Youtube for Android updated; not downloadable via Market on Phone.

The good news is that the Youtube app for Android new features include a +1 button, "watch later" queue and the ability to edit video info while uploading. Now that said, I did get the notification about the update on My "old" Nexus One running Android 2.3.6. But, Android Market listed the item as not available in my country. Youtube, unless I'm wrong, is an open source app that is pre-installed on all Android devices. So why would an update be unavailable in my region? I decided to check on the web version of Android Market on my PC. Sure enough the latest version of the app was listed there as available for download; clicking install and the app was pushed to my device. 


Come on Google, get your act together.


The update can be downloaded here.

Angry Birds Seasons celebrates Halloween with new bird.

It's that time of the year where humans around the world celebrates Halloween. You may not know, but yes, we're celebrating Halloween next week with costumes, tricks and treats etc. a fun and scary night. Do you have your costumes ready? Most important for me are the treats. 

Besides humans, the always Angry Birds will also be part of the festivities with an upgrade to Seasons named Ham'o'ween. The update includes 45 levels "filled with pumpkin patches, exploding jack-o-lanterns, and creepy skeletons, lit by a full moon and eerie lantern light". But there is more. 

Ham'o'ween adds a new orange small bird to the game. He's small, but... I'll let you find out. Of course the update is free for you to download on the App Store and Android Market if you haven't already been notified about it.

Enjoy the game and wish you all a creepy Halloween.

Ham'o'ween update for Seasons Keep an eye out for Ham'o'ween, the newest update to Angry Birds Seasons!  It was a dark and stormy night... but that won't stop the Angry Birds! Pursue the pigs through 45 levels filled with pumpkin patches, exploding jack-o-lanterns, and creepy skeletons, lit by a full moon and eerie lantern light. You'll get some unexpected help from a BRAND NEW BIRD -- he starts out small, but don't let his looks fool you! Complete all the levels to find some special tricks and treats!  Brand new Halloween video We've created a spooky Halloween tale just for our fans - go take a look! Everyone's favorite birds are out on the scariest night of the year when they run into a big surprise...   Watch the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8f4EnDrNwU

Facebook Messenger updated.

Facebook Messenger is a standalone app developed by Facebook to send messages to your friends around the world. The update brings the app to version 1.5 and lets you see who's online and who's mobile and see when the other person is typing. Other features include:

- A faster way to compose new messages to the people you message most.
- Various performance improvements.
- Support for 12 additional languages.
- Support for iOS 5.

Facebook Messenger 1.5 is available on iPhone, Android and Blackberry.

I wonder why Facebook made the Messenger a standalone app?

Angry Birds Rio thrilling final conclusion available for download.

The last update to Rio has just appeared on Android Market as a free download. Version 1.3.2 brings the Rio adventure to a thrilling end that includes 15 new levels. Click here to download. 


"The Angry Birds' exciting journey through Brazil has led them to the airport, where they need your help to free their friends from the dastardly smugglers!"

New Features include:

1. EXCITING CONCLUSION TO THE AIRPORT CHASE EPISODE!
2. 15 THRILLING NEW LEVELS!
3. NAIL-BITING BOSS FIGHT!

Facebook for Android updated. Finally includes photo swiping.

A couple of improvements have been made to Facebook app for Android through an update that just showed up on Android Market this morning. Check the list below for details about the changes.


What has changed:
- Made it easier to share with who you want.
- Improved the sharing tool to add privacy controls on posts and match your settings on the web site.
- Added the ability to tag friends and places in posts.
- Added new design for the Profile and Groups Walls.


Fixes and tweaks:
- Improved photo browsing with swiping. (FINALLY)
- Added the ability to tag your friends in photos.
- Improved Messages and Notifications.
- Fixed a number of crashes and performance issues.

RWC 2011: The free official Rugby World Cup app.

Unless you've been on vacation on a distant planet, you probably know that the Rugby World Cup kicks off today in New Zealand. While you may not be able to go there to attend all the games or watch them on TV, the free RWC 2011 app will prove very useful. 

With it you will be able to get the latest news, get live match coverage  including stats and video highlights wherever you are. For those who are lucky enough to be there, the app will provide you information about nearby events, stadium locations, seating plans and facilities.

Whether you're in New Zealand or elsewhere and you're a rugby fan, this app is definitely a must have.

Download link: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.rugbyworldcup.AndroidClient

Evernote now supports sketching and annotation.

