The Android Market has swollen in recent weeks past the 200,000-application mark. With applications being added every day, standing out in the crowd is becoming more and more difficult. Enter today's Market redesign.
Google announced a significant refresh to the Web interface of the Android Market on Wednesday and plans to push out an update to the Market on Android devices in the coming weeks. The goal of the update is to increase the visibility of the best applications and give developers (more) credit for their hard work.
The Web-based version of the Android Market is receiving five new categories to help sort through applications: Top Apps, Editor's Choice, Top Developers, Related Apps, and Trending Apps. Each presents apps in a different way to make the discovery process more compelling and less annoying. Despite these improvements to the Web interface, the more important story is being told on Android devices directly.
The Android Market application for end-user devices is receiving a major overhaul that makes it look and act more like Apple's App Store does on the iPhone. This is a good thing. The old version of the Android Market isn't nearly as feature rich as it should be, and unless you have tons of time on your hand to browse through apps, it can be difficult to find exactly what you're looking for. Even the search function falls flat at times.
Looking at the new version headed to phones, it appears entirely different. Gone is the three-column view that greets users today; instead there will be colorful panels promoting the top apps and most popular downloads. It looks far more engaging. What's not clear is how Google will allow handset vendors and carriers to customize the appearance of the Market. With the old version, carriers and OEMs can customize the appearance a bit, and that makes for a disjointed experience across devices and carriers. Google couldn't immediately say if the new Market application will also be customizable by the carriers and OEMs.
These changes are sure to make developers happy, but they'll likely enjoy the under-the-hood improvements even more.
The new Android Market will allow developers to selectively target--or not target--devices. They'll be able to block or hide their applications, for example, from all devices running older versions of Android or form factors that aren't optimized for their applications. Developers will also be able to place larger applications in the Market and have the opportunity to upload draft applications and see how they'll perform on different handsets.
Google is also launching operator billing support in an additional 99 countries in the coming weeks, and it said that the first 45 days of in-app purchasing has led to striking earnings power for those applications.
If there's one thing that Google has done this week at I/O, it is to sell its story to the thousands of developers who enhance Google's services. These changes to the market, while seemingly modest, will help developers get the visibility they deserve and make the app discovery process easier for end users. The result will be more apps downloaded by more people, and money in developers' pockets.
2011年5月12日木曜日
As Bill Gates buys Skype for ￡5bn... Is it just hype, or does it mean the end of phone bills?
When transatlantic telephone calls first became available in the Twenties, a three-minute call from London to New York cost close to £10 — almost a month's wages for the average working man.
Today, the same call can be made for nothing. You can stay on the line for a week if you like.
And not only will the sound quality be as good as if the other party was sitting right next to you, but you will be able to see across the ocean as well, in full-colour video — for no cost beyond a penny or two in electricity.
Such endless, free global communication has become possible because of Skype, the oddly-named computer service which software giant Microsoft bought this week for more than £5billion.
Launched in 2003, this free and simple-to-use computer programme turns any broadband-connected computer into a phone for both speech and video calls to hundreds of millions of other Skype users.
It works because even basic broadband internet connections can carry a vast amount of information ('data') and a Skype call (technically known as VOIP — Voice Over Internet Protocol) piggy-backs on broadband.
You must download Skype (free, of course) from www.skype.com to the computer. You then choose a Skype name for yourself — your name or nickname, or a number if you prefer — and you're a Skype user.
Not a penny need change hands. And you're ready to go — simply type in a normal phone number or another Skype user's name and the computer will dial for you. The microphones on your computer should pick up your voice, and the person you're chatting to can be heard through its speakers.
And there is no catch whatsoever; no secret charges; no intrusive advertising; no nasty surprise when you pay your monthly broadband bill.
You can even dial normal phones and mobiles worldwide from Skype — not for free, but for a tiny charge compared with normal phone charges. I pay just under £50 a year for unlimited calls from my laptop to any UK number, from anywhere in the world.
Under new ownership: Skype is known for its simplicity - but will this be ruined as Gates tries to turn it into a profit-making service?
When travelling, which I do a lot, I used to spend £50 a day or more on rip-off hotel phone charges. Today, those calls from hotels cost nothing, as many hotels don't even charge for broadband any more, especially in the Far East, where it is normally included in room charges.
There are now other versions of Skype, like Apple's high definition FaceTime. But, just as the Hoover brand name is synonymous with vacuuming, Skype-ing has become the catch-all word for VOIP calling.
The only complaint anyone has about Skype is that the calls sometimes 'drop out' — jargon for being cut off — and you need to interrupt a conversation to redial. But since you're paying nothing, you can hardly demand your money back.
Today, the same call can be made for nothing. You can stay on the line for a week if you like.
And not only will the sound quality be as good as if the other party was sitting right next to you, but you will be able to see across the ocean as well, in full-colour video — for no cost beyond a penny or two in electricity.
Such endless, free global communication has become possible because of Skype, the oddly-named computer service which software giant Microsoft bought this week for more than £5billion.
