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Android Market web store hands-on
Google's new Android Market web store is a pretty awesome and simple idea in theory -- browse and buy apps through the web, hit install, and watch them appear on your Android phone or tablet. Of course, there are a lot of things that could go wrong along the way, but that's certainly not what we're finding in our early use. Sure, it took Google some time to turn on the login function after opening up for business this afternoon, but once we were finally able to log in, we were installing apps right and left, and then watching them almost instantly "or automagically" pop up on our Motorola Droid 2 Global and Dell Streak 7. (You can actually select which device you'd like to download the app to.) Yep, it's pretty convenient stuff. The web store interface itself is simply laid out, and just like the mobile app, it's easy to find apps by searching or just browsing the categories listed on the left rail. However, there's no doubt that selling apps is top of mind now for Google -- it's no coincidence that in each category, the Market defaults to showing paid apps on the first tab and free ones the second. In addition, Games has been moved up to the top of the category list, and considering games are one of the most popular paid app categories, it clearly makes those racing and arcade titles hard to pass by. Speaking of forking over money for apps, you can do just that through the web store checkout process -- put in your credit card right on your computer screen, save for later use (if that's your thing), and you're good to go shopping. Now just give us carrier billing and we'll be all set. We could go on and on, but that would just be boring -- try it out for yourself and let us know in the comments if you encounter any glitches. %Gallery-115595%
Kongregate app pulled from Android Marketplace, CEO hopes it's just a misunderstanding
We've heard of apps getting 187'd from the iTunes App Store ad nauseum, but Google's Android Marketplace? That's pretty novel. In what is probably the most high profile bait-and-switch since the mobile platform's launch, Kongregate found its eponymous software pulled on the very same day it came out. As CEO Jim Greer tells Joystiq, the app was pulled due to the "claim you can't use their app store to distribute another app store." Which is all well and good until you realize that what Kongregate the app does is simply serve as a portal for Kongregrate the mobile site -- Greer says it's the same experience as visiting m.kongregate.com to play its free Flash games -- with the option for offline mode. "It's all essentially cached content delivered in a browser," he said, "which to me is just bizarre that that would be considered an 'app store,'" he said. The Android Market Developer Distribution Agreement says, "you may not use the Market to distribute or make available any Product whose primary purpose is to facilitate the distribution of Products outside of the Market," with Product defined broadly as "Software, content and digital materials created for Devices in accordance with the Android SDK and distributed via the Market." When we talked to Google, the company pointed out the same clause and said, "Applications in violation of our policies (like Kongregate) are removed from Android Market." Greer adds that a number of people in Google had seen it previously and liked the app (not the ones who ultimately pulled it), and he hopes this is all some grand misunderstanding. We'll see, but in the meantime, the app is still available for side loading care of Kongregate's website. Nothing like a backup plan, eh?
SurfCube gives Windows Phone 7 the 3D browser it needed so desperately
If there's one thing the 90s taught us, it's that these silly 2D interfaces are only a passing fancy, and soon everything will be VRML-based mirror worlds of our physical space. SurfCube is a small, tentative step in that direction, turning the browser into a fake 3D experience of sorts, with favorites on "top," and history and settings on the "sides," while the front face of the cube is, naturally, the browser part. You can get around with swipes and flashy tilt gestures, and for $1.99 on the Windows Phone 7 Marketplace it's hard to go wrong. Just remember our VRML warning, and start investing in MicroVideoGoggles Inc. stock with your carphone once you get home from the record store.
App store milestones: Windows Phone 7 hits 5,000 as Android passes 200,000 available apps
Apps, apps, apps! Everywhere you look, more apps. Both Android and Windows Phone 7 have reportedly crossed a couple of round number milestones recently, giving us a decent idea of the maturity gap between the two. Microsoft's brand new OS with an old OS' name has rounded the 5,000 available apps corner -- that's according to two sources keeping track of what's on offer in the Marketplace -- while AndroLib's latest data indicates Android's crossed the 200,000 threshold when it comes to apps and games taken together. We're cautious on taking either of these numbers as hard truth, particularly since AndroLib was reporting 100,000 Android apps when there were only 70,000 -- but they do provide rough estimates as to where each platform is in terms of quantity, if not quality. Now, where do you think each will be this time in 2011?
