Hasta La Gadget!

While Google+ may not have the popularity of Facebook or Twitter, it seems Google is giving luddites more reasons to start using it by the day. They introduced direct embedding with Google Drive, and today they rolled out embedding of Android app links to the Google Play store, which offers one-click downloads right from Google+.

Whenever you post a link on your Google+ page to an Android app from the Google Play store, your friends who don’t have said app installed will be shown an option to install the app right from Google+ with one click. It’s a small and subtle update, but it will no doubt streamline the app recommendation process amongst friends and family.

Of course, we shouldn’t be too surprised by this, since Google is working on streamlining all of their services and integrating them with one another. This is just another step in that process, and sooner or later, we should be seeing full seamless support between all of the major Google services.

Head to our Google+ page to see the new feature in action, and while you’re at it, download our official Android app right from Google+ if you haven’t already. Plus, be sure to add us to your circles while you’re there — it’s said that we post some pretty awesome content on a daily basis.

[via Phandroid]

Google+ adds one-click download of Android apps is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

We’re all waiting anxiously for next year’s arrival of BioShock Infinite, but if you have yet to play any game in the series, then boy does GameFly have a deal for you. GameFly is currently giving away PC copies of the original BioShock for free. If you haven’t played it yet, we highly recommend you take advantage of this offer, as BioShock is easily one of the best games of this generation – there’s a reason everyone is so excited for BioShock Infinite, you know.

This promotion doesn’t have a solid end date, but GameFly does clarify that it can only give away so many copies. Therefore, it’s probably a good idea to download yours sooner rather than later, otherwise you might miss out. You’ll have to sign up for a GameFly account to get your copy, but as far as we can tell, the sign up process is free and doesn’t require that you sign up for any monthly plans.

Of course, there’s a good chance that you’ve already play BioShock, considering it launched to rave reviews back in 2007 and has been the focus of many sales since then. It actually runs for $20 normally on Steam, so you can save a decent chunk of change by picking it up for free over at GameFly. What better way to excited for BioShock Infinite than with a free copy of the game that started it all?

Keep in mind that BioShock is only available from GameFly in the US, Canada, and Mexico, so if you’re not living in one of those countries, you’re sadly out of luck. If you happen to miss out on this deal, never fear, as we’re sure it won’t be long before BioShock is knocked down to five bucks once again in a Steam sale. Will you be downloading a free copy of BioShock from GameFly?

[via CNET]

BioShock PC available for free at GameFly is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

If you’ve got a collection of videos up on YouTube right this minute that you’d just love to have in a folder in your secure harddrive back home in their original format, Google has just answered your prayers today. In another lovely update to their Takeout menu, the Data Liberation Front has added the ability for users to download the videos they’ve uploaded to YouTube back down in their original format: “your videos in. your videos out”.

This update does not allow you to download just any ol’ video you find on YouTube – that’s not the situation in the least. Instead it’s an expansion of your ability to keep your own videos that you yourself uploaded. You can now download the videos that you uploaded to your own account – before you were only able to download individual transcoded videos, now you’ll get the most basic original format, just what you uploaded.

Download your own YouTube videos galore through this Takeout portal.

This is all part of a larger initiative that’s got Google working to allow you to download, keep, and/or delete the files and information that you’ve added to their systems and servers. The Data Liberation Blog has shown off a whole lot of different ways for you to download your Google-stored data in a variety of ways, not lead of all with the Takeout system. Google Takeout is a place where you can download data from Google+, Buzz, Contacts, Google Drive, Knol, Picasa, Google Voice, YouTube and more!

What do you think about Google’s Data Liberation Front initiative? Is it enough to convince you that you’re not part of a Big Brother type situation where Google swallows your soul with every click? You can download your information, but the internet may never let go – even if it’s not Google – always remember that!

Google now allows original quality YouTube video downloads is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Google Play crossed a rather significant milestone this morning: something to the tune of 25 billion app downloads. While the accomplishment is weighty enough on its own — especially given that the store also offers books, music and movies, which aren’t included in this tally — Google is celebrating in symbolic style with a number of apps and games for sale at just $0.25 over the next five days. Among the mix of discounted titles, you’ll find publishers such as Gameloft, Electronic Arts, Rovio, Runtastic and Full Fat. Not to stop there, shoppers will also discover a curated collection of 25 must-own movies, 25 banned books, 25 albums that changed the world and 25 top-selling magazines.

With today’s announcement, it was revealed that 675,000 apps and games now live in Google Play — a healthy increase when compared to 600,000 titles and 20 billion installs just three months ago. As you might expect, Apple still claims the largest selection with 700,000 titles in its App Store, although with such a thin separation between the two, we may see Google Play eclipse its rival in short order.

Filed under: Software, Mobile

Google Play hits 25 billion app downloads, holds celebratory yard sale with $0.25 games originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 26 Sep 2012 07:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This week has been all about Apple in the mobile world with their iPhone 5 and iOS 6. Today Apple finally started rolling out the update for their next generation iOS 6 mobile operating system to the masses, and I’m sure you want to know what it’s all about. While we’ve known plenty about iOS 6 for a while, here’s what to expect from today’s update.

