This week saw a lot of entertainment and retail app releases in the Android market, as more high-end Android devices make their way to consumers. The growing diversity among these apps is telling of the Android’s influence, as it holds steady against Apple’s iOS domination.
Here are the top Android apps of the week.
Social and retail
Cliqset’s social updater has gone mobile, with an Android, iPhone and iPad release this week. The free app lets you post and syndicate content to Facebook, Twitter, Google Buzz and other accounts, like Foursquare and Evernote. Filter and organize content being shared by friends, and create a unique social stream.
Mobile blogging just got simpler with the launch of Tumblr on Android. The blogging tool lets you share photos, videos, audio files, links, chats and text, with posts appearing on your Tumblr site. Free, the new app appears as an option under the “Share” menu from other Android apps, as well.
Fourcash’s new Android app combines check-ins with expense reports, keeping tabs on your spending as you visit your favorite venues. Free, Fourcash lets you check into Foursquare, and has space for you to note which friends tagged along, or how much cash you spent. Take a photo of your receipts for records, and log into your account for later access.
Entertainment and sports
Who doesn’t love a good highlights reel? ESPN’s upcoming Goals app will bring the best of the UK Premier League’s scores and news clips, live to your Android phone. Free, this second app release from ESPN is the first of its kind, delivering content exclusively before it hits TV screens. The full-service app will cost you about $6 per month.
Grooveshark has updated its free Android app this week, optimizing it for the 2.2 (Froyo) OS version. This includes the option to save the app to your SD card, among other bug fixes. Grooveshark has also been smartly updated to launch with no connectivity, so you can always get to your saved Offline Songs folder.
Miso’s social TV app has made its way to Android, letting you search, discuss and share your favorite programs. See what’s popular with your friends, learn more about trending shows and movies, and earn badges and points when checking in. The app is free, and supports voice search, as well.
Make contact
PhoneTell’s “personal assistant” app has been updated to include hundreds of hard-to-find numbers for businesses’ customer service. It’s even got some unpublished numbers in the mix. The free Android app already manages your calls, with pre-set and custom text message responses, and has an extensive search tool to help you make direct contact with people and places.
RepairPal saves you from shady mechanics by providing estimates on car repairs. The new Android app has information on more than 40 car manufacturers, and will help you locate a trusted repair shop nearby. Free, RepairPal also has a roadside assistance search tool, keeping you from getting stranded on the side of the road.
DonInHongKong
Android updates & apps are blocked on my new mobile phone by PCCW/Hong Kong! I now own a "PCCW U-ANDROID" mobile phone that I chose based on what turned out to be completely false information provided by PCCW in Hong Kong.
I waited weeks for the Android OS phone to be restocked and available again, having made an informed decision to accept it that was based upon pure misinformation provided by PCCW in Hong Kong.
I was promised it came with Android OS 1.6 that would be updatable, but it came with OS 1.5 that is locked in and blocked from being updated.
Apps are impossible to download, blocked by PCCW!
PCCW loaded the phone with Chinese and limited English capability and it's locked down tight and unable to be changed to all English as promised.
The Android OS is virtually totally blocked and I am being deliberately prevented from changing the configuration or applications in the software because PCCW locked the phone down tight to prevent being able to use & enjoy Android, it's updated OS, or its applications.
PCCW refused to reveal the brand the mobile phone would be when it finally arrived. The phone turns out to be a Huawei U8220, which is a sub-standard quality phone that Huawei company staff say was built that way as-per the specifications given by PCCW/Hong Kong, including the blocking of full access to and use of the Android OS.
When I was told by the manager of the PCCW shop where I had made my decision to accept this phone based on what is now known to be deliberately mispresented information, that the phone "...isn't a PCCW product and it isn't a PCCW problem...you must deal with Huawei!", along with the refusal of PCCW to allow me to return the misrepresented phone even under the Hong Kong Basic Law that guarantees this for 7 days after any purchase (PCCW refused to honor the Basic Law on the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th day of the 7 day guarantee), I then went to Huawei direct.
Having a friend contact Huawei in mainland China, she spoke with an engineer (Mr. Li, who refused to give his initials) who assured her this wasn't any fault of Huawei as the U8220 had been built exactly to standards provided by PCCW, and that their dumbing down components and blocking upgrading/updating the Android OS was all due to being told to do so by PCCW in Hong Kong.
The Huawei representative in Hong Kong said the same thing, that all Huawei did was build the phone and block Android as-per PCCW spec's.
Attempts to speak directly with Google staff in Hong Kong were aggressively blocked by "Mimi", the receptionist, who insisted I had could only discuss this with Beijing Google.
The proverbial bottom line here is that all I wanted to do was experience a decent phone with the Google Android OS installed, but instead I'm stuck with a horrible phone that has been built to sub-standard spec's and made to deliberately block all attempts to upgrade the Android OS as it blocks being able to download apps, etc!
A friend in California who called Google has been told simply that if I'm in Hong Kong then I must deal with this problem in Hong Kong, as he was prevented from speaking with higher up supervisors and not given any information about how to contact Google legal or anyone in the Google headquarters who might be interested in the fact that China continues to interfere with people using the Android OS...certainly as PCCW is doing at least.