What is Google Play? Unrelated: what happened to my Android Market app?

The Android Market, Google's bargain bin of awesome, is no more. Raising from the depths comes the enigmatic and slightly perplexing Google Play Store. What's changed? Pretty much just the name. Long live the Google Play Store!

There's more to it than that of course. The whole Play thing is a huge re-branding of Google apps and services under one heading (cause just Google isn't enough) and according to my secret source (the Internet, shhh) it's integrating it's various digital distribution platforms into one convenient system. Ergo and such, you've no doubt noticed some of your "favorite" Google apps receiving new names. The new family includes; Play Music, Play Movies, and Play Books (please keep in mind that some of these services are only available to rich white boy countries, no offence intended to white boys who aren't rich OR to Asian countries who are included in this category) Here's a simple equation I created to clear up this unification, I call it the "Playthagorian" Theorum (get it, lol);

Android Market times the sum of Google Movies plus Google Music plus Google Books equals Google Play divided by the sum of Play Music times Play Books times Play Movies x Android Apps. Thanks 8th Grade Algebra!

What's REALLY new to Play? Well, how about daily deals on apps and music and stuff, much like the Amazon Marketplace with it's free paid app a day idea. Also, remember that new privacy policy they harassed us for so long about reading, because of that, apparently they're also able to hock their ads more effectively. For example, ebook purchases will now effect the ads you see in Play Movies (cause now that you've read the book you need to be disappointed by the movie), which effects the ads in Play Music (cause the movie sucked but the soundtrack was tight), and so forth and etc.

With this fellowship of the ring forged, and Google Wallet acting as Frodo, Google is poising to march to Mount Jobs and... I think my analogy can end there. They're going to be able to directly compete with iTunes for control of the digital media sales market, because while the Play Store looks just like the Market, it's focus is shifting from browsing and buying on your Android phone, to more of a one-stop Google department store you visit on your daily desktop/laptop surfing and pushing the content right to your device. If you have ever used the Market's website to download an app before, you know that it's quite convenient. You browse for your choice in a nice big desktop window, you connect your smartphone to your account, and when you purchase your app, your phone beeps, and you find out it downloaded itself onto your SD card before the "Thank you for shopping..." page even loaded in your browser. Now that's convenience! Now Google want's that ease of distribution for all it's other impulse purchase websites for that obvious, but never mentioned, reason anybody does anything with a computer or the internet, compete with Apple. The Market has always done great, but the three media apps have been struggling since their creation. Sewing them all together and creating a media Frankenstein seems as good a way as any to rebuild interesting, and one brand name helps. However, one does not simply compete with Apple...



Check out this YouTube video from the new The Google Gamer Blog: Official YouTube Playlist for a brief overview;

What effect does this have on the gaming? Nothing I can tell. Games are still treated the same as apps except for the usual categorization difference within the shop, and on your phone they're still just tossed in there with your other apps. It's a travesty that music, movies, and books get individual representation, but games are left to blend in to the background. How great would a Play Games app be, organizing all your grinding and button-mashing and DPSing into one convenient interface that could share to G+ or something. The name even makes sense, as opposed to Play Books, that just sounds like a bad Spanglish translation.

It seems a shame to toss out the iconic Android name for a somewhat meaningless white-washed title like Play. One does wonder if Google is tossing out the old school Android moniker for a slightly more efficient clone that bears the Google logo instead. Than again, if it makes things easier for the customer than who cares. It's also possible we could see the Chrome Web Store eventually march under this banner if Google really wants to integrate everything they could possible sell or paste an ad bar to. They sure have been into that lately.

Check the links for more info and better spelling (though significantly less wit and charm) and tell me what you think of the new Play family. Peace.

English:::
"One company, one store: Why Google axed Android Market for Google Play" from Digital Trends
"The Android Market is now Google Play" from Phandroid

Spanish:::
"¿A dónde fue el Android Market?" desde Esmandau.com
"Google unifica su oferta de aplicaciones y contenido"desde ArteOrebe.com

BlackBerry PlayBook gets Android Apps, Owners Step Back from Ledges

So if you're one of the 16 people who bought a BlackBerry Playbook, you've been eagerly and patiently waiting for a savior in the form of "The Update", BB's much needed software gear-up to BlackBerry Tablet OS 2.0 (stupid name) that is giving us access (limited access) to Android Market, letting Android app developers hock their wares to the BlackBerry faithful (but only if they feel like it). If you are one of the rest of humanity who didn't get a BBPB, than please try not to laugh at our "update" that gave us things you got like 3 years ago and still left us like 2 years worth of catching up.

