Hasta La Gadget!

Google Play game developers and players alike are getting a quartet of game-changing additions today: real-time multiplayer, leaderboards, cloud saves and achievements. And that’s not all — the latter three services will function cross-platform between Android, iOS and the web. The whole initiative is called — unsurprisingly — “Google Play Game Services,” and it’s available today in a smattering of games. Unlike Apple’s Game Center application, what Google’s offering is backend support for developers rather than a standalone application. Think of it more like OpenFeint than Game Center — you can sign in using your Google+ login in-game, and that login will track your identity (including leaderboard scores, achievements and saves) across various games and devices.

Any developer launching a game on the Google Play store has access to game services, though Google isn’t making it an obligation. “We won’t make it a mandatory exercise, or have any certification process around it,” Google lead product manager Greg Hartrell told us. “We create fantastic services that allow developers to create these great game experiences, and help promote their discovery, help retain their users and keep them engaged.”

Filed under: Cellphones, Gaming, Handhelds, Tablets, Software, Mobile, Google

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On the eve of Google I/O, Page and Co. have seen fit to polish the Google Play app with a fresh release. Version 4.1.6 of the mobile OS market brings colorful section buttons and improved spacing for “open” and “install” on application pages, along with a new layout for the wishlist feature that displays apps in rows of three. As for Google Play Services, it’s received new syncing options for “App Data” and “People Details.” Presumably they could relate to contacts, Google+ or even Mountain View’s incoming gaming service, but something tells us we’ll find out exactly what they do tomorrow. If your handset hasn’t received the updated storefront just yet, follow the adjacent source link to install it by hand.

Filed under: Software, Mobile, Google

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Source: Droid Life (1), (2)

A Google-built alternative to Game Center on iOS and Games Hub on Windows Phone surfaced last month, and we know even more about it. Android Police dug into a new Play Services (an Android component you don’t access directly, but does things like update Google apps) APK, and found the latest version hid a massive update getting ready for Google Play Games. Although it’s not directly accessible yet, so far it’s revealed support for system wide notifications, standardized notifications managed by Google+, and cloud synced game saves to work across multiple devices. Also built in are the other parts of any modern gaming service like matchmaking, leaderboards, achievements, lobbies and such. Exactly how all this works and how devs will put it to use will probably be revealed next week at Google I/O, but for now there are a few more screenshots beyond the source link.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Google

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Source: Android Police

Barnes & Noble’s refusal to open its ecosystem has long been one of our primary complaints about the company’s tablet offerings. The Nook HD and HD+ are extremely nice pieces of hardware that have been held back by their own walled software offerings — having a fast device with a nice screen only gets you so far without the proper apps. The company line up to now has been that walling off content allows for a sort of quality control, assuring that apps are developed specifically for the unique form factor of its devices. And while there’s perhaps something to be said for that sentiment in the sometimes-fragmented world of Android devices, it was hard to ignore the fact that offering up exclusive access to content through your own marketplace assures better cash flow. It also, unfortunately, means that without extensive developer outreach, there are sure to be plenty of popular apps that just never make it over to your side of the fence.

With its announcement tonight, B&N acknowledges that, in this case, open is better. The company has responded directly to user feedback and will be issuing a software update to its Nook HD and Nook HD+ devices (sorry Nook Tablet and Color owners) that brings Google Play directly to the desktop. The software will come pre-loaded on new devices and will be available as an over-the-air update. If you can’t wait that long, you’ll also be able to download it directly from the bookseller’s site. The update also brings a few other tweaks to the system, but this is far and away the biggest news. The first question we asked upon getting a quick demo: will you be able to buy content like books, magazines and movies through Play? Yep, that’s coming too.

Filed under: Tablets, Software, Google

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Emojis not giving that missive the right oomph? A Facebook Messenger for Android update has brought stickers into that mix with characters like cats and aliens, lending your chat head conversation just the right dose of nuance. It popped up yesterday as a hidden feature, but now you can download the final version at Google Play (at the source) — then, just click on the smiley icon in the text input box to start dropping the cute bombs.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Software, Mobile, Facebook

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Via: Phandroid

Source: Facebook (Google Play)