update

Google has just began rolling out version 5.0.21 of its YouTube app to Android devices (via Android Police). The update is arguably the biggest the app has ever seen and includes a brand new interface, as well as much more. The interface is now entirely based on cards, much like the Google+ app. The slide-out navigation has also been changed, though only slightly. Finally, you can now give videos a thumbs up or thumbs down, or flag it, without having to expand the video description.

Also new is in-app multi-tasking. Now, you can minimize any video to a tiny window in the corner and continue to let it play, even when navigating through other portions of the app. You can bring it back to the forefront by tapping or dragging the window back to the center and dismiss it by swiping away the card. 
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A new update for the Google+ Android app rolling out in the coming days will make it easier for users to switch between multiple accounts, improve location sharing controls, and finally get rid of the in-app Messenger to make way for Google’s new Hangouts app.

Google employee Virgil Dobjanschi shared details on the new version of the app, noting that switching accounts will now be as easy as it is with Gmail:

Just like Gmail for Android, you can now switch between multiple Google+ accounts with a couple of taps (vs. signing out and signing in again). And the Google+ pages you manage are likewise in the app menu at all times.

The updated app also brings the ability to view and share photos and videos that are stored in Google Drive, and improved location sharing controls:
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Just like it did with its iOS app, Twitter has just released an update to its Android app that adds several new features and enhancements. First off, the login verification process has been improved and made a lot simpler. While SMS verification use to be required, the app now supports login verification from directly within the app. Also new is an improved photo gallery for when you search. You now have the ability to view all photos that relate to a specific search, while before you could only swipe through thumbnails and select images to view full screen.

Here’s what’s new:
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Google has updated its Chrome Beta Android app today with several small new features. First, the update adds support for WebRTC, which is a web feature that allows for real-time voice and video communications. WebRTC is useful for things like voice calling, video chatting, and peer-to-peer file sharing. The update also improves page loading performance and offers up a handful of bug fixes and general stability improvements.

Full changelog:

• Support for WebRTC, a web platform feature to enable real-time voice and video communications
• Faster page loads
• Lots of under the hood changes for stability and performance

Download it on the Play Store now.

Vine for Android has just been updated with several new features, which are very similar to what iOS users received last week. The feature that differentiates the Android update from the iOS update, however, is a new capture widget that you can add to your home screen. From there, simply tap it to go right into the recording interface.

In addition to the capture widget, the update also adds the ability to share or “revine” another user’s post, as well as new tools for recording, including a grid, focus enhancements, and more. Finally, Vine for Android also adds channel support, which means that users can now browse specific topics of interest from the Explore screen, such as Sports, Family, Dogs, Cats, and more.

This update to Vine is our biggest yet!

• CHANNELS
• Browse or submit your posts to 15 new channels
• REVINING
• Share your favorite posts with all your followers on Vine in one tap
• FAST CAPTURE WIDGET
• Instantly jump to the Vine camera right from your home screen
• NEW CAPTURE TOOLS
• Shoot with style using the new focus, grid, and ghost tools

The update is available in the Play Store now. 
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Earlier this week Google rolled out an update to its Maps app with a new interface and several new features, but the update also removed a several key things, including the ability to save maps offline and the popular Latitude tracking tool. In a post on Google+ this morning, however, the Maps team announced that an update will begin rolling out to Maps users today that adds those two features back to the app.

We’ve been happy to hear so many of you enjoying the interface and features of the new Google Maps app for Android, but we know some of you are missing an easy way to access maps offline. That’s why our engineering team has been working around the clock to add a “Make this map area available offline” card below the search box for easier access. And, if you still want some #thumbercise, typing “ok maps” will work too!

With this update, we’ve also added a “Where’s Latitude?” link at the bottom of the side menu which provides more information about the future of location sharing.

The update will begin rolling out to users today, so be sure to keep an eye on the Play Store for it to hit your device.
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As previewed at Google I/O 2013 in May, Google has just begun rolling out the latest version of Google Maps for Android to Android 4.0.3+ users. The update, which is available now for download at Google Play, will provide users with a new design (both on tablets and smartphones), live traffic updates, improved navigation, incident reports, and a new Explore function. This Explore feature is a “new way to browse and discover popular local places to eat, drink, shop, play and sleep,” per Google’s release notes. While the update is out today, the new features will arrive gradually for end-users. Phandroid provides a link for side loading on the complete update today.

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Alongside the iOS and Mac update that rolled out earlier this afternoon, Twitter for Android has also been updated with several new features. Most notably, direct messages now sync across all of Twitter’s official apps (Mac, iPad, Web, Tweetdeck, mobile web, Android). Before today, if you read a direct message on your desktop, it would still be marked as unread on your phone.

• Now when you read a Direct message it will be marked as read in all of your official Twitter apps (including twitter.com, mobile.twitter.com, Twitter for Mac, Twitter for iPad and TweetDeck) and vice versa.
• As you search you can now see user avatars and clear past searches from the dropdown menu
• Richer search results indicate when there are new Tweets for your query and show account results with bios and social context

Missing from this update is the new reply field that iOS devices got, but hopefully that feature comes sooner rather than later. 
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Earlier this week we reported on the XE7 update rolling out to Google Glass, which included features such as a web browser and improved voice actions, but the update also includes a few more unannounced lab features (via SelfScreens). As first noticed by +Andrew Wiggin on Google+, the XE7 update includes evidence of a music player, video player, Glass app store, a volume screen, and more.

The music player appears to be dedicated to showing what’s “Now Playing,” and given the lack of storage on Glass, it seems like it will be able to interface with an external iPhone or Android device. The update also includes a handful of labs features, which are features not yet meant for primetime and for developers to play with.

First off, there’s a labs feature entitled “VIDEO_PLAYER,” though no one has been able to figure out how it works just yet. It could be that it’s simply a way to playback videos taken with the device, but there’s always the chance of Glass being able to stream video from your phone. There is also a new Volume card that simply allows you to change the volume of your device .
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Via the official Project Glass page on Google+, Google has announced a major software update coming soon to Glass. The update includes things such as more voice commands, improved web browsing, new ways to connect with family and friends, and more.

First off, a host of new voice commands will be available with this update. If you get a text, you can now ask Glass to read it to you by saying  “ok glass, read aloud” or if someone calls you, simply say “ok glass, answer call.” Finally, you can now share pictures right away by saying “ok glass, share with [name].”
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Skype on Monday announced that its Android app has been installed more than 100 million times, and to celebrate, it is pushing out a major update. The 4.0 update for Skype adds a totally new and redesigned interface that is focused on putting conversations first. In addition to the visual changes, the app has been “rebuilt from the ground up” to be faster and more reliable.

We’ve completely redesigned Skype for Android to be faster and easier – especially when you’re trying to fire off a quick message. Everything is at your fingertips. As soon as you open the app, you’ll notice the clean new look listing your recent conversations – just tap on one to catch up and reply. When you tap or swipe over to the Contacts or Favorites tabs, tapping on a person brings you right into a messaging window so you can start a conversation. And from there video calls, voice calls and everything else are just one tap away.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=vZviDTuaVlA

Mircosoft has just announced a major update to its OneNote app on Android. In a post on the official Office blog, the company announced version two of the app that includes a host of new features.

First off, the update adds a much more rich editing experience. Now, files and formatting look the same across all devices. This includes things such as text, graphs, tables, borders, and more. If you draw on a note with a Windows tablet, the markings are then visible on your other devices, as well. All devices now support the ability to sync notebooks with Office 365 and SharePoint, as well as the ability to share files with other Office users. OneNote also now lets multiple people edit a note at the same time, much like Google Drive.

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