Google updates the Chromecast to Play and Pause content via your TV Remote
It’s great being able to stream the latest episode of House of Cards on your TV via your Chromecast isn’t it? Although it can be really frustrating having to grab your smartphone when you want to pause the program in a hurry, sometimes it’s just quicker pressing a physical button on the TV remote. Thankfully, Google has updated the Chromecast to allow you to pause and unpause videos with the infra-red remote that came with your TV.
How does it work? Well, it’s all down to Chromecast using HDMI-CEC, which allows your TV to communicate with attached devices such as your Blu-Ray Player. If your Chromecast is running the latest firmware (27946) and you have a compatible TV, you should be able to play and pause content from a variety of sources ranging from YouTube, WatchESPN, HBO Go, BBC iPlayer, Google Play Music, TuneIn Radio, AllCast and Chrome web videos.
It should be noted that not all TV’s will be compatible with this function, for example, my LG set doesn’t offer HDMI-CEC compatibility, so your mileage may vary depending on which television set you own. You may also find that some television manufacturers may have given the HDMI-CEC function a different name, Sony calls it BRAVIA Link, LG call it SimpLink while Samsung has named it Anynet+. Confusing I know. If you aren’t sure, the easiest way to find out if your TV set is compatible is to just give it a whirl.
Source: Janko Roettgers
Come comment on this article: Google updates the Chromecast to Play and Pause content via your TV Remote
Nintendo Bringing Mario and Other Games to Smartphones and Tablets
Nintendo announced on Tuesday that it has partnered with Japanese mobile game maker DeNA to jointly develop games for smartphones, tablets and PCs, meaning that iconic franchises such as Mario, Pokemon and Zelda could soon be available on devices such as iPhone, iPad and Mac. Nintendo will purchase a 10% stake in DeNA for ¥22 billion ($182 million) as part of a cross-shareholding deal, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Nintendo consistently refused to license its intellectual property to other platforms, fearing that doing so may threaten its traditional, console-based business model. Nevertheless, as the mobile gaming industry has grown into an estimated $25 billion market, and competitors such as Sony begin making more games available on other consoles, it appears that Nintendo has caved into the pressure.
“The company seems to have totally changed its mind-set, after having resisted against mobile game development, publicly complained about the low quality of content in mobile and played down its role in the game world overall,” said Serkan Toto, a Tokyo-based game consultant. “This is about the most drastic, bold shift in strategy Nintendo could have undertaken.”
Nintendo and DeNA will team up to develop a “multi-device membership service for the global market,” available next fall for PCs, smartphones, tablets and also Nintendo gaming consoles, according to the report. Nintendo President Satoru Iwata said at a news conference on Tuesday that he hopes the service will allow the company to reach hundreds of millions of new users.
Microsoft will drop the Internet Explorer brand for its Project Spartan browser
In an expected move, Microsoft will look to drop the Internet Explorer brand altogether for Project Spartan. The new Windows 10 browser will sport a new name, according to Microsoft marketing chief Chris Capossela during the company’s Convergence event. Internet Explorer itself isn’t going away any-time soon, but the successor will start with a clean slate.
Cyanogen shows off new boot animation
We have been hearing for some time now that Cyanogen was working on an Android replacement without accessing Google Services. Now, the Cyanogen team has published a video on YouTube showing off their unique boot animation that will come along with the new Cyanogen OS update.
The new boot animation animation is a far cry from the flashy one at present as Cyanogen seems to have taken a cleaner and simpler approach this time. Previously it was leaked that the team at Cyanogen was preparing a new email client for Cyanogen OS 12.
Cyanogen is expected to throw away some more teasers with the impending OS 12 upgrade just weeks away. Within weeks, we will see the OnePlus One and the Micromax Yureka receiving Cyanogen OS 12 upgrade.
Rumour mills had earlier suggested that Microsoft was set to become a minor investor in Cyanogen in the latest rounds of funding but later the whole story was debunked. Parallelly Cyanogen’s CEO had said: “We want to take Android from Google.” The statement did not mean that Cyanogen was developing a Microsoft centric OS, clarified Cyanogen adding that it only wanted to allow companies to be able to use Android without having to adhere to Google’s tricky usage licenses and agreements.
Source: YouTube
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(Update: Xperia Z2 and some tablets) Xperia Z3 and Z3 Compact getting Lollipop update
Update, March 17: Sony has kicked off the rollout for the Xperia Z2, the Xperia Tablet Z3 Compact, and the Xperia Z2 Tablet (Wi-Fi and LTE). As per Xperia Blog, Scandinavian and Baltic countries are getting the updates first. To check if you’re on the list, go to Settings>About phone.
Original post, March 16:
Just as rumored, Sony has finally kicked off the Lollipop upgrade for its Xperia devices, starting with the top of the line: the Xperia Z3 and Xperia Z3 Compact.
