APK Rip: Google Play Store 3.7.11

Why wait? Enjoy a taste of Jelly Bean, right now!

Here it is: Google Play Store 3.7.11

APK is freshly ripped from a Google I/O 2012 developer phone. This is the new Jelly Bean update to Google's Android Play Store, including features like magazine downloads (Google's partners in this are Hearst and Conde Nast) and a 'Buy Now' option for movies. Also, you can now enjoy selected television shows in addition to movies and music

Offline 3D Maps Next for Android?

Not to be outdone by recent rumors about Apple, Google now says Android will offer 3D map images and full offline navigation...'soon'.

The announcement came as part of today's The Next Dimension of Google Maps event, in San Francisco. Promoted as a "behind-the-scenes look at Google Maps", it was supposed by many to be a pre-emptive strike ahead of news that Apple would be dumping Google Maps for iPhone in favor of their own, in-house mapping solution.

Instapaper for Android Now Available

Instapaper for Android: There goes the neighborhood.

Get ready for much tearing of hair and gnashing of teeth -- another iFan shibboleth has joined the dark side. And at a $2 discount.

Long-time iOS exclusive Instapaper is now available in Google's Android Play Store. As described by the designers, Instapaper is...

"A simple tool to save web pages for [...] later offline reading, optimized for readability on your tablet or phone's screen. Critically acclaimed by top blogs, newspapers, and magazines!"

We'll second the 'critically acclaimed' part, tho' we do have some issues worth mentioning...

Verizon Galaxy Nexus, Meet Android ICS (Finally)

Two scoops, please..

Long-suffering G-Nex owners on VZW, your prayers are answered!

Verizon Wireless is now rolling out the official Ice Cream Sandwich update for Samsung's Galaxy Nexus. Yes, your phone that was delayed at launch and received a botched ICS update only to then disappear into the black hole of Verizon Customer Service...you and your beleaguered device will finally receive your just desserts.

See what we did, there? ;-)

Twitter Website Faster on All Browsers

Now with more tweeting, less waiting.

You can thank Twitter's new 'Time to First Tweet' metric for what promises to be a better, faster Twitter.com.

As part of a long-term upgrades program, Twitter engineers are rolling out a series of back-end tweaks which should mean provide better front-end performance for us end-users. Changes include eliminating the 'hashbang' (#!) from all tweet permalinks and shifting most of the page-rendering  to their own servers.

So, once in place what kind of improvement can you expect?

Cell Tower Workers Die for Your '4 Bars'

Two days after PBS aired a Frontline report on high rates of fatal injuries among cell tower workers, one of AT&T's major construction management partners has halted tower work in several states to complete a review of safety practices.

Goodman Networks of Plano, Texas, notified workers of the mandatory stand-down on 24 May, eight days after technician Shad Lierley fell 100 feet from a tower near Austin, Texas. Reports say he was a subcontractor, hired by Goodman for an AT&T project on the site. Goodman confirmed the stoppage; AT&T refused comment.

Interestingly, AT&T had been a focus of that Frontline program, 'Cell Tower Deaths'.

Can Local News Save US Newspapers? | Opinion

Is local news the key to 21st-century newspaper success?

You needn't be a writer to know that newspapers are an endangered species.

Circulation's been in decline for years, with advertising revenue following close behind. Debate on what caused this could fill a library, with fingers pointed at everything from the publishers to Apple's iPad to Google and Craigslist. But what's clear is that even in large US cities, once-thriving publications must cut back or simply shut down.

Enter what may be the most unlikely of highly unlikely duos: the real-life Midwestern billionaire CEO Warren Buffet and make-believe Conservative Libertarian chat show host, Stephen Colbert...

Google Adds Android App Subscriptions to Play Store

Back in April of last year, Apple introduced in-app subscriptions, via iTunes. Realizing they had to keep up, the folks at Google quickly responded by adding...basic support for in-app purchases. Well, we suppose you've got to start somewhere.

Working on the theory that it's never too late, here in May 2012 Mountain View finally catches up with their mobile sector rival. Google's Play Store now provides end-to-end subscription support for all Android applications sold there...

Pres. Obama to US Govmt.: 'Go Mobile. Now!'

Operator, what number do I dial for GMail?

In a new directive, President Obama instructed the White House and all federal agencies to optimize their websites and services for mobile device access. He called for every agency to publish mobile apps for at least two of their public functions, within twelve months.

In a separate statement, Mr. Obama explained...

Nokia World: Smaller, Cheaper, Farther

Nokia Conversations announces major changes to Nokia World 2012.

First held in 2006, Nokia World is traditionally a grand affair playing host to thousands of attendees -- a diverse group that includes Nokia's retail partners, mobile analysts, developers and journalists of all nations -- in a space suited to industry trade shows.

Apparently, this year will be very different tho' the official explanation is a bit vague...

FB Status: Scanning a Pint of Guinness

(Guinness reminds you to never scan and drive.)

Explanations, first: Yes, our lead photo (above) depicts a glass of a very dark liquid with a foamy head. And, yes, that pattern on the glass really is a QR code, the fancy computer-generated barcodes you're starting to see just about everywhere.

To be specific, the fluid is Guinness Irish stout beer, made by the world-famous Irish brewers Guinness & Co.; the unusual container is a Guinness 'QR cup' -- a beer glass with etched QR code -- and that's the creation of world-famous New York ad agency BBDO.

So, Ok -- tasty and clever. Got it? But the true genius is harder to see...

Buggy Windows XP .NET Patch Causes Loop

Are you feeling lucky?

Small problem with Patch Tuesday, last: if you're running Windows XP and Microsoft's .NET framework, the update cycle never ends. You may be thinking, "Heh, you've got that right. With Windows, you'll be patching forever." But we're not being sarcastic -- due to an unknown bug, the update process could loop.

Skype on Nokia's Lumia 610 = HUGE FAIL

Nokia's Lumia 610 has unfriended Skype

More bad news for Microkia.:

After a full month's field-trial (with real customers acting as their unpaid testers), Nokia has decided they were right the first time: Skype won't run properly on Tango-level Windows Phone devices. Some users reportd a 'low system RAM' warning after installing Microsoft's VOIP app, while others complained of laggy performance.

Call it an oversight or call it poor QA, but even MobilePhonesFan would not dare to call it fragmentation...

Android Fragmentation FTW! Week in Mobile

Shout out to da sheeple!

Samsung's Not Just Flocking Around

...Plus 9 More Tails from last Week's Mobile News

Is Cable Giant Comcast Cheating on Their
FCC Net Neutrality Agreement?

Do we really need to tell you?

Successful Android Games Developer
Says,"We like fragmentation."

Surprisingly, they weren't joking. Or drunk.

Nokia Tops Apple in Two Important Metrics:
Factory Explosions = 0; Roof-Jumpers = 0

Ups and downs in the mobile phones biz.

Insane Windows Installathon! Week in Tech

What will they think of, next?

Insane Windows Installathon: DOS 5 to Win 8, in Sequence!

...Plus 9 More Surprising Stories from the Week in Tech

The Interface that Made Milwaukee Famous?
Disposable Touchpad Made from Beer Bottle Label

New Record for Wireless Transmission: 3 GBps
Old Record for IEEE Standards Process: 7 Years

GM to Facebook's Zuckerburg: 'Your Site Sucks'!
Analysts Say Google Has 10x Better Click-Through