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Top 10 Android app updates: Pocket, Hooked, Skyscanner, AIVC, TapTu, …

Taylor Wimberly — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 22:50:41 +0000

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.

This week I’m going to do things a little different. I normally filter out apps that have over 10 million installs, but I’m going to make an exception for popular apps that had significant updates. I hope you enjoy this weekly feature and discover some apps that you might find useful.

Pocket – Version 4.0.2

Pocket -formerly Read It Later Read It Later PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

What’s new in this version:

Fixed:
Select/Copy Text on 2.3 devices.
Margins for smaller tablets.
Duplicate items appearing when sharing.
Video/Audio not pausing.
Several crashes/bugs.
New/Improved:
Added a Report Article option in the Share Menu.
YouTube viewing.

Read It Later was just rebranded into Pocket last week, and the developer already rolled out an update that fixed a bunch of bugs and improved some features. I had never used the app before last week, so I gave it a try and now I’m loving it. Pocket integrates perfectly with the built in share function of most apps and allows you to save almost any kind of content for viewing later. If you have ever been on your phone and wished you had your PC to view some content, then give Pocket a go.

TeamViewer for Remote Control – Version 7.0.405

TeamViewer for Remote Control TeamViewer PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

TeamViewer for Meetings TeamViewer PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

What’s new in this version:

New Design
Performance optimizations (full hardware acceleration and better performance on ARMv7a processors)
Tablet optimized
Improved multitasking
Various minor bug fixes

This week TeamViewer introduced a major update to their Remote Control and Meetings apps. The main new feature was VoIP calling, but the apps also included a new design that was optimized for tablets. I’ve never used either app, but they are both free and maintain an average review score of 4.7.

Hooked – Version 1.2.31

Hooked - best games for you! Hooked PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

What’s new in this version:

Improvements to loading and performance when device has low connectivity
Resolves issue with G+ login for several devices
Preserves user’s session when returning back to the app
We are working to only display games compatible with your phone, coming shortly! We are working day and night to address any problems, device capability so please let us know. If anyone still experiences any issues at all, please contact us at support@hookedmediagroup.com

Hooked is quickly becoming one of the best ways to discover new Android games that match your liking. The app monitors which games you have installed and which games you play the most, then provides personalized recommendations for new titles that you might enjoy. The latest update is mostly bug fixes and performance enhancements, but give it a try if you have yet to check it out.

App 2 SD – Version 2.51

App 2 SD (move app to SD) Sam Lu PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

What’s new in this version:

★ long-press an app icon will show More options menu
★ app total used size now also includes used external code and data size. Android ICS devices only
★ tapping an app icon on the PHONE ONLY page will show App info instead of opening Google Play
★ updated untranslated strings for Vietnamese, Russian, Polish, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, Bulgarian
★ don’t export system apps to the app list
★ bugs fixed

If your Android device is over a year old, chances are you have seen the “low space warning” pop up a few times. App 2 SD is a great tool from Sam Lu that helps manage your installed apps and clear up free space with a single click. People with newer devices might not find much use in this app, but it can be a lifesaver on older phones with limited internal storage.

Google Offers – Version 2.1

Google Offers Google Inc. PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

What’s new in this version:

New and refreshed design: the new look for Google Offers lets you view all your offers with larger photos and crisp design
Fast browsing speed: Browse smoothly between offers and purchase with faster checkout
More offers for more cities, all in one place: Get offers in 40 US cities and access to offers from up to 30 partner deal sites
Manage your notifications: We have fixed the disable notification option

Google Offers is similar to the popular Groupon that lets you discover, buy and redeem deals with your Android phone. It was initially only available in a couple of markets, but it has now expanded over 40 cities and includes offers from 30 deal sites. The latest version includes a fresh design that matches the Android 4.0 stylings. The annoying notifications have also been fixed and are now able to be turned off.

Skyscanner – Version 2.0.1.2

Skyscanner - All Flights! Skyscanner.net PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

What’s new in this version:

Reduced the size of the app
Database and memory optimisation
Added Chicago Gary Regional and Lombok International Airport
Added a “Done” button to the date and passenger selector as well as the filters.
Added option to install the app in the internal memory when the space on SD card is not sufficient
Added option in settings to clear all Recent Searches and Places history.
Added new currencies: Argentine Peso, Jordanian Dinar, Bolivian Boliviano and Qatar Riyal

There are many Android apps for checking airline prices, but few look as nice as Skyscanner. The latest update reduced the size of the app and added several new airports and currencies. Skyscanner is currently available in 28 languages, so check it out before the next time you fly.

