Shazam finally adds support for Android Wear, brings music discovery and lyrics to your wrist
I have to say that I was a little miffed when Shazam added support for the Apple Watch at launch, but never bothered to do the same with Android Wear, even after it was available for several months. Finally Shazam has given some love to the Android faithful with the latest update to the app.
Now the next time you hear a song that you aren’t sure about, you don’t have to whip out your phone. With just a couple of taps on your Android Wear watch, Shazam will tell you the name of the song after the app listens to it for a few seconds through the microphone on the watch. What’s even cooler is that you will also get the lyrics of the song on your watch, which is pretty cool.
Any song matches will be added to your My Shazam, which you will only be able to access from your phone. You will also need your phone in order to connect to Spotify, Deezer, or rdio.
So the next time you’re at a party and you want to show off something cool, just hold your arm up and Shazam it.
If you already have Shazam on your phone, you only need to update the app to start enjoying the goodness on your wrist. We have download links below.
Come comment on this article: Shazam finally adds support for Android Wear, brings music discovery and lyrics to your wrist
Android 5.0 Lollipop begins rolling out for the Moto G (2013)
Motorola’s Moto G (2013) has begun receiving Android 5.0 Lollipop. This comes only a couple days after the Moto E (2014) received the bump to Android 5.1.
Android 5.0 brings a suite of new features with it, such as better multi-tasking, sharpened battery statistics, improved notifications, and much more. If you haven’t been prompted to install the update yet, head over to your app tray, tap the Settings icon, select ‘About Phone’ > System Updates, and tap “Yes, I’m in.”
If your smartphone says your system is up to date, you may have not received the update yet–usually you can check what version of Android your on in ‘About Phone’. Firmware upgrades are pushed out in stages, often its sent out to the first 1% of device users to ensure the software update isn’t going to debilitate your smartphone. I would be thankful for that, considering broken smartphones tend to cause mass hysteria in all of us. If you haven’t gotten it yet, you’ll see the update within the next few days, sometimes up to a couple weeks.
Android 5.0 is an excellent improvement to the operating system. Unfortunately, there’s no word on when the Moto G (2013) will be getting the jump to Android 5.1. Don’t even get us started on when you’ll see an update to Android M.
Have you gotten Lollipop on your Moto G? Let us know in the comments.
source: Motorola
Come comment on this article: Android 5.0 Lollipop begins rolling out for the Moto G (2013)
Xbox for Windows app gets a flurry of features ahead of E3
If you’re an early Windows 10 adopter, you’ll soon find a smattering of new features inside the Xbox app. As part of its June update, Microsoft is adding “game hubs” which, similar to the Xbox One, show which friends have played the title and their recent activity. Meanwhile the new ‘Game Bar,’ which lets you record video clips and screenshots, can now be triggered with custom shortcuts, and the Avatar app will load automatically when you select “customize” from the top header. A few other tweaks include better friend management, the ability to sort cloud-based game clips and turn on/off your Xbox One from inside the app. They’re small changes, which is understandable given that E3 is just around the corner. Game streaming is still one of the most anticipated parts of the Xbox app, and it might not be too far away — Microsoft says testers can now submit anonymous diagnostic information about their PC and network settings to help them refine the feature.
Filed under: Gaming, Microsoft
Source: Major Nelson
Philips turns LEDs into an indoor GPS for supermarkets
Philips believes that the days of endlessly roaming around a store looking for the right kind of balsamic vinegar may soon be at an end. The company’s lighting division has developed an indoor navigation system that enables your smartphone to direct you straight towards the Oils & Vinegars (Specialist) section. In addition, the technology helps to light everything up nice and bright, and save a bucketload of cash in the process.
Rather than using Bluetooth beacons, which others believe will being reliable indoor navigation for retail outlets, the company has swapped out the traditional lighting for banks of white LEDs above each aisle. Each bulb is equipped with visible light communication (VLC), enabling it to beam out a code that’s imperceptible to the human eye. When a user opens the corresponding smartphone app and holds it horizontally, the forward-facing camera reads the VLC. Once the software knows where you’re located, it’ll follow this overhead breadcrumb trail to get you where you need to go.
