Android apps

40 'Android apps' stories June 2011 - August 2016

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Google Allo basically bares all in recent leaks, here’s everything we know [Gallery]

Stephen Hall Aug 22 2016 - 9:11 am PT

In case you missed it, Android Police got their hands on a plethora of screenshots from an unreleased build of Google’s forthcoming messaging app Allo. We know because, well, since Friday morning, the site has published a whopping eight articles about the app (in that order).

A few days ago we told you about a couple of features the site detailed (including the app’s hilarious sticker packs), but we weren’t expecting the flood of information published over the weekend. Now, we’re expecting at least another 8 articles before the end of the week…

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Android apps are now available on Chrome OS beta channel, still limited to three devices

Abner Li Aug 1 2016 - 5:00 pm PT

Android apps arrived on Chromebooks with Chrome OS 53 in June, but as we noted during our initial hands-on, the developer channel was still quite buggy and not recommended for use as a daily driver. While the Play Store is still limited to three Chromebooks, version 53 has entered the beta channel with some much needed stability.

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HP launches the Chromebook 11-inch G5 w/ 12.5 hours of battery life, optional touchscreen

Stephen Hall Jun 27 2016 - 8:25 am PT

HP has today launched the latest version of its lower-end Chromebook, the HP Chromebook 11-inch G5. At first glance there might not appear to be anything special about this laptop, but there are a couple of standout features: the laptop offers more than 12 hours of battery life, and there’s also a model that includes a touchscreen (essential for those planning to take advantage of recently-announced Android app support coming to more Chrome OS devices later this year)…

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This week’s top stories: Android N Dev Preview 4, OnePlus 3 launch, Android apps on Chrome OS & more

Jordan Kahn Jun 18 2016 - 8:56 am PT

OnePlus 3

In this week’s top stories: What’s new in the Android N Dev Preview 4, the official OnePlus 3 launch and first impressions, Android apps come to Chromebooks in Chrome OS Dev 53, and much more. Head below for the handy links to these and the rest of this week’s top shared stories.

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Android apps arrive on Chromebooks with Chrome OS Dev 53, Play Store live on ASUS Flip

Abner Li Jun 17 2016 - 12:00 am PT

Announced at Google I/O 2016, Androids apps and the Play Store are now officially on Chromebooks. Chrome OS 53 is rolling out now to all devices in the developer channel, but the Play Store is only showing up on the ASUS Chromebook Flip. Early users are reporting bugs, but reactions are generally positive with performance improvements over Android apps installed via ARC Welder.

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Hands-on with 5 Android apps you should download in June 2016 [Video]

Ben Schoon Jun 10 2016 - 12:46 pm PT

There are nearly 1.5 million applications currently on Google Play and with so many to choose from, finding interesting new experiences can be a hassle. That’s why today we’re kicking off a new series here at 9to5Google highlighting 5 different Android apps each month that are worth checking out.

So without further ado, let’s take a look at our picks for the month.

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Inaugural Google Play Awards highlight best apps released in the past year

Abner Li May 19 2016 - 9:12 pm PT

At an I/O session this evening, the inaugural winners of the Google Play Awards were announced. With 10 categories, winners were selected by the Google Play team based on launching or having a major update in the past 12 months, app quality, and innovation.

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Android apps and the Play Store show up briefly for some Chrome OS users

Abner Li Apr 24 2016 - 7:26 pm PT

Last year, Google began letting developers test and run their Android apps on Chrome with the App Runtime for Chrome (ARC). Google appears close to officially releasing the feature by launching a version of the Play Store for Chrome OS.

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GoPro acquires Replay and Splice video editing apps, Android versions coming later this year

Abner Li Feb 29 2016 - 3:05 pm PT

GoPro has been having a rough time as its stock price has stumbled over the last few months. Its signature action camera is a niche product and competitors are releasing cheaper clones that replicate most of the same functionality. Now, GoPro has has acquired two mobile video apps to offer a complete capture and editing solution for its users.

