Category: App Update

Google has released an update to their utility app Google Clock.  As the name suggest, it allows you to have a clock and date on any of your home screens on your Android phone or tablet via a Widget.  These very widgets are the main focus of this update to the app which is now up to version 4.3 for those keeping score at home.  In previous builds, the Widgets for the app were pretty rigid.  You couldn’t really resize them well, especially if you wanted a small clock.  That’s changed with this update as now the Widget is very flexible on sizing and layout.  You have two Widgets as you did previously:  One for an analog clock and one for a digital clock.

American Airlines has released an update to their Android app that now allows you to seamlessly pinpoint your pick up point for Uber right from within the app.  The partnership between the two companies is new and while the Uber pick up isn’t in every location American flies, it will save you from having to fumble around through both apps to arrange your pick up location.  To do this, users need to go to the terminal maps in the app, which also have been significantly improved, and let the app leverage your location services to pinpoint you and get you an Uber.  There is even a $20 discount if you use the code RIDEAA for you first time Uber users.

Angry Birds 2, the sequel to the hugely popular original Angry Birds, has received another update today, bringing with it all new levels and… water?  That’s right, for the first time in the game you now have under water levels to contend with as you continue your pig popping efforts in the game.  As the story line goes, Oh noes! Cobalt Plateaus has been totally flooded! We’re going subaquatic in a new Chapter brimming with water and amphibious pigs. CANNONBALL!  So now when you get to the Cobalt Plateaus you not only have to deal with getting your aim right to destroy the evil pigs but you get to do it through water.

The photos and video social sharing app Instagram has a new update rolling to the Google Play Store that is bringing support for multiple user accounts.  The new feature is something that the company has been testing the past few months and is one of the most requested features of the app.  Currently, if you have multiple account, you have to manually log in and out of each account in the app each time you want to switch from one to another.  This is not difficult but it can be a lengthy process when you are on-the-go.  As more corporations are leveraging Instagram to reach their customers and prospects, this became even more of an issue with those account managers having to continually switch between multiple accounts or their work and personal accounts.

That’s now changing and while the back end process for the update is all done, the app update is just now rolling out to users.

Apple Music, the subscription music service from Apple, has been updated for Android devices that brings support for SD cards.  The update is in the Google Play Store now and it is version 0.9.5 for those keeping score at home.  With the recognition of SD cards, users can now associate it with the app and download music to it for offline listening.  Previously you could only download music to your device memory which for many was a severely limiting factor.

Along with the support for SD cards, the update also brings the ability to search the Beats 1 schedule for shows that you want to listen to while on the go.  Beats 1, for those who don’t know, is a 24/7 radio station based in Los Angeles,

Apple Music for Android

New York and London that provides a wide range of programs for listening. This new update also brings improved searching functionality to the app.  Now you can search more easily by composer and compilations to find your favorite artist or type of music.

While the app is still very much in the early stages, Apple continues to tweak and improve it, offering a music alternative to the likes of Google Play Music and Spotify for Android users.  Users can also try the service for 3 months and then it is $9.99 per month, the same price as other services.  For those of you who have migrated from iPhone to Android but still have a big iTunes collection, Apple Music is a good way to keep those songs and play them on your new device.

Apple Music for Android – Free – Download Now

The Google Play Movies & TV app has been updated today and while on the whole it is a minor update, there is a nice improvement to the Wishlist feature that comes in this build.  The update is build 3.11.5 for those keeping score at home and it is in the Google Play Store now.  If you already have the app installed, you should see the OTA update in the next day or two at the latest.

From a bug fix perspective, Google has improved the playback reliabilty of the app so you should see some improvements as you play back on your devices.  In testing for this post, the pause/start function while watching a movie or television show is much smoother than before and starts up quicker.

But as I said, the big news is Wishlists.  More on that after the break.

Google Play Movies & TV for Android – Free – Download Now