Amazing Google Pixel leak shows-off pure Android design
With Google planning something of a mega launch party on 4 October, there has been no shortage to leaks and rumours approaching launch day.
Amongst the most hotly-anticipated devices are the new Pixel handsets, stepping in to replace the Nexus devices as a pure Android showcase. We’ve just seen the clearest leak of Google Pixel so far, thanks to an image from VentureBeat.
This year, Google looks to be dumping the Nexus programme for smartphones and pushing Pixel devices instead. There are said to be two Pixel handsets, the smaller of which, pictured here, offers a 5-inch display, with a 1920 x 1080 resolution.
The leaked image appears to corroborate previous rumours and leaks and the design reflects recent HTC handsets too, in the shape of the speaker and the front sensor.
- Made by Google: What to expect at Google’s 4 October Pixel event
- Google Pixel and Pixel XL: Release date, rumours and everything you need to know about the next Nexus
- Google Pixel XL vs Pixel: What’s the rumoured difference?
The larger Pixel XL is said to have a 5.5 inch display with a sharper 2560 x 1440 resolution, very much the flagship rival.
The new image also shows-off the Pixel Launcher, a new face for Android which has also leaked previously, but expected to make its debut on launch day.
Both new Pixel devices are expected to launch on 4 October alongside a number of other Google technologies, including Google Home, 4K Google Chromecast Ultra and Daydream VR.
Roller coasters might help you pass a kidney stone
According to an new study from Michigan State University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine, roller coasters can, in fact, do more than just give you a temporary thrill. Specifically, study author David Wartinger and his co-author Marc Mitchell set out to test the experience of one patient who claimed to have passed three kidney stones after taking three rides on Disney’s Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
While that patient’s experience may seem coincidental, Wartinger and Mitchell set out to test it in the most scientific way possible: They built a 3D printed silicone model of a kidney, filled it with urine and three kidney stones, and then tossed the whole contraption in a backpack that rode Thunder Mountain along with them a total of 20 times. According to a statement from Wartinger, the team’s findings, “support the anecdotal evidence that a ride on a moderate-intensity roller coaster could benefit some patients with small kidney stones.” And where you’re sitting on the train can also make a difference. As CNET notes, sitting at the front of the ride helped get things moving with a 16.67 percent passage rate, but sitting in the back was even more effective – resulting in a 63.89 percent passage rate. On the other hand, a ride that is too fast or pulls too many G’s can actually hold the kidney stones in place, making things worse. (And you won’t get the same result on a VR coaster, obviously.)
Of course, riding a roller coaster isn’t a surefire way to get ride of a kidney stone, but when used in addition to standard treatments, the research team believes it could be useful therapy for the 300,000 people who suffer from kidney stones in the US every year. “If you have a kidney stone, but are otherwise healthy and meet the requirements of the ride, patients should try it,” Wartinger said. “It’s definitely a lower-cost alternative to health care.”
Via: CNET
Source: MSU Today
Best Buy’s new project highlights tech startups’ creations
You’ll soon see curious spots in Best Buy stores that aren’t hawking any big-brand company’s products. Instead, they will be stocked with electronics from companies you probably never heard of before. See, the big-box store has launched a new initiative dubbed “Ignite,” and it takes a leaf out of Amazon Launchpad’s book.
Under the project, startups chosen by Best Buy will get a chance to work with multinational product innovation company PCH. It will help them with product development, marketing and other aspects that will get their creations out of the lab and into buyers’ hands, so to speak. It will also give you the chance to see new products you might never have heard of otherwise, as well as test them out before buying.
Best Buy has already opened its first Ignite space in its new Silicon Valley HQ, and it has quite a few products we’ve talked about before on display. You’ll see Muzik’s Spotify- and social media-connected headphones there, as well as Noke’s Bluetooth padlock, the Zuli smartplug, the Tangram smartrope, among other crowdfunded and unusual wireless and audio electronics. BB didn’t say when its other locations will get their own Ignite space. But you’ll at least be able to look at its partner startups’ devices when it launches the project’s official web page later this fall.
