Firefox for Android updated, brings per-tab private browsing

Mozilla has updated Firefox of Android to version 20.0 along with the Windows, Linux and Mac versions. The new update is now available in Google Play and brings some new features along with lower hardware requirements.

Android users will now be able to enjoy per-tab private browsing in Firefox for Android along with ability to edit top sites section in Firefox home. Here is the full change-log:

  • Per-Tab private browsing
  • Gingerbread and Honeycomb support for H.264/AAC/MP3 hardware decoding
  • Top Sites in about:home is now customizable
  • The ‘Quit’ menu item has been removed from Firefox versions running on ICS and higher. When done browsing just tap swipe off recent application list. Use the QuitNow add-on if you want more control
  • System requirements have been lowered to 384MB of RAM and QVGA displays

“Firefox for Android adds support for additional devices running on a less powerful processor architecture, ARMv6 processors. This includes popular phones like Samsung Galaxy Next, HTC Aria, HTC Legend, Samsung Dart, Samsung Galaxy Pop and the Samsung Galaxy Q,” Mozilla noted in a blog post.

Download Firefox for Android from Google Play

Top Android app updates

We are back with our guide of top Android app updates in the last 24 hours. We saw updates for apps like SoundHound, SoundCloud, Expedia, Socialcam and a lot more. Find the details below along with full change-logs.

Productivity Android apps

SoundCloud (version 2.5.2): Cloud storage for audiophiles

Change-log:

  • Added extra URI handling
  • Fixed Search loading bugs
  • General stability fixes

Download SoundCloud for Android

SoundHound (version 5.3):  Music recognition app

Change-log:

  • Optimized for medium and large tablets
  • Visually stunning music discovery
  • See LiveLyrics, the newest way to experience lyrics as they magically move in sync with the song
  • Explore charts, albums and artists with graphic imagery
  • Streamlined sharing to Facebook, Twitter, and more
  • Easily purchase the songs you love

Phone updates:

  • Find your songs quickly with SoundHound’s even faster music recognition!
  • Scroll through history more easily

Download SoundHound for Android

Dolphin Browser (version 9.3.2): Web Browser

Change-log:

  • Facebook/Evernote/Box sharing improvement.
  • Stability optimization of Dolphin Connect.
  • Many bug fixes.

Download Dolphin Browser for Android

Social Android apps

Minus: Chat with People Nearby (version 1.2)

Change-log:

  • See who liked your photos
  • New camera and upload improvements
  • Bug fixes and performance improvements

Download Minus for Android

Keek Social Video (version 2.7.4): Record & share video with others

Change-log:

  • UI enhancements
  • Performance improvements
  • Bug fixes

Download Keek for Android

Fitness Android apps:

Strava Cycling (version 3.3): Record all your rides, analyze your performance

Change-log:

  • View the map of your ride as you record
  • Create manual activities from your mobile device
  • Share, comment and give kudos from the feed

Download Strava Cycling for Android

Travel Android apps

Expedia Hotels & Flights (version 3.0)

Change-log:

  • Itineraries! A beautiful timeline of your upcoming trips with Expedia
  • New! Flight booking is now available in Spain, Sweden, Austria, and the Netherlands (phone only)
  • Improved! We made it easier to select dates for multi-night hotel stays and roundtrip flights
  • Improved! We simplified the checkout process so that you can book even faster
  • Fixed! We fixed issues with guest checkout in UK and Canada

Download Expedia for Android

Android Games

Line Play (version 1.3)

Change-log:

  • You can now give even more Hearts to your friends with the new “Extra Heart” feature.
  • Optimized the app and fixed some minor bugs.

Download Line Play for Android

Where’s My Perry? (Version 1.4)

Change-log:

  • This update includes 20 brand-new Agent P levels and 20 Dr. Doofenshmirtz very-evil levels!

