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Showing posts with label Google. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Google. Show all posts
Project tango hardware is getting closer to consumer markets
Project Tango, Google’s ground-breaking 3D-spacial mapping project has long been under development at the company’s Advanced Technology and Projects division. The captivating new concept has always been very promising, but also strictly confined to future research and development. Now it seems this is finally changing and we might just get the chance to experience some real-world implementations of the Google’s 3D technology on the consumer market.
While no major new leap has been made today’s news from the project team was equally thrilling:
“ATAP’s innovation strategy is characterized by ambitious goals, time limits, and temporary project teams. So, after two fast-paced years in ATAP, and many technical successes, the Tango team is transitioning from ATAP to a new home within Google. We’re excited about the continued commitment to developing the technology for our users — we wish our fellow pirates fair winds and following seas.”
It seems that project ARA is finally leaving the development realm and transferring over to Google’s current project portfolio. What this actually means is that the new 3D technology will not follow the fate of Google glass and is set be incorporated into actual products in the near future.
The graduation from ATAP is truly exciting for Project Tango, but future plans and third-party support and adoption of the new technology can still make or break the platform. LG has been partnering with Google on the new 3D technology for quite some time now and chances are that the Korean manufacturer might be first out of the pit with real-life implementations.
What is your take on Project Tango and what implementations excite you the most?
Google Earth Pro at $399/year service is now available for free
If you are a Google Earth user, here is some good news: the Pro version of the service, which was previously priced at $399 per year, is now available for free. This means that you can now use detailed imagery of the service as well as its advanced tools – that help you measure 3D buildings, print high-resolution images for presentations or reports, and record HD movies of your virtual flights around the world – all without paying a penny.
“Starting today, even more people will be able to access Google Earth Pro: we’re making it available for free,” Google said in a blog post. “To see what Earth Pro can do for you – or to just have fun flying around the world – grab a free key and download Earth Pro today. If you’re an existing user, your key will continue to work with no changes required.”
If you want to know what makes Google Earth Pro better than the standard version of the service, head to this Google support page that lists some of the most compelling features of the Pro version.
Google Now update brings support for 40 third party apps on Android
Google has updated its Google app for Android with support for 40 new third-party apps, including Airbnb, Urbanspoon, eBay, Waze, Instacart, Pandora, and The Guardian. This means that you’ll now see lots of new Google Now cards, giving you information that’s helpful to you, right when you need it.
“In the morning, catch up on news of the day with cards from The Guardian. On your commute, Pandora can give you recommendations for music to play, based on what you like, or you can be reminded to complete your daily French lesson on Duolingo,” the search giant said in a blog post.
The Mountain View, California-based company has teamed up with over 30 developers to bring you these cards, and it’s planning to add more cards and expand the feature over time. You can download the updated Google app from the Play Store – the update is rolling out slowly so it may take time to hit your device.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S Pro sneaked and hinted on the Google Play Store
Samsung has updated its Milk Music app and the description of the app listing compatible devices reveals the company is preparing to unveil a Galaxy Tab S Pro tablet. The upcoming slate is likely to have its launch at the Mobile World Congress in March.
So far, nothing of the tablet has been leaked but its name. Still, this gives us a bit of an idea what it’s going to be about. The Galaxy Tab S line-up features Super AMOLED displays and the Pro moniker is most recently used by Samsung multiple times already for its Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 tablet.
Therefore, we wouldn’t be surprised to see a Galaxy Tab S Pro 12.2 join the Galaxy Tab S 8.4 and Galaxy Tab S 10.5. It’s true that the company also used a Pro moniker for its high-end Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 andGalaxy Tab Pro 10.5, but the company is believed to stick the Pro moniker only to its largest slates going forward.
In any way, both Galaxy Tab S members are powered by the Exynos 5 Octa 5420 chipset, so the upcoming Tab S Pro is likely to feature some sort of home-baked chipset as well (hopefully Exynos 7420). The resolution of the 12″ Super AMOLED display of the Tab S Pro ought to be 1600 x 2560 pixels, like the rest of the family. Surely, the new tablet will also be as thin at 6.6mm or even less, due to the larger footprint. Expect more information as MWC draws closer.