Verizon apps start showing up in Windows Phone 7's Marketplace, you figure out the rest
It's an open secret (okay, it's not really a secret at all) that Verizon plans to carry Windows Phone 7 handsets before too long, and in preparation for that grand event, it seems Big Red is populating the platform's Marketplace with a few wares. Verizon versions of Slacker Radio and Netflix are now in there alongside a carrier app -- My Verizon Mobile -- that lets you pull the usual stunts with your account like changing features and paying your bill. 'Course, they can drop 50 apps in there and it still doesn't mean much without hardware... so hopefully we see that Trophy launch within a few weeks.
HTC Hub update helps save us from our Windows Phone 7 phones
Remember the Windows Phone 7 ads, the ones that promised to "save us from our phones" by giving us more "glance and go" information? For the most part, these phones haven't delivered on that promise due to the relative dearth of apps taking advantage of Microsoft's live tile concept. That changes a bit today thanks to an update to the HTC Hub app that ships with every Windows Phone 7 device manufactured by HTC. Now, instead of a generic double-wide icon, the HTC Hub presents you with the current weather condition and temperature and the forecasted highs and lows. As such, you'll never have to click through and be subjected to HTC's overwrought animations that feel so out of place on Microsoft's more demure user interface. More please.
Microsoft pushes up the schedule, plans app payouts to developers in January
Developers still won't be getting paid right away, but Microsoft's improved the Marketplace payout situation a little bit for developers who've been technically earning money with paid Windows Phone 7 apps for several weeks now. Originally slated for February, Redmond now expects to start cutting checks in the fourth week of January, which will include money earned between October and December; thereafter, payments will occur on a monthly basis, which is how these things should typically go. Microsoft's got a reputation for treating devs like royalty; holding their hard-earned cash for several months after the launch of Windows Phone 7 isn't a great way to demonstrate that, but if it's any consolation, these seems like a one-time delay while they get all the necessary systems in place.
Android Market update streamlines content, nukes tabs, dismantles 24-hour return policy to appease devs
Updates have been coming fast and furious to Google's Android Market for a couple weeks now, but this is the biggest shift yet -- that rusty tab-based interface is out, replaced with a rotating carousel of downloadable content, and a single scrolling pane of info for each and every app. What's more, it seems that Mountain View has heard the cries of game companies in particular, as it's got a couple of very special changes largely targeted at them -- the size cap on individual apps has been upped to 50MB, and Android Market's famous 24-hour return policy is no more. You'll still have 15 minutes to decide whether you want a piece of software or prefer a refund, perhaps long enough to give it a basic test, but there's no longer enough time to finish a game in one sitting before slyly giving it a pass. There's also a number of behind-the-scenes changes that should help make sure you only see apps your device can actually run, based on screen size, pixel density and OpenGL support. Google's pushing the update to every Android 1.6-and-above device over the next couple of weeks, so you can expect your app purchasing world to turn upside-down in time for Christmas cheer. Update: There are also two new categories being added: widgets and live wallpapers. Update 2: Of course, no self-respecting hacker waits for an OTA to get what they can sideload right now, and so XDA-developers is now distributing the new Android Market APK -- we'd suggest you give it a try too, but we're hearing that some folks are having difficulty downloading apps at all after the update. Still, the folks at Android Police seem to have it working, and have taken a host of screenshots of the interface. Go give them a peek at our more coverage link. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Windows Phone 7 developers not getting paid for Marketplace sales until February 2011
Not a good time to be a starving dev, we'd say, because Microsoft is saying in its Windows Phone 7 developer community forums that payouts for Marketplace apps won't start for another couple months. To be specific, they're presently "slated" for February, which is pretty wild when you consider that the company was taking app submissions back in October, and -- at this very minute -- is taking users' money in exchange for said apps. Considering how quickly Microsoft had to move to make its holiday 2010 release date for the platform, we're not surprised that there were some I's left undotted and some T's left uncrossed... but generally speaking, third-party developers are not the group you want to screw. And Microsoft knows that better than anyone, does it not? [Thanks, Marcus]
The Tattered Notebook: Gifting -- 'tis the season?
"Mom! Stop driving through the pink lights! Only go through the green ones!" I glanced over at my two kids and bit my tongue. I was in the middle of speeder bike racing and was having a little trouble navigating the course. In the split second that I turned away, my bike steered off the course, ran halfway up the snowy embankment, and lodged itself in a campfire. I was already dead last, but now I had the pleasure of watching the other racers lap me, not once, but twice. I was playing Clone Wars Adventures, the latest free-to-play game from Sony Online Entertainment, and I was experiencing the full effects of the generation gap. I know, you're probably saying, "Wait a second, this is an EverQuest II column!" And you're right, but this week, I'd like to take a look at something that both Clone Wars and EverQuest II now have in common -- gifting. Read on to see why EQII players aren't necessarily viewing this latest game change as much of a gift.
