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Google Updates Policies to Prevent Developers Auto-Updating Apps outside of Play Store

Sc8uf — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 05:18:46 +0000

You could be forgiven to have thought that Facebook and Google had put aside their rivalries and become BFFs after the launch of Facebook Home and the HTC First. However, it didn’t take long for one side to strike the other, with Google making the move to update the Play Store policy and ban developers from bypassing the official update mechanism.

Facebook opened a can of worms when they added a feature in one of their latest releases that allowed them to auto-update their app on certain users’ devices for beta testing purposes. I remember getting the option to enable it and being absolutely flabbergasted that they even considered it OK to do so (if it was opt-out with no information shared, I’d probably have quit Facebook entirely despite my sister now working with them).

No app should have the right to do so, and Google probably thought that they wouldn’t be able to until the Facebook did it. My guess is they had their lawyers have a look at the policy once more to make it watertight. Facebook, your move.Similar Posts:

Why Android Phones are Good for Gaming

Sc8uf — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 20:13:20 +0000

Gaming is one of the major uses of mobile devices these days, which means that the two main operating systems – Apple’s iOS and the Android one which was developed by Google – are firmly in competition with each other when it comes to attracting the attention and loyalty of gamers. Both of these systems have their good and bad points, but a number of observers within the technology community regard the Android operating system as being particularly good for gaming.

One of the principal reasons why Android phones are good for gaming is the Google Playstore, which may not attract as much publicity and attention as Apple’s App Store – but it is the biggest app marketplace available. Thus those choosing to game on an Android device have an enviable choice of games – from hugely popular titles like Angry Birds, to casino games like video slots. Furthermore gaming on an Android device is also comparatively cheap, because the number of free games apps available for these devices via the Google Playstore far exceeds the number of free games available for Apple devices.

The Google Playstore also offers games developers a better deal – charging them just $5 per year to distribute their products through them, rather than the $100 per year Apple charges – further giving Android the edge in this area. You can also easily game online on mobile casino sites like http://www.mobilecasino.mobi.

Another reason why Android phone gaming is cost effective is because the sheer number of devices produced by the major phone manufacturers which use this OS (basically all of them apart from the various Apple ones) means that there is greater variance in the prices of the actual phones than there is with the choices you have with Apple. There is also, inevitably, greater variation in the specifications available – e.g. the size of the screen – which can greatly improve the experience of playing casino games and others which employ detailed graphics.Similar Posts:

Google Maps App Back On iPhone – The Improved Version Working Perfectly

Sc8uf — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 18:50:01 +0000

Apple has been facing tough times due to huge criticism over the Maps app introduced in iOS 6. The situation has led the top management of Apple to apologize publicly and to give Google the space once again. So, it’s the time that Google is back with its efficient Maps app on iPhone. iPhone users can now stop using the flawed Maps App of Apple that was previously a built-in feature of iOS 6, the software used in iPhone 5.

Apple has made it compulsory to download the app from Apple’s app store. According to Google’s claims, the app has been downloaded 10 million times within just first two days of the launch.

The replacement of Apple’s Maps App with Google Maps has taken back the advantage that Google received in its Android phone after the disaster of Apple’s built-in maps feature. Building labeling, street views, and routes of public transit are the major areas that Apple had faced failure in its Maps App and that’s what Google is very strong in.

The great news is that Google’s new Maps App for iPhone is much better performing than on Android phones. It’s simple, its cleaner, and it’s easier to use. Google has reconsidered the whole app while making it available for iPhone once again and they took it as a golden opportunity for app enhancement.

A common question that might arise in the minds of people that why Google would like to provide its rival the best version of its own product. The answer is simple that Apple earns money from hardware and Google provides software, so by producing the best software, Google is earning name and repute on the brand name’s platform, Apple.

Despite all the good features of Apple’s Google Maps version, Android still has many edges like store interior maps, airports, malls, directions for bicycling, offline maps facility, and some other special offers. Google has the other version as the company says these features are not that much in use so ignore right now and would be added later on if needed.