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Developers can now make apps that automatically switch between day and night modes

Abner Li Feb 24 2016 - 2:49 pm PT

The Android Support Library was updated to version 23.2 today and adds features that make APKs smaller and has new design elements for developers to use. The most notable addition is the ability to make apps automatically switch between a day and night mode.

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Three years later, Kickstarter finally has an Android app

Abner Li Jan 21 2016 - 10:34 am PT

Kickstarter, the crowd funding juggernaut, finally has an Android app three years after launching one on iOS. The mobile app replicates much of the website’s functionality, but doesn’t yet let project creators manage their campaigns on the go.

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$100 Google Play gift card for under $80 shipped (20% off)

Justin Kahn Nov 26 2015 - 10:57 am PT

From 9to5Toys.com:

As expected from its leaked Black Friday ad, Sam’s Club is now offering a $100 Google Play gift card for $79.64 shipped. That’s more than 20% off your next Google Play purchases on games, apps, movies, TV shows and more. While we do see iTunes gift cards go on sale quite often, these Google Play vouchers are much harder to come by. They can be amazing gifts for Android users and anyone who’s locked into Google’s video services.

It ships free and can be redeemed on the web or Android devices. Full details/instructions can be found below. Head over to 9to5Toys for all of the best Black Friday deals the entire weekend-long.

Includes:

One (1) $100 Google Play gift card

To redeem on the web:

Go to play.google.com/redeem.

Scratch label off of card & enter code.

Start shopping – your gift card value will be added to your Google Play balance.

To redeem on an Android phone/tablet:

Launch the Google Play Store app on your Android phone or tablet.

Select Redeem.

Scratch label off of card & enter code.

Start shopping – your gift card value will be added to your Google Play balance.

Specifications

Terms and Conditions

Use of card subject to additional terms and privacy policy: play.google.com/about/card-terms.html. Valid only for users 13+ years of age and resident of U.S. Redemption requires Google Wallet account and internet access. Limits may apply to redemption and use. No fees or expiration dates applicable to this card. Card may be used for purchases of eligible items on Google Play only. Any refunded amount will be credited back to your Google Play balance for future use under same terms. Card is not redeemable for cash or other cards; not reloadable or refundable; cannot be combined with other non-Google Play balances in your Google Wallet account, resold, exchanged or transferred for value (except as required by law). Once card is purchased, risk of loss and title for card passes to purchaser. Google Payment Corp. and its affiliates disclaim all express or implied warranties as to the Google Play card and Google Play.

VLC for Android updated to version 1.6 w/ more Material, improved performance, more

Stephen Hall Oct 13 2015 - 11:02 am PT

VLC is your go-to all-around media player no matter which platform you’re using, and today the app’s Android counterpart got a pretty decently-sized update. Along with the usual performance improvements that ship with pretty much every app update since apps have existed, version 1.6 also comes with improvements to internal decoding speed, more Material design, and more…
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Amazon’s new Underground app for Android delivers over $10,000 worth of free apps and games

Trevor Daugherty Aug 26 2015 - 7:02 am PT

From 9to5Toys.com:

Amazon has launched a new service for Android users that will deliver “over $10,000 in paid apps, games and in-app items” for free. Amazon Underground is replacing the popular Free App of the Day promotion. The promotion page teases Frozen Free Fall, Star Wars Rebels: Missions, and Goat Simulator amongst others that will be available as a part of this promotion.

Here is how you claim your free apps:

First, visit this page and enter your phone number or email address to have the Amazon Underground for Android app sent to your device. After you have received the app invitation, go to your phone settings, tap security or applications, check the Unknown Service Box and hit ‘OK’. Then open your downloads by going to My Files or Files and tap on the Amazon App file. Tap ‘install’ when prompted. Finally, tap ‘Open’ on the Amazon Undergound App and use the menu on the left to navigate to Apps & Games.

Amazon currently lists over 470 games that are apart of this promotion on the Underground page. You’ll find top apps from Disney, ZeptoLab, Zynga and more.

