Google unveils Android

Christian Science MonitorGoogle unveils Android-equivalent of 'Find My iPhone'Christian Science MonitorThe Android Device Manager lets users ring their phone at maximum volume, even if the phone is on silent, and locate the phone on a real-time map. If there is no hope of retrieving the phone, users can even wipe their device clean of all information ...

Android overtakes iOS for app downloads, but Apple's platform still more ...

The GuardianAndroid overtakes iOS for app downloads, but Apple's platform still more ...The GuardianGoogle's Android has been outstripping Apple's iOS for device sales for some time now, but the belief persists among developers that they're still much more likely to make money from iPhone and iPad apps. The obvious conclusion to draw from a new ...

Control your PC or Mac from your iPhone, iPad, or Android device

ZDNet (blog)Control your PC or Mac from your iPhone, iPad, or Android deviceZDNet (blog)Control your PC or Mac from your iPhone, iPad, or Android device. Summary: Why sit at a desk when you could be out and about and still be able to control your PC or Mac from your smartphone or tablet? Here's how I do it. Adrian Kingsley-Hughes. By ...

Microsoft Office comes to Android, but not tablets

Yahoo! NewsMicrosoft Office comes to Android, but not tabletsYahoo! NewsThis undated image provided by Microsoft Corp., shows a Windows Store only at Best Buy . Microsoft announced Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2013, it is bringing a pared-down version of its Office software to Android phones, but it won't work on Android tablets just ...

Google teams with Asus on upgraded Android 4.3

ZDNet (blog)Google teams with Asus on upgraded Android 4.3-based Nexus 7ZDNet (blog)Commencing with Android, Pichai cited IDC, Gartner and internal Google data that by the end of 2013, consumers are going to buy more tablets than both consumer and corporate PCs. The forecast is 70 million activations by year's end. Suffice to say ...

Hovering Controls app arrives with Samsung

Android CommunityHovering Controls app arrives with Samsung-like air gesturesAndroid CommunityThe app is called Hovering Controls and is currently available only by way of the xda-developers forums. The apk file is available for download and perhaps more important — for those running Android 2.2 or later. Anyway, the app appears to still be in ...

Rovio

Heads up, mobile gamers. Tiny Thief, the latest title backed by Angry Birds maker Rovio, is out now for iOS and Android devices.

Developed by the Barcelona-based studio 5 Ants, Tiny Thief is the second game released under the new Rovio Stars third-party publishing initiative. Set in medieval times, the game is described as 'an atmospheric, beautiful stealth based adventure featuring point-and-click style gameplay, off-beat humor, mind-bending puzzles, and memorable characters.'

Players assume the role of the Tiny Thief, a blond hooded hero who must use his kleptomaniac ways to outsmart opponents across six 'epic quests' and save a princess and kingdom in danger. Along the way, players will square off against enemies like the Dark Knight, rogue pirates, dragons, evil sheriffs, and even a giant robot.

'The game throws some seriously mind-boggling puzzles at you, with tons of surprising interactive gameplay elements along the way,' according to the App Store description.

The release comes after Rovio back in May announced plans to boost its game lineup with selections from third-party developers. The effort, dubbed Rovio Stars, is the Finnish game maker's first foray into publishing games that were not developed in-house.

The first Rovio Stars game Icebreaker: A Viking Voyage launched in early June for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch devices. That game has not yet landed on Android.

Meanwhile, Angry Birds fans continue to wait it out for Rovio's new top-secret addition to the franchise. Without revealing too much (or anything at all, really), the gaming company last month teased its 'most thrilling and action-packed game yet!'

In the meantime, gamers can pick up Tiny Thief in the App Store or Google Play for $2.99. For more, check out the video below.

Firefox OS can't compete with Android and iOS, and that's okay

The smartphone industry is beginning to look a lot like 'The Lion King.' Two key players - Android and iOS, in this case - are fighting to control a kingdom while a pack of rabid competitors, like BlackBerry and Windows Phone, are simply fighting to survive. (It's up to you to decide which company represents Simba and which embodies Scar, his murderous uncle.) Now Mozilla is hoping to join the hyenas... er, upstarts, and fight for the right to the royal family's scraps through Firefox OS, its Web-based operating system. Or, at least, that's how it would appear.

