Microsoft has updated SkyDrive bringing the UI into alignment with their forthcoming products by giving it the modern Metro-style design. They’ve also added a bunch of new features, an Android dedicated app is on the way, and they’ve said that selective sync (aka choosing what folders you want to sync) will be a feature coming soon.
Gmail for Android Updated: Better Sync for Better Battery Life, Custom Notifications, and more
Gmail has been updated with custom notifications, better sync for battery life, new picture options, and new message options.
A new update for Android’s Gmail app just showed up on the Android Market and it’s chocked full of goodness.
Here’s what’s new:
- Save bandwidth and battery by only syncing priority mail: You can now pick which mail to sync, this should help conserve battery life. I’m most excited for this addition because I use a lot of labels and now you can choose which ones to keep synced, and which ones you want to update automatically.
- Custom Notifications per label: For each label you are keeping synced, you can set custom notifications. You can decide if you want to receive notifications for a given label and give that label a distinct ringtone, choose to have it vibrate, and decide if you want it to only notify you on the first new e-mail.
- Remember ‘Show Pictures’ for senders: The Gmail mobile app will now act just like the Gmail desktop app when it comes to displaying images in an email…. in other words, you can tell it to always display images from a particular sender.
- Better TalkBack support for accessibility: TalkBack is an accessibility screen reader that provides spoken feedback.
- Turn off sticky message actions in landscape or all orientations: The settings section has beefed up and you can now configure general preferences , preferences for individual accounts, and message actions. You can decide if you want to always show them, show them only in landscape, or only in portrait mode,
- Performance enhancements: They didn’t say what other performance enhancements but performance boosts are always a good thing right? 😉
The only thing missing for me is the ability to hide certain labels from the app. There’s just some mail that I keep in archives, mail that come as notifications or from mailing list that I have automatically pushed to their own labels that I really never have any intention of needing to see while on my mobile phone. Still, this is a decent list of updates. More screen shots after the break… [Read more…]
Google+ Extensions: Five New Additions To Enhance Google+
Here are five new Google+ extensions to enhance and tweak Google+.
Google+ extensions can help augment your use of the newest social network on the block. Google+ is growing, and even before it was easy to get an invite, people were busy writing extensions, userscripts, and add-ons for Chrome and Firefox to help you tweak the layout, add new tools, and change the look and feel.
I personally dig the current layout but here are some great extensions that help you trick it out and add additional functionality.
[Read more…]
Android Manager WiFi: You Want This
Android Manager WiFi is a Windows-only (sorry mac… I wish it worked on you too!) wireless android management tool for easy file syncing, file browsing, and application management.
I used similar programs to this when I had a Windows Mobile and have been missing it since I switched to android. Android Manager WiFi is a free tool for syncing your Android phone to your Windows PC without tethering it via USB. From within Android Manager WiFi you can sync your contacts, messages, photos, videos, music, and more. In addition to syncing it offers a high level of interactivity. If you’re not a fan of browsing for applications on your phone, Android Manager WiFi offers easy browsing and import from the Windows client. You can also browse received messages and send them from your desktop.
Android Manager WiFi is a free application suite that requires a Windows PC and an Android phone. Visit the link below to download a copy.
Android Manager WiFi [via Addictive Tips]
Offline Google Calendar
Right on the heals of the announcement that Gmail Goes Offline with Google Gears comes the announcement that Google Calendar is getting the Offline mode treatment as well. Google’s help page mentions that users can decide which calendars are available offline. “Calendar keeps you on time, even when you’re not online. Offline Calendar allows you to access your events through your browser without requiring Internet access. It’s perfect for flaky connections or for when you’re in between meetings and have no idea where you’re supposed to be next. Note that while offline, Calendar will be read-only – it will not be possible to create, edit, or delete events.”
In a very non-Google fashion, Offline Calendar is being rolled out to Google Apps users FIRST. Typically, Google Labs swag gets rolled out to regular old Gmail users first, and then it will eventually make it’s way into the Google Apps users hands. This time around, Google Apps users get first dibs.
Offline Google Calendar will work with multiple calendars, but not on first sync. Your first sync will only grab your default calendar. No worries though, once you’re synced up, you get really basic options on your Settings page to manage which calendars you want synced to your account.
The only downside… it’s read only… at least for the time being.
You can read more About Offline Calendar from Google.