Google has launched an updated version of Google Maps for Android. The key new feature is a recommendation engine based on Google’s new Hotpot service. Here’s how it works. As you use Google Maps to find places (such as restaurants, coffee shops, stores, hotels, and so on), you can now rate places using a new home screen widget. As you rate places, Google will get… Read more »

While shopping for a new vacuum cleaner this weekend, my wife had a few items that she wanted to look at which had received high marks from Consumer Reports. Unfortunately, the first store we went to didn’t have any of those items in stock, so I whipped out my Nexus One, fired up the Google Shopper App, and used the local search results to see… Read more »

Poynt is a mobile application that lets you search for people, movies, and businesses including restaurants and gas stations. The app is location-aware, and makes it easy to search for listings close to your current location. Poynt originally launched as a BlackBerry app, but it’s now available for Android as well, as a free download from the Android Market. You can either search for a… Read more »