Mysterious Google Carrier Services app lands on Google Play, but what does it do?

Why it matters to you

Could this unexplained app one day bring the next generation of SMS support to your Android smartphone?

It looks like our Android phones may have yet another preinstalled app in the near future. In many cases device manufacturers opt to have preinstalled apps available on the Google Play Store, so that they can update individual apps rather than pushing an entire system update. Another one of those apps, called “Carrier Services,” has appeared on the Google Play Store.

According to the app description, the app “helps carriers provide mobile services using the latest networking capabilities,,” including support for the Android Messages app.

More: Turn any old Android into your Android with Google’s #myAndroid site

So what exactly does Carrier Services do? Well, right now, nothing. Android Police has gone over the app’s code to find that it only contains a dummy service, which simply means that it doesn’t do anything. In other words, the app is up on the Google Play Store, but it won’t actually do anything until Google updates it.

We could speculate as to what the new app is all about. Some reports hint that it could have something to do with RCS, or Rich Communication Services — which is an advanced communications style that supports high-resolution phones, read receipts, a better chat group support, and more. It’s essentially a futuristic version of SMS.

So what is the appropriate response to an app like this appearing on the Google Play Store? Apparently, it’s leaving funny reviews. One review reads “Google had once again achieved what no other country on this earth can. After updating this cellular services app I can tap into any network of the world.”

Another reads that “after a bit of experimenting,” you can “Wave Charge” your phone by putting it in the microwave. Pro tip: Under no circumstances should you put your phone in the microwave unless you want a fire hazard and a fried phone on your hands.

Google, NASA will install D-Wave’s latest 2,000-qubit quantum computer at Ames

Why it matters to you

Google and NASA installing the latest quantum computer in the Ames facility means complex problems can be resolved quickly, advancing space exploration and other fields at a faster rate.

D-Wave Systems said on Monday that Google, NASA, and the Universal Space Research Association (USRA) chose to upgrade the current quantum annealer computing system installed in NASA’s Ames Research Center to the new D-Wave 2000Q platform. Previously, Ames relied on the D-Wave 2X system made available in August 2015. The new 2000Q model hit the quantum computing scene in January packing 2,000 qubits, nearly doubling the number of qubits provided in the previous 2X-branded generation.

As a brief explainer, a qubit is short for a quantum bit, which is a unit of quantum information. It’s different than a standard binary bit in that the state of a qubit can be zero, one, or a superposition of those two states whereas a normal bit can only be zero or one. The superposition aspect is part of quantum mechanics declaring that any two or more distinct quantum states can be added together to create another valid quantum state. As this video demonstrates, just imagine that a qubit state can be a slice of pizza and a bagel at the same time.

More: D-Wave sold its first 2,000-qubit quantum annealer to a cybersecurity firm

The point is, quantum computing is the next step in the evolution of computing on a whole. It’s based on the use of quantum particles that can exist in multiple states at the same time. This increases the overall computation power along with their ability to become entangled with each other, providing parallel processing that can cut down on the overall computing time. That means quantum computers can solve problems that usually take a very long time for traditional bit-based computers to complete.

“The new system will be the third generation of D-Wave technology installed at Ames,” D-Wave CEO Vern Brownell said. “We are pleased that Google, NASA, and USRA value the increased performance embodied in our latest generation of technology, the D-Wave 2000Q system, for their critical applications.”

Right now, the drawback to quantum computing is the needed extreme environment conditions. The processor resides in a high vacuum with a pressure of 10 billion times lower than the Earth’s atmosphere. The qubits also must be chilled close to absolute zero “to harness quantum effects,” thus the environment inside the massive 2000Q enclosure is 180 times colder than interstellar space, or 0.015 degrees above absolute zero.

Unfortunately, D-Wave isn’t forthcoming about all the hardware inside the 2000Q system. However, here are a few additional highlights:

• Provides 200 I/O and control lines from room temperature to the chilled processor.
• The overall system consumes less than 25 kilowatts of power.
• It’s shielded to 50,000 times less than Earth’s magnetic field.
• The processor is enclosed in a closed cycle dilution refrigerator.

