YouTube app update for Android enables video trimming

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BY Unknown 17:00 0

YouTube app update for Android enables video trimming

Google has released a new update for the YouTube app for Android devices with a capability to trim videos before uploading to YouTube.

Select a video from the phone using the YouTube app and it will show you the new trimming interface.With that, the users can simply tap and swipe the scroll switch to choose an exact frame.

With new scroll switches you can now select the precise frames as start and end of the video. Not only that, you can also watch the video preview of your trimmed video before uploading it to YouTube.

YouTube app for Android can be downloaded from the Google Play Store.

YouTube app update for Android enables video trimming

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BY Unknown 17:00 0

YouTube app update for Android enables video trimming

Google has released a new update for the YouTube app for Android devices with a capability to trim videos before uploading to YouTube.

Select a video from the phone using the YouTube app and it will show you the new trimming interface.With that, the users can simply tap and swipe the scroll switch to choose an exact frame.

With new scroll switches you can now select the precise frames as start and end of the video. Not only that, you can also watch the video preview of your trimmed video before uploading it to YouTube.

YouTube app for Android can be downloaded from the Google Play Store.

Google Play Store will soon feature sponsored app placement

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BY Unknown 18:00 0

Google Play Store will soon feature sponsored app placement

It there is one thing Google knows how to do its advertisement. It is one of the main reasons the tech giant is such a formidable force nowadays. Google’s Play store has become an incredibly popular content hub, not only for apps, but movies and music as well. It was only natural that the company’s unique ad-supported suggestion system find its way to the store sooner or later.

The ads in question will only be present within the search results in much the same way you see results being pushed to Google’s web search. So you might start seeing suggested apps pop-up in you Play Store searches. These will look almost identical to other results but will be marked with a little “Ad” label.

This initial beta test will consist of apps from developers, already using Google’s advertisement platform. It is also important to note that at this time ads will only appear in search results and not on any home page or app section.

Updated search bar is coming to Google Play store for Android

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BY Unknown 01:00 0

Updated search bar is coming to Google Play store for Android

The Google Play store for Android is about to receive an updated search bar. The new setup was teased by a Google UI engineer and is due to arrive in the near future.

The new search bar once again sits on top of the application and feature the “Google play” sign. Tapping it reveals you past searches in a similar fashion as the Google Now launcher. See how it works below.

The improved functionality will be available as a server-side update. You will not need to update the Google Play store app if you are already running the latest version.

Google brings live video chat with a salesperson to the Play store

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BY Unknown 00:59 0

Google brings live video chat with a salesperson to the Play store

Google brought live chat with a salesperson to the Play store. The feature allows buyers to have their questions answered before they splurge on new Android hardware.

The free service is called Google Device Experts. It utilizes the search giant’s Helpouts platform for video lessons. Google has been quietly testing the service since November last year.

Reportedly, Google has even more ambitious plans about the service going forward. Plans to install a virtual help desk with Google Device Experts in major retail stores are said to be place.

Google Device Experts is available every day from 9am to 9pm Eastern time. You can find the service in the devices section of the Google Play store.

VLC for Android splits into two, now available in both stable and beta form

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BY Unknown 03:34 0

VLC for Android splits into two, now available in both stable and beta form

Nearly three years after VideoLAN launched a beta version of the famous VLC media player for Android, the app is now available as a stable version in the Play Store.

What’s worth noting is that the beta version of the app is also available in Google Play as a separate listing, suggesting that any new features or improvements will be pushed out to the app first before being pulled over to the stable version.

Apparently, the stable version of the app also packs in support for Android TV, a feature the companypreviewed just last month.

LG Nexus 5 returns to the Google Play store

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BY Unknown 23:40 0

LG Nexus 5 returns to the Google Play store

LG Nexus 5 quietly returned to the Google Play store in the United States. The smartphone was listed as out of inventory for quite a bit of time before its sudden reappearance.

Both the 16GB and 32GB version of the handset are available to order for $349 and $399 respectively. Black is the only color listed in Google Play at the moment.

A couple of months ago, a word got out that LG and Google have stopped the production of Nexus 5. The search giant subsequently confirmed that the device will be available through Q1 this year, thus meaning that now might be a perfect time to pick one up.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S Pro sneaked and hinted on the Google Play Store

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BY Unknown 23:16 0

Samsung Galaxy Tab S Pro sneaked and hinted on the Google Play Store

Samsung has updated its Milk Music app and the description of the app listing compatible devices reveals the company is preparing to unveil a Galaxy Tab S Pro tablet. The upcoming slate is likely to have its launch at the Mobile World Congress in March.

So far, nothing of the tablet has been leaked but its name. Still, this gives us a bit of an idea what it’s going to be about. The Galaxy Tab S line-up features Super AMOLED displays and the Pro moniker is most recently used by Samsung multiple times already for its Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 tablet.

