Google’s Free, Unlimited Google Photos Service Now Available on iOS and Web
At its I/O developer event this morning, Google announced a new Google Photos platform that’s designed to compete with both photo sharing sites like Flickr and cloud services like iCloud Photo Library. Google Photos is cross platform and available on iOS, Android, and the web.
Both the iOS app and the web service are now live, letting those in Apple’s ecosystem make full use of Google Photos. The service is free for high-quality photos and it lets users upload an unlimited number of photos (up to 16 megapixels) and videos (up to 1080p).
Photos with resolutions that exceed 16-megapixels will be downscaled to 16MP, and videos with resolutions higher than 1080p will also be downscaled. Google offers an option to store photos and videos in their original quality, but only with the 15GB of free storage that comes with any Google account. Additional storage is priced at $1.99/month for 100GB or $9.99/month for 1TB.
16-megapixel downscaling is suitable for most camera phones and point-and-shoot cameras, but the free storage option may not be as appealing to DSLR users who need to store original-quality images. According to Google, photos uploaded with a 16-megapixel resolution or lower will look “essentially” the same when uploaded to the site using the free plan.
Google designed Photos around three central ideas: a “home” for all of your photos, deep organization, and easy sharing. On iOS, Google Photos is not unlike the default Photos app that Apple offers. It includes a main photos view that’s organized by when a photo was taken, and it’s possible to zoom in and out to adjust the view using pinch gestures.
You can organize your photos and videos into albums, but Google has also built in its own organizational tools. Google Photos will group images based on the person in the photo, an item in the photo (like a dog) or the place where it was taken. Google demonstrated the facial recognition features on stage at Google I/O, showing how it was able to recognize the same child at multiple ages, starting from birth.
In the iOS app, there are tools for quickly enhancing photos to improve color, lighting, and more, plus it’s possible to create collages, animations, and movies using the app’s tools.
Google Photos has quick selection tools for grouping up multiple photos, and this feature works alongside the app’s photo sharing tools. Users can create a link to any number of grouped photos, sharing all of them by simply sending the link. It’s not necessary for those who view the photos to log into the Google Photos app, but doing so allows the shared photos to be downloaded to one’s own library.
Sharing is also bolstered by a built-in Photos Assistant. This tool automatically makes videos, GIFs, and collages out of a series of photos, which can then be shared if so desired. Google Photos also includes tools to share photos to numerous social networks.
Google Photos for iOS can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
Android Pay will arrive with Android M, handle payments via NFC
Google Wallet has been a mainstay for quite awhile on the Android operating system, but today, Google announced its replacement. Android Pay will be the successor to Google wallet, which is “the simple and secure way to pay with your Android phone.” Android Pay brings together a unified ecosystem, bringing together mobile carriers, payment networks, banks, and retailers.
Android Pay will be available to pay in stores (listing below) by placing your Android device near the merchants contactless terminal.There is no need to open an app, it’s as easy as tap and go. Once a payment goes through, a notification will pop up and will give you a payment confirmation and all the transaction details.
One neat feature of Android Pay, is the ability to connect to loyalty programs effortlessly through your smartphone. For select retailers, Android Pay will keep track of your rewards. For example, when you use tap and go at a Coke machine, it will automatically be applied to your MyCokeRewards.
Lastly, not only can you purchase in brick in mortar stores, you can use Android Pay within applications as well. Once in checkout, just select “Buy with Android Pay” and Google handles the rest. This is an excellent way to make sure your in-app purchases are secure and safe.
Speaking of safety, Google has partnered with American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa, and many others to keep your personal and financial details under wraps. They are setting the industry standard for tokenization and it will be ready when Android Pay launches later this year with Android M.
The full Android Pay compatiblitiy includes over 700,000 store locations and over 1,000 Android apps, and they will continually be adding more every day. Here are a list of the major ones.
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Coming sooner than Winter: HBO Now is coming to Android this Summer
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If you’re an Android user and Game of Thrones fan, you’re probably going to like this news. HBO has today announced at Google I/O 2015 that their subscription, on-demand streaming service HBO Now is coming to Android, and it’s going to be available, not in Winter, but in Summer this year (obligatory Game of Thrones joke *tick*).
With the subscription, you’ll have access to a plethora of HBO content which includes TV shows Silicon Valley and, of course, Game of Thrones, which makes the service a viable option for those who don’t have cable. The price of admission is going to be $14.99 USD per month, which is probably on the pricey side for a streaming service, but for many Game of Thrones fans, that kind of access is priceless.
What do you think about HBO Now coming to Android? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Droid-life
The post Coming sooner than Winter: HBO Now is coming to Android this Summer appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
[APK Download] – Inbox by Gmail gets a slew of features in newest update, now open to everyone
It’s I/O keynote day today and Android enthusiasts see it as an Android Christmas in May. With good reason, too, as we have seen a number of updates for apps, new releases for apps like the Photos app, Android M, as well as a number of other things yet to be discovered. Given it’s I/O day, Inbox by Gmail is getting a number of updates that make the app even more useful.
Some of the biggest news for Inbox is that it’s no longer invite only. That’s right, starting today it’s open to everyone. Those who use Google Apps for Work who are waiting for Inbox to come to them, Google is also expanding the Inbox early adopter program. And for those of you who have yet to use Inbox, now might be a good time to try as the app itself is getting a bunch of handy features.
Starting with the newest version of Inbox (we have the APK download below) you’ll be able to undo send for the first time ever on your mobile device. You can also make deleting emails a default swipe option rather than just archiving them and something that people who use Inbox have been begging for; you can now create custom signatures for your emails. About time right?
