Hasta La Gadget!

Good news for the countless Android users out there looking to get the maximum bang for their buck on the Google Play Store. To commemorate its second birthday, the Google Play Store birthday sale has now kicked off. Discounts are being offered on a wide variety of content so there’s bound to be something for everyone. It has been two whole years since the infamous Android Market was phased out in favor of the new and improved Play Store, which brought all the content that Google offers under one roof.

Deals being offered as part of this sale aren’t too spectacular, so it would be best not to go looking for deals with too high expectations. However, there are discounts to be availed on books, movies, apps and music, so its quite possible that you might find something that peaks your interest. The fact that it would possibly be available for less than what it normally is, is the proverbial cherry on top.

A lot of apps are offering deals on in-app purchases, even if they’re not reducing app prices outright. Thus its a better deal for those wishing to advance in a game or opening up a new feature in a premium app to be able to do so for less than usual. The sale might not be as spectacular as the ones we’ve seen before, but its worth checking out.

Google Play Store Birthday Sale Goes Live original content from Ubergizmo.

These days, a mobile platform’s success hinges on the app ecosystem, there’s no doubt about that fact. Platforms such as Windows Phone and BlackBerry have had a hard time catching up with behemoths like Android and iOS simply because they have a much better ecosystem. Its not only apps that make users’ lives easier, its also about mobile gaming. Most users actually prefer gaming on their handheld devices now rather than portable consoles. If you have found the game categories on Google Play Store to be a bit broad to effectively categorize all of the titles available, fret not as they are going to be substantially expanded in February, next year.

Right now there are six game categories in the Play Store which contain within themselves all of the titles that users can download, Arcade & Action, Brain & Puzzle, Cards & Casino, Casual, Racing and Sports Games. In Feburary, 11 additional categories will be added, bringing the total up to 17. Including the ones already present, new categories will include Strategy, Board, Family, Trivia, Simulation, Music, Word and more. More categories means that developers have more flexibility when it comes to specify categories in the Play Store listing, though they won’t need to make any changes to the APKs. [Image via AndroidPolice]

Google Play Store Game Categories To Be Expanded In February original content from Ubergizmo.

There a perception out there that the Google Play Store doesn’t really have that many apps designed exclusively for tablets, despite the fact that there are a plethora of apps available on the Store. The perception isn’t true at all, there are a ton of apps available which have been designed only for tablets. Nevertheless, the internet search giant is going to make a few changes in the Play Store which go in effect on November 21st. The changes will put apps designed for tablets front and center.

Google reveals that more than 70 million Android tablets have been activated around the world, and that “thousands” of developers have created apps just for them. The changes have been made in line with the approaching holiday season, as Google looks to make it “even easier for the next wave of tablet owners to discover great apps and games.” Earlier this year Google created a new “designed for tablets” section in Play Store where users could find apps for tablets. Only those apps which met criteria and guidelines Google had laid down were included in this section. From November 21st, users browsing Google Play Store will by default only see apps made for tablets on the top lists, such as Top Paid, Top Free, Top Grossing etc, though they’ll be able to switch the view if they wish to see all apps and games. The second change is that apps that do not meet “designed for tablets” criteria will now be labeled as “designed for phones,” letting users easily know that the app is not fully compatible with their Android tablet.

Google Play Store To Put Apps Designed For Tablets Front And Center original content from Ubergizmo.

HBO makes some of the most popular TV series viewed in the U.S. and around the globe. However, those who don’t subscribe to HBO or HBO Go don’t have any other means of accessing the content apart from going down the pirate route, which is illegal. That’s probably why the folks at HBO decided to offer another alternative, one that doesn’t require any subscription. Seven of the most popular series are now available from the Google Play Store in both standard definition and high definition, for you to legally enjoy on your Android device.

The Google Play Store now plays host to seven of HBO’s most popular shows which include Boardwalk Empire, Girls, The Newsroom, Game of Thrones, Veep, The Wire and True Blood. Prices per episode range between $1.99 and $2.99, those who want to them in high definition would need to pay a dollar more. The offering caters to binge watchers as well, offering entire seasons of the aforementioned series for purchase. Prices for entire seasons vary between $19 to $29. International views are out of luck though as HBO content is exclusive to U.S. customers only at this point in time. This is just the start of HBO’s partnership with Google, there are plans to bring more shows, documentaries, movies and other content in the future.

Seven HBO Original Series Available Now From Google Play Store original content from Ubergizmo.

A couple of days ago Google finally announced its new Nexus 7 tablet. Before the actual announcement, the pre-order page for Nexus 7 2 went up on Best Buy’s website. The page essentially confirmed all of the rumors we had previously heard about the device. Nevertheless, the page was taken down shortly after that. At the official announcement, it was said that the new tablet will be available from July 30th. Major retailers such as Walmart, GameStop, Best Buy and Amazon have already started selling the new tablet. Now, Google’s latest tablet is available from the company’s own online store.

The official Google Play twitter account has also tweeted a confirmation that the new tablet is now available for purchase through Google Play Store. The 16GB version is priced at $229, and the 32GB version will set customers back $269. Nexus 7 2 is thinner and lighter than its predecessor, the display has almost twice the resolution than the first generation tablet. Furthermore, it comes with Android 4.3 Jelly Bean installed. These devices will ship on July 30th, so its best to place your order now before Google Play Store sells out of it. As an added incentive for buying directly from Google, customers will be eligible for free ground shipping, albeit for a limited time.

Like It , +1 , Tweet It , Pin It | Nexus 7 2 Now Available From Google Play Store original content from Ubergizmo.