Social Media News and Web Tips – Mashable – The Social Media Guide

Can Knockdown

| FREE | Infinite Dreams

Sunday Night Is Most Popular Time to Download Android Apps - Social Media News and Web Tips – Mashable – The Social Media Guide

by Android posted a series of infographics on Thursday with impressive app stats to celebrate its 10 billionth download from the Android Market. Android users from 190 countries download apps every day, according to one of the infographics. The U.S. is not the most app crazed country either — it ranked fourth behind South Korea (no. 1), Hong Kong (no. 2) and Taiwan (no. 3). Rounding out the top ten includes Singapore (no. 5), Sweden (no. 6), Israel (no. 7), Denmark (no. 8), the Netherlands (no. 9) and Norway (no. 10). Meanwhile, the top categories for Android app downloads include games (25.6%), entertainment (12.2%), tools (11.7%), music (4.28%) and social (4.08%). But the most interesting tidbits were associated with how Android owners use their apps. About 12 billion miles are navigated on Google Maps each year — which is equivalent to more than 37,000 trips to the moon — and 100 million words are translated every week in 200 different countries on Google Translate. As for when most people download apps, searching through the Android Market the night before the work week starts is evidently a common activity. The most popular time to download an Android app is 9:00 p.m. on Sunday, while the least popular time to do so is just seven hours later at 4:00 a.m. Monday morning. Other interesting Android app stats include the following: Read More

Asphalt HD

| $4.99 | Gameloft

Sunday Night Is Most Popular Time to Download Android Apps - Social Media News and Web Tips – Mashable – The Social Media Guide

by Android posted a series of infographics on Thursday with impressive app stats to celebrate its 10 billionth download from the Android Market. Android users from 190 countries download apps every day, according to one of the infographics. The U.S. is not the most app crazed country either — it ranked fourth behind South Korea (no. 1), Hong Kong (no. 2) and Taiwan (no. 3). Rounding out the top ten includes Singapore (no. 5), Sweden (no. 6), Israel (no. 7), Denmark (no. 8), the Netherlands (no. 9) and Norway (no. 10). Meanwhile, the top categories for Android app downloads include games (25.6%), entertainment (12.2%), tools (11.7%), music (4.28%) and social (4.08%). But the most interesting tidbits were associated with how Android owners use their apps. About 12 billion miles are navigated on Google Maps each year — which is equivalent to more than 37,000 trips to the moon — and 100 million words are translated every week in 200 different countries on Google Translate. As for when most people download apps, searching through the Android Market the night before the work week starts is evidently a common activity. The most popular time to download an Android app is 9:00 p.m. on Sunday, while the least popular time to do so is just seven hours later at 4:00 a.m. Monday morning. Other interesting Android app stats include the following: Read More

Westfield Malls

| FREE | Simplikate

Westfield Malls Unveils App for When You Shop - Social Media News and Web Tips – Mashable – The Social Media Guide

by Westfield Malls has taken the wraps off of an in-mall shopping app for iPhone, Android and BlackBerry devices that is both simple and useful — two adjectives that rarely apply to apps in the fashion and shopping category. The app leverages Google’s commerce search technology, enabling users to browse the inventories of multiple retailers at each of Westfield Malls’ 55 U.S. locations. Looking for a black cocktail dress and aren’t sure where to start? Open up the app, type in your query, and the app will pull up the pictures of items matching your search, complete with prices and location information. Unfortunately you can’t see if they have the item in your size in the app, but phone numbers are provided so you can call the store and check. You can also save items to a shopping list for later referral. In addition to search, you can access mall maps, special retailer offers, movie show times, shopping hours and even leave a text or audio note to help you remember where you parked. Check out the video above for a full visual preview. You can download the app in the iTunes Store, Android Marketplace and via BlackBerry App World. Read More

Visit Baltimore

| FREE | Discover Anywhere Mobile

How Mobile Apps Are Helping Urban Explorers Discover Their Cities - Social Media News and Web Tips – Mashable – The Social Media Guide

The Global Innovation Series is supported by BMW i, a new concept dedicated to providing mobility solutions for the urban environment. It delivers more than purpose-built electric vehicles — it delivers smart mobility services. Visit bmw-i.com or follow @BMWi on Twitter. Cities around the world are exploring mobile apps as a way to aggregate and disseminate information to the public. Mobile apps are proving to be a more accessible and portable way for residents and tourists alike to access information, or in some cases, provide information in a more timely fashion. “A common use for apps built for cities is definitely the ‘311’ feature,” says Andy Sparks, UI and project and sales manager for eproximiti, a software development firm specializing in the health care industry and municipalities. “Citizens with smartphones generally have cameras and GPS built in. These tools can be used to report issues like graffiti, potholes, fallen trees and more.” Before smartphones, individuals could only report local issues or incidents via a phone call or at their computer, but with a mobile app’s “311” functionality, the process of reporting becomes easy and engaging, says Sparks. Sparks also suggests that in addition to “311” features, mobile apps can help cities get the word out about new initiatives or increase awareness about anything from bike paths, parks and even underutilized city services.” Here are some other examples of how cities are using mobile apps. Visit Baltimore, the city’s tourism agency, first created a mobile version of their website Baltimore.org and then released a mobile app for iPhone, BlackBerry, and Android. Their Visit Baltimore app includes augmented reality capabilities so users can hold up their phones as they look down a Baltimore street or at a building through their phone’s camera. The app layers information over structures and areas, and tapping any Read More

