Google’s Play Store is getting a big, visually intensive makeover
Many would argue that the Google Play Store for Android is useful in its current form, but pretty? Not so much. However, there are now signs that it’s going to be much better-looking — if not necessarily more functional. Android Police has obtained a wealth of screenshots hinting at a big Play Store revamp that borrows more than a few pages from the company’s new Material Design handbook. Extra-large artwork is everywhere, and there are now a slew of icons that make it clear what you’ll be getting, such as mature content. The layout isn’t perfect; there’s a lot of scrolling, for example, and some of the sharing features appear to be buried at the bottom. With that said, the new storefront is billed as a work in progress with no definite release date. It wouldn’t be out of the question to see a few tweaks before the store reaches your mobile device of choice.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile, Google
Source: Android Police
Russia’s new tram is a Batmobile on the outside, tech hub on the inside
Many trams are memorable, but they tend to evoke nostalgia rather than embrace the future. You can’t accuse UralVagonZavod (UVZ) of being behind the times with its new Russia One, though. To begin with, it looks like the Batmobile on a closed track — and for good reason. The forward-tilted windshield helps the conductor spot pedestrians, while the glass composite panels are easy to replace. The tram is cutting-edge on the inside, too. Dynamic LED lighting and music change the cabin mood to suit the time of day. You’ll also find positioning (GPS and GLONASS), air conditioning, anti-bacterial hand rails and WiFi. The driver even gets a USB 3.0 port that can keep a phone powered up.
Don’t count on hopping aboard one of these mass transit marvels when they go into production, which should be sometime in 2015. As the Russia One name implies, this machine is partly about national pride; UVZ believes the vehicle will primarily be used in major Russian cities. Exports to Eastern Europe and South America aren’t more than possibilities at this stage. Nonetheless, it’s a big step forward for a form of public transportation that doesn’t get a lot of love — and it’s probably the first tram that would make Bruce Wayne proud.
[Thanks, Josh]
Filed under: Transportation
Via: The Moscow Times
Source: UralVagonZavod
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