Google’s Places API launches on Android, will let you share your location using real place names
The Places API for Android gives developers access to better location pickers, which means that users will soon be able to share their location using real place names instead of latitude and longitude.
Peter Chou steps down as HTC CEO, Chairwoman Cher Wang to take over
HTC chairwoman Cher Wang has replaced Peter Chou as CEO of the company. Chou will remain at HTC but will lead the company’s Future Development Lab.
Google Places API launches for iOS in beta, lets you share your location using place names
The Places API gives iOS developers access to better location pickers, which means that users will soon be able to share their location using real place names instead of latitude and longitude.
Google is detailing the launch of a beta program for the search giant’s Places API on iOS. The API taps into Google’s global database, “providing more than 100 million places, like restaurants, local businesses, hotels, museums, and other attractions.”
The Places API for the web and its JavaScript libraries have been available for some now, with Google now giving iOS and Android developers access to better loation picker services in their native apps. Key features of the API include:
- Add a place picker: a drop-in UI widget that allows your users to specify a place
- Get the place where the user is right now
- Show detailed place information, including the place’s name, address, phone number, and website
- Use autocomplete to save your users time and frustration typing out place names, by automatically completing them as they type
- Make your app stand out by adding new places that are relevant to your users and seeing the places appear in Google’s Places database
- Improve the map around you by reporting the presence of a device at a particular place.
Google has provided documentation for developers interested is using the API, as well as use-case demos. Interested in joining the beta program? Check out the developer website from the link below for more details.
Source: Google
Google woos potential Chromecast buyers with even more freebies
Don’t have a Chromecast? Not to worry, as Google is here to entice you into buying one by giving away rewards worth over $80.
Peter Chou steps down as HTC CEO, Chairwoman Cher Wang to take over
HTC chairwoman Cher Wang has replaced Peter Chou as CEO of the company. Chou will remain at HTC but will lead the company’s Future Development Lab.
Jide Ultra Remix Surface tablet could be yours for just $39
Do you remember back in January when we told you about a new tablet in the works from a few ex-Googlers, that looked like a Microsoft Surface, but ran a custom Android ROM meant for Windows-like productivity? Some of you said you ‘actually really like this,’ others bashed it, but you know what, the Jide Ultra Remix Surface tablet could be yours for as little as $39!
Here’s the deal, Jide has a Kickstarter campaign rolling for their Android 4.4 based ROM powered tablet. The campaign starts March 25th and has an entry pledge reward level of $39. No word on what exactly that reward will be, but every pledge is said to receive a new tablet!
What’s the catch? Well, if you can call this a catch, the Jide Ultra Remix Surface tablet is a short way from what you might call ‘complete.’ The device itself may be in good order, rocking a Tegra 4 SoC, with 2GB of RAM, up to 64GB of internal storage and a massive 8100mAh battery – it is the software that is not quite complete.
The idea is you are to be their guinea pig, to help beta test the software for final release when it eventually goes on sale for $349 – $449. You’ll receive the Ultra Remix Surface tablet running their own Remix OS, based on Android 4.4.2. Your insights, feedback, gripes and praises will help mold the OS as it updates to a base of Android 5.0 Lollipop and beyond.
Stay tuned here on March 25, we’ll have the rest of the details for you, including the links to the Kickstarter so that you can pickup your own beta release Jide Ultra Remix Surface tablet for as low as $39.
What do you say, are you willing to help develop a new Android based OS, or do you prefer to avoid all the bugs and hassle, sticking with final release software?
Remix to Ship Every Kickstarter Backer a Tablet
March 17, 2015 (Beijing) – Crowdfunding is not a new idea. Nor is launching a piece of hardware to help you be more creative and connected to all things digital. But on March 25th, a new Kickstarter campaign from a Chinese technology company called Jide will introduce a new twist on the crowdsourcing concept.
Jason Zheng is the International Marketing Manager for this new idea. “We want to try something totally different, and test our product in a community of users while creating a new idea, a new brand, and a new way of connecting a product to the market. Remix will be the first community built and backed product where users will get to engage with us firsthand in building a mobile productivity tool for the 21st century”.
Jide Technology is set to run the campaign with a singular goal of finding passionate innovators and early adopters who want to become a part of their first community of users. To build this community from the ground up, they plan to give all their backers, no matter which tier they pledge, a Remix ultra-table. Retail price on the Android device will be $399. The lowest reward tier is set to start at $39. In essence, they are giving away hardware and asking for help in making the next version of their software fresh and inspired by their community.
Remix: A Laptop Experience on a Big Android Tablet
Remix is a big, full HD 11.6” tablet that comes with a full size keyboard. Its OS is based on Android 4.4.2 (and soon to be upgraded to Android 5.0) been optimized for its big touchscreen and attached keyboard. Thus what makes Remix unique to the market: it’s a laptop experience on a big Android tablet.