Kantar reported yesterday that Android accounted for 52 percent of smartphone sales in the US during the three-month period ending in May; iOS represented 41.9 percent, leaving just 7 percent of the market for the hyenas to fight over. If that's all Firefox OS, Windows Phone, and BlackBerry are able to consume they'll likely starve. And Mozilla is just fine with that.

Mozilla, like the hyenas of this long-extended metaphor, is growing used to being an also-ran. The company's Firefox browser accounted for just 27.7 percent of the browser market in May, according to W3Schools. Google's Chrome browser, by comparison, holds 52.9 percent. It overcame Firefox in March 2012 and hasn't ceded control of the market since. The company stopped developing Thunderbird, its cross-platform email application, in July 2012. (Thunderbird still receives security updates but has been otherwise abandoned.) It doesn't expect Firefox OS to suddenly leap to third place or - and this would be one hell of a stretch - displace iOS or Android at the top.

Firefox OS has been developed to improve the mobile Web. Mozilla CTO Brendan Eich said during the announcement of the first FirefoxOS-powered devices' retail launch that he doesn't believe anyone, including BlackBerry or Microsoft, has the market share to develop a viable 'third platform.' Anyone intending to compete with iOS or Android ends up relying on Web technologies, he said, and that depends on the improvement of open standards. Companies like Apple and Google try to create 'walled gardens' to lock their customers into their ecosystems; Mozilla is trying to create an open field in which Web developers can frolic without fear of being tied to one operating system or another.

Mozilla has been working on these standards, including several that allow Web-based applications to access your location, or utilize your camera, or display the level to which your smartphone's battery is charged. The company pushed for these standards to be embraced by the W3C, the standards maker that decides on which Web technologies should be made an official aspect of HTML.

'The Web is a rising tide around the world that everyone benefits from, and Firefox OS is just an instance of this category of Web-based device,' Eich said. Because of Mozilla's mission to further Web standards, he added later, the company does 'not want anything to be unique to [Firefox OS.]' Applications developed for the operating system should run on any other device, whether it's built upon the Android, iOS, BlackBerry, Windows Phone, or Firefox OS platform. Other operating system -makers are constantly trying to improve their offerings and encourage developers to build applications for the platform. Mozilla is trying to improve every platform and encourage developers to build applications that can be run on any device with a Web browser.

Firefox OS, like the browser it's named after, is simply a vehicle for Mozilla's mission. It might attract attention in emerging markets, where it has the benefit of being cheaper than its competitors, which the Guardian argues is the operating system's main selling point for consumers. Perhaps it could grow to a respectable size in the US as well by offering an open platform that is easier to develop for than BlackBerry or Windows Phone. But in the end it doesn't particularly matter how many smartphones Mozilla's partners sell, or how many people develop products for mobile devices specifically because of the operating system. Mozilla wants to improve the Web. Full stop.

BlackBerry and Windows Phone are in a constant struggle for the scraps left behind by iOS and Android. Firefox OS is fighting simply to make sure the entire kingdom is improved, no matter who ends up being the king.

A Better Google Maps App for Apple and Android Devices

Our story so far: Last September, Apple decided to dump the Google Maps app that had been on the iPhone for years. Apple replaced it with its own Maps app - software with so many problems that Apple's chief executive, Tim Cook, apologized and even recommended that people use other apps until Apple could fix its own one.

In December - incredibly quickly - Google responded by introducing its own Maps app for iPhone. It's a spectacular app, among the best apps ever written. It's fast, beautiful and so good at guessing what you mean when you start typing a destination, it's almost mind reading. You can read the details here.

Today, that delightful news gets even better. Not only has Google improved Google Maps for iPhone, it's also brought that same free app to three machines that never had it: the iPad, Android phones and Android tablets. (The Android versions are available for download today; it requires the Ice Cream Sandwich or Jelly Bean version of Android - recent versions, in other words. The iOS versions will be available shortly.)

