Google Calendar for Android makes scheduling meetings much easier

Google is rolling out a new feature to Google Calendar that should make scheduling meetings much easier. Available for Google Apps for Work and Edu users, the new “find a time” button will automatically pick out the best times for a meeting based on the schedules of everyone in the group.

From Google:

With a single tap, “Find a time” helps you find meeting times that work for everyone—even if they’re in different time zones—based on their availability and the times they usually have meetings. If there are no times that work, Calendar will look at which conflicting meetings can most easily be rescheduled.

While Calendar will do its best to make suggestions that work for everyone, Google notes that you’re still ultimately in control. And if you manage another’s calendar, you can schedule meetings for them as well. Google for Work and Edu customers should be able to try the feature soon as it continues to roll out.

Samsung Pay will expand to Canada, UK, Australia and other countries later in 2016

Samsung has announced that it will be bringing its mobile payment system, Samsung Pay, to additional countries later in 2016. The service will be expanding to Canada, Singapore, Brazil, Australia, Spain and the UK to begin, and Samsung hopes to continue the expansion beyond that.

We have seen new banks added to Samsung Pay, as well as some expansion since the service first launched last year. Let’s hope that Samsung continues the growth so that everyone can use the mobile payment service, regardless of where they reside.

Minecraft jumps into virtual reality on Samsung’s Gear VR

Microsoft-owned developer Mojang has released a version of its hit sandbox game Minecraft for the Samsung Gear VR headset. The game is now available to download from the headset’s version of the Oculus Store.

Mojang states:

It has all the features of Pocket Edition, costs the same and has cross-platform play with regular Pocket and Windows 10 editions. If you have the Samsung S6 or the snazzy new S7, the screen resolution is pretty fabulous – so you won’t be easily distracted by the pixels. Older phone models might not run the game quite as well in true stereo or with as high a draw distance, but it’s always amazing to plug yourself into the world of Minecraft without any cables tethering you to a PC. Just make sure you don’t tread on the cat!

An Oculus Rift version of Minecraft is slated for release later this year.

Samsung will begin Gear 360 sales online in select countries on April 29

On stage during its annual developer conference, Samsung announced that sales of the Gear 360 will begin on April 29. The sales will be online-only to start, and only in select countries, with more available in the coming months.

Samsung did not specify which countries the Gear 360 will be available in to start, nor has the company revealed what the pricing will be. Be sure to stay tuned for additional information about the launch as it is made available.

You can now control your Android TV with this iPhone app

Google has quietly launched a new iPhone app for Android TV. 

Television manufacturers like Sony and Sharp make Android TV sets. These are TVs running the Android smart TV platform developed by Google. It was announced in 2014 and is the successor to Google TV, Google’s previous stab at a big screen platform. Now, Google has announced the Android TV app. It lets you use your iPhone to control Android TVs.

With the Android TV app, you search for games, apps, movies, and shows by using your voice or text. You can also use the digital d-pad or gestures to navigate around your Android TV. The app, which looks pretty basic, works over Wi-Fi to connect with your Android TV, and it requires that your iPhone and Android TV are on the same local network.

The app also lets multiple people connect remotes in order to enjoy some of Android TV’s multi-player games and functionality. Technically, this app is for iOS, so you can download it onto and use it with your iPad too. Oh, and if you have an Android TV box, such as the Nexus Player, it’ll also work with that. 

The new Android TV app is a free download from Apple’s App Store.

Paris police want drones to watch over crowds

Paris’ police force is understandably anxious about crowd security as of late, and it’s turning to technology in a bid to track threats hiding in those groups. It’s planning to buy hexacopter drones that would be used for close crowd surveillance. The machines will have to meet very specific criteria: they’ll have to clearly spot a license plate from 50m (164ft) away, fly at altitudes of 100m (328ft), require no more than 5 days of training and use encrypted connections to avoid hacks. In essence, they have to serve as an extra set of eyes that law enforcement can use without a moment’s hesitation.

The drones may go into service very soon. Paris is one of the key hosts for both the upcoming Euro 2016 football/soccer championship and the Tour de France, and the police will likely want whatever tools they can get to detect (and maybe even deter) criminals who might be lurking in the throngs of sports fans.

However, there are privacy concerns. While there’s a law requiring that security drone operators let people know they’re being watched, French rights groups are still worried that the proliferation of drones could lead to widespread surveillance. The rules open the door to exceptions for police when “public order” and security are at stake — and when there’s still a state of emergency, officers might be tempted to use those exceptions often. The police force will have to use drones judiciously if it wants to avoid making Parisians nervous.

Via: Nextinpact (translated), Vice, The Verge

Source: State Purchase Platform (translated)

Intel hopes USB-C will replace the headphone jack

That recent trend of gadgets ditching the headphone jack in favor of thinner, more advanced ports? Like it or not, it’s going to continue for a while yet. Intel is proposing that companies use expanded USB-C audio support to “eliminate” 3.5mm audio on mobile devices. It’s not just about removing the bulk of a narrow-purpose port, either. As with Apple’s Lightning audio, this would increase the use digital sound and encourage smart headphones and speakers that handle more audio processing (think built-in DACs and improved noise cancellation). They’d even support upgrades, so your headphones might learn new tricks as time goes on.

Intel is aware that this wouldn’t be an easy transition, but it thinks the tech has legs. The wider spec supports analog audio (through adapters), so you wouldn’t need to go digital right away. It might be expensive at first, particularly on low-end devices, but Intel is counting on costs dropping as technology and economies of scale catch up.

How quickly companies take to the concept is up in the air. The tech industry is notoriously reluctant to let go of analog technology — just look at how many PCs still had VGA ports well after digital display formats took hold. However, the rush to make ever-slimmer devices might push companies toward USB-C audio. You could see ultra-thin laptops that don’t compromise so much on expansion, or smartphones that have room for bigger batteries without having to bulk up. The main concern is that you’re more likely to see wired headphones that only have full functionality on specific devices. That already happens today, but it could be more common going forward.

Via: The Verge

Source: AnandTech

Apple Seeds Third OS X 10.11.5 El Capitan Beta to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming OS X 10.11.5 El Capitan update to developers and public beta testers, one week after releasing the second OS X 10.11.5 beta and a month after releasing OS X 10.11.4, the fourth update to the OS X El Capitan operating system. OS X 10.11.5 has been in testing since April 6.

OS X 10.11.5 beta 3 has a build number of 15F28b and can be downloaded through the software update mechanism in the Mac App Store or through the Apple Developer Center (for developers).

OS X 10.11.5, like prior OS X El Capitan updates, appears to focus on security enhancements, performance improvements, and bug fixes to address issues that have popped up since the release of OS X 10.11.4. No obvious outward-facing changes were discovered in the first two OS X 10.11.5 betas, but we’ll update this post if any new features are found in the third beta.

Related Roundup: OS X El Capitan
Tag: OS X 10.11.5
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Apple Releases Safari Technology Preview 3 With Extensive Tweaks and Bug Fixes

Apple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser that launched on March 30. Release 3 includes a long list of feature tweaks and updates to JavaScript, CSS, Web APIs, Web Inspector, Accessibility, Rendering, Media, and Networking, plus bug fixes.

Release notes are available on Apple’s Safari Technology Preview website.

The Safari Technology Preview update is available through the Mac App Store to anyone who has downloaded the browser.

Apple’s goal with Safari Technology Preview is to gather feedback from developers and users on its browser development ahead of launch. Safari Technology Preview can be run side-by-side with the existing Safari browser and while aimed at developers, it does not require a developer account to download.

Tag: Safari Technology Preview
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