YouTube Gaming is now available
Google officially launched YouTube Gaming today, a new service for easy live-streaming games while chatting with your friends simultaneously. The app is live on Google Play now, in addition it’s also available online at the source link.
YouTube gaming is a new service that has over 25,000 dedicated game pages and will support endless videos and live-streams. The app includes built in reminders that can alert users when a live-stream is taking place on their smartphone or tablet. Users can also stay up to date by adding their favorite games to a collection of their own. With YouTube Gaming, Google is making search very easy. For example, users can type in ‘war’ and get all games with the word ‘war’ in it. It won’t include all the other junk such as song titles a user won’t want and is guided specifically at gamers. It includes recommended content and a design language which is far superior when compared to competitors. Most importantly, the service runs very smooth without any lag and keeps advertisements to a minimum.
Google is hoping its new service will break apart the monopoly ‘Twitch’ has had for years. It’s very easy to set up and can be directly linked with the already widely popular ‘YouTube’ application. Google’s YouTube Gaming service can bring a ton of opportunities to gamers and could potentially leave competitors worried about their future.
Source: YouTube Gaming
Come comment on this article: YouTube Gaming is now available
The Big Picture: ‘Mass Effect’ Reapers invade Los Santos
It’s a mod, mod world when a universe-destroying Reaper from the Mass Effect series invades Grand Theft Auto V‘s Los Angeles stand-in, Los Santos. What you see up above is the result of Flickr user berdu applying the pretty self-explanatory “Mass Effect 3 Reaper as Blimp” modification to the PC version of Rockstar’s stick-up simulator. It looks awesome and there’s video of it in action after the break. As creator JJxORACLE writes on the (currently in beta testing) tweak’s download page, sometimes the vanguard of our destruction will disappear from the skies completely and there doesn’t seem to be any collision detection here. Oh, and its legs can touch the ground while it moves every now and again, because, you know, it’s replacing Los Santos’ legless blimp.
Berdu’s Flickr page is rife with awesome screenshots (including fighter jets attacking this monstrosity) for all sorts of games, so give it a look. Oh, and let’s just hope this doesn’t follow suit with other airborne mods and install malware. I mean, it is a Reaper, after all.
Filed under:
Gaming, Home Entertainment, HD
Via:
Kotaku
Source:
Flickr
Tags: bigpicture, gaming, GrandTheftAuto, gtav, hd, hdpostcross, masseffect, mods, pcgaming, reapers, rockstargames, thebigpicture
Americans think it’s rude to stay glued to your phone, do it anyway
You’re no doubt astute enough to know that you should stop using your cellphone in some social situations, but how good are you at heeding your own advice? If Pew’s latest study is any indication, the answer is “not very.” The research center found that 82 percent of American survey respondents see cellphone use as a bane to social interaction, but that 89 percent of phone owners used their devices during their most recent gatherings. And they weren’t just checking for notifications, either — more than half of those surveyed were messaging, taking photos and answering calls.
Not that you’ll necessarily mind everyone staring at their screens, depending on how old you are. Respondents aged 18 to 29 were the most likely to say that they were fine with phone use in a given social situation, even in circumstances where gadgets are widely considered taboo. About 9 percent of this younger group is fine with using phones at houses of worship versus just 3 percent for people aged 30 to 49, for instance. Simply put, it’s increasingly normal to have your handset out as a matter of course. While the broader American public may have contradictory views on phone use right now, that’s probably going to change in the years ahead.
[Image credit: Getty Images]
Filed under:
Cellphones, Mobile
Via:
Fast Company
Source:
Pew Research Center
Tags: cellphone, etiquette, mobilepostcross, pew, PewResearchCenter, research, smartphone, society, study
Google’s been recruiting programmers based on their search habits
Want a job slinging code for Google? You might already be on the company’s radar. According to new Google hire Max Rosett, he never applied for a job at Google — the company reached out to him after he made a habit of using Google search as a programming resource. One day, a search for “python lambda function list comprehension” returned something unexpected: a secret Google recruitment test.
Seriously. If you search the right terms often enough, Google might interrupt your quest for knowledge with a question: “You’re speaking our language. Up for a challenge?” If you are, you’ll get access to Foo.bar, a UNIX-like interface that presents users with programming challenges. Foo.bar led Rosett through six different challenges, each with specific requirements and time limits. When he finished them all, it asked for his contact information — Google rang him up, ran him through the regular employment rounds and now he works there. Simple as that.
Don’t bother searching for Foo.bar though — the test is invitation only. Finding the page is easy enough, but it won’t let you play if you weren’t specifically asked to: “To log in, you haved to have logged in before,” the page reads confused visitors are invited to, you guessed it, search Google for answers. It’s a slightly creepy recruitment tool, but it’s also fun, quirky and refreshing. Try it out. If you can.
