Google Photos will hide pics of your ex on Android
An unfortunate part of the future we live in is photos surfacing in our digital history of people we’d rather not see again. Google has a way around that with the latest update to its Photos app on Android. Now you can hide a specific person under the People tab. As the Google+ post tells it, that’ll keep the new grouped photos tool from resurfacing in those people under the “rediscover this day” tab as well. It isn’t quite the level that Lacuna, Inc. works at but, combined with Facebook’s similar tools, it could help save some heartache. It’s rolling out to folks running Mountain View’s mobile OS right now, with iOS and web updates coming “very soon.”
Source: Google Photos (G+), Google Play
Microsoft Arrow Launcher out of beta and into the Google Play Store
I happen to be a fan of what Microsoft has been putting up in the Google Play Store. This is because they are obviously not trying to imitate what is done in their own platforms, and these apps actually happen to offer unique abilities to Android users (unlike what Apple has been doing). Today the Redmond computer giant introduces a new app that some of you may actually be familiar with – Arrow Launcher.
I checked out Arrow Launcher myself back when the beta was made available, in July. The launcher is optimized for the Android experience, but it is unlike vanilla Android… or most other third-party launchers, for that matter.
The whole point of Microsoft’s customized UI is that it tries to offer a smarter experience that adapts to your own usage habits. It gets rid of all the extra fluff and tries to put all your information front and center. You will notice it really has no home screen. The UI consists of three sections: People, Apps and Notes & Reminders.
The People section unites your contacts and messaging services, so all your recent numbers, messages and email addresses will be readily available here. You can also dial your own digits or find people.
#gallery-1
margin: auto;
#gallery-1 .gallery-item
float: left;
margin-top: 10px;
text-align: center;
width: 25%;
#gallery-1 img
border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;
#gallery-1 .gallery-caption
margin-left: 0;
/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
I would say the Apps section is actually among the most interesting, as it puts together all the apps that really matter in a single place. You may not like it if you prefer your neat, alphabetically organized apps, though. And all the way to the right you can easily find a simple note and reminder section for easy task jotting.
The app was a bit less polished back when I experienced it, though. Other features include widgets, page rearrangement, a customizable dock, icon pack support and more. Some of these were already there, while others have been added in.
Want to give Arrow Launcher a try? Just go over to the Google Play Store and get installing. It’s also a free application, so you have nothing to lose.
New website showcases profiles of people of color working in tech
One way to address the lack of diversity in tech is to expose kids to computer science as early as possible. That’s exactly what Ruth Mesfun is doing. She studied how to teach CS, so she could conjure up a curriculum and launch a new class for the Excellence Girls Middle Academy, an all-girls, majority-black middle school in Brooklyn. She has also created a website called “People of Color in Tech” with her developer friend Michael Berhane, so her kids can find role models to look up to. The website features interviews of engineers, designers and other people of color in the industry, and Mesfun and Berhane hope to to add two more profiles every week.
Via: TechCrunch
Source: People of Color in Tech
Oculus Social Alpha delivers group watching to virtual reality
Oculus announced a “multiplayer mode” for its Cinema app was on the way, and today it has arrived. Currently available in the Oculus Store for any of Samsung’s Gear VR devices (make sure you update your Oculus Video app too) the Oculus Social Alpha lets up to five people watch a Twitch or Vimeo stream in a virtual home theater setting. As seen in earlier previews the viewers are represented by head-tracked avatar disembodied avatars. When I tried it, the effect was slightly disconcerting, but the video stream on the screen looked just about as good as Twitch can, and the heads turned and represented each viewer realistically enough that conversation wasn’t awkward.
Sonos Play:5 review (2015): a generational leap forward
The all-new Sonos Play:5 is the company’s first major hardware revision; a fresh flagship for its fleet of WiFi-enabled speakers. Sonos’ products have always been praised for their design and functionality, but not necessarily their sound quality or value. The new Play:5 definitely isn’t cheap: At $499, it’s actually $100 more than the original. But the old Play:5 was the company’s first attempt at building a speaker, and although it sounds okay, Sonos has come a long way in the six years since its release. This time around, Sonos finally created a product that looks and sounds as good as its price tag. But it’s still not for everyone. Slideshow-334054
Project Loon wants to encircle the globe in 2016
Google’s Project Loon has big plans for 2016, including its first round-the-world coverage. Its vice president, Mike Cassidy, told the BBC that the team is hoping to launch 300-plus balloons next year to “make a continuous string around the world.” The idea is to make sure that there’s always at least one balloon covering a particular area — when one drifts away, another immediately takes its place. If the team successfully deploys its first continuous string, which will cover the Southern Hemisphere, it plans to start taking its first beta commercial customers. While this particular goal depends on whether things go well for the team in the near future, Project Loon’s partnership with Indonesian providers is already a done deal.
Source: Project Loon (Google+), BBC
Nintendo’s first mobile app will be Miitomo… and it’s not really a game
Earlier we told you that Nintendo would announce its first mobile game tomorrow (Oct. 29). Guess what? It’s already tomorrow in Japan, and the video game giant has announced this highly anticipated title during an investor briefing.