Business Calendar Free – Version 2.0.1

Business Calendar Free Appgenix Software Free PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

What’s new in this version:

the agenda, month, week and day widgets have been redesigned
new design and transparency options for widgets
the agenda widget now is scrollable by finger gestures for some alternative home screen launchers
the agenda widget now has an option to directly open the event details
you now can select default values for the options “Show me as” and “Privacy”
the “Show me as” option now will also be synced with Exchange on the Samsung Galaxy S / S2
some more changes and bug fixes

Business Calendar is a complete calendar application that synchronizes with Google Calendar and adds a ton of additional features. The paid version normally sells for $4.99, but you can get the ad-supported version for free. This new update includes a new design, new widgets, and several minor bug fixes.

TWC TV – Version varies with device

TWC TV™ Time Warner Cable PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

What’s new in this version:

Live TV on Android 4.x (Ice Cream Sandwich) smartphones and tablets
Redesigned DVR manager interface
Bug fixes and performance enhancements

Time Warner Cable customers can finally watch live TV on their Android devices with the latest TWC TV app. Live TV support is limited to the Motorola Xoom WiFi and Samsung Galaxy Nexus, but more devices should be added in the coming months. A local WiFi network is also required, but now you have the freedom to watch TV from any room in your house from your Android device.

AIVC – Version 2.1.1

AIVC YourApp24 PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

What’s new in this version:

Bugfix with Database initialisation
Online-TTS Bug
Nicknames / Aliases
=> Nina is my girlfriend
=> Call my girlfriend
Choose search engine
Choose Celsius / Fahrenheit
Carbon Design
Ton Bug

Artificial Intelligent Voice Control (AIVC) is another Android app that lets you control your device with your voice. The free version is ad-supported, but you can kill the ads in the Pro version that runs for $2.99. Voice functions in the free version allow you to control call, SMS, email, translation, navigation, alarm, timer, app launcher, calculator, Facebook, web search, weather, and search images. The Pro version ads a couple additional commands including calendar, play music, Tv-receiver control and a dialog-mode.

TapTu – Version 2.0.6

Taptu - DJ Your News Taptu PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

What’s new in this version:

Bug fixes
Faster scrolling of articles
Possibility of changing article font size on the article page.
Increased size of small cards. You can change the card size in the stream options menu (the one at the right side of every stream title).

TapTu is another news reader app which lets you discover thousands of streams on your favorite topics from a wide variety of web sites, blogs, newspapers and magazines. It only has a fraction of the number of installs for the main competitor Pulse, but TapTu currently sports a higher average review score. I’ll always stick with Google Reader and RSS feeds for my news fix, but give TapTu a try if you prefer a more visual approach to reading your news.

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.

Android.com redesign is the next big step towards consumer usability

Dustin Earley — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 20:05:16 +0000

Make no mistakes, Google is using Ice Cream Sandwich to push Android to the next level in several different areas.

Design-wise, Ice Cream Sandwich cranks it up a notch in nearly every way imaginable — down to using custom fonts created just for smartphones. That’s thanks to Matias Duarte, a man whose world renowned passion for design has been discussed here before. But the design behind Ice Cream Sandwich isn’t the only area where Google is trying to improve consumer usability.

Take the recent transition of Google Checkout into Google Wallet. The first time anyone turns on their Galaxy Nexus, they are prompted to get going with Google+, and enter their credit card information for use with the Android Market. Well starting last night, all of Google’s services that previously used Google Checkout, like the Android Market, were transitioned to Google Wallet.

From here on out, any and all purchases made on YouTube, Google+ Games, the Android Market, online retailers that support Checkout and anywhere else that accepts Google Wallet payments in real life will all appear in one app on your Android device. And when you first power up your Galaxy Nexus, you’ll be putting your financial information into that app right from the start.

Theoretically, every financial transaction you make someday may be made through Google Wallet. Unless they’re all rolled into a streamlined, connected service, consumers won’t want to use it.

Now, Google has redesigned Android.com into a user friendly site that highlights information on Android’s latest features by using pictures of Ice Cream Sandwich, videos, developer information and links to apps for phones, tablets and games. It may seem strange, but consumers haven’t always been able to just type Android.com into their browser, and actually learn something about the OS.

Google has needed to make these changes for a long time now. They’ve made Android a popular, marketable brand, but it still lacked that human element. Yet again, Matias put it best when he said,

With Android, people were not responding emotionally, they weren't forming emotional relationships with the product. They needed it, but they didn't necessarily love it.Matias DuarteGoogle

Google is finally doing what it takes to make everyone love Android. Which is exactly what they need to take Android to the next level.

