Tag: App Update

Google has moved another baked in OS service to the Google Play Store today as they continue to uncouple some apps and services from the base Android image.  Google Exchange Services has, to now, been a part of Android and was only ever updated when there was a new update to the platform.  This move to make it stand alone will improve the chances of it getting updated more quickly than it has in the past.  It also means that anyone can use Gmail to get their Exchange mail, something that previously was only available to Nexus device users.

The latest update to Google Calendar is one that frequent conference call users will want to update to as soon as it is available. Seriously.  Stop what you are doing and see if you have the update.  I’ll wait….. Okay, so here is the deal:  Before now, when you had a conference call scheduled in Calendar, you could have it dial the number easy enough (it would just switch over to your Phone app) but if that conference call had a passcode, you had to enter it manually.  That’s no big deal if you are sitting at your desk.  But if you are driving or otherwise using your phone one handed, that can be a bit of a pain.  No more.  The latest update will allow you to select the passcode for the call (if it is in the invite) and the Phone app will automatically dial it for you when your call is connected.

If you are a user of the TripIt app to manage your travel itenararies, the latest update to the app brings a host of improvements as well as Android Wear support.  The updated build is version 4.6 for those keeping score at home and the big update is Wear support.  Now you can access your trip details from your watch without having to take your phone out of your pocket.  Even better, there is also a new flight countdown timer, exclusive to Android Wear, so you can keep track up to the second when your flight is to depart.

Instagram has begun rolling out a major update to both their Android and iOS apps today with a focus on content while maintaining the app’s easy navigation.  The revamp of the photo sharing app is the first major redesign in several years and it does away with the darker theme of the app and brings with it a light, white UI with content dominating the screen instead of it being a mix of photos and text.  And yes, even the icon for the app is changed up in this release.

If you use the shopping & auction app eBay on your phone, the latest update to the app is one you will want to get when it hits your updates.  The new version 5.0 build sports a whole host of changes including a complete makeover with Material Design.  This version of the app, visually, is much cleaner than the previous versions and is more fitting to the contemporary design of Android apps.  Along with this new design, navigation has also been improved and is more consistent with other apps.

The latest update to Google Street View brings a handful of enhancements to the VR-meets-map app, including a much improved handling of Photo Sphere images.  The update is version 2.12 for those keeping score at home and it is rolling out to the Google Play Store now.  In the update, you can now create a connection between photo spheres within the app and you can tap and hold to select multiple published photo spheres.  Photo spheres are automatically grouped together in the app as well so you can find them a bit easier when you are looking at a location in the app.