As you can see in the clip, the first supermarket to sign up to the project is France’s Carrefour, which is trialling the technology at its colossal hypermarket in Lille. In addition to providing hyperlocal indoor navigation, the company is also reporting that the tech has slashed its energy bills by 50 percent. Oh, and if you have any concerns that your movements are being tracked, the pair have already promised that the VLC system is entirely passive — so locals only have to worry about the national security forces.
Filed under: Misc
UK government torn over plans to censor ‘extremist’ TV shows
The Home Secretary Theresa May wants to give Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, the ability to block shows with extremist content before they’re shown on TV. The Queen’s Speech will detail some of the Conservative government’s legislative plans next week, and it’s already been confirmed that Ofcom will be given “a strengthened role” to tackle broadcasters perceived to be showing extremist content. The new powers will be part of a new Counter-Extremism Bill which includes immigration restrictions for extremists and the power to close premises where extremists are thought to be influencing others.
Yet even within the Conservative party, some of the plans are being met with fierce opposition. A letter obtained by the Guardian shows that Business Secretary Sajid Javid has been urging the Prime Minister David Cameron to reconsider May’s proposals. Sent on March 12, when Javid was still Culture Secretary, he writes: “Ofcom does not have the powers to approve programmes before they are broadcast and nor do we consider that it should have these powers as has been proposed.” Javid later argues that the proposals would threaten freedom of expression and could be used “otherwise than intended.”
The letter was written weeks ago, so it’s not clear how the Prime Minister reacted and whether the plans are still part of the bill expected to feature next week. Should these specific powers be included, it’s possible they’ll pave the way for other counter-extremism measures such as the Snooper’s Charter, which the Liberal Democrats blocked when they were part of the coalition. May has hinted that the bill could be revived now that the Conservatives have been re-elected, forcing mobile networks and internet service providers to store online activity, including emails and website visits, for up to 12 months. Police and intelligence agencies could then request access to this information.
The Snooper’s Charter has always been controversial, but this letter proves that even within Cameron’s new cabinet, there is concern and ongoing debate about the extent of such measures and whether they threaten some of the UK’s greatest civil liberties.
[Image Credit: John Snelling/Getty Images]
Filed under: Home Entertainment
Source: The Guardian
Google heads list of 16 companies trying to kill passwords
People don’t put enough thought into passwords because it’s a pain, but that creates security problems for the whole internet. Google, Microsoft and others in the FIDO Alliance want to replace passwords with fingerprint scanning and other techniques, and just unveiled 31 products from 16 companies that conform to the new standard. The most recognizable of those is Google’s login service, which implemented USB key locks that eliminate mobile phones in 2-step identification late last year. Others on the list include Samsung’s PayPal authorizing fingerprint system, and Nok Nok, which allows Apple’s Touch ID fingerprint scanner to work with third-party apps.
FIDO also announced a certification program for its version 1.0 specification. Conforming apps will authenticate using biometric data like voice prints and fingerprints, while never storing them to ensure privacy. In addition, certified apps will theoretically work with any biometric system, depending on what a vendor wants to implement. The standard makes it easier for companies to incorporate FIDO into apps, while the official logo assures consumers that a product is conforming. Despite that, lots of companies still haven’t boarded the alliance, and some are still waiting — like Microsoft, which won’t certify Windows 10 for FIDO until the next spec is released.
Filed under: Peripherals
Source: FIDO Alliance
Project Fi invites won’t reach everyone until mid-summer, says Google
Invites for Google’s Project Fi carrier service began rolling out at the start of the month, but you’re not alone if you’re still waiting for yours to be processed. Google has revealed that some of those who registered will have to wait quite a while before being accepted into the program. Emails sent out suggest that some may have to wait until mid-summer before their request is processed.
In the email, Google explains that the delay is down to the large number of applications made to join the service, and that it is trying to get around to everyone as quickly as possible. To help ease customer concerns, Google says that it is also working on a way for users to track the status of their registration, which should appear within the next few weeks.