For Androidians, the biggest news is the design of the app itself. It's modeled on the iPhone app, the one that's simple and fast and elegant. It's also uncluttered by the morass of menus that have always plagued the existing Maps app for Android.

But for practitioners of all religions - tablet, phone, iOS, Android - the other news is the new features that today's new version brings. They include:

* Greater speed. All app versions are faster than before.

* Better place information. Half the time, you don't even need navigation instructions; you just use Google Maps as the world's smartest Yellow Pages, to find a nearby restaurant, movie theater, drugstore or whatever.

The details for found places now include a one-line description ('Chinese restaurant famous for dim sum'); a five-star rating system (including a decimal - '4.3,' for example - because, let's face it, almost everything these days winds up with a four-star rating); the ability to upload your own photos of a place; and a more complete integration of the Zagat guides, which Google bought.

* Greater emphasis on exploration. Google Maps has always excelled at getting you to a known destination. But Google now wants the app to help you choose a restaurant, bar, store, recreation center or hotel, at least in major United States and European cities.

If you tap in the Search box without typing anything, new, photographic buttons appear: Eat, Drink, Shop, Play, Sleep. Each opens lists of corresponding facilities, sorted by criteria like Local Favorites, Popular with Tourists and so on. (Google says that these recommendations are never paid placement.)

* Traffic incidents and auto-rerouting. At last: Google Maps shows more than colored lines indicating current traffic speeds on major roads. Now it also displays tiny icons that represent accidents and construction. Tap one to read the details: 'Right lane blocked on 680,' for example. (In case you were wondering, the information on traffic incidents doesn't come from Waze, the traffic-incident app that Google recently bought. That data has yet to be incorporated into Maps.)

Better yet: Maps now looks ahead for traffic jams on your route, and interrupts your drive with a dialog box that offers to route you around it (if the new path would be quicker, of course). On its own.

* Offline maps. This feature is something of an Easter egg. It's undocumented, a feature inserted by Google engineers simply because they wanted it. You can access it only if you know the secret. But wow, is it worth it.

This feature memorizes the map data for whatever area is displayed on your screen right now (up to a whole city in size). That way, you can use Google Maps even when you're overseas and don't want to turn on data roaming (because that's insanely expensive), or when you're in an area where there's no cell reception. It's very handy.

To capture a map snapshot like this, tap in the Search box. Use the speech-recognition button and say, 'OK Maps.' (It's a riff on the command 'OK Glass' that prepares Google Glass, the company's 'smart headband,' for voice commands.)

A message quietly lets you know you've successfully stored the displayed area.

*Nice tablet layouts. On a tablet, Maps really shines. The app smartly reformats itself to take best advantage of whatever screen shape you have: two or three columns of place listings, for example, and luxuriously displayed photos and reviews for each business.

This new, improved Maps app works identically on both major flavors of phone and tablet. You know what? I don't care how much you distrust Google and its motives. This is crazy good software, some of the best work Google has ever done.

25 things my new Android phone does that makes my iPhone feel like it comes ...

Summary: My new Android phone makes my old iPhone feel like a dinosaur. I did not root my phone. Every app you see here is a standard product, available from the Google Play store. This is what you can do right out of the box.

Image 1 of 26

There are (at least) 25 things my old iPhone can't do

A few weeks ago, I told you about my plans to ditch my old iPhone 4S and get a brand-new Samsung S4 Android phone. Well, a few days later, I did just that.

Since then, I've been playing around with the new phone and I came to a rather surprising realization: it makes my old iPhone feel like a dinosaur. We have a bunch of Nexus 7 tablets floating around the house and I use mine almost every day. But a phone is a far more personal device and, as a result, the desire to make it truly fit with a lifestyle is strong.

I knew the S4 had a lot more features than the iPhone. But until I started playing with it, the scope of the advancement of the device over even the iPhone 5 wasn't immediately apparent. This gallery should rectify that.