“Our vision is simple: we believe that the next generation of personal computing will take place on bigger tablets and that Android can be customized to run them seamlessly,” said Jeremy Chau, main cofounder of Jide, in a recent interview. “Remix is the first embodiment of this vision. We believe our role in this future is to have Remix OS running on the majority of bigger Android tablets in the market.”
On Kickstarter to Build Their Community
To emphasize the community building aspect of their Kickstarter campaign, Jide is making available the Remix ultra-tablet on every reward tier. In effect, they are not using the platform as a traditional funding vehicle, but as a community building vehicle. Their goal is to get Remix into as many curious and appreciative hands as possible.
“We believe Kickstarter is the perfect platform for Remix to launch on in the US,” Chau continued. “The Kickstarter community typically isn’t backing a product just for the rewards themselves, but because they believe in the projects and they want to be involved in making them better to use. This is exactly the type of community Remix is looking for; engaged, creative, connected people who want to push their own circles to try something different.
Not a Conventional Kickstarter Project
Remix has begun to sell a localized version of their tablet in the Chinese market. What they’re making available through Kickstarter is a localized version built as a productivity tool for the US market.
“Back us at any amount and we’ll ship you a Remix. We’re looking for users to give us feedback and help us make Remix a better product for the US user and people will find useful. Our ask isn’t to love us immediately, our ask is to join a community and let’s build something together,” stated David Ko, fellow cofounder and VP of software development. “For us, building towards our vision means building our community, one user at a time.
Google is hoping these offers make you want to buy a Chromecast
Google isn’t just using Chromecast Offers to reward existing users, the company’s also loading it freebies in an effort to more households to get one. For instance, if you buy a Chromecast from March 20th to April 19th, you’ll get $80 worth of rewards. Namely, 3 months of subscription to Play Music, 1 month of Qello Concerts, 3 months of DramaFever, 3 months of Sesame Street GO and a free movie rental from Play Movies. While Google has reportedly sold over 10 million streaming sticks last year, having more users means getting more leverage when negotiating with content providers. That, in turn, could lead to bigger rewards or exclusive deals similar to Apple TV’s HBO Now offering.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Google
Source: Chromecast Offers
Total solar eclipse coincides with supermoon and spring equinox
The end is nigh, Engadget readers: a triumvirate of celestial events is happening simultaneously. Okay, that might be a bit of an overstatement, but until we hit the other side of today’s supermoon, spring equinox (yay!) and total solar eclipse, we just won’t know. As The Wall Street Journal tells it, this sort of thing is “extremely unusual.” Total solar eclipses — where the moon plays middleman and blocks the sun from our view — happen about once every year-and-a-half. Supermoons and the equinox? A handful of times per year and once annually, respectively.
Should you want to witness the full effect you’ll need to either be in the northern reaches of Europe or the Arctic, with the Faroe and Svalbard Islands sitting in the “path of totality” where the moon will block 100 percent of the sun. Certain areas of Britain will go dark for a few hours around 4:30 AM Eastern Time, too, but only 85 percent of the sun’ll be blocked instead of 100.
A GIF from NASA depicting the path of today’s solar eclipse
Not only do these types of eclipses look pretty neat, they serve as a great opportunity for scientists to study our star as well. For example, space-based coronagraphs (telescopes that spot things super close to the Sun by replicating solar eclipses) can’t show Sol’s hotter, inner atmosphere — that’s only visible during the real mccoy here on Earth. NASA has a whole slew of other solar eclipse facts so make sure to check ‘em out while you still can.
“A solar eclipse, the cosmic ballet goes on.”
”Does anyone wanna switch seats?” #eclipse2015 pic.twitter.com/tsake9ULLF
– SimpsonsQOTD (@SimpsonsQOTD) March 20, 2015
[Image credit: Shutterstock]
Source: NASA, The Wall Street Journal
Password Keeper for BlackBerry 10 updated with bug fixes and improvements
Although the app is often overlooked and replaced with third-party options, Password Keeper on BlackBerry 10 is still a great BlackBerry built solution for keeping track of your passwords. The app doesn’t get updated all that often, so it’s a bit surprising when one does appear. Such an update has now arrived in BlackBerry World and luckily, this time around BlackBerry has included a fancy change log for us all, even if it is rather small.
PDF Expert 5 on sale, half off for a limited time
PDF Expert 5 by Readdle is currently on sale for 50% off for a limited time.
Normally available for $9.99, PDF Expert can be purchased right now for $4.99. One of the great apps for iPad users, it allows you to read, annotate and fill out PDFs. You can also sign documents, and store your signature in the app for easy use. PDF Expert 5 also features support of a number of recent iOS 8 features, such as iCloud Drive and the document picker.
The most recent update added support for Chinese, French, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish, bringing the total number of supported languages to nine. You can get PDF Expert 5 from the App Store at its special price right now.
- $4.99 (limited-time only)- Download Now
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