Google Docs gets updated with new integrated research tool and voice typing
Docs is part of Google’s productivity suite along with Sheets, Slides and Forms. Today, the app received a major update that will bring a number of new features aimed at getting work done.
Google’s newest version of its Docs application will be rolling out to Android users starting today. The update is aimed at making tasks more seamless and effortless for students. In addition, changes will also be made in Google’s Classroom product as well as the company’s Sheets and Forms applications.
Google’s newest version of Docs includes dictation in 40 languages. Google’s voice typing will make it easier to input phrases and even sentences when trying to get something done in a hurry. Google was happy to announce these enhancements will be coming to Android, the Web and iOS users.
Unlike the previous feature, this update will only take effect on Android. With Google’s next version of Docs, it will include an all-new resource tool for integrated search. Users will be able to pop open a tab and conduct research all within the Google Docs application. This will make the lives of students much easier and hassle free. Google has included a new insert button for inserting text from outside sources as well as images and URL’s. With this new feature, it will be easier than ever to get work done in a timely manor.
On top of this, Google will now let users check over their revisions in a snap. After you save a Doc, the next time you open it, all the changes the user made will be highlighted. This can all be done with a simple click. You can even do this with multiple people. Each person editing the Doc will be given a specific color and the edits made by that user will appear highlighted in their assigned color.
Google’s update to its productivity suite will also bring many stability improvements, more templates, a refreshed interface for Forms and easier ways to implement charts in Sheets. Professors can also easily share web pages with students in no time.
Google is always keeping its eyes open for ways to improve the lives of its users. We’re very excited to see what the company has in store for us next. For more about the update to Google’s productivity suite hit the source link down below.
Source: Google
Come comment on this article: Google Docs gets updated with new integrated research tool and voice typing
Starting today, Hulu subscribers can pay an additional $4 per month for no ads
Hulu is running a new trial for subscribers that want a no ad version of their video streaming service.
If you can’t stand watching ad’s on Hulu, you can now pay an additional $4 per month to enjoy ad breaks. The regular subscription it still available for $8 per month, but if you’re feeling annoyed by ads it will set you back $12 per month. Hulu wants us to note that certain programs will still require ads before and after episodes. It’ll be interesting to see which subscription becomes more popular next month when we get the official numbers. Only time will tell.
Source: Hulu
Come comment on this article: Starting today, Hulu subscribers can pay an additional $4 per month for no ads
PlayStation 3’s free-to-play ‘Soul Calibur’ shuts down in November
There was a brief period when Bandai Namco was trying a free-to-play model for its bigger franchises like the venerable Soul Calibur fighting series and its arcadey Ridge Racer. The latter shut down in 2014, and the former will suffer a similar fate pretty soon. Come November 30th, the PlayStation 3 exclusive Soul Calibur Lost Swords closes its virtual doors while sales of in-game items stop about a month prior on October 27th, according to GamesIndustry.biz. From September 16th to September 30th though, Bandai Namco is hosting some commemorative “ranking quests” to mark the occasion. Are you among the game’s over two million players and are already mourning its passing? Let us know in the comments. And hey, who knows, this could point toward a Soul Calibur hitting modern consoles sometime soon — possible silver lining and all that.
Filed under:
Gaming, Home Entertainment, HD
Source:
Bandai Namco (YouTube)
Tags: bandainamco, freetoplay, hdpostcross, online, playstation, playstation3, psn, shutdown, soulcalibur, soulcaliburlostsword, video
The new Nexus smartphones will be announced on September 29th
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There’s been so much happening at IFA 2015 that this one almost skipped by us. A rumour being circulated is saying that the new Nexus smartphones will be announced on September 29th – we’re expecting a LG and Huawei device to be announced, presumably as the Nexus 5 and Nexus 6. This is the second time that the September 29th date has been dropped – the other time was in a report out of Korea, so we’re assuming this rumour, or at least the date, has some credibility somewhat. Quite unlike recent Nexus smartphone releases which have been quietly pushed to the Google Store, the latest rumour suggests that the LG and Huawei Nexus devices are going to be announced at a press conference in San Francisco.
