle AMZN Mobile LLC PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

Lookout Security & Antivirus – Version 7.4-8155d1c

I consider Lookout Security a must install for Android users. Not everyone needs the antivirus scanning features, but it’s always nice to have that extra layer of security. The real reason I use it is for the phone locating feature that provides a peace of mind in case I ever lose my device. We also appreciate the Lookout blog that attempts to educate users rather than scare them like most security firms.

What’s new in this version:

1. Lookout now supports French and Japanese! Set your device’s language to French or Japanese to access this functionality.
2. Threat details now available in German, French and Japanese for security and privacy alerts.

Lookout Security & Antivirus Lookout Mobile Security PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

ES File Explorer – Version 1.6.1.1

Can you believe Android still doesn’t have an official file manager? Android 3.0 added a downloads manager which helped a little, but I still find myself needing a full featured file manager at times. ES File Manager is the one I go to most often, and other users love it too. It currently has an average rating of 4.7, which is amazing when you consider it has over 10 million installs.

What’s new in this version:

1. Batch Uninstall
2. Disk Usage Graph
3. Uninstall System App
4. Customize Background
5. Change Language

ES File Explorer EStrongs Inc. PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

Titanium Backup ★ root - Version 4.7.7.1

If your Android device is rooted, Titanium Backup has a special version just for you. It has too many features to even list, so check out the Market description if you are rooted. Titanium Backup was recently voted as the top app for rooted devices and maintains an average review score of 4.8 with over 4 million installs.

What’s new in this version:

1. Added support for MIPS platforms (experimental)
2. Fixed FC when creating TB widgets (sorry!)
3. Updated translations
4. This is a bugfix release

Titanium Backup ★ root Titanium Track PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

Pulse News – Version 2.7.6

When I read my news, I prefer Google Reader for its simplicity and speed. For those that want a more visual friendly version of the news, I suggest Pulse. This update is a minor one, but the last version added a completely redesigned catalog of content and a feature called Smart Dock, that recommends sources based on what you read. If you use Pulse, make sure to browse their Android catalog and add Android and Me to your sources!

What’s new in this version:

1. blank reading view bug fixed
2. follows global sync settings (requires new permission)

Pulse News Alphonso Labs PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

Firefox – Version 10.0.2

Before I switched to Chrome a couple years ago, Firefox was my browser of choice. I haven’t touched Firefox in years, but it’s still a popular alternative browser. However, it appears their mobile version is still pretty sub-par with an average review score of 3.5. This update is minor, but you might want to check it out if you haven’t used it since they moved to version 10.0.

What’s new in this version:

1. Improved Sync set-up
2. Bug fixes

Firefox Mozilla PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

Layar – Version 6.1

Layar is one of those cool augmented reality apps that is fun to show off to your friends, but not something that you actually use that much. I’ve had it installed on my phone for awhile, but I rarely open it up. Over 10 million people have installed it, but it only has an average review score of 3.6. The latest version features a “friendlier design”, so check it out if you haven’t played with it in years.

What’s new in this version:

1. Directly Access Scan View via improved app navigation
2. App opens in scan mode
3. Tap to View: tap anywhere on the screen to initiate scan
4. Friendlier design

Layar Layar PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

Honorable mentions

Did you see any Android apps that received notable updates in the last week? Share your suggestions in the comments below and we will add them to our honorable mentions list.

Bump 3.0: “Bump is totally new! Bump two phones together to share photos, contacts, and apps!”

Bump Bump Technologies, Inc PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

Flickr: “9 New languages! German, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Korean, Traditional Chinese, Vietnamese and Bahasa Indonesia.”

Flickr Yahoo! Inc. PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

Mozilla is currently a friend to Android, supporting the Firefox browser for smartphones and tablets, but their long term vision is to develop open software that will eventually replace Google’s mobile OS. The project is called Boot to Gecko (B2G), and it’s a lot closer to reality than many realize.

Jay Sullivan, VP of Products [...]]]>

Mozilla is currently a friend to Android, supporting the Firefox browser for smartphones and tablets, but their long term vision is to develop open software that will eventually replace Google’s mobile OS. The project is called Boot to Gecko (B2G), and it’s a lot closer to reality than many realize.

Jay Sullivan, VP of Products at Mozilla, recently shared his vision for the Firefox project in 2012. “We want the platform in Firefox to enable app-quality experiences and developer productivity that rivals native platforms.” Very simply, they believe the open web can displace proprietary, single-vendor stacks (Android, iOS, WP7, etc) for application development.