Android 4.0 SDK now available

Edgar Cervantes — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 03:38:14 +0000

The Google/Samsung event has just resumed, and the last bit of news was directed to our beloved developers. Those who are excited to start using their newly announced Samsung Galaxy Nexus devices (when they get them) will probably want apps to be completely optimized for the new operating system. Google has just released the SDK, so all developers can start taking advantage of those awesome new features.

One of the most important functions of Ice Cream Sandwich is that it unites phones and tablets of all sizes. Developers now have a unified platform, so it will be easier for them to make a good product across all form-factors. And, of course, it’s more user-friendly for the consumer.

The SDK is available straight from the Android Developers site, which you can find by clicking here. Once new apps start getting built from the ground up with Android 4.0′s features, things should start getting pretty fancy. As always, we’re interested in what our readers want. And, in this case, what the developers in our audience are planning.

What can you guys recommend to our beloved developer community? What apps and which features would you like to see optimized for this OS? If you happen to be a developer, would you mind giving us a preview/explanation of what might be coming in your apps?

Image via guidetotheappgalaxy.com

Answer the Astrid Challenge – Take the survey

Taylor Wimberly — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 14:35:18 +0000

Two weeks ago we challenged you to try out Astrid, one of our favorite Android applications. Now that you have had time to get familiar with the app, we are asking you to fill out a short survey. The 25 questions will help the Astrid development team better identify where to focus their efforts. In exchange for your feedback, we will be handing out several prizes including a free T-Mobile myTouch 3G.

Contest Details

To participate in the contest, just complete the survey. We will allow one full week before announcing the winners. If you still have not tried Astrid, download it from the Android Market today.

1 Grand Prize winner – Selected from all eligible survey responses
3 Runner up winners – Best and most interesting story of how Astrid made your life better
1 Runner up winner – Best new feature suggestion
July 20th, 2009 – Winners announced

Prizes

The grand prize for the survey is a free T-Mobile myTouch 3G. All current T-Mobile customers are eligible to win the grand prize. The winner should receive their phone by August 3rd, before everyone else.

Grand prize: T-Mobile myTouch 3G ($199 value)
Runners up: 4x $25 Amazon.com gift cards

Take the Survey

Click below to launch the survey.

The survey is now live. Help us improve Astrid.

Android G1 Buzz. How My First YouTube Video Got 100k Views. Bonus Demographics And Quotes.

Taylor Wimberly — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 02:34:08 +0000

This story begins back when I was a teenager. It was the first time I became serious about trying to bring one of my ideas to life. My invention was named “Analog Break Lights”. I knew nothing about business or inventions, but I submitted my idea to one of those inventors websites. Thinking the site was a scam or my idea sucked, I never expected to hear back.

Several days later, I was surprised to get a call that my idea was selected for review. They asked me more questions and sounded interested. The following week I was told that I was chosen by a board review to advance, but there was a catch. They wanted $800 from me to generate some market research. A big red flag went off in my head and I ended the process.

What the heck does that have to do with Android?

Google has placed very minimal hurdles for entry to the Android Market. All it takes is $25 and and your application to join the club and begin releasing code to the masses. Any kid with an idea can instantly throw it out there and get feedback. When his app is mature enough of a product, he can then sell his app and begin to turn a profit. There have been mobile and open source markets before, but Android brings that to a new level.

Torrent Droid was created by Alec Holmes but it sprung from an idea I had the first time I saw Shop Savvy demonstrated. I’m not a coder, so I offered money through our Android Bounty program in order to encourage development. This demonstrates how easily ideas and developers can come together and bring a project to reality. Android excels in this area with their use of application intents. Intents allow different apps to share information and functions with each other. When you have a mashup of apps, each part can be developed separately which allows for faster deployment.

In a way, the whole Android operating system is a mashup. Every part of the phone can be replaced and upgraded. If you want a different contacts list, txt app, dialer, home screen, boot screen, or theme then take your pick. Allowing every part of the phone to be modded and swapped out grants the power of choice to the user. We have seen with the recent desktop replacement apps how fast the look of Android is changing.

Once we posted the first preview, I submitted the story to Torrent Freak thinking they would find it interesting. From there it went to Digg and a host of other social sites. By the end of the first day there was 30k views and I thought the traffic would die down. I learned that It takes awhile for some news to travel around the globe. The story was still gaining traction 3 days later in countries like Russia and France. As of earlier today, it has not passed 100k views. I know this is peanuts in the YouTube world, but it still demonstrates the viral nature that buzz spreads.