Yup, in case you didn’t notice iOS 6 is available right this minute for all those capable iDevices. If you haven’t ran off to download and install the latest and greatest, you’ll want to do so immediately. Obviously you might want to backup everything first just in case, but that’s only a precautionary measure. To get started you’ll want to take a peek at our lengthy iPhone 5 Review — as that will tell you everything you need to know.

Where do we start? From an all new and improved Siri, Apple’s own Maps service with Flyover, Passbook to leave your wallet behind and go the digital route, shared photo streams, Facetime video chat over cellular and more this is a massive update. Facebook’s been deeply integrated more so than before, you can deny phone calls with an instant text message, there’s tons of things to make your daily life easier — and simpler.

iOS 6 has introduced over 200 new features to the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch and surely you’ll want to know about each and every one of them. The changelog is extremely long — since there’s 200 new features — but we have the entire thing right here for those interested. If you want to get the most from iOS 6 check out the list below.

iOS 6 changelog:

– Maps
– Apple designed vector based maps
– Turn-by-turn navigation with spoken directions on iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular (2nd and 3rd generation)
– Real-time traffic information
– Flyover for photo-realistic, interactive 3D views of major metro areas on iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, iPad (3rd generation), and iPod touch (5th generation)
– Local search results with Yelp photos, ratings, reviews, and available deals
– Siri integration for requesting directions and finding places along a route
– Siri improvements
– Sports: scores, player stats, game schedules, team rosters, and league standings for baseball, basketball, football, soccer and hockey
– Movies: trailers, showtimes, reviews and facts
– Restaurants: reservations, reviews, photos and information
– Send a Tweet
– Post on Facebook
– App launch
– Eyes Free in supported automobiles
– Local search available in Siri supported countries (availability may be limited during initial rollout)
– Additional country and language support for Canada (English and Canadian French), China (Mandarin), Hong Kong (Cantonese), Italy (Italian), Korea (Korean), Mexico (Spanish), Spain (Spanish), Switzerland (Italian, French, German), Taiwan (Mandarin), US (Spanish)
– Supported on iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, iPad (3rd generation) and iPod touch (5th generation)
– Facebook integration
– Single sign-on from Settings
– Post from Photos, Safari, Maps, App Store, iTunes, Game Center, Notification Center and Siri
– Add location and choose audience for any post
– View up-to-date Facebook profile photos and contact information in Contacts
– View Facebook events and birthdays in Calendar
– Like content and see your friends’ Likes in App Store and iTunes Store
– Shared Photo Streams
– Share selected photos with the people you choose
– Friends can view shared photos in Photos app, iPhoto and Apple TV
– Friends can like and make comments on individual photos
– Passbook
– One place for boarding passes, store cards, movie tickets and other passes
– Barcode display for boarding flights, buying coffee, getting into movies and other actions
– Passes displayed on Lock Screen based on time or location
– Passes can be automatically updated
– Supported on iPhone and iPod touch
– FaceTime improvements
– FaceTime over cellular support for iPhone 5, iPhone 4S and iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular (3rd generation)
– Receive FaceTime calls, sent to your iPhone number, on your iPad and iPod touch
– Phone improvements
– Do Not Disturb to suppress incoming calls and notifications
– ‘Reply with message’ option when declining a call
– ‘Remind me later’ option based on time or location when declining a call
– Mail improvements
– VIP mailbox to quickly access mail from important people
– Flagged email mailbox
– Insert photos and videos when composing email
– Open password protected Office docs
– Pull down to refresh mailboxes
– Per account signatures
– Safari improvements
– iCloud tabs to see open pages on all your devices
– Offline Reading List
– Photo upload support
– Full screen landscape view on iPhone and iPod touch
– Smart app banners
– JavaScript performance improvements
– App Store and iTunes Store improvements
– Updated store design
– iTunes Preview history
– Complete my season
– Complete my album
– Game Center improvements
– Challenge friends to beat high scores and achievements
– Post high-scores and achievements to Facebook and Twitter
– Friend recommendations based on your Facebook friends
– Accessibility improvements
– Guided Access to limit device to one app or restrict touch input on certain areas of the screen
– VoiceOver integration with Maps, AssistiveTouch and Zoom
– Support for Made for iPhone Hearing Aids for iPhone 5 and iPhone 4S
– Improved privacy controls for Contacts, Calendars, Reminders, Photos and data shared over Bluetooth
– Reminders can be reordered in the Reminders app
– Custom vibrations for alerts on iPhone
– Clock app for iPad
– Clock alarm with song
– Search all fields in Contacts
– Automatic movie mode for improved video sound quality
– Definitions of a selected word for Chinese, French, German and Spanish
– New keyboard layouts for French, German, Turkish, Catalan, Arabic and Icelandic
– Keyboard shortcuts shared across devices via iCloud
– Bluetooth MAP support
– Global network proxy for HTTP
– Features for China
– Baidu web search
– Sina Weibo integration
– Share videos to Tudou
– Share videos to Youku
– Improved text input for handwriting and Pinyin
– Bug fixes

Some features may not be available for all countries or all areas. Please visit this website for more details:
http://www.apple.com/ios/feature-availability

For information on the security content of this update, please visit this website:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222

[via Engadget]

What’s new in iOS 6? Here’s the changelog is written by Cory Gunther & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.