PSA: Windows Phone 7's third-party apps easy to decompile, native code hooks exposed
We suspect most developers have gathered this since MIX earlier this year -- many of them have been dealing with variations of the problem since the genesis of Microsoft's .NET Framework -- but we thought we'd throw out a note that word's getting around on how easy it is to tear apart applications downloaded from the Windows Phone 7 Marketplace, gain access to their resources, and get a look at their inner workings. Microsoft has been encouraging developers on the desktop to make this tough by using code obfuscation tools -- Dotfuscator, specifically -- for many years, but Dotfuscator's developer has only just released a free version (through March 31 of next year) for WP7, so it's made things tough to secure. In other words: business as usual, and "business as usual" isn't as airtight as your average white-hat dev would like. On a happier note, an enterprising coder by the name of Chris Walsh has fleshed out some hooks into unmanaged (read: native) Windows Phone 7 services. It's not what we'd call a "jailbreak" -- you're not altering the security settings of the device in any way -- you're just taking advantage of undocumented services Microsoft has in place, though it's still very cool. Walsh promises some tutorials on hooking into cool stuff like file system and registry access soon, but he notes that apps using these hooks are still running as managed tasks, meaning they can be slapped around by the kernel (killed, suspended, and so on) just as any other WP7 app can -- and we also doubt you'd be able to get Marketplace approval using this stuff.
SlingPlayer arrives in Windows Phone 7 Marketplace, headed to iPad next (updated)
Got yourself a big new Windows Phone 7 device and need something to fill its screen with? Sling Media has your back with its SlingPlayer Mobile app, which has hit the Marketplace just in time to earn its Launch App Partner achievement. Pricing for the software is set at $30 in the US, C$32 in Canada, £23 in the UK, and €21.10 in Europe plus local tax, though you'll obviously need to have a Slingbox to communicate with as well. It ain't cheap, but good things rarely are. Update: We've also just come across a signup page for news updates on an iPad version of SlingPlayer Mobile. It'll be priced identically to the company's smartphone offerings, at $30, and looks to be coming soon. Thanks, Blake!
Google Search App bungs Bing on Windows Phone 7 Marketplace
Bing not meeting your needs? Don't fret, Google just pushed its Google Search app for Windows Phone 7 live in Marketplace. A move the mirrors the Bing app availability on the Android Market. The Google Search app utilizes your location to provide local search results and features suggestions as your type and a search history to quickly repeat any previous queries. While there's no way to reassign Google Search to the dedicated search "button" on WP7 devices, you could always pin the app to the Start screen. Unfortunately, we're still not seeing it populated in the UK Marketplace (search for "Google Search") but that should be remedied anytime now.
The Tattered Notebook: Six years of EverQuest II
I looked down at the dog-eared journal and shivered. As excited as I was to finally be in possession of The Tattered Notebook, I recalled the fates of its previous owners. First, seemingly out of madness, Seccia made a sudden and unexpected career change to blog about kittens. Now, Scarve, a Ratonga, has disappeared in the night, leaving behind only a wedge of cheese, this tattered notebook, and a tiny stuffed Kerran doll. Rumors spread of his appearance among a shadowy cult of Gnomish tinkerers, but it's unclear whether he's with them by choice or by force. Regardless, I took a deep breath and opened the cover. What a perfect time to begin adding my entries to the journal, right at the celebration of EverQuest II's six-year anniversary! To celebrate, the game is holding its second annual Festival of Heroes, from November 19-30. In honor of this milestone, my first entry into The Tattered Notebook is a retrospective of those past six years, with an eye towards the future.
Viper SmartStart app goes to 2.0, gets potentially cheaper and throws roadside assistance into the mix
About a year ago Viper got into the app game, releasing SmartStart the iPhone and allowing control of the locks, trunk, and ignition on their car. Since then Android and BlackBerry versions have trickled out, but now it's time for 2.0. What wondrous new functionality does this new major release offer? Not much, really, but it does come with one major improvement: cost. Before you were out at least $299 while the new version is said to cost as little as $199 according to the PR below, though the wording is awfully vague. PR states you can find "dealers advertising Viper SmartStart as low as $199," but under Viper's 2.0 site the MSRP is stated to be $299 -- the same as before. So, YMMV on the price cut, apparently depending on what your local dealer feels like charging, but know that whatever you pay you'll now get "Viper Motor Club" roadside assistance included. That should offer a little extra peace of mind as we enter dead battery season.
