The 1.0.3 version of Steam includes better support for Honeycomb and Ice Cream Sandwich’s native graphical acceleration, which should make for some speed improvements on the applicable devices. Stability enhancements should make it run better on older phones as well, especially 2.1 phones, where store browsing is now enabled. A few UI tweaks like automatic links in chat make for smoother use all around. Based on a few minutes of tinkering with my own Steam account the overall app seems very much improved, and more like the ubiquitous desktop version – kudos, Valve.

You can download the app for free in the Android Market for just about any Android phone or tablet. Of course, your choices in Steam access are significantly curtailed after dozens of third-party Steam apps disappeared from the Market without notice. Valve still hasn’t commented on the removal, but a few have come back under different names: the unofficial ”Steam for Android” app that we previously covered is now “Vapor for Android ” (nice), and can be downloaded in the Market for free once again. This solidifies the idea that Valve objected to other Steam apps on copyright grounds.

The idea is simple enough: create a social network for the fashion conscious, wherein they can snap photos from their phones, upload them and “like” or comment on the results. The brilliant bit comes in the combination of the ubiquitous tags and StyleTag’s unique categorization system. Sure, you can look at the firehose feed in the main wall view of all the entries or just the most popular ones, but if you’re in the mood to find jeans or evening wear, or even items from a particular brand or designer, search by tag. You can save favorite tags or feeds to follow them Twitter-style, or just chat with other registered users.

As a method for casually browsing the latest in fashion, the app is an impressive accomplishment – I wish more mainstream software could look this good. Admittedly, the userbase skews overwhelmingly female at the moment; guys won’t find many tips or items of interest. As far as clothing goes, anyway.  (Ahem.) Top users are turning in some impressive entries both for clothing and photography, though some is certainly taken with the aid of more than just a smartphone.

There are a few holdovers from the iOS app design, like portrait-only orientation and a persistent back button. But over all it’s a beautiful app with a surprising amount of depth, for those with the inclination to peruse its digital aisles. You can download it now in the Android Market – fair warning, it doesn’t seem to like Android tablets at the moment.

LibreOffice is published by a series of volunteer developers called The Document Foundation. The team is mostly former members of the Open Office project who left when Oracle bought Sun Microsystems, who had previously funded Open Office. With more than 8 million downloads in 2011 alone, it’s fast become one of the favorite free office suites for desktops, and is included by default in many Linux distributions. In addition to Android and iOS versions, The Document Foundation hopes to create online editions of the various application in LibreOffice using HTML 5.

LibreOffice includes all the basics of an office suite: a Word-style document manager, spreadsheet program, presentation program (PowerPoint-style), database manager, vector tool and formula editor. It’s not clear which of these programs will make it to the Android port, though the first three would seem to be a given. There’s clearly a lot of work that needs to be done (especially to create a powerful yet touch-friendly interface) but the project remains an exciting one for work-focused Android users.

[via ArsTechnica]

Nova Launcher isn’t a fancy, flash home screen replacement, it simply adds in all the features that you wish the stock launcher already had. The most obvious of these include a landscape mode option and the ability to manually remove that annoying and persistent search bar at the top of the screen. Other small but extremely welcome adjustments include a scrolling dock bar, allowing up to three “pages” of up to 7 pinned apps or folder each. That’s a great way to keep your homescreens uncluttered.

Old custom launcher standbys include defining the number of active screens (between one and seven), setting all widgets to definable widths and heights, changing the number of rows and columns and (a personal favorite) enabling or disabling the text labels beneath shortcuts. Little touche abound, like dragging shortcuts to the top of the screen to uninstall their apps and a backup/restore function. Nova Launcher is designed for smartphones running Ice Cream Sandwich and won’t work on earlier versions of Android. It will work on ICS tablets, but not all that well.

