Motorola updates Camera and Gallery apps: move albums to SD, scan QR codes and more
Are you rocking an older Motorola phone? You may have notice some significant improvements hitting your device. Said manufacturer has just pushed out updates to a couple of their main applications. Namely, the Motorola Camera and Gallery apps, which now come with a set of added features that will definitely make some of you happier campers.
Aside from the usual bug fixes and performance improvements, Moto has included an active viewfinder to its Camera app. What does this even mean? In short: users will now have the ability to read QR and bar codes directly from the camera’s viewfinder, without having to take a picture or download any separate services to decipher these intricate designs. Not all phones will get this new functionality, though. This feature is only available for the 2nd-gen Moto X, Moto X Pro, DROID Turbo and Moto Maxx/Turbo on Android 5.1 Lollipop.
Furthermore, those grabbing the Motorola Gallery update now have the ability to better organize their video clips and photos into albums. These can then be stored into SD cards, offloading some weight from that precious internal storage, which can often be so limited.
Aren’t you glad manufacturers have begun publishing their system apps directly to the Google Play Store? If it was all done the old-fashioned way, users would have to wait until their next system software update to get all these nifty features.
If you haven’t gotten your update, just head over to the Google Play Store and grab it. It should be there! How many of you have been testing these enhancements? How are the new capabilities treating you?
Download Motorola Camera from the Google Play Store
Download Motorola Gallery from the Google Play Store
Google Search now connects you with plumbers, electricians, house cleaners and locksmiths
Google is at hand’s reach whenever you need help for anything, but so far looking for home services has involved multiple steps. The Search Giant is now making it easier on home service workers and customers to get in touch with each other.
Google is testing a new feature in which certain search queries offer results with a list of people qualified to take care of your needs. That would include electricians, plumbers, house cleaners, locksmiths and handymen.
When people in supported areas search for something like “clogged toilet”, dirty house or “lock repair”, there will now be more than just links to a bunch of websites showing you how to take care of business yourself. Results will include names, ratings, phone numbers and an option to “Send request”. All of this will be accessible straight from Google’s Search results; no need to browse around.
And no need to worry about quality or security – these servicemen would pay to be ranked higher in the list, but that’s only after having been screened and qualified by Google. All businesses would have to go through license, procedure and background checks, as well as mystery shopping.
When users in supported areas search for something like “clogged toilet”, “dirty house” or “lock repair”, there will now be more than just links to a bunch of websites showing you how to take care of business yourself. Results will include business names, ratings, phone numbers and an option to “Send request”. All of this will be accessible straight from Google’s Search results; no need to browse around.
Want in? Sadly, Google is not making a widespread release of this feature just yet. It is only available for people in (and around) San Francisco. The rest of us will have to wait and continue making full searches for all our needs. If you are in the San Francisco area, the feature should be available since Friday, August 28th. Go test it! Let’s hope this comes to other markets soon enough!
BlackBerry’s Android-powered Venice phone surfaces in the wild
BlackBerry’s Android-based Venice smartphone isn’t just a figment of someone’s imagination… at least, if you believe Vietnamese resident Ba Minh Duc. He claims to have photos of the slider in action, complete with its hideaway QWERTY keyboard, 18-megapixel camera and curvy screen. This isn’t quite the phone you remember from 3D renders (or the once-teased BlackBerry 10 version), though. BlackBerry appears to have moved the power button to the side, and the body isn’t as slender in person as the renders would suggest. This is undoubtedly a work in progress, and it won’t be surprising if the Venice design changes more between now and release. Still, this is exciting stuff if you’ve been yearning for a phone that melds BlackBerry’s hardware and services with Android’s customization and wider app selection.
Filed under:
Cellphones, Mobile, Blackberry
Via:
CrackBerry
Source:
Ba Minh Duc (Facebook), Tinhte.vn (translated)
Tags: android, blackberry, mobilepostcross, slider, smartphone, venice
Google Play Services 8.1 update comes with Android Pay, but you can’t use it yet
Rumors recently suggested that Android Pay was to launch this past Wednesday. Obviously, this turned out to be a false alarm, but at the very least we can assume Google’s new contact-less payment service is well on its way and coming soon.
