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• music lion: [New post] Developers see early boost from Ki... music lion [New post] Developers see early boost from Kindle Fire December 5 from email - Comment - Like Post : Developers see early boost from Kindle Fire URL : http://gigaom.com/2011... Posted : December 5, 2011 at 1:00 pm Author : Ryan Kim Tags : Amazon, Android, Apps, developers, Google, kindle fire, tablet http://gigaom2.files.wordpress.com/2011... Quickoffice, a productivity app maker, has been on Android Market (s goog) for more than two years and has struck a bunch of deals with manufacturers to get its free app preloaded on to Android smartphones and tablets. In the spring, the company launched its free and paid apps on Amazon's (s amzn) Appstore for Android, but paid sales of the apps on Amazon were at times 1/100th of what it was making on Android Market. In the last couple weeks, however, there have been days when Amazon sales of Quickoffice has been on par with Android Market and it comes down to one simple reason: the Kindle Fire. (http://gigaom.com/2011...) Quickoffice CEO Alan Masarek told me he's seen a massive lift in sales of his Android app on Amazon thanks to the successful launch last month of the Kindle Fire, (http://gigaom.com/mobile...) which has proven to be a great showcase for his app. As with many other tablet makers, Amazon has preloaded a free version of QuickOffice on to the device. But the company is seeing much more success in converting those free users into paying customers compared to other Android devices. QuickPro Office Pro, which sells for $9.99, is No. 18 on the Amazon Appstore paid app rankings. Difference maker It may speak to the number of tablets Amazon has sold, though it's still unclear how many actual units have been moved. Developers I talked to are not disclosing data that would provide a gauge of Kindle Fire sales. But the early sales boost seen by QuickOffice and other app makers also appears to come down to the elegant buying experience Amazon has created on the Fire. The whole product gives developers a lot of reason to be optimistic about Android tablet apps, which have generally been a big disappointment. http://gigaom2.files.wordpress.com/2011... "It's been a massive difference for us; we're doing very well on the Amazon store," said Masarek. Masarek said other Android devices have not been as lucrative for developers because they often don't have a user's credit card on file. With the Kindle Fire, Amazon is able to provide a more Apple-like (s aapl) buying process, starting with a curated selection of apps and ending with a one-click check-out. And it's got a very easy-to-use UI with a prominent storefront for apps. Masarek said that's been helpful in kickstarting sales of Quickoffice, which shines best on tablets. Selling machine "The Kindle Fire is providing disproportionate benefit. If Amazon sells one unit and another manufacturer sells a unit, because of the benefit of the integrated purchase experience, you would expect to see better conversions on Amazon and that's what we're seeing," he said. Sylvain Dufour, CEO and founder of mobile game maker Mobigloo said Amazon's tablet breaks an unfortunate cycle for Android developers, who have struggled with Google tablets. His app Pinball Deluxe Premium is sitting at No. 15 on the paid app rankings after previously hovering between 70th to 90th. It's been helped in part by a price cut in the last week, but Dufour thinks that Amazon's clean buying experience has helped create what he calls a "dramatic" increase in sales, especially for an app like his that works best on a tablet. He said the way things are going, he expects that Android Market will be the place where he primarily distributes free apps, while the Kindle Fire will be where he does more actual selling of apps. He said he thinks the ratio to free apps sold on the Fire to paid apps is perhaps 10-1, while on Android Market, he guesses it could anywhere from 20-1 to 50-1. "I think the main difference is because people on Amazon and the Kindle Fire, they're more serious about buying. Even if they want the free version to start there's more of a chance of them to convert. Even if Amazon is just one channel to sell Android applications, over night since the launch of the Kindle Fire, it's become a very serious channel to sell a product," Dufour said. Free apps get a boost too It's not just paid apps that stand to do well on Kindle Fire. Pulse, a free news reading app, was bundled on the Fire and has enjoyed a boost in the number of people who are using the app. "Our servers are definitely getting strained (by Kindle Fire users) but we're very pleased with the way things are going so far," said Akshay Kothari, co-founder of Pulse. http://gigaom2.files.wordpress.com/2011... Pulse, like QuickOffice, was first contacted in the summer by Amazon about a deeper relationship. That ultimately led to integration on the Fire, though Kothari said Amazon didn't disclose it was working on a tablet until the actual announcement and didn't tell Pulse it was going to be placed right on the front screen. A little bit like Apple, Amazon tends to play it close to the vest. Kothari said he's excited about the prospect of distributing apps on a new tablet, especially if analyst forecast prove correct and Amazon sells up to 5 million units this year (http://gigaom.com/2011...) . He said the Pulse team tweaked the app with suggestions from Amazon, cleaning up the reading view and dropping in sharing connections that allow users to send articles to other downloaded apps. Worth the extra work? Though the Kindle Fire represents more work for developers, Kothari said it's worth it and not unusual for Android developers. Developers already have to test their apps on a wide variety of smartphone and tablet configurations. And some optimize their apps to be pre-loaded by manufacturers. Adding one more manufacturer, especially one that has the potential of Amazon, is an easy choice. It's not just developers who see opportunity in Kindle Fire. Ted Morgan, the