Yesterday, Google announced that they will be retiring their Google Checkout service in late November in favor of their Google Wallet product.  Google Checkout was Google’s go to product for payment processing and payment, not just for in apps, but websites as well.

While  website merchants have been given a few options to transition to a new payment processing option,  app developers who use Google Wallet for in app purchases will be able to use the new Google Wallet Merchant Center.

Is Google tired of the design of its Maps interface? According to blogger Alex Chitu from the Google Operating System blog, a blog covering Google’s unofficial news claims that Google is expected to launch a new design for the Google Maps service soon.

According to the blog, Google Maps development team is expected to release an updated version of the maps which will remove the side toolbars and navigation buttons, and will have larger and more interactive maps instead.

New design for the maps interface

The anticipated update of Google Maps is not a rare occasion at all. Just recently, in October, the company updated its maps service and added a few visual enhancements. In addition, the search giant makes sure to update information on different countries from time to time. The updates can be found in visual details, information on public transport, and high resolution images.

Apparently, what is currently displayed in the Google Maps sidebar will soon be displayed at the top of the map in a full screen mode in addition to new colors and icons that may be incorporated for use with the presentation of the new interface.  Another update, according to the source, is that users will be given the option to filter search results according to the recommendations of other users in their Google+ circle.

We are very excited to write this post for you because it introduces our latest product type.  While you are very familiar with our out of app monetization offering, we have decided to expand our product line by entering INTO the app.  We are pleased to bring you a new in-app solution with the EXIT AD!

The Exit Ad introduces StartApp developers to the rev share model, providing continuous income and great eCPM, all while keeping the seamless user experience that users expect and value.

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

A few days ago, on their official Gmail blog,  Google announced the launch of the latest Gmail app update for Android OS.  In this update users can save time on the actions they use most often: reply, archive, and search. If you’re using Gmail on an Android 4.1+ device, the updated app lets you reply and archive messages right from notifications with one quick tap.

So what else is new?

 
Gmail  is available for download in the Google Play Store. Even though the update is fairly small, it brings some cool new features and enhancements to Gmail.  The updated app, version 4.3, allows the user to choose whether or not they want notifications, what messages they receive notifications for, and to customize the actual alert for each label.  Additionally, version 4.3 introduces a much better and more efficient way to search, so that you can find your messages whether or not you are online.  We did not notice any “cosmetic” changes in the new update.

 
It is highly recommended for everyone who owns a device with Android 4.1 to download the new update and enjoy a better and more user friendly email application!

SOURCE: Official Gmail Blog

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 …

Last Friday Facebook released an update to its native Android app to v2.1.
Facebook claims that in this new version that includes two brand new features, photos load a lot faster. But this is not the real fun.

In the new update Facebook finally lets users to have more control over how they share items from mobile News Feed, as well as the option to send voice messages to their friends.

We are swamped with content. It’s everywhere we go, and it’s all over our social profiles. The many links we are exposed to at any given moment thanks to our friends on Facebook and Twitter is huge therefore it’s no wonder that many people prefer to focus and read only the title of the news article, and at best, they also read the subtitle but not much more.

Hey everyone! We are happy to announce our new referral program as we think it is time for all of you to start having more fun! And money!

How much more money? You can get up to $2,185 per each new developer signing up with StartApp.

Yes, it’s true. You will get paid for the downloads your friend got from his apps while using StartApp SDK.

Start referring your friends now.

How does it work?

Basically, it’s very simple. All you need to do is login to your account with StartApp and start sending invites to your friends. Apps not fully integrated yet? No worries! You can still refer your friends.

Once your friends sign up with StartApp and add our SDK to their app, you will start making more money from their downloads.

The way you get paid!

When the developer you invited will reach his first 100 downloads he will get a bonus of $25 from us just because we want so.

From that moment you will start getting paid as well.

When he will reach the 100 downloads you will get your first $10, the second time you will get paid will be when he reaches 1,000 downloads and you will get an additional $25 and so on..

10,000 downloads means $150 more for you.

100,000 downloads = $500

And for 1,000,000 downloads = $1,500

All together brings you all the way to $2,185 for each friend you invite.

You can find some more info in our knowledge base

Last week, StartApp exhibited at Ad-Tech last week at the Javits Center in NYC and even hurricane Sandy couldn’t stop the world’s biggest brands such as MasterCard and Jaguar Land Rover from attending the conference.

Networking

Day 1 was all about networking in the exhibition hall, going around the conference meeting new people from the ad-tech community, learning about their business and feeling their enthusiasm. There were many spectacular booths with high end decorations like eZanga.

Keynote Sessions

Day 2 included keynote sessions which included leading speakers from a powerhouse stable of companies. During that day we also had many business meetings and interesting brain storming with colleagues from the industry about the future of mobile advertising.

Competition

There was also a startup spotlight series competition where startups competed to win the Ad Tech Innovation Award, congratulation to Placed, Inc. on winning the Unilever Mobile Commerce Challenge, and to Idomoo for winning the Target Social Video & TV Challenge at ad:tech NY!

All and all AdTech was a powerful New York combination of two leading industries: advertising and technology. To show all the amazing things you can learn by attending AdTech, here are the Top 10 illuminating quotes from ad:tech’s greatest luminaries.

See you at AdTech NY 2013!