Download Where’s My Perry? For Android

Now, use Google Translate for Android offline with over 50 language packs

Despite 3G and 4G networks reaching everywhere, data connections still remain unreliable in major parts of the globe, so it is always great to have apps that can work offline.  To help you with that, Google has now introduced downloadable offline language packs for Google Translate, so next time you want to translate something but don’t have data connection; Google Translate for Android won’t leave you out to dry.

With support for Android devices running on Gingerbread or above, Google’s offline language packs include 50 languages.

These offline packs aren’t the best that Google can offer you, but they should still be able to help you out in need. “You can select [Offline Languages] in the app menu to see all the offline language packages available for download. To enable offline translation between any two languages, you just need to select them in the offline languages menu,” noted Minqi Jiang, Associate Product Manager, Google in a blog post.

The new Google Translate for Android, which brings the offline language packs, also adds the ability to translate vertical text in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean with your camera.

Download Google Translate for Android

Flipboard update brings user-created magazines and Etsy integration

Makers of Flipboard have updated the social magazine app in one of the biggest overhauls of the application to date. The new app now allows readers to create and share their own magazines in a bid to keep growing in popularity.

The app is letting readers customise their own content around topics, events, and personal interests that can be shared with others. It also partnered with Etsy, the online bazaar for handmade goods, allowing users to shop from Flipboard.

It’s the largest thing we have ever done,” said Flipboard co-founder and CEO Mike McCue about the new edition. “We want to allow people to curate the content they love.”

Flipboard is the latest social media company trying to entice people with the lure of creating and sharing interests along the same lines as fast-growing online scrapbook Pinterest, which lets people ‘pin’ items on a virtual bulletin board.

Even Facebook changed its popular newsfeed in March giving more prominence to photos and videos in an effort to make the social network more of a personalized newspaper.

With more than 50 million downloads, Flipboard is a popular app among people who use it as a one-stop place for reading a variety of articles from different sources. It makes money by sharing revenue with its partners who sell ads on Flipboard.

But publishers are also keeping a close eye on the start up. Conde Nast, for instance, which is a partner of Flipboard pulled back the reins with some of its titles—The New Yorker and Wired—in order to keep guard over its content. Flipboard users will see an excerpted summary sending readers to the New Yorker and Wired websites.

 

Google updates Google Play Movies & TV app with info-cards

With the Google Play Movies launch in India and Mexico, Google has also updated the Google Play Movies and TV app, which is used to consume this content on Android devices.

The biggest change in Google Play Movies app is info-cards, which show information about actors, related films, and other details like which song in playing in the movie. The feature is currently US only and works on tablet version on Android 4.0. The feature automatically presents information about the movie as soon as the user pauses movie playback on his/ her tablet. Users can also tap on actor faces to look for information about them.

The supported movies list is also not very long right now (only 192 movies), but Google is reportedly expanding the catalogue of Info-card supported movies.

Other changes in the update include search support to looks in user libraries and Google Play store for Movies and TV shows.

Here is the full change-log:

  • On tablets, press pause to discover actors, related films, and even what song is playing. Look for movies with the info cards badge. US only.
  • Search across your library and the Play Store for movies & TV shows.
  • Receive notifications for new TV show episodes if you’ve purchased the season.
  • Select the “refresh” option in the overflow menu to checks for any updates to the library.
  • Now available in India

Samsung to update Galaxy Tab 2 series till Android 4.2.2: Report

Samsung is reportedly planning to update its Galaxy Tab 2 range until Android 4.2.2, reports SamMobile. The publication cites inside sources to suggest that while Samsung plans to update Tab 2 to latest Jelly Bean version, it is also testing the update on original Galaxy Tab 10.1, and 8.9, which are powered by NVIDIA’s Tegra 2 processor.

This is not all; Samsung has also begun testing of Android 4.1.2 on Galaxy Tab 7.7 and Tab 7.0 Plus after it resolved an issue with Exynos processors.

The Korean manufacturer is reportedly planning to finish Android 4.1.2 update for all tablets by Q2 or Q3. The timeline is not clear about Android 4.2.2 updates.