founder of location technology provider Skyhook, said the device represents a big opportunity for his company because the Fire doesn't come with GPS embedded. But Skyhook can enable apps to be location-aware through its SDK, which it has been getting developers to use. Google has stopped using Skyhook in favor of its own technology and has allegedly pressured manufacturers to deploy Google's technology instead, a claim that is now the basis of a lawsuit by Skyhook. But now with a new hot tablet on the market, Skyhook has a way to go after makers of location-based apps, selling them on not only its own technology but the fact that it will enable their apps to work on the Fire. "We've seen a lot of enthusiasm on the developer side for the Fire, but all their location apps are kind of hosed so we're reaching out to all of them," Morgan said. Potential gatekeeper on apps The emergence of the Fire still has some adverse implications for developers. It's not as open as Android Market and requires a review by Amazon to be listed in the Amazon Appstore. Amazon still has the ability to price an app (http://gigaom.com/2011...) as it sees fit. And if the Fire becomes the most popular Android tablet, it has the potential to be a gatekeeper on apps, something Instapaper developer Marco Arment noted in a blog post (http://www.marco.org/2011...) . But it says something about how mediocre the sales prospects were for Android tablet app makers that they're so excited about the Kindle Fire. (http://gigaom.com/2011...) Things may balance out with new Android tablets based on the Ice Cream Sandwich software. But Amazon's selling savvy, which it's proven on the web, is not only getting consumers to take note, but developers as well. Add a comment to this post: http://gigaom.com/2011... - music lion
• music lion: [New post] Developers see early boost from Ki... music lion [New post] Developers see early boost from Kindle Fire December 5 from email - Comment - Like Post : Developers see early boost from Kindle Fire URL : http://gigaom.com/2011... Posted : December 5, 2011 at 1:00 pm Author : Ryan Kim Tags : Amazon, Android, Apps, developers, Google, kindle fire, tablet http://gigaom2.files.wordpress.com/2011... Quickoffice, a productivity app maker, has been on Android Market (s goog) for more than two years and has struck a bunch of deals with manufacturers to get its free app preloaded on to Android smartphones and tablets. In the spring, the company launched its free and paid apps on Amazon's (s amzn) Appstore for Android, but paid sales of the apps on Amazon were at times 1/100th of what it was making on Android Market. In the last couple weeks, however, there have been days when Amazon sales of Quickoffice has been on par with Android Market and it comes down to one simple reason: the Kindle Fire. (http://gigaom.com/2011...) Quickoffice CEO Alan Masarek told me he's seen a massive lift in sales of his Android app on Amazon thanks to the successful launch last month of the Kindle Fire, (http://gigaom.com/mobile...) which has proven to be a great showcase for his app. As with many other tablet makers, Amazon has preloaded a free version of QuickOffice on to the device. But the company is seeing much more success in converting those free users into paying customers compared to other Android devices. QuickPro Office Pro, which sells for $9.99, is No. 18 on the Amazon Appstore paid app rankings. Difference maker It may speak to the number of tablets Amazon has sold, though it's still unclear how many actual units have been moved. Developers I talked to are not disclosing data that would provide a gauge of Kindle Fire sales. But the early sales boost seen by QuickOffice and other app makers also appears to come down to the elegant buying experience Amazon has created on the Fire. The whole product gives developers a lot of reason to be optimistic about Android tablet apps, which have generally been a big disappointment. http://gigaom2.files.wordpress.com/2011... "It's been a massive difference for us; we're doing very well on the Amazon store," said Masarek. Masarek said other Android devices have not been as lucrative for developers because they often don't have a user's credit card on file. With the Kindle Fire, Amazon is able to provide a more Apple-like (s aapl) buying process, starting with a curated selection of apps and ending with a one-click check-out. And it's got a very easy-to-use UI with a prominent storefront for apps. Masarek said that's been helpful in kickstarting sales of Quickoffice, which shines best on tablets. Selling machine "The Kindle Fire is providing disproportionate benefit. If Amazon sells one unit and another manufacturer sells a unit, because of the benefit of the integrated purchase experience, you would expect to see better conversions on Amazon and that's what we're seeing," he said. Sylvain Dufour, CEO and founder of mobile game maker Mobigloo said Amazon's tablet breaks an unfortunate cycle for Android developers, who have struggled with Google tablets. His app Pinball Deluxe Premium is sitting at No. 15 on the paid app rankings after previously hovering between 70th to 90th. It's been helped in part by a price cut in the last week, but Dufour thinks that Amazon's clean buying experience has helped create what he calls a "dramatic" increase in sales, especially for an app like his that works best on a tablet. He said the way things are going, he expects that Android Market will be the place where he primarily distributes free apps, while the Kindle Fire will be where he does more actual selling of apps. He said he thinks the ratio to free apps sold on the Fire to paid apps is perhaps 10-1, while on Android Market, he guesses it could anywhere from 20-1 to 50-1. "I think the main difference is because people on Amazon and the Kindle Fire, they're more serious about buying. Even if they want the free version to start there's more of a chance of them to convert. Even if Amazon is just one channel to sell Android applications, over night since the launch of the Kindle Fire, it's become a very serious