You can see more of the Mozilla’s vision to become something bigger than Firefox in a video they recently uploaded to YouTube.

So does that mean we will see a Firefox phone? Publicly, Mozilla says they have no plans to build or distribute a custom device. However, if Boot to Gecko is successful then it could form the basis for one.

Their first test will come later this month at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Mozilla will demonstrate a working version of Boot to Gecko that developers can use as their day-to-day phone. The team at Mozilla selected the Samsung Galaxy S II as their development platform because the device was commercially available to Mozilla employees and it includes all the latest hardware like NFC.

If things go according to plan, Mozilla hopes they can convince an ODM or OEM to help them launch the first actual device that would ship with Boot to Gecko.

In an online FAQ, Mozilla says that they don’t expect Boot to Gecko will affect their relationships with other organizations such as Apple, Google, and Microsoft, but this project clearly competes with other products that those companies are working on.

Google’s version of their web operating system is called Chromium OS and it currently targets the desktop environment. These products are already in the market under the Chromebook brand, with retail prices starting at $299. I received a Samsung Chromebook at last year’s Google IO, but it didn’t quite offer the experience that I wanted so I gave it to my mom. She loves it.

Mozilla doesn’t seem to think that Boot to Gecko competes with Chromium OS because they are “aiming at mobile/tablet devices rather than a notebook form factor.” Google might have started with notebooks, but they already acknowledged that a tablet version of Chrome OS is in the works.

I have said before that I think Chrome OS will eventually come to smartphones, but I didn’t think it would happen for another five years. Google recently released Chrome browser for Android, so it’s not that much of a stretch to assume they are working on Chrome OS for smartphones.

Now with Mozilla pushing the boundaries of an open web operating system on mobile devices, it could force Google to accelerate their plans. Or not. Mozilla only has 20 engineers working full-time on Boot to Gecko, and I doubt that Google sees them as a threat yet.

Whatever happens, I’m interested to see where this goes – both with Mozilla’s Boot to Gecko, and Google’s Chrome OS. Google could definitely make Chrome OS their mobile platform of choice one day, but they already have so much invested in Android. I can’t picture any current scenario where Google would stop supporting Android, but anything is possible.

The main benefit of a web operating system to the average consumer, is a platform that is always up to date. Every time a user would turn their device on, it would automatically update itself. This would certainly solve Android’s nasty fragmentation problem, but I’m not sure if the wireless carriers are ready to go down that road.

Eventually though, someone will launch a retail mobile device with a true web operating system. It could be Mozilla or Google, or heck even Facebook. I’ll be at Mobile World Congress this month to let you know how close Mozilla is to achieving their vision.

How long do you think it will be before we see a smartphone that boots to the web?

Update: The collection of web apps that make up the UI for Boot to Gecko is called Gaia. The following are the designs provided by the Gaia team of the browser and gallery web apps. Apparently it was already demoed in public because I found some pics from a Dutch site and Japanese site.

Gallery

Update 2: Ryan Paul of Arstechnica just posted a first look at Boot to Gecko and Gaia.

The mobile version of Firefox includes a lot of the bells and whistles we know from the desktop version, like tabbed browsing, add-ons, themes, and bookmark syncing. Well- [...]]]> Today must be the day for major app launches, or something. Mozilla just officially dropped Firefox for Android in the Market, available for download now.

The mobile version of Firefox includes a lot of the bells and whistles we know from the desktop version, like tabbed browsing, add-ons, themes, and bookmark syncing. Well- bookmark syncing might not be a fair title. They call it Firefox Sync, which provides seamless and secure access to personal data across desktop and mobile devices, including browsing history, bookmarks, open tabs, form data and passwords.

They’re also boasting a speed boost, saying, “Firefox is up to three times faster than the stock browser on Android.” Which, at this point, is something I’ve yet to experience for myself. I’ve tried Firefox a few times through the develop process and found it pretty clunky. And while the version I tried today seemed a bit snappier, overall it still felt a bit cumbersome. As I downloaded it I thought I should test this browser out all day. But after literally a few minutes I was running back to my trusty Dolphin HD [or insert your preferred browser here, I'm not here to argue the details].

Firefox Mozilla PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

If you want some more Firefoxiness, you can find the market link and QR code above, or check out the handful of screens and video below.

Quick update: I’ve also noticed our site doesn’t load the mobile version when using Firefox, which I assume means they’ve not included “Android” in their user agent string. I’ll look into it later today and try to push a fix to make sure Firefox users and getting served the correct version of the site.

Mozilla does have some benchmark tests to back up their speedy claims, with several tests showing that Firefox is 2-3 times [...]]]> Mozilla has released an updated version of their Firefox 4 Beta browser application on the Android market. With this update, Mozilla is touting faster start-up, page load times and improved zooming ability and responsiveness.

Mozilla does have some benchmark tests to back up their speedy claims, with several tests showing that Firefox is 2-3 times faster than the stock Android browser. That being said, I have yet to see any pages actually load faster in Firefox than in the stock browser, no matter whether I was running over 3G or Wi-Fi. In all cases, the load times were either about the same or the stock browser was slightly faster. I’m sure that under ideal circumstances, the Firefox application is indeed a bit faster than the stock browser, though I’m skeptical of the 2-3 times faster Mozilla is claiming.

Some users, however, are reporting faster load speeds with the new beta, so I think we can safely assume the experience will be varied depending on your connection and other factors.

Regardless of browsing and load speeds, where Firefox really differentiates itself is in the nearly 100 Firefox add-ons that you can install to customize your mobile browsing experience. These add-ons make your PC browsing experience better, and Mozilla is betting it will do the same for your Android browsing experience as well.

Another solid differentiator is the inclusion of Firefox sync, which syncs your bookmarks, history, tabs, and saved passwords across your Android and PC/Mac computers for continuity of your browsing experience across platforms.

Those positives aside, the Firefox Beta still does not support Adobe Flash, which is likely to be a dealbreaker for many. We can only hope they include Flash support in the next/final release. (Thanks, Cheapskate88!)

Finally, the updated Firefox application is slimmed down from previous releases, but still comes in at a whopping 20 MBs of space. Fortunately, Firefox allows you to move the application to your SD card (on Android 2.2+), making space basically a non-issue. Users still on Android 2.1 may want to ensure they have the space available on their device before attempting to install Firefox.

If you use Firefox on your regular computer, or you’re simply looking for something to replace the stock browser, you may want to head over to the market and try out the free Firefox 4 Beta.

If you’re still on the fence, you can read tons more about the update and check out their promo video on Firefox’s site.

The latest [...]]]> Today Mozilla announced the new Firefox 4 Beta for mobile devices which is now available to download for Android. Based on our site analytics, Google’s Chrome browser is the top choice for our readers, but Firefox comes in at a close 2nd so I’m sure many will want to check this out.

The latest Firefox 4 Beta for mobile includes a 60% install size reduction on Android (from around 43 MB to 17 MB), reduces memory usage, and improves text rendering. Mozilla has also made quite a few UI improvements, which has undergone an overhaul to include an Android-inspired theme.

Things will continue to improve as the Mozilla team nears the final release. Currently they are working to add hardware acceleration to make scrolling and zooming even faster and will enable HTML5 video to “bring a more rich browsing experience to your phone”.

Mozilla is also encouraging developers to begin building add-ons for Firefox 4 Beta for mobile. If you want to get involved with the beta release visit the official project page.

This update of Firefox 4 Beta for mobile is smaller, sleeker and faster with:

• a 60% smaller install size
• a new theme with a fresh look and new features for tabbed browsing and link sharing
• optimizations that make it around 25% faster on the SunSpider Javascript benchmark than the stock browser on Android 2.2

Until now, the only engineers working on Fennec were platform developers whose job was to get the back-end code running. The [...]]]> Have you tried the pre-alpha build of Fennec for Android? Mozilla continues to ramp up development on the mobile version of Firefox and now they are adapting the user interface to Android.

Until now, the only engineers working on Fennec were platform developers whose job was to get the back-end code running. The current builds were designed around the look and feel of the Maemo OS, but now UI engineers are beginning to shape the browser to take full advantage of Android.

A new Mozilla employee, Matt Brubeck, has provided a quick progress report on the latest developments around Fennec. The list of issues is long, but Mozilla is listening to feedback and working feverishly to start providing nightly builds. The main areas of improvement include zoom and multi-touch, menu and back buttons, application size, hardware compatibility, and much more.

If you would like to participate in this open source project, join the official Fennec Android group and share your feedback. For the latest updates on new builds follow @MozMobile on Twitter and join the Firefox for mobile Facebook group.