Click here to view the embedded video.
Inbox is getting smarter with more Keep integration, allowing reminders you set to be visible in the app. If you get emailed a to-do by someone, Inbox will also suggest a reminder for it or for those times when you get an email from HotelTonight or Eat24, you can now open up the reservation or food orders within their app, directly from Inbox. Another added feature is trip bundles, allowing you to see your itinerary for a trip bundled together and available instantly when you open Inbox.
Like we said early, Inbox 1.8 is now available for you and we have it below and as always, keep it locked here for your Google I/O 2015 needs.
source: Inbox by Gmail Blog
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Google Play is booming: 1 billion active users and counting
The digital storefront that Google uses to sell applications, games, television shows, movies, and music from is showing no signs of slowing down. Today, at the company’s I/O 2015 keynote, it seemed like Google wanted to focus on statistics. Chromecast reached 17 million units sold and Android Wear hit 4,000 apps. For Google Play, the milestone is 1 billion active users. Within the last twelve months, users of the Play Store have performed around 50 billion installations.
There are a lot of people installing a lot of content from Google Play.
Check out our complete Google I/O 2015 coverage
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Android TV-based NVIDIA SHIELD now on sale in standard and 500GB Pro models
NVIDIA announced a SHIELD console recently which was based on Google’s Android TV platform. This console can now be purchased from NVIDIA’s official site, with a new 500GB Pro version also included in the list. This will set you back by $299.99, while the standard 16GB model costs $199.99.
The SHIELD comes with a state-of-the-art Tegra X1 SoC which was announced by NVIDIA earlier this year, so the company has used the best hardware with its new console.
For the aforementioned price, you will also receive a gamepad, so you can get started with your games from the get go. Speaking of games, the powerful CPU+GPU combo lets you stream content in 4K and a ton of AAA content without skipping a beat. The innovative NVIDIA Grid game streaming service is included with the Shield as well.
As an added bonus, users are also getting a $30 Google Play Store gift card along with a 90 day trial of Google Play Music.
Basically for $199 or $299, you’re almost getting a full blown console grade hardware with a plethora of content on offer. You can purchase the SHIELD from NVIDIA’s official site, Amazon or Best Buy.
Catch the video below to learn about the true potential of the NVIDIA Shield.
Click here to view the embedded video.
Source: NVIDIA Blog
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Google announces upgrades to both Android Studio and Polymer
Google today at I/O 2015 unveiled the next version of its development environment, Android Studio. At the same time, the company announced Poylmer 1.0, which is a web app toolkit designed to help developers bring apps and the web closer together.
Version 1.3 of Android Studio brings with it a whole host of hand features, such as native support for C/C++ development, faster build speeds, and a new memory profiler. Google’s addition of native support for C/C++ makes coding easier by eliminating the need for Google’s Native Development Kit (NDK). Instead, developers will be able to build software using the native coding language in Android 1.3. It removes a lot of hassle.
Google also announced Polymer 1.0, which has been rebuilt for “speed and efficiency.” It brings some handy features with it, such as allowing developers to simply drop in common features like toolbars and menus. It also now lets you add services like Maps and Charts and gives developers a way to build a mobile checkout flow within their apps. You can get the latest version of Polymer here.
Be sure to check out all of TalkAndroid’s Google I/O 2015 coverage.
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Google Maps getting offline search and navigation
There are still downfalls when it comes to using your phone for navigation. The world is not blanketed with one giant internet connection. Some parts of the world have no access to an internet connection whatsoever. Also, navigating with a phone is heavy on data and battery life. At Google I/O 2015, an update to Maps debuted that combats those downfalls.
Google Maps will support location cards for recent searches and voice-guided turn-by-turn navigation even when an internet connection is not present or a device is in airplane mode. Google wants people in developing countries to use the features in order to learn about their environment in an efficient way.
The new offline features are expected to arrive later this year.
Check out our complete Google I/O 2015 coverage
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Android M brings USB Type-C Support, and Doze for better battery life
Today at Google I/O 2015, Google announced Android M, bringing with it two new exciting features, USB Type-C and Doze mode, which will help with battery life efficiency.
One of the most welcomed additions to Android M is Doze. It will intelligently power down your smartphone or tablet when it hasn’t been in use for a long period of time, which has significantly extended battery life. In its keynote speech, Google cites testing being quite successful with results showing devices with Android M “lasting up to two times longer in standby.” It’ll certainly be a welcome feature, since battery life is a significant concern for power users.
Power users won’t have to worry about their device being on the wire too long either. Android M brings with it USB Type-C support, which Google says will accelerate charging significantly. It’s the same reversible USB port Google and Apple are using in their new laptops, such as the Chromebook Pixel 2 and new the MacBook. What’s quite impressive is just how versatile this will make your Android device, allowing users to transfer data and power in either direction, instead of fumbling around with those silly cables.
Google announced some exciting technologies today. Be sure to check out all of our Google I/O 2015 coverage to find out all about it.
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Hands on with the GoPro 16 Cam 360 Array
The first company to take advantage of Google’s new JUMP technology introduced at I/O 2015 is GoPro. The 16 Cam 360 Array, which has a name that is quite self-explanatory, features sixteen cameras into slots for immersive virtual reality content. Users of this new type of hardware can create content for YouTube, Google Cardboard, and more; however, GoPro’s offering will only be available to YouTube content creators first for six months.
GoPro will provide pricing and general availability in the near future. What we know for sure is that the 16 Cam 360 Array will not be cheap.
Hit the break for the video.
Click here to view the embedded video.
Check out our complete Google I/O 2015 coverage
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AIVAnet 