Google highlights the best apps and games of 2015 in the Play Store
The year 2015 is already coming to a close, and that marks a time of reflection for many of us. Android has come a long way over the past year, and so have the applications and games that make this mobile OS so great. To help us recap, Google has just published its list of the best apps, games, music, movies and more of 2015. We’re seeing some familiar faces on Google’s list, so here are a few of our favorites when it comes to applications:
- HBO Now
- SwiftKey Keyboard
- Star Wars
- Action Launcher 3
- Nova Launcher
- Microsoft Office Lens
- YouTube Gaming (yes, Google picked a few of its own apps)
- Google Photos
- Netflix
When it comes to the best games released this year, here are a few notable titles:
- Fallout Shelter
- Minecraft: Story Mode
- Lifeline
- Does Not Commute
- This War of Mine
- FRAMED
- Hearthstone
- PAC-MAN 256
Of course, there’s much more listed on Google Play, so be sure to follow the link below for more information. And I’m sure you know by now, every year our own Joe Hindy releases a few “best of the year” lists, so be on the lookout for that in the next few weeks. Do you see anything you like on Google’s list? What about a notable app or game that you were disappointed didn’t make the cut? Be sure to speak up in the comments below.
Sundance’s experimental New Frontier looks beyond virtual reality
Virtual reality found itself front and center of Utah’s wintery celebrity village earlier this year, virtually dominating the conversation around this past Sundance Film Festival. The technology, a burgeoning new medium for artists, game developers, filmmakers, and journalists alike, had reached a cultural tipping point, with the Park City fest playing host to the announcement of a dedicated VR animation studio from Facebook-owned Oculus VR and ten VR projects that stole the headlines from Sundance’s edgy, experimental New Frontier showcase.
“Last year was one of those historic moments where it was like the perfect storm,” says Shari Frilot, chief curator of New Frontier’s VR-heavy 2015 showcase. “Not only were there significant developments in the technology and a commitment by storytellers, content creators, filmmakers and journalists to grasp onto it, [but] there was also this ramping up of industry — manufacturing, as well as kind of peaking of interest in more mainstream content creators. That all converged at the festival in a way that was really explosive. … That’s sort of the unicorn that came out of New Frontier.”
Yes, everyone has been breached
Oh, a company you do business with was breached? No biggie. You probably won’t die or be sold to a Russian white slavery botnet cartel. Probably. But your data will.
It’s really hard to come up with a sector that hasn’t been hit with a big data breach in the last five years. Health insurance files? Check. Classified government personnel records? Check. Hotels, banks, retailers, credit companies, crowdfunding platforms, online hookup sites, video game companies, Hollywood giants, cable and broadband providers… The list is endless.
The ESPN app now streams live sports from WatchESPN
Up until today, if you came across live video content in the ESPN app, you had to be redirected to the WatchESPN application to start watching. But that’s about to change. The network has announced that users can now enjoy WatchESPN’s streams without having to leave its main ESPN app, with the update rolling out for iOS and Android. “This is just the first step in marrying our two largest apps and two largest mobile audiences,” an ESPN spokesperson tells Engadget.
WatchESPN is one of ESPN’s most popular services, as it allows pay-TV subscribers in the US to enjoy live sporting events on the go. According to ESPN, WatchESPN had an average of 10 million total unique viewers during the months of September and October, marking its highest audience since the FIFA World Cup 2014. As for whether WatchESPN will cease to exist as a standalone mobile app, we’re told that won’t be the case.
Source: ESPN
After Hours: Engadget drinks on the job
Most of the time we’re chained to our laptops, providing you a never ending stream of reporting on the technological wonders of the world. But at the end of the day, we like to let our hair down, enjoy a cocktail or two, have some fun and get a little weird. So turn off the lights and close the doors, y’all. This is what happens After Hours, our new monthly series that shows what happens when we take technology out of the office and into the streets.
Spotify is going to keep missing out on big albums
According to The Wall Street Journal‘s sources, Coldplay’s new album won’t be streaming on Spotify. Before you shrug, mutter something insulting about Coldplay and walk away, this is actually quite important. It’s indicative of the continued rift between music labels and the number one streaming service in the world, Spotify. Coldplay (Ghost Stories and Mylo Xyloto), Adele (21), the Black Keys (Turn Blue), and Taylor Swift (Red and 1989) have all withheld albums from the service temporarily or indefinitely for a single reason: the company’s free tier.
Via: Business Insider
Playdate: Slashing through ‘The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing’
Creatures that go bump in the night, beware: Van Helsing lives. But just how “incredible” are the monster hunter’s adventures, especially if he isn’t played by Hugh Jackman? Find out with Sean Buckley and myself as we trudge through The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing, which is part of Xbox One’s free Games With Gold promo for December. As always, you can catch us starting at 6 PM Eastern / 3 PM Pacific as we stream for two hours on Twitch. Either tune in on htis very post, the Engadget Gaming homepage, or, if you want to chat along with us, Twitch.tv/Joystiq. How weird will horror in December be? There’s only one way to find out.
Step-by-step directions are now provided in real-time by Moovit
Moovit, the popular local transit app, is able to display step-by-step directions in real-time with today’s update. The feature, appropriately called Live Directions, gives users information that is updated continuously so that they can be where they have to be when they have to be without waiting around or being late. Everything should be right on time.