Therefore, we wouldn’t be surprised to see a Galaxy Tab S Pro 12.2 join the Galaxy Tab S 8.4 and Galaxy Tab S 10.5. It’s true that the company also used a Pro moniker for its high-end Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 andGalaxy Tab Pro 10.5, but the company is believed to stick the Pro moniker only to its largest slates going forward.

In any way, both Galaxy Tab S members are powered by the Exynos 5 Octa 5420 chipset, so the upcoming Tab S Pro is likely to feature some sort of home-baked chipset as well (hopefully Exynos 7420). The resolution of the 12″ Super AMOLED display of the Tab S Pro ought to be 1600 x 2560 pixels, like the rest of the family. Surely, the new tablet will also be as thin at 6.6mm or even less, due to the larger footprint. Expect more information as MWC draws closer.

HERE Maps crosses the 3 millions count in Play Store downloads

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BY Unknown 03:44 0

HERE Maps crosses the 3 millions count in Play Store downloads

After it was unleashed from Windows Phone exclusivity, the HERE Maps app has shaped up to be on a steady rise in the Google Play Store. Less than a month ago, the app was at the 1 million milestone, and today 3 million downloads have been reached.

HERE Maps’ main selling point has always been its support for offline navigation. Currently the database spans 118 countries the world over, and turn-by-turn voice navigation is available in multiple languages.

True, Google maps offers an offline feature, but its implementation is somewhat inconvenient and limited. HERE’s take is simpler, relying on downloaded maps of entire countries and letting the user access the search feature without a data connection. Naturally, having an internet connection brings in extra capabilities, including satellite imagery and real-time traffic updates.

The number of downloads of the app may appear dwarfed by Google Maps’ over a billion, but it has to be kept in mind that nearly every Android smartphone comes with that preinstalled. HERE, on the other hand, is an optional download, that’s been on the store for a mere couple of months.

Google Play & iOS App Store gap increases in number of downloads, fails to monetize

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BY Unknown 04:06 0

Google Play & iOS App Store gap increases in number of downloads, fails to monetize

App Annie, mobile app analyzer, has published its annual report containing some curious findings. The paper, named App Annie Index:2014 Retrospective, sheds light on the mobile app trends of the year.

Chief among them is that Google is building on its lead over Apple when it comes to downloads, snatching 60% of the total number. In other words, Google Play store has registered close to 50% more app installations than the iOS App Store.

Apple shouldn’t be all that worried, though, as it’s firmly in the lead where it matters. The App Store generates a whopping 70% more revenue than its Android counterpart. Additionally, Apple’s figures are up 55% in their own right. Google’s two-fold increase in revenue is still notable, however. Mind you, no actual numbers have been provided in the research.

The report outlines other interesting trends as well. For example, the app store superpowers Japan, South Korea and the United States have witnessed a 10% growth in downloads, and more importantly, a huge 70% increase in revenue. In the BRIC group of Brazil, China, India and Russia, those growth numbers are 40% and 130% respectively, driven by Brazil’s rise to global #2 on the Google Play store in number of downloads.

Another key area is what has become known as super casual gaming. Think Flappy Bird and other single-tap games that are there to fill short patches of free time. Such titles have snatched the monthly top spot in game downloads on 4 occasions this past year, for Android and iOS combined.

The 39-page report is available for download on App Annie’s website, and features multiple charts and tables, revealing top apps distribution in key markets.

Facebook lite secretly sneaks play store

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BY Unknown 00:12 0

Facebook lite secretly sneaks play store

Facebook has employed a rather odd approach to the mobile market and it seems to be betting on quantity, rather than quality for quite some time now. When the social media giant decided to detach the messenger from its main application, thus making it all that less appealing to most users it sparked an avalanche of complaints with a lot of subscribers rage-quitting on the main app.

Facebook surely must have felt the negative consequences and while initially it seemed like a good enough marketing step to promote the messenger itself the detrimental effect have apparently caught on as a new application has silently made its way to the Google Play Store. It is essentially a lightweight version of the social platform that aims to offer services to low-end devices at faster speeds and best of all, with lower bandwidth.

                                           

The tiny app weighs only 252KB and is very reminiscent of zero Facebook, only running natively on the Android platform instead of inside a browser. Even though Facebook Lite is officially marketed as a compromise solution for low-end devices that can not handle the “full experience” its appeal stretches far beyond that to almost anybody fed up with the resource-hungry app.

Officially the Lite client is only available for Bangladesh, Nepal, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Zimbabwe, which is all but fair given that they are all developing markets and an Android One style of approach is truly necessary. Still if you manage to get your hands on the APK you should also be able to enjoy a simpler Facebook experience, just like in the good old days.

Google Acquires SlickLogin, A Sound-Based Password System That Uses Your Phone For Authentication...