Pocket Legends (3D MMO)

| FREE | Spacetime Studios

10 Great Android Multiplayer Games - Social Media News and Web Tips – Mashable – The Social Media Guide

by With the possible exception of , games are more fun when you can play them with others. The Android Market is full of great game apps, and there are quite a few multiplayer games in that number, as well — far more than when we first wrote about Android multiplayer games a year ago. Here’s a quick roundup of the best Android pass-and-play and cross-platform multiplayer games, including MMOPRGs, action games, casual games and the ever-popular Words With Friends. In the comments, please let us know if we missed any of your favorites. 1 of 10 This mobile MMO has garnered plenty of critical acclaim, including a Mashable nod during the 2010 Mashable Awards last year. As with many MMORPGs, you'll chose a character, develop your abilities and skills and do battle alongside other players in fantasy settings such as dungeons, mountains and swamps. Android Market Pocket Legends 1 This game uses Google Maps and your actual location with a Zelda-reminiscent overlay to show players "the creatures lurking in your backyard and the mythical beasts that you pass everyday on your way to work." You can chat and plot with your fellow players to navigate the augmented reality around you. Android Market link Parallel Kingdom 2 Are you ready for a cross-platform multiplayer racing game? Raging Thunder lets you play with up to three other people in an arcade-style setting. Android Market link Raging Thunder 3 If mafia lore is your thing, you'll be entertained by iMobsters, an MMO game with mobster trappings. Players start as petty thieves, fighting with one another and recruiting new mobsters to rise through the ranks. Android Market link iMobsters 4 Cestos is a real-time multiplayer game that pits you against other players all around the world in a marble battle royale. You can chat Read More

Loopt

| FREE | Loopt, Inc.

Loopt Integrates Groupon Now Deals Into App - Social Media News and Web Tips – Mashable – The Social Media Guide

by Location-based social network Loopt has partnered with deal-of-the-day juggernaut Groupon to integrate the new Groupon Now deals into Loopt’s mobile app. Groupon Now launched Friday in Chicago, offering denizens of the Windy City tons of local $1 deals. The idea behind Groupon Now is to offer users real-time offers based on their location. Businesses can use Groupon Now deals to target customers in their immediate area and can craft deals tailored to specific conditions — getting more customers on a slow day, selling some food before it spoils — rather than just making a typical, one-time offer. That strategy is perfectly suited for Loopt, which launched its Loopt Reward Alerts at SXSW 2011. Loopt Rewards Alerts are designed to give users a real-time notification of deals taking place in their area. Staring Friday, Loopt users in Chicago can also be alerted to Groupon Now deals taking place nearby. Deals will be added to the place pages in Loopt and will be visible when browsing through nearby locations. If Reward Alerts are enabled within Loopt (under the settings menu), users will get daily, location-specific Groupon Now deal alerts. Groupon has alerts and deal markets built into its official Groupon apps for Android, iOS and the web, but the integration with Loopt is a nice touch. For Loopt, it adds a sense of utility to the program and makes it more of a one-stop shop for deals, location-based networking and finding places close by. As Groupon Now launches in more cities, it will be interesting to see if Loopt or other location-based networks can leverage these deals to add more value to the checkin. Read More

Celeste SE

| $1.99 | Terminal Eleven LLC

Top 8 Android Apps for Education - Social Media News and Web Tips – Mashable – The Social Media Guide

by Alright, time to put down the Angry Birds and put your Android to better use. Whether you’re currently in school or just seeking a little self-improvement, a plethora of Android apps are just waiting to enhance your knowledge base, expand your skill sets, improve your memory and more. We’ve picked a few of the top applications in a number of categories, including math, music, geography, astronomy. Take a look at these apps, and in the comments, let us know which ones you already use to keep your most powerful organ in top shape. (And to all you teens trying to convince your parents that buying you an Android smartphone is a good idea, you’re welcome.) 1 of 8 Celeste SE combines 3D graphics of the heavenly bodies with fun facts about astronomy. Aim your device's camera at the sky and see exactly where each object is located, day or night. Celeste 1 Algebra Tutor is one of the highest-recommended math apps in the Market. It gives step-by-step instructions and shows where you've made mistakes. Even for older Android users, the app is good for brushing up on rusty skills. Algebra Tutor 2 Need to work on your language skills? Try CueBrain, which offers vocab training in a variety of languages. CueBrain 3 For a modern fount of knowledge, we can't beat Wikipedia. Its Android app brings the website's bottomless depths of knowledge to your fingertips in a convenient interface. This is currently the highest-rated encyclopedia app in the Android Market. Wikipedia 4 For geography nuts, MapMaster is where it's at (rimshot!). This educational game tests your knowledge of famous places and capitals around the world. You can also compete against up to 10 friends on the same device. MapMaster 5 Reading music is a dying art -- even many professional Read More