Live Directions
Full changelog:
- Live Directions – step-by-step guidance that updates in real time, including Get Off Notifications that tell you when your next stop is approaching
- Multitask in the app without interrupting your Live Trip. Add favorites or check on other lines while your trip continues to update as you travel
- New cities: Bangalore (India), Springfield, Charlotte & Knoxville (USA), Brest (France), Ioannina (Greece), Bursa & Düzce (Turkey), Huesca (Spain), Corumbá (Brazil), Agrigento & Reggio Emilia (Italy)
Interested in trying to navigate your area? Join more than 28 million people by installing Moovit from the link below.
Local Transit App, Moovit Adds Live Directions and Get Off Notifications for Smoother Journeys
New features will guide Moovit users through every step of their journeys to free up time and navigate more effectively
(San Francisco, Calif.) – December 3, 2015 – Today, Moovit, the #1 local transit app worldwide, releases Live Directions, one of its most requested features, for Android and iOS. Moovit now guides users through their journey with step-by-step directions that update in real time as they travel. By providing the most up to date information, Moovit reduces the time commuters spend waiting for a train or bus.
Users will know exactly where they’re walking to, how long they’ll have to wait, and how long it will take to arrive at their stop. This feature provides automatic notifications when their stop is approaching and again when it’s time to get off. With Live Directions, there’s no need to constantly re-check the app to avoid missing your stop.
According to a 2014 global transit survey conducted by Moovit, users’ biggest frustration with public transportation in 77% of markets surveyed was that they didn’t know when the bus or train would arrive. Features like Live Directions will help to alleviate this frustration and make Moovit users’ daily lives simpler and more convenient, taking the stress out of commuting.
Users can now also multitask within Moovit without interrupting a live trip. They can check on times for other lines, plan a trip for the next day, append any other in-app navigation, simply by minimizing Live Directions. Live Directions will also continue running when users are operating outside of the app, as long as it is not fully closed out. When a user’s phone is locked, they will still receive Get Off Notifications.
The update also brings a newly designed trip directions screen to Android users. The updated screen is more user-friendly, making critical route information quicker to find.
“As Moovit has developed it has become more accurate, and therefore more useful,” said Louise Flanagan, Moovit user. “I love the fact that on horrible, cold and wet mornings I can leave the house and know I’m not going to be waiting ages for a bus. When leaving work I also know I can squeeze in an extra 10 minutes if I know my bus is running late.”
“One of the most rewarding aspects of working at a company like Moovit is the impact that we’re able to have on people’s daily lives,” said Alex Mackenzie Torres, Moovit CMO. “If Moovit can help give people a few extra minutes in their day to do something they love, or make their day less stressful, we know we’re doing something right. It’s why we work hard doing what we do everyday to continually make Moovit even better.”
Moovit has launched in over 800 cities in 60 countries, and is translated into 40 languages worldwide with an impressive user base of over 35 million users.
About Moovit
The Moovit app has everything you need to travel on public transport the smartest, speediest and easiest way possible. By combining information from public transport operators and authorities with live information from the user community, Moovit offers travelers a real-time picture and the fastest and the most comfortable routes. Moovit users can also send active reports about their travel experience, such as bus congestion levels, cleanliness, and more. The more people use Moovit, the more real-time information concerning buses and trains is distributed. Live information received from travelers offers all users improved route plans and more accurate estimates about arrival times.
Come comment on this article: Step-by-step directions are now provided in real-time by Moovit
Google makes the grade with Chromebooks at 51% of devices deployed in schools
In a new report from Futuresource Consulting, it has been revealed that Google Chromebook devices now make up over half of the computer devices deployed in U.S. classrooms. As recently as 2012, Google only held 1% of the education market, so the growth has been “shocking” as described by Forrester analyst J.P. Gownder. In just 2015, Google Chromebooks have accounted for 4.4 million of 8.9 millions devices sold to schools and school districts through the third quarter, which translates to 30,000 new devices being activated every single day.
The big loser in the market with this move to Chromebooks is Apple. The Cupertino headquartered company saw its market share fall from 52 percent to 24 percent. The other big player in the education market, Microsoft, saw its share fall from 43 percent to 24 percent.
The education market is considered one of the few bright spots for the industry right now. Recently the market for PCs and tablet devices has been in a decline, but school districts continue to purchase large volumes. Perhaps more important for the major platform competitors, students who achieve a level of comfort in a particular ecosystem through schoolwork and in the classroom may be more likely to purchase something similar when they get out on their own.
One of Google’s major advantages in the education market has been the low price point for Chromebook devices, generally in the $200 to $300 range. Offerings from other companies have often been double that, although Microsoft appears to be poised to push device costs down to be competitive with Google. Meanwhile, Apple is working on plans to target teachers and to retain their dominant position at the collegiate level.
Along with the increasingly dominant position for Google, the company is getting some extra scrutiny as well. This week a spat has opened up between Google and the EFF over the Chrome Sync feature found in Chromebooks and the Chrome browser.
source: CNBC
Come comment on this article: Google makes the grade with Chromebooks at 51% of devices deployed in schools
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