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BY Unknown 05:20 0

Google Acquires SlickLogin, A Sound-Based Password System That Uses Your Phone For Authentication...

An international mega-corp like Google buys companies like the rest of us buy coffee. Google's latest latte is SlickLogin, a startup that aims to make authentication simpler and safer by using sonic login codes on phones. The details of the purchase aren't public just yet, but SlickLogin's site confirms that "the [team] is joining Google."

SlickLogin's system is unique: it uses a cell phone as an authentication key with the help of nearly-silent audio codes sent via computer speakers. When you access a site or service with SlickLogin, your computer speakers send out a series of tones and pitches. Your phone picks up the nearly inaudible signal, then confirms the code with SlickLogin's servers. No passwords are necessary. This creates a very basic login system that's almost entirely passive once set up. SlickLogin has been featured at startup events and partnered with at least one bank for a proof-of-concept, but the website doesn't show any active partnerships. TechCrunch has more information and a video on SlickLogin from Disrupt 2013. The company's contact information is being forwarded to Google's Tel Aviv office.

The application for Google's own services is obvious. A seamless way of logging into existing services (and/or making them more secure with an easy two-factor authentication system) could be a big boon. Then again, this could always be a talent buy or "acqhire" of SlickLogin's three founders, all veterans of the Israeli Defense Force's cyber security team. At the moment it isn't clear whether or not SlickLogin will continue to operate as a separate entity a la Waze, but considering the company's relatively small size and reach, I wouldn't bet on it.

Game of Thrones Episode 2 to debut on 5th of february in the Play Store

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BY Unknown 03:20 0

Game of Thrones Episode 2 to debut on 5th of february in the Play Store

Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series has become one of the most riveting games on Android since its launch back in early December. Telltale Games has just announced that the second episode, entitled The Lost Lords, will debut in the Google Play Store on February 5th. The first episode of Game of Thrones is available in the Play Store for $4.99, and the second and third episodes are forecasted to be available for the same price.

Following the first episode, House Forrester is still in shambles and it’s your job to help the family survive by playing as Asher Forrester, Mira Forrester or Gared Tuttle. Here is the full description for the next episode:

House Forrester is in disarray. Their liege lord and his heir are dead, and Ironrath is occupied by Whitehill soldiers. The survival of the family depends upon those who are left. Placed at King’s Landing, the epicenter of intrigue, Mira Forrester must weigh her loyalty to Margaery Tyrell against the needs of her family, while choosing how to play the political games of Tyrion Lannister. One misstep could spell doom for Mira and her entire family. To the far north, Gared Tuttle finds that the wall and its crows hold little love for a squire from the Wolfswood, but finds kinship in the bastard son of Ned Stark. Gared must prove worthy of becoming a ranger in order to carry out the mission given him; one that is vital to the future of those he serves. To the east, Asher Forrester, the exiled son, is called back to Westeros to aid his family, but how can one man help when the Boltons rule the north with an iron fist? Meanwhile, an unexpected source of hope returns to the Forresters, but Ironrath is no place for the weak.

Additionally, the game will be available for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 and PC/Mac on February 3rd. The game will also launch on the Xbox 360 and Xbox One on February 4th. From the looks of the trailer attached above, The Lost Lords will be a worthy sequel to the first episode.

The Witcher Battle Arena now on Google Play

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BY Unknown 23:14 0

The Witcher Battle Arena now on Google Play

Fans of RPGs or MOBA-style games have probably heard of The Witcher series, which offers arena-based fighting gameplay set in the Witcher universe. Developers CD Projekt RED have just released The Witcher Battle Arena to the Google Play Store, following the recent release of The Witcher Adventure Game. Unlike the board game-style Adventure Game, Battle Arena is an RPG that allows players to control and fight against the game’s iconic characters in an arena setting.

When you first start up the game, you can instantly choose from a number of different characters, including Geralt of Rivia, Letho of Gulet, Philippa Eilhart, Zoltan Chivay, Eithné of Brokilon, The Operator, Golem, Saskia of Aedirn and Iorveth.

Here are all of the features the game brings:

• Action packed gameplay – Short and intense matches that you can complete in less than 10 minutes –perfect for on-the-go gaming.
• Solo and team play ready – Challenge your friends, team up against bots or try to beat our AI on your own (no internet connection required).
• Hero progression – Each character offers unique skills and a different playing style – and you’ll unlock new skills as you play, opening up even more ways to crush your opponents. Try out various strategies as your heroes progress, pick your favorite mix of skills and hone your tactics in the arena.
• Free gaming done right – You can unlock everything in the Battle Arena just by playing. You’ll gain access to new heroes and items as a fast and fun part of normal gameplay – no grinding or endless waiting required. If you ever want something right away, you can purchase it for a reasonable price.

The game can now be downloaded from the Google Play Store for free, with a few in-app purchases ranging from $.99 to $9.99.