Google April Fools’ Day jokes for 2015 [Updated with Google Panda, Keyless Keyboard, and more]
Is it that time of the year already? It appears that Google is starting the April Fools’ Day jokes a little early so we already have a couple below. We will update this post as more jokes are released.
To check out last year’s antics, click here.
Play Pac-Man in Maps
This might be the coolest thing Google has ever done. You can now play Pac-Man in Google Maps.
You can’t play anywhere, so you will have to find a location that you can (tips below). From your desktop, search for a location that you think has Pac-Man, and if it does, you will see a Pac-Man pin. Click on it and you’re in. If not, you can click on the larger icon at the bottom left and you will get an “I’m Feeling Lucky” link that might take you to a location that works.
‘Audio Books’ App Updated With CarPlay Support and Refreshed Interface [iOS Blog]
The iOS app for Audiobooks.com today received an update to overhaul the browsing experience, dedicated audio player, and even allow full integration with CarPlay “and select in-car infotainment systems”, to allow its users to listen to audiobooks while driving.
The company didn’t release much information on the update outside of the release notes, so there isn’t any word yet on how easy and fluid the experience is when pairing with CarPlay. It does, however, appear to be the first dedicated audiobook app to announce compatibility with Apple’s CarPlay system.
Elsewhere in the update, Audiobooks.com introduced a more “minimalist look and feel” to the app, tweaked the controls and experience of the audio player, and re-shuffled the settings page to make more critical information easier to navigate through. Considering the Audio Books app jumped from version 4.6 to 5.0.3, however, there were even more changes brought to the app alongside these.
What’s New in Version 5.0.3
-Fully updated user interface with a new minimalist look and feel
-Improved book browsing and general user experience for international users
-Full integration with CarPlay and select in-car infotainment systems
-Audio player updated to incorporate full functionality and controls without sub-menus
-Re-organized settings page displays critical account information more prominently
-Improved navigation throughout the app for a more intuitive user experience
The app touts itself as having over 60,000 audiobooks, with over 2,500 available to download for free. Following an initial free trial, the service works like any other paid monthly experience, with $14.95 a month buying users one free audiobook every 30 days. The company promises cross-platform continuation of audiobooks, meaning users can start a book on their phone, continue it on the ride home, and finish on their computer at night.
Those interested can download the free Audio Books by Audiobooks app [Direct Link] and get their first audiobook for free.
Google’s Inbox app gets custom Snooze times for morning, afternoon, and evening
Google is bringing a handy new trick to Inbox that’ll be useful for anyone that doesn’t have a conventional sleep schedule.
While it’s easy to assume that “morning” means whatever time McDonald’s is still serving breakfast for most people, there are plenty of us of that might not be up and around when the sun is rising, whether that’s because of work, school, or any number of things. Google understands that, so they’ve implemented a way to adjust when your morning, afternoon, and evening snooze reminders should go off.
You’ll be able to manually change the times for those three options, but Inbox will also give you the option to set a custom snooze time as the default for any of those times. If you snooze an email until 9 AM, Inbox will ask if you’d like to set that time as your default morning, for example.
This is a pretty cool trick that will definitely help out people with weird sleep schedules, myself included. Who decided mornings should start before 10 AM, anyway?
source: Gmail
Come comment on this article: Google’s Inbox app gets custom Snooze times for morning, afternoon, and evening
T-Mobile uses ‘real-time customer experience’ for its new coverage map
T-Mobile has launched a revamped version of its coverage map that is based on what it calls “real-time customer experience” to offer a more accurate look at its footprint in the US. T-Mobile says the map on its website is based on “200 million actual customer usage data points every day” rather than just best estimates of its coverage.
BlackBerry Leap pre-sales start today in the US, UK, and Germany
BlackBerry is now accepting pre-sales of the BlackBerry Leap on ShopBlackBerry in select countries. Beginning today, users in the US, UK, and Germany can now place pre-orders for the device, joining those in France who have been able to order since March 26. Featuring a 5-inch 720P display priced at only $275, the BlackBerry Leap is steal for anyone looking to get an all-touch BlackBerry 10 device in their hands.
BlackBerry has put together an all new teaser to get you even more excited.