Among other abandoned traits of Google in iPhone’s Maps App are:

Too many menus for finishing tasks
Confusing icons
Layers that facilitates switching from maps view to satellite view

New iPhone version of Google Maps App focuses two things:

Uncluttered map
Vertical and horizontal swiping for quick access to information
Automatic turn by turn navigation
Voice command

At the very first glance of Google’s Maps app is a search bar at the top along with 2 small bottom icons. The lower left button shows the current location and the right button shows the satellite view giving the traffic and public transit information. The search bar at the top has two right side buttons one meant for navigation and the other to reveal the places recently shared. Summary information is also provided along with the name or address of a place. There comes the estimated travel time with reviews and by clicking one can get to the in depth info sheet.

The new Maps App of Google for iPhone has clear and accurate locations as well as navigation. It’s a real time rescue for iPhone users who were suffering from the poor functioning of Apple’s built-in Maps App. Although Apple is also working hard to improve its own maps feature of iOS 6, but till the final improved product comes, Google has all the chances to rule the hearts of even Apple fans.

To download Google’s Maps App from any other store than Apple’s, you will have to run unlock iPhone 4s software. there are some other map options as well that you can download at your unlocked iPhone, but none is as much reliable as Google’s Maps App is.

This post is written by Maria shehar bano, and She is currently working with a company which is named is “Webdesigncc”. She is content writer there.

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Windows Surface vs Google Nexus 10

Sc8uf — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 18:12:57 +0000

Tablets have taken over almost every aspect of our lives. Whether you are an avid reader, a busy entrepreneur, a frantic student, there is no one these mobile devices are not capable of serving. With Google’s Nexus 10 and Microsoft’s Windows Surface in the ring, consumers can have a tough time deciding which one to purchase. Let’s see which one has more charm, shall we?

Design and Weight

When it comes to looks, Nexus 10 and Windows Surface can’t be more different. The latter sports a slim and light design, but with a screen that is a whopping 10.6 inches. The Nexus 10 on the other hand is a bit chunkier since it has a large bezel out. But, it’s still very light because of its uni-body design.

All in all, the Surface is very similar to Apple’s iPad because of its beautiful and slim design and is perfect for those who like to show off their gadgets. Nexus 10 isn’t a bad choice either, but its bulky design can put you off if you like your gadgets to be aesthetically pleasing.

Battery Consumption

Both batteries are head to head in this one. Both can work for 7 to 8 hours maximum, so there isn’t any competition in this department.

Camera Quality

The Nexus 10 possesses a 5MP rear camera AND a 1.9 MP front camera while the Surface has 720p for both. In other words, Google sails ahead in this one by dint of Nexus’ superior camera quality.

Price

The Nexus 10 does not disappoint in this category either. It’s true that the price starts at $399 for the 16GB storage version, but it’s a better option compared to the costlier Surface which only offers 16GB for a whopping $499+.

Applications

A smart device is just a wireless mobile PC unless it has apps. Sadly, this is where both tablets fall behind when compared with smartphones. There aren’t enough quality tablet apps in the market for one thing. The Nexus 10 can run some of them but they won’t look as attractive and will cover a lot of unnecessary space.

Usability

Surface’s user interface makes it a hit with consumers rather than enterprise users, but its workable keyboard is what makes it popular with entrepreneurs and individuals on the go. Nexus 10, on the other hand, is mostly aimed at YouTube users or online video fans who prefer to buy cheaper tablets for their thrills.

And the winner is…

No one, actually. It all comes down to which tablet suits your needs better. If you are looking for a cheap yet aesthetically pleasing smart device that you can watch movies on to your heart’s content, Google’s Nexus seems a better choice. If you have a business to manage and don’t like lugging your laptop everywhere you go, Window’s Surface is a good alternative to consider. One thing is for sure though. In the everlasting battle between Google and Microsoft, these two contenders are a force to be reckoned with.

Author’s Bio: Bob Thompson is a writer for Monitis providing website & network monitoring. Bob writes about many different topics such as website security, website efficiency and how to best use website monitoring tools to improve user experience.

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Google Now awarded Popular Science Innovation of Year

Sc8uf — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 11:14:55 +0000

Popular Science has given Google Now its “Innovation of the Year” award, putting it alongside past winners like the Large Hadron Collider, the Toyota Prius and the Mars Curiosity Rover. It’s august company to be sure, and the reasoning behind the decision is that it’s “the first virtual assistant that truly anticipates your needs.”