One of the main problems that stunted the PlayBooks was that BlackBerry App World is barren for apps. Seriously, it was embarrassing, there were maybe 40 apps in that stupid market, and adding insult to injury, they were terrible! Like made by children, and only some were of actual use to people (no freaking email client), while most were those lame pointless goofy apps that no one downloads or, god forbid, spends money on. It's a shame too, cause this little tablet is a freaking powerhouse, video looks amazing, HD games look amazing, it's fast, it's smooth. It's like a gifted child who was neglected and uses it's incredible, unfocused talent to hustle tourists (like Good Will Hunting, the PlayBook is the Matt Damon of tablets).

I could go on and on about how this tablet is gimpy and primitive and tethered and under-developed and a late bloomer and a bunch of other anthropomorphic rhetoric, but it's a happy day, the PlayBook's finally going to school, and with a little luck, it will one day grow up to be a mediocre Android tablet. The interface is well done, no crap adapting the Android and BlackBerry Tablet OS control schemes. In fact, I think it might be an improvement to both OSs. You get the simple grace of BBTOS and the graceful simplicity of Android. Good stuff. A few gems are popping up too. For example, Dolphin Browser has been ported over, which is my browser of choice on my Galaxy S. Before, there were no alternative browsers, just BlackBerry's generic web surfer, which was unfortunate because with so few useful apps you spent most of your time using bookmarks anyway. What's great on the PlayBook is Dolphin's gesture controls, which are a welcome contrast to BB Browser's super tiny buttons you have to Five-Finger Exploding Heart technique to get it to register (honestly the Tab close buttons DO NOT need to be that small). Picasa has also got an app, they had one before but you had to pay, and I would say "LOL screw you" to that BB developer, but like most BB developers he's already been screwed by BB (burn!).

Of course, this is RIM, a company that prides itself on having delusions of grandeur, so it's not smooth sailing yet. The Android apps trickle in slowly with no indications that they are any different from the BB apps, so you can't instantly tell the difference between a brand new QNX butt-nugget or an awesome kid-tested, mother-approved Android classic. Also, most apps seem to just be straight rips of phone apps, looking a little fugly on a tablet (but that might just be how it is, cause making apps for proper Android Tablets was never that big, shame too, so much wasted space in these apps). They also feel a bit rickety, like they'll force close at any moment.

All in all, this is a good step for the beleaguered RIM, as soon as they realize it's not 2003 anymore and BlackBerry is no longer the titan of free enterprise communication, the sooner they can stop beating up Chinese flight attendants and get back on track to making tight, gourmet electronics. Virtually everything the BlackBerry brought us years ago can be done now by any other smartphone, and usually faster, better made, cheaper, and open not just BlackBerry users. No one's impressed with your private email server anymore, guys, and BlackBerry Messenger is no longer seen as impressive new form of instant communication, so slick that both Presidents and terrorists a like were using it to plan bombings, but now BBM's a restrictive, out-dated form of communication that every freaking tablet/smartphone can do better and for FREE! If you don't shape up RIM, you're gonna have a breakdown and wind up making feature phones in Indonesia (which considering how big Indonesia is and how popular BB is there might not be the worst outcome)

There I go again. All I want to say is, there are still moves for BlackBerry and it's PlayBook to make. The update was much needed and looks pretty good. Let's see what else you got, you crazy canucks. Of course we'll give you a second chance, you're BlackBerry.

Google Gamer +1

Google Gamer Go!

There is a world of gaming out there, a lifestyle if you will, that is easily ignored and readily dismissed. However, I assert that the internet giant known as Google can provide enough of a gaming experience to satisfy not only our urge to game, but our calling to be a gamer...

Join me as I examine what it is to be a GG, or a "Google Gamer".

There are three main mediums for enjoying Google's assortment of video games. The Android operating system on many smart phones is the most well known. From the Android Market you can gain access to some really high quality games, like those provided by our brothers at GameLoft, as well as the classic time-wasters, like Angry Birds and Words with Friends.

Next is the Chrome Web Store, available to anyone with the Google Chrome web browser installed on their computer (which honestly should be everybody). The CWS has plenty of games that get far more indepth than the ones on Android. It's the classic console vs. handheld distinction.

Lastly is Google+ Games, the social gaming app of the social networking website Google+. It's your basic Facebook-style gaming section, which just fine for a little casual gaming. I'm all about G+ these days, +1ing like it ain't no thang. Join me on G+ at my profile and get my take on the fledgling hangout.

And the best part is, most of these games are free as the breeze, always a plus for a thrift hound (or should I say, plus one?).

I'll get more in depth in the future, until then, may your quests be epic and your grinds be fruitful.

- Julian H.