Via: Star Tribune
Source: Best Buy
Google Pixel render shows off its software tweaks
Along with its leak of the 4K Chromecast earlier today, VentureBeat is showing off this picture that it says is of Google’s upcoming Pixel phone. Along with the larger Pixel XL, it’s expected to be the successor to previous Nexus devices, with a 5-inch 1080p screen and 32GB of storage onboard. A potential $649 starting price is also raising eyebrows, but previous leaks from Android Police indicate that the most notable feature will be software built to maximize Google’s new Assistant AI.
We’re expecting to find out all of these details and more at Google’s October 4th event, as well as news about a new router and Google Home. Of course, if you just can’t wait, third parties like Nova Launcher and Action Launcher have already pushed out updates that can give your phone the Pixel look, if not its tight Google integration.
Source: VentureBeat
Canada’s main answer to Netflix shuts down November 30th
It’s tough to compete against the Netflix juggernaut, even if you throw a ton of money at the problem… just ask Shomi. The Canadian streaming video service is shutting down on November 30th, a little over two years after it got off the ground. Rogers, one of the two cable giants running Shomi, isn’t shy about the reasons for the prompt exit. Simply put, the service’s subscriber base “just isn’t big enough” — Rogers is expecting a loss of up to $140 million Canadian (about $106 million US), and its partner Shaw is likely to be hurting as well.
As to why Shomi didn’t reel people in? It’s hard to say for sure, but it’s not for a lack of licensed content. The service is closer to Hulu than Netflix through its focus on conventional TV, but it occasionally has an advantage over both. You get access to TV shows that simply aren’t available on Netflix (such as Mr. Robot), and Shomi is currently the Canadian home for Amazon originals like Transparent and Mozart in the Jungle.
It might be the combination of a slow rollout with Netflix’s overwhelming presence. Shomi was exclusive to Rogers and Shaw customers for its roughly year-long test phase, leaving many Canadians unable to sign up. And the blunt truth is that Netflix is not only good enough for many viewers, but had a years-long head start. Why pay an extra $9 per month to stream regular TV shows when Netflix exclusives like Narcos or Stranger Things are already fitting the bill, especially if you have cable service? As well-executed as Shomi might be, it has always faced daunting odds.
Source: Shomi (Yahoo Finance), Canada Newswire
Microsoft puts AI to work in Office 365
Microsoft isn’t just trying out artificial intelligence through bots and voice assistants — it’s going all-in. The crew in Redmond has revealed that Office 365 is wielding cloud-based AI to automate many tasks. Tap for Word and Outlook surface relevant content from your company to help finish a project, for instance. PowerPoint and Sway will have a QuickStarter feature that gives you curated outlines for given topics, saving you the trouble of creating the foundation of a presentation from scratch. Excel, meanwhile, will have a way to turn raw geographic data into Bing-based maps.
Some of these intelligent features are available now, although you’ll have to wait until later this year to get the Excel and PowerPoint helpers.
There are some more behind-the-scenes uses of AI as well. Microsoft’s sales service, Dynamics 365, will use AI assistance to bring up relevant data and point sales reps in the right direction when they’re trying to clinch a deal. The company is even using an AI agent in its American call centers to help staff answer your questions. While you might not notice these as much as the Office upgrades, they’re evidence that Microsoft sees machine learning as useful in many parts of the computing world.
Source: Official Microsoft Blog
Facebook briefly suspended accounts of Palestinian journalists
Last week, seven Palestinian editors from two different publications reported that they had been locked out of their personal Facebook accounts without notice or reason. The social giant told The Electronic Intifada that it was accidental and restored access to six of them by Saturday, though one remains suspended as of press time. But employees from both Shehab News Agency and Quds News Network doubt that their colleagues were banned in error. Rather, they have pointed to Facebook’s recent agreement with Israel earlier this month to jointly crack down on “incitement” by Palestinians on social media.
