Google revamps Android Market website – it still sucks

Google has revamped its Android Market website to look prettier but it’s still fairly useless.

To be fair, it’s easier to check out the featured apps, top free and paid ones, and the design of the site is more pleasing than previous versions. My main problems with it is that the site doesn’t even have a search bar (unfathomable for a company like Google), there’s no way to use this site to directly download apps over the air to your device and linking to individual apps is a waste of time because you don’t get much information.

Google’s vision for Android is for everything to be done over the air on the device. It even says that the website is more of a “showcase” for Android Market and “For a comprehensive, up-to-date list of the tens of thousands of titles available, check out Android Market on your handset.” Google thinks smartphones are going to make desktops “irrelevant” in as little as three years, so I understand the mobile-centric approach but I think it is missing out on a big opportunity for discovering and managing apps.

Apple’s App Store approach is not perfect, as I’m not that big of a fan of iTunes but it does offer a better way to discover and manage your apps. Since there’s no official desktop software for Android, you’re kind of on your own. Third-party providers like DoubleTwist and AppStore HQ are trying to fill the gap for that little, green robot but both leave a bit to be desired. I want a soup-to-nuts solution from the search giant that makes it easier to maintain my apps.

I’ve also been impressed with the AppBrain app for Android, as it enables you to discover what programs your friends are using and it has provided a few good recommendations. How say you, IntoMobile readers? What’s been the best way to manage and discover Android apps? Should Google create some form of desktop software or is that old-school thinking?