Apps and Updates

1,647 'Apps and Updates' stories June 2013 - July 2014

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SwiftKey updated with performance improvements and new themes

Mark Hearn Jul 29 2014 - 9:28 am PT

SwiftKey received an update today that resolves some of the keyboard app’s recent performance issues. According to the software’s changelog, users should experience improved typing, loading times, translations, and several other bug fixes for glitches that caused force closes. In addition to some much needed technical improvements, SwiftKey announced the availability of five new themes: Spotlight Purple, Edge Green, Pulse Yellow, Pulse Pink and Hazy Pink. If you’re interested in upgrading the look and feel of your keyboard, the outfit is holding a special summer sale that discounts prices on select themes by up to 33 percent.

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Yelp for Android update coming soon with the ability to add short videos to reviews

Mike Beasley Jul 28 2014 - 4:51 pm PT

Yelp has announced that it will be updating its Android application with the ability to upload short videos (3-12 seconds) along with reviews in the coming days, as noted by The Next Web. Photo uploads have long been available to the service’s users, and the company now says that over 23,000 photos are being uploaded on a daily basis.

The updated Yelp app will be a free download for Android users from the Google Play Store.

Facebook to disable messaging in its main Android app this week, require Messenger for all users

Mike Beasley Jul 28 2014 - 2:41 pm PT

Facebook has announced today that it will no longer allow messaging in its main mobile application later this week. Instead, any users who wish to take advantage of the company’s messaging platform will have to do so through the standalone Facebook Messenger app.

Earlier this year the comapany started informing some European users of the upcoming move to the separate app, but this is the first time a solid timetable has been set for the transition. For users who already have the Messenger app installed, nothing will change. Once the change goes into effect, the “Messages” tab in the Facebook client will simply link to the Messenger app rather than an inbox view.

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Verizon Moto X updated to Android 4.4.4

9to5 Staff Jul 28 2014 - 11:47 am PT

Last Friday, Verizon began soak testing the Android 4.4.4 update on the Moto X. Today, Verizon officially began rolling out the update to all users. The update, which focuses primarily on camera enchantments lists “improved camera picture quality” and “improved photos in fluorescent lighting” as the two main changes. Other changes include a “new graphical layout” to the phone dialer and overall “consistency and usability” improvements.

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New NPR One app curates stories and creates a personalized stream of content

Chance Miller Jul 28 2014 - 10:58 am PT

NPR today released a new app for Android to the Google Play Store. The app, called NPR One, curates all public radio stations in the United States and creates a stream of stories you’ll want to listen to. NPR says that it’s “public radio made personal.

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Chrome 37 beta launches on Android with material design

9to5 Staff Jul 24 2014 - 11:23 am PT

Google this morning announced the beta release of Chrome 37 on Android.

According to Google’s blog post about the new version, Chrome 37 will feature the new material design language shown off at Google I/O and most recently found on the updated Play Store that rolled out this week.

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Hangouts on Air’s new Showcase app helps broadcasters further promote their products and services

Mark Hearn Jul 24 2014 - 10:26 am PT

Today, Google announced the availability of its new Showcase app for Hangouts on Air that lets hosts promote content related to their conversation like websites, YouTube videos, Google+ profiles and content from Google Play via an onscreen panel displayed on the right-hand side of the video feed. For example, the cast of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes recently held a Hangout and used the Showcase app to share links to trailers and movie tickets.

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Apps and Updates

Instagram’s plan for new ‘Bolt’ one-tap photo messaging app leaks?

Jordan Kahn Jul 24 2014 - 9:51 am PT

Instagram is reportedly working on a new photo sharing app called “Bolt,” according to screenshots that surfaced online today (via The Verge). The leak comes from an advertisement for the app that appeared inside of the Instagram for Android app (pictured above). The notification, which some users noticed and posted screenshots of online, appears to be visible for some users in the app accidentally ahead of an official launch by Instagram.

We don’t gain much info about the app other than it’s description that it will be a “one tap photo messaging” app, which is leading to speculation it will be a Snapchat competitor of sorts. There is a possibility this could just be a test for new app install ads coming to the Instagram apps.

Instgram hasn’t yet commented and the app isn’t available on the App Store or Google Play yet, but I suspect we’ll be hearing more about the app soon.

