Category: App Update

The official Google for Android app has been updated with some minor but important updates.  The latest build, version 5.1.16.19.arm for those keeping score at home, mainly focuses on speed improvements and reliability enhancements but there are hints of new features being on the horizon.  What those updates are exactly clear but to make sure you don’t miss them, be sure to update your Android phone and tablet with this update.  As a reminder, the Google for Android app is the foundation for Google Now that gives you relevant information about your location, your agenda and other tidbits of information that is important to you.

Google for Android – Free – Download Now

Fitbit for Android has been updated today with some improvements for those of us who participate in the daily or weekly challenges.  The update brings an improved end-of-challenge experience along with a new rematch feature.  The new build is version 2.9 for those keeping score at home and is available now in the Google Play Store.  It is only a 20MB download so updating over your data connection shouldn’t be much of an issue.

Fitbit for Android Phone – Free – Download Now

Amazon has released an update to their Android phone shopping app, Amazon Shopping, that brings deep and impressive voice integration into the app.  The update is available now and is build 5.7.2.100 for those keeping score at home and it brings it on par with the Amazon app for Android Tablets which has voice search functionality.  The update for the phone version of the app is a bit more sophisticated in what you can do with it just by talking to the app.

Amazon Shopping for Android Phone – Free – Download Now

Yelp has updated their Android phone app this weekend with several improvements that will make your restaurant, bar and coffee shop searching a bit easier. The latest update is version 7.8.1 for those keeping score at home and with it brings a much improved photo sharing ability with other apps you have installed on your phone.

For those who may not be familiar with Yelp, it is an app and service that allows you to find local businesses and see how other users of Yelp have rated them. It’s a great way to find a new place to eat or for that perfect cup of coffee but it isn’t limited to just foodie centric. You can also find local pharmacies, shopping locations and fuel stations all within Yelp.

Yelp for Android Phone – Free – Download Now

Google has issued a minor update to their SMS app, Google Messenger.  The update, version 1.4.048 (2144942-38) for those keeping score at home and who love version number Bingo, is available now in the Google Play Store.  If you have not checked out Google Messenger, it is a solid SMS/MMS app that allows you to share things like stickers, your location and of course pictures.  I posted a review back in May of Google Messenger and it has been my main SMS/MMS app on my BLU VIVO IV and OnePlus One almost since the beginning.  It’s a solid app that’s feature rich for a SMS client.

Google Messenger for Android – Free – Download Now

The last 24 hours have seen a flurry of updates from Google on their Android apps.  Google Photos, Google Play Music, Google Chrome and Google+ have all been updated in the last 24 hours and the latest to be added to that list is Google Translate.  For those who are not familiar with the app, Google Translate allows you to convert spoken or written text from one language to another.  It supports over 90 languages and is the closest thing to the Star Trek Universal Translator available today.  Simply speak to your phone in your native tongue and it is translated to your audience’s tongue and scarily accurate.  Or if you see a sign in one language but need it in your native language, point your camera at it and it will magically appear in your native language on your phone’s screen.

Now Google has smoothed out 40 of those conversations in this update to Google Translate while also improving the accessibility features of the app.  The update is version 4.0.0.RC08.99220384 for those keeping score at home and it is available for free now in the Google Play Store.

Google Translate for Android – Free – Download Now