channel to sell a product," Dufour said. Free apps get a boost too It's not just paid apps that stand to do well on Kindle Fire. Pulse, a free news reading app, was bundled on the Fire and has enjoyed a boost in the number of people who are using the app. "Our servers are definitely getting strained (by Kindle Fire users) but we're very pleased with the way things are going so far," said Akshay Kothari, co-founder of Pulse. http://gigaom2.files.wordpress.com/2011... Pulse, like QuickOffice, was first contacted in the summer by Amazon about a deeper relationship. That ultimately led to integration on the Fire, though Kothari said Amazon didn't disclose it was working on a tablet until the actual announcement and didn't tell Pulse it was going to be placed right on the front screen. A little bit like Apple, Amazon tends to play it close to the vest. Kothari said he's excited about the prospect of distributing apps on a new tablet, especially if analyst forecast prove correct and Amazon sells up to 5 million units this year (http://gigaom.com/2011...) . He said the Pulse team tweaked the app with suggestions from Amazon, cleaning up the reading view and dropping in sharing connections that allow users to send articles to other downloaded apps. Worth the extra work? Though the Kindle Fire represents more work for developers, Kothari said it's worth it and not unusual for Android developers. Developers already have to test their apps on a wide variety of smartphone and tablet configurations. And some optimize their apps to be pre-loaded by manufacturers. Adding one more manufacturer, especially one that has the potential of Amazon, is an easy choice. It's not just developers who see opportunity in Kindle Fire. Ted Morgan, the founder of location technology provider Skyhook, said the device represents a big opportunity for his company because the Fire doesn't come with GPS embedded. But Skyhook can enable apps to be location-aware through its SDK, which it has been getting developers to use. Google has stopped using Skyhook in favor of its own technology and has allegedly pressured manufacturers to deploy Google's technology instead, a claim that is now the basis of a lawsuit by Skyhook. But now with a new hot tablet on the market, Skyhook has a way to go after makers of location-based apps, selling them on not only its own technology but the fact that it will enable their apps to work on the Fire. "We've seen a lot of enthusiasm on the developer side for the Fire, but all their location apps are kind of hosed so we're reaching out to all of them," Morgan said. Potential gatekeeper on apps The emergence of the Fire still has some adverse implications for developers. It's not as open as Android Market and requires a review by Amazon to be listed in the Amazon Appstore. Amazon still has the ability to price an app (http://gigaom.com/2011...) as it sees fit. And if the Fire becomes the most popular Android tablet, it has the potential to be a gatekeeper on apps, something Instapaper developer Marco Arment noted in a blog post (http://www.marco.org/2011...) . But it says something about how mediocre the sales prospects were for Android tablet app makers that they're so excited about the Kindle Fire. (http://gigaom.com/2011...) Things may balance out with new Android tablets based on the Ice Cream Sandwich software. But Amazon's selling savvy, which it's proven on the web, is not only getting consumers to take note, but developers as well. Add a comment to this post: http://gigaom.com/2011... - music lion
• music lion: [New post] First Impressions: A Kindle worthy... music lion [New post] First Impressions: A Kindle worthy of Touch November 17 from email - Comment - Like Post : First Impressions: A Kindle worthy of Touch URL : http://gigaom.com/2011... Posted : November 17, 2011 at 8:01 am Author : Om Malik Tags : Amazon, ebooks, eReaders, Kindle, kindle-touch http://gigaom2.files.wordpress.com/2011... Did you read the reviews of Kindle Fire, the new tablet from Amazon(s amzn) that is being sold for $199? If not, let me sum them up for you -- mediocre (http://www.nytimes.com/2011...) to less than mediocre, although our own Kevin Tofel seems to like it (http://gigaom.com/mobile...) . My experience with the Kindle Fire has been less than stellar, but honestly I am an iPad(s aapl) guy, so the comparison is always going to be unfair. My review of Fire was going to mirror some of the widely circulated sentiments from experts such as Walt Mossberg (http://allthingsd.com/2011111...) . So I decided to skip it for now and am going to spend some time with the device before I have my final say. Instead, I am focusing on the other new Kindle - the Kindle Touch. From the minute I held it in my hands and turned it on, only one thought ran through my mind: It's the best Kindle yet. The Kindle Touch is fast, it is extremely light, easy to hold, sensitive to touch and more importantly easy on the eyes. Kindle Touch works because it is simple and is singular in purpose. There is no clutter. Gone are the unnecessary buttons that I never used. The reading experience is exactly what you would expect from Kindle - clean with little or no strain on the eyes, thanks to the e-Ink screen. Like every device I get to review, I ignore the instructions and try and see how intuitive the device is. Kindle Touch gets 8.5 out of 10 for its intuitiveness. I tried to navigate pages back and forth with one hand and encountered no problems. I even used the swipe gesture I learned on iPhone and iPad and moved the content back and forth. The only thing I had to learn and remember: I had to touch the top of the screen in order to bring up the menu and the Kindle store. http://gigaom2.files.wordpress.com/2011... In short, it is a delight. Just as the original iPod made other MP3 players look decidedly dowdy, the Kindle Touch makes its older self look sad. The analogy that comes to mind is of a nerdy teenager who turns into a heart throb in his twenties. And not only that -- it is a lot cheaper compared to the $400 we paid for the original Kindle four years ago. I praise the device with just one caveat; these are my first impressions. I have only had a few hours with it and I have read only five chapters of The Information so far. My final opinions will come after a week, but sometimes first impressions are the right ones. Add a comment to this post: http://gigaom.com/2011... - music lion
