The advantages of rooting an Android device – as well as some of the drawbacks – have been well documented in many a post here at Redmond Pie. But if you have decided to enter the Dark Side, as it were, you’ll be more than aware that both management and all-in-one tools can be invaluable in terms of getting the most from your hacking and modding endeavors.

Google has taken a leaf out of Apple’s book and announced Google Play Textbooks and Play Games, providing a textbook renting and buying mechanism for students, and offering a gaming portal for Android gamers. We’ll be taking a closer look at both right past the break.

GApps for Android provides a solid base of highly functional apps for the many millions on the company’s mobile ecosystem, and with Android 4.2 bringing a deluge of new features to the table, it’s only natural those floundering in wait of an OTA update would wish to get their hands on GApps 4.2.

At Wordwide Partner Conference in New Orleans, Microsoft announced the technical preview of Microsoft Office 2010. Concurrently, Microsoft also revealed more details about Office Web Apps. The apps are lightweight, browser-based versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote.