Category: App Update

If you like the Bing search service, today is a good day for you.  Microsoft has released a major update to their Android app for the service and it is all-but a new app.  With a new User Interface, dramatically improved local search functionality and improved categories, the new Bing app is going to impress.

The first and most noticeable in the app is the UI.  Bing now has a much cleaner experience with the popular Bing wallpaper in the background that changes daily, then large buttons for things like Search (in the middle of the UI), News, Movies, Restaurants and others along the bottom.  It is very easy to navigate to something you are interested in searching within the app and once you tap a section, you get an immersive experience into that section.

Bing for Android – Free – Download Now

Google has released an update to their news and magazine app, Google Play Newsstand, that has enabled notifications from the app.  The update is version 3.5 for those keeping score at home and it is available now in the Play Store.  The app, which is also the app where you read any magazine subscriptions you have through the Play Store, has slowly been evolving over the past year and it looks like it might finally be poised to replace the Google News & Weather app – or it is getting there at least.

When you install the update you will have the option to enable notifications on the first run (you can always go back and enable or disable them in Settings).  Once enabled, you will see notifications for those items you have set up. These can be News alerts from major news events or form those you have setup in the app, magazine issue updates and Deals and Offers.

If you use Google Play Newsstand for magazines, you know that you have been able to get new magazine issues notifications for a couple of months now.  This update just expands it out to include news information.

Google Play Newsstand – Free – Download Now

The Project Fi app for users of the Google’s MVNO has been updated and it brings a great new feature:  Multiple voicemail messages.  Now you can record multiple greeting for your voicemail on the service and select which one you want to use for a particular day or event.  The update comes as version is G.1.7.16 for those keeping score at home and it is in the Google Play Store now.  You likely have already received an OTA update for it but if not, it will be there in a day or two.

You will know that you have the update when you go into the app, scroll down to Voicemail then tap on Manage greeting.  You will see a blue microphone icon at the bottom of the screen which you can tap (and my be prompted for microphone permissions) to record a new greeting.  Once you do, you can name it and it will be saved to your account.

Project Fi – Free – Download Now

Starbucks has released a great little update to their already pretty impressive Android app that allows you to capture the music you are hearing in the store with Spotify and add it to your account.  The update is version 3.4 for those keeping score at home and is rolling out to the Google Play Store now.  If you haven’t seen the update yet, you should in the next day or so.

In participating stores, you can use the Starbucks app on your phone to capture the music you are hearing and then add it to your Spotify playlist.  I’ve always found the music playing in most stores to be pretty good and often music that I wouldn’t discover on my own.  Now you have a great way to capture it, take it with you and listen to while you are away from your local Starbucks.

Starbucks – Free – Download Now

Google has started rolling out an update to Android Pay that should hit your device in the next day or two.  The update, version 1.2 for those keeping score at home, is a minor update but it does have one significant feature that you will want to have available to you.  If you recall, back in December I told you about apps you may have on your phone being able to leverage Android Pay for payments.  That list of apps was pretty long and included apps like Lyft, OpenTable and ParkMe Parking.  The update today to Android Pay is important because now you will get receipts in the app for those in-app purchases.

Essentially the receipts act like the do if you use Android Pay at a physical store.  When you make a purchase using it within an app, a receipt for that transaction is associated with the credit or debit card that you used to pay for it.  The idea of course is you have one place to go to see a history of all your transactions.  There is nothing you as a user need to do other than update to this latest version to enable this feature.  It is a back end change along with the app.

Android Pay – Free – Download Now

Just in time for your holiday break, Angry Birds 2 has been updated with new levels and a new arena competition where you can play other players from around the world.  The team at Rovio who develop the game are saying that this is the biggest update to the game so far and based on the release notes and a bit of game play this morning, I believe it.  There are a huge number of improvements and changes to the app along with the new player vs player arena.

Like in the previous versions, when you tap on the arena you have your nest of birds and you try to clear as many levels as possible before you run out of birds.  It use to be that you would simply see your score and the scores of other players on the scoreboard but now you are pitted against another player to see if you can beat their score.  Add to that the ability to collect stars which allow you to level up your birds and other rewards, it has really changed how you play in the arena – and for the better in my opinion.

Part of this update in the area and throughout the game is a new Star Ranks where you earn starts in campaigns and tournaments.  This allows you to upgrade your birds and get other rewards in the game.

That’s really only the beginning of this update to Angry Birds 2