• music lion: [New post] Review: The futuristic OnLive Desk... music lion [New post] Review: The futuristic OnLive Desktop runs Windows apps on the iPad Wednesday from email - Comment - Like Post : Review: The futuristic OnLive Desktop runs Windows apps on the iPad URL : http://venturebeat.com/2012... Posted : January 25, 2012 at 7:00 am Author : James Pikover Tags : Apple, cloud, cloud computing, cloud desktop, iPad, iPad 2, OnLive, OnLive Desktop Categories : cloud, games, VentureBeat http://venturebeat.files.wordpress.com/2012... The current state of computing is always under scrutiny and speculation. For years laptop and desktop computers have been proclaimed dead, most recently in the face of smartphones and tablet computers. OnLive Desktop (http://desktop.onlive.com/) may be the first sign of an evolution for everyday PC computing, one that would silence naysayers and utilize all types of application-driven computing devices. OnLive Desktop – from OnLive (http://www.onlive.com) , the Palo Alto, Calif.-based cloud-gaming company – is a Windows 7 work environment, streaming from the cloud, as a simple downloadable app. Using the same technology from its OnLive cloud gaming client, OnLive Desktop promises to deliver a desktop computing experience on tablets and smartphones. In this way, all devices do is display what’s on the Windows desktop and provide touch feedback. All of the processing is done on the backend. OnLive CEO Steve Perlman unveiled OnLive Desktop (http://venturebeat.com/2012...) at the recent Consumer Electronics Show. The significance of OnLive Desktop is that, in time, users will be able to have a full Windows computer in the cloud, as long as they have a free app and an Internet connection. Currently the service is limited to the iPad, though it is scheduled to be released for Android, other iOS devices, Windows, and OS X. This review is of the OnLive Desktop Standard edition. Pro and Enterprise versions will release in the near future with more features. A Veritable Windows Machine http://venturebeat.files.wordpress.com/2012... OnLive Desktop isn’t just a bare Windows 7 workspace. It comes with applications available for immediate use, including Microsoft Office Word, Excel, and Powerpoint, along with basic Windows applications such as Paint, Media Player, Notepad, Calculator, etc. All of the basics you would expect from a Windows 7 machine are immediately available through OnLive Desktop. There are a few key differences, mostly from the operating system. It isn’t your typical Windows 7 Home or Premium edition; instead, it’s Windows 7 Touch, designed specifically for touch-enabled devices. We’ll get to touch performance later on, but that means is that the entire OS works similar to the Microsoft Surface table: a multi-touch surface in a Windows environment. Several Surface applications are included, such as Microsoft Surface Collage, and a handful of Surface games. After a basic login screen, users are dropped at the standard Windows 7 desktop. The available Office applications, a folder of Surface apps, sample Office documents and the Getting Started Guide are all that sit on the desktop. For all intents and purposes, it is a Windows-based machine on an iPad. However, there are specific features missing on the Standard version of OnLive Desktop. There is no web browser. OnLive has struggled to find a solution to provide a web browser that handles all the data on their servers, but simultaneously doesn’t go to dangerous websites that could harm the servers. OnLive Desktop Standard does not have a built-in web browser, but then again iPad owners can just switch into the iPad’s Safari web browser, and go back into the OnLive Desktop when done. The bigger letdown is that copied material isn’t saved to the Windows clipboard, so copied text or images can’t be pasted to Windows. Settings cannot be adjusted for the Windows machine either, at least not yet. I found the touch cursor is slightly off, but there is no way to adjust it. No other functions can be adjusted whatsoever. Documents and data can be transferred to the OnLive Desktop through any computer by uploading directly to OnLive’s website. After logging in, users can upload up to 2GB of data (pay-for subscriptions will include more space). Solid, but Mediocre Video Compression http://venturebeat.files.wordpress.com/2012... The biggest difference between a native Windows computer and the OnLive Desktop app is, of course, that the latter is streaming. Unlike OnLive’s gaming client, which streams games through computers, tablets and smartphones, the video compression algorithm is different and made more suitable for standard desktop computing. It makes sense from a theoretical standpoint – videogames are far more intensive than, say, a Powerpoint presentation, which is almost constantly static. The video compression, or how Windows looks on the iPad, is solid, but rarely clear or crisp. While typing several articles using Word, sometimes the text would be too difficult to read on the screen, even with an excellent Wi-Fi connection. In fact, how strong the connection is makes almost no difference in the quality of video, unless it’s a poor connection to begin with. What lowers the screen quality is, in fact, heavy use of the app. Typing articles, for instance, using an external keyboard (the Windows on-screen keyboard is absolutely awful; to take full advantage of everything OnLive Desktop has to offer, use a Bluetooth keyboard) constantly sends data up and down, to and from OnLive’s servers. It may be just a few bytes at a time, but the constant hounding seems to lower quality of video regularly. Every minute or so the screen quality dropped severely, but would return to visible quality in a few seconds. To