D-Wave said that NASA is installing the 2000Q quantum computer at its Ames Research Center later in 2017. Used by the Quantum Artificial Intelligence Laboratory team, it will be accessed to address the challenges NASA faces by utilizing quantum computing approaches and creating quantum artificial intelligent algorithms. NASA began its quantum journey with the D-Wave Two (2013) followed by the D-Wave 2X (2015).

Google, NASA will install D-Wave’s latest 2,000-qubit quantum computer at Ames

Why it matters to you

Google and NASA installing the latest quantum computer in the Ames facility means complex problems can be resolved quickly, advancing space exploration and other fields at a faster rate.

D-Wave Systems said on Monday that Google, NASA, and the Universal Space Research Association (USRA) chose to upgrade the current quantum annealer computing system installed in NASA’s Ames Research Center to the new D-Wave 2000Q platform. Previously, Ames relied on the D-Wave 2X system made available in August 2015. The new 2000Q model hit the quantum computing scene in January packing 2,000 qubits, nearly doubling the number of qubits provided in the previous 2X-branded generation.

As a brief explainer, a qubit is short for a quantum bit, which is a unit of quantum information. It’s different than a standard binary bit in that the state of a qubit can be zero, one, or a superposition of those two states whereas a normal bit can only be zero or one. The superposition aspect is part of quantum mechanics declaring that any two or more distinct quantum states can be added together to create another valid quantum state. As this video demonstrates, just imagine that a qubit state can be a slice of pizza and a bagel at the same time.

More: D-Wave sold its first 2,000-qubit quantum annealer to a cybersecurity firm

The point is, quantum computing is the next step in the evolution of computing on a whole. It’s based on the use of quantum particles that can exist in multiple states at the same time. This increases the overall computation power along with their ability to become entangled with each other, providing parallel processing that can cut down on the overall computing time. That means quantum computers can solve problems that usually take a very long time for traditional bit-based computers to complete.

“The new system will be the third generation of D-Wave technology installed at Ames,” D-Wave CEO Vern Brownell said. “We are pleased that Google, NASA, and USRA value the increased performance embodied in our latest generation of technology, the D-Wave 2000Q system, for their critical applications.”

Right now, the drawback to quantum computing is the needed extreme environment conditions. The processor resides in a high vacuum with a pressure of 10 billion times lower than the Earth’s atmosphere. The qubits also must be chilled close to absolute zero “to harness quantum effects,” thus the environment inside the massive 2000Q enclosure is 180 times colder than interstellar space, or 0.015 degrees above absolute zero.

Unfortunately, D-Wave isn’t forthcoming about all the hardware inside the 2000Q system. However, here are a few additional highlights:

• Provides 200 I/O and control lines from room temperature to the chilled processor.
• The overall system consumes less than 25 kilowatts of power.
• It’s shielded to 50,000 times less than Earth’s magnetic field.
• The processor is enclosed in a closed cycle dilution refrigerator.

D-Wave said that NASA is installing the 2000Q quantum computer at its Ames Research Center later in 2017. Used by the Quantum Artificial Intelligence Laboratory team, it will be accessed to address the challenges NASA faces by utilizing quantum computing approaches and creating quantum artificial intelligent algorithms. NASA began its quantum journey with the D-Wave Two (2013) followed by the D-Wave 2X (2015).

Baidu’s SwiftScribe uses AI to transcribe audio files up to an hour in length

Why it matters to you

Got a lengthy interview to transcribe? Baidu’s free SwiftScribe web app can help.

Baidu may be known as “the Google of China,” but that doesn’t mean the Asian search giant doesn’t come up with its own unique applications. On Monday, it debuted SwiftScribe, a web app that automatically transcribes speech files with the help of artificial intelligence.

SwiftScribe is about as simple as web apps come. It recognizes files in .wav and .mp3 format, and once the upload’s complete, the transcription process gets underway. A 30-second file takes about 10 seconds, and a one-minute file less than 30. An hour of audio, the maximum length SwiftScribe will allow, takes 20 minutes.

More: Baidu releases Melody, a medical assistant chatbot to keep physicians humming

It’s not always perfect. SwiftScribe sometimes misses the spelling of certain words, and capitalization and punctuation aren’t always on point. But it offers an editable field that lets users correct mistakes, and a built-in speed-shifting tool that plays the uploaded audio clip audio at a faster or slower speed.

