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New Media News Every Morning

Google Launches Apps Marketplace, Apps Store for Cloud Apps

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Google has just rolled out a new online service, making it officially known that the company is serious about cloud computing and business applications. The new service – Google Apps Marketplace provides products and services including installable apps that integrate with Google Apps. These installable apps features single sign-on capability and Google’s universal navigation.  Some of these apps even integrate with domain data.

If you an enterprise network administrator utilizing Google’s many cloud server application or Google apps, the marketplace is a useful destination for finding new apps from both Google and third-party application developers. The marketplace shall serve as a one-stop-shop for all your enterprise apps need.

Currently, Google is in a deal with around 50 companies offering online business apps. And right after Google announced the Google Apps Marketplace, those companies started announcing their own applications which debut at the marketplace.

Of course, the number of companies joining this avenue is bound to grow leaps and bound. Give it a couple of days and I’m pretty sure third-party online apps developers will start jumping into the deep pit of Google’s marketing strategy.

In case you’re interested to know, some of the great apps which debut at the Google Marketplace include the following:

BatchBook Social CRM– BatchBook is a lightweight but powerful CRM that allows you to easily organize contacts, monitor social networks and track leads and deals.

Aviary Design Suite – Design tools and templates to create, modify and share images, logos, presentations, audio tracks, podcasts & more. Teams can collaborate on multimedia projects. Works directly in Google Docs!

myERP.com : Manage your business in the cloud – Free online business suite. Streamline your CRM, Sales, Projects, Purchasing, Inventory, A

EchoSign Electronic Signature for Google Apps – EchoSign.com, the web’s leading eSignature service, natively integrates with your Google Apps account, including Google docs, spreadsheets, etc. for instant on-line review, approval, and eSignatures.

Google Apps Marketplace seems to be a solid applications shop. Nothing fancy on the UI aspect. Just your usual plain Google theme.

Opera 10.50 Released, Brags of Being the Fastest Browser for Windows

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Opera has released the latest version of its web browser for Windows – Opera 10.50, which it claims is the fastest web browser produced so far for Windows. Featuring sleek and refined new design plus some nice features such as private browsing (sounds familiar?), Opera 10.50 is also packed with old features you’ve grown to love with Opera.

Opera 10.50’s new features can be categorized into –  refined browsing experience, faster browsing speed, private browsing, and platform integration.

For its browsing interface, Opera has made some improvements and revisions to provide you with a leaner browsing experience, with special emphasis on your PC’s screen estate. Gone are the Opera menu buttons which were now replaced with traditional menu bar.

With Javascript engine, Carakan and a new graphics library running under the hood, Opera also promises the fastest browser for Windows they made thus-far.

Another new feature of Opera browser for Windows is private browsing. Now, if you’ve used Google Chrome or is still using it right now, it’s similar to Incognito Mode. This means, you can browse sites for as long as you want and you won’t leave a trail or browsing history behind. Opera does private browsing either in a tab or separate window.

Opera 10.50 also integrates well with Windows 7/Vista Aero Glass, Aero Peek and Jump Lists. It also lets you easily access your Speed Dials, tabs and more from the Taskbar.

Of course, the old favorites – Opera Turbo, Opera Unite and Opera Link are still active in Opera 10.50.

U.S. Android Phones to Get Firmware Update, Finally

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Finally, after being available for Google Nexus One for quite some time now, the latest version of Google’s mobile OS – Android 2.1 will soon be available for all Android phones released in the U.S. so far.  The folks from Android and Me broke the news citing “several inside sources familiar with the matter.”

Now while, all these U.S. Android phones will get their firmware upgrade via over-the-air update in due time, some features of the Android 2.1 may be missing though. For instance, those cool live wallpapers of Nexus one phones will not be making its way to all Android phones. I think, this is one feature that makes the Nexus One feature unique afte all.

Another important point that you should also remember, in case you own an Android phone is that some phones will require a complete wipe when they are upgraded to Android 2.1. Likewise, some phones will require PC-based install and OTA update will not work afte all.

In  case you’re interested to know, only the Nexus One and the Motorola Droid  are curerntly running Android 2.1. And according to Android and Me, around 80% of Android phones are still running on the earlier version of the OS.

And now for the schedule of Android 2.1 updates – expect it to happen sometime in Q2 2010. Owners of phones such as G1 and myTouch 3G will be the among the first gen Android phones will get the firmware update first.

There, hope everyone feels happy with that news. And hopefully, Android and Me’s sources are realiable enough. Google badly needs to spike up interest with the Android OS as well as the different phones that use it. Nexus One could not advance Google’s mobile strategy agenda alone.

Google Earth for Android Released, Nexus One Users Get the First Taste, Again

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Google is really making sure that all its mobile products and services that it has released for the iPhone get into its flagship mobile device, the Nexus One as well. The latest of these products is the cool Google Earth mobile app which has just been outed and ready for use on Android 2.1 phones, which if you might have guessed by now include the Nexus One.

So, what does the Google Earth for Nexus One offers? Many good things actually. The app is taking advantage of the phones 1GHz processor, advanced 3D graphics and of course Android 2.1 OS.  With those, you’ll get a cool mobile app that is on its fastest version so far – with smooth framerate rendered on a beautiful 800×480 screen resolution.

Google Earth for Android, or should I say for Nexus One packs in some great new features as well, which is not present in its iPhone iteration. The roads layer for one was carried over from the desktop version of Google Earth. This layer tells you where you are when viewing Google Earth on top of the satellite imagery.

Another nice feature takes full use of the Nexus One’s voice recognition functionality into Google Earth search feature. You can speak out a location name to search for its exact location on the globe.

The app also lets you browse photos, places and local businesses no matter where those are located. It also allows you to customize your own version of Google Earth.

You can grab the Google Earth for Android app from the Android market by searching for it on your Nexus One phone. Google says it will soon be available to other Android phones with version 2.1 or later of the mobile OS.

I’ve downloaded the app on my Nexus One, and so far the app seems pretty good.

Google Voice Explained in a Series of YouTube Videos

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Google Voice is one of the most important products that Google put a lot of stake on. Hence, we really couldn’t blame them for going out of the way to make this endeavor a success. But apparently, Google Voice doesn’t s seem to be getting the mileage, or perhaps usage that it wants to have.

What could be the reason for this? Google thinks that their service is overwhelming for its many users. So, to remedy this and perhaps to spike up interest towards it, Google has prepared a series of videos explaining, demonstrating and exploring the said communication service.

In case you’re  like me who have never experienced using Google Voice and is wondering what it does and how it can make your communication life better, I suggest you check out all the videos. But if you’re don’t have the time and just want to know what Google Voice is – it’s actually a communication service provided by Google with various features ranging from call screening to voicemail transcription to the ability to send and receive SMS by email. What’s good about Google Voice is that it allows you to use one number for all your communication transactions.

The series of videos explaining the service include the following:

  1. Voicemail transcription
  2. One number
  3. Personalized greetings
  4. International calling
  5. SMS to email
  6. Share voicemails
  7. Block callers
  8. Screen callers
  9. Mobile app
  10. Conference calls

And while you’re at it, you might want to subscribe to the Google Voice YouTube channel to be notified of new videos about Google Voice in the coming days.