Apps and Updates

: Old

: New

It wasn’t that long ago that Google opened up its Clock app to be downloaded on just about any Android device, and now a very minor update released today has refreshed the app’s color scheme. While the previous version sported a pink-and-blue look that was reminiscent of cotton candy, the app now looks a lot more like a patriotic red, white, and blue.

Those who weren’t avid users of the previous version might not notice the difference, because in the grand scheme of things it’s definitely not a huge change. But if you were a fan of the light-hearted and unique colors of the app, you might be disappointed that Google has now gone with something more “neutral” in version 4.0.2. The update also packs a few bug fixes.

You can get the latest version of the Clock app over at APKMirror right now, or you should see it rolling out via the Play Store any minute now.

Pushbullet for Android gains full-fledged SMS conversations on desktop

Cam Bunton Jul 15 2015 - 7:16 am PT

Pushbullet has to be one of the most widely adopted apps for Android. It lets you share links, notifications, images, and more across your smartphone and virtually any other device. Today, the company announced that it has added a new SMS UI to its desktop presence. With today’s update, you can now you can see entire conversations on your computer.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Skype 5.5 for Android remembers log-in details, adds web link previews

Jordan Kahn Jul 14 2015 - 2:47 pm PT

Skype for Android is getting an update today that brings two notable new features. The app now remembers log-in details making it faster and easier to sign-in, while chat gets the web link previews feature that first arrived on the Mac and iOS.

With the improvements we’ve made to battery use and notifications, you can comfortably leave Skype running on your Android devices without signing out. However, for those of you who still want to sign out, we’ve made it easier for you to sign back into the app.

With the app’s new ability to remember log-in details, users will be to decide whether or not a password is required for each log-in. The app will remember your password by default, but you can switch it off in Settings in the Privacy section.

Skype also notes that web link previews, a thumbnail showing a preview of webpages for links shared in chat windows, will start appearing for Android users over the next few weeks with the latest update.

Version 5.5 of Skype for Android is available on Google Play now.

Android 5.1 update for HTC One M9 on AT&T and T-Mobile coming very soon

Cam Bunton Jul 14 2015 - 12:53 pm PT

Good news for HTC One M9 users with the AT&T and T-Mobile variants: Your Android 5.1 software update should be landing on your devices very soon. Mo Versi, the manufacturer’s VP of product management announced that AT&T owners should see it arrive from tomorrow, July 15th.

The update has passed technical approval and will come alongside some camera improvements:

HTC One (M9) AT&T Owners! We have received technical approval on Lollipop OS 5.1 which includes camera improvements. OTA to start on 7/15!!

— Mo Versi (@moversi) July 14, 2015

Of course, a T-Mobile customer replied to the tweet asking when #TeamMagenta subs might see the software arrive on their phones. Turns out, that’s pretty soon too. As of right now, the OTA update for HTC One M9 on T-Mo is on course to arrive on July 20th, just six days away.

@a_ferriola on track for 7/20

— Mo Versi (@moversi) July 14, 2015

Big Blue users, be sure to check your phones for updates from tomorrow if you don’t get a notification informing you of its availability. T-Mo customers, hold on tight, you have less than a week to wait.

Television Academy switches from DVDs to Google’s Chromecast for Emmy voting

Jordan Kahn Jul 14 2015 - 10:40 am PT

In an effort to update the old DVD mailer experience, the Television Academy has teamed up with Google to distribute Emmy-nominated films to voting members for this year’s awards. The two announced the partnership today that will see Google sending out Chromecasts to all voting members of the Academy:
Expand
Expanding
Close

Ingress updated, lets you hack portals from your Android Wear smartwatch

Stephen Hall Jul 14 2015 - 8:54 am PT

Google said back in February that Android Wear support would be coming to Ingress sometime “soon” (with some assuming March), but it looks like the app missed that launch date by, well, a lot. As of today, version 1.81.0 of Ingress is starting to roll out on the Play Store, and with it comes Android Wear support as well as the usual bug fixes…
Expand
Expanding
Close

BBC iPlayer Radio app for iOS and Android gets offline listening at last

Cam Bunton Jul 14 2015 - 3:24 am PT

The BBC announced in a blog post this morning that mobile downloads are coming to its iPlayer Radio app just in time for the BBC Proms. For the first time – using the iPlayer Radio app – customers will be able to download radio shows (and the Proms) to listen offline and keep them for up to 30 days. To make use of this new service, all you need to do is ensure you have the latest version of the BBC iPlayer Radio smartphone or tablet app for iOS, Android or Kindle.

Facebook reportedly developing Google Now competitor codenamed ‘Moneypenny’

Mike Beasley Jul 13 2015 - 7:13 pm PT

After taking on messaging, cash transfers, and more, Facebook is preparing to challenge Google in the virtual assistant arena. The social company is in the process of developing a Messenger-based Google Now competitor called Moneypenny, a new report indicates.

