Cortana public beta is now available on Android
It was reported in May that Microsoft will be bringing its smart assistant Cortana to Android and iOS. The official public beta is now available to all Android users.
An early version of the software leaked last month, however Microsoft made it official today. Although Cortana cannot be activated with the “Hey Cortana” command, it has the ability to replace Google Now when pressing the Android home button. The Cortana app is currently available as a US beta on the Google Play Store.
Source: Windows Blogs
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Street View is finally added into the Google Maps app
I don’t know about you, but I’ve always wondered why Street View has never been incorporated in the Google Maps mobile app. Historically, we’ve had to download a separate Street View app that worked in conjunction with Maps. Well, the day they are unified is finally here.
Via its Maps Google+ page, Google has let us know that the Street View functionality now pops up for our location searches.
“Take a look at your destination before you start navigating. Just tap the Street View thumbnail in #GoogleMaps for Android.“
When you pinpoint a location, a Street View preview thumbnail shows up towards the bottom left corner. You can’t miss it. Touch it to view the street and take a digital stroll.
Just make sure that you’re on the latest version of Maps.
Source: Google Maps on Google+
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Intelligent Energy’s Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technology Can Now Fit Inside an iPhone
British power technology company Intelligent Energy has developed an iPhone 6 prototype with a built-in fuel cell that supports hydrogen cartridges delivering up to a week’s worth of battery life, according to The Telegraph. It also demonstrated a hydrogen-powered MacBook Air.
The patented fuel cell system, reportedly poised for its first major commercial deployment in cell towers across India over the next few weeks, creates electricity based on the chemical reaction of combining hydrogen and oxygen, which produces only small amounts of water vapor and heat as waste.
Intelligent Energy also introduced a hydrogen-powered iPhone charger called Upp based on the same technology last year, but its latest breakthrough has seen it fit the fuel cell portion of the technology alongside an iPhone 6 battery pack without altering the size or shape of the smartphone.
Henri Winand, CEO of Intelligent Energy:
To our knowledge this has never been done before. We have now managed to make a fuel cell so thin we can fit it to the existing chassis without alterations and retaining the rechargeable battery. This is a major step because if you are moving to a new technology you have to give people a path they are comfortable with.
The only cosmetic difference on the iPhone 6 prototype is the addition of rear vents allowing a small amount of water vapor to escape. The Telegraph reports the device it saw at the company’s Loughborough, United Kingdom headquarters also had a modified headphone socket for refuelling hydrogen gas, although likely only because it was a prototype.
Intelligent Energy plans to sell a disposable cartridge that will attach to the bottom of a smartphone and provide enough hydrogen-releasing powder “for a week of normal use,” and the company’s corporate finance chief Mark Lawson-Statham vaguely mentions having a “partner” on board — speculated to be Apple, although both companies declined to comment as expected.
Nevertheless, the rumours and clues are overwhelming. Apple has a series of patents around fuel cell technology on public record. In recent research on Intelligent Energy, Zeus Capital analyst Dr Tom McColm wrote that he believes it is working closely with Apple.
The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are powered by 1,810 mAh and 2,915 mAh lithium-ion batteries respectively.
BlackBerry Passport sports Android in demo video
An Android-powered slider may not be the only phone BlackBerry has pegged for Google’s mobile OS. Following the leaks of a device codenamed “Venice” that’s said to be offered in both Android and BB10 versions, a video of the recently announced Passport Silver Edition surfaced. The square QWERTY handset isn’t running BlackBerry’s software, though, it’s sportin’ Lollipop. In the video from Dudu Rocha Tec., a prototype version of the new Passport is equipped with what appears to be stock Android. It’ll be interesting to see if this phone also packs in some of BB10’s notable features like Venice is rumored to do. BlackBerry hasn’t tipped its hand on Android devices just yet, so we’ll have to wait and see if another model of the silver Passport will be the second model that’ll tempt those who prefer Google’s mobile software. BlackBerry is already working with Mountain View on a more secure enterprise version of Android, and a number of reports indicate that the company is planning it’s own Lollipop (or Marshmellow) phones in the near future.
Filed under:
Cellphones, Mobile, Blackberry
Via:
Pocket-lint
Source:
Dudu Rocha Tec. (YouTube)
Tags: android, blackberry, blackberrypassport, mobilepostcross, passport
Back to School Guide 2015: Picks under $500
It’s that dreaded time of year when lazy summer days with their open invitation to sandals, surf and shirtlessness begin to give way to the crispness of fall, hoodies and the back-to-school doldrums. Ah, but there’s hope on the horizon: You can always buy things to forget the scheduled machinery of life. And, oh, have we got some selections for you — no matter your budget.
We’re not quite at the baller-level of gadget indulgence yet, but this week’s back-to-school selections are certainly well-suited for the money’s-no-object crowd. Slideshow-313012
Tags: backtoschool, backtoschoolguide, bts, bts2015
Cortana officially arrives on Android via public beta
Following a leak last month, Microsoft’s virtual assistant officially arrived on Android. Thanks to a public beta, Redmond keeps its promise to bring Cortana to the Google faithful. As we’ve already seen, you can use Cortana to help with things like answering random questions, setting reminders, tracking flights and a number of other tasks. What you still can’t do, however, is use the “Hey Cortana” voice command to alert the virtual assistant to your needs. That remains a Windows-only feature for now, though Microsoft says it’ll be “continually improving the experience.” Perhaps that tool will arrive later, but for now, head to Google Play to nab the software in its current form.