Up to $105 in paid Android apps for free: Amazing Alex, Plants vs. Zombies, Runtastic PRO, Table Top Racing, many more

Justin Kahn Apr 16 2015 - 5:37 am PT

From 9to5Toys.com:

Amazon has now kicked off another large freebie Android promotion. This time around you can grab up to $105 worth of paid Android apps for free on the Amazon App Store.

Along with several other notable and highly rated titles, one standout from the bunch is Amazing Alex from Angry Birds creator Rovio. The physics based puzzle game is regularly listed at $1 and features more than 100 levels:

From cleaning up his room to battling cardboard robots in his backyard, Alex creates amazing chain reactions to get the job done with the maximum amount of fun!

Other notable titles in the sale include Plants vs. Zombies (Reg. $1), Runtastic PRO GPS Running (Reg. $5), Pudding Monsters HD (Reg. $1), Wolfram|Alpha (Reg. $3), Table Top Racing (Reg. $2), Osmos HD (Reg. $3), plus more.

Head over to our daily roundups for more of the best game/app deals across every platform.

SNK Playmore Android 20th Anniversary Sale: The King of Fighters ’97, Metal Slug 1-3, and more drop to $0.99 each

Justin Kahn Aug 21 2014 - 11:59 am PT

In celebration of the 20th Anniversary of its classic fighting game series The King of Fighters, SNK’s Android platformers and fighting games are getting discounted to $1 each. Other than The Rhythm of Fighters and Blazing Star which are regular $1, all of the paid titles available regularly go for $3.99, bringing you a savings of up to 75%.

Some of the more popular titles available on sale today are The King of Fighters ’97 which has received a 4+ stars from over 4000 ratings and Metal Slug 3 which has received 3.8/5 stars from over 4,200 ratings. You’ll also find the rest of the Metal slug series and King of Fighter ports in the sale, all of which have received positive reviews on Google Play.

Full list of titles below:

SNK Playmore Android games for $1 on Google Play:

METAL SLUG 3: $1 (Reg. $3.99)
METAL SLUG X: $1 (Reg. $3.99)
METAL SLUG 2: $1 (Reg. $3.99)
METAL SLUG 1: $1 (Reg. $3.99)
THE KING OF FIGHTERS ’98: $1 (Reg. $3.99)
THE KING OF FIGHTERS ’97: $1 (Reg. $3.99)
THE KING OF FIGHTERS-A 2012: $1 (Reg. $3.99)
SAMURAI SHODOWN II: $1 (Reg. $3.99)

Gmail for Android update adds Insert from Drive for attaching Google Drive files to emails

9to5 Staff Jul 9 2014 - 11:59 am PT

Following updates to Chromecast, Google Maps and Google Camera this afternoon, Google has updated Gmail for Android with a new Insert from Drive feature that allows for Google Drive attachments to be inserted into emails directly from Android smartphones and tablets. If the file is not shared with the person you are sending it to, an option will pop up to change the sharing settings.

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Dropcam updated with all-new activity feed, customizable activity categories and more

9to5 Staff Jul 9 2014 - 9:26 am PT

The official Dropcam companion app has been updated with an all-new activity feed, customizable activity categories and alerts, and fast mobile setup. Dropcam users can now view and filter recorded video based on activities, manage labels and alerts for activity categories, and setup Dropcam Pro wirelessly using an Android device.

Devices supporting wireless mobile setup are the Nexus 5 and all Samsung devices running Android 4.3 or later. The new version of the Dropcam app also has a more polished design, performance improvements and bug fixes. The update is available now through the Google Play Store.

Dropcam is a cloud-based Wi-Fi video monitoring service based on a wireless security camera. The company was acquired by Google-owned Nest for $555 million last month.