The service has grown quite a bit since its initial launch — from personalized recommendations to public safety alerts and the addition of a pedometer, it seems that these are early days yet for the context- and location-aware app. Hit the Android G+ source link to read a Q&A between PopSci and part of the Google Now team to get some behind-the-scenes insight of the award-winning service.

The initial version of Google Now had a fairly limited scope, as we noted in our review of Android 4.1, a.k.a. Jelly Bean. The Android 4.2 update found on new Nexus devices expands its reach with a bevy of new card types, including events, packages, restaurant reservations, and flight and hotel info.

The Google team responded to the honor by posting a short interview with Google Now architects Baris Gultekin, Andrew Kirmse and Ben Gomes on the Android Google+ page. The trio explains how Google Now took root — as yet another “20 percent project” — and talk about their favorite aspects of the program. One choice quote, from Baris Gultekin:

When you’ve got a context-aware phone and thousands of computers working for you, you shouldn’t have to worry about getting information you may need, like the traffic between here and your next meeting, or the fact that there’s an awesome photo spot three blocks away. Similar Posts:

Google’s Nexus 7 Now The Best Selling Android Tablet Of All Time

Sc8uf — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 13:29:10 +0000

Even though Google’s Nexus 7 was only released for sale in the UK market in July, it has incredibly already become the UK’s all-time best selling Android – surpassing popular Android models like the Asus Transformer Prime and the Samsung Galaxy Tab. Although Google’s low-cost, mini tablet is still well behind Apple’s various iPad models in terms of all-time sales, it has certainly proved the commercial viability of smaller sized tablets.

Why Has Google’s Nexus 7 Been So Successful So Quickly?

The biggest reason for the Nexus 7’s rapid success is its low pricing, especially in the European market, where Amazon’s Kindle Fire has yet to be released. At just £159, or $199 US, the Nexus 7 had little to no competitors in the European market. In addition, smaller sized tablets seem to be growing in popularity, as users find new ways to incorporate tablet technology in their daily lives.

What Does This Tell Us About The Future Of Tablet Devices?

In a highly publicized statement prior to his passing, the late tech visionary Steve Jobs trashed 7” tablets and dismissed their viability. With the announcement that the Nexus 7 has become the UK’s all-time best selling tablet in a mere 3 months, as well asApple’s own announcement of their 7.9” iPad Mini just 1 week later, clearly times have changed in the tablet market. The Nexus 7’s remarkable success seems to indicate a growing market demand for smaller tablets, and it’s likely that we’ll see a much larger selection of 7” tablets in the near future as manufacturers look to capitalize on the Nexus 7’s success.

The Nexus 7’s success also confirms another trend that has been seen in Amazon’s Kindle Fire – the massive market for low-cost tablet devices. However, it’s unlikely that the success of the Nexus 7 will significantly affect sales of the iPad Mini when it’s released, given the devotion of Apple users to their brand.

How Does The Future Look For Google’s Nexus Brand?

The future for Google’s Nexus brand looks bright indeed. With the Nexus brand, Google has succeeded in bringing back a feel of consistency to the Android platform across all devices, avoiding the bloatware that has plagued certain Android devices in the past. It’ll certainly be fascinating to see if Google can maintain its impressive success with the Nexus 7 as they look to launch several high profile Nexus devices in the near future. From a new high-end LG Nexus phone, to an upcoming 10” Nexus tablet from Samsung, and even a new 32GB Nexus 78 tablet – the future of the Nexus appears bright, but only time will tell whether Google’s success with the Nexus 7 translates into success for the Nexus brand as a whole.

Author Bio: Nat is a tech blogger for Who Is Hosting This – a company that provides web hosting tools and reviews. Nat’s writes primarily in the areas of technology, business, and search engine optimization.

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For iOS 6 And iPhone 5 Support Google Chrome Updated iOS6

Sc8uf — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 08:30:22 +0000

The iOS App Store is an extremely active place at the moment as the Apple review team struggle to fight their way through the barrage of apps that are being sent to them by developers with iPhone 5 and iOS 6 compatibility upgrades.

We’ve already seen a number of notable and popular apps getting the support for the larger display of the new iPhone with Google now joining the party with a welcome update to their extremely popular Chrome for iOS web browser.