Accidental or not, temporarily banning journalist accounts chills a social media platform’s assumption of freedom of speech, especially if the suspensions are one-sided. Under the Israeli government’s conviction that some posts on networks have directly inflamed a new wave of attacks against Israelis since last October, they have pressured Facebook to delete such content. Soon, they might progress past asking, as the Israeli government continues drafting a law legally compelling social media companies to comply with their takedown requests.
As expected, the collaboration has raised concerns that Facebook has become complicit in silencing portions of its userbase. Facebook, along with Google and YouTube, has reportedly complied with 95 percent of the Israeli government’s requests to take down content it deemed would inspire more attacks. At least 100 Palestinians have been arrested for posting similar content since last November, according to the Israeli military. Sentences have varied, from days of house arrest to months in jail and the equivalent of thousands of dollars in fines.
Facebook has certainly been thrust into a complex geopolitical situation, but it’s been accused of censoring viewpoints before. No less than a Congressional committee and an internal investigation determined that, no, the network’s Trending Topics was not biased in its selections, and wasn’t muffling conservative voices. The censorship anxiety was so acute that Mark Zuckerberg himself came out to defend the news digest’s neutrality.
Seeing him stand up for equal conservative and liberal representation in Trending Topics while Facebook takes down most of the content that the Israeli government wants removed seems conflicting. But they aren’t the same: According to Al Jazeera, 230 Palestinians, 34 Israelis, two Americans, one Jordanian, an Eritrean and a Sudanese have been killed since in the country and the West Bank since last October. Israel believes policing speech on the social network will prevent others from getting inspired to commit more attacks.
But what they consider “inciting” violence is broad. According to reports, it ranges in intensity. Some have been arrested for praising a bus bombing that injured 20 settlers to instructions on “how best to stab an Israeli.” Other statements fall more into what is usually considered free speech, from poems calling for resisting Israel to simply “disparaging authorities.” And the government legislation being developed would lower the threshold even further for what content they consider inflames further violence.
Under these circumstances of scrutiny, mistakenly suspending social media accounts from separate Palestinian news outlets is unfortunate at best. Ultimately, only those in legal control of the digital space can truly say whether the content of their posts got them banned. Facebook says the pages were accidentally removed after being flagged, and mistakes happen when their team processes millions of reports per week. When they realized the error, they restored access. But this is the fourth time Shehab News Agency”s accounts have been taken down in a year, they told Al Jazeera. Twice, those suspensions were permanent, and they had to entirely recreate their Facebook pages.
Engadget reached out to Facebook, which did not respond at press time.
Source: Al Jazeera
Jimmy Iovine Talks Apple Music Exclusives Criticism, Says Service Was ‘Too Ambitious’
Apple Music executives Jimmy Iovine and Bozoma Saint John spoke with BuzzFeed News in a new feature about the redesign of Apple’s music streaming service, revealing the thinking behind some new features and responding to criticism over music exclusives.
Shortly after launch of Frank Ocean’s latest album “Blonde,” Universal Music Group banned exclusive music streaming as Ocean’s deal with Apple allowed him enough capital to publish his music independently. Iovine told BuzzFeed News that Apple has no plans to become a music label, but that he doesn’t know how to run Apple Music any other way than helping make and distribute great music.
“We put a lot into this, we’ve had some real successes, and we always hold up our end of the relationship,” Iovine said, insisting that he has no intention of encroaching on record labels’ territory. “We’re feeling our way around and seeing what works … Every time we do [an exclusive], we learn something new.” He added that Apple Music would move forward with its pursuit of exclusives from other partners, such as Sony Music Entertainment and the Warner Music Group, noting, “It’s Apple’s show. As long as Apple’s asking me to do what I’m doing, I’m gonna keep doing it.”
Iovine went on to say he doesn’t know whether music fragmentation, with different services offering different exclusives, would hurt or help the music industry, but he does believe that services that offer free listening tiers are harmful.
