The Windows 8 apps are coming in thick and fast just now, and although you might not be much of a Skyper or Hulu Plus viewer, the chances are, you do use Google to channel at least some of your search queries. Indeed, "Googling" has become synonymous with the act of searching the web, and if you're running / planning to install Windows 8, you'll be pleased to learn the official Google Search app tailored to Microsoft's new OS has just been launched.
Google's NFC payment system has historically been an Android-only affair. In fact, not all Android devices can take advantage of the service thanks to the reliance on that NFC chip, as well as the requirement for smartphone carriers to sign off on the technology before it is implemented. Things may be changing though, with the news that a new version of Google Wallet is in the offing.
The Nexus 7 has been fairly successful for Google and their manufacturing partners, with Android lovers and tablet aficionados loving the premium experience that the product provides with the budget price-tag which Google has slapped on it. The 8GB and 16GB variants have been in the marketplace since the original launch in June of this year, and although Google has obviously been trying to keep it under wraps, it looks like the 32GB Nexus 7 tablet will be available to purchase sooner rather than later.
The Samsung-made Google Chromebook looks set to sell strongly as it launches with a slick form factor and agreeable price tag, and although the web-orientated notebook was only initially thought to be arriving as Wi-Fi-only - at least for the time being, the 3G iteration is also upon us.
Google's Chromebook hasn’t proved to be quite popular amongst the general consumer since first being announced at last year's I/O, and the Mountain View-based outfit has just announced a new addition to the roster. Sundar Pinchai, Senior VP of Chrome and Apps, has revealed the $249 kit for release next week, while special kiosks will begin popping up over 500 of the most heavily-populated Best Buy stores across the US to give prospective consumers a taster of what's on offer.
With a mighty quad-core processor, crisp high-def display and a svelte design and form-factor, the Nexus 7 is seen as a remarkable device for its low price point, but far from perfect, consumers looking to spend small on a tablet had skimp on a few perhaps desirable features.
I'm not sure whether it's down to the fast-moving nature of technology, or our insatiable requirement as tech enthusiasts to be presented as something new, but whenever a new product - hardware or software - hits the market, it seems no sooner do we become acquainted with our new bit of kit than we look ahead to what's coming up next. Thus, with Android Jelly Bean 4.1.2 having begun trickling out to the Samsung-manufactured Galaxy Nexus among others, it's only fair we turn our attentions to the upcoming dose of Android - 4.2 - right?
Over-the-air, or OTA updates make the process of reeling in new features and security patches a great deal easier on mobile device users. The rigmarole of connecting a device to a computer while the magic happened was a common occurrence just a few years ago, but such is the fast-moving nature of the mobile field, that any update can now easily applied with a few simple taps - whether at home or on the fly. For those rocking the Galaxy Nexus or a Nexus S, an airborne bundle of joy is heading your way, and if it hasn't already reached your device, we'll show you how to pluck it from the skies.
Users of iOS 6 will be more than aware by now that Google's powerful Maps app is no longer part of Apple's plans, with the latest iteration of the company's mobile operating system shipping with their own mapping solution in place of it. It doesn't really matter what your personal opinions are on the subject and whether you love or hate the Apple’s very own Maps app, the fact remains that competition always breeds innovation and having an official Google Maps app on the App Store can only be a good thing for iOS users.
Whenever a friend asks me to recommend them a smartphone, one of the first questions I ask is if they’re a fan and a regular user of Google’s services and products – Gmail, Google Maps, YouTube, Chrome etc. If they are, I point them towards an Android smartphone like the Galaxy S III or Galaxy Nexus. This is because the apps for these services work best on Android.