Chrome immediately shot to the top of the iOS download charts when it was released on day two of the annual I/O conference in San Francisco, managing to hover around the top spot ever since as users continue to download it as a replacement for Apple’s Mobile Safari browser.

The Google browser has benefited from a number of updates since it was first released, but this latest release is probably the most notable now with full support for the 640×1136 display of the new iPhone 5 hardware.

Google has continued with their trend of pushing out updates with barely recognizable version numbers, but users shouldn’t be fooled by the extremely sparse change log notes that accompany the latest update. They also shouldn’t expect an app that has multiple new features added, as the update is literally an aesthetic enhancement that runs perfectly on the iPhone 5 and makes the most of the additional screen real-estate.

The accompanying notes also suggest that the developers at Google have taken the opportunity to add in some additional security updates as well as optimizing the application to be a lot more stable for users.

With an Apple press release stating that they have managed to shift over five million iPhone 5 units in the first weekend of general sale, this update by Google couldn’t have come at a better time when those new device owners will be experimenting with alternative web browsers.

We can now add Google Chrome to the growing list of applications that have been updated with iPhone 5 compatibility. Hopefully that list will continue to grow over the next few weeks with a number of other apps following in Google’s lead. If you already have Chrome installed, then head on over to the App Store to claim your free update.Similar Posts:

Where Does Google Spends Its Cash?

Sc8uf — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 03:02:43 +0000

It’s hard to remember how we searched for anything on the Internet before Google came along. Today, the behemoth search engine company not only crawls all over the web finding and ranking the best sites for us, but it invests millions of dollars in other ventures.

Google has always been a forward-thinking company from its employment policies to the very nature of its work, so it’s heartening to see how much of the money it makes goes back into equally innovative technology for the future.

Of course, Google also has to look after its own interests, and it does so by pouring cash straight from its coffers into the political campaigns and the companies it believes will boost its success as well as spending money to challenge its biggest competitors. Google’s influence stretches much further than you might imagine, and the company has attached its money if not always its name to many ventures.

Source: http://www.bestcomputerscienceschools.netSimilar Posts:

The Massive Scale of Google

Sc8uf — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 02:49:03 +0000

An overwhelming majority of Google’s advertising revenue comes from its AdWords program. A significant amount of the business revenue Google’s AdWords rakes in is from selling advertising based on keywords that are occasionally bought by companies hawking shady services such as dubious insurance, advance “payday” loans and high-interest credit cards.

For example, Google was fined 500 million dollars two years ago for knowingly aiding and abetting Canadian pharmacies by letting them advertise the sale of prescription drugs to US residents. Part of what makes Google’s billions of dollars in revenue possible is the fact that the company gets over a billion unique visitors to its network of sites every month. That works out to equal 1 out of every 7 people on the entire planet visiting Google every month. No other company or entity online can even come close to matching Google’s market penetration– commonly referred to as “access to eyeballs” in advertising.

From: Business MBASimilar Posts:

Apture is officially Joining Google!

Sc8uf — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 13:06:18 +0000

Apture is a website that provides instantaneous access to information with its award-winning in-page search technology.

Its products let readers immediately find and browse the best content from across the web – in one window. By transforming flat web pages into connected multimedia experiences, readers can fluidly dive into related information so they can see, hear, and truly experience the ideas on the page. Apture’s in-page search window keeps readers engaged on the site, increasing revenue opportunities for publishers.

Here is the official Statement from Apture website:

Since 2007, all of us here at Apture have worked hard to add new dimensions to the web. We’ve always believed that by transforming flat web pages into interactive multimedia experiences, we could enable readers to see, hear and truly experience the ideas on the page.

After enhancing more than a billion pages with our products, we think now is the best time to expand our efforts with another team just down the road that shares our vision of making the web better. That’s right — we’ve been acquired by Google and will be joining the Chrome team to continue driving innovation and creating a better user experience on the web. The modern web is an amazing platform, so stay tuned for even more enhancements to your Chrome browsing experience.

Sincerely,
The Apture Team

For the look of things, seems Google wants to use them in enhancing Chrome experience. We can only wait and keep our fingers crossed.

I used Apture myself and its indeed a very cool app, would miss their service. Hope Google puts it to good useSimilar Posts: