Google Play Store update brings in-app purchase markers and a touch of social networking

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Google has just pushed out an update to the Google Play Store app that can turn out to be a mixed blessing to users. While it does offer a few new conveniences, it also now integrates a bit more with Google’s social networking ecosystem.

The new Google Play Store will feature an indicator telling users if an app, whether free or paid, has in-app purchases or IAP. The indicator doesn’t offer anything more than that, unfortunately. It should, however, give users a heads up that the free app they’re downloading will have some strings attached.

The other new major feature for the Play Store app is an activity feed. Those familiar with digital distribution systems like Steam will be familiar with how one can opt to show others latest purchases, played games, and other forms of activity. That will similarly be the case here to some extent. Users will be able to view and share with others a stream of their activities, though it is not clear whether those will be limited to +1 or reviews only. There is also an amount of integration with Google+, allowing users to view a user’s Google+ profile directly from the Play Store app. It is also unknown if one’s Google Play Store activity will automatically be mirrored on one’s Google+ feed as well, or if there will be certain filters and switches that can be applied.

Google is really playing up the social aspects of Play Store even in its review and rating features. Google has improved the interface to make this communal part of the app ecosystem more prominent and is trying to make it easier for users to leave reviews or star ratings. At the same time, Play Store will be pushing apps and content highly recommended by your contacts in search lists, just in case you happen to enjoy the same things they do.

Google Play Store 4.5.10 is already rolling out to some users, but, as always, it will take some time to reach everyone in all markets.

VIA: Android Police

Google Play Store and Amazon App Store have great Black Friday app offers

If you’re doing a little online app shopping this Black Friday, the Play Store and Amazon App Store have some great deals for you. Both portals have tons of content at a discounted rate, and even offering some free content. The App Store is concentrating on offering discounted games, while the Play Store has a better variety.

For those who use a Kindle device, games are the goal for Amazon this Black Friday. Ranging from $0.99 to $3.99, everything from classic console titles to subtle time wasters are available. Here’s a rundown of the games available for the US:

TMNT: Rooftop RunBattle Bears FortressQuellAngry Birds SpaceAngry Birds Space HDBloons TD 5Sonic The HedgehogHamboFruit Ninja

The Play Store has a wider variety of apps on offer, though not quite as many games. For our money (or lack of, when considering free apps), the Play Store has a better compliment of apps for sale. The Play Store list, for your app purchasing pleasure:

VidTrim ProAgentInstaplaceOfficeSuite Pro 7Smart IR RemoteBeyond PodRoByte Roku remoteReddit ProBattery Widget RebornAnamoly KoreaRipTide GP2Amazing SpidermanHeavy SwordVirtual Tennis ChallengeOrder & ChaosNeed for Speed: Most Wanted

This perhaps highlights the real prowess of the Play Store versus the App Store, with apps such as Agent VidTrim Pro. The Kindle is meant for media consumption, though, so we won’t fault it too much. Either way you go, both have great offers, which should sneak a few bucks away from you this Black Friday.

Gameloft’s GT Racing 2 arrives in the Play Store

Gameloft revealed GT Racing 2 way back in September. That initial unveil did include some details on the game, however without anything solid in terms of a release date, it ended up being more of a teaser than anything else. Well, flash forward a few months time and GT Racing 2 has arrived in the Play Store.

GT Racing 2 is a free download and brings with it the ability to play solo or multiplayer. There is a total of 13 tracks and 67 cars from a mix of Mercedes-Benz, Ferrari, Dodge, Nissan, Audi and Ford. In total, GT Racing 2 features cars from more than 30 manufacturers. And along with the real cars, the track list includes the real Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

Otherwise, Gameloft mentioned how the game has more than 1,400 events to test your driving skills. These include classic races as well as duels, knockouts and overtakes. There is also 28 new challenges each week to test and improve your virtual driving skills. Regardless of whether you choose to go solo or multiplayer, Gameloft also went for authenticity with this release.

Details here point towards a new physics model, which according to Gameloft, means users will have the “most realistic car dynamics ever offered in a handheld game.” Other bits here include tracks that have different weather conditions and can be raced at different times of day as well as the ability to choose between four different camera angles.

With that, GT Racing 2 is currently sitting in the Google Play Store.

Football Manager Handheld 2014 kicks off on Google Play Store

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Football fans rejoice! Football Manager Handheld 2014 is now up on Google Play Store, featuring an improved user interface that will let you better play out your club manager fantasies. For a price, of course.

The mobile version of the Football Manager desktop software first came to Android in 2012 and, so far, Sega has not disappointed fans with regular annual releases. To put it simply, the app, or game if you wish, puts the user at the head of a football club, or soccer for those in the US. It’s a pretty much realistic replica of what a club manager has to go through, from hiring or firing, to cash flow, and even to dealing with those pesky media pepole.

The 2014 version of the app gives the interface an overhaul, pulling it into the 21st century and making menus less of a nightmare, because everyone knows managers have enough of those to deal with in their waking hours. It also features more intelligent AI managers that will try to outsmart or outbid you during transfer season. The update also improves on keeping track of player progression and post-match analysis to help you keep on top of things and keep your team in top shape. It even has more detailed historic records for those tear-jerking moments when you reminisce on your team’s story. Also debuting in this release, but not available on all devices, is the ability to choose multiple nations when starting a new game.

All of these feature are yours for a hefty price of $9.99. Of course, being more of a business app, Football Manager Handheld 2014 doesn’t really put you in the middle of the battlefield. If dishing it out on the pitch is more your preference, there is a different app, a real game this time, exactly for that.

Download: Football Manager Handheld 2014 on Google Play Store

Google Glass: Game sold store price of the nexus series already in 2014

By Gabriel Manceau 14 June 2013

The Google glass are sold on the reproduction of store much less costly than she paid to the developer. If one could assume that American giants would not to his glasses, $1,500 for the general public for sale, it always comforting to know that the prices are those who for the nexus range, i.e. accessible will be.

Play store will receive the Google Glass as soon as 2014. In the meantime continue to developers that suggests more and more applications and ideas to the point that the development process forward quickly and glasses a much wider audience will offer beautiful things within a year. The information does not come from the company view of the mountains, but market analysts talk revolving around 500 euros about the fare, when it was launched.

The Google Glass on the store play for 500 euro?

If the technical features of the glasses are not necessarily impressive, the research and development that were needed in the design of the product could raise prices. Actually, the autopsy of the glasses revealed a dual-core processor TI OMAP4430, 1 GB RAM, 16 GB memory, a 570 mAh battery as well as Wi - Fi and Bluetooth. This is the kind of specifications you will find on a Smartphone input range for less than 150 euros.

The Google Glass on the game store would pay then high price before production chains are on the way and r & D costs written off Google. This is just a guess, but it's hard the huge Internet offer a product more than 500 euro for the general public, if this person has never used such technologies. The nexus-10 is the most expensive product on the online store currently 32 GB to 499 euros. Such a plan, it seems that you reasonable glasses?

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[NSFW] Android adult app store MiKandi bares even more (and does it better) in Version 4

MiKandi -- one of the earlier adult app stores for Android -- this week was updated to Version 4, bringing with it a new user interface, improved performance, and more of that old fashion adult fun that doesn't quite fit on Google Play. 

Jen McEwen, MiKandi's chief marketing officer, tell us that new look bares more than ever before. "MiKandi is the Las Vegas of app stores," McEwen told Android Central by e-mail. "It’s a fun, sexy playground for adults. With MiKandi V4, we take full advantage of the limited space on every device by displaying more than twice as much content than previous versions. Now browsing and discovering adult apps is like walking down the Las Vegas Strip. Everywhere you turn is a visual feast."

In addition to the new look, McEwen said, MiKandi has improved the app's performance as well.

"The speed of content delivery in the app store, streaming theater, and web portal has been dramatically enhanced with SendFaster’s innovative acceleration technology," McEwen said. "Internally, we've dubbed it FapFaster."

That's just so wrong it's right.

MiKandi boasts some 7,000 adult applications, with precisely none considered safe for your place of business. Unless, of course, you work at MiKandi.

To celebrate the update, MiKandi is giving away a few Gold passes. Hit up the link below to read how to enter.

More: MiKandi blog; the Android Central NSFW section

At least one AT&T store is selling the HTC One a bit early

Update: We reached out to AT&T, and can confirm that the official release date is still April 19. 

If you're ready to buy the HTC One from AT&T, you might want to go visit your local store this evening. That's what go3go from the forums did, and he walked out with a shiny new HTC One in silver for his troubles.

Just went in to my local AT&T store to check up on the pre-order deal with the media link since it said it was out of stock online. Was told the pre-order period was last week and the phone was out today. Walked out with a silver 32 gig. Still kind of in shock, since I was convinced it wouldn't be out till next week O_o

It's a kick-ass phone, and we're glad that go3go was able to get his, but we have to wonder -- was the AT&T salesperson a bit confused about which HTC phone was released today, or is this just a quiet early launch? "Officially" the HTC One goes on sale April 19. 

If you dropped in on AT&T and checked, what did you find out? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to congratulate go3go on his score.

Source: HTC One forums

Nexus 4 back in stock at German Google Play Store

The UK isn't the only country that's just seen a fresh influx of Nexus 4 stock at its Google Play Store. Today the official +Nexus Google+ page sends word that the coveted handset is now back in stock in Germany. The phone is available in 8GB and 16GB flavors for €299 and €349 respectively, and set to ship in 3 to 5 days.

(Incidentally, the phone's still in stock in the UK and shipping within the same timeframe)

Grab 'em at the links below --

"AC's resident Brit, cooking up steaming bowls of European Android coverage every day."

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The Da Vinci Code free in the Play Store; Inferno prolouge and first chapter as a bonus

Many times we get asked where good free books can be found for Android. Not only is this one free, but it also comes with some extra content. Dan Brown's runaway hit The Da Vinci Code can now be downloaded from Google Play Books for free until March 24 for your phone or tablet. Packaged with this e-copy are the prologue and first chapter from Brown's upcoming novel Inferno, available May 14.

As the fastest selling adult hardcover of all time, and second best in sales only to Harry Potter in 2004, this book has been hard to avoid - but if you've managed to do so, or just want to relive the mystery while getting a sneak peak at Inferno, make sure to hit that download link by the 24th.

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Nexus 4 Bumpers in stock in the U.S. Google Play Store

Perhaps one of the most sought after accessories on Google Play, the bumper case for Google's Nexus 4 is back in stock. Ever since the launch of the Nexus 4, Google has had problems getting these bumpers out to customers. Even those who ordered on launch day were told to expect delays up to 3 weeks. Since then, the availability of the bumpers has gone from back in stock, to out of stock, and even to "no longer available for sale." This forced Nexus 4 owners to either buy 3rd party bumpers, or pay incredibly inflated prices on sites like eBay.

While a tad expensive, the official bumper definitely has a fit and finish that compliments the Nexus 4 nicely. For a better look, check out our full review.

Hopefully Google has gotten their supply problems under control like they did with the phone itself. I wouldn't risk it though - if you've been waiting for one of these, order now.

Source: Google Play Store; thanks, Michael!