Launched in 2003, this free and simple-to-use computer programme turns any broadband-connected computer into a phone for both speech and video calls to hundreds of millions of other Skype users.
It works because even basic broadband internet connections can carry a vast amount of information ('data') and a Skype call (technically known as VOIP — Voice Over Internet Protocol) piggy-backs on broadband.
You must download Skype (free, of course) from www.skype.com to the computer. You then choose a Skype name for yourself — your name or nickname, or a number if you prefer — and you're a Skype user.
Not a penny need change hands. And you're ready to go — simply type in a normal phone number or another Skype user's name and the computer will dial for you. The microphones on your computer should pick up your voice, and the person you're chatting to can be heard through its speakers.
And there is no catch whatsoever; no secret charges; no intrusive advertising; no nasty surprise when you pay your monthly broadband bill.
You can even dial normal phones and mobiles worldwide from Skype — not for free, but for a tiny charge compared with normal phone charges. I pay just under £50 a year for unlimited calls from my laptop to any UK number, from anywhere in the world.
Under new ownership: Skype is known for its simplicity - but will this be ruined as Gates tries to turn it into a profit-making service?
When travelling, which I do a lot, I used to spend £50 a day or more on rip-off hotel phone charges. Today, those calls from hotels cost nothing, as many hotels don't even charge for broadband any more, especially in the Far East, where it is normally included in room charges.
There are now other versions of Skype, like Apple's high definition FaceTime. But, just as the Hoover brand name is synonymous with vacuuming, Skype-ing has become the catch-all word for VOIP calling.
The only complaint anyone has about Skype is that the calls sometimes 'drop out' — jargon for being cut off — and you need to interrupt a conversation to redial. But since you're paying nothing, you can hardly demand your money back.
How to use Google Music Beta for Android
Google Music Beta launched, allowing you to upload your entire music library to the cloud. For now, the service is free, and songs you upload can be accessed on any computer or Android device (actually,it's iOS-compatible, too).
Invitations will roll out over the next few weeks, but the Android app is available for download immediately. Here's how to use it:
Use Google Music for Android
Request a Google Music account. You don't need one to use the Android app, but go to music.google.com/music/ and request an invite so you can upload your music library on to Google's servers for mobile access. You'll be able to populate your library through Google's desktop app, Music Manager.
Get the app. Download the Music app from the Android Market. Once installed, select the Google account you'd like to associate with the app--it should be the same one you used to request an invite. The app will pull songs from your internal storage and any music you've uploaded to your Music Beta account (requires an invite).
Play music. Tap a song to play it, or hit the arrow to the right of any song and select Play. Shuffle and repeat options can be found in the "now playing" screen, while skipping, playing, and pausing are always available in the bottom bar.
Make an Instant Mix. Tap the arrow to the right of any song and select "Make an Instant Mix." Google will automatically create a playlist with similar songs in your library.
Create a playlist. Select the arrow next to a song, artist, or album and select "Add to Playlist." You can add the music to an existing playlist, or create a new one.
Listen when you're offline. In the Artists, Albums, or Playlists tab, press the Android menu button (on your phone) and select "Make available offline." Tap the pushpins next to the items you want to listen to when you're not connected to Wi-Fi or your cellular network. Hit "Done," and the music will be cached onto your phone. You can deselect the pushpins later to remove the songs from your device.
Tip: To monitor the progress of your downloads, go to Settings > Download Queue. The number of songs you can download for offline listening is based on your device storage capacity.
Invitations will roll out over the next few weeks, but the Android app is available for download immediately. Here's how to use it:
Use Google Music for Android
Request a Google Music account. You don't need one to use the Android app, but go to music.google.com/music/ and request an invite so you can upload your music library on to Google's servers for mobile access. You'll be able to populate your library through Google's desktop app, Music Manager.
Get the app. Download the Music app from the Android Market. Once installed, select the Google account you'd like to associate with the app--it should be the same one you used to request an invite. The app will pull songs from your internal storage and any music you've uploaded to your Music Beta account (requires an invite).
Play music. Tap a song to play it, or hit the arrow to the right of any song and select Play. Shuffle and repeat options can be found in the "now playing" screen, while skipping, playing, and pausing are always available in the bottom bar.
Make an Instant Mix. Tap the arrow to the right of any song and select "Make an Instant Mix." Google will automatically create a playlist with similar songs in your library.
Create a playlist. Select the arrow next to a song, artist, or album and select "Add to Playlist." You can add the music to an existing playlist, or create a new one.
Listen when you're offline. In the Artists, Albums, or Playlists tab, press the Android menu button (on your phone) and select "Make available offline." Tap the pushpins next to the items you want to listen to when you're not connected to Wi-Fi or your cellular network. Hit "Done," and the music will be cached onto your phone. You can deselect the pushpins later to remove the songs from your device.
Tip: To monitor the progress of your downloads, go to Settings > Download Queue. The number of songs you can download for offline listening is based on your device storage capacity.
登録:
投稿 (Atom)