Before you dive in, I have a few things to say. First, I'm well aware of the state of handheld technology from the 1990s. Back then, we were in the early PalmPilot days, and there weren't smartphones. That's not the point. I know the iPhone seemed advanced five or seven years ago, but using it now, holding it next to the new Android phone, it feels so dated. It seems older than just the last decade. It seems like something from before the turn of the century.

The second thing I want to say is that I did not root my phone. Every app you see here is a standard product, available from the Google Play store. This is what you can do right out of the box.

Well, without further ado, let's explore the 25 things my new Android phone does that makes my iPhone feel like it comes from the 1990s.

Image courtesy David Gewirtz and some Photoshop magic.

Google Unveils New Maps App for Android

By Todd R. Weiss | Posted 2013-07-10 Email Print

Now available for Android, an updated and improved Google Maps app will also soon be available for Apple iPhone and iPad users, according to Google.

Google is continuing to build on the continuing evolution of its mobile Google Maps app with the release of a new version aimed first at Android smartphone and tablet users. 'The new Google Maps for mobile builds on the design we released for iPhone last December and improves on it with a few useful search and navigation features,' wrote Daniel Graf, the director of Google Maps, in a July 10 post on the Google Official Blog. The updated new version is 'the first dedicated app for Android tablets and iPads,' which provides 'a new mapping experience that makes exploring the world and getting to the places that matter to you a lot faster and easier,' wrote Graf. The new Android version is gradually rolling out globally in the Google Play store and an iPhone and iPad version will be available soon in Apple's App Store, he wrote. The new app will run on Android devices running Ice Cream Sandwich and Jelly Bean versions of the operating system. The Apple version will support iOS 6+ when available.

Among the new features of the new app is an 'explore' option that allows users to visually browse and discover new places without typing. Instead, users can tap the search box, and they'll be shown pop-up 'cards' that display nearby places to eat, drink, sleep and shop, wrote Graf. Also included are enhanced navigational capabilities that can help users navigate around traffic. 'You can now see reports of problems on the road that you can tap to see incident details,' he wrote. 'While on the road, Google Maps will also alert you if a better route becomes available and reroute you to your destination faster. This feature is available only on Android and is coming soon to iOS.'

Android tablet users will find that the newly redesigned Maps app works better on their devices because it is now specifically designed to render images and information in a tablet format, wrote Graf. Also unveiled in the refreshed Maps app is a new 5.0 star rating system that gives users ratings on restaurants, bars, cafes and other destinations, wrote Graf. 'For an expert's opinion, the Zagat badge of excellence and curated lists are integrated into search results so you can quickly spot the very best places. From 'Best Restaurants to meet for a drink in NYC' to 'Best Restaurants in the Mission' in San Francisco, Zagat's there to help you uncover the local gems.' Reviews from friends and acquaintances are also available through the app. Another new feature is the availability of mobile offers and discounts from national brands like Macy's, Michael's and Toys 'R' Us, that are presented and labeled on the user's map screen, wrote Graf. As part of the changes, two older Maps features, Latitude and check-ins, are missing from the new app and will be dropped from old versions of the app as of Aug. 9, he wrote. 'We understand some of you still want to see your friends and family on a map, which is why we've added location sharing and check-ins to Google+ for Android (coming soon to iOS).'

Chrome for Android gets much

On-the-fly translation of Web pages is a fixture in Chrome for PCs, but now it's in the Android version, too. Also arriving: SPDY-augmented data compression.

(Credit: Google)

Google, always trying to break down language barriers as part of its mission to make the world's information accessible, has added on-the-fly, automatic Web page translation to its Chrome browser for Android devices.

Chrome 28 for Android, released Wednesday, has the translation feature built in, said Chrome team member Jason Kersey in a blog post. The feature has been built into Chrome for personal computers for years.

Also new in Chrome 28 for Android, according to Kersey and another Chrome team member, Dan Alcantara:

* An optimized user interface for right-to-left (RTL) languages including Arabic, Farsi, and Hebrew.

