What we have learned about In-App Purchases

27/04/2011 — AndroidZoom

We’ve read at mashable a number of interesting tips for developers to monetize their apps through In-App Purchases. That article is very comprehensive and highly recommended. What we have learned there can be summarized in one big point.

There are plenty of users that have never posed to pay for an application. Given the proper encouragement and showing them how much worthy is we will gain a customer. That is where developers must aim.

One good example is Gun Bros:

GUN BROS
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Notice that Android market is still young and there is room for innovative strategies. One of the most successful is developing a free app that engages its users but needs a payment to unlock certain features. Be creative and imagine new ways to play with this interesting choice. The actual price of the application is not always the most discouraging to users, but the hassle of giving your data to execute the payment instead. A customer who has good results with his first purchase will be inclined to make a second. Assure the customer a first good experience and he will come back looking for more and more expensive upgrades.

Happy Androidzooming!

Posted in AndroidZoom, Apps, Developers. No Comments »

Earth Day

21/04/2011 — AndroidZoom

Since tomorrow is Earth Day, we have thought fit to dedicate our modest tribute here in AZ, so we thought in what ways our nice Android smartphones can be ecological. While it is true that the manufacture of a cellphone can be far from green, clever use of the gadget ought to be instead.

Without further ado, let’s see what you think about the following simple examples:

First at all, applications such as Google Sky Maps can restore our ecological consciousness. Recover our childlike spirit is an easy first step to think globally. There’s a nice silver chain linking stargazing and saving the whales, if you know what we mean.

Google Sky Map
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Tracking location apps like Google Maps allow planning more efficient routes, thus saving time and gas. Public transport apps, especially those who report the current service status, are also an excellent choice for urbanites. From now on, you won’t have to hurry looking for that kind old man who knows by heart all the bus routes.

Google Maps
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Use your smartphone as e-reader. It may not have the charm of paper books, but realize that most of what you read did not deserve to be printed.

Use your phone as a flashlight. Spelunking can be quite risky, but it’s perfect to find the candles during a blackout. Remember that most of torch batteries aren’t rechargeable. Any phone with flash can be used as a flashlight if you have the proper app.

And on the subject of the battery, try to make a more effective usage. There are helpful apps about e.g., your battery efficiency, screen timeouts, social network updates and so on.

Better than recycling, reuse: Your old android device can give a great use to communities that are lagging behind in the technology race. Surely not far from your house there is an NGO that will know exactly what to do and where to send it.

These are just a few. You can add as many as you want.

Happy Earth Day and Happy Android apps discovery!

Posted in AndroidZoom, Apps, Green. No Comments »

Android apps you won’t find anywhere else

20/04/2011 — AndroidZoom

We are pretty sure that you’ve ever asked yourself what are those specific apps for Android which have not its counterpart in iPhone. Or if they are, which of them have fewer features in the iOS version. Business Insider has posted a new blog entry naming eight must have exclusively for Android.

In this post, we would like zooming in two of them: Google Maps and Gameboid. If you want to know about the remaining six, check out the Business Insider’s post here.

Let’s start with our beloved Google Maps. Although Google Maps is also available on iPhone (and it’s a great app, of course), it’s more limited than the Android version. Why? Basically because you can’t get turn-by-turn directions, that’s, you cannot turn your phone into a GPS unit as you may do with your Android. See how it works here. Actually, the whole navigation software (voice, traffic patterns,…) are included in the Android version without downloading any additional app. It could seem like a minor improvement, but that canned voice coming from our Android reminds us that we bought something more than a phone and, after all, how much we’ve saved by not buying an expensive GPS.

GameBoid (GBA Emulator)
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About Gameboid and the rest of classicoid videogame emulators (Nesoid, Snesoid, Gensoid,…), we could spend hours and hours talking about them since they remind us our childhood. Gameboid brings classics back as Zelda, Mario, Kirby, Donkey Kong and hundreds of Nintendo games, including some you haven’t ever heard about. As Google Maps turns our Android into a GPS device, Gameboid turns it into a classic Gameboy with a cool screentouch gamepad (which sometimes can be a little tricky though). We just recommend you to give it a try. There are both free (lite) and paid version (4.99$) with extra features. At the end, thanks to its playability and ease of use Gameboid it’s a great emulator and, from our point of view, it’s absolutely worth.

We really have the feeling that Android is striding up swiftly. Perhaps due to the influence of free Linux spirit or the boosting power of Google or somehow both… But we are glad about it.

All aplications listed are available in Androidzoom.

Happy apps discovery!

Posted in AndroidZoom, Apps. No Comments »

AZ mobile version: the easiest way to discover the best apps

18/04/2011 — AndroidZoom

We wanted to bring the best and most useful Android apps directly to your palm. Thanks to all of you who already requested it by contacting us through hello@ and for those who have waited for it patiently. The new mobile version of AndroidZoom is already here.

From now on, every time you log in AndroidZoom from a smartphone, you will get a lightweighted and fast loaded version of it. It’s as easy as it seems. The website will recognize your mobile browser and change to the new lightened version. In order to make easier the discovery of the best Android apps we have added the “Categories” tab in the top-right side of the website. Moreover, you may choose the search criteria in the same way than in the web version, by selecting the tab “All”, “Free”, “Paid” or “On Sale” and by sorting it by “Newest”, “Popularity” or “Rating”.  If you are looking for an specific app just write its name down in the search bar.

We are glad to offer you all this new feature and we really hope it will boost your apps discovery.

It’s already available, so stop reading here and go check it out!

Happy new AndroidZoom site discovery!

Posted in AndroidZoom, Apps, New Feature. 1 Comment »

New integrated Facebook’s login system

04/04/2011 — AndroidZoom

Get access to all the AndroidZoom’s features easily thanks to its new integrated Facebook’s login system.

Since now, making the most of the AndroidZoom’s features it’s as easy as being a Google or Facebook user. We have integrated Facebook’s login system into AndroidZoom to make easier the registering, skipping by this way, to fill never-ending forms with your data (until now you just could register by Google’s login system). Likewise, you may sign in the same way, which will make you save time since you won’t have to type each time your username and password (unless you are logged out of your Facebook or Google account). You may find both tabs “Sign in” and “Register” in the top right corner of AndroidZoom.com.

We hope you will find it convenient.

Happy new AndroidZoom site discovery!

Posted in AndroidZoom, New Feature. 2 Comments »
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