As you’ve probably heard by now, Google Chrome (beta) has finally come to Android. The wait is over! At least it is if you’re one of the lucky ones already running ICS. For the rest of our devices that haven’t made the leap to Android 4.0 or never will, we’re stuck on the outside looking in. And the Honeycombers and Gingerbread men and women are jealous.

When I first switched to Android I was very surprised to find that Chrome wasn’t already the default browser. As a dedicated Chrome user in spirit from the day they posted their famous pre-launch comic, it has been my primary browser ever since. Well, until I switched to Android. Now with my tablet (soon to be ICS), and handset (sadly among the relics that will forever be confined to Gingerbread-land) the main ways that I interact with the internet, I miss my Chrome. I miss it for my bookmarks, the nice Google integration, better speed and stability.  But the wait continues.

Why did it take so long for integration-mad Google to bring the official Google browser to Android?

Were they waiting for specific breakthroughs to the OS itself that ICS made possible? If that’s the case, then the outsiders may be permanently fragmented, at least in their available browser choices. With enough chatter out there about the fragmentation between the different manufacturers and their own takes on Android, do we really want Google to be making their own flagship products a part of that fragmentation?

Did they want to wait for more powerful devices so that the mobile version could be a full representation of everything Chrome instead of a pale imitation? Many of the people who soured on the early versions of Firefox for Android and never went back might actually agree with this part of the plan, not to mention some serious refining of the browser before the actual release. Does that mean that some of the older devices just wouldn’t be able to handle Chrome? Is this a plot to force us to upgrade our devices even sooner?

Was it that Chrome has really only been making serious headway in the desktop browser market more recently, previously being the preferred option for only the seriously tech savvy? Except that the tech savvy Chrome users were also the hardcore of early Android adopters and have been irritated by this disconnect ever since. Ironically, I know a lot of Apple users who have been turning to Chrome as their primary browser, which would make for an interesting marketing tactic for ICS devices. On the other hand, if Chrome moves to the iPad and we’re all left out, there will be some angry Android users. Is a browser ever worth switching phones for? It was a major black mark on my pre-Android BlackBerry, so for some it might. Chalk that up as another reason why Google should make this more widely available as soon as possible.

Whatever the reason for the long wait in the first place, hopefully Chrome will be finding its way to other flavors of Android soon. We know that the modding community is already sinking its teeth into getting this to work on more devices. It requires an ARMv7 processor and Hardware Acceleration to be able to handle it, so that does rule out some older devices that can’t use the Android version of Firefox either.

So while you’re lamenting being left behind, do you want to make yourself feel a little bit better by taking a look at some of the early complaints?

• No Flash – with Adobe deciding to slow down on Flash Mobile, Chrome won’t be winning over the people who saw this as an advantage over the iPad.

• No Desktop – at this point even though you’re using the mobile version of a desktop browser, its forcing you to view the mobile version. If that’s important to you (like it is for certain sites I use), then Chrome isn’t the full solution for you yet.

• Doesn’t Replace the Stock Browser – it may never fully displace it, but for now as a Beta you can understand that Google might not feel comfortable completely removing the backup option.

Of course Google will likely rapidly remove the issues they can control, so by the time you are able to get it on your device you may be working with the browser you really want. With the overall trend for Google being massive integration, I expect Chrome to be a major part of this push. This release is only the very beginning, with a lot more to come.

While you continue to swim with Dolphins, go to the Opera, hunt with Firefoxes, keep things stock, and choose mini,  mobile or HD, your ICS-wielding friends will count my favorite browser among the features that they get to show off, and I don’t. At least until my Transformer upgrades. That wait continues as well.

Are you a happy first day adopter of Chrome? Or are you unhappy out in the cold? Or happily sticking to your browser of choice? Let us know!

Google has continued its hot streak of updating Android apps this week. The latest app treated to a new version is Google+, which has added “massive performance improvements across the app” according to its Android Market page. A quick scan of the app reveals that there are a couple other things to rave about as well.

The “What’s Hot” section has made the jump to mobile. The Google+ version of trending topics, which highlights the most shared and commented posts on the network, is now available in the Android app by swiping to the left from the main stream. A key difference here is that it’s easier to keep scrolling to see more popular posts rather than just view the Top 8 as seen on the desktop version.