The report also added that Samsung will cease major Android updates for these tablets after Android 4.2.2.

There is no way to authenticate these reports, so it is better to wait for an official announcement before getting all excited. We hope to hear from the company soon about the official schedule of the updates.

Google+ app updated, gets photo filters, new profile design

Google has rolled out a massive update for its Google+ apps that brings new photo filters, profile designs and even the ability to use GIFs as your profile picture.

The most important addition to this release are the photo filters for the iOS app. Google has finally put its acquisition of photo editing app Snapseed to use by adding features from it to the Google+ apps. You can now make all of your photo edits within the app itself; you can crop, change the image’s contrast, saturation and brightness, and more. Like most social networking sites that have an image-editing function built-in, Google+ now lets you add filters to your images, quite like Instagram. This feature, however, seems to be a part of only the iOS app refresh.

The Google+ app also has a new flow to it. Your stream will show a lot more text and comments without having to view a story. In fact, when you tap on a story now, it takes you directly to the image, watch page or the website lightbox.

On the Android app, the +1, Reshare and Comment buttons are now displayed more prominently next to each post. It is now possible to filter search results by choosing between “best” and “most recent”, too—quite like Facebook’s News Feed. You can also swipe through albums in-line on the Android version of the app.

Ever since Google+ got Communities, users’ news feeds have been clogged by certain active communities. However, the update lets you control the “volume” of the posts that you see in your stream from individual circles and communities. You can even choose to not have posts from communities show up on your stream. If you happen to be a Community manager, you can even moderate posts via the app.

The updated app for Android lets you share your current location. For iOS users, a new notifications tray has also been worked out. Showering its love yet again on the GIF format, Google+ will now allow animated photos as display pictures on the site.

It has been a long time coming, but “Ghost Town” Google+ is finally making a mark for itself as a social networking platform. Its deep integration with products like Gmail, YouTube, Search and Drive aside, Google+ is standing on its own two feet as an independent platform for users to connect with family and friends.

You can download Google+ for your Android and iOS devices here.

Top Android app updates

Communication Android apps:

LINE: Free Calls & Messages (version 3.6.4)

Change-log:

  • Now available in French and Portuguese (Brazil)
  • Other minor bug fixes

Download Line for Android

Sliding Messaging (version 4.10)

Change-log:

  • Fully customizable theme editor support and 5 more default theme choices
  • “Breathing” Notification Option
  • Ability to set custom fonts
  • Option to disable LED light
  • Backup/restore settings option
  • Text alignment option
  • More smoothing enhancements
  • Quick reply no longer closes when you touch outside the window
  • Bug fixes
  • UI fixes related to quick reply
  • General stability improvements

Download Sliding Messaging for Android

Productivity/ Utility Android apps:

Retro Camera (version 3.84)

Change-log:

  • Jelly Bean updates
  • If your older device starts to crash with this version enable settings – Memory Limit

Download Retro Camera for Android

Öffi – Public Transport Buddy (version 7.70)

Change-log:

  • Enhancement: directions excludes long distance trains by default when a regional network is selected
  • Resolved umlaut problems in Austria

Download Offi for Android

Evernote (version 5)

Read out detailed post for the update details

Todoist: To Do List, Task List (version 1.0.3)

Change-log:

  • Widgets — in the lock screen too!
  • Quick add notification (can be disabled in settings)
  • Settings
  • Swipe left to complete
  • Redesigned task list
  • Initial tablet support
  • New icon
  • What’s improved:  Accessibility, Syncing after coming back online, Performance, Back/up button interaction, UX/UI throughout the app

Download Todoist for Android

SwipePad – Hyperspace Launcher (version 0.9.9)

Change-log:

  • Pads editor with drag & drop to rearrange portals
  • Bug fixes

Download SwipePad – Hyperspace Launcher for Android

Android Games:

Osmos HD

Change-log:

  • Fixed compatibility with Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)
  • Audio improvements
  • Stability improvements

