Fresh Android Apps for Apr. 26: SugarSync, SkyFire Web Browser 4.0

SugarSync (Free)

Need access to your stuff? Get synced with SugarSync!

This highly-rated service syncs your files across your computers, devices, and phones. You can store files, photos, and music and access them from anywhere. With Android photos, SugarSync will instantly back them up to your PC. You can also stream your music while using other apps.

A free account will get your 5GB of storage in the SugarSync cloud.

SkyFire Web Browser 4.0 (Free)

This new update of the SkyFire browser includes eight major features.

Get new Twitter, Groupon, and Google Reader support for keeping in touch, finding deals, and staying current. New UI features include a customizable and scrollable navigation bar.

For a one-time fee of $2.99 (unless you're a Verizon customer in which case it’s free), you get premium access to their video optimization tool which increases battery life and reduces data usage.

Android 2.3.4 Coming to Google I/O Conference with Video Chat?

Android may soon get its own native video chat that integrates with Google Talk and Gmail according to a Twitter message. The feature may be announced come early May at Google’s I/O conference.

The Twitter message was posted by a user who allegedly works with Samsung.

Fortunately, though, the video chat feature will be part of Android Gingerbread, which means that you don’t need Android 3.0 Honeycomb to enjoy video chat. Video chat will be part of Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread, so hopefully Android smartphones with Gingerbread will be blessed with the update to receive native video chat in the future after the announcement will be made if the rumor proves correct.

Currently, Android users do not have a seamless way to video chat and must rely on third-party chat services like Fring, Tango, or Skype. Unfortunately, while Skype is available, the video chat service still hasn’t launched yet and the company has not yet indicated if it will roll out its video chat service to non-Verizon devices in the near future due to a deal with Verizon Wireless in the U.S.

On iOS, Apple’s own FaceTime service has been extremely popular as it is seamless, simple, and easy to use. The service requires no additional log-in, no account creation–all you need to do is make a call to an iOS or Mac OS X user as if you’re making a regular phone call.

Equifax Mobile app available now on Android Market

At times, it becomes pretty difficult to maintain seamless control over credit card transactions or shielding personal identity information, especially while traveling on a frequent basis. Keeping this into consideration, Equifax recently launched the latest version of its Equifax Mobile app for Android-based handset owners.
With Equifax Mobile app, users can conveniently benefit from features like Equifax Places that utilizes GPS location to display fraud index and credit rankings. The former one provides frequency of identity fraud based on gender, age, income and credit score, while the latter measures averages such as total debt and late payments. It proffers users the ability to easily lock or unlock their Equifax Credit Report as well as access credit file in real-time.
The app also relays alerts pertaining to primary changes made in credit file like activity on inactive accounts, new account openings or account balance modifications. The included Equifax Web Detect attribute allows owners to find if any vital personal data is put up on suspected Internet trading websites. It is compatible with Android phones running on 2.1 or later versions.
The free Equifax Mobile app is available for download via the Android Market.

CloudTalk social messaging App steps in for iPhone, Android

Companies and developers are indeed coming up with interesting and innovativeapplications to uplift users’ overall mobile experience.Extending its effort, CloudTalk has released its new application for Apple’s gorgeous iPhone and Android.



This updated version boasts of superior social and multimedia features along with an advanceduser interface. Owners can leverage their group messaging conversations simply by including new participants, naming their conversation threads by topic or by groups of individuals involved and by liking and commenting on conversations, pictures and videos.
“The friction caused by phone calls when we can’t take them, and voice mail that feels like a dead end, is making it harder to use our voice in daily communications with our social circle. CloudTalk stands out as the only platform to put the power and convenience of voice at the center of the social communications experience,” commented David Hayden, chairman and CEO of CloudTalk. “And CloudTalk makes talking as easy as texting, so we can freely use our voices to convey emotion, avoid misconstrued tone and get a message across far more quickly and powerfully than text alone.”
Users can add images and videos to their messages without any glitches as well as send group messages. Besides Facebook and Twitter integration, the app helps users request their loved ones to join them on CloudTalk through SMS or e-mail. The app organizes news feeds and provides users with voice messaging, text messaging and more.
The CloudTalk app can now be downloaded via the iTunes App Store or Android Market.

Sony to launch Android tablets this year

A year after Apple Inc. launched the iPad, Sony Corp. said Tuesday it plans to enter the tablet computer segment later this year with two models running Google Inc.’s Android operating system. 

Sony's two tablets--code-named S1 and S2--will be released sometime after the fall. The S1 is a slate-style tablet computer with a 9.4-inch touch-screen display that is thick on one end and tapers. The S2 is a shell-shaped device that opens and closes, with two 5.5-inch touch-screen displays. 

The two devices may not debut in a simultaneous global launch, Sony said, and may instead launch at different times in different markets. 

The company said the two devices will also come with wireless connectivity through Wi-Fi or 3G/4G services. Sony did not specify what mobile carriers it plans to work with, and offered no details on pricing or sales targets. 

Sony faces an uphill climb in the tablet computer market, already dominated by Apple's iPad. While demand for tablets is strong, the field is also crowded with nearly every electronics and PC maker unveiling offerings of their own. Sony has said it aims to establish itself as the number-two tablet maker after Apple in 2012. 

Tokyo-based Sony said it will run the Android 3.0 “Honeycomb” operating system, which was created specifically for tablet computers. The company showed how the tablet would enable faster Web browsing and would be capable of playing PlayStation-quality videogames. Both devices will run NVIDIA Inc.’s Tegra 2 processors.