Windows Phone 7 launch day app roundup
With thousands of developers churning out thousands of apps, we've no doubt exploring the Marketplace is going to be a full-time job for at least a day or two after you nab your Windows Phone 7 device this fall -- but with all the hullabaloo today, we thought this would be a good opportunity to highlight a few that Microsoft and its partners have been talking about recently. Dig in!
Zune software version 4.7 is now ready to receive your Windows Phone 7
Microsoft has taken care of a little bit of T-crossing and I-dotting this morning by updating its Zune desktop software to v4.7. The code should now be fully equipped to welcome incoming Windows Phones, and our tipster's screenshot above seems to indicate the app marketplace will be up and running on time as well. There's an additional note to say that app purchases will be accessible from up to five separate phones sharing the same Windows Live ID -- clever Microsoft, encouraging people to buy in bulk. As to the Zune HD, we're hearing there's no firmware update at this time, it's still on v4.5. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] Update: Thanks to our treasure trove tipster Sheeds, we now know there are currently 86 available apps in the WP7 marketplace. That's a far cry from the "over 2,000 at launch" we heard on Saturday, but it's still very early on. 22 of those apps are free, the rest cost between $0.99 and $6.99.%Gallery-104730%
Microsoft expanding Zune internationally, Zune Pass coming to UK, France, Italy, and Spain
It's been years of waiting, but Microsoft is finally expanding the Zune service internationally -- a move that precedes the big Windows Phone 7 launch. Version 4.7 of the Zune software will be the desktop sync client for WP7 devices, and as such it'll be available in more than 20 countries. Don't get too excited, though -- Zune Marketplace is a much more complicated situation, since Microsoft has to hammer our agreements in every country, and it's not coming everywhere with every feature. Here's the breakdown: The Zune Pass subscription service will hit the UK, France, Italy and Spain, offering unlimited streaming for £8.99 / €9.99 per month but no ability to keep 10 tracks a month as with the $14.99 US service. Music purchases will arrive in the UK, France, Italy, Spain, and Germany, and the format will be unencumbered MP3. Video purchases will come to the UK, France, Germany, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, with playback support across the PC, Xbox Live, and Windows Phone 7. Video rentals will hit the UK, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Ireland, Netherlands, Switzerland, Mexico, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, and can be synced to the PC, Xbox Live, and Windows Phone 7. Yep, it's a little complicated unless you live in the UK or France, but we're sure Redmond's working furiously to wrap up all the deals it can. We're also a little bummed that international Zune Pass subscribers won't be able to keep 10 tracks a month, but hey -- there's a reason why America is awesome, and it's not just football. Full PR after the break.
Microsoft demoes Twitter and Netflix apps for Windows Phone 7, releases final dev tools
Coming this holiday season to a Windows Phone 7 phone near you: Twitter, Netflix, Flixster, OpenTable, and Travelocity apps. The adroit coders behind those slices of software have managed to put together enough eye candy for Microsoft to highlight them as part of its announcement that the WP7 developer tools have been finalized. It doesn't sound like anything dramatic has changed from the beta -- which seems fitting given how close to the actual launch we now are -- but a new Bing Maps Control SDK has been issued, allowing access to a cornucopia of map-related coding opportunities. We're sure you're just over the moon about that. Go past the break for a couple of Microsoft's demo vids as well as a little Seesmic teaser or click the source for more.
Windows Phone 7 dev tools go gold September 16, Marketplace taking submissions in October
Microsoft's held the line since its February announce that Windows Phone 7 is going to be ready in time for the holidays this year -- and from what we've seen recently, we believe it -- so today they're announcing another small step in the process by finalizing the dev tools that first bowed at MIX in March. Specifically, the gold build will be hitting streets on September 16, just a little under a month from today, while the Marketplace will start accepting apps sometime in early October. Now, if you want to throw a little conjecture at this and make a few assumptions along the way, you could reasonably argue that Microsoft wants a healthy catalog of apps available for purchase on launch day one and that it'll probably take them at least a week or two to approve those first titles -- which means that if everything goes perfectly, we could theoretically see retail hardware on shelves by the end of October. Again, that's purely conjecture on our part, but it's pretty juicy to think that we could be playing with a Cetus in around two months' time, isn't it?