Google+ also allows users to see who +1′d a post or comment. Before, the app revealed only the number of people to do so. And when you’re browsing through those comments, the stream has improvements. Posts are “Shortened to fit more per scroll,” the stream doesn’t jump back to the top of the screen every time a user refreshes, and photos now continuously scroll when browsing the “From your circles” section.

Download the update from the Android Market. If you’re unable to see an update on your phone, click the Install button from the Market website to force an update.

Vonage kept home phone service providers on their toes when it launched an alternate calling serve, and now the company is trying to do the same for the mobile industry.

The new Vonage Mobile app enables free “high-definition calls” and text messages to other Vonage Mobile users throughout the world. Whether in Athens, Georgia or Athens, Greece, the app will let users speak to other Vonage Mobile users over 3G, 4G, or Wi-Fi. And to sweeten its appeal, calls made to a Vonage or business phone number is also free.

This is not the first Android app that Vonage has released, but those apps were previously limited in scope or required a Facebook plugin. Vonage Mobile removes that minor hurdle and enables simple calling. There’s even a limited-time offer to make free calls to any phone in the U.S., Canada, or Puerto Rico, though there’s a cap at 3,000 minutes per user

When the time comes to call a number not covered by the free offers, Vonage offers international calling rates that are “on average 70 percent less than major mobile carriers and 30 percent less than Skype.” Users will add $4.99 to $9.99 to their accounts and then have the cost of each call deducted according to number of minutes used. The app may use data rates when used over 3G/4G, so monitor for differences in your first carrier bill following using Vonage.

Call me crazy, but I’m really liking the changes made in the latest version of the Twitter app. Sure, I know most of you have pledged allegiance to Twicca, Tweetcaster, or something similar (I’m a Plume man), but there are a few things to love in the latest edition of Twitter for Android.

Today Twitter announced that it was simplifying its products in order to provide better access to content, make discovery easier, and provide context for tweets. The desktop changes will be rolling out soon, but Twitter for Android has already been updated to reflect that goal. The interface has a little more blue and black, rounded edges, and changes that should make it faster and more enjoyable to read Twitter on the mobile. Here are some of those changes.

Home / Tweets

This is your usual timeline/stream of tweets posted by people you follow. Nothing much has changed here other than some visual tweaks and an icon to indicate that a tweet has additional media like a photo. Speaking of which, there’s less reasons to leave the app in the new tweet view.

Replies to a tweet are also seen below, which should cut back on the amount of time spent tapping and viewing. It’s easier to see how people respond to a tweet, and an “In reply to…” link appears in case you want to go to what started the conversation. From this same window, you can see who has retweeted or favorited that message.

Connect

What was previously the @Replies screen is now Connect. This shows your mentions, retweets, tweets someone favorites, and when someone has followed you. This feature has been on desktops for a while and is available now within the app. It also has a search bar for a person or his/her tweets.

Discover

The Discover tab is where users will find trending topics, search for a keyword or hashtag, get suggestions for new users to follow, and browse categories.

There’s also a section called “Stories” within this tab that highlights big news that you may not have heard. Major stories in sports, entertainment, and breaking news are highlighted (both the source that broke the news and the subsequent tweets discussing it).

Me

The Me tab is where users get to be vein and focus on the person they care about most (kidding, of course). It has profile information, direct messages, drafts, saved searches, lists, and a link to change settings or switch accounts – though I’d recommend just pressing Menu from any screen to do either.

After playing with this app during lunch, I think it’s safe to say that this is the best iteration of the official Twitter app yet. Aside from looking better, it’s faster and smoother than I remember the last time I gave the app a shot. It’s too early to tell if people will forsake their existing third-party app for this one, but it makes the best case Twitter mobile ever has. Most people are probably too entrenched in the way their favorite app operates to give it up, but the people who have embraced the official app finally have a stronger case for saying why they stick with the default gateway to tweets.

Facebook announced today that it will begin rolling out a new version of the official Facebook Android app. Long a source of complaint, frustration, and force close errors, the latest version of Facebook seeks not only to redesign the app visually but performance-wise.

But you’ve heard that one before, haven’t you?

Multiple Facebook updates made Android fans, present company included, giddy to see some much-needed changes made to the app, only to discover within a few days that the app was a magnet for errors, poor performance, or missing features. On the company’s blog, Facebook employee Keith Peiris dangles another carrot of hope by saying that it’s now “quicker and easier to view photos, get messages and navigate around the app.”