[Image credit: Shutterstock]
Via:
ReCode
Source:
The Hustle
Tags: code, employment, foo.bar, foobar, google, programing, recruitment
Snapdragon 808 will be the processor of choice for the LG Nexus 5 2015
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While we’ve got a pretty good idea of what the new Nexus smartphone coming from LG looks like, the specifications of the device are still hotly contested. The latest rumours courtesy of Weibo alleges that the Snapdragon 808 will be the processor of choice for the LG Nexus 5 2015, no real surprise considering that it was the same processor LG used in its own flagship, the LG G4. Some may balk at the idea that the processor isn’t the latest and greatest, but using a slightly older processor that can hold its own will likely keep costs down for the overall device – and we all know that’s what we want to hear.
That’s not all that today’s report uncovers – the LG Nexus 5 2015 will also have a 5.2-inch Quad HD display, 3GB RAM and a 13MP rear camera. The 3GB RAM is likely to worry some performance junkies, but it’s been proven before that even the Nexus 6 with only 3GB RAM can still stick it to the latest from Samsung with 4GB RAM when multitasking. Of course, all of this is unconfirmed, but we can definitely see these specs happening.
What do you think about the LG Nexus 5 2015 using the Snapdragon 808?
Source: Weibo via TalkAndroid
The post Snapdragon 808 will be the processor of choice for the LG Nexus 5 2015 appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Jony Ive and Jimmy Iovine to Speak at Vanity Fair ‘New Establishment’ Summit in October
Vanity Fair today announced its speaker lineup for the 2015 New Establishment Summit, revealing that Apple Chief Design Officer Jony Ive as well as Beats cofounder Jimmy Iovine will be attending as speakers. This is the second year in a row Ive is attending as a speaker.
Last year, Ive detailed Apple’s design process in his talk, explaining that he and his fellow designers gather around tables like the ones in Apple retail stores to draw and meet three or four times a week. He also noted that their ideas don’t come along until after the team creates physical objects based on their drawings. Additionally, and perhaps most interesting, Ive said that when Chinese manufacturer Xioami copies its designs what it’s really doing is theft.
The summit takes place from October 5 to 7 at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco and promises “two full days of inventive programming and inspiring conversations around the ideas and innovations shaping the future.” The summit will kick off with a showing of the new Steven Spielberg film “Bridge of Spies,” starring Tom Hanks. Other speakers include Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, Disney’s Bob Iger, film director J.J. Abrams and Steve Jobs biographer Walter Isaacson. The entire speaking lineup can be viewed at Vanity Fair’s website while a full schedule will be revealed soon.
Review – 1byone Portable battery that can charge your phone or jump start your car
Here at Androidguys, portable batteries are a dime a dozen. Most of us need extra juice from time to time as we rely on our smartphones for probably way too many things. Leave it to 1byone to send me a unique portable battery that can even jump start your car! When they offered me the opportunity to review this battery I just couldn’t say no.
In my lifetime, I have needed to get my car/truck jump started at least 10 times in my 19 years of driving. When I worked at an auto repair shop in my teens, jump starting tired batteries was a regular occurrence. Auto batteries simply die and you have no idea when it is going to happen. No car battery will last forever, as the power cells have a limited amount of charge cycles and factors such as weather can change the expected life expectancy of your battery. The only foolproof way to avoiding a dead battery is to have it replaced every 2-3 years before it has a chance to fail. For most people this is a waste of money, and many people either have some sort of roadside assistance like AAA or they carry jumper cables in hopes a good samaritan will give them a jump.
Being an avid fan of mobile technology I keep an external battery in my truck for rare occasions when I need portable power for my smartphone. Somedays I am out at the beach or at conferences where I won’t have an opportunity to charge up, and I hate conserving battery power. Given that I keep an external battery in my truck for my phone and I also keep jumper cables in the back, the 9000mAh 1byone Smart Portable Jump Starter seemed like the perfect companion to ride along with me everywhere I go.
Design
At 9000mAh, the 1byone portable jump starting battery can charge my Samsung Galaxy Note Edge 3 full times. Simply put, this portable battery had no issues charging my phone. Being that this battery is designed to jump start cars and other automobiles, you would expect it to be rugged. And rugged it is, as it comes with a solid matte plastic frame that feels quite sturdy. It comes in a durable plastic case with and inverter and battery clamps. It is definitely well designed and well built.
The 9000mAh battery is slightly larger than portable batteries designed solely for mobile products, but that is to be expected with the circuitry built-in to keep you safe when jump starting a vehicle. 1byone designed this battery to be safe and error-proof because jumpstarting a dead battery can be dangerous. Automotive batteries contain sulfuric acid which is also used to clean clogged drains, meaning if it explodes on you, you better get to a hospital ASAP. The 1byone battery has a power converter with well designed battery clamps, one in red for the positive terminal post, and one in black grounding to a bare piece of metal on your automobile. It also has a digital display on the front which shows the percentage of battery life remaining so you know when to recharge it.
