OFFLINE

Google updated its Google Translate app for Android today to version 2.6. The new version, available for Android 2.3 and up, supports the translation of vertical text in Korean, Japanese, and Chinese with your camera. The big news, however, is that it finally supports offline use with downloadable language packs.

To download one or more of the 50 available language packs, go to Menu > Offline languages, then tap on the pin icon next to the languages you want to download. You'll then be prompted to choose whether to download the files over your mobile data network … Read more

Google today added offline language support to the Google Translate app for Android.

Available for devices running Android 2.3 Gingerbread and up, the new feature provides translation in 50 languages, even where a data connection is not present. To enable the offline capabilities on your device, simply download and install your desired language packs.

While Google is quick to admit that the offline results pale in comparison with the online version, it should still help when you find yourself hiking in the Andes mountains.

Those interested in kicking the tires on the new app experience are encouraged to head … Read more

Google's Gmail mobile Web app is getting a refresh, the company said.

Google noted on its Google+ page today that Gmail for mobile Web and Gmail Offline now include many new features it added to its iPhone and iPad apps in December. Those changes include improved calendar integration that allows users to see RSVPs inline, and improved search that includes autosuggestions.

Another change is a complete visual refresh, including changes to color, spacing, layout, and avatars (which is a person's Google profile picture or a first initial if he or she doesn't have a profile picture).

The … Read more

The iPhone has become a popular reading device for many of its millions of users. So, a good dictionary app is a must, especially if you also have installed newspaper, eBook, and blog reading apps. While there are paid as well as some free versions of many well-known dictionaries available in the app store, Dictionary Offline Free provides a number of options that are more than enough for most users. Easy to use and with clear instructions for how to download more dictionaries, save entries, and share them, Dictionary Offline Free is a great tool for anyone that needs to … Read more

OK, I'll admit it. I was a little harsh when I reviewed the newest Google Chromebook from Samsung. Why? Because no matter how snappy or quick-booting the Chromebook feels, it's a computer that needs an online connection for most apps. Or, it was.

Now that version 20 of the Chrome browser has been released and Chrome OS 20 is also available, a key app update to Google Drive enables offline Google Docs editing and writing, a feature I sorely missed when I reviewed the system. Now it's here, bearing promises of finally taking Chromebooks where they've never easily gone before: offline.… Read more

Google has now made its Drive service more than an online storage product and productivity suite. You can now edit documents you have stored on Google Drive (or Docs, if you haven't moved over to the new interface) during those moments -- while sitting on an airplane or in a cabin in the woods or in a Wi-Fi-free coffee shop -- when you are not connected to the Internet. And when you open that same document when you are back online, the changes you made while offline are there. (For some reason, Google is putting this offline access under … Read more

Shortly after the Google I/O keynote yesterday, Google rolled out a list of app updates, one of which was an update to Google Maps. In the update, Google enabled the ability to save a section of a map for offline access. This is a great feature when you are traveling in an area with spotty coverage.

To save an area, launch Google Maps and tap on the menu key. Select Make Available Offline from the menu and then narrow down the area you want to save. You'll want to make sure you do this in advance and when … Read more

Google unveiled an offline version of its Google Maps application, allowing phones to run the program without an Internet connection.

The offline mode would be coming to Android shortly, according to Rita Chen, product manager of Google Maps for mobile.

The introduction of the new mapping service comes just as Apple is widely expected to drop Google's mapping application from iOS in favor of its own proprietary version. Maps is emerging as the next major battleground for technology companies, with services, recommendations, and advertisements built around location.

The service would work whether the phone was abroad and without access … Read more

PayPal announced today it is partnering with 15 more U.S. retailers aiming to get shoppers to use PayPal's offline payment system.

"Consumers are relying on technology now more than ever to simplify their lives when it comes to shopping and paying, and retailers must adapt to this shift or risk becoming irrelevant," PayPal President David Marcus wrote in a blog post. "Innovative retailers everywhere are looking for ways to improve the shopping experience, extend loyalty programs and better engage with their customers."

The new retailers include, Abercrombie & Fitch, Advance Auto Parts, Aeropostale, American … Read more