Facebook for Android supposedly loads galleries twice as fast. It also is easier to share a photo, view a comment, see tags, or edit captions within the app. One can only assume, or hope, that similar courtesies were extended to other areas of the app.

The new Facebook UI more closely resembles the conventions of Facebook’s HTML5 iPad app. The Menu button is hidden to the left side of the screen, but shows links for the News Feed, Messages, Location, Events, Friends, and search bar when tapped. There’s also Friends/Messages/Notifications bar in the top bar that features in-line viewing. So if you get a message while browsing the phone, you can reply directly within the app without having to leave the page.

The update should appear in the Android Market today. Feel free to let us know if this is finally the Facebook app to make you stop complaining.

[Facebook] via Android and Me

You whippersnappers today don’t know how easy you have it with the plethora of group messaging app choices. Back in my day, there was only one BBM-style app for Android, and its name was Pingchat. But since so many choices have come and gone, the original is back with a new name, face, and focus.

Pingchat has morphed into Touch, a rebranded group communication tool that’s all about “shared experiences.” Touch still has the group chat system that made it popular among Android, BlackBerry, and iOS users – more than a million downloaded the Android version – but it also has photo sharing as a core purpose for the app. So users can still start a chat among friends as they make plans for where to go and what to do tonight, but they can also create an Experience the next day to relive last night’s debauchery or family gathering.

If that sounds familiar, it’s because this is the same pitch thrown by every photo-sharing app, personal social network, and Tom, Dick, and Harry in the start-up scene. Touch is counting on having an established user base that already loved Pingchat to embrace this new redesign – that looks pretty sexy, by the way – and help encourage people to have a focused, personal network with the right people. A user creates an Experience by adding photos from a camera or gallery app, then selecting which friends they want to include. Friends can add comments but there’s a special section in Experiences for that rather than a continuous stream or comments attached to a specific image. That was a clumsy design choice for an otherwise intriguing app that I can only hope is promptly changed.

Good or bad, the new Touch at least gives Pingchat a better looking interface. Then again, I’m sure there will be loud cries for an option to switch back to the old dark theme. Touch converts also might take issue with the audio, video, and location sharing features that were available in Pingchat but are missing from Touch. This might be a change too dramatic for some to accept.

I have my doubts about this Experience feature catching on, but maybe Touch will surprise us and succeed where other group sharing apps have failed. Existing Pingchat users can update and use the same username and password. Android 1.6 or higher is required to use Touch.

GetGlue has often been described as “Foursquare for TV” because of its similarities to the location-aware service. But instead of checking-in to physical venues, GetGlue members check-in to television shows, movies, music, books, and video games. They then earn “stickers” (badges) for certain actions and connect with others who enjoy similar programming or activities.

A new wrinkle to that social-TV and more aspect has been added that should make GetGlue a little more social. Members can now see or participate in real-time communication based on what others are doing. So the next time you watch NBC’s Whitney and the star does something crazy, you can add a comment about wanting to see the previewed scene where Whitney ruins a wedding. Friends and other fans who check-in to that show will then see other GetGlue check-ins and tweets presented in chronological order. Replies to a comment are listed on a separate screen, so a conversation can be sparked without disrupting the stream for other users.

The real-time conversation feature also works when checking-in to read the Ultimate Spiderman Comics, listening to Bon Iver, or playing Battlefield 3. GetGlue promises that it filters the stream to only display “interesting comments” and remove noise. Along with is improved designed choices – like easier access to check-ins and a chat-like display – GetGlue now makes it easier to discuss the media that members consume.

What will be interesting is how GetGlue stands up to Facebook, which is approaching similar territory with its “frictionless sharing” feature that automatically announces what you listen to on Spotify, read online, and other activities. That has the potential to be spammy and annoying while GetGlue is focused on people who actively share and want to know what others are doing. The challenge will be that Facebook is established with a massive audience – GetGlue has a sizable community over 1.5 million members, but it’s not 800 million strong like FB – and has the advantage of being built-in to everyday lives.

Anyone interested in learning more about GetGlue can click the download image below to be taken to the Android Market.

Thanks, Claire

People often rely on the judgment of others when making decisions, but your friends aren’t always there to offer advice. Opinionaided organizes feedback from your friends – or a larger, public audience if you so choose – gathered through a new Android app.