Google Play & iOS App Store gap increases in number of downloads, fails to monetize
App Annie, mobile app analyzer, has published its annual report containing some curious findings. The paper, named App Annie Index:2014 Retrospective, sheds light on the mobile app trends of the year.
Chief among them is that Google is building on its lead over Apple when it comes to downloads, snatching 60% of the total number. In other words, Google Play store has registered close to 50% more app installations than the iOS App Store.
Apple shouldn’t be all that worried, though, as it’s firmly in the lead where it matters. The App Store generates a whopping 70% more revenue than its Android counterpart. Additionally, Apple’s figures are up 55% in their own right. Google’s two-fold increase in revenue is still notable, however. Mind you, no actual numbers have been provided in the research.
The report outlines other interesting trends as well. For example, the app store superpowers Japan, South Korea and the United States have witnessed a 10% growth in downloads, and more importantly, a huge 70% increase in revenue. In the BRIC group of Brazil, China, India and Russia, those growth numbers are 40% and 130% respectively, driven by Brazil’s rise to global #2 on the Google Play store in number of downloads.
Another key area is what has become known as super casual gaming. Think Flappy Bird and other single-tap games that are there to fill short patches of free time. Such titles have snatched the monthly top spot in game downloads on 4 occasions this past year, for Android and iOS combined.
The 39-page report is available for download on App Annie’s website, and features multiple charts and tables, revealing top apps distribution in key markets.
Google Fiber all set for more US cities this week
Google is all set to offer its ultra-high speed Google Fiber broadband service in several new metro areas soon, according to a Wall Street Journal report. These areas include Atlanta, Nashville, the North Carolina cities of Raleigh-Durham, as well as Charlotte.
As per the report, the Mountain View, California-based company has already sent invitations to local media in the cities to attend events this week, details of which are still under wraps. While events in Atlanta and Nashville are scheduled for today, those in Raleigh and Charlotte are planned for tomorrow, and Durham the day after.
Google Fiber is currently available in Kansas City, Kansas, Kansas City, Missouri, Provo, Utah, and Austin, Texas. Back in February last year, the search giant said that the company is exploring the idea of expanding the service to up to 34 cities in nine metro areas.
According to David Vossbrink, a spokesperson for San Jose, the company has told him that the new announcements “should not be considered the end of the road for the other areas.”
Dropbox acquires Pixelapse creative collaboration and version control suite
Dropbox has recently been putting a lot of effort into expanding its service and striving for better integration with various third-party platforms and products. The latest step in this direction is the acquisition of Pixelapse with the intent to eventually integrate the interesting service into the core Dropbox experience.
Pixelapse offers a modern take on managing the workflow of various creative areas. It is intended to provide artist and designers with a fluent, intuitive and very visual way of managing the work process and collaborating. The software itself is beautifully executed both visually and in terms of performance. It runs on both Windows and OSX and is completely free for hosting public projects.
It has much needed collaboration tools, specifically tailored to suite the artistic occupations. Most notable among these are: cross-platform sync, revision timelines and version control, project workflow management complete with conversations, dashboards, notifications and many more.
The news itself came from the Pixelapse team, which did not hide its excitement to be able to work a new grander scale:
The prospect of developing products at Dropbox that expand this vision to millions of users is tremendously exciting.
The message goes on to disclose an already initiated process of transferring the whole experience over to Dropbox with a promise to retain the same level of attention to detail. This process should span over the next year or so during which time the traditional Pixelapse platform will continue to function normally and take on new subscribers. Current users can also count on migration plans for their work being made available once the product merge has finished.
So if you are looking for a new collaboration tool with a more artistic flavor be sure to check out Pixelapse.
Cyanogen trying to break free of Google dependence
At an event in San Francisco, the CEO of Cyanogen Inc. Kirt McMaster spoke about the company's bold plans about the future. As it turns out, Cyanogen has ambitions “to take Android away from Google.”
Cyanogen wants to provide an open version of Android on a deeper level than what’s currently available. This will allow the company to offer its partners “tier one services.”
