I’ve been using Freshbooks (disclaimer: I get a commission if you sign up with them) since 2007 as my online accounting and invoicing service and in that time I’ve seen them change from a very basic online invoicing service to a full-service, cloud-based accounting system that includes projects, time tracking, estimates, reporting and an API that you can use to program your own customer support system. I’ve used Freshbooks to create estimates for website work, manage time in projects and invoice for completed work, hosting expenses and even billing for monthly rent on rental properties. It is efficient, simple and easy to use for customers receiving estimates and invoices.
How to Use Chromecast with Chrome Browser
I was glad to see that my Chromecast device arrived today. After waiting a few weeks for them to be in stock, mine has finally arrived. I’ll go into the details of what’s included in the package and how to set it up in another post, but first I want to share some information that it took me a while to figure out to get it up and running. After I had set up my device and the app on my phone, I wanted to set it up in Chrome so that I could cast from my computer, as well. I went to the Chrome Web Store to look for the Chromecast app, but when I typed Chromecast in the search bar, there were no results found. I searched through Google help and kept getting sent to the setup page, which I didn’t need because I had already set up the device with my phone.
Looking for Instagram or Android fonts or logos and icons in png and vector?
Ever since I posted my article on Instagram being available on Android, I’ve noticed traffic coming to my site looking for many different, but related things. All of the searches have to do with Instagram and Android and some combination of logo, icon or font, usually specifying a png or vector logo.
Instagram offers a download package of it’s logo on it’s logo usage page, but doesn’t include a vector version, probably because all of the shading in the logo doesn’t lend itself to a vector version. There is also a list of requirements for developers and other that are going to be using the Instagram name and logo, including usage of the following statement: “This [application/website] uses the Instagram(tm) API and is not endorsed or certified by Instagram or Instagram, Inc. All Instagram(tm) logos and trademarks displayed on this [application/website] are property of Instagram, Inc.”
Instagram and Android, Together at Last!
Via an Androinica article, I just found out that Instagram is finally available for the Android OS. So now, finally, all of us Android users can find out what you iPhone users have been raving about for years. I guess because of the history of Instagram-like apps in the Google Play store, the actual Instagram app doesn’t show up in the first two app results when you do a search for Instagram. I gave up browsing through the 494 app results and went back to the original article, which conveniently had a link to download Instagram for Android from the Google Play store.
Having not used Instagram before, I found the installation and setup simple and following iPhone users I know who have Instagram accounts to be an easy process. Having used a couple of Instagram-like apps for Android, my favorites being Camera ZOOM FX and Pixlr-o-matic, I have a suspicion (based on what I’ve read so far) that the camera and filter features aren’t necessarily better than other camera apps, but the Instagram community is what makes the app so successful.
Google Play – Android’s New Playground
I’m sure you’ve already heard, but the Android Market has been rebranded as Google Play. Google Play is the reincarnation of the Android Market, which has been growing by leaps and bounds over the last few months, as first music and then books and movies have been added. My only hesitation when the Market became Google Play on my phone was having to agree to the privacy policy once again, which, of course, is the new comprehensive Google privacy policy covering all properties and all accounts. If you think about it, shouldn’t it be called the Google sharing policy instead of privacy policy, since you are basically giving Google permission to share your information across every relationship that you have with them?
Verizon Wireless – My Favorite Mobile Provider
I have had service with many different wireless providers over the years. My first cell phone was an early Nokia model offered by what was then Southwestern Bell Wireless, which then became SBC Wireless, which became Cingular, which then became AT&T Wireless. I used them for a couple of contract cycles and upgraded to a Nokia 6150 during that time period. I really liked the service and the coverage, but as a working college student, I was always looking for a better deal.
My next cell phone service provider was VoiceStream Wireless, which later became T-Mobile, because they offered very affordable service plans. By this time I had gotten married and paying for two cell phones was a challenge on a couple of teachers’ salaries. What we found with T-Mobile, however, was that the service wasn’t available anywhere except for large metropolitan areas and along Interstate highways. Because my wife is from rural East Texas, it was hard to have a cell phone that wouldn’t work when we would visit my in-laws.
Last Day of Android Market 10-Cent Apps
It has been a fun 10-day span of exploring and downloading Android Market apps. Some I had wanted to try and others I had never heard of before. One thing I learned during this week and a half was that I can actually try out apps any time, because the Android Market allows you to get a refund for apps within 15 minutes of ordering them. That’s really handy if you’re wanting to try an app and have the time to try it out.
In this post, I’ll list the apps that are available today and next week I’ll do a recap of the apps that were available during the 10 billion downloads sale and start reviewing the apps I’m using. Today’s apps are as follows:
Buy your 10 cent Android Apps Today in the Amazon App Store
Today is Day 4 of the 10 cent app celebration by the Android Market, celebration 10 billion downloads. The only problem is that the Android Market is experiencing a payment processing issue and if you try to by one of the apps, you get the following error: “An error occurred while processing your purchase. Please try again later.”
You can still buy most of the 10 cent apps today, if you use the Amazon App store. The following are the 10 cent apps available in the Amazon App store today:
- Shazam Encore
by Shazam Entertainment Ltd.
- Sentinel 3: Homeworld by Origin8 Technologies Ltd.
- Baseball Superstars 2011
by GAMEVIL, Inc
- Paper Camera
by JFDP Labs LTD
- Farm Frenzy
by HeroCraft Ltd
$.10 apps that can only be found in the Android Market (or are only 10 cents in the Android Market) are:
Day 3: 10 Cent Android Apps
Today’s 10 cent apps from the Android Market include Tetris! (YES!) …along with these other great apps.
- TETRIS ® by ELECTRONIC ARTS INC (I know I already mentioned it, that’s why it’s at the top of the list.) This version of Tetris has great touch controls, allowing you to intuitively interact with the pieces.
- Blue Skies Donation Wallpaper by KITTEHFACE SOFTWARE
- Homerun Battle 3D by COM2US
- Reckless Getaway by POLARBIT
- Talking Tom Cat 2 by OUTFIT7
- Kids Learn to Read (Preschool) by INTELLIJOY
- ADWLauncher EX by ANDERWEB (I’ve been wanting this one for a while to control processes on my older phone, but this is a much better time to get it!)
- Space Physics by CAMEL GAMES
- Toki Tori by POLARBIT
- Can Knockdown 2 by INFINITE DREAMS
I’ll be reviewing the different apps I get this week over the next couple of months and let you know which of these apps I start using permanently. Hopefully, I’ll get a tablet some time soon and be able to check out the HD apps, as well.
Android Market Reaches 10,000,000,000 Downloads
The Android Market has surpassed 10 billion downloads and to celebrate, they are offering some great premium apps for 10 cents each, but only for 24 hours.
I just downloaded Endomondo Pro and Soundhound Pro for $.10 each. The 10 cent Android apps available as of this writing are the following:
- SoundHound
- Minecraft – Pocket Edition
- SwiftKey X Keyboard
- Endomondo Sports Tracker PRO
- Great Little War Game
- SketchBook Mobile
- Fieldrunners HD
- Color & Draw for kids: phone edition
- Paper Camera
I have never seen such an array of really good apps offered at such a low price and you won’t find a price this low on iTunes, because apparently the minimum price for an app on iTunes is 99 cents. However, some of the app developers are offering their iPhone apps for $.99 to celebrate the Android market event. Kind of ironic, don’t you think?
Related articles
- 10 Billion Android Market Downloads and Counting (android-developers.blogspot.com)