AdWords Express for Android updated w/ Material Design makeover, other tweaks

Chance Miller Jul 13 2015 - 3:07 pm PT

Google today has released version 2.0 of AdWords Express for Android. For those unfamiliar with the app, AdWords Express allows users to quickly create ads via their smartphone. Google says ads can be created in less than 15 minutes, and advertisers only pay when potential customers click the ad. Today, AdWords Express has been updated with a new, Material Design interface to fall more in line with Google’s other applications for Android.

Google Apps customers can now whitelist external domains for cross-sharing

Tom Maxwell Jul 13 2015 - 12:55 pm PT

Customers of Google’s Internet-based productivity suite, this one’s for you: As an Apps for Business or Education admin, you can now whitelist specific outside domains to share files with people across organizations.

No, Google’s Photos app isn’t uploading photos without you knowing it

Cam Bunton Jul 13 2015 - 8:22 am PT

Over the past day or so we’ve seen a number of reports across the web claiming that Google’s Photos app is uploading photos even after it’s been uninstalled. Of course the worry is that customers could be racking up huge cellular data overages from having it “switched on without them knowing it”. The truth is, having the Photos app installed or uninstalled makes no difference to whether or not your snaps are being uploaded to Google’s drive in the sky.

Google Maps tip: Send directions to your Android phone from your desktop (Video)

Cam Bunton Jul 13 2015 - 4:22 am PT

Late last week, Google updated its Maps Android app to version 9.11.0. Although its user interface remains the same, it has one new, awesome feature: you can now send locations, navigation instructions and directions straight to your Android phone.

We put together a short video to guide you through the very quick and painless method. This feature competes directly with that built in to the Mac Maps app included in OS X Mavericks which allows iPhone users to send directions direct from Mac to their phones.

Google releases ‘Ivy’ app for iOS, an experimental big number calculator

Jordan Kahn Jul 10 2015 - 12:21 pm PT

Google has quietly launched a new iOS app today called Ivy that it describes as an experimental big number calculator.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Twitch updated w/ ability to watch live streams from anywhere on your Android device

Tom Maxwell Jul 10 2015 - 10:27 am PT

Twitch has an interesting new update out that lets anyone on Android view live streams from anywhere on their device (pictured above). The common term for this is “picture-in-picture” – Twitch calls it “Pop Out” – or displaying one thing on the whole screen and another, completely separate feed of content or video inside a smaller viewer simultaneously, still within the main screen. Users of the app have for some time had the ability to continue watching streams while browsing the rest of the app, and this is a continuation of that.

Google Hangouts now lets you drag and drop images on the web

Jordan Kahn Jul 9 2015 - 1:33 pm PT

Google Hangouts on the web now lets users drag and drop images directly from their computer or web browser. That goes for the little chat window within your Gmail inbox and through the standalone Hangouts Chrome app. Googler Mayur Kamat shared the news and the image above demonstrating the new feature through a post on Google+ today.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Google Docs, Sheets, & Slides for Android get improved editing, collaboration features

Jordan Kahn Jul 9 2015 - 11:15 am PT

Google is rolling out updates today for its Docs, Sheets, and Slides apps for Android, bringing a few improvements to editing and collaboration features in the process.

First up, Google will now offer quick access to editing titles for documents, spreadsheets, and presentations directly from the app’s overflow menu in the top right corner of the UI across all three apps (as pictured above).

In addition, the Google Slides Android app gains the ability to switch layouts of existing slides: individuals can now change the layout of an existing slide to one of several predefined layouts, allowing them to update presentations on mobile more effectively.

Lastly, the Docs app get improved collaboration features for those using the Office Compatibility Mode:

People can now reply to comments when working in Office Compatibility Mode in the Docs app. In addition, when in OCM, suggestions and comments now appear in the Comments panel in the order they were made—rather than as all comments first and all suggestions second.

All three app updates should be arriving on Google Play for Android users sometime today.

Apple Music vs. Google Play – Which is the best streaming service?

Cam Bunton Jul 9 2015 - 7:49 am PT

17 Comments

Until recently, Google’s Play Music streaming feature was one of the company’s few markets where it didn’t face strong, direct competition from Apple. But just like everything the Cupertino-company does, it has taken its own sweet time to finally launch a product we always knew was coming. And as always, the company claims it has done things differently, with a more human element.

Unlocked 1st gen Moto G LTE gets Android 5.1 update

Cam Bunton Jul 9 2015 - 6:24 am PT

Android 5.1 is available to download over-the-air on to the unlocked original Moto G LTE smartphone for the first time. Motorola started rolling out the update for the 1st gen Moto G over the past 24 hours or so. As with almost every modern Motorola device, the software is essentially stock Android.