get crisp, clean visibility requires users to not upload data consistently. In other words, the less you do – for instance, the less you use the touchscreen or the less you type – the less data is uploaded to OnLive’s servers and slowing down the connection. Watching videos, reading documents, and showing Powerpoint presentations all provide high quality visuals. More intensive applications like Microsoft Surface Collage, where users can manipulate photos by touch, don’t appear as distorted or pixelated as text-based apps. Graphically-intensive applications also have data processed by more powerful servers, though for now it’s too difficult to tell whether or not that is occurring here. Lag time is, for the most part, nonintrusive. Typing documents, creating Powerpoints, and almost every other task has slight and noticeable lag, but it isn’t a bother. Lag is most visible when using apps like Paint, where it may take a half-second for the paintbrush to reach where you’ve drawn. The lag currently present will not cause any workflow problems, at least for the currently available applications. Potentially Disruptive http://venturebeat.files.wordpress.com/2012... Today, OnLive Desktop is a solid application client that has all the basic functions of a Windows computer freely available for all iPad users. Along with the basic Office apps and the Windows 7 Touch environment, OnLive Desktop has the potential to change the way we use tablets and smartphones, and perhaps even PCs. With a Windows-based machine as readily available as an internet connection, this technology may be paving the way for the future of cloud computing. There are, however, severe limitations with what can be done currently with the service. File support is minimal, there are only a few applications currently available, the display quality is mediocre regardless of the internet connection, and there is no personalization whatsoever. Even with these misgivings, as a free service for anyone with an iPad, and soon with an Android or iOS based device, there is nothing like OnLive Desktop anywhere. VPN offers a similar solution, but it isn’t cloud based and requires a separate computer for users to manage. With OnLive Desktop, someone else handles everything. And an exceptional side effect to the service is because it runs on tablets, which generally have excellent battery life, running OnLive Desktop actually lasts longer than a traditional laptop. For now, OnLive Desktop Standard shows a taste of what’s to come with future service plans. There are plenty of improvements to be made on the service today, but I recommend all iPad owner download the free application and try it out. OnLive Desktop opens the first gateway into actual cloud computing, with a full desktop workspace. Apple may believe that it is cannibalizing Windows PCs with monstrous sales of iPads, but with a service like this, more people than ever may start using Windows in ways never before imagined. Add a comment to this post: http://venturebeat.com/2012... - music lion
• music lion: [New post] The Top 30 Android Apps And Games ... music lion [New post] The Top 30 Android Apps And Games Of 2011 December 24 from email - Comment - Like Post : The Top 30 Android Apps And Games Of 2011 URL : http://techcrunch.com/2011... Posted : December 24, 2011 at 3:15 pm Author : Contributor Categories : Apps, Mobile, TC Editor’s note: Contributor Brad Spirrison is the managing editor of mobile app discovery services Appolicious (http://appolicious.com) , AndroidApps (http://androidapps.com) and AppVee (http://appvee.com) . After having looked into the best iOS apps (http://techcrunch.com/2011...) and games (http://techcrunch.com/2011...) of 2011, Spirrison now turns his attention to the best Android apps of the year. Android apps come in all shapes and sizes - literally. Unlike iOS applications, which are basically created for two form factors, Android apps need to be developed with dozens (if not hundreds) of device-types in mind. This is on top of the inconsistent operating system releases still mucking things up. While all of this fragmentation is a headache for developers, ignoring a platform with 50 percent market share would ultimately lead to their peril. The best Android apps are thus the ones that can both push the technological envelope while also remaining accessible to the vast majority of users. This is no easy feat. We divided our list of the best 30 Android apps into four distinct categories. The top ten apps come from third-party developers, and, if not exclusive to Android, were created primarily for the platform. Additional sections include the best new or significantly updated apps from Google, as well as the best apps and games that appeared first on iOS but later arrived to Android in 2011. As is the case with our lists of best iOS apps and games of 2011, hundreds of additional titles are worthy of consideration. Our top 30 showcase the growth and maturation of Android apps over the last year. They are also worthy downloads. http://tctechcrunch2011.files.... 1. Any.DO: To Do List | Task List (https://market.android.com/details...) (full AndroidApps review (http://www.androidapps.com/finance...) ) Funded by Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt, Any.DO is the best productivity and to-do application tailored specifically for Android devices. The app’s elegant interface is optimized to limit actual typing through voice-driven commands. Users can swipe each task when complete, and shake their phones to clear them from the screen. The app also offers (mostly) seamless integration with Google accounts. http://tctechcrunch2011.files.... 2. Lightbox - Photos & Effects (https://market.android.com/details...) (full AndroidApps review (http://www.androidapps.com/apps...) ) More than just an Instagram for Android, Lightbox offers features like photo journals and the ability to arrange pictures by personal timelines that make it unique and, to some, indispensable. The app’s stunning visual display and compatibility on multiple Android devices set the standard moving forward for photo-sharing apps on the platform. http://tctechcrunch2011.files.... 