Opinionaided is a like a mobile election tracker for questions and answers. While Quora seeks expert opinions, Opinionaided wants to know what the broader audience thinks so it can show that data to the user.

Imagine you’re in Macy’s looking for a new outfit but can’t decide if you look presentable in a shirt. Snap a photo, ask among your friend lists or the public network, and watch as the responses roll in. Questions with a “Thumbs up, down, or neutral” premise work best, but respondents can add comments for extra clarity. About 71% of users gave a thumbs up to my “Should I switch from Android to iPhone” question, but that might not be enough to convince me. That’s why Opinionaided allows users to click on responses and ask that person follow-up questions.

“People can have these threaded conversations where they say ‘Thanks for the advice’ and discuss the issue further,” Opinionaided Co-founder Dan Kurani told me during an interview. “You might end up connecting with those people on a deeper level based on your likes and dislikes.”

Kurani notes that only the person posing the question can see replies, and people who consistently give good answers earn stars as top responders. Encouraging dialogue when appropriate thus helps users make an informed decision and increase the amount of people who continue to participate both asking and answering questions.

Opinionaided creates a community for feedback that encourages rapid responses to practically everything. The mobile Q&A app uses profile data to be smart enough to ensure that a 27 year old male in Florida doesn’t see many questions from a 14 year old male in London. And if someone wants to make the app even more relevant, it supports filtering categories like Art, Technology, Humor, Fashion, Sports, News, and more.

The Androinica Twitter feed receives plenty of questions about which apps are better or which phones make the most sense. While we’re happy to provide “expert” response, our egos aren’t big enough to overlook that a strong thumbs up or down from a large audience may sometimes offer a better perspective. Opinionaided is a more efficient way of asking a question with the hopes of gaining timely responses from your friends or knowledgable people.

Let us take a moment to pour out a little liquor for our old friend Google Buzz. The original social network upstart from Google debuted in February 2010, but it stumbled out the gate and never found its footing against Facebook or Twitter. Now that Google has a much more promising future with Google Plus, the folks in Mountain View have opted to leave Buzz behind for good.

Google VP Brad Horowitz just confirmed that Buzz will be shutting down in a few weeks. Horowitz credited Buzz for teaching Google a lot about how users want to interact online, but ultimately, the time has come to put “that learning to work every day in our vision for products like Google+” according to Horowitz’s post on the official Google blog.

So here’s what happens next:

• Buzz will stop accepting new submissions, however, users will be able to read their posts through Google+ and download the data through Google Takeout
• The Buzz API will be closed, meaning 3rd-party apps like Seesmic that supported it, will no longer have tht function
• The world will keep on spinning

Today’s announcement is no surprise. Buzz failed to gain any sort of major traction following embarrassing privacy blunders when the service first launched. Google responded quickly, but it was too little, too late. Buzz continued to have strong support among a very small audience, but many of those folks have since migrated to Google Plus. And though Google remained vague about what would happen in the wake of Plus’s early success, the company’s intentions became clear when a recent version of Google Maps removed the Buzz layer.

Farewell, Google Buzz. We hardly knew ye. Literally.

Google Translate debuted a Conversation Mode earlier this year that enabled an English speaker to talk into an Android phone and have the text-to-speech engine reply in Spanish. It was a very alpha implementation, but the first step towards introducing live translation for anyone using an Android 2.2+ phone who needed to talk to a Spanish speaker.

Today, that courtesy has been extended to 12 more languages. An update for Google Translate now supports conversation mode in Brazilian Portuguese, Czech, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Polish, Russian, and Turkish. Like its predecessor, this version is still in alpha, meaning it’s not to be considered a final product. There are some bugs to be ironed out, limitations in translation quality, and users should not hop a flight to Hong Kong and expect for Translate to meet all their needs (especially since people in Hong Kong speak Cantonese and not Mandarin).

Translate also lets users correct mistakes. If you say, “Where is the train?” and the prompt shows, “Where is the rain?” instead, it’s easy to correct with text rather than repeating yourself. Despite mistakes, it’s interesting to see something like this happen. I previously did some testing of conversation mode with a couple of strangers and it did an alright job of getting the point across. There were definitely some miscommunications, and it will be a while before this app is fluent and fast enough to hold real meaningful conversations beyond “How do I find The Hauge?”

Download for your Android 2.2+ phone or tablet. Oh, by the way, the app has been optimized to display better on 7-inch and higher screens.