“The rights holders, whoever they are, have to do something, because there’s a lot of free [music] out there, and it’s a problem,” he told BuzzFeed News. Iovine says there’s enough free music in the world to make people question whether they should subscribe to a service.
Apple Music’s new redesign, which favors bigger text and a more simplified layout, is aimed at users who may not have prior experience with streaming services, including older people and international audiences, according to BuzzFeed News. Some changes, like moving the “My Library” tab to the first and most leftward location on the bottom tab, are aimed at making things easier.
Bozoma Saint John said that one of the questions Apple asked itself during the redesign was how people are interacting with their music during a normal day. The Cupertino company tried to figure out what users were looking for within Apple Music and how the company could best serve that.
That includes a new series of algorithm-based playlists for Apple Music. Apple uses iTunes music data, favorites and play counts to determine what to play in the new My Favorites and My New Music Mixes. My Favorites more closely looks at your history, serving up your favorite and most played music, while My New Music serves up recently released songs you like mixed with new music you haven’t heard before, flagged by Apple Music editors based on your taste profile. More personalized playlists are coming to the service, but only after extensive testing as Apple wants to vet all possible outcomes within a playlist before releasing it.
Finally, Iovine said the first version of Apple Music was too ambitious, and that the company “probably” put too much into it too soon. He said that Apple is figuring things out now, and that it’s slowly moving things forward. Iovine also hinted that there’s new stuff coming to Apple Music that he doesn’t think anyone “will see coming.”
Apple is currently attempting to bolster the video content on its streaming service, creating original programming like Dr. Dre’s Vital Signs and reality competition series Planet of the Apps. Apple also purchased the rights to a Carpool Karaoke series and continues to create exclusive music content with artists. Earlier today, Drake released a 23-minute short film titled “Please Forgive Me,” which is intended to be a companion piece to his latest album “Views.”
The entire feature on Apple Music’s redesign can be read at BuzzFeed News.
Tag: Apple Music
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Evening news brief: Android’s getting a reboot
Android chief teases historic day, while Roku debuts a new line of set-top boxes, and the Honor 8 gets its first big update.
It rained a lot here this morning, and it occurred to me, during my second cup of coffee, that the Android news cycle is pretty predictable. So I took a look at rumor mills in the weeks prior to previous Nexus events, and it confirmed my suspicions: there’s always a few nuggets of truth amidst the pure BS. This year, history is repeating itself, but there appears to be something on top of the rumors and leaks, which is a sense of wonder and, dare I say it, hope, that we haven’t seen for quite some time.
In particular, people appear to be more excited about the prospect of Google taking a more active role in the phones that, for better or worse, bear its name. The Pixel phones are going to be just that — iterative improvements to the Nexus 5X and 6P, but they’re also representative of a change within Google itself. Perhaps it’s the leadership of former Motorola CEO Rick Osterloh that’s led to this decision, but I see it as being years in the making.
As Hiroshi Lockheimer tweeted last week, whatever is announced next week, it’s going to be amazing for Android — and Google — fans everywhere.
And now, to tonight’s news.
Honor 8 gets its September security update, notification nonsense unchanged
The Honor 8 is one of our favorite devices right now, but its software isn’t great. That said, the phone is receiving a nice little update, bringing it up to the September 2016 security patch level and fixing some irritating bugs. The notification shade still looks as bad as ever, but that’s unlikely to change until the phone gets updated to Nougat. More
BlackBerry’s upcoming phone strolls through the regulators
It’s pretty clear that BlackBerry and TCL are getting cozier, as the two companies are about to release the second phone formed under their collaboration. Dubbed the DTEK60, the phone is based on a yet-unreleased Alcatel Idol product, featuring a large 5.5-inch QHD display, a Snapdragon 820 chip, a healthy 4GB of RAM, and an ample 21MP rear camera. Privilege, indeed. More at CrackBerry
What is Andromeda, and why should you care?