The two Nexus smartphones will no doubt be launched in conjunction with the latest build of Android, Android Marshmallow, with a roll-out of the update to older Nexus devices coming soon after that. With so many rumours flying around everywhere, we’re excited to see for certain what Google has in store for us – the 29th can’t come soon enough.
What do you think about Google holding a press conference on September 29th? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: CNET via Droid-life
The post The new Nexus smartphones will be announced on September 29th appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Taking a leaf out of Google’s book: Verizon has a new logo too
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Hot on the heels of Google announcing its new look logo, American telecommuncations provider Verizon has done exactly the same thing. The logo itself is significantly simplified though the Verizon tick is still present but in a different location now – our primary concern is whether “Big Red” is still an appropriate nickname for the telco giant. As for why the logo is changing, Verizon says that after 15 years, it’s time for a change:
“The new visual identity marks the beginning of the next chapter to distinguish Verizon in the minds of consumers and signals our revitalized purpose of delivering the promise of the digital world — simply, reliably and in a way that consumers want.”
It seems pretty coincidental that two of America’s largest and recognizable companies were working on new logos at the same time, but it’s happened, and Verizon’s probably kicking itself that Google got to announce theirs first. Expect the new logo to start rolling out over the next few weeks, but it seems pretty ironic that Verizon’s own website doesn’t have the new logo installed yet.
What do you think about Verizon’s new logo? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Verizon via TalkAndroid
The post Taking a leaf out of Google’s book: Verizon has a new logo too appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Sony unveils the Xperia Z5, Z5 Compact, and Z5 Premium with a 4k display
Leading up to IFA 2015 there have been a ton of Xperia Z5 leaks. Finally, we get to see the real thing. We already knew roughly what we were going to get with the Xperia Z5 and Z5 Compact, but one we didn’t hear as much about was the Xperia Z5 Premium with the world’s first 4k display.
A big Z5 feature is a new large 1/2.3 Exmor RS™ for mobile 23MP sensor and F2.0 G Lens. Sony says this is the fastest autofocus smartphone camera in the world, which takes only 0.03 seconds. That is faster than the blink of an eye.
Just like in previous models, the Z5 will have a very clean and elegant design with a combination of metal and glass, while keeping it’s waterproofing. It has a 5.2″ 1080p display and will come in White, Graphite Black, Gold and Green.
It’s smaller variant, the Z5 Compact has a 4.6″ 720p display, making it easier for one handed use. It comes in Yellow and Coral, in addition to White and Graphite Black.
All the new Z5’s will feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor, a 64 bit octa-core CPU, 3GB of RAM (2GB on Compact), quick charge, and new battery standby features that are capable of two days of use. A fingerprint reader is also built into the power button making it easy to find and use.
The real excitement is for the Z5 Premium edition. It is the world’s first 5.5″ 4k display smartphone. That gives it a pixel density of 806 ppi. To make sure everything always looks good, Sony have stated that it will upscale all your content. That means everything from photos, Netflix, YouTube, and more, will all look great on it. The camera is also capable of recording 4k and being able to watch it in 4k right on the device. To power everything, the battery is 3430 mAh and also capable of lasting two days. Internal storage is only 32GB, but supports microSD cards up to 200GB. More than enough space for all those 4k videos. As for colors it comes in Chrome, Black, and Gold (see picture at the top for colors).
Source: Sony
Come comment on this article: Sony unveils the Xperia Z5, Z5 Compact, and Z5 Premium with a 4k display
Google will unveil new Nexus smartphones on September 29th in San Francisco
We’ve been hearing tons of rumors lately about Google’s upcoming lineup of Nexus smartphones, and it looks like we’ll finally see them officially unveiled in late September. The company is set to hold an event in San Francisco on September 29th, just in time for the holidays.
We’re expecting two Nexus devices, one of which will be a larger Huawei device and the other will be a smaller LG phone. These devices will probably be among the first Android devices to run Android Marshmallow, which we typically see with Nexus devices.