What will be the next killer app? Who will create the next sensation? Could you possibly turn $25 and some hard work into a fortune? Maybe…

Bonus Content

I love analytics and I found this Insight data from YouTube very interesting. It is a breakdown of fans of Android/Torrents. I’m not really sure if you can draw real conclusions from this, but I’ll share the information and see what you guys think. This is data from over 100,000 YouTube views from the Torrent Droid preview. If you like this kind of information let me know and I may share my Google Analytics information.

YouTube Insight Global Views

Here is a video of total views from around the globe. You can see the 2nd day had the most views as it took time for the story to spread. The United States had the most views with Poland, France, and Canada following behind.

YouTube Insight USA Popularity

Here is a view of the popularity rankings from different states. This value is caculated by comparing the number of views with other videos on YouTube. As expected, California ranks first. Rounding out the top five are:

California
Texas
Washington
New York
Oregon

YouTube Insight Demographics

Next, we have age and gender demographics. I was surprised to see the highest age group was 35-44. For some reason, I expected a younger user base when talking about Torrents, Android, and cell phones. The gender gap is also significant. Keep in mind about 1/10th of this traffic is coming from Torrent Freak. Still, I expected to see a more balanced gender distribution.

Finally, the following is a list submitted by one of our readers of his favorite quotes about Torrent Droid from around the web.

“I was waiting for the point when Torrent and Direct Download users started a stupid verbal fight…” – dominicabra

“hah ridiculous response. 1st of all anyone who is scared of best buy employees is a p***y. 2nd of all they dont carry plastic handcufss now i wish i had one of these just to scrap with some idiot best buy employees” – crazytodde

“It won’t ever take off.” – monkeyman1140

“That music makes me want to stab my ear with a fork.” – sardonicBastard

“LET ME SEE YOUR PIRATE FACE!” – InturnetHaetMachine

“I’d love to be a fly on the wall when the MPAA sees this one :-)” – CatsAreGods

“i enjoyed the heavy breathing too” – TITISIMO25

“…if you’re in the store, why the hell not buy the movie? Eh? Why waste money on something you can get for free? That’s good money that could otherwise be used for more important things, like beer, drugs, and h****s.” – Mike Rofone

“Seriously, I cannot think of anything more inconsiderate than this app. Waltzing right in, waving your expensive gadget phone around, no intention of buying anything, just going to take a few photos and walk out. This is like five popped collars and two cans of Axe body spray douchebaggery.” – WTF

“What happens if you scan a bannana? or a box of cereal? Something awesome I bet!” – jayrodathome

[post image via Flickr]

7 Complaints About Android Gmail

Taylor Wimberly — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 05:10:23 +0000

Gmail is the most used feature on my Android phone. For years I have wanted instant access to my email, but this is the first phone I have used that supports Gmail. At first, I was put off by the interface because it was different from my desktop. After I used it for a few months, it began to grow on me. Now that I am comfortable with all the features offered, there are a few things missing I need to point out.

1. No Multiple From Field. I use my main Gmail account to manager several others. I often receive emails from my other accounts that I wish to reply to, but I’m only offered the default email. This is major annoying and I hope a high priority.

Limited Sync Options

2. Select Multiple Emails. In the web version of Gmail, you can select multiple emails at once to perform a single action on them. For example, I sometimes mark a group of emails as read or move several emails to a folder at the same time. This would not be hard to implement in Android and I want to see it.

3. Improved Home Screen. I have a lot of custom filters and folders setup on my web Gmail. When I login, I can instantly see what new emails are waiting for me in different folders and accounts. On Android, I have to hit menu to browse lables and then drill down. It would be nice to have an improved home screen that display more information. A simple top row that display stats would be great.

4. Fix Sync Problems. Often when I view my folders, it says I have “-1″ or “1″ unread emails when there is nothing new in the folder. Emails sometimes get stuck in the draft folder. Other times, emails will not send at all. I have a lot of problems when I attempt to send an email to myself. I’m also dissappointed with the sync options for each folder; its either 4 days or all.

5. Download Attachments. Why can’t I download certain attachments? If I can download the file on my pc, then I want to be able to download it on my Android. I do not want any restrictions place on my downloads.

Gmail Labels

6. Attachments Preview. Also related to attacments are document previews. Most documents will not preview on Android. If you attempt to preview certain docs, then Gmail will force close. I would like to see the same functionality of the web client.

7. Label Options. When you have a lot of email to keep track of, labels are very useful. I tag most of my emails and I like that Android will allow you to select multiple tags. We are still missing some options though such as the ability to create, rename, or remove a label.

