Last week at the annual Android developer conference Google I/O, Google revealed some great new features for its social platform Google+.  Along with the amazing features added to the web platform, the Google+ Android app was updated as well. We assembled a list of the most substantial features for you.

Photograph Like a Pro

The new app is making photo editing a breeze. Google+’s new auto enhance feature does just what it sounds like. By tweaking a few simple things, like contrast or adding some smoothing, your photos are automatically improved when uploaded. You don’t have to leave them auto-enhanced, but in my experience, Google+ actually does a fantastic job. Also related to photo editing, the new Plus app includes built-in Snapseed editing, for those who want more control over the changes made to their photos.

Oh Bro Where Art Thou

While Google+ Photos seem to gain most of the attention, the new Location Sharing option is also a cool feature that shouldn’t be ignored. From here you will be able to see where your friends are. These locations are displayed on a map and will only be shown for friends who are already sharing their location with you. This could give an option in the future for local businesses to promote themselves to the right audience.

Links Out – Hashtags In

There are also improvements to the stream itself, including use of hashtags in the mobile app. These tags will show on the top-right of the individual posts and tapping the hashtag will show other relevant posts about the topic.

The Google+ Android app is free for download in Google Play Store and is available for devices running Android 4.0 or later.

Have you +1 us on Google+ yet?

The opening event of the annual developer conference, Google I/O included quite a few interesting announcements and services. Here are few of Google’s announcements from the first day of the conference:

StartApp is undergoing some major changes.  Just last month, we moved into new offices, today we released the latest version of our developer portal and very soon we are coming out with another brand new ad type that supports the new exit ad.  All these changes and growth is very exciting for us, but we cannot forget the original StartApp product that started it all, the Search Icon SDK.

Nowadays, app markets are saturated, making it hard to accumulate high amounts of downloads.  Only 1 in 6 smartphone apps exceed 500 total downloads.  We looked at top developers on the Google Play Store to find out what sets their apps apart from the rest.  Check out the infographic to find out.  Click the infographic to read the small print

The MyGlass app that was launched last weekend on the Google Play Store provides us with a lot more than a puppy that wears pajamas.  Ron Amadeo from the Android Police blog has decided to investigate the app’s APK to find out more about the specs of The Google Glass project. During his inspection he found a large amount of files which related to a completely different direction. This indicates the proximity of the service launch dedicated to Android games.

To better understand the source of the leak, here’s a brief explanation:

GMS (Google Mobile Services)is a set of components operated by Google, and are required by a large number of Android apps, among other things. It handles acquisitions and integration With Google Plus, Google Maps as well as a wide variety of additional Google services interfaces.

Components that are not related in any way to the application itself were found inside the MyGlass GMS. It appears to have been added by “mistake” with the release of the app to the Google Play Store. Whether it is in error or deliberate, someone in Google has provided us with a first glimpse of what we can expect from Google’s upcoming game service.

It’s been a busy week for Google’s Project Glass. The search giant from California only recently released the full technical specifications of their smart glasses and the first models are already started shipping for Explorers and developers!

Google’s incredible tech specifications gave us a glimpse of just how high the potential is for this headset, estimated to sell for between 750 and 1500 dollars.

Analysts and technology bloggers have been wondering for a while now, what Facebook‘s next move in the mobile field will be, especially given that most smartphones users spend a third of their “mobile time” using Facebook and playing games. Mark Zuckerberg repeatedly denied any intentions by Facebook to change its focus from the social network and develop a device or even a mobile operating system. But apparently he had no intention of letting the mobile market develop without taking a yummy piece of cake’s profits for himself.

On a press conference held last Thursday, Facebook introduced its new innovations in mobile including an app called Facebook Home for Android devices.

So you have spent hours and hours learning how to code for Android and it is now time to start your first application.  So many questions begin to flood your head.  Where should I begin?  How can I have a solid first app that will start my app empire?  How long will it take to earn my first million downloads?

Before you can answer these questions, you should answer the questions below.  These questions will help you to focus your attention on the most important aspects of starting an app and put you well on the road to building a solid first app

1. Who is my customer/end-user?

In order to make a successful app, you have to define exactly who the app is for.   You should conduct your own market research to find exactly who you are targeting your app towards.  Once you know who they are, you can focus on their issues and communicate to them what  problem your user has that your app can solve.  Start by finding out what websites and places they go to online.  You can learn a lot that way.

2.  What is my product?

After you have focused who your user will be, you need to focus on the product.  Even before writing the first piece of code, you can research your possible competition and attend conferences to build credibility.  In order to have a strong product, you need to code it well AND market it well.

3.  How do I promote my app?

The only way to get high download numbers is if you promote your product in a way that will appeal to your target user.  Choosing a great name for your app is key here.  Try for something fun and memorable that mentions the problem it solves (think Evernote, or GetTaxi).  Your app name …

Today, Samsung announced at the Mobile World Congress that they are releasing Wallet, an Android ticketing and coupon app to compete directly with Apple’s Passbook.  Users will be able to store things like concert tickets, coupons, membership cards and boarding passes in one centralized application.

Location based services will also be enabled, sending push notifications to alert users when they are nearby where their stored passes could be used.  Imagine walking down the street and being notified that your favorite restaurant nearby is having a special for card members at that moment.

Retailers and service providers can simply scan the barcode screen of the device for users to redeem their services.

The API is open, which means you can almost guarantee that there will be an large amount of brands and stores available to use in the app in the near future.  They are already beginning their launch with a sizable stable of brands, including Walgreens, Expedia, Hotels.com and Lufthansa among others.

Throughout the blogosphere there is already criticism of the app as being too similar to Apple’s Passbook.  Comparisons have been made to the logos of both apps as well as the user interface.  What do you think?  Does it matter that their similar?  Leave your comments below.

What do  people experience when they wear Google Glass -Google’s futuristic augmented reality glasses?  The company attempts to answer this intriguing question, as well as provide some new information about Glass Project, including the user interface, through a series of pictures and videos. Glass Project, to remind you, deals with Android-based smart glasses that digitally enrich the world of those who wear it through Cloud information.