McMaster gave Google Now as an example. The search giant’s mighty personal assistant interacts with the core of Android in a way third-party apps are not allowed to. Cyanogen plans to give such access to apps made by their partners. One example discussed was Yahoo’s Aviate launcher, which could benefit from such deep integration into the OS. of course, for that to become a reality, Yahoo would have to team up with Cyanogen, so for now that remains only an example.
Furthermore, Cyanogen plans to “not be based on some derivative of Google in three to five years.” This means that the company plans to break away from Google Play services. The latter are unsurprisingly firmly controlled by the search giant.
Cyanogen plans to break away from Google Play services by creating its own app store in collaboration with partners. The latter is expected to go live within 18 months.
Overall, it appears that Cyanogen has more or less had it with Google and its control over Android. We are quite curious to find out if the small, yet ambitious company can materialize its bold plans. So far, only Amazon has somewhat managed to do so, though, it is worth noting, that the retail giant has considerably more resources than Cyanogen.
Motorola Nexus 6 was only a few inches away from fingerprint sensor
The Motorola Nexus 6 apparently could have come with a fingerprint scanner on its back. This information comes straight from former Motorola CEO Dennis Woodside, speaking in an interview.
While developing the first Nexus phablet, the company considered placing a fingerprint sensor on its back, in the exact spot that is taken by the dimple housing the Motorola logo.
This didn't end up actually happening because of Apple, at least in part. See, that company purchased "the best supplier" of fingerprint recognition technology around, namely AuthenTec. So Motorola obviously couldn't use that technology.
Woodside says "the second best supplier was the only one available to everyone else in the industry and they weren't there yet", almost certainly referring to the quality of the sensors' recognition rates and ease of use.
So it looks like when it was faced with deciding between using a fingerprint scanner that wasn't the best, and not using one at all - Motorola chose the latter for the Nexus 6. It's not clear whether there are many people out there who miss such a feature in the phablet, though, so perhaps the company wasn't wrong in its choice.
Google Acquires SlickLogin, A Sound-Based Password System That Uses Your Phone For Authentication...
An international mega-corp like Google buys companies like the rest of us buy coffee. Google's latest latte is SlickLogin, a startup that aims to make authentication simpler and safer by using sonic login codes on phones. The details of the purchase aren't public just yet, but SlickLogin's site confirms that "the [team] is joining Google."
SlickLogin's system is unique: it uses a cell phone as an authentication key with the help of nearly-silent audio codes sent via computer speakers. When you access a site or service with SlickLogin, your computer speakers send out a series of tones and pitches. Your phone picks up the nearly inaudible signal, then confirms the code with SlickLogin's servers. No passwords are necessary. This creates a very basic login system that's almost entirely passive once set up. SlickLogin has been featured at startup events and partnered with at least one bank for a proof-of-concept, but the website doesn't show any active partnerships. TechCrunch has more information and a video on SlickLogin from Disrupt 2013. The company's contact information is being forwarded to Google's Tel Aviv office.
The application for Google's own services is obvious. A seamless way of logging into existing services (and/or making them more secure with an easy two-factor authentication system) could be a big boon. Then again, this could always be a talent buy or "acqhire" of SlickLogin's three founders, all veterans of the Israeli Defense Force's cyber security team. At the moment it isn't clear whether or not SlickLogin will continue to operate as a separate entity a la Waze, but considering the company's relatively small size and reach, I wouldn't bet on it.
LG tweets: Android 5.0 Lollipop update for G3 in the United States
It looks like LG G3 owners in the United States are soon going to get the Android 5.0 Lollipop treatment. LG USA told its followers on Twitter that the new Android version is “coming soon” to G3 smartphones across the Atlantic.
LG G3 has already received Android 5.0 Lollipop in a plethora of regional markets. The latter include a number of European countries, South Korea, and India.
The Korean giant is the first major smartphone manufacturer to deliver the latest Android build to its halo smartphone. LG will subsequently announce Android 5.0 upgrade schedule for the rest of its lineup of mobile devices.
As expected, Android 5.0 Lollipop will bring a host of improvements to LG G3. They include new UI design language, new security features, as well as a brand new Android ART runtime.
