Computers-Plus

A screen shot of part of the page you would see when visiting amazon.com/apps before it was taken down. Photo: androidnews.de

Retail giant Amazon is preparing to launch its own app store on the Android platform on Tuesday, March 22, a trusted source told Wired.com.

First leaked in September, Amazon’s Android app store will be a curated market, meaning Amazon reviewers will determine which apps are allowed inside, similar to Apple’s iTunes App Store. That’s a contrast to Google’s “anything goes” policy for apps that appear in the Android Marketplace.

Amazon has been less than discreet with its imminent app store. Earlier thi

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In an effort to get users to start using Apple’s brand spanking new Mac App Store when it launches next month, the company will completely shut down its existing Web-based digital download store.

The Mac App Store aims to make downloading computer software as easy as it is to download apps to the iPhone and iPad. It will serve as a visually pleasing, centralized hub for all officially licensed Mac programs. Developers will have to opt-in to the service, but those who already use Apple’s “Downloads” service can make the transition fairly easily.

Nevertheless, some developers no doubt got a bit shaken when they saw a mass e-mail from Apple saying the Web-based Downloads service will be shut down instantly on January 6.

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Google is showcasing its newly-minted Chrome web store at the 2010 I/O conference in San Francisco.

The online shop is expected to offer shoppers access to a wide variety of games, magazines and applications.

“We believe it should be easier for users to discover web apps and for developers to reach a large audience,” explained Google spokesperson Erik Kay.

“Chrome users who find web apps in the store will be able to create convenient shortcuts in Chrome for easy access.

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A new version of our favorite iPhone Twitter app Tweetie just flew into the App Store. It’s got a cleaner look, a few extra features, and most importantly, it’s much faster.

We’ve had some time to test Tweetie 2, and so far we’re loving it. Like its predecessor, it’s a gorgeous, elegant app that demonstrates keen understanding of user interface design.  New features include a menu to view trending topics, a drafts manager, and the ability to post videos with your tweets.

A pretty impressive feature is the “Nearby” button, which launches a map that automatically sweeps the area for nearby Twitterers. Tapping each b

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