Quantities are limited for this initial sale, and BlackBerry will be releasing pricing and availability in additional countries in the coming weeks. Want to be among the first to own the BlackBerry Leap? Be sure to order soon.
If you are looking for more info about the BlackBerry Leap, check out the official announcement, specs, gallery and our hands-on with the device from Mobile World Congress and stay tuned for our full review.
Source: BlackBerry
Facebook Messenger brings in other apps for GIFs, videos, and more
Facebook Messenger has received an update that lets people easily install and third-party apps to send GIFs, stickers, videos, and more through Messenger.
Facebook announced the Messenger Platform last week at their F8 developer conference. The idea behind the platform is to let developers hook their apps into Messenger. These capabilities are now available to all users with this update. Check out the list below for the full set of changes:
- Send and receive GIFs, videos, photos and more
- Watch GIFs play automatically
- Instantly reply with the same app
- Easily install the apps your friends are using to send stuff to you
- Discover new apps to install right from Messenger
To add a new app to Messenger, tap the three dot icon in the composer. You can install apps like GIPHY, Facebook’s own Stickered app, and ESPN. Facebook Messenger 24.0 is available for download in the App Store now.
- Free – Download Now
Google brings your photos and files together by adding Google+ Photos to Google Drive
Google is making it even easier to keep your photos and files in the same place by adding Google+ Photos into Google Drive.
Google is now making organizing your photos and files even easier by showing your Google+ Photos in Google Drive. Over the course of the next few weeks users will be able to view images from Google+ Photos in their Drive account. Images will still be stored in Google+ Photos, but organization of the files can now take place in Google Drive.
With being able to organize your files in Google Drive, you will be able to now add images to your folders without having to upload them again.
For example, you can now add pictures of wedding venues and cakes to the same Drive folder as your guest list and budget.
New pictures will show up in Drive immediately, but it will take several weeks for your entire library to show up.
Source: Google
Apple Begins Accepting Apple Watch App Submissions From All Developers
Apple announced on Tuesday that all registered developers can now submit Apple Watch app submissions based on WatchKit for approval on the App Store. A number of popular apps have already been updated with Apple Watch support on the App Store over the past week, and the approval process is now extended to all members of Apple’s Developer Program.
Apple has updated its WatchKit website with details on how developers can optimize the design and development of their Apple Watch apps, including the app’s name, description, icon, screenshots, keywords, version number and build number. Apple Watch apps, excluding the ones that have already appeared on the App Store, should be steadily approved leading up to and following the launch of the wrist-worn device.
A select number of testers and reviewers will be able to access the apps prior to April 24, unless developers set the release date for their apps to “manual” and update on that date. Apple Watch apps that have started appearing on the App Store include Evernote, Sky Guide, Dark Sky, Target, NYTimes, Procreate Pocket, Yahoo Tourney Pick’em, ECB Cricket, The Wall Street Journal, MLB.com at Bat and Expedia.
Verizon Wireless Lets Customers Opt Out of Tracking ‘Perma-Cookies’
Last year, Verizon and AT&T made headlines when researchers discovered they had been engaging in some unsavory customer tracking techniques, using unique identifier numbers or “perma-cookies” to track the websites that customers visited on their cellular devices to deliver targeted advertisements, a practice called “Relevant Advertising.”
Following customer backlash, AT&T stopped using the hidden web tracking codes to keep tabs on the websites that its customers visited, but Verizon continued on with its Relevant Advertising program, which it’s been using for approximately two years. While there was an option to opt out of Verizon’s program, opting out did not stop the intrusive code from being inserted into the URLs of Verizon customers, leaving a security hole that could let advertisers exploit Verizon customers.
As of today, The New York Times reports that Verizon has given its customers a true opt out option that does not insert the identifying tracking codes (or UIDH) into the URLs of customers who opt not to be tracked, as it promised to do in January.
In a statement, Debra Lewis, a Verizon spokeswoman, said privacy is a “central consideration” for the company when it develops new products and services.
“As the mobile advertising ecosystem evolves, and our advertising business grows, delivering solutions with best-in-class privacy protections remains our focus,” Ms. Lewis said. “As a reminder, we never share information with third parties that identifies our customers as part of our advertising programs.