Nova Launcher is still in free beta, and isn’t yet available on the Android Market. There are two ways to install it: the basic non-Market method, and the rooted method. To get the full functionality you need to move the APK file to your system/app folder with ADB or a file manager. Don’t sweat it if you aren’t rooted, though: the only real difference is that you have to tap “widgets” in the app drawer instead of swiping. Check out the app’s current home, this XDA thread, to download the latest version. By the way, if there’s a feature you want to see, submit or vote for it on the User Voice page.

The system is a little convoluted, so follow along. Install the beta app from this link via the standard non-Market method. Upload at least one photo, and you get an extra 500 megabytes connected to your DropBox account. Upload another 500MB of of photos, and you get another 500MB of storage, all the way up to 5GB of total extra space. Normally users are limited to uploading 180MB daily, but DropBox is dropping limits for the beta trial period, so throw in as much as you want. Those of you who are on a limited data plan may want to use a home or work WiFi network, though.

The additional storage is generous to be sure, but it doesn’t hold a candle to DropBox’s competitor, Box.net. If you own a Sony XPERIA or LG Android phone, you can install the Box.net app to instantly get upgraded to a whopping 50GB of free storage space. Those of you rocking Android-modded HP TouchPads should boot back in to WebOS and download the Box.net app too, as it grants the same extras.

[via Phandroid]

The research was normalized for both platforms, taking relative downloads out of the equation. Even in the most extreme example, less than 4% of iOS apps and 3% of Android apps crashed with regularity. The biggest OS version offender by  far was iOS 5, making up more than a quarter of app crashes all by itself. That makes sense, since new operating systems have the most compatibility issues with older apps – at least until you read that Android 4.0 has just 1% of the share of crashed apps. Apple’s combined mobile OS made up more than two thirds of total normalized app crashes. The biggest portion of Android crashes went to Gingerbread 2.3.3, with just under 4%.

Looking at Android specifically, Gingerbread makes up more than half of crashed apps across all versions - which makes since, considering that it’s at roughly 60% penetration across all Android devices at the moment. Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich does show a disproportionate amount of app crashes, with just under 7% of the Android total. When taken across both mobile platforms, iOS still has the majority of crashing apps, even considering its greater share of total app downloads.

[via Forbes]

As you almost certainly know, the vast majority of Google’s proprietary apps for Android employ a black-on-white color scheme, the better to aid visibility. If your phone uses an OLED or AMOLED screen, XDA modder “rujelus22″ presents his alternative: color-reversed “dark” apps that allow for a high degree of contrast (with admittedly slightly lower readability) and maximum battery-saving black space on the screen. The modified collection of Gingerbread apps includes the standard Gmail, Google Search, Android Market, Google Talk, Music player and Google Plus apps, with Google Voice, Documents, Translate, Twitter, Facebook, DropBox and the Ice Cream Sandwich keyboard thrown in for good measure.

The bad news is that you’ll need to get rid of the apps already on your phone in order to install them – for most of the core Android apps, that will require root access. And the apps are designed for Gingerbread, so while they should work on Honeycomb and Ice Cream Sandwich, they won’t be ideal replacements for the tablet or phone apps those users already have .There’s no conclusive numbers on how much battery power you can save with the modified files, but I’m sure some flashers are eager to take a few measurements. The modder says he or she intends to add more themed apps to the collection over time.

By the way, don’t install these if your phone’s screen uses an LCD, unless you just like the look. They won’t save any battery power at all. If you’re unsure of what technology your phone uses, check our Device.ac database.

[via MoDaCo]

The deadline for submitting apps to RIM to be included in the launch database is February 6th, meaning that the update and app repository should be available shortly thereafter. It isn’t as easy as dropping an SDK onto the Playbook’s flash storage; a little work on the developer side of things is required. But compared to building an app from scratch it’s a breeze, thanks to tools provided by RIM itself to ease the porting process. In order to be considered by RIM, developers will need to remove all usage of the word “Android” from the app, refrain from referring to the Market, setting the requirement to “BlackBerry Playbook” (hah!) and signing the package digitally.