If you’ve been following any Android-related news over the past few days, the word ‘Andromeda’ has certainly cropped up. What may be the product of an eventual merger between Android and Chrome OS, or something else completely, we’ve compiled everything you need to know in one place. More
Spotify moves its family (plan) to Canada
One thing that never quite made sense about Spotify’s competitive family plan is that, despite being available in dozens of countries, the $14.99/month offer never made it to Canada. Without explaining the delay, the company has announced that effective immediately the family plan is now available in the Great White North (yay!). Like in the U.S., up to six individual accounts can be combined into one family plan.
Roku debuts a bunch of new streaming things
Roku’s product lineup is confusing af. But it’s also one of the more successful streaming set-top box companies around, so the strategy must be working. To wit, the company has announced three new lines (and five new products), including the Express, Express+, Premiere, Premiere+, and Ultra, selling between $30 and $130. It looks like the Express is aimed at the Chromecast, while the Ultra goes for the Apple TV. And the Premiere? Well, at $80, it’s right in the middle — and a perfect Christmas gift.
Lockheimer alludes to news that’s big enough for the Android history books
Over the weekend, everyone’s favorite Android executive, Vice President Hiroshi Lockheimer, tweeted this salacious little number:
We announced the 1st version of Android 8 years ago today. I have a feeling 8 years from now we’ll be talking about Oct 4, 2016.
— Hiroshi Lockheimer (@lockheimer) September 24, 2016
That’s a bold claim, and the reasons why were covered in this morning’s exploration on Google’s Andromeda project. Is Lockheimer alluding to the fact that this is going to be the biggest change for Android in almost a decade? Maybe. But until we find out on October 4, take a stroll through our Android History series beforehand for a refresher on the OS’s biggest hits.
Honor 6X will be a phone that is on sale
Look, we weren’t huge fans of the Honor 5X. It had its moments, sure, but suffered from poor performance and inelegant software that, together, just failed to live up to its potential. But in the past year, Honor as a brand has come a long way, buoyed by the successful release of the Honor 8 and parent company Huawei’s succession of excellent releases. So that’s why we’re relatively excited about the Honor 6X, which has leaked by TENAA, China’s ever-loquacious regulator. The specs don’t excite too much (except for the dual camera), but it should be another top-shelf entry-level phone.
That’s it for tonight! We’ll be making some changes to the news brief going forward, consolidating our two posts into a single late afternoon/early evening post. Thanks for bearing with us while we find the right format for this new endeavor, and please continue to give your feedback, it’s always welcome!
What is Google Andromeda?
Android and Chrome OS are about to majorly change, according to new reports.
Google is rumoured to be developing a new laptop that might fall under the “Pixel” brand name – just like the company’s upcoming Pixel flagship phones, but the most remarkable thing about this yet-to-be-unveiled device, which goes by the codename Bison or nickname Pixel 3, is it will run on an entirely new operating system that merges Android with Chrome OS.
That hybrid operating system is currently dubbed Andromeda. Here’s everything we know so far about it, including when it will be available to use.
Android Police
What is Google Andromeda?
Many reports have suggested Google is making an Android-Chrome OS hybrid.
- Say goodbye to Chrome OS, will be folded into Android in 2017
- Chrome OS Android: Working to bring together best of both
The Wall Street Journal reported last year that Google is attempting to fold Chrome OS (the OS it developed to power Chromebooks) into Android (the OS it developed for Android mobile devices, including Nexus devices). Engineers at the Mountain View, CA-based company have reportedly been trying to combine the two systems over the past three years, with the goal of unveiling a single, unified operating system by 2017.
- Google ‘Pixel 3’ laptop running Andromeda OS planned for 2017
For instance, more recently, Android Police claimed Google will release a Bison/Pixel 3 convertible laptop in Q3 2017, while 9to5Google said a Nexus-branded, 7-inch tablet made by Huawei will arrive by the end of 2016. Both these devices will run a new OS called Andromeda, which is thought to be the name of Google’s hybrid Android/Chrome OS. Because it’ll run Andromeda, the Pixel 3 won’t be marketed as a Chromebook.
