Google Reader and Docs Updates, and the Android Market Update Glitch

What the Reader update changed

The Reader changes were small. The like option from the web app was removed, and there was no +1 button either. Sharing used the standard Android share menu, which lets you send an item by email and similar routes, so it did not default to Google+ the way the web version did.

What the Docs update changed

The Docs release notes said only that it fixed bugs from the previous version. Some people on the web said the interface looked more like Ice Cream Sandwich. The author compared screenshots with an earlier Docs post and saw little difference, apart from a widget that looked slightly more square.

The Market problems

The real frustration was the update process itself. The author saw the following:

• The Market listed an update for Docs, but tapping it showed nothing to install.
• The app reported version 1.0.27, and the web listing also said 1.0.27.
• On a tablet, the Update all option finally installed it. The Market page still said 1.0.27 while the app’s About screen said 1.0.30.
• Later the web listing changed to 1.0.30, and a remote install from the web finally fixed the phone.

The author also wondered whether using a Canadian IP address meant the Market had not yet received the international version of an update. That was a guess, not a confirmed cause.

Status today

These versions are long obsolete. Google Reader has been discontinued, and the Market is now Google Play, which updates apps automatically.