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Tagged: Android Applications

FriendMobilizer Facebook Android client

By Chris Davies
on 27 Mar, 2009

A new Facebook application for Android has been launched by Macrospecs. FriendMobilizer offers status control, notifications, photo access and more, all with what Macrospecs describe as minimal memory footprint. There's also integration of photo uploads into your Android phone's standard menu options, with a new "FriendMobilizer" choice in the "Share picture via" dialog. Images can then be captioned and commented on, with uploads happening in the background. FriendMobilizer is available through the Android Market now. The company also offers free versions for Windows Mobile devices. [gallery]

Android Market paid-app system blocking new merchants

By Chris Davies
on 13 Mar, 2009

Android Community is hearing from developers who are experiencing problems linking Merchant accounts to their Android Developer accounts, and as such are unable to list paid apps on the Android Market. Multiple developers are reporting seeing the error message "Sorry, we could not setup your merchant account. Please try again later" multiple times over the past 24-48 hours, with Google's customer support remaining silent. Google began listing paid applications a month ago, the Android Market previously having only accepted freeware for the platform. Developers wishing to sell their software are required to register for a Google Checkout merchant account before submitting their applications with a price tag attached. We've got a request for a comment or at least some feedback from Google at the moment, and will update as soon as we hear back from them. This is a bad situation not only for developers but for users, who are missing out on access to new software.

Surveyor Android G1-controlled robots: Video Demos

By Chris Davies
on 11 Mar, 2009

Considering the name of the platform, I'm surprised we've not seen more robots either based on, or controlled by, Android. With that in mind, here are two 'bots that rely on a T-Mobile G1 for their remote control; one which wouldn't look out of place patrolling battlefields, the other slightly more bizarre. The tech is supplied by open-source robotics experts Surveyor, who are offering a control console for their SRV-1 robot controller. You can download the code from the project page. As for the SRV-1, it's a modular robot platform that can be hooked into a variety of motors, camera units, and other devices. You can either buy the parts separately and construct your own 'bot, or you can stop by one of several vendors and pick up a pre-built machine. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmzeTcKvmjE[/youtube] [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxn8gNZhe7E[/youtube] [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zz6X4BJ1ZFw[/youtube] [via Droideo]

Google Finance for Android app released

By Chris Davies
on 4 Mar, 2009

Google have announced a new Finance for Android app that is available now in the Android Market. Finance for Android links up with the online Google Finance website, and allows users to view real-time streaming quotes in their portfolio, access fast stock look-ups with search auto-suggestion, and call up "recent quotes" to check figures on-the-go. Each stock shows detailed quotes, charts and news, and any change you make to your portfolio automatically syncs up with the Google Finance website. The software - which is a free download - is the work of Arun Mathew, Lead engineer, and Nick Fey, User experience designer, who coded it in their Google 20-percent time, the term given to space outside of core projects that employees at the search giant are encouraged to fill with their own projects. It's not all perfect, however. Currently the Finance for Android app is only available to users in the US, and there's limited market support: NASDAQ and Dow Jones shares are covered, for instance, but not the London Stock Exchange. Hopefully the Google engineers will spend a little more of their 20-percent time tweaking an updated version that addresses those issues. [gallery]

Android Community Week In Review: Week 8 2009

By Brady Landgren
on 22 Feb, 2009

The Android platform finally got entrance of paid applications into the market this week, which many believe will finally give Android the edge it needs to compete with other smart phones. Purchase and payment takes place through Google Checkout. Of note, purchases can be "returned" within 24 hours of purchase (not of install) for a refund, something that the iPhone's App Store doesn't allow. Reports are that the paid apps have been trickling into users' Market apps over the past week, though availability at this time is limited to the US. Also being reported is that the Android Developer phones (identical to the G1 in functionality) do not have access to paid apps copy-protected apps from the market. The reasoning for this is not known at this time, and some users of these phones are still able to access paid apps copy-protected apps.

Android Market Now Accepting Pay-For Applications

By Brady Landgren
on 13 Feb, 2009

According to an e-mail sent to registered Android developers, the Android market is now accepting submissions of paid-applications. Initially, the market will allow US buyers to purchase apps directly from their device "starting mid next week," according to the e-mail.

Truphone Anywhere ‘VoIP’ app for Android launches

By Chris Davies
on 22 Jan, 2009

Truphone have announced a version of their Truphone Anywhere client for the T-Mobile G1. The app, a free download from the Android Market, is available in the US, UK and, in preparation for the G1's release in Germany come March 2009, in German. As well as free VoIP calls over WiFi between Truphone users, the service claims to offer lower-cost international calls.