How do we know? Well, aside from the rumors and expected launch window, a new update to the Google Play Services app (version 8.1) contains evidence of Android Pay support. Those who have updated the app noticed there was a new option under the “Tap and pay” options, which would allow users to select between Google Wallet and Android Pay.
The only problem is this feature has to be turned on by Google before it becomes accessible. Those who selected Android Pay saw no application for the service, and upon returning to the Settings app to check on the matter, they would notice the option to select Android Pay was gone. Sadly, the excitement only lasts some minutes.
I tested the whole process myself and had the same experience. Android Pay appeared as an option. I came back to the settings a minute later and it was gone.
#gallery-1
margin: auto;
#gallery-1 .gallery-item
float: left;
margin-top: 10px;
text-align: center;
width: 33%;
#gallery-1 img
border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;
#gallery-1 .gallery-caption
margin-left: 0;
/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
What is Android Pay?
Are you a bit behind the times on Google’s upcoming Android Pay? Let’s get you caught up. Android Pay is a new NFC payments solution from Google. It was announced at Google IO 2015 and will allow you to pay for all your goods by simply tapping your phone on the POS system.
But wait – didn’t Google Wallet already do this? Yes, it did. Android Pay is a bit different, though. For starters, this is not just another app; the functionality will be built right into the operating system. It’s also much simpler to use, as it doesn’t come with all the confusion that Google Wallet was characterized for (due to its multiple services and functions). It also supports fingerprint readers and other security measures at a system level. This is pretty much Google Wallet, but condensed into a single purpose and refined.
Download the APK
Not seeing the update yet? If you really want to get Google Play Services 8.1, you can grab it straight from the link below.
Microsoft prevails over an 8-year-old attempt to block its phone sales
Remember the heady days of August 2007, when the iPhone had barely reached store shelves and the Nokia N95 was all the rage? The US International Trade Commission sure does. After reviewing an 8-year-long case, the ITC has ruled that Nokia’s phones (now Microsoft’s) don’t infringe on InterDigital patents covering 3G cellular technology. The decision eliminates the possibility of an import ban that would have prevented Microsoft from selling many of its phones in the US, including modern day Lumias. Things very nearly didn’t go the company’s way — a judge had ruled in April that Microsoft was using InterDigital’s patents, which would have forced the folks in Redmond to pay up.
Microsoft is understandably “grateful” for the ruling, especially as it just recently sued InterDigital over “abusive licensing practices.” This fuels its argument that InterDigital is trying to extort cash from innocent companies. As for InterDigital’s response? It’s trying to put a brave face on the loss, arguing that the verdict has a “limited impact” on its future business given Nokia’s fall from grace. That’s true, but InterDigital had pushed for an import ban on the assumption that it would be collecting huge royalties from a mobile giant. There’s no disguising that this is a major failure for InterDigital, even if the damage is mostly symbolic.
[Image credit: Ethan Miller/Getty Images]
Filed under:
Cellphones, Mobile, Microsoft, Nokia
Via:
Bloomberg
Source:
ITC (PDF), InterDigital
Tags: 3g, cellphone, interdigital, internationaltradecommission, itc, microsoft, mobilepostcross, nokia, patents, smartphone
Samsung Galaxy Note 5 S Pen walkthrough
Earlier this month, Samsung launched its Galaxy Note 5 flagship smartphone. It includes all high end specifications and is currently one of the best smartphones you can buy so long as you’re willing to pay the cost.
Samsung brought some new tricks to the Note series with its updated S Pen stylus. Some include a newly designed air command menu, scrolling screenshots, better sensitivity and an all-new spring to pop the pen out easily. The only negative is putting the S Pen in your phone backwards which could result in damaging your smartphone. The Galaxy Note 5 also brings the same useful tools as seen on the Note 4. Meaning you will still get access to screen write, smart select, quick notes and more. It also comes with a new feature giving users the ability to take a note without having to turn on their phone. Listed below is our hands on experience with the Galaxy Note 5 and everything you can do with the enhanced S Pen.
Click here to view the embedded video.
Come comment on this article: Samsung Galaxy Note 5 S Pen walkthrough
HTC CEO Peter Chou joins digital production firm to strengthen VR endeavors
Every manufacturer worth its salt is entering the VR market one way or another, but very few have managed to impress us like HTC did with the Vive VR headset. This system is very special, and you can bet the Taiwanese manufacturer is putting a lot of time and effort into it. So much that HTC CEO Peter Chou is getting a second gig just to gain more knowledge in digital production.