[tweet https://twitter.com/yo_areli/status/492170778981318656/]

Skype for Android updated with contact syncing

Mark Hearn Jul 23 2014 - 12:35 pm PT

Skype for Android received an update today that makes it easier to import your phone’s contact list. Although this new software is currently available to download, Microsoft says that its contact tracking feature will be available in the “coming months.” When ready, the app will prompt you to verify your phone number and after that Skype will start matching its contacts with people saved to your device’s address book.

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Galaxy S5 update rolling out in Europe with performance updates

9to5 Staff Jul 23 2014 - 9:01 am PT

Samsung this morning began rolling out an update to European models of the Galaxy S5 only citing “improved performance” as the description.
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Hangouts in Chrome without plugin rolling out to Google Apps users today

Jordan Kahn Jul 23 2014 - 7:14 am PT

After announcing late last month that video calls for its Hangouts service in Chrome no longer require a plugin, Google is today rolling out the change to Google Apps users as well.

The change means that users attempting to make a video call from Hangouts using their Google Apps account will no longer be prompted to install a browser plug-in for Chrome. Now, users will only have to grant permission to their computer’s mic and camera to initiate the call (as pictured above).

Following this update, when users try to start a video call for the first time, they’ll see a message underneath the address bar asking for permission to access their computer’s mic and camera. If they want to change their choice later, they can change it from the address bar in Chrome… We recommend users familiarize themselves with this change before seeing the prompt.

The change first launched in the Canary and Developer builds of Chrome and later to all users in the public, stable release of Chrome, but today arrives for Google Apps users.

Fleksy keyboard for Android redesigned, adds premium themes & 17 new languages

Mark Gurman Jul 23 2014 - 5:57 am PT

Flesky, a popular third-party keyboard option for Android, is rolling out version 3.0 that brings a refreshed user-interface design, new premium features, and more languages. Fleksy makes typing on smartphones quicker using a combination of advanced text prediction and an iOS QuickType-like function for predicting the next complete word in a sentence.

Today’s refreshed design brings clearer letters and new color tones. Besides the included color variations, users of the paid version of Fleshy from Google Play will be able to purchase additional themes through the keyboard’s settings. There will be six paid themes, and paid Fleksy users will receive one premium download at no cost. Fleksy is also bringing 17 new languages out of beta and enhancing the 40 previously available languages.

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SWIP3 is the first game designed specifically for Android Wear

9to5 Staff Jul 22 2014 - 1:31 pm PT

Android Wear is still in its infancy, with the LG G Watch and Samsung Gear Live the only devices on the market, but that hasn’t stopped developers from taking advantage of the new opportunities that the platform presents. SWIP3 is a new match-three puzzler that now holds the accomplishment of being the first game designed specifically for Android Wear.
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HTC adds Sense Input keyboard to Google Play

Mark Hearn Jul 22 2014 - 1:30 pm PT

HTC has dissected another piece of its Sense software and shipped it off to Google Play for fast access. Starting today, owners of compatible devices made by the Taiwanese manufacturer can pick up the HTC Sense Input keyboard directly from the Play Store. The benefit of doing this is that it lets the company make small adjustments to its keyboard without having to release device specific software updates.

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RedLaser barcode scanner app from eBay officially lands on Google Glass

Stephen Hall Jul 22 2014 - 1:19 pm PT

The eBay-owned app RedLaser — available for quite some time now on mobile platforms — has today landed on Google Glass. Using the well-known “OK Glass” voice command, you can use RedLaser to quickly price check products you see on the shelf in front of you. But the app doesn’t stop there, letting you also find products that are physically within your vicinity.

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AMC debuts trailer for ‘The Walking Dead: No Man’s Land’ mobile game arriving w/ season 5

Jordan Kahn Jul 22 2014 - 10:52 am PT

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aiRboM4fok]

AMC announced today that it will release a new mobile game for The Walking Dead early next year alongside season 5 of the hit TV show. The TV network is teaming up with Next Games to develop the title and today shared the first trailer for the game that it plans to show off at Comic Con International later this month.

The game, titled The Walking Dead: No Man’s Land, will allow players to experience the world of the iconic show through gameplay exclusively developed for smartphones and tablet devices. Developed by Next Games in close collaboration with AMC, the game will feature themes familiar to the TV series, where characters fight for survival in a post-apocalyptic, walker-infested world. A recurring theme of choosing the right survival strategy and making the most human choices possible is at the heart of the first-of-its-kind game.

Telltale games already publishes a game for Android based on universe of The Walking Dead comic book series, but this is AMC’s first official game based on its TV show version of the franchise. It isn’t, however, sharing many details on what we can expect from gameplay other than the description above or specifics on platforms.