“We’re sending invites as quickly as we can, while ensuring a high-quality experience, … Given the number of requests we’ve received, we currently estimate that it will take until mid-summer to get to everyone.” – Google
In case you missed it, Project Fi is Google’s phone service that makes use of Sprint and T-Mobile LTE networks and Wi-Fi hotspots for its signal, but customers only pay for the data that they actually use. Consumers require a special SIM and are limited to use of the Google Nexus 6 smartphone for now, but other Android devices will be supported in the future.
Google is on the brink of AI capable of natural conversation and even flirtation – scientist
In Her, Joaquin Phoenix plays a man who falls in love with an AI
Artificial intelligence that can emulate human reasoning and even emotions is within Google’s reach, according to a leading AI scientist employed by the company.
Talking to the Guardian, Professor Geoff Hinton, an expert in artificial neural networks, said Google is “on the brink of developing algorithms with the capacity for logic, natural conversation and even flirtation.”
Google is working to encode thoughts as vectors described by a sequence of numbers. These “thought vectors” could endow AI systems with a human-like “common sense” within a decade, according to Hinton, who has been working at Google for two years.
Language and reasoning
Currently in early development, thought vectors may help AI master natural language conversation and make leaps of logic, two abilities that we perceive as distinctly human and that AI scientists have long sought to unlock.
Hinton said he even foresees AI that is so human-like that we will become attached to it, the way Joaquin Phoenix’s character in Her falls in love for his AI assistant.
Google has very practical applications for AI: currently, the company is using “thought vectors” to improve Google Translate, aiming to add a sense of meaning to the current dictionary-based translation algorithms.
The potential of AI is huge for Google; truly relevant search results, human-like translation, a genuinely helpful Google Now virtual assistant are just a few of the applications that only advanced AI can enable. Google has been acquiring top talent to further this goal, including through the $500 million acquisition of British startup DeepMind, considered the top player in deep learning algorithms.
Facebook launches ‘caller ID’ for new Messenger conversations
Next time someone contacts you on Facebook Messenger for the first time, you’ll see a calling card of sorts showing his photo, other public info and how you two are connected. Facebook’s Vice President of Messaging, David Marcus, calls it “enhanced caller ID for messaging,” and it shows up even if you’re not Friends with the other person. It lists helpful clues to jog your memory in case you can’t remember who’s trying to contact you, including his job, school and if he lives in your location, which are the same pieces of information shown by Facebook’s Hello caller ID app for Android. This “Messenger caller ID” feature, however, is rolling out to both iOS and Android devices, but only in the US, the UK, India and France for now. Hopefully, it can save you time from clicking through to a weirdo’s profile and prevent you from dismissing important messages sent by potential employers or old friends.
Now you’ll always have context of who’s connecting with you on Messenger. It’s like enhanced caller ID for messaging. pic.twitter.com/IFC48HzZRv
– David Marcus (@davidmarcus) May 22, 2015
Via: TechCrunch
Source: David Marcus (Facebook)
You won’t need waves with this $20,000 electric surfboard
If you want to surf, but are too lazy to paddle or look for waves, the Wakejet Cruise from Swedish outfit Radinn is for you! The company says it “marries the agility and speed of wakeboarding with the freedom of surfing,” but that doesn’t mean you can take the electric-powered craft lightly. It cruises along at a rather insane 28mph for a full half-hour on a single charge — or up to an hour if you’re willing to go slower. That’s about the same speed as a water skier, meaning that unlike seated watercraft, it’ll require your full attention, along with some skill and athleticism.
You control the speed with a hand-held remote, and can recharge the built-in battery in about an hour when you’re done. The carbon and kevlar board also has a mobile app, built-in GPS and magnetic safety switches. Radinn’s wakejet is hardly the first product like this, but with the relatively short recharge time and long range, it’s probably the most practical — and expensive! It’s on pre-order with a Q2 2015 delivery for a mere $20,000 or so, except that other one-percenters already snapped up the first run. Luckily, the next batch is available in Q3.
Filed under: Transportation
Via: The Verge
Source: Radinn
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