Verizon customers can opt out of the Relevant Advertising program by logging into their My Verizon accounts and selecting “Manage Privacy Settings” from the “Manage My Account” section of their user profile. AT&T and Verizon customers are able to check whether their devices are sending identifying codes by visiting a website created by Kenneth White, one of the security researchers who originally discovered the tracking methods. Verizon’s tracking programs are automatic opt-in, so many users may need to navigate to the aforementioned page to turn off the tracking.
How to switch from the Samsung Galaxy S to the iPhone 6
Samsung has released their new Galaxy S6 and if you’re disappointed you waited, or tried it out and decided it wasn’t for you, here’s how to switch — or switch back to the iPhone.
The only constant with Samsung is change. Every year is feels like they try something different. That can make it both interesting and maddening for those already using one of the company’s phones, or waiting to see what using one might be like. Take the all-new Samsung Galaxy S6 by way of example. It swaps out the plastic casing, replaceable battery, SD card slot, and water-proofing of last year’s model for a metal chassis, and Touch ID- and Apple Pay-like features that seem right out of the iPhone’s playbook. So, whether you feel like Samsung is no longer filling your needs, or if you’re going to iPhone-like you might as well go iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus proper, here’s what you need to know to switch — or switch back — to iPhone.
How to switch from Samsung to iPhone
If you’re already using Google services, it’s ridiculously easy to switch from any Samsung phone to the iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus. That’s because Google makes almost all their apps for iOS, including YouTube, Google Maps, Gmail, Hangouts, Google+, Google Authenticator, Chrome, Google Search, Google Drive, Google Play Music, and more. It’s no secret Google covets iPhone owners, so they make sure the company’s best apps are there, and provide a great experience. In most cases, switching to iPhone is as simple as downloading the Google apps and logging in.
- Read all about how to move your data from Samsung to iPhone
- Read all about how to move your music from Samsung to iPhone
Why to switch from Samsung to iPhone
If you’re still on the fence about making the switch from a Galaxy S to an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus, there are lots of reasons to consider it. Apple Stores and AppleCare, better apps, and better privacy and security are just a few of them. Our readers have given us many, many others.
I switched from the S5 to the iPhone 6 for a couple of reasons. I like iOS better and couldn’t get used to Android software. I think iOS is smoother and has less problems. Also, I did not like the water resistant charging port cover. It was cheap, prone to breaking, and a royal pain. I am much happier after switching back to iPhone.
I love Android, and thought I would miss the customization options and a few apps that aren’t available on iOS. However, iOS 8 is VERY nice and I find iOS to be a much more “peaceful” phone experience – everything works together and the notification center is stellar. It’s a very “comforting” phone and with all the tips and tricks, it’s a beast.
When I decided to switch back to iOS I also decided to take the plunge and went all Apple. I sold off my Surface Pro and Android tablet and decided to buy an iPad Mini 2 and used MacBook Pro. Recently I have upgrade to the iPhone 6, iPad Mini 3 w/LTE and MacBook Pro Retina. All I can say is the best decision I have made, less problems all around. Would have never seen myself as a Mac person but I am now and happy to be a Mac person. Now I recommend Macs to my friends and co-workers.
I was a long time and hardcore android user. I basically became bored with android in general and wanted to try something new. My only complaint with iPhones were the size. And now that we have bigger versions there was no more excuses. I’m definitely upset that I waited so long. iOS is so smooth. No lag. Battery life is great. I’m definitely surprised.
I’ve been an android user since 2010 and finally made the switch last week to an iPhone 6 for two reasons: camera and battery. 10 out of 10 would switch again.
I had an S4. I switched to the iPhone 6+ once Apple came out with a large screen device. I was tired of waiting 4+ months for Verizon to release the latest Android OS updates. Additionally the phone was filled with bloatware– both useless carrier and Samsung apps. I’ve been really satisfied with the iPhone 6+ and the quality of the apps is often higher than their equivalents in Android. I’m also enjoying the benefits of paying with Apple Pay as I had my credit cards replaced twice in 2014 due to the Target and Home Depot hack-ins.
Time to switch!
The Samsung Galaxy S6 is here, and whether it’s not what you wanted or just a reminder of what Apple does best, it’s absolutely worthwhile checking out the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus to see if it better suits your needs. If it does, it might just be time to switch.
AIVAnet 