The Pixel 3 is meant to showcase Andromeda in a laptop form factor and will actually rival Windows PCs and MacOS machines.
Didn’t Google already merge Android with Chrome OS?
Sort of. At I/O in June 2016, Google confirmed plans to bring Android apps to Chrome OS products. That means you’re basically able to download and install apps from the Google Play Store onto your Chromebook. Soon, you’ll be able to fling Angry Birds from a catapult on your Chromebook and download a shedload of other apps you’d normally find on your phone or tablet.
However, according to Android Police, Andromeda is a completely separate effort from Android apps on Chrome OS. It said Andromeda is a much larger initiative that’s all about merging Chrome features into Android – not vice versa.
- Android Apps on Chrome: Give your Chromebook an app-vantage
Does this mean Android is dead?
No. It’s more like Chrome OS – as we know it – is dead.
Android Police suggested that Google is currently focused on pitching Andromeda as a laptop experience that will rival Microsoft and Apple. The company hasn’t yet released a Chromebook Pixel for 2016, for instance, because it’ll likely ditch “Chromebook” altogether and move forward with Andromeda. Also, keep in mind Google is expected to announce new Pixel phones in October running Android 7.1.
While Google may demo Andromeda at the Pixel launch event in October, its new Android-powered hardware and Pixel brand is meant to be the focus, alongside the Google Home voice-activated speaker, Google Wi-Fi router, Daydream VR headset, and Chromecast Ultra dongle. Google still has a long way to go with Andromeda, but by 2017, we should see the first devices running Andromeda.
From that point forward, Google might think about making Andromeda a truly unified OS that powers not only laptops and tablets but also phones.
But that’s just speculation.
Is Andromeda different from Google Fuchsia OS?
Google is rumoured to be developing another new OS that goes by the codename Fuchsia. It was once thought to be either Google’s unifying OS or a system meant to power Internet of Things (IoT) devices, such as Google’s OnHub router.
Fuchsia is an evolving pile of code. You can find it on the search giant’s code depository and on GitHub. The code is supposedly the early beginnings of an entirely new operating system, though Google has yet to confirm those details.
Fuchsia is built on Magenta, a “medium-sized microkernel” based on a project called LittleKernel, which is meant for embedded systems, such as a device that has a specific purpose but doesn’t require a whole OS, like a router or watch.
It’s therefore unclear if Andromeda and Fuchsia are the same or distinct beasts.
- Google Fuchsia OS: What is it and what does it power?
When will Andromeda be available?
The Wall Street Journal in October 2015 said consumers could expect to see an early version of an Android-Chrome OS hybrid, which is now presumed to be Andromeda, previewed sometime in 2016.
Remember: Google is holding a Made by Google event on 4 October in San Francisco, where it will likely introduce new Pixel-branded flagships and other hardware devices such as Google Home and Chromecast Ultra.
Android’s SVP tweeted recently that Google announced the first version of Android eight years ago ago, and that he “had a feeling” eight years from now we’ll all be talking about 4 October 2016, which is the same date as Google’s Made By Google event. His tweet indicates something major is happening to Android on 4 October. Could it be the introduction of Andromeda?
We announced the 1st version of Android 8 years ago today. I have a feeling 8 years from now we’ll be talking about Oct 4, 2016.
— Hiroshi Lockheimer (@lockheimer) September 24, 2016
As for when Andromeda will be available, Android Police said a Bison/Pixel 3 convertible laptop running Andromeda should arrive by Q3 2017, while 9to5Google said a Nexus-branded, 7-inch Huawei tablet running Andromeda should arrive by end of 2016. 9to5Google also claimed that Google has been testing the hybrid OS on the HTC-made Nexus 9.
Want to know more?
Check out Pocket-lint’s Google Andromeda hub for breaking news.
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