All this work to get Android apps on the PlayBook is fascinating, considering how much RIM is trying to distance themselves from everyone’s favorite green robot. Just last week their shiny new CEO (career expectancy: 8 months) said that they had no intention of releasing hardware that runs Android, claiming that “all Android phones are the same”. Methinks the gentleman doth protest too much.

[via SlashGear]

In addition to the standard GPS-based navigation and traffic streamlining system, Waze now includes APIs for Foursquare and Yelp. This isn’t for updates for your friends (“Michael is still suck on I-20″) but rather a searchable database of restaurants and other attractions. Regular Android users will recognize this as yet another feature “borrowed” from the built-in Google Maps application, namely the “Places” feature. But while Places only includes information from reviews on Google Maps, Waze now has access to the much more rich database of Yelp reviews and active participants via Foursquare. Of course, once you reach a location you can review it or check in.

The user interface adjustments are notable as well. Waze points out the at the new active map GUI has only two large buttons, the better to safely use while behind the wheel. Bigger, more readable fonts and integration with Android’s voice-control functions enhance safety and usability. Users can quickly report road issues or speed traps with just two taps, and the social gaming elements that put Waze on the map (so to speak) remain intact.

Most of the features of the Windows and OS X desktop Steam program are present in the mobile app – except, you know, the actual games. The expansive community settings built into the platform, including friends, chats, groups, clans and portals. Chatting with your Steam friends is apparently as simple as any mobile chat application. Of course, one of the most attractive parts of Steam is its almost constant collection of discounted games. With the app, users can buy new and discounted games directly from their phones. Technically this was possible before, but it’s a heck of a lot easier with a custom-built interface.

There’s a big let-down though – without an official Steam beta invite, you’re not getting into the app. Most Android phones can’t even see the app in the Market, though if you visit the web version you can install it remotely. Nowhere on the page is this restriction mentioned. By all accounts, the app is pretty feature complete, so we can hope for a release soon enough. Until then, get comfortable panning around the Steam Powered web site with your browser.

[via Gaming Blend]

The window is small – only about 1.5 inches diagonal on the Galaxy Nexus – and allows you to drag it around the screen just like a Windows, OS X or Linux program. This in turn allows you access app controls that are temporarily “beneath” the video player, making nearly full control of almost any app possible while still keeping your video going. It can even play multiple videos at time, thanks to its widget-style player windows. It works on just about anything, including (usefully) tablets.

The video windows are resizeable, and a series of multi-touch gestures that allow dragging and navigation controls. This might not seem overly useful, but consider tutorial videos or newsreels where the actual video isn’t totally essential, and you can see the utility that the developer had in mind. It is a paid app, going for $1.49 at the time of writing. Reviews are almost universally positive at the moment – just don’t use it with Navigation like one of the provided screenshots.

[via Reddit]

Sky Map started as one of Google’s famous 20% projects, which six of its employees launched by working in their company-sponsored spare time.  The application was one of Android’s first showpiece apps, combining basic astronomical data overlaid on a smartphone camera to easily identify constellations, planets and other heavenly bodies by simply pointing the phone towards the sky. The free app has been downloaded over 10 million times from the Android Market.

Google is working with Carnegie Melon University so that its students can continue direct development. The company didn’t say if direct updated with computer scientist students’ code would make it into the android Market, but it’s a pretty safe bet. If you’ d like to give it a try for yourself, you can download the open-source code here. I fully expect a Star Trek themed version of Sky Map in the next few weeks which will allow me to view the Alpha Quadrant from my smartphone – get to it, devs.