Game of Thrones Episode 2 to debut on 5th of february in the Play Store
Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series has become one of the most riveting games on Android since its launch back in early December. Telltale Games has just announced that the second episode, entitled The Lost Lords, will debut in the Google Play Store on February 5th. The first episode of Game of Thrones is available in the Play Store for $4.99, and the second and third episodes are forecasted to be available for the same price.
Following the first episode, House Forrester is still in shambles and it’s your job to help the family survive by playing as Asher Forrester, Mira Forrester or Gared Tuttle. Here is the full description for the next episode:
House Forrester is in disarray. Their liege lord and his heir are dead, and Ironrath is occupied by Whitehill soldiers. The survival of the family depends upon those who are left. Placed at King’s Landing, the epicenter of intrigue, Mira Forrester must weigh her loyalty to Margaery Tyrell against the needs of her family, while choosing how to play the political games of Tyrion Lannister. One misstep could spell doom for Mira and her entire family. To the far north, Gared Tuttle finds that the wall and its crows hold little love for a squire from the Wolfswood, but finds kinship in the bastard son of Ned Stark. Gared must prove worthy of becoming a ranger in order to carry out the mission given him; one that is vital to the future of those he serves. To the east, Asher Forrester, the exiled son, is called back to Westeros to aid his family, but how can one man help when the Boltons rule the north with an iron fist? Meanwhile, an unexpected source of hope returns to the Forresters, but Ironrath is no place for the weak.
Additionally, the game will be available for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 and PC/Mac on February 3rd. The game will also launch on the Xbox 360 and Xbox One on February 4th. From the looks of the trailer attached above, The Lost Lords will be a worthy sequel to the first episode.
Windows 10 for mobile, will give Android some competition?
Microsoft made a few huge announcements yesterday, primary of which was the introduction of Windows 10. One huge feature stood out for us, the fact that Windows 10 will work across all of your available platforms, from the PC to your tablet, and even on your phone.
Microsoft has been struggling a bit in playing catch up with the leading mobile hardware and software vendors around the globe. Windows 8 began down the road to mobile friendly functionality, it was certainly built with touchscreen input in mind, but it somehow felt like an incomplete operating system to many, with a UI that made sense for a tablet experience, but lacked in old school Windows functionality on the desktop.
While Windows 8 is still the prevalent desktop OS, Microsoft has had to rely on a separate OS altogether for mobile. Windows Phone 8.1 is the current iteration, found mostly on the Microsoft owned Nokia devices, plus a small selection of HTC and other handsets.
Windows 10 is a new approach, the same OS is capable of installing on the various devices, where it offers a differing UI for each form factor. From what Microsoft showed off in their announcement, the phone UI brings with it the typical functionality we have all come to expect from our mobile devices. Home screens, settings menus, a phone book, a web browser and more.
What’s new
Windows 10 will rock a new web browser, code named Project Spartan. Cortana is a huge element to the new OS. Universal Apps make for a consistent experience across devices. Action Center eases settings control and syncs data and notifications across devices. Expanded Xbox integration goes beyond sharing game clips, streaming full games to your Windows 10 PC or tablet.
Looking at the new Universal Apps approach, there will be a few limitations as developers work around the x86 vs ARM architectures, but the goal is for one app to work on all of your gear. In addition to the app itself, there has been a focus on services.
Users familiar with the advanced photo functionality of Google+ should be comfortable with most of the Windows 10 Photo capabilities.
Your photos will show together in the Photos app, they will be automatically organized into sections and albums. Small touch-ups will happen automatically as well, such as red eye reduction. Best of all, photos will be a part of the new synchronization technology available on your Windows 10 phone in the Action Center. As is true for Google+ users, you’ll be able to get to your full photo collection regardless the device you are using.
A new messaging app seamlessly jumps between your SMS and IM communications, with Skype integration bringing video to the mix.
There is even a floating on-screen keyboard in Windows 10. Just swipe with your finger to re-locate it wherever you need it.
Should Android and other mobile be worried?
This is a tough one to answer. When it comes to walking into a cell phone store, one usually has to go looking for the Windows Phones hidden on the back shelf. Android and iOS devices have all but monopolized the industry. In these spaces, Microsoft has a long road ahead of them.