* Full-screen support on tablets, which lets Web apps -- in particular games and video -- take over the entire screen.

* Support for Google's experimental data compression service that lets fast Google servers read a Web page, optimize it for mobile devices, then transmit it faster to a mobile device using Google's SPDY network technology. The service only works with unencrypted Web pages.

(Credit: Google)

Google Maps Update Brings Dedicated Android Tablet and iPad Versions

Google has updated its Maps app, rolling the new-ness out now to Android devices and coming soon to Apple portables.

Google

Google has updated its Maps app, rolling the new-ness out now to Android devices and coming soon to Apple portables. Aside from a few new features, Maps will sport tablet-optimized versions for the iPad and Android slates.

One of the most helpful additions in this most recent update is intelligent re-routing based on current traffic conditions. According to Google's blog post:

In addition to current traffic conditions, we've added two new features to help you navigate around traffic. You can now see reports of problems on the road that you can tap to see incident details. While on the road, Google Maps will also alert you if a better route becomes available and reroute you to your destination faster. This feature is available only on Android and is coming soon to iOS.

Google is also leveraging its Zagat purchase and its Offers product to serve up restaurant reviews and discounts to nearby places. In addition, Google's friend finder and Foursquare-like Latitude feature is being retired, but similar functionality will be folded into Google+.

Says Google:

One important change you should know about is that Latitude and check-ins are no longer part of the new Google Maps app, and will be retired from older versions on August 9. We understand some of you still want to see your friends and family on a map, which is why we've added location sharing and check-ins to Google+ for Android (coming soon to iOS).

A new Google Maps app for smartphones and tablets [Google Blog]

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What If Nokia Announced An Android Device?

Nokia Lumia handset on show at MWC Barcelona 2013 (Photo credit: Janitors)

With what can only be described as some very very useful leaks, we're all set with our bingo cards for Nokia to announce the latest Lumia handset in the next twenty four hours - expect a Windows Phone with a 41 megapixel camera, significant memory, multi-core processors, and a comfortably large screen. And my mind, once more, turning to the question of Nokia and Android.

What if the Finnish company walked out on to the world's tech stage with an Android powered smartphone?

It's a sentiment that is often discussed, and Nokia's decision on February 11th 2011 to go with Windows Phone as their next smartphone OS, instead of Android, will be one that will continue to be analysed in tech circles.

If we look at the situation today, I find it very hard to argue that Nokia should drop Windows Phone and run with Android. It would be poor value in the short term, it would be a difficult sell in the medium term, and I don't think it would allow Nokia to have any long term future that would not involve being bought out by a rival - even if it was just for their patent portfolio.

I would have a huge issue around the software that Nokia would need to differentiate their mythical Android smartphone from others on the market. Nokia's software on Windows Phone makes a huge difference - such as free streaming music, mapping and navigation software (with turn by turn directions), improved camera and image processing, and augmented reality layers of local information - and any Android powered handset that would need to be identified as Nokia would require a similar suite of apps.

Creating these apps and services would take time. If they were to suddenly arrive fully formed and ready to go, I suspect the shareholders would want to know why those engineers weren't focused on the Windows Phone platform, which CEO Stephen Elop has proclaimed as the only platform for Nokia at the moment.

Which means these apps aren't ready, so Nokia would have to either launch a handset without them (and good luck selling a bare bones Android handset at a premium in the current market), or announce the plans and wait for the handset's software to be completed before shipping (which would not do Nokia's sales figures any good in the intervening period).

Chrome 28 hits Android with built

Just a day after releasing Chrome 28 on the desktop, Google announced the release of Chrome 28 for Android, adding Google Translate out-of-the-box and fullscreen support on tablets. You can download the latest version now directly from Google Play.

The biggest addition here is undoubtedly Google Translate support. When you come across a page written in a language that isn't the default one on your phone or tablet, just tap the 'Translate' button:

For those that use Chrome on the desktop, this is the same built-in translation bar you're already used to for quickly skimming a Web page you otherwise wouldn't be able to understand. Now you can use it while you're on the go as well.