Baidu project manager Tian Wu, who was inspired partly by her experience transcribing interviews as a graduate student at the University of California, Santa Barbara, said that SwiftScribe has the potential to save hours. “English is not my first language,” Wu told VentureBeat. “It took 10 hours to transcribe one hour of audio. That’s my personal experience. Usually, it will take a professional four to six hours to transcribe a one-hour audio clip.”

Wu told VentureBeat that SwiftScribe can help transcribe audio 1.67 times faster on average. She envisions transcriptionists doing more work and ultimately getting paid more for it.

More: Baidu’s food app Nuomi is like a supercharged AI-enabled Yelp

SwiftScribe’s more proof of concept than polished product, right now. In the coming months, the team plans to enhance the app with video transcription and captioning, support for more file formats, and an option for automatically adding punctuation.

It’s free to use for now, but Baidu’s considering a paid option. “In the future, we hope to turn it into a business,” Wu said.

More: Baidu’s TypeTalk app uses artificial intelligence to power voice transcription

Baidu may not have the name recognition in the United States that it does in mainland China, where the Beijing-based juggernaut commands roughly 80 percent of the internet search market and amasses quarterly profits that regularly top the hundreds of millions. But it’s hoping to change that. In 2013, it opened the Institute of Deep Learning, a research center devoted to advancing the firm’s artificial intelligence efforts.

In the immediate future, the Chinese aims to use the lab to increase revenue by building augmented reality marketing tools. But it may be considering a significant expansion of health-care and education applications.

Baidu’s SwiftScribe uses AI to transcribe audio files up to an hour in length

Why it matters to you

Got a lengthy interview to transcribe? Baidu’s free SwiftScribe web app can help.

Baidu may be known as “the Google of China,” but that doesn’t mean the Asian search giant doesn’t come up with its own unique applications. On Monday, it debuted SwiftScribe, a web app that automatically transcribes speech files with the help of artificial intelligence.

SwiftScribe is about as simple as web apps come. It recognizes files in .wav and .mp3 format, and once the upload’s complete, the transcription process gets underway. A 30-second file takes about 10 seconds, and a one-minute file less than 30. An hour of audio, the maximum length SwiftScribe will allow, takes 20 minutes.

More: Baidu releases Melody, a medical assistant chatbot to keep physicians humming

It’s not always perfect. SwiftScribe sometimes misses the spelling of certain words, and capitalization and punctuation aren’t always on point. But it offers an editable field that lets users correct mistakes, and a built-in speed-shifting tool that plays the uploaded audio clip audio at a faster or slower speed.

Baidu project manager Tian Wu, who was inspired partly by her experience transcribing interviews as a graduate student at the University of California, Santa Barbara, said that SwiftScribe has the potential to save hours. “English is not my first language,” Wu told VentureBeat. “It took 10 hours to transcribe one hour of audio. That’s my personal experience. Usually, it will take a professional four to six hours to transcribe a one-hour audio clip.”

Wu told VentureBeat that SwiftScribe can help transcribe audio 1.67 times faster on average. She envisions transcriptionists doing more work and ultimately getting paid more for it.

More: Baidu’s food app Nuomi is like a supercharged AI-enabled Yelp

SwiftScribe’s more proof of concept than polished product, right now. In the coming months, the team plans to enhance the app with video transcription and captioning, support for more file formats, and an option for automatically adding punctuation.

It’s free to use for now, but Baidu’s considering a paid option. “In the future, we hope to turn it into a business,” Wu said.

More: Baidu’s TypeTalk app uses artificial intelligence to power voice transcription

Baidu may not have the name recognition in the United States that it does in mainland China, where the Beijing-based juggernaut commands roughly 80 percent of the internet search market and amasses quarterly profits that regularly top the hundreds of millions. But it’s hoping to change that. In 2013, it opened the Institute of Deep Learning, a research center devoted to advancing the firm’s artificial intelligence efforts.

In the immediate future, the Chinese aims to use the lab to increase revenue by building augmented reality marketing tools. But it may be considering a significant expansion of health-care and education applications.