[via AusDroid]

Haven’t heard of TV Tropes? Think of it as a sort of Wikipedia for all those who obsessively catalog television, movies, video games, books, comics… well, any sort of media. While you might think that that’s covered pretty well by the big W, TVTropes is a much more casual environment with a unique organization scheme. Titles are broken up around “tropes”, or more accurately, cliches. Every time a villain leaves the hero in an intricate deathtrap without waiting to see if he actually dies, every time a car chase includes two men carrying a pane of glass into the path of a getaway vehicle, every time George Lucas add something ridiculous to the original Star Wars trilogy, it’s ruthlessly cataloged and index by the TVTropes faithful.

The app itself seems solid enough, though it hasn’t seen an update in over nine months and tablet support is a little iffy. Search for a show or individual trope, browse recently changed articles, or just load up a random page from the start screen. Have a care, though: TVTropes.org has been known to murder free time like the Joker with a crowbar. Once you read up on your favorite show, movie or character, you’ll find yourself exploring the linked pages click by click (or in the app’s case, tap by tap) until you realize that you’ve wasted valuable entertainment hours reading about entertainment. Consider yourself warned.

[via Reddit]

The complete list of included utilities is as follows: 50,000 Famous Quotes Reference, Police Scanner, Area Code Lookup, Auto Camera, Game Buzzer, Battery Life Monitor, Big Button, Checklist, Crystal Ball, Surface Level, Sleep Sounds Generator, Coin Flip, Journal, Currency Converter, Dictionary, Group Email, Group SMS, Random Facts, Holiday Reference, LED Flashlight, Bubble Level, Concert Lighter, Horoscope, Random Jokes, GPS Locator, Moon Phase Calculator, Password Generator, Plumb Bob, Price Calculator, Reverse Dictionary, Random Number Generator, Rhymes Dictionary, Sale Price Calculator, Spell Check, System Info, Thesaurus, Tic Tac Toe, Language Translator and Unit Converter. Sure, most of these you can find for free on the Android Market (and some are even built into custom ROMs) but getting them all in one place and at one time is surely worth the dollar asking price.

All this, and developer Fossil Software says in the Market description that they’re planning on adding more apps in the future. Considering that the mini-apps in AppZilla are already pretty solid, not to mention much prettier than the typical Android fare, it’s a value proposition that’s hard to argue with. Oh, and just in case you were worried: AppZilla launches as its own contained virtual folder of apps on Android, so you won’t have to scroll through 40 new entries in the launcher of your choice.

[via Android Authority]

Naturally you’ll need to be running Android 4.0 in order to use Browser+, because the API calls just won’t work with older versions. That said, it seems to be working just fine on my Galaxy Nexus with an extremely unofficial CM9 branch, so it cross-compatibility shouldn’t be a problem. The two primary additions in Browser+ are an expanded quick-launch menu, more in line with the one found on Honeycomb tablets, and an selection uof user agent strings. These are far more generous than the “request desktop site” included by default, and range from the standard Android, desktop, and iOS modes to Honeycomb or Nexus One Froyo. Very handy for the web testers out there.

The app doesn’t require root, so as long as you’ve got ICe Cream Sandwich you’re good to go. Developer Beansoft is taking suggestions for new features in this XDA post, so if you’ve got an idea, go ahead and send to him. (Fun fact: this is the same developer that makes Thumb Keyboard, my absolute favorite Android virtual keyboard!) For more ICS app mods, check out the enhanced homescreen NovaLauncher.

[via Phandroid]

The app doesn’t really replicate the features of the desktop program, because Steam is a closed system – it’s not altogether unlikely that you’ll see a Valve-produced app at some point, but they’ve got bigger things on their hands at the moment. Like adding more hats to Team Fortress 2. But Steam for Android gets around this by using your public Steam profile to check up on friends and updates. Best of all, it includes a direct line to Steam’s remarkable sales and discounts, with a links to the Steam online store.