Next up is fullscreen support on tablets: as you scroll, the top toolbar disappears so you can see more web page content. The feature was first introduced in Chrome 27 for Android on phones, which have now also gained a '+' in the toolbar for creating tabs.

The full Chrome 28 for Android changelog is as follows:

Fullscreen on tablets - Scroll to hide the toolbar. Google Translate - Look for translation bar when reading web pages in other languages. New user interface for right-to-left (RTL) languages, including Arabic, Farsi, and Hebrew. Top Image Credit: Half Cut

AP reviews new smartphones: Android, iOS and more

abcmillards.blogspot.com

New phones are continually coming out. Which should you buy? Here's a summary of abcmillards.blogspot.com' recent phone reviews, including a new Android phone from Sony.

- ANDROID DEVICES:

XPERIA Z, SONY CORP.

The Xperia Z mostly catches up with offerings from Samsung and HTC, but one feature stands out: Its water-resistant shell means you can submerge the phone at least 3 feet deep for up to 30 minutes. Making water resistance a standard feature is something more phone makers should adopt as phones become companions to our active lives. Sony also enhances Google's Android system, without overly cluttering the phone. Enhancements include battery-saving features. The Xperia also brings a lot of features from Sony's stand-alone Cyber-shot cameras, while letting you highlight only the ones you actually need. Sony's new phone offering is impressive for a company better known for TVs, cameras and game machines.

- Anick Jesdanun, AP Technology Writer

GALAXY S4, SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO.

The S4 is an excellent device from a hardware standpoint. Its 5-inch screen is larger than its predecessor, yet it's a tad lighter and smaller. The display is sharp, at 441 pixels per inch. Samsung packed the Android device with a slew of custom features, including new camera tools and the ability to perform tasks by waving a finger over a sensor. Many of the features, however, make the phone more complicated to use. In some cases, custom features work only some of the time. In other cases, you're confronted with too many ways to do similar things. The S4 might be for you if you don't mind spending time customizing it. Otherwise, you must bypass all the gimmicks to get to what otherwise is a good phone.

- Anick Jesdanun, AP Technology Writer

HTC ONE, HTC CORP.

The One is a phone that can match Apple's standards of feel and finish. Plastic and metal are joined together so well that you can't tell by feel where one ends and the other starts. The 4.7-inch screen is also quite a sight, its 468 pixels per inch among the best. Two front-facing speakers give you real stereo sound when turned sideways to watch a movie. HTC's camera has a lower resolution than most. Promises of better low-light shots from its larger sensors only partly delivered. Like other Android phone makers, HTC adds confusion by customizing the interface. There are four different 'home' screens from which to launch apps, for instance. The One is worth checking out as an alternative to the Galaxy S4 from Samsung, which also adds complication with its custom features.

- Peter Svensson, AP Technology Writer

GOOGLE PLAY PHONES

Google has worked with both Samsung and HTC to come out with a 'Google Play' edition of the Galaxy S4 and HTC One phones. Instead of using customized software from Samsung and HTC, the Google phones run a pure version of Android, as developed by Google. Essentially, the Google versions of these phones are replicas of the originals, with most of the bells and whistles removed. That's a good thing, as many of those 'improvements' added to Android by Samsung and HTC actually make the phones more complex to use. The bad news: The Google edition of the S4 sells for $649, while Google's HTC One goes for $599, compared with the $100 to $200 that you can typically get the original models for with a two-year agreement. And the phones don't work on Verizon and Sprint's CDMA networks.

- Anick Jesdanun, AP Technology Writer

Apple Inc. broke antitrust laws and conspired with publishers to raise electronic book prices significantly in spring 2010, a federal judge ruled Wednesday, citing 'compelling evidence' from the words of the late Steve Jobs.

Worldwide shipments of personal computers fell 11 percent in the April-June period, according to data from research firms Gartner and IDC, as people continued to migrate to tablets and other mobile devices.

