One of the glaring sore spots for Google's Android Market is its accessibility. Users have to get their Android applications from the Android Market client preinstalled on every Android device and tablet. Going forward, consumers will have another option. Taking a page out of Apple's successful iTunes market, Google Feb. 2 opened its new Android Market Webstore, a Website dedicated to letting consumers purchase applications for their Android smartphones and tablets from a Web browser. Once users select an application they want, it will automatically be downloaded to their Android gadget over the air. Applications that users purchase are linked with a Google Account rather than a device, so they can be automatically pushed to any Android devices registered to that account. In other words, this is an app store based on Google's massive cloud computing infrastructure. Not even Apple can attest to such flexibility. At a Googleplex event Feb. 2, Chris Yerga, an engineering director for cloud services for Google's Android group, showed how easy and speedy purchasing and downloading an application can be through the Webstore. eWEEK runs through the Android Market Store features in this slide show.
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Android Market Webstore Delivers Apps Via Google Cloud
by Clint Boulton
Android Market Webstore
The Market Webstore home page shows a clean, Googley design.
Searching for Apps
Android Market Webstore features a Google search bar atop the page to help users find specific apps.
Application Categories
For those who want to browse, Google offers application categories for games and such on the left-hand rail.
Choosing Apps
The middle column is filled with tabs for top, paid and free apps. See featured apps here.
Paid Apps
Current paid apps include the popular Robo Defense game, Fruit Ninja and Power AMP.
Free Apps
There are a lot more free apps than paid apps in the 100,000-plus Android Market selections. But who can argue with Angry Birds, Gmail, Google Maps and Facebook for Android, all essential for millions of people?
Plenty of Games
Google also offers a section of best-selling game titles.
To the Cloud
Again, because it's the cloud, Google has aggregated any app that Android handset or tablet users have downloaded through the Android Market client. We were pleasantly surprised to see this app summary, which we downloaded to our Motorola Droid X and loaner test units such as the Verizon Galaxy Tab, over the last few months.
Purchase
Here's what purchasing an app in the Market Webstore looks like, courtesy of Google manager Chris Yerga.
Review Pending Purchasing
Before you're charged, you get to review your purchase here.
Quick Downloads
When you're satisfied and you complete your purchase, the app speeds to your phone for quick download over the air, like so.
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One of the glaring sore spots for Google's Android Market is its accessibility. Users have to get their Android applications from the Android Market client preinstalled on every Android device and tablet. Going forward, consumers will have another option. Taking a page out of Apple's successful iTunes market, Google Feb. 2 opened its new Android Market Webstore, a Website dedicated to letting consumers purchase applications for their Android smartphones and tablets from a Web browser. Once users select an application they want, it will automatically be downloaded to their Android gadget over the air. Applications that users purchase are linked with a Google Account rather than a device, so they can be automatically pushed to any Android devices registered to that account. In other words, this is an app store based on Google's massive cloud computing infrastructure. Not even Apple can attest to such flexibility. At a Googleplex event Feb. 2, Chris Yerga, an engineering director for cloud services for Google's Android group, showed how easy and speedy purchasing and downloading an application can be through the Webstore. eWEEK runs through the Android Market Store features in this slide show.