Filed under:
Software, Mobile, Microsoft
Source:
Google Play, Microsoft
Tags: android, beta, cortana, microsoft, mobilepostcross, software, virtualassistant
Blackberry Passport shown off in video running Lollipop
Last week the Blackberry Venice was shown off in several new leaked images and videos, and this morning we learned that Blackberry may be bringing BB10 features to its Android build. The evidence continues to pile up in favor of a Blackberry Android device, but if you’re still not convinced that Blackberry is toying around with Android, perhaps this latest video will serve as enough evidence.
As you can see, the unique Blackberry Passport is shown in the video above rocking Android Lollipop. Aside from taking us through the UI, not a lot is known about what we are looking at here. While it’s certainly possible that Blackberry is working on an Android-powered version of the Passport, that’s far from the only explanation.
Android-Blackberry hype and speculation won’t slow down any until Blackberry either releases the Venice or publicly denies it is working on Android devices.
For one thing, Blackberry could actually be using the Passport as a testing bed for its Android activity in preparation of the Venice, and not necessarily because they are planning an Android Passport variant. Another possibility is that this is nothing more than the work of an enterprising ROMer and isn’t an official Blackberry-supported Android build at all. In other words, don’t take this one at face value just yet, though anything is possible.
Regardless of what Blackberry is planning internally, it’s pretty obvious that the Android-Blackberry hype and speculation won’t slow down any until Blackberry either releases the Venice or publicly denies it is working on Android devices. Even the latter might not stop the rumors at this point. It is a bit curious that a company many wrote off as dead not long ago is now stirring up some much intrigue. Of course, it could just be that we’re all curious to see if Android can be the company’s saviour. That or we are just feeling nostalgic.
What do you think, would you ever consider a Blackberry Android device? If so, what kind of implementation would you prefer – a bottom-slider like the Venice, a side-slider, a Passport-like design, a traditional Blackberry keyboard device, or a full touchscreen model? Let us know what you think in the comments.
Microsoft releases Cortana public beta for “all” Android devices
After months of hiding, and hoping for being able to find the APK somewhere else, everyone can now jump on the Cortana bandwagon. While this isn’t the final version, Microsoft feels that they have made enough progress to be able to let everyone get their hands on it.
For those who haven’t been aware, Cortana is Microsoft’s version of Google Now and Apple’s Siri, but is the first that is truly available across platforms. Microsoft had announced that Cortana would be available everywhere, but up until now, we haven’t really had an idea of when that would come to fruition.
It seems the time is nearing, as Microsoft successfully released Windows 10, with Cortana in tow. Microsoft also released the companion app for Windows 10 that will help everyone get their devices synced with Windows 10, with ease.
The Cortana app can do most of the things Cortana does on your PC or on a Windows phone. With the app, you can manage your hectic lifestyle by setting and getting reminders, searching the web on-the-go, tracking important information such as flight details as well as starting and completing tasks across all of your devices.
While Microsoft is stating that Cortana will run on every Android device, it seems that I may be the one stuck in left field. I’ve signed up for the public beta, and when I try to install Cortana on my Moto X 2014, there’s a notification that says that Cortana is not compatible with my device.
Regardless of that, maybe there’s a fix in the works to not have to worry about the Moto Display options and Microsoft will get Cortana truly working for everyone. If you are interested in signing up for the public beta, head to the link here, and try out Cortana on your device. Once installed, let us know what you think about Microsoft’s personal assistant in the comments below.
Source: Microsoft
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Sprint’s Direct 2 You service arrives in St. Louis, Phoenix, Seattle, and other areas
Making it to a carrier store can be a little tough. Sprint customers in select markets actually have the luxury of the carrier’s Direct 2 You service. Direct 2 You is an on-site, all-in-one visit from a Sprint employee that includes sales, consultation, and customer service. It’s currently available in many of the nation’s major cities, but today Sprint announced Direct 2 You’s arrival in additional markets.
Hit the break to see the list of cities and surrounding metropolitan areas.
- Orlando metro area – Orlando, St. Cloud, Kissimmee
- St. Louis metro area – St. Louis, Mo.; Chesterfield, Mo.; O’Fallon, Mo.; St. Charles, Mo.; St. Louis, Ill.; Belleville, Ill.
- Minneapolis metro area – Minneapolis, St. Paul
- Phoenix metro area – Phoenix, Glendale, Scottsdale, Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, Peoria, Surprise
- San Antonio metro area – San Antonio, New Braunfels
- Seattle metro area – Seattle, Tacoma, Bellevue, Everett, Kent, Renton
Cities joining Direct 2 You next month include Las Vegas, New Orleans, and Charlotte.
How successful is Direct 2 You for Sprint? The carrier is thanking customers who complete appointments by rewarding them with gifts. At random, Sprint will distribute Motorola headphones, Harman Kardon speakers, Caribbean cruise trips, and Super Bowl tickets.
Source: Sprint
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[TA Deals] Save 86% on these courses to learn Java
At Talk Android Deals, you can learn a lot by spending little. The latest deal that we’d like to tell you about is the Java Developer Course Bundle.
A total of five courses, created for people of any level, supply sixty hours of interactive lessons covering Java’s essentials and more serious development. The Java Developer Course Bundle will have you understanding Android development and the construction of dynamic websites at your own pace.
What’s included:
- Beginner Java Essentials Android Course
- Dynamic Website Building with Java Course
- Java Spring Framework
- Java Data Structures & Algorithms Course
- All-Level Java Swing Course
The value of each of these courses combined almost totals $300. You’ll save 86%, though, by purchasing the bundle from Talk Android Deals. The cost there is just $39.
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