Motorola states in the release notes that you can’t downgrade to a previous version after installing and that it contains a number of improvements and fixes. Along with some of the user interface changes in 5.1, the new software also includes a bunch of bug fixes including:

Clock in the status bar is not updating and alarms not going off
Unable to delete SMS messages when the SIM card is full
No ringer audio while making an outgoing call
Calculator floating point calculations
Chrome crashes when launched
Frequent restarts while watching Netflix
Wi-Fi not automatically reconnecting to home Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi not connecting after being idle all night
Wi-Fi connection issues with multiple routers in one location
Bluetooth discovery is not triggered when you refresh settings
CPU wakelocks that contribute to heavier battery drain
Connection and synchronisation issues with MS Exchange servers
Incorrect default APN
Cannot unlock the SIM with a PIN/PUK code
Cannot play ‘pinned’ content

If the update doesn’t show up for you right away, be sure to check your settings menu and search for updates manually. It appears that only unlocked Moto G LTE models in the U.S. are receiving the update right now. If you’re in another country, be sure to let us know when it lands for you.

Pinterest announces IFTTT & Polyvore apps as first developer platform integrations

Jordan Kahn Jul 8 2015 - 9:42 am PT

After introducing a new developers platform and SDK in May, Pinterest is today announcing a couple of the first integrations developers have come up with starting with popular automation platform IFTTT and community based shopping/fashion site Polyvore.

For IFTTT, the service that lets users automate common web and app-based tasks based on a set of rules known as “recipes”, users will now be able to link products and devices on Pinterest to their automated workflows. The company shared some examples: automatically save Pins to a board from simple actions in other apps such as liking a photo on Instagram, upvoting a post on Reddit or favoriting an item on Etsy. There are more than 20 Recipes to choose from starting today. The Pinterest integration for IFTTT is available through desktop and the service’s mobile apps including Android.

For Polyvore, users can login to the site using their Pinterest account to quickly and easily get access to pinning items from the fashion community/shopping site to Pinterest boards via the company’s iOS app. Support through the Android app, however, is coming soon.

In addition, Pinterest noted that new SDKs and documentation for developers are available to all through the company’s new developers site. The new SDKs give devs access to the Pin It button and JS and OAuth support.

Google’s Messenger 1.4 lets you send animated stickers, quickly share your location

Stephen Hall Jul 8 2015 - 9:27 am PT

Google has today updated its default Messenger app to version 1.4, bringing some minor enhancements along the way. In the new version, you’ll find you can now send cute little animated stickers as well as more easily send your location to others…
Expand
Expanding
Close

Falcon Pro 3 v1.3 brings new live streaming options, FAB behavior

Tom Maxwell Jul 8 2015 - 8:54 am PT

Falcon Pro 3, the “ultimate” Twitter experience for Android, has received a new update that brings some changes for avid users of the real-time communication network.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Fleksy keyboard gets new features & themes as app goes free indefinitely

Jordan Kahn Jul 8 2015 - 7:47 am PT

After around seven million downloads of its popular third-party keyboard app, Fleksy is today announcing that its mobile apps will be completely free for all going forward.

The company was originally charging $4 for the app but had dropped the price to $1 and even made the app free temporarily a couple times in the past. Starting today, however, Fleksy says its apps for both iOS and Android will be free forever.

For everyone that has paid for the app and feels left out, Fleksy is offering a free gift that it says is worth $8 to make up for it. The in-app download includes a selection of new themes and extensions, which also arrive with today’s update. While the app is going free for all to download and use, the company will continue offering premium themes and extensions as paid in-app purchases.

In addition to going free, the company highlighted some other new features and improvements arriving today:

Going free is not the only big update today. We also launched an improved rich content view called Highlights. Meaning, Fleksy will better assist with GIF, sticker and other content discovery based on what you type. Instead of manually searching for stickers and GIFs on separate pages, now you’ll only need to tap on the auto-recommended hashtag (Highlight) and Fleksy will take you to an integrated page of relevant content all in one convenient place.

The Fleksy Keyboard app for Android is available now. A full list of what’s included in the update below:

What’s New

Fleksy 6.0

INTRODUCING

★ 10 new themes!!

★ All new Emoji, Gif and imoji navigation

Just pull down to go back

EXTENSIONS

★ Consolidated Gifs, imoji and Fleksy #highlights to one view for faster and smarter media content

OPTIMIZED

★ Blazing fast keyboard pop

★ Smoother emoji scrolling

★ Reduced APK by another 3 MBs

★ HD theme images

★ Consolidated notifications

★ Localized app in 8 languages

BUGS SQUASHED

★ Way too many…

Sony and Twitch partner to offer live game broadcasting from Xperia devices

Cam Bunton Jul 8 2015 - 6:14 am PT

In a blog post this morning, Sony announced that it has partnered with Twitch to let select Xperia smartphones broadcast live gameplay to the popular game broadcasting service. While Twitch has offered Android users the ability to watch live broadcasts for some time, this will be the first time you’ll be able to broadcast your mobile gameplay live to Twitch watchers.

Google Maps for Android updated with UI improvements, map sharing options

Mike Beasley Jul 7 2015 - 7:11 pm PT

Image via Android Police

Google has published an update to its Android mapping app, as noted by Android Police, that allows users to hide certain UI elements and adds support for new sharing options. The first of these new features lets users hide the majority of the interface when browsing maps in all modes except for turn-by-turn directions.