SavingStar Grocery eCoupons

| FREE | SavingStar

Hot Coupon App Automates Savings Via Loyalty Cards - Social Media News and Web Tips – Mashable – The Social Media Guide

by The newly launched SavingStar web, iPhone and Android apps reward consumers with cash back when they redeem paperless coupons, and the startup believes it can cut through the mobile coupon clutter with a product that mirrors how consumers purchase groceries on a regular basis. Here’s how it works: A SavingStar user signs up and enters his or her grocery and drugstore loyalty cards. He can then browse ecoupons from more than 100 merchants and click on them to link them to loyalty cards. Then, when the customer buys the items in questions, the savings are posted to the SavingStar account. The user can choose to deposit accrued funds to a bank account, transfer the money to PayPal or Amazon gift cards, or donate the savings to charity. The SavingStar experience works via web or mobile, and it’s an approach that appears to be resonating with consumers. Just three weeks after releasing its mobile apps and website in late April, SavingStar crossed the 100,000-user-registration mark, the company told Mashable. It’s now also signing on upward of 10,000 new users per day. Investors First Round Capital and Flybridge also see the value — perhaps less in ecoupons and more in the startup’s growing collection of UPC data — and have participated in both of SavingStar funding rounds. SavingStar has raised $10 million to date. The startup sees it relationships with national retailers as the magic ingredient that sets it apart from the myriad of mobile coupling applications. “Couponing is one of those ubiquitous American activities,” says CEO David Rochon. “SavingStar is the first and only national fully digital way to save at grocery stores and drugstores.” Shopkick, an application that rewards users with points for walking into stores and scanning barcodes, just doesn’t work in the real-life grocery shopping experience, Rochon says. Read More

Nike BOOM

| FREE | Nike, Inc.

10 Android Apps for Health & Fitness - Social Media News and Web Tips – Mashable – The Social Media Guide

by Forget summer and swimsuit season; any time is a good time to get in shape. And for Android users, these apps will make that process a little faster, easier and more fun. Last year, we told you about a few good Android apps to get your lazy butt in gear. But given the rapid evolution of the Android Market, the Android OS and the capabilities and variety of Android hardware, we thought that list needed a little update. Here are some of the best Android apps for improving your health and fitness, both in terms of diet and exercise. Better still, some of them incorporate games and music to make your workout that much more fun. In the comments, let us know what Android apps you’re currently using to keep tabs on your health and physical fitness. 1 of 10 Time to get outside, O nerdy one! Backpacker GPS Trails can help you find and explore awesome trails that will improve your health, broaden your horizons, and give you something cool to do with that 8MP camera of yours. Backpacker GPS Trails 1 If music is your ideal motivator, try Nike BOOM. This app syncs your music to your workouts and throws in some audio-visual motivation from pro coaches and athletes along the way. You got this! Nike BOOM 2 For tracking just how much fat your body is burning, we suggest an app like Instant Heart Rate. It shows your heart rate measurements, a real-time PPG graph and your heart-rate history. Instant Heart Rate Pro 3 This free BMI Calculator will give you key information for setting or optimizing your fitness goals. And it should work for all but the most muscular of bodies. BMI Calculator 4 If your day could use some deep breathing and flexibility, try Pocket Read More

Pudding Camera

| FREE | KTH

Top 10 Free Android Photo Apps [PICS] - Social Media News and Web Tips – Mashable – The Social Media Guide

by Eat your heart out, Instagram. If you’re a devoted Android user but feel a bit left out when it comes to snapping those grainy, vintage-looking pics that all the kids are sharing on The Twitter, never fear. The Android Market has certainly matured over the last few months, and the sheer volume of new users and phones has spurred a glut of new apps — especially in the photo department. We took these 10 freebies for a spin on an Android 2.2 device. Here are our impressions, along with where to grab each one. What’s your go-to photo app for Android? Let us know in the comments. 1 of 10 Pudding Camera has a wonderful visual interface. Scroll through little thumbnails and camera icons (rather than text lists) to find the filters and effects you're looking for. This visual UI is helpful, since the app itself is not entirely in English. The output resolution is full, so you'll be downloading and sharing nice big images after you're done snapping and filtering. 1 FxCamera has been my go-to Android photo app for a while now. The filter options get very granular, which is great if you're a control freak - not so much if you're hoping to whip out your phone and capture a fleeting moment. Still, the array of choices is impressive for a freebie. 2 Vignette's framing options and clean UI make it a standout app. You can combine the filter and frame choices for a variety of permutations. The downside is that the output resolution is small, at least with the settings we tried. That's convenient for sharing online, but you may not want to document your entire life with these tiny pics. 3 Little Photo packs a surprising UI punch. Take a pic and you start with Read More