3. Amazon MP3 (https://market.android.com/details....) (full AndroidApps review (http://www.androidapps.com/apps...) ) Along with Google Music (see below), Amazon MP3 is the best way for an Android smartphone and tablet owner to kick an iTunes habit. The app provides access to a library of nearly 20 million songs, 5GB of free storage, and reliable offline listening. Subscriptions to Amazon’s Cloud Drive service start at a reasonable $20/year for 20GB of storage, but you can store as much of your own music as you like with that subscription. http://tctechcrunch2011.files.... 4. AirDroid (https://market.android.com/details....) (full AndroidApps review (http://www.androidapps.com/tech...) ) Android devices offer so many customization features that sometimes using a larger screen, mouse and full-sized keyboard will help you get the most out of your smartphone or tablet device. This free app lets users operate their smartphones from a PC with a Wi-Fi connection. Additionally, AirDroid emphasizes privacy protection with password changes for each use. http://tctechcrunch2011.files.... 5. SwiftKey X Keyboard (https://market.android.com/details.....) (full AndroidApps review (http://www.androidapps.com/finance...) ) After launching a beta app last year, SwiftKey X arrived on Android smartphones and tablets in 2011. The app has larger keys as well as superior word and sentence prediction algorithms than what is typically found on Androids. SwiftKey also learns from previously typed emails and messages, and offers three color schemes to simplify the process and brighten things up. http://tctechcrunch2011.files.... 6. Skitch (https://market.android.com/details.....) (full AndroidApps review (http://www.androidapps.com/finance...) ) Acquired by Evernote, Skitch lets users annotate photos with sketches, images and words. The app has dead simple editing tools and the ability for users to draw with multi-colored crayons. Skitch is a great app for kids in addition to serving as a functional and unique photo-sharing service. http://tctechcrunch2011.files.... 7. BlueStacks Cloud Connect (https://market.android.com/details...) (full AndroidApps review (http://www.androidapps.com/tech...) ) While still in Alpha, BlueStacks is demonstrating how Android applications can run on Windows-based PCs. The Android app works in concert with the Windows-based BlueStacks App Player to run mobile applications on PCs. The venture-backed company and application, which has attracted more than 500,000 early adopters since launch, expects to debut a Mac OS version in 2012. http://tctechcrunch2011.files.... 8. Qello (https://market.android.com/details...) (full AndroidApps review (http://www.androidapps.com/tech...) ) Available as separate applications for Android smartphones and tablets (https://market.android.com/details.....) , Qello offers a great catalog of high definition concerts (mostly rock, but with other genres sprinkled in). Users can sample the 500+ titles for free, or lease any of them on a weekly ($1.99) or monthly basis ($4.99). http://tctechcrunch2011.files.... 9. AccuWeather for Honeycomb (https://market.android.com/details...) (full AndroidApps review (http://www.androidapps.com/apps...) ) Developed specifically for Honeycomb-based tablet devices, this all-inclusive weather application showcases the beauty and utility of Android on larger form factors. The Lifestyle section, which informs users on things like whether it is a good day for biking or bad day for allergies, is a nice humanized touch. http://tctechcrunch2011.files.... 10. HD Widgets (https://market.android.com/details....) (full AndroidApps review (http://www.androidapps.com/apps...) ) Android is all about customization, and there is no better and more comprehensive widget app available than this one. Optimized for Android tablets and smartphones, HD Widgets is great for Android experts and first-timers alike. Users will also appreciate the “fanatical” customer service of the developers. Here are the five best Android apps developed by Google that were released or received significant updates in 2011. http://tctechcrunch2011.files.... 11. Google Currents (https://market.android.com/details....) (full AndroidApps review (http://www.androidapps.com/apps...) ) As long as Flipboard remains exclusive to iOS devices, this new release from Google serves as the premier news reader on Android smartphones and tablets. More of a fast and elegant aggregator than social magazine, Google Currents benefits from an organized layout and dead simple third-party publisher platform. There is also — shockingly — nice integration with Google+, including curated content from the likes of Robert Scoble and Guy Kawasaki. http://tctechcrunch2011.files.... 12. Google+ (https://market.android.com/details.....) (full AndroidApps review (http://www.androidapps.com/tech...) ) Google became a relevant player in social networking this year with the successful launch of Google+. While the service is also available as an iPhone app as well as a web app through BlackBerry, Windows and Symbian platforms, Google understandably treats its own platform as first among equals. Check-ins for business, for instance, rolled out first on the Android app. http://tctechcrunch2011.files.... 13. Google Maps (https://market.android.com/search...) (full AndroidApps review (http://www.androidapps.com/apps...) ) A November update to this trailblazing application introduced indoor mapping functionality to mobile devices. Google Maps 6.0 helps users more easily navigate within airports, shopping malls and other locations where GPS technology is spotty. http://tctechcrunch2011.files.... 14. Google Docs (https://market.android.com/details.....) (full AndroidApps review (http://www.androidapps.com/finance...) ) While no mobile application matches the utility of Google Docs on a desktop or laptop, this official version for Android is pretty close. If you’re a hardcore Google Docs user, this app will help you break free from your desk and still read and edit docs and spreadsheets on the fly. http://tctechcrunch2011.files.... 