The full changelog:

What’s New
In addition to a more polished design, performance improvements and bug fixes, this version features:
– An All-New Activity Feed:
View and filter recorded video by the activities you care about
– Customizable Activity Categories and Alerts:
Manage labels, colors and alerts for all of your activity categories
– Fast Mobile Setup: Set up Dropcam Pro wirelessly using your Android device.*
* Devices that support wireless mobile setup: Nexus 5 and all Samsung devices running Android 4.3 or later

Talon for Android ‘L’ provides early glimpse of Material Design in action

9to5 Staff Jul 3 2014 - 8:02 am PT

For those lucky enough to be running the Android L developer preview for Nexus devices, the lead developer of Talon for Twitter Luke Klinker has released an early version of the popular third-party Twitter app based on the new Material Design user interface unveiled at Google I/O. Klinker has redesigned the tweet viewer and timeline over the past few days, and is now offering users a chance to test the app.

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Play Store revenues more than doubled, almost all of it from in-app purchases

Ben Lovejoy Jun 24 2014 - 6:33 am PT

New data from App Annie shows that revenue from apps downloaded via the Google Play store more than doubled between the first quarters of 2013 and 2014 – and that a staggering 98 percent of it comes from in-app purchases in apps that were free to download.

Games continue to dominate the charts, accounting for 40 percent of all downloads but 90 percent of revenues, up from 80 percent last year …
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Amazon has eight popular Android music apps for free today: Shazam Encore, TuneIn Radio Pro, more ($40 value)

Apr 25 2014 - 5:45 am PT

From 9to5Toys.com:

Amazon’s App Store is offering a number of highly rated Android music apps worth a total of $40 for completely free today.

Some of the most notable apps in the sale include Shazam Encore which has received a 4+ star rating from over 23,000 users on Google Play (Reg. $5), music and news streaming service TuneIn Radio Pro which has 4 stars from over 43,000 users (Reg. $4), and on-the-go tab resource Ultimate Guitar Tabs, also with 4+ star rating from nearly 40,000 users (Reg. $3).

Other apps in the sale include Guitar Riff Pro, Metronome: Tempo, iReal Pro and others. Outside of this particular sale, as Amazon’s free Android app of the day Mini Piano has also gone free (Reg. $1). You’ll find more app deals in our daily Game/App round-ups.

Google+ for Android updated with plenty of new photography enhancements

Chance Miller Feb 26 2014 - 2:18 pm PT

Google’s had a busy Wednesday in terms of app updates so far, having just released the Google Experience launcher for all Nexus devices and Play Edition devices. Now, the company has released a substantial update for the Google+ Android app. The update includes the normal group of bug fixes we’ve all come to expect, but it also includes a plethora of new features for photographers.

First off, the app now offers the ability to start editing a photo on one device, and then continue the process on another Android device. There are also a handful of new filters and editing tools, many of which we’ve seen before from Snapsneed. There are also some interface tweaks, such as a new “View All” option, which displays your entire photo library, both local photos and cloud photos, in one central interface. Finally, the update also a new option to quickly view photos by the date they were taken.

The full change log via Googler Vic Gundotra is below:

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Clever Android lockscreen app will work out which apps you need where

Ben Lovejoy Oct 25 2013 - 6:46 am PT

Billed as ‘the lockscreen that learns,’ Cover is an Andoid app that notes which apps you use in which locations, and then puts the apps you’re most likely to need onto your lockscreen.

At home you might get weather, news, traffic and Twitter; at work, calendar, Google drive and LinkedIn; in the car, maps and music …
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Online accounting service ‘FreshBooks’ releases Android application

Scott Buscemi Aug 14 2013 - 8:38 am PT

Adding to Android’s repertoire of business-oriented applications, popular cloud accounting software ‘FreshBooks’ released their first foray into the OS.

Introduced on the company’s blog, the company appears to have gone all-out with version 1.0 of their application. Rather than waiting to complete accounting tasks once back at a computer, the app allows users to take care of invoices, enter in expenses, and track time (with a built-in timer and fee calculator).

The app’s description in the Play Store also states that users can work offline and data will be synced back once an internet connection returns.

FreshBooks is available for free in the Play Store.