What bugs annoy you most? Are there any features you found lacking? What fix is your top priority?

Android Brings Freedom For All Devices

Alex Byrnes — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 02:20:16 +0000

A recent headline “BlackBerry Storm Transformed into Google Android, Sorta” got me thinking. No, it wasn’t that certain news outlets are click-mongering hope stealers. It was about the future of Android. First, that the idea of a phone having a semi-portable, nameable operating system is a breakthrough in itself. A few years ago, the idea that a phone had an operating system at all was a little strange sounding. “What do you mean ‘Download for UIQ phones?’” Or that you would install something “on” the phone at all. The phone was the phone, the buttons, the screen, the novel type of hinge. “Look at this hinge technology”, you’d say.

Apple Newton

We’re past all that of course. There wasn’t any doubt since the Newton that we’d get where we are today, but there still is this concept of the hardware and the software coming together as a package that should go to the same place the Newton went. The operating system and phone should be considered independent and hopefully, someday not long from now, will be.

There is a perfect analogy to this in the PC world: Linux (and Android is Linux). Linux goes on everything. When that gaming “rig” from ’99 stops being able to run current games, put Linux on it and use it for MythTV, or just Hulu, or checking your email and never getting a virus. Imagine the same system applied to cell phones. Don’t need your old phone? Put Android on it and make an imeem machine for your bedside! Or an alarm clock and imeem machine. Or an alarm clock with imeem and StreamFurious for listening to the news in the morning. You can forget about that recycling program at your local Circuit City Best Buy. Your phone is going to still be useful until something replaces alarm clocks and music. And why shouldn’t it be? You paid for it. It’s yours.

The Palm Treo. Great phone, and a very good OS for the time, but as soon as mine stopped being able to make phone calls, it stopped carrying its weight. Suddenly 6 ounces was a lot for a planner and to-do list. Now we’re getting to the point where the phone is almost beside the point. There is, after all, a machine called the iPod Touch, which, even though I don’t condone it, some people do own. This is an iPhone without the phone part. Yet somehow it remains useful. I know if I couldn’t make phone calls with my G1, I would probably still carry it around. I could still avoid getting lost, play music, and make lightsaber noises just like those iPod Touch users (whoever they may be). All the more reason for operating systems to be portable. It’s not a phone anymore!

And let’s not forget the fact that you may want to put Android on cutting edge hardware too. Take the Blackberry – pipe dream – example. Blackberry has great hardware. It fits your hand. The keys are big and tactile, and it’s got that great thumb wheel. Pop Android on there and you’ve got it all, the phone you want and the OS you love with all the software you bought over the course of years of ownership.

The Android on Blackberry scenario probably won’t happen anytime soon (prove me wrong kids!) but there is still a message here. We Android fans do not yet have great hardware. We have good hardware (G1), and we have the clunky , the fake , and the goodbye weekends!

This is not to say that the market is failing us. In fact, it’s working pretty well in every corner of the globe. It’s that we’re so antsy to have it all. Not only that, but wouldn’t it be terrible if a great OS never had a great home? There would be more than one gadget historian shaking his head in shame.

I say let the next Android come from RIM.

82 Reasons To Purchase an Android Phone. G1 for $97.99

Admin — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 00:28:07 +0000

Have you been debating on weather to purchase a G1 or wait for the next Android phone to come out? Amazon has just given you 82 reasons to reconsider as they are now offering the T-Mobile G1 for $97.99 with 2yr plan. The cheapest I have ever seen was $149.99 from Wal-Mart.

I was able to convert my brother from Cricket and his new phone is on the way. With the recent news that many Android devices were delayed to the end of 2009, this may be your best chance to own an Android phone. I challenge you to find a cheaper deal on the web.

Purchase your T-Mobile G1 for $97.99 now.

Join The Android Army

Retro Defense: Android Game Video Review

Admin — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 06:30:48 +0000

Another video review from Logan. This time he shows us the most popular game on Android Market: Retro Defense from Larva Labs Ltd. I’m not a big fan of tower defense games, but I appear to be in the minority. Currently 3 of the top 10 selling games are tower defense based. The game does appear to be polished though with nice graphics and sound effects. There is a lite version available in the market for anyone wishing to demo the game.

dxTop and Lock 2.0: Android Applications Video Review

Admin — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 16:20:54 +0000

Logan is back with another video review of paid apps from the Android Market. This time he reviews dxTop and Lock 2.o. Please give Logan feedback and subscribe to his YouTube channel if you would like to see more Android reviews. If you are interested in learning more about dxTop, read our preview. If you would like to have your own app reviewed or any other request, please contact us.