15. Google Music (https://market.android.com/details...) (full AndroidApps review (http://www.androidapps.com/apps...) ) Like Amazon MP3 cited above, Google Music is a way for Android users to comfortably cut the cord (or cloud) on iTunes (at least on their mobile devices). The app lets users store up to 20,000 songs for free in the cloud, with a portion available for offline access. These next 10 apps were initially released for iOS devices. They are included here for their utility, entertainment value and impact on the Android ecosystem. http://tctechcrunch2011.files.... 16. Price Check by Amazon (https://market.android.com/details...) (full AndroidApps review (http://www.androidapps.com/shine...) ) When Amazon unveiled this price-comparison app to Android devices just before Black Friday, the company’s retail Death Star became fully operational. Sure, Price Check was available to iPhone owners a year earlier, and there are similar apps across all major mobile platforms. But having an Android app gives Amazon critical mass in this category, and allows the company to (again) upend physical retail as we know it. This includes offering discounts to consumers on their phones during the point of comparison. http://tctechcrunch2011.files.... 17. Netflix (https://market.android.com/details....) (full AndroidApps review (http://www.androidapps.com/tech...) ) There were a lot of things that Netflix did horribly wrong in 2011. Releasing a killer Android app for smartphones and tablet devices was not one of them. As Android tablets become ready for prime time and more plausibly compete against the iPad, entertainment apps like Netflix will flourish. http://tctechcrunch2011.files.... 18. SoundTracking (https://market.android.com/details.....) (full AndroidApps review (http://www.androidapps.com/tech...) ) The most innovative music detection and discovery app of the year finally arrived to Android in December. SoundTracking not only identifies a song a user is listening to, but shares it with Facebook, Twitter and foursquare friends and followers. The advantage of the Android app, relative to the iOS version which launched earlier this year, is that users with Spotify and Rdio can listen to entire tracks (as opposed to 30-second snippets from iTunes). http://tctechcrunch2011.files.... 19. Hipmunk Flight Search (https://market.android.com/details.....) (full AndroidApps review (http://www.androidapps.com/apps...) ) Hipmunk differentiates from the run-of-the-mill flight search applications by predicting how painful your traveling might be. The app’s “Agony Index” takes into account factors beyond price including flight duration, Wi-Fi access and other variables. Once users choose the least painful flight, the app accommodates direct booking and provides access to third-party services. http://tctechcrunch2011.files.... 20. Fooducate Shopping Scanner (https://market.android.com/details....) (full AndroidApps review (http://www.androidapps.com/apps...) ) This app translates nutritional information found on food packaging into plain English, and offers a letter grade as to how healthy or harmful an item can be. The app offers comprehensive coverage of both mainstream brands and niche delicacies via the scanning of barcodes. Best of all? The app suggests healthier, similar alternatives to the worst offenders. http://tctechcrunch2011.files.... 21. Marvel Comics (https://market.android.com/details....) (full AndroidApps review (http://www.androidapps.com/omg...) ) Reading classic comics within this app works on virtually any size Android screen — which is no easy feat. Marvel Comics also offers panel-by-panel viewing that features beautiful art and more legible word balloons. While most titles require a subscription, there are an ample amount of classic comics available for free. http://tctechcrunch2011.files.... 22. Syncplicity (https://market.android.com/details....) (full AndroidApps review (http://www.androidapps.com/finance...) ) For digitally promiscuous users who store and share files on multiple devices and operating systems powered by Android, iOS and Windows, Syncplicity is a useful way to manage libraries found within all of them. Unlike many cloud-based alternatives, Syncplicity uses encryption to secure files. http://tctechcrunch2011.files.... 23. Starbucks (https://market.android.com/details...) (full AndroidApps review (http://www.androidapps.com/shine...) ) After launching initially on iOS and BlackBerry smartphones, the official Starbucks app finally arrived on Android earlier this year. Better late than never. The app lets users manage their Starbucks Cards and purchase coffee and the like at nearly 7,000 U.S. locations. http://tctechcrunch2011.files.... 24. LinkedIn (https://market.android.com/details....) (full AndroidApps review (http://www.androidapps.com/tech...) ) After what seemed like an eternity in beta, LinkedIn finally launched an Android app ready for prime time in the spring. While not perfect, the LinkedIn app is a much better alternative than the company’s more limited mobile site. Finally, this indispensable professional networking service found a full-time gig on Android. http://tctechcrunch2011.files.... 25. Path (https://market.android.com/details....) (full AndroidApps review (http://www.androidapps.com/tech...) ) A significant December update to this social blogging app on Android and iOS devices served as an early holiday present to its passionate and vocal adherents. Beyond sharing photos, users can now tell the world about what music they are listening to and other activities they are doing. The app’s new design and “Automatic” feature, which recognizes when users deviate from routine schedules, also separate Path from the pack. And finally, we present the five best games to arrive to Android devices in 2011. Notably, they all first appeared on the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. http://tctechcrunch2011.files.... 