14 DAY TRIAL // Google Currents, an Android application that allows users to read online magazines and other similar content, has received a major update.
As the name suggests, Currents has been developed by Google and launched in Google Play store, formerly known as Android Market, in December, 2011.
However, Google Currents was only available in the United States and required users to be online every time they wish to read their favorite publication.
Since December, the application gathered almost 400 publisher additions and over 14,000 self-produced editions, which are now available for everyone to read.
The main complaint of Android users was that Google Currents was not available internationally. Well, it appears that Google had listened to the users’ feedback and make it happen.
In fact, Google claims that “after the U.S. launch, the top features readers requested were to make the app available internationally and to allow content to sync quickly.”
Starting today, those who install Google Currents 1.1 on their Android device will be able to read newspapers, magazines and other content from other countries as well.
The following editions with local content have already been published and are accessible from any Android device: The Guardian in the UK, LaStampa in Italy, Financial Times Deutschland in Germany, ABC News in Australia, Neue Zürcher Zeitung in Switzerland and Hindustan Times in India.
There’s more to it as most of these publications come with a new publisher-translated feature, which allows Android users to read them in their preferred language. Google made this feature available by integrating Google Translate into the application.
For the time being, the new feature can automatically translate a publication to one of 38 supported languages.
Last but not least, there’s a new dynamic sync feature which enhances users’ reading experience with fresh content while on the move. Offline reading has been included as well.
Google Currents 1.1 is now available as a free download via Google Play store and it should be fully compatible with all devices running Android 2.2 and up.