The Walking Dead Season 5 is coming this October and the game, The Walking Dead: No Man’s Land, will hit smartphones and tablets early next year when the mid-season premiere of Season 5 airs.

‘Amazon Wallet’ app quietly launches in beta, digitalizes your gift and loyalty cards

Stephen Hall Jul 22 2014 - 8:12 am PT

Amazon has launched its first entry into the mobile wallet space with a new app called “Amazon Wallet,” now available in beta on the Amazon Appstore and the Play Store (via TechCrunch). Sadly, the app is oddly incapable in its current state, and doesn’t quite live up to the promise of being a true competitor to PayPal and Google Wallet — it can’t currently store credit cards or debit cards and is mostly geared at storing your gift cards and loyalty cards.

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Google is providing free Wi-Fi in Uber vehicles this summer in Philadelphia

Jordan Kahn Jul 22 2014 - 6:42 am PT

Uber, the app-based car service that Google recently sunk $250M into via its Google Ventures investment arm, today announced that its cars in Philadelphia this summer will have free WiFi courtesy of Google. Google also made an announcement on its own blog noting that the initiative is sponsored by Google Apps for Businesses, the online suite of productivity tools that Google hopes users in the back of the new WiFi-equipped Uber vehicles will take advantage of.
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Ahead of Android One rollout, Google launches Maps in Hindi on both web and Android

Jordan Kahn Jul 22 2014 - 5:46 am PT

Just in time for Google’s Android One rollout in India and other developing nations, Google is opening up Maps to millions of native speakers in India today with localized Maps on both the web and Android that show Hindi for the first time alongside English:
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YouTube Creator Studio for iPhone gains improved tagging and analytics

9to5 Staff Jul 21 2014 - 4:07 pm PT

Following the release of YouTube Creator Studio for iPhone a few weeks ago, Google seeded the first update for the app this afternoon on the App Store. Creator Studio 1.0.1 features editable tags and categories, comment settings, accessibility improvements, more analytics and a general facelift across the app.
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BBC Sport app for Android updated with Chromecast support

Mark Hearn Jul 21 2014 - 1:57 pm PT

Just in time for the Commonwealth Games, the BBC Sport app for Android has been updated with Chromecast support. If Google’s media streaming dongle is embedded in your entertainment setup, you can now leaf through the BBC’s live and on-demand sports programming on the largest display in your house.

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Facebook introducing ‘Save’ read later feature across iOS, Android & web

Jordan Kahn Jul 21 2014 - 1:17 pm PT

[vimeo 101133002 w=700 h=381]

Facebook announced today that it’s rolling out a new feature for its mobile apps that will let users save content for easy access at a later date. A list of saved content from Facebook— including links to things like places, movies, TV, and music— will appear in the Facebook mobile apps in the “More” section and on the left side bar on the web.
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Google Flight Search now in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden

Jordan Kahn Jul 21 2014 - 12:14 pm PT

Google announced today that it’s expanding its Flight Search service to users in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. While all users worldwide can access the service to search, compare and book flights at www.google.com/flights, this allows users in these countries to search for flights directly from Google, in their local languages, and with prices in local currency on both mobile and the web.

Let’s say you live in Norway and you want to plan a summer getaway. If you access Flight Search, you’ll immediately see the price, duration and type of flight for several popular destinations you might like to visit — based on your preferences and previous searches. If you set your dates and tap to expand the map, you’ll see live prices for destinations around the world. A trip to Kristiansand sounds nice.

The localized Flight Search service is available to users in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden through www.google.dk/flights/, www.google.no/flights/and www.google.se/flights/. Users searching flight related queries will also start to see Flight Search in search results as well.

Apps and Updates

Contest winners turned pirates leak early copy of Modern Combat 5, and Gameloft’s furious

Alex Allegro Jul 21 2014 - 11:34 am PT

Earlier this week, Gameloft hosted a contest on their Facebook page rewarding winners with a free, early copy of Modern Combat 5: Blackout. The upcoming next installment of the popular first-person shooter is slated for release July 24th for iOS, Android, and Windows Phone 8 devices. Unfortunately for Gameloft, however, you can already download it-for free. According to the company, one of the contest winners pirated the game made it available for download as a torrent. Unsurprisingly, Gameloft is livid. Gameloft Community Manager Florian Weber said in a statement on Facebook:
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