Skip to main content

install

Nine 'install' stories August 2011 - September 2015
See All Stories

Google Play Newsstand reaches 1 billion installs on the Play Store

Avatar for Stephen Hall Sep 24 2015 - 10:16 am PT
0 Comments

At this point it’s just about once a month that an app on the Play Store manages pass 1 billion installs. This month, the app to reach this milestone was Google Play Newsstand.

Not many apps have reached this number, and third-party apps from Facebook are the only outside of Google to do it. As you might expect, other popular Google-made apps like Google Maps and Gmail, alongside Hangouts, Play Music, and others, managed to pass the 1 billion mark a while ago.

Passing 1 billion installs isn’t very exciting for Play Newsstand considering the app comes pre-installed on most Android phones, but it’s worth noting that not all of Google’s stock apps have come anywhere close to this milestone. Google Docs, for example, which comes shipped on all Nexus devices and others, is only in the 50-100 million range.

Hangouts hits the 1 billion install milestone on the Play Store

Avatar for Stephen Hall Jun 25 2015 - 5:55 am PT
0 Comments

Hangouts, Google’s messaging platform in long need of an overhaul, has today passed 1 billion installs on the Google Play Store. The app is the 11th app to hit this milestone, followed most recently by Facebook Messenger and Google Play Books. Other than Hangouts, there are 7 apps from Google that have 1 billion, and 3 apps owned by Facebook.

Passing 1 billion installs isn’t very exciting considering the app comes pre-installed as the default messaging client on most Android phones, but it’s worth noting that not all of Google’s stock apps have come anywhere close to this milestone. Google Docs, for example, which comes shipped on all Nexus devices and others, is only in the 50-100 million range.

Meanwhile, we’re waiting patiently for the long-anticipated overhaul of Hangouts and, just as importantly, its upcoming Android Wear counterpart.

(via Android Police)

Report: Google secretly acquired ‘app streaming’ startup Agawi last year

Avatar for Stephen Hall Jun 18 2015 - 8:44 am PT
0 Comments
Site default logo image

According to The Information, Google secretly bought “app streaming” startup Agawi late last year, an acquisition that wasn’t reported until today. The company built technology that is basically the Netflix or Spotify of apps—letting users stream games and apps to their phone without having to necessarily “download” them:

The search giant last fall secretly acquired an “app streaming” startup called Agawi whose technology allows people to access apps on their smartphone without downloading them first.

The acquisition, which hasn’t been previously reported, provides strong clues about the direction that Google is trying to move mobile software development.


Expand
Expanding
Close

Chrome extensions will soon require Chrome Web Store distribution for all Mac & Windows users

Avatar for Jordan Kahn May 13 2015 - 9:08 am PT
0 Comments
Site default logo image

Back in May of last year, Google started enforcing a policy that requires Chrome extensions be hosted on its Chrome Web Store, but only on Windows. The goal was to prevent malware hidden in extensions installable from outside its store, and it even started disabling extensions already installed on users’ systems that weren’t hosted on the Chrome Web Store. Now, Google says it will bring that requirement to Mac Chrome users over the coming months, as well as the Chrome developer channel for Windows that wasn’t previously enforcing the policy:
Expand
Expanding
Close

Android 5.0.2 factory image pops up for the Nexus 7 (2012), here’s how to install it

Avatar for Stephen Hall Dec 19 2014 - 2:39 pm PT
0 Comments

It doesn’t look like the 2012 model of the Nexus 7 is ever going to get updated to 5.0.1, as today Google has updated its factory image download page with a previously unseen build of Android—version 5.0.2. Not much is known yet in regards to what the update packs, or whether or not all devices will be getting it at some point, but it’s likely this is just an additional build (LRX22G) Google is pushing to fix some bugs specific to the Nexus 7.

In this case, the update is for the “nakasi” Wi-Fi model of the Nexus 7 (2012). To get your hands on the update, head over to Google’s factory image download page. And if you’re not quite sure what to do with that factory image, we have a convenient guide written up just for you—although it’s best for those who aren’t as experienced to just wait for the OTA as it will surely be dropping relatively soon.

 

How to install Android Lollipop factory image on Nexus 5, 7 and 10 (and keep your data)

Avatar for Casey Carroll Nov 12 2014 - 4:12 pm PT
9 Comments

Android Lollipop Nexus

Following the announcement that Android Lollipop will soon be distributed to Nexus devices as an over-the-air update, Google has gone ahead and posted factory images for the Nexus 5, 7 and 10 this afternoon. If you’re wondering how to install an Android Lollipop factory image on a Nexus device, it’s as simple as following a few step-by-step instructions.

And while most people just let Google handle restoring their data, you might want to keep things that Google doesn’t back up (like your SMS messages and the like). Fortunately, keeping your data intact while flashing a factory image is fairly easy. Read on for the full guide.


Expand
Expanding
Close

Facebook for Android passes 1 billion Play Store installs, becomes first non-Google app to do so

Avatar for Stephen Hall Sep 2 2014 - 11:31 am PT
1 Comment

Following Google’s official Maps app hitting this big milestone earlier this year, the Facebook app has become the very first third party application to hit the 1 billion install mark on the Play Store. Not many apps ever reach this number, but with Facebook being the world’s most popular social network, it would make sense that Zuckerberg and Co. would be the first outside of Google to do it. Notably, this actually proves that Facebook is more popular than many of Google’s own offerings, including Chrome, Hangouts, and Google Search. Which of Google’s apps have hit the big billion? Maps, as mentioned, along with Google Play Services, Gmail, and YouTube have all beat Facebook.

 

Site default logo image

How to install Android L developer preview on HTC One (M7)

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Jul 14 2014 - 8:19 am PT
1 Comment

After Google made its new Android L developer preview available to Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 last month, it wasn’t long before we saw an unofficial port to other devices. First we got the Nexus 4, and now a user at the xda-developers forums was able to get the developer preview up and running on an HTC One (M7).

Not many expected to see a HTC One (M7) port, but XDA Senior Member ssrij and a team of developers managed to port the Android L Developer Preview to this former flagship device… The port is still in alpha stage, and some things simply don’t work. Running Android L on first generation HTC One was made possible thanks to ramdisk and kernel modifications, so it might not run as it should. However, the Developer Preview was made to show people how the Android L will look like and what functions we should be expected.

You can expect lots of stuff not to work at the moment, including: WiFi, Bluetooth, data, camera, and sound, but the developers are working to fix some of the issues with the initial alpha release for the M7. More info on the original forum post here.

The Touchdroid project wants to install Android on your HP Touchpad

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Aug 22 2011 - 8:42 am PT
0 Comments
Site default logo image

If you we’re lucky enough to get your hands on one of those $99 HP TouchPad‘s this weekend, you’ll probably want to stay up to date with the “Touchdroid” project. Over at RootzWiki, the Touchdroid team is apparently hard at work on getting Android (2.3 Gingerbread to be exact) ported to the device that’s currently running the soon to be extinct WebOS.

The project is still in its infancy, to say the least. However, the timing couldn’t be more perfect with a ton of new Touchpad users undoubtedly itching to shed that ugly, outdated WebOS. The wiki also notes a Honeycomb port will follow only if Ice Cream Sandwich isn’t released in the meantime. Swing by the RootzWiki forum if you’re interested in contributing or just keeping up to date on the project. We’ll keep you updated as the guys get closer to a stable beta.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Manage push notifications

notification icon
We would like to show you notifications for the latest news and updates.
notification icon
You are subscribed to notifications
notification icon
We would like to show you notifications for the latest news and updates.
notification icon
You are subscribed to notifications