Android 101 workshop being held in Pakistan

By Staff Editor
on 15 Jan, 2009

Google representative in Pakistan, Badar Khushnood, has reportedly sent out emails to a few people about an Android developers workshop in LUMS or Lahore. The workshop is to help make developers aware of the vision that Google has for Android and help better introduce them to the platform. The session is basically an introduction to creating Android applications using the SDK and developers tools provided. Software Engineer for Google, Omer Shakij, will be speaking to people and giving a walkthrough of building a non-trivial application and use it as a basis for discussing the carious facets of the Android application framework. On the agenda they have an Overview of resources available to Android developers, Hello Android, Few API Demos from the SDK, HTC G1 Live Demo and a Q&A Session. If you reside in Pakistan and would like to attend this workshop then head over to the registration page for more details.

FlyCast finally comes over to Android

By Staff Editor
on 13 Jan, 2009

More ways to listen to music for free are coming to the Android Market. FlyCast has made its way to Android after stopping off on the iPhone and BlackBerry handsets. Similar to the concept of Pandora, FlyCast brings screaming music to the palm of your hand without needing to download or store it on your device. FlyCast is a bit different than the other applications because it allows users to listen to stations in which only a few allow you to skip songs. They have also partnered up with Facebook, AccuWeather.com and support AAC+ and Windows Media streams. Users can download a desktop player that mirrors exactly the FlyCast mobile application with 1000 traditional stations plus 300 ‘personalized’ stations with unlimited song skipping. “2009 will be a year of transition for broadcasting, as hundreds of millions of new ’smart devices’ hit the streets, with incredible media consumption capabilities,” noted FlyCast CEO Sam Abadir. “FlyCast continues to lead the way in offering broadcasters and webcasters innovative platform capabilities to take full advantage of these new and compelling distribution opportunities.” Now between Pandora and FlyCast how many more streaming music applications will be released? Personally I have no need for another streaming application, Pandora and FlyCast have all the areas important to me covered. FlyCast will be available soon, no definite date has been set though. [Via FlyCast]

Android Market gets updated with support for paid apps in mid-January

By Staff Editor
on 30 Dec, 2008

Google has finally come around and decided to update the Android Market for developers. Google sent out an email to one of our users stating that they have been working on “several significant updates” to the Android Market. First off Android Market will become available to users to download apps in more European and Asian countries starting early in the first quarter of 2009. Some of these countries include Germany, Austria, Czech Republic and the Netherlands. In mid January Google will update the Android Market publisher website in order to enable country targeting. They also confirm that priced applications will be available at the same time (early January). Apparently the payment support from country to country is not very easy to setup. The priced applications will be starting in the United States and the UK, following the initial launch Germany, Austria and Netherlands will have paid apps and France, Italy and Spain will have them by the end of the first quarter. The Android Market website also gives applications a second channel of exposure other than the handset itself. Below is a copy of the attached letter.

Hello, Thank you for your participation in Android Market! Since we launched a couple months ago, the team has been working on several significant updates to Android Market. I'd like to let you know about these upcoming changes and what they will mean to you and other members of our developer community. Many of you have asked about international expansion plans. I'm happy to inform you that Android Market will become available to users to download apps in additional European countries starting early Q1 2009. Some of the countries we will initially support are Germany, Austria, Czech Republic and the Netherlands. As we add support for additional countries in Europe and Asia, we will send out subsequent notifications to you. In mid-January, we will update the Android Market publisher website to enable country targeting. Please start thinking about which countries you want to target and begin preparing your products accordingly (e.g., localization). Note that your apps will not become available in these new countries unless you specifically select them in the publisher website, after we update it. Additionally, I would like to confirm that Android Market will support priced applications starting early Q1 2009, as we'd originally stated last fall. Given the country-by-country work required to set up payment support for developers in different countries, we will enable priced app support in Q1 for developers operating in these countries in the following order: (1) United States and UK; (2) Germany, Austria and Netherlands; (3) France, Italy and Spain. By the end of Q1 2009, we will announce support for developers operating in additional countries. Developers operating in the above listed countries should begin finalizing their priced applications, including determining the appropriate pricing strategy. Finally, please note that our team may need to occasionally contact you via email or the publisher website to collect necessary product information (such as screenshots and descriptions). This information would be used for the Android Market website, found at http://market.android.com, which gives applications a second channel of exposure via the web in addition to the normal on-device access. We will send out additional details on all these items in the coming weeks. Thanks for your support, and we look forward to continue working with you on Android Market. Eric Chu, Android Market Google, Inc. 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway Mountain View, CA 94043