The clamps are well designed so it is nearly impossible to create a spark by accidentally touching the two clamps together. In addition to the clamps, the battery also has a super bright LED built-in for dark situations or emergency events when you need an S.O.S. signal.
The circuitry within the battery also allows it to jump start your vehicle many times over as it draws the residual power from you automobile to recharge itself. This battery was not designed to jump start truly dead batteries, like ones that have been sitting unused in a field for 5 years. For those you need heavy duty battery chargers designed for that task. In addition, this battery cannot be charged with a simple USB plug, the circuitry requires the charger that ships with the device.
Exploded battery
Specs
- 9000mAh Li-Ion 12V battery
- USB outlet for mobile devices
- 1 year limited warranty
- LED light with three illumination modes
- Works on gas powered vehicles with engines up to 4.7L
- Works on diesel powered engines up to 2.0L
Usage
For the sake of this article, I left the lights on my truck overnight until my battery was drained to the point of not being able to start. I actually didn’t like doing this because I did have to drive to work the next day, but I live within walking distance so if I killed my battery it wouldn’t be such a big deal.
Making sure the 1byone battery was fully charged up, I connected the adapter to the battery and purposely hooked up the clamps to the wrong terminals. I got an annoying alarm which told me I needed to reverse the clamps. That is a GREAT feature because believe it or not, many people don’t know how to jump start a dead battery. And I know quite a few of them.
My truck has a 3.5L V6, and after hooking up the 1byone portable battery, I got back in my truck and guess what? It started right up. I took the battery off, let my battery charge while idling while I packed the battery away back into the case, and was back on the road in no time. No need to ask a friend for help and angling the fronts of our vehicles in weird positions to get the batteries to line-up. There was also no need to wait an hour for AAA to give me a jump start: down here in Southern California AAA can have some long wait times.
Summary
Like any typical Li-ion portable battery, this 1byone pack charged up my Note with ease. I was actually skeptical of this battery jump starting my truck. In my 5 years in the auto repair shop I never would have guessed this would have worked. I’ve seen countless dead batteries and all of them needed to be charged with a rolling charger designed for automobiles, or jumper cables from another vehicle with a large auto battery.
I was pleasantly surprised to see the 1byone portable jump starter battery start my truck up after a night of leaving my headlights on. At $76.99 on Amazon.com this portable battery is a little more expensive than portable batteries designed for mobile devices, but if you can throw out your jumper cables which typically cost upwards of $40 for a decent set, this battery is quite the bargain. I will be buying a couple extra to give away as birthday gifts to my friends who have a habit of leaving their headlights on. 1byone makes high-quality accessories you can trust and they offer a 1 year warranty to back their products up.
You can purchase the 1byone portable jump starting battery here at Amazon.com.
The post Review – 1byone Portable battery that can charge your phone or jump start your car appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Hands-on with Samsung’s shrunken-down Galaxy Tab S2
How do you follow up one of the best Android tablets? For Samsung, it’s by taking a completely different direction with its new Galaxy Tab S2. We adored last year’s model, primarily for its gorgeous quad HD display, and quite honestly, there wasn’t much that tablet lacked. So instead of just upping the specs (which it also did), Samsung reframed the Galaxy Tab S2 with a square 4×3 aspect ratio, making it better suited for browsing the web and reading e-books. In a briefing with press today, Samsung reps said they found customers did plenty more than just watch movies with their tablets, so a different aspect ratio was more appropriate. They also mentioned wanting to “standardize” with the market and avoid fragmentation among tablet display formats, which seemed likely a thinly veiled nod to Apple’s iPads, which all have 4×3 displays. Slideshow-315530
So was the change worth it? After handling the Galaxy Tab S2 for a few minutes, I can’t come up with a definitive answer yet. The new tablet certainly feels more comfortable than its widescreen predecessor, simply because it’s easier to hold a square display than a rectangular screen with one hand. It’s a tad thinner at 5.6 millimeters, and it’s also lighter than the last model, clocking in at 0.87 pounds. It feels freakishly light for a tablet with a 9.7-inch screen. The iPad Air 2, in comparison, weighs 0.96 pounds. I can’t imagine anyone can actually feel the difference between the two, but you can bet Samsung will take advantage of its bragging rights (until Apple inevitably debuts a lighter iPad Air 3).