We’ve got a pretty solid idea on what both smartphones will have in terms of hardware, but pricing is still up in the air. Before the Nexus 6 last year, Google tried to set a trend with low cost devices. There’s no telling which direction the new Nexus devices will go, but we’ll know for certain by the end of the month.
source: Cnet
Come comment on this article: Google will unveil new Nexus smartphones on September 29th in San Francisco
Verizon follows Google, unveils new company logo
Google isn’t the only company this week that’s rolling out a new logo. Verizon has coincidentally followed suit and revealed a new, more modern logo. The font has changed slightly, but Verizon is keeping their trademark red checkmark.
Verizon says they’re updating their logo to reflect their new place in the changing technology landscape. The market is significantly different than it was 15 years ago, which is pretty similar reasoning to Google’s change.
You can expect the new logo to start rolling out to all of Verizon’s branding and services over the next week.
source: Verizon
Come comment on this article: Verizon follows Google, unveils new company logo
Google joins other tech companies to create a new video format
Google has teamed up with 6 other tech giants to create a next-generation video format. The partnership includes key players like Amazon, Cisco, Intel, Microsoft, Netflix and Mozilla (aside from the Search Giant), a collective which is to be named the Alliance for Open Media.
You may be asking yourself what exactly the issue is with current video formats. Why are all these companies teaming up for a new solution, if our videos are already great? The main issue is that most popular video formats were not made with browsers and mobile devices in mind, they were simply adapted to them. The idea is that this next-generation standard would offer more flexibility, better support and improved browser compatibility.
The Alliance’s initial focus is to deliver a next-generation video format that is:
- Interoperable and open;
- Optimized for the web;
- Scalable to any modern device at any bandwidth;
- Designed with a low computational footprint and optimized for hardware;
- Capable of consistent, highest-quality, real-time video delivery; and
- Flexible for both commercial and non-commercial content, including user-generated content.
These guys will join forces and harness their specific areas of expertise to create a royalty-free video codec, placing a high emphasis on the above-mentioned characteristics, as well as encryption, adaptive streaming and more.
“Customer expectations for media delivery continue to grow, and fulfilling their expectations requires the concerted energy of the entire ecosystem. The Alliance for Open Media brings together the leading experts in the entire video stack to work together in pursuit of open, royalty-free and interoperable solutions for the next generation of video delivery.” -Gabe Frost, executive director at Alliance for Open Media
I am usually uncertain about new formats and their success, but with so many huge players on board, I find it difficult for this project to fail. Google and company are off to a good start, and more details will be revealed as the program develops. For now, all we can do is wait and see how this project unfolds. What do you guys think? Do we need a new format? Maybe this will be the one we have all been waiting for!
Internet-connected baby monitors are vulnerable to attacks
Don’t call a priest just yet if you hear strange voices coming out of your child’s baby monitor — it’s more likely a hacker than some kind of supernatural entity. Security firm Rapid 7 has released a study that shows just how vulnerable at least nine internet-connected baby monitors are. The team tested models from eight manufacturers (including Philips and Withings) this 2015 and found that hackers can easily break into them, not only to scare the living daylights out of a family, but also to monitor their activities. For instance, some models have unencrypted web apps, so hackers can use that flaw to gain access to their cameras.
Others allow users to add people to the list of viewers without authenticating themselves, giving interlopers the power to invite other intruders to livestream what the baby monitor sees. These are but a couple of examples to give you an idea. Unfortunately, among the eight manufacturers whose products were tested, only Philips was responsive and promised to patch up its device’s security hole.
Rapid7 warns that it’s not just pervs with lots of time on their hands parents should be worried about. Industrial spies could also take advantage of the devices’ flaws to steal secrets or keep an eye on high-profile execs who use their phones or computers to connect to their kids’ internet baby monitors. You can read the full report on the firm’s website, containing a list of products they tested and their corresponding weaknesses.
[Image credit: Alamy]
Filed under:
Misc
Via:
Ars Technica
Source:
Rapid7
Tags: babymonitor, internetofthings, philips, rapid7, withing
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