When viewing Windows 10 as a service, as many business and educational institutions may do, Windows phones and tablets take on a new appeal. If outfitting a large group of your employees or students with Windows PCs, a matching Windows tablet or phone is an easy sale.
Android, for many, is a powerful OS because it integrates so well with the Google ecosystem of apps and services. Microsoft has a growing user base of OneDrive and Outlook.com users that may become very interested in a phone that directly ties into those services.
As Microsoft expands their services, Windows 10 becomes a larger threat to Android. As a side note, with all of that said, Samsung has worked hard to build their own ecosystem, a roughly mirror image of Google’s own Android apps and mobile related services. Yet, Samsung’s Tizen OS has struggled to take off, so far.
Perhaps one move that Microsoft has done right with Windows 10, is adjust their pricing structure to be more in-line with other Mobile OSs. That’s right, as you have probably already read, for a wide selection of upgrade paths, Windows 10 is free. We are eager to learn what the price will be for those not upgrading. Android remains free, and open, Microsoft will have to keep that in mind as they try to compete.
Final thoughts
If the going success of Windows Phone and the once-great Nokia are to be considered when measuring future threat to Android, we might just say that Android’s market share has nothing to worry about. However, Microsoft has had time to watch and learn, by all accounts, it appears that they are doing things right with Windows 10. We’ll have to wait and see if that translates into smartphone sales.
What do you say, is Windows 10 a viable threat to Android market share, or is this just another Microsoft OS, doomed to be mocked and kept to your PC?
The Witcher Battle Arena now on Google Play
Fans of RPGs or MOBA-style games have probably heard of The Witcher series, which offers arena-based fighting gameplay set in the Witcher universe. Developers CD Projekt RED have just released The Witcher Battle Arena to the Google Play Store, following the recent release of The Witcher Adventure Game. Unlike the board game-style Adventure Game, Battle Arena is an RPG that allows players to control and fight against the game’s iconic characters in an arena setting.
When you first start up the game, you can instantly choose from a number of different characters, including Geralt of Rivia, Letho of Gulet, Philippa Eilhart, Zoltan Chivay, Eithné of Brokilon, The Operator, Golem, Saskia of Aedirn and Iorveth.
Here are all of the features the game brings:
- Action packed gameplay – Short and intense matches that you can complete in less than 10 minutes –perfect for on-the-go gaming.
- Solo and team play ready – Challenge your friends, team up against bots or try to beat our AI on your own (no internet connection required).
- Hero progression – Each character offers unique skills and a different playing style – and you’ll unlock new skills as you play, opening up even more ways to crush your opponents. Try out various strategies as your heroes progress, pick your favorite mix of skills and hone your tactics in the arena.
- Free gaming done right – You can unlock everything in the Battle Arena just by playing. You’ll gain access to new heroes and items as a fast and fun part of normal gameplay – no grinding or endless waiting required. If you ever want something right away, you can purchase it for a reasonable price.
The game can now be downloaded from the Google Play Store for free, with a few in-app purchases ranging from $.99 to $9.99.
Google will soon start to sell the Nexus Player at a store near you
The media streaming Nexus Player began selling in the Google Play Store last year for $99. That price will remain through retailers moving forward. Although, much like the frequent sales that can be found for the Chromecast, we expect to see some deals come through for the Nexus Player as well.
One of the Nexus Player’s biggest tricks is the ability to connect its companion wireless gamepad, allowing you to bring your favorite Android games to the big screen. We’ve had the chance to try this out, and while we think the Nexus Player is a great unit, you likely will not be selling your PS4 or Xbox in favor of the Android TV powered unit. The gamepad will also sell through retailers for about $50.
Google is destined to make this a big year for Android TV, and the increased functionality of the device and connectivity with Android 5 Lollipop phones and tablets should continue to add value to the unit.
So, if you are in the market for an Android TV device, but are not a fan of purchasing through the Google Play Store, get ready to head on over to your local Walmart or log into your Newegg account to pre-order your Nexus Player today.
Is increased availability a selling point for you, or is the Nexus Player still not the device you are looking for?
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