blogger directory

6/23/2010

Intel AppUp Center is an App Store for Netbooks

If you own a Netbook with an Intel Atom processor, you might be looking for an easy way to find apps that are optimized for it. Today we look at Intel AppUp Center which allows you to quickly find and install Netbook apps.

Note: The applications are meant to be used with Netbooks that have an Intel Atom processor running XP or Windows 7. It’s still in Beta, so expect some quirks and perhaps not as many apps as you’d expect.

Intel AppUp Center

Installation is pretty straight-forward. One thing to point out is during the install process you need to select your location to get apps for your region of the world.

IAU01

Launch AppUp and you can begin using the intuitive dashboard to quickly find apps from various categories.

IAU02

It acts like other app stores where you can arrange the views and get previews of the available apps. It will indicate if they’re free or if you need to purchase them.

IAU03

There are a lot of different categories…although there may not be a lot in each one as it’s still a work in progress.

IAU04

Click on an app you find interesting to get more information about it such as screenshots, description, and reviews.

IAU05

When you want to get an app you’ll need to log into your account or create one before downloading it.

IAU06

The app will automatically install with no further action on your part.

IAU07

Applications

Now you can begin using the programs you downloaded…like this cool one called fizy desktop which lets you easily find and play music from your desktop.

IAU08

There are plenty of games available for you to play while you’re “taking notes” at the company meetings as well.

IAU09

Here is an interesting one from Newsy that lets you watch videos of the latest news headlines…there are a bunch of apps so explore around and have fun!

IAU10

Under My Apps you can see a list of all the ones you currently have.

IAU11

It allows you to keep track of the apps you’re downloading or already have, and will show if updates are available for them.

IAU12

Under the Recently Downloaded section you can launch apps or uninstall them.

IAU13

Conclusion

Overall we found it to be a lot of fun for discovering new apps on our HP Mini. There are many to choose from so go ahead and try out any that interest you…the uninstall process only takes a couple of mouse clicks.

One thing we noticed however, is AppUp Center didn’t run as fast as we’d like. Of course it’s still a work in progress and hopefully that will be cleared up in the future. We tried out several different apps and after installed, they ran smooth with no issues…but your mileage may vary depending on the application.

If you’re a developer, they have a program section with instructions and helpful forums so you can start creating cool apps for Netbooks.

Download Intel AppUp Center (beta)

Intel Atom Developer Program (beta)

No comments:

Post a Comment