26. Cut the Rope (https://market.android.com/details...) (full AndroidApps review (http://www.androidapps.com/games...) ) While not a household name like Angry Birds, Cut the Rope is among the most addictive and popular mobile games of all time. The graphics and music are superb, and Cut the Rope is optimized and plays very well on larger Android tablet devices. This is another multi-platform grand slam for (Angry Birds) publisher Chillingo. http://tctechcrunch2011.files.... 27. World of Goo (https://market.android.com/details....) (full AndroidApps review (http://www.androidapps.com/games...) ) One of the most original and well-crafted physics-based puzzle games around finally made its way to Android devices in late November. Originally an indie hit on PCs, World of Goo is a construction game in which users must connect goo balls together to build structures so that other goo balls can get to the end of each stage. The abstract art and imagery alone make it worth the five bucks to download. http://tctechcrunch2011.files.... 28. Where's My Water? (https://market.android.com/search...) (full AndroidApps review (http://www.androidapps.com/games...) ) A clever and addictive puzzle game by Disney, Where’s My Water? combines whimsical design with killer gameplay. Players are tasked with keeping a sewer-dwelling alligator named Swampy clean and pristine while guiding him through urban terrain. Easier said than done, particularly with Swampy’s alligator buddies standing in the way. http://tctechcrunch2011.files.... 29. Plants vs. Zombies (https://market.android.com/details....) (full AndroidApps review (http://www.androidapps.com/games...) ) This classic title from PopCap, which was acquired by Electronic Arts in July, first came to Android earlier this year via the Amazon App Store. It was sold exclusively on Amazon until early December. Fans of the cartoony tower defense game will enjoy tapping into Plants vs. Zombies on Android devices. http://tctechcrunch2011.files.... 30. Asphalt 6: Adrenaline HD (https://market.android.com/details....) (full AndroidApps review (http://www.androidapps.com/games...) ) The best racing game available for Android devices, Asphalt 6: Adrenaline HD combines plenty of cars and game modes — including a psychedelic “Adrenaline” boost — with superlative visuals and gameplay. This one deserves the checkered flag. Add a comment to this post: http://techcrunch.com/2011... - music lion
• Review: Antec Cleaning Spray Kit Android Fun Review: Antec Cleaning Spray Kit January 20 from AndroidGuys - Comment - Like Face it, your Android smartphone and tablet get smudged a lot.  And no matter what display technology is used nor how clean you try to keep your fingers, at some point you look down at your device and see fingerprints and smudges.  What do you normally do to clean your screen?  Breath hot air on [...] Review: Antec Cleaning Spray Kit originally appeared on AndroidGuys. Follow AndroidGuys on Facebook and Twitter and download the free AndroidGuys app for your device! Check out our gift ideas for Android owners - Iggy Mwangi
• Paul Buchheit: Well that's amusing. I'm surprised that an... Paul Buchheit Well that's amusing. I'm surprised that an os with approximately zero users would have so many fans. For the record, I'm a big believer in the "instant on, cloud-based os" future, but that platform will be known as Android (and iOS). December 14, 2010 - Comment - Like Aaron Draczynski, sazain khan, İlter Kalkancı and 42 other people liked this I'm on your side Paul! :) - Oguz Serdar 45 more comments I love lamp. - Mark J remember android too wasn't taken seriously by many in its initial stages it was expected to fade away, but then google gave nexus with help from manufacturers, chrome os comes with a hardware it mght be difficult but lets see how laptop companies see it do they bring out chrome os based notebooks? because it ight actually cut costs, a chrome os notebook is expected to be cheaper than usual win or iOS based notebooks even netbooks lets see how asus sees it - testbeta
• Kevin Fox: It's funny that people are dubious about equip... Kevin Fox It's funny that people are dubious about equipping HS students with $500 iPads. They currently lug around $500 worth of textbooks. January 19 from Twitter - Comment - Like Bruce Lewis, Derrick, !lker yoldas. )°( and 12 other people liked this Not sure there is a large market for text box theft... plus if you drop your textbook, they don't tend to shatter... - Johnny 21 more comments The HS I went to was really short on books. Most classes depended on copy machines, chalk and blackboards, with materials written by the teachers themselves. This same school didn't replace their 10 C64's until 1999, when Apple decided to clean out their warehouses of old junk and donated a few old outdated Macs, which are still in use. That's the reality of a high school in an American ghetto...not iPads. - April I have a feeling some kids are totally going to get iPads, and some are totally not. - Victor Ganata
• Leo Laporte: Live now, This Week In Tech with Denise Howe... Leo Laporte to Leo's feed, TWiT Conversations Live now, This Week In Tech with Denise Howell, Tom Merritt, Jeff Cannata, and Jason "Maverick" Calacanis. http://live.twit.tv Discuss here... June 7, 2009 - Comment - Like Kishore Jeganathan, siouxmoux, Tyson Key and 139 other people liked this first - Bruce Segal 740 more comments twit.am is down? - Dave Yikes, are the streams down? - Mister IQ
• Review: Antec Cleaning Spray Kit AndroidWorld Review: Antec Cleaning Spray Kit - http://www.androidguys.com/2012... January 20 from AndroidGuys - Comment - Like Face it, your Android smartphone and tablet get smudged a lot.  And no matter what display technology is used nor how clean you try to keep your fingers, at some point you look down at your device and see fingerprints and smudges.  What do you normally do to clean your screen?  Breath hot air on [...] Review: Antec Cleaning Spray Kit originally appeared on AndroidGuys. Follow AndroidGuys on Facebook and Twitter and download the free AndroidGuys app for your device! Check out our gift ideas for Android owners - Muthu Ramadoss