All of this is wrapped up in a truly excellent UI – seriously, it’s one of the best presentations I’ve seen for a new Android app in months. I only wish it was easier to get in to. In order to see anything (including the store and discounts) you’ll have to track down the long string of numbers in your Steam profile’s URL, necessitating a jump to a computer or the browser app. But that’s a small complaint, and likely to become optional at some point. For social connections within Steam, there’s just no better way to manage is in Android. If your PC gaming world is Steam powered, go download Steam for Android for free in the Android Market.

[via Lifehacker]

The tiny RC vehicles charge up via a USB port with a little tail/switch on the back. Flip it down to charge (40 minutes of USB charge for 15 minutes of runtime) then flip it up to start playing. Switch the mode from autonomous to controlled, slide the included 1/8-inch remote adapter into your phone, start the Tankbot app, and you’re ready to go.

And the best part: they’re just $25 a pop. That’s comfortably in the impulse buy range, and you won’t have to worry about crashing three c-notes worth of toy, as with the Parrot AR Drone. Sure, they don’t fly and there’s no remote camera, but what do you want for 25 bones? You and your coworkers friends can use up to four different Tankbots at a time, thanks to the color-coded frequencies. Something tells me there’s going to be a lot of Battletank reenactments around my house in the near future…

Check out SlashGear’s video review below:

The top ten breakdown is as follows:

Pixlr-o-matic: 97.5 out of 100

Super Stickman Golf: 97.5 out of 100

Smurfs’ Village: 97 out of 100

Crime Story: 96.4 out of 100

Marvel Comics: 96.3 out of 100

MADDEN NFL 12 by EA SPORTS™: 93.6 out of 100

Dragon, Fly! Full: 92.3 out of 100

Earth And Legend: 92.4 out of 100

Great Little War Game: 92.2 out of 100

SHADOWGUN: 91.8 out of 100

Note that these scores aren’t based on downloads, but a sliding scale of user reviews, position within the app category, and social media buzz. Interestingly, the top five rated apps are free, while the bottom five are all paid games. High-profile titles seem to be the order of the day, with the only real surprises being Smurfs Villiage. (Really? Smurfs?) There’s only two non-games included on the list, though they’re highly placed. Retro camera app Pixlr-o-matic dominates with a nearly perfect score of 97.5, and Marvel Comics gets a lot of attention, considerably more so than ComiXology.

If you’re looking for some less obvious app recommendations, be sure to check out our picks for new Android smartphones and tablets. Naturally we feature new cool apps every day, but for the best of the best, our App of the Week is sure to bring up a useful, fun or just plain cool app every Friday.

[via TechCrunch]

Naturally, app downloads followed device activations. On an average day, Flurry tabulates that about 108 million apps are downloaded across iOS and the various Android app stores every day. On Christmas, that figure jumped to 242 million, a growth of well over 100%. With nearly a quarter billion total app downloads, it’s easily the highest day of downloads ever across all mobile platforms.

If you’re cradling a new smartphone or tablet from a merry old elf, you’re probably looking for some sweet apps with which to fill it. Never fear, we’ve got you covered. Check out our picks for the very best Android tablet and smartphone apps from the last year, and keep an eye on Android Community every Friday evening for our App of the Week.

[via Cnet]

The sale starts at 10 PM Pacific time on December 29th, and unfortunately, it’s only via Gameloft’s online store. You won’t see these prices reduced in the Android Market or the Amazon Appstore. That’s a definite bummer for those of us who like to have easy access to our games, but getting people to use Gameloft’s online store for purchases (where they don’t have to share revenue with the likes of Amazon and Google) is probably a big part of the promotion.

And even so, it’s an impressive one: Gameloft currently has 60 home-grown titles for sale, many for $5 or more. There are quite a few duplicates and sequels, but if you’re willing to part with $5-10, you could net yourself a whole lot of gaming fun, including AAA franchises like Assassin’s Creed and Modern Combat. Between Google’s 10 Billion Apps promo, the recent Google Music sale and the (unrelated) Steam holiday sale, December has been an awesome month for discounted digital goods.

[via DroidGamers]