An update to the popular note taking app was pushed out to Android phones today. And it supports some cool features like the ability to draw and annotate. But the latter features will work only if you have Skitch installed ion your phone. Skitch was recently acquired by Evernote. Simply put, both apps kind of have a link built-in to each other; Not what I would call the best example of integration. Hopefully Evernote will work this out so we don't need to have two apps installed on our phones and bring a better experience to users.

Skitch is an app that lets you draw sketches and annotate images and send them into Evernote. As shown in the picture, both apps have an icon that links to each other. Evernote now has new icon in the form of a square and heart logo that takes you to Skitch. Once in Skitch you can draw or write your note using your own handwriting. When done, tap the now famous elephant icon to save your note into Evernote.

Among other features is the ability to make searches offline; support for slideshow view; shared notebook improvements that let you view the shared notebook right on your phone; ability to save files to the SD card etc.

Check Android market on your phone to download the free update. Also note that you will need to download Skitch to be able to benefit from the additional functionalities. Skitch is also available free on Market.

Angry birds Seasons updated, celebrates Moon Festival.

For 3000 years, the Chinese have celebrated the moon cake festival in September. It's one of their most important holidays and now Rovio is also celebrating by adding 30 new levels to Angry Birds Seasons for iOS and Android. "help the Angry Birds as they chase the pigs through 30 brand new levels filled with pagodas, rabbits, and red lanterns, lit by a dazzling harvest moon".
Of course the upgrades are free for you to download on Android Market and the App Store.
Enjoy and happy Moon Festival.

Google to acquire Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion; Increases patent portfolio.

I'm posting verbatim Larry Page's post on the Google Blog.


Since its launch in November 2007, Android has not only dramatically increased consumer choice but also improved the entire mobile experience for users. Today, more than 150 million Android devices have been activated worldwide—with over 550,000 devices now lit up every day—through a network of about 39 manufacturers and 231 carriers in 123 countries. Given Android’s phenomenal success, we are always looking for new ways to supercharge the Android ecosystem. That is why I am so excited today to announce that we have agreed toacquire Motorola.

Motorola has a history of over 80 years of innovation in communications technology and products, and in the development of intellectual property, which have helped drive the remarkable revolution in mobile computing we are all enjoying today. Its many industry milestones include the introduction of the world’s first portable cell phone nearly 30 years ago, and the StarTAC—the smallest and lightest phone on earth at time of launch. In 2007, Motorola was a founding member of the Open Handset Alliance that worked to make Android the first truly open and comprehensive platform for mobile devices. I have loved my Motorola phones from the StarTAC era up to the current DROIDs.

In 2008, Motorola bet big on Android as the sole operating system across all of its smartphone devices. It was a smart bet and we’re thrilled at the success they’ve achieved so far. We believe that their mobile business is on an upward trajectory and poised for explosive growth.

Motorola is also a market leader in the home devices and video solutions business. With the transition to Internet Protocol, we are excited to work together with Motorola and the industry to support our partners and cooperate with them to accelerate innovation in this space.

Motorola’s total commitment to Android in mobile devices is one of many reasons that there is a natural fit between our two companies. Together, we will create amazing user experiences that supercharge the entire Android ecosystem for the benefit of consumers, partners and developers everywhere.

This acquisition will not change our commitment to run Android as an open platform. Motorola will remain a licensee of Android and Android will remain open. We will run Motorola as a separate business. Many hardware partners have contributed to Android’s success and we look forward to continuing to work with all of them to deliver outstanding user experiences.

We recently explained how companies including Microsoft and Apple are banding together in anti-competitive patent attacks on Android. The U.S. Department of Justice had to intervene in the results of one recent patent auction to “protect competition and innovation in the open source software community” and it is currently looking into the results of the Nortel auction. Our acquisition of Motorola will increase competition by strengthening Google’s patent portfolio, which will enable us to better protect Android from anti-competitive threats from Microsoft, Apple and other companies.

The combination of Google and Motorola will not only supercharge Android, but will also enhance competition and offer consumers accelerating innovation, greater choice, and wonderful user experiences. I am confident that these great experiences will create huge value for shareholders.

I look forward to welcoming Motorolans to our family of Googlers.


Source: Google Blog

Twitter and Facebook apps receive updates.

Twitter's updates are most newsworthy since they bring push notification and multiple account support to Android. User with multiple Twitter accounts will be able to easily switch between their accounts. Other changes include an updated home screen widget and other improvements and bug fixes.


The updated Facebook app for Android adds Pages support improvement that lets you view the full list of pages you like as well as Pages you administer. You can also post as a Page you administer.


If you haven't updated yet, check out your My Apps in Market or your phone notification bar.