The new game goes by the name of Miitomo, and it’s pretty much a communication tool that uses Mii characters. It’s said to be part of an effort to get more people in touch with other Nintendo users, as they may currently be hesitant to get to know each other more. In essence, it’s a messaging app of sorts, so we wouldn’t exactly call this the “first game” from Nintendo. It’s just the first app they will be publishing.
More details will emerge as the release date comes closer. This should be soon, right? After all, Nintendo did tell us the first of their upcoming 5 titles would come this year. That’s where the bad news come. Nintendo also mentioned they won’t be launching Miitomo until March 2016. They do have an explanation for this delay, though. It seems Nintendo will need more time to appropriately promote Miitomo; the issue is they are busy promoting other apps right now.
On a brighter note, the game will be free to download and released globally. In similar fashion to most mobile games nowadays, there will be in-app purchases.
Another significant concern about these Nintendo games is that it first announced they had partnered with DeNA to build games together. This had plenty of us worried, as we suspected this might just be a simple licensing deal, but Nintendo did reassure that most of the games will be developed in-house.
Senior Managing Director Shigeru Miyamoto also states DeNA will mostly be in charge of game operations, so all these titles should still be designed by Nintendo, something that will be good news for fans.
With all that in mind, let’s just wait until next year to see what Nintendo has been buttering up for us. In the meantime, just hit the comments and share your 2 cents about Miitomo. Were you guys hoping for something more exciting? Maybe an actual game?!
Skype adds filters to video messaging in mobile apps
Skype is bringing several new filters to its video messaging platform, bringing some interesting visual effects to video messages. You probably won’t want to use them in any sort of professional setting, but it’ll be fun for personal groups.
Adding a filter is simple and almost works like Snapchat. You can select from several different filters and effects, and when you’ve decided you record your video like normal. The effects overlay your video, so you’ll see everything as it’s happening.
Not a major update, but it’s something that’s sure to be fun for anyone that regularly uses Skype. Hit the link below for the download.
source: Skype
Come comment on this article: Skype adds filters to video messaging in mobile apps
Flash sale: Elephone P8000 Android 5.1octa-core powered smartphone for $153.99 at Gearbest.com
For one week, or until inventory runs out, Gearbest.com is running a flash sale on the Elephone P8000 Android 5.1 octa-core unlocked smartphone for $153.99 with free shipping included. All purchases made on Gearbest.com come with a 45-day customer satisfaction guarantee, so if the phone doesn’t live up to your expectations, simply send it back for a full refund.
The Elephone P8000 comes with Android 5.1 Lollipop installed, and is powered by a Mediatek octa-core processor with 3GB RAM for a speedy experience. You would guess that it would come with a lower resolution display and a weaker battery, but it does come with a full 1080P display and a massive 4165mAh battery to provide an incredible 21 hours of talk time, or 2-4 days of normal usage. The Elephone P8000 comes unlocked with dual-SIM capabilities with 16GB of internal memory expandable up to 128GB using the microSD card slot. Check out the specs for yourself below and head on over to Gearbest.com to learn more.
Quantities are limited.
Specifications:
|
Brand: Elephone SIM Card Slot: Dual Standby, Dual SIM |
Cores: Octa Core, 1.3GHz |
|
Wireless Connectivity: GSM, 4G, 3G, GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth |
Screen type: Capacitive |
|
Camera type: Dual cameras (one front one back) |
Picture format: JPEG, GIF, BMP, PNG |
|
I/O Interface: Micro USB Slot, 3.5mm Audio Out Port |
Battery Capacity (mAh): 4165mAh Built-in Battery (4000mAh Rated) |
|
Cell Phone: 1 |
Product size: 15.52 x 7.66 x 0.92 cm / 6.10 x 3.01 x 0.36 inches
|
Basic Information
Hardware
Network
Display
Camera
Media Formats
Other Features
Battery
Package Contents
DimensionsThe post Flash sale: Elephone P8000 Android 5.1octa-core powered smartphone for $153.99 at Gearbest.com appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Monopoly Here & Now and Yahtzee Blitz games get friendly with Chromecast
Your Chromecast adventures just got a bit more interesting and social. Hasbro has added Cast support to a couple of its popular games – Monopoly Here & Now and Yahtzee Blitz.
We know what many of you are wondering. Games? On the Chromecast? It may be hard to imagine, but Google’s HDMI dongle does much more than stream video and audio. It is a great presentation tool for slide shows, and it also happens to be a bit of a mobile console for basic games.
Hasbro, the all-time popular toy maker, seems to be great at keeping up with the times, something we must give them props for. Monopoly and Yahtzee join Catch Phrase, a game which has already received Chromecast support. And the cool part is you won’t be playing alone. Both Monopoly and Yahtzee support up to 4 players. The only requirements are they all have to have the game downloaded to their devices and be connected to the same Chromecast network.
I can assume both classic board games will receive a nice welcome hug by social players. Modern mobile titles are great, but they can lack that social interaction that only physical games like Monopoly and Yahtzee could accomplish in the good old days. Now we can have the modern versions in our phones and all play using the same screen!
The best part is both are free, so why don’t you download them and get ready for your next home party? You might as well give them a try.
Download Monopoly Here & Now from the Google Play Store
Download Yahtzee from the Google Play Store
AIVAnet 