Peter Chou is to join Digital Domain as an executive director, effective August 30th. This company has been behind the digital production of popular movies, such as Iron Man 3, Tron: Legacy and Her. They are also responsible for animations in famous games like Assassin’s Creed: Unity, Destiny and others. When it comes to digital production, these guys sure know what they are doing.
The idea is to bring some technical knowledge on VR to HTC, as it is a market the Taiwanese manufacturer has no true experience on. The HTC Vive is already an impressive VR headset, so we can’t wait to see what it’s like after the finalized product hits the store shelves. The commercial release is not expected until next year, though, so we won’t see any this move bearing any fruits soon.
As it stands, the HTC Vive is one of the most exciting VR headsets thanks to its location-aware technology, which uses a bevy of sensors and wall-mounted lasers. While other headsets only allow users to look up, down, left and right, the HTC Vive has you walking around things, effectively granting full immersion. It’s hard to efficiently convey this experience – you just need to try it.
More details will surely come in due time, so let’s keep calm and have Peter Chou do his thing for a while.
Tidal claims Apple prevented it from streaming a Drake performance
It’s no secret that Apple and Tidal are at each other’s throats over music exclusives, but that fight might have reached a new peak. Tidal claims that Apple stopped it from streaming Drake’s brief guest appearance at New Orleans’ Lil Weezyana Fest on August 28th, presumably due to an exclusivity deal with the Canadian musician. If you take Tidal’s word at face value, Apple was an Orwellian tyrant “interfering with artistry.” One of the New York Post‘s tipsters goes so far as to contend that Apple is trying to “dictate” when and where artists can perform, which would be harsh… if it were true.
As it turns out, things aren’t quite as clear cut as Tidal makes them out to be. While the Post‘s sources maintain that Apple threatened a $20 million lawsuit over the stream, Drake’s manager Future the Prince tells BuzzFeed News that he made the call because of doubts about Tidal’s presentation quality. Apple not only didn’t threaten to sue, but couldn’t — that would have been up to Cash Money and Universal. Why the hyperbolic language from Tidal, then? If you ask Future, Tidal saw this as an opportunity for a “publicity stunt,” an attempt to make Apple look like an evil oppressor when it wasn’t even involved. If that’s the case, the plan might have backfired in a big way.
[Image credit: Joel Ryan/Invision/AP]
1/2 Apple is interfering with artistry and will not allow this artist to stream. Sorry for Big Brother’s inconvenience.
— TIDAL (@TIDALHiFi) August 29, 2015
Filed under:
Internet, HD, Apple
Via:
MissInfo.tv, Pitchfork
Source:
Tidal (Twitter), BuzzFeed News, New York Post
Tags: apple, applemusic, drake, hdpostcross, music, streaming, tidal
NASA chief: Congress needs to support commercial crew program
NASA recently paid Russia $490 million to continue ferrying its astronauts to the ISS, but Maj. Gen. Charles Bolden says “it doesn’t have to be this way.” In a piece/open letter the space agency’s head honcho wrote for Wired, he explains how the Congress is holding back the agency from launching astronauts on US soil. Apparently, if the House of Representatives approved the funding the agency was asking for, then NASA would have already been making the final preparations for a US-based launch.
Bolden reveals that the program has received $1 billion less than it needed from Congress since 2010, but it’s not as if the government saved money in the process — it paid Russia the same amount to give astronauts a seat on Soyuz flights within the same period. See, NASA pays Russia $81 million per seat, whereas carrying astronauts to the ISS aboard one of the spacecraft SpaceX and Boeing are developing will only cost $58 million per.
As the NASA chief says:
…every dollar we invest in Moscow is a dollar we’re not investing in American businesses in Missouri, Michigan, Minnesota or any of the 35 states where 350 American companies are working to allow the greatest country on Earth to once again launch our own astronauts into space.
It’s as if we keep ordering expensive takeout because we haven’t yet set up our own kitchen—only, in this case, the takeout meals are costing us hundreds of millions of dollars.
[Image credit: Stocktrek Images, Inc. / Alamy]
Filed under:
Peripherals
Source:
Wired
Tags: astronaut, iss, NASA, space, spaceshuttle
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