Legendary Entertainment, the big-budget movie producer that helped bring to the screen such franchises as 'The Dark Knight' and 'Man of Steel,' is moving its fanboy brand to Universal Pictures.

First dedicated Google Maps app comes to Android; iPad next

The iPad app has been a long time coming, after Google offered up the iPhone version months ago.

(Credit: Google)

Google Maps is making its way to the iPad.

The search giant announced Wednesday that a new version of its Google Maps application will be the first dedicated one for Android tablets and Apple's slates. The company hasn't said exactly when the update will be made available to iPad owners, but the Android version is available now.

Earlier today, CNET's Seth Rosenblatt outlined the many additions in the updated Google Maps, including improved navigation and a new Explore feature that allows users to see nearby places that are worth checking out.

All of the features available now in the Android version will be 'coming soon' to the iPad and iPhone, according to Google.

Five tips for the new Google Maps on Android

Checking out the new version of Google Maps and noticing some new features, but also some missing ones? Here's five quick tips to help you navigate the new interface.

After promising that Maps would receive a face lift and some new features at Google I/O, the app is finally delivering the goods. Google Maps v7.0.0 tidies up the interface and brings some shortcuts for the features you use the most.

The new version is rolling out via Google Play to Android devices running 4.0.3 and higher (with an iOS coming sometime in the future). If you haven't received an update yet, sit tight. You do have the option of downloading it from a third-party file hosting service, but this is not recommended.

Now, let's get into the five things you should know how to do in the new Google Maps on Android:

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma/CNET)

Tip 1: When you look up a destination, you can slide the information card up from the bottom of the screen to reveal the call, save, and share buttons (borrows the Google Now card appearance). You'll also see the street view of the location, ratings, and reviews. No more trying to tap on the tiny map pin to open the information page!

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma/CNET)

Tip 2: Tap the silhouette icon at the far right-hand side of the search bar to gain quick access to your map data. This data includes reviews, saved addresses for home and work, nearby offers, saved places, and even recent searches.

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma/CNET)

Tip 3: Traffic and satellite layers have been relocated to a general menu. Simply tap on the gray tab along the bottom left-hand side of the app and the menu will slide open, allowing you to enable your desired layers.

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma/CNET)

Tip 4: The Local feature has been replaced by Explore. Press the search box at the top and then scroll down the page to find the Explore banner, where you can choose from eat, drink, shop, play, and sleep. There's even a menu with categories so you can find places around you without knowing the business names.

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma/CNET)

Tip 5: If you want to save Google Maps so you can access them while offline, just say or type 'OK Maps' (Google Glass, anyone?) in the search box. You'll see a message that says the onscreen map area has been cached.

You may have noticed that Latitude is nowhere to be found in this version of Google Maps. If you want to see locations of friends, you'll have to open the Google+ app and choose Locations from the left-hand menu.

Have you noticed an important difference or awesome shortcut for the new Google Maps on Android? Share your tip or general thoughts on the new version in the comments!

Opera updates Android app with faster startup, video downloads

The latest version of Opera's mobile browser for Android ups the ante with a variety of enhancements and bug fixes.

(Credit: Screenshot by Lance Whitney/CNET)

Android users will find several new features and fixes in Opera's new mobile browser.

Available as of Tuesday through Google Play, version 15 of the Opera browser is powered by the Chromium 28 engine. As such, the app should offer a faster performance and does promise a quicker startup time right off the bat.

You can now download video files and play them directly in the browser. You can also set the location for any downloaded files. And you can open files within the browser from an external SD card.

Other features listed in the update notes include smoother tab animations and a new 'open in private tab' context menu.

Fixing a few bugs, Opera improved the method for clearing cookies and resolved an issue that caused the app to be uninstalled from certain Samsung devices. The update also promises memory leak plugs and overall stability improvements.

Opera doesn't enjoy the buzz generated by Safari, Chrome, and Firefox. But the company keeps beefing up its mobile and desktop browsers, so they're always worth taking a spin.