From my short time with it, the Galaxy Tab S2 doesn’t seem like something owners of the previous Tab S should upgrade to, but it may be more compelling to everyone else. Samsung reworked its multitasking feature so that it now works more like the Galaxy Note phones. You can have several apps open at once on your screen — and, for the first time, you can also drag media and text between apps. So if there’s a photo on the web you want to mail to someone, you can drag it into your email app without switching screens. While the multitasking feature was mainly relegated to Samsung apps over the past few years, the company says more third parties are adopting it as well. One of the reps was surprised to learn from a customer that Spotify now supports it, for example.
Under the hood, the Galaxy Tab S2 is running a Samsung Exynos octa-core chip running at 1.9 GHz and 1.3 GHz, along with 3GB of RAM. It ships with 32GB of storage, but you can also slap in a 128GB memory card for a bit more space. The Tab S2 is running Android 5.1 Lollipop, and there’s also a fingerprint sensor just like the company’s recent smartphones.
Among other new features, you can also shoot video from the Galaxy Tab S2 to compatible smart TVs (it’ll work with sets from other manufacturers), and you can also pipe content from a modern Samsung smart TV to the tablet. The latter feature even allows you to turn your TV on and off remotely — perfect for when you want to finish that episode of Game of Thrones in bed.
Pre-orders for the Galaxy Tab S2 kick off today, with the Wi-Fi 9.7-inch model going for $499, and the smaller 8-inch version going for $399. They’ll officially start shipping on September 3. We’ve got a unit to test out, so check back for a deeper look.
Filed under:
Tablets, Mobile, Samsung
Tags: GalaxyTabS2, mobilepostcross, samsung
Infltr gives Instagram addicts millions of editing options
Photo-editing apps like Instagram are great, but usually the options are limited to a couple dozen or so filters. That’s not the case with Infltr, a $2 iOS app that claims 5.1 million unique hues. With this piece of mobile software, swiping across the edit screen traverses through the color wheel, applying various shades to your photo until you arrive at the perfect combo. There’s no tapping on presets here. Instead, the user interface relies on those swipes around an invisible color map to make edits to your snapshots. To keep track of what’s being applied as you move across the display, a small color bubble appears under your fingertip. What’s more, you choose a color to apply before you capture an image for a more accurate preview of the final result. Sure, it costs a couple bucks, but if you’re super into mobile photos, the app certainly offers a few more options to drive those creations. Slideshow-315518
Via:
Fast Company, New Scientist
Source:
iTunes
Tags: app, filter, infltr, ios, mobilepostcross, photoediting, photography, photos, software
New Evidence Points Towards Bill Graham Civic Auditorium as Location For September 9 Apple Event
Earlier this week, there was some speculation that Apple might be planning to hold its upcoming September 9 iPhone event at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, and now there are new details that further hint towards Apple’s involvement with the site.
Beginning on Monday, SFPD officers and private security guards began patrolling the grounds at the auditorium, prompting San Francisco news site Hoodline to do some digging into what was going on. It turned out the auditorium was booked for a “trade show” set to run from September 4 until September 10, but because it was registered to a company called “Adams and Associates,” nothing linked the booking back to Apple.
A police officer outside the auditorium, via Hoodline
Hoodline now reports that a “trusted source” has confirmed the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium will indeed be used for Apple’s September iPhone event.
Our source, who wished to remain anonymous due to the extreme privacy surrounding the event, has shown us documentation from event logistics indicating that Apple is renting the building through September 12th. This timing is consistent with what we were told by a security guard on Monday.
Hoodline has also unearthed information on planned street closures that heavily lines up with the timeline when we expect Apple to hold its event. One street will be shut down from 6 p.m. on September 8th until 11:59 on September 10th, while another will be closed on Wednesday, September 9 between 4 a.m. and 11:59 p.m.
The mysteriousness surrounding the booking at the auditorium combined with the information obtained by Hoodline and the upcoming street closures all seems to point towards Apple, but there continues to be no concrete evidence Apple has rented the site for its iPhone event.
In an interview with SFGate, the project director for the Civic Center said he had no knowledge of what the building was being used for, while a spokeswoman for the Planning Department said the “trade show” information was all department was told.
“I’m even the landlord of the building, and they won’t tell me,” said Rob Reiter, project director for the Civic Center. “I’ve never seen anything like it before, but I’m just a guy in the basement,” he said of his office in the bowels of City Hall.
As was shared on Monday, the San Francisco Planning Department is involved because four window panels are set to be removed to accommodate an “exterior wall mounted star graphic sign,” which may be a placeholder for an Apple logo.
In past years, Apple’s iPhone-centric September events have been held at a variety of locations around the Bay Area, so it would not be a surprise to see the company hold its event at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. With just two weeks to go until Apple’s September 9 event, it won’t be long before the company’s plans are unveiled. Media invites for the event will most likely be going out soon, confirming the event location.
AIVAnet 
