Software and games

When it comes to the mobile world, it's all about apps.

More than ever, people are using apps to augment the capabilities of their smartphones. They can remind you of your next meeting, play the latest Lady Gaga song, and make catapulting virtual birds into evil pigs a family pastime.

Likewise, they're increasingly important to the technology world. The apps market is expected to generate $9 billion in revenue this year and nearly double that next year, according to Gartner. The lack of apps, meanwhile, has crippled some smartphone platforms. Just ask Research In Motion and its BlackBerry … Read more

Verizon Wireless's Android lineup grew a little stronger today when the carrier began deploying 2.3 Gingerbread to the Motorola Droid X2. The 101MB software update features a number of bug fixes and general enhancements plus improvements to existing applications. As is the case with nearly all recent Verizon updates, the addition of a new Download Manager app provides a central place to handle downloads.

Other details in the 1.3.232 update include calendar enhancements, improved copy and paste, and geotagging capability for the camera app. The home screen and user experience also get a revamp with new widgets, icons, screen transitions, and home customizable tray icons.

It will be interesting to see how this software update is received by Verizon's user base considering the carrier's concerns over Motorola's recent Gingerbread updates. Less than one month ago, for example, we heard that the carrier was shelving all 2.3 updates from Motorola over issues arising with other handsets.

Indeed, a quick look at the Motorola Support forums tells us that Droid X users have been plagued with multiple issues since they updated to 2.3 last month. … Read more

In the 10 business days from July 11 to July 22, 10 CNET personalities chose their 10 favorite Android apps as part of the 2011 CNET 100. Just like last year when we focused on iOS apps, the top Android titles ranged from practical and popular to esoteric and perhaps a little strange.

Yet, such diversity is all part of the fun when showing personal lists from 10 very different people. Some of us like to travel, others are happiest when surfing, and some prefer to spend their time massacring zombies. I certainly enjoyed seeing what excites my colleagues most, … Read more

Editors' note: Over the past two weeks, 10 CNET personalities have showcased their 10 personal favorite Android apps as part of the CNET 100. With each post, you can read why they hold the apps so dear and you have the opportunity to vote for your own favorite title. Next week, we'll collect the full list of 100 apps and announce the 10 that you, our readers, love the most.

Of course, Molly Wood doesn't need an introduction. As an executive editor for CNET TV, Molly hosts Buzz Out Loud and appears as the face of CNET on media across the country and around he world. She's a geek at heart, of course, and an expert ranter who channels everything that frustrates us about technology.

Molly enthusiastically volunteered for the CNET 100, and I welcomed her insights given her experience with Android. Her apps reflect all the tools she needs to navigate an urban life. She has picks for getting around town, listening to music, working out, and shopping. She also knows how to customize her phone, plan her travels, and she has what might be the nerdiest app of the entire CNET 100 series. … Read more

After focusing on iOS in 2010, this year the CNET 100 series tackled the top apps in the Android Market. On each of the 10 business days from July 11 to July 22, a different personality offered his or her 10 favorite Android apps. With each post, you have the opportunity to see what makes that title so special and you can vote for your own favorite title. And now that the series is over, it's your last chance to vote! We'll announce the 10 reader favorites on Wednesday, July 27, so be sure to check back.

We do have to warn you, though. While many of the apps (like Wikipedia) will no doubt be familiar, a few will be a bit more obscure. So if you've ever wondered how you can listen to air traffic control on your phone or get surf reports from the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii, please read on. … Read more

Verizon Wireless has slashed the price of the Xperia Play in half, now offering the phone to customers for $99.99 with qualified two-year service agreements. The carrier contends that the new price point is part of a "back-to-school" promotion, but I suspect otherwise.

I don't know about you, but I've yet to see anyone in the real world carrying one of these "PlayStation phones." Cutting the price in half only two months after its release tells me that it's not living up to expectations. Besides, I've never seen a gaming-centric smartphone … Read more

Editors' note: Until Friday, 10 CNET personalities are showcasing their 10 personal favorite Android apps as part of the CNET 100. With each post, you can read why they hold the apps so dear and you'll get the opportunity to vote for your own favorite title. Then after the series ends, we'll collect the full list of 100 apps and announce the 10 that you, our readers, love the most.

Senior Associate Editor Nicole Lee is an integral part of CNET's cell phones team. Over the years, she's reviewed countless handsets, ranging from quick messaging phones to the latest BlackBerrys. She's also our resident Bluetooth headset expert and writes a bi-weekly column called The 411 where she answers your questions on all things mobile.

Nicole's favorite Android apps allow her to indulge her other interests outside of technology. This includes keeping up with the World Champion San Francisco Giants, checking out reviews for the latest movies, and catching up on the latest issue of The Economist. Always one to try out new tech, she's quite smitten with the new Google+ and Rdio music service. Nicole also enjoys a mean game of Words with Friends, even though it refuses to accept LOL as a legit word. … Read more

Editors' note: Until Friday, 10 CNET personalities are showcasing their 10 personal favorite Android apps as part of the CNET 100. With each post, you can read why they hold the apps so dear and you'll get the opportunity to vote for your own favorite title. Then after the series ends, we'll collect the full list of 100 apps and announce the 10 that you, our readers, love the most.

Jaymar may be the newest member of the CNET Downloads team, but that hasn't stopped him from diving head first into Windows software and the always-expanding world of Android apps. He's reviewed a ton of titles already, and one look at his "to-do" list shows that he has many more to come. When he's not working, he's been known to trek in the outdoors, train in Mixed Martial Arts, and explore off-the-beaten-path eateries.

Jaymar is all about using Android to its full potential, and his app picks reflect that. Without ever leaving his phone, he can read the latest news, locate the hottest new restaurant, get daily deals, and even find a perfect stranger to pick up his dry cleaning. He also searches for the latest apps that he can review and he revives a classic Nintendo video game by plucking off a few low-flying ducks.… Read more

Editors' note: Until Friday, 10 CNET personalities are showcasing their 10 personal favorite Android apps as part of the CNET 100. With each post, you can read why they hold the apps so dear and you'll get the opportunity to vote for your own favorite title. Then after the series ends, we'll collect the full list of 100 apps and announce the 10 that you, our readers, love the most.

Antuan Goodwin traveled all the way from Georgia to join CNET. Did he drive the whole distance? Well, we're not really sure, but it would make sense given his role as one of CNET's car tech reviewers. From Hyundais to Land Rovers, he's driven vehicles of all sizes and power across all corners of the Bay Area. He also tests GPS devices and car stereos and is an affirmed fan of all things Android. In fact, you can catch him every Thursday on CNET's Android Atlas podcast.

Antuan's two great loves--cars and zombies--fill his list of top apps. Indeed, when he's not finding his way on the road, he's listening to podcasts, managing his gadgets, and keeping in touch with both hands on the wheel. Outside of the car, he spends his time battling a range of zombies and playing (surprise!) the occasional auto racing game. … Read more