April 2012

The Android Market is no longer the Android Market. Your book probably still refers to it as such, as does everyone else in the known universe. But in March of 2012, Google changed the Market into the Google Play Store. The app is no longer the Market app, but the Play Store app.

Beyond the name change, and a few cosmetic differences, the Play Store app works just like the Market app as described in your book. Here's a quick review:

The Main Screen. The first screen you see on the Play Store (Market) is shown below.

There are now categories for various things you can buy, and they're color-coded:

Green is for Apps and Games.

Orange is for Music. This is a new category with the December 2011 update. Don't get all excited: You'll need a Play Music app to play the music. It's not the same app as the Music app on your phone, though both apps share the same library. Well, with the exception of music you buy at the Play Store. That music is also available on the web at https://play.google.com/music.

Blue is for Books you can obtain for your Google Books collection. They're read by the Play Books app, which is installed on most Android mobile devices. You can also read the books online at https://play.google.com/books

Red is for Movies you can rent. You have up to 30 days to view rental, but once you start you have only 24 hours to watch the movie. You can watch the movie as much as you like during that 24 hour period. The Play Video app is used to view Movies, and if you don't have it you'll be prompted to download it after you rent your first film.

Browsing for apps. The browsing screens are shown here.

There are far more browsing categories in the Play Store app than there were in older releases of the Market app. Keep flicking the screen to the right to see them all.

And, of course, you can still search for an app, just as described in the book.

Getting an app. The method you use to get an app hasn't changed, but the screen has. Now there is an Install button for free apps and a Price button (with the amount in your local currency) for paid apps. The app's main screen is more descriptive as well:

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After touching the Install or Price button you'll see the app's description screen. Touch the Accept & Download button to get the app. For paid apps, you can choose your credit card if you have one set up with Google Checkout, otherwise you have to input credit card information. Then you touch the Accept & Buy button to get the app.

Sharing apps. A nifty button found on the app's screen is the Share button. Use that button to share a link to the app's page in the Play Store via a text or e-mail message. That way your friends can get the same app without having to search for it; they simply touch the shared link.

Reviewing your apps. There is no more Downloads screen in the Play Store app, which is how it might be referred to in your book. Instead, you review your apps pressing the Menu soft button and choosing the command My Apps. The list of apps displayed looks similar to what was shown before: Touch an app to update it or use the Update All button. You can long-press an app to see more information.

When browsing movies and books, you'll see menu commands for Play Movies, Play Music, and Play Books. Choosing those commands lets you review the books and films you've downloaded using the Play Store app.