Android World: AndroidGuys

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

AndroidGuys

POLL: Do you auto-update apps?
RealPlayer sheds beta tag, arrives in Google Play
Motorola: Android 4.0 rolling out to Droid 4
Songza debuts new tablet UI for Android
Gartner: Smartphones sales slow in Q2 but Android still dominates

Posted: 14 Aug 2012 12:03 PM PDT

Do you have your Android device set to automatically download and install app updates as they are made available? Why so? Can't be bothered with a little button tapping every few days? Maybe you like to read change logs and see what's new before proceeding... Whatever the case, we want to know about you!

You know the drill - cast your ballot in the poll below and then head to the comments to discuss your answer. Why did you vote the way you did?

POLL: Do you auto-update apps? was written by the awesome dudes at AndroidGuys.

Get more AndroidGuys on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube! Current Caller ID from WhitePages, marries call and text ID with social status, local news and weather in a single app that makes it easy for people to instantaneously stay up-to-date with the people they communicate with the most.

RealPlayer sheds beta tag, arrives in Google Play

Posted: 14 Aug 2012 11:16 AM PDT

RealPlayer, a staple in our desktop days of late 1990's and early 2000's, has arrived in the Google Play Store. Available as a free application, the client lets users play music, watch video, and view photos. Some readers may already be familiar with the beta version of the app which has been around for quite a while. Nevertheless, the official RealPlayer app comes in two flavors: free and $4.99 premium. For your five bucks (in-app) you get access to a variety of enhancements, including metadata editing, crossfading, an equalizer, widget, and more.

Download RealPlayer for Android

RealPlayer sheds beta tag, arrives in Google Play was written by the awesome dudes at AndroidGuys.

Motorola: Android 4.0 rolling out to Droid 4

Posted: 14 Aug 2012 09:21 AM PDT

Motorola has confirmed via Twitter that Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is being deployed to the Droid 4. Rolling out in stages, the update is sure to breathe new life into the Verizon smartphone. If you've got one of these handsets and would like to see some of the new features from the release, head to Motorola for details.

Motorola: Android 4.0 rolling out to Droid 4 was written by the awesome dudes at AndroidGuys.

Songza debuts new tablet UI for Android

Posted: 14 Aug 2012 08:31 AM PDT

Songza today announced that they have released a new version of the streaming music service which features a tablet-optimized interface. Available for free in the Google Play Store, Songza brings its Music Concierge feature to 7-inch and larger devices. If you haven't had a chance to play with Songza then we certainly encourage you to check it out. Whereas most streaming music apps and services ask you what you want to hear, this one asks the user what they are doing.

Throwing a summertime party in the backyard? Doing some reading in the bedroom as you wind down the day? Just getting out of bed and need a little pick-me-up? Songza has a wonderful, growing selection of playlists to suit your needs. What's more, you can also tell the app what kind of a mood you are in and ask it to play music based around your current state of mind. It's great stuff, really. And it's free.

Download Songza from Google Play

SONGZA BRINGS 'MUSIC CONCIERGE' TO ANDROID TABLETS
Because The Right Music Makes Everything Better

Songza is a lifestyle enhancer, using music to improve the things you do every day. Each time you use Songza, you're served the expertly-curated playlist that will help you wake up, workout, commute, focus, unwind, entertain, sleep (and just about anything else) better. Imagine you have a friend who is a serious music expert; someone who always knows what you should be listening to. Then imagine that this friend is on-call 24/7 to ensure that you are always listening to the right tunes at the right times, effortlessly. That friend is Songza.

Now available on Android tablets, Songza's unique Music Concierge service streams a perfect playlist into your ears based on the day of the week, time of day, device you are using and situation you are in. The playlists on Songza are thoughtfully hand-crafted and cataloged by a network of music experts to ensure you always get the right music, for the right moment. And Songza isn't just free, it's audio advertisement-free, which means your studying, cocktail party or morning coffee will never be interrupted.

As the only music service to couple expert-made playlists with guided discovery, Songza is solely focused on elegantly answering the question, "What should I listen to right now?" From waking up on the right side of the bed to sleeping peacefully, Songza is a unique, tailored soundtrack for each and every moment in your day.

App Background:

Songza's aim with this release was to create the best music app for the Android tablet platform.

Songza has been working closely with Android users in order to optimize the tablet experience and the added real estate afforded by the tablet format.

The new app is built from the ground up to take advantage of the brand new Jelly Bean operating system, and utilizes of lock screen controls, external device controls, and notifications controls. Priority was given to create a seamless, native-feeling experience, and the app is compatible with older Android OS versions.

Songza debuts new tablet UI for Android was written by the awesome dudes at AndroidGuys.

Gartner: Smartphones sales slow in Q2 but Android still dominates

Posted: 14 Aug 2012 07:24 AM PDT

Overall sales of mobile phones dropped in the second quarter as consumers around the globe bought 2.3 percent fewer phones than over the same period last year. Research firm Gartner posits the idea that customers may be holding on to devices longer, waiting for the next big release. Even in the face of declining overall sales, Android's market share improved over the time frame.

Android's piece of the pie grew to 64.1 percent in 2012, whereas last year saw the platform pulling in 43.4 percent. Apple, for its part, saw their market share grow ever so slightly from 18.2 percent up 18.8 percent.

So how was Android able to grow so much in a period of slower sales? Easy - at the expense of RIM, Symbian, and Bada. You can see from the image above that each of these platforms lost sizable amounts of their share. Interestingly enough, Microsoft's Windows Phone was able to increase its share from 1.6 percent to 2.7 percent.

Gartner: Smartphones sales slow in Q2 but Android still dominates was written by the awesome dudes at AndroidGuys.

Android World

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

AndroidGuys

AndroidGuys

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