Download Osmos HD for Android

Wild Blood (version 1.1.1)

Change-log:

  • New multiplayer mode: Juggernaut – One player is the Juggernaut and everyone else has to hunt him down! The Juggernaut gets special powers and is bigger than all the other players. Kill him and you become the new Juggernaut!
  • New multiplayer map: Haunted Castle
  • 3 new weapons: The Excalibur Sword, Twin Axe Crystal Blades and The Reckoning Longbow
  • King Arthur armor now available
  • Improved camera and controls with custom settings
  • Bug fixes

Download Wild Blood for Android

Kingdoms at War (version 2.77)

Change-log:

  • Fix hire ally issue for users with maxed out ally slots. Fix moderator functionality.
  • New points->gold conversion UI. Fix crash in marketplace.
  • Fix outdated kingdom after upgrade issue. Fix crash in item selection screen. Fix crash when private message db becomes unreadable.

Download Kingdoms at War

SoulCraft – Action RPG Game (version 2.1.3)

Change-log:

  • Skin buffs
  • Fixed account sync cross devices
  • Easter Eggs
  • Technical improvements

Download SoulCraft – Action RPG Game

World at Arms (version 1.0.9)

Change-log:

  • 2 buildings to collect OIL & COINS from all buildings within range in the blink of an eye.
  • 2 buildings to boost your base’s Energy & Revenue!
  • 5 new units.
  • 4 new boosters (formerly called decorations).
  • PvP is now fully accessible from the world map.
  • Attacks from other players can now damage your buildings!
  • Various improvements and minor bug fixes.

Download World at Arms for Android

Evernote for Android updated, adds smart notebook support and document search

Evernote has released a pretty big update for its note-taking app in Google Play today. The update timing is particularly interesting as Google has recently launched its own note-taking app ‘Google Keep’ in Play Store.

The new version 5.0 of Evernote for Android adds new multi-shot camera feature to add as many as you like photographs to one note without leaving the camera. The company has also include another camera related feature – paper camera in the app, which acts more like a scanner for saving physical documents and papers in Evernote.

Evernote is also brining shortcut support to the Android app, which was until only available in Mac version. You can now create shortcuts to quickly jump to notes, notebooks and tags that are used frequently. What’s more – Evernote syncs these shortcuts across platform.

Evernote team has also added some new premium and business features to the Android app like Document Search (for premium version), Tag support (for business).

Check out the full change-log below:

  • Page Camera mode beautifully digitizes photos of physical documents and pages
  • Evernote Smart Notebook by Moleskine support
  • New Premium feature: Document Search: Search in attached office documents, spreadsheets and presentations
  • Shortcuts: Shortcuts let you jump to notes, notebooks and tags that you access frequently

New Accessory:

Evernote is also brings support Evernote Smart Notebook by Moleskine in the new version.

“Evernote and Moleskine came together to build the most beautiful and functional notebook ever made. The result is the Evernote Smart Notebook, which keeps all of things that make Moleskine a favorite among creative individuals, and adds some unique Evernote-friendly features,” company noted in a blog post.

The Evernote Smart Notebook by Moleskine is available now in small ($19.99) and large ($24.99) sizes.

Download Evernote from Google Play

Facebook Android app updated; lets you change your profile picture

Just a day after updating its iOS app, Facebook has pushed an update to its Android app too. Those who’ve used the updated app already would’ve noticed that the app now allows users to change their profile picture. Also, if users do not wish to see some articles on their News Feed, they can hide the stories right from the app or report spam on some post in the News Feed, if they wish to. Group messaging is a popular feature on Facebook and the update now allows Android users to initiate a group message with lesser taps.

The Facebook Android app allows users to see their friends’activities on the platform. Users can share their updates, photos and videos with those in their friend list. Each time a friend likes or comments on a user’s post, he will be notified about the same. Those interested can also text, chat and have group conversations. In addition to that, users can play games and use the chosen apps. To download the app, head to the Google Play store.