Sony has begun updating the Xperia Z3 and Z3 Compact in Europe, with the Nordic and Baltic countries getting first dibs. As always, the actual availability of the update for your device will depend on your market, carrier, and specific model.
According to a posting on Sony’s official blog, the Lollipop (Android 5.0.2) update will bring the following enhancements to the software of the Xperia Z3 and Xperia Z3 Compact:
- “Fresh, streamlined looks” based on Material Design that retains Sony’s “minimalistic” approach to UI design
- New card-based notification style and lockscreen
- Multi-user support and guest mode
- Android for Work
- Ability to move apps to and from the microSD card
If you’re curious to see what Sony means by “fresh” and “minimalistic,” folks over at XDA (via Xperia Blog) have secured several screenshots of the new UI:
#gallery-1
margin: auto;
#gallery-1 .gallery-item
float: left;
margin-top: 10px;
text-align: center;
width: 25%;
#gallery-1 img
border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;
#gallery-1 .gallery-caption
margin-left: 0;
/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
Sony hasn’t specified it again, but today’s post links to the list published back in October of Xperia Z smartphone and tablets that will get to join the Lollipop club.
If you own a Sony device other than Xperia Z series, you’re probably wondering what Sony has in store for you, and we’re afraid we don’t have any good news on this front. Sony is mum about it, and it looks like that non-Xperia-Z devices will really be left behind.
Sony says updates for more Xperia Z devices will begin rolling out in “around two weeks’ time” so stay tuned for more.
What do you think of Sony’s Lollipop upgrade performance?
Nano-sized earthquakes could boost phone cameras’ performance
A team of Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) researchers believe they’ve found the secret to better phone cameras: teeny, tiny nano-earthquakes. To be exact, they’ve discovered that controlled sound waves can send ripples across 2D materials (flat surfaces that are a few atomic layers thick such as graphene), similar to ripples on the surface of water. These ripples can apparently change the electronic properties of a substance by carrying electrons across it. For their experiment, the team tested the technique on a photoluminescent 2D material, which emitted more and more light as the nano-earthquake intensified.
In cameras, the technique can increase the sensitivity of sensors, enabling them to perform better under low-light conditions. But besides cameras that can take great selfies even in the dark, the technology could also lead to more efficient solar cells and smart windows. The researchers believe it has a ton of other potential applications, as well, as it doesn’t permanently alter materials: they go back to their original state as soon as the sound waves stop.
Filed under: Misc, Gaming, Science, Microsoft
Via: Physorg, Extremetech
Source: MIT
Spotify and gaming subscriptions now help the UK measure inflation
Every year, the UK’s Office of National Statistics (ONS) names a list of products and services that enables it measure what consumers are spending their money on. Things like alcohol, clothing and furniture are typical items included in what’s known as the “basket of goods,” but the list has evolved over the years as Brits continue to embrace technology. This year, for instance, the ONS taken the decline of traditional media into consideration and decided to add streaming music services. Spotify will now join video streaming services (Netflix et al.) in the basket, which were incorporated for the first time last year.
Also making the list for the first time are computer game subscription services like PlayStation Plus and Xbox Live, and e-cigarettes, which represent the shift to vaping from traditional cigarettes. Headphones and mobile phone accessories are the final tech-centric products to be brought in. In order to make way for these new items, however, some need to be taken out. Satellite navigation (Sat Nav) devices are being forced to wave goodbye as drivers switch to their smartphone or enjoy the built-in controls in newer cars. Smartphones and tablets are already being monitored, of course, but now your gaming and music habits will help determine the value of the pound in your pocket.
Filed under: Cellphones, Internet
Source: Office of National Statistics
Motorola’s Gallery app gets updated with Material Design and other enhancements
If you’re rocking a Motorola smartphone, you may be interested to know that the Motorola Gallery app received some love earlier today in the form of an update that includes Material Design cues and other improvements. More details on What’s New after the break.
The Gallery app has been bumped to version 304122 by Motorola Mobility and features the following changes for all Motorola handsets:
- Improved Camera Roll view with sorting by event and time
- New app icon and material design enhancements
- Quicker access for cropping a photo
- Stability and performance enhancements
The following changes are only applicable for the Moto X (1st & 2nd Gen), Droid Ultra family and Droid Turbo handsets:
- Highlight Reel now available for Moto X (1st & 2nd Gen), Droid Ultra
- More free music downloads to personalize Highlight Reels
The Motorola Gallery app requires the handset to be running Android 4.3 Jelly Bean and up.
Come comment on this article: Motorola’s Gallery app gets updated with Material Design and other enhancements
Nintendo will make smartphone games in collaboration with Japanese publisher DeNA
Nintendo has announced that it will team up with Japanese mobile game publisher DeNA in making a series of smartphone games featuring Nintendo characters.
Latest Dropbox update groups folders together with new language support
Dropbox has released an update for the official Windows Phone app, bumping the offering to version 1.2. This latest release improves the way folders are viewed in list view and adds Norwegian language support.
AIVAnet 