Got 50 bucks burning a hole in your pocket? Here’s the best tech to spend it on

The world of consumer electronics is enticing, but it isn’t cheap. Apple’s latest iPad Airs cost $400 apiece, while the baseline price for a quality 4K television will still set you back a cool $1,000 or more. Thankfully, there’s a smattering of quality tech accessories and standalone products for budget shoppers with $50 to kill.

More: Got a Benjamin to burn? Here’s the best tech toys to spend it on

Each of the products featured below is designed for a different purpose, whether it be streaming Stranger Things or tracking your fitness goals, except without the hefty price tag often associated with more capable offerings. They certainly can’t do it all, but considering they cost less than a nice dinner in the city, they also don’t have to.

Mophie Powerstation Mini

Daily life can be draining on more than just your body, and that’s where Mophie comes in. The company’s apt-titled Powerstation Mini is a 3,000mAh portable charger that’s designed to provide more than 10 hours of additional power to any smartphone, or five hours to your typical tablet. The compact device is even available in five distinct colors (purple, pink, blue, white, and black) and comes with an aluminum finish, rendering it the perfect companion for those looking to keep up aesthetics on the go.

Price: $29

Buy one now from:

Mophie Best Buy Amazon

Galaxy S8 home screen goes ultra-minimal, may not have app drawer by default

The Galaxy S8’s launcher looks more futuristic than we initially thought.

We’ve seen plenty of the Galaxy S8’s outside form, but what about the inside? I don’t mean the heart — we know that, too — but the software, presumably based on Android 7.1.x, though judging from these leaks launcher screenshots, the resemblance is passing at best.

Thanks to screenshots retrieved from a leaked version of Samsung’s upcoming Smart Switch app that will make it easy for old Galaxy owners to transition their contacts, calendars, apps, documents and photos to the new GS8, we now know basically what the Galaxy S8 home screen will look like.

What you see above is not exactly what users will be interacting with when the Galaxy S8 is released in April, since the icons lack context-specific text underneath, but it’s a good approximation. Very sparse icon art, with broken or abstract lines depicting things like a phone or a camera, along with some other designs that are a bit harder to suss out. The contrast with Google’s own set of much more well-defined and colorful app icons is stark, to say the least.

Broken lines and minimal colors comprise Samsung’s vision of the home screen’s future.

Finally — and we’re not going to read anything into this until we know for sure — there is no app drawer on the home screen. This could mean that Samsung, like Huawei and LG before it, could forgo the traditional app launcher in favor of a more iOS-like Springboard design, where icons, folders and widgets live together on various home screens. Obviously, given that the second set of the screenshots depict an app drawer, the GS8 will support one, but it may have to be enabled after the fact.

It’s also worth pointing out that Samsung’s on-screen navigation pictograph for ‘home’ is nearly identical to the one Google uses, and suggests vendors use, for multitasking. Not confusing at all.

Life (Companion) moves pretty fast pic.twitter.com/eITSzku96C

— Alex Dobie (@alexdobie) March 13, 2017

Of course, everything evolves, and Samsung’s updated launcher looks quite different to just five years ago when the company was gearing up to launch the Galaxy S3.

Do you see anything else new in these launcher screenshots? Let us know in the comments below!

Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus

• Latest Galaxy S8 rumors!
• Galaxy S8 announcement coming March 29 in NYC
• Galaxy S8 release date set for April 28
• Join our Galaxy S8 forums

Sony’s PlayStation Now service will soon stream PS4 games to your PC

Sony is changing PlayStation Now again, but this time, it’s an expansion that will include current-generation games.

Weeks after quietly revealing its game streaming service will only be available on PlayStation 4 and PC starting this summer, Sony has announced PlayStation Now will soon offer PS4 games, which will be playable on PS4 and Windows PC with a single subscription.

Currently, the service lets you stream over 450 PS3 games to PS4s and PCs for $19.99 a month. Going forward, PS4 games will be added to PS Now at no additional cost. It’s currently unclear which new titles will be added to the streaming catalogue and when.

Keep in mind PlayStation now will be discontinued on the PS3, PS Vita, PlayStation TV, and all supported smart TVs and Blu-ray players in August. Sony has suggested it wants to really focus on developing the service for the PS4 and PC platforms.

• PlayStation Now: What is it and how does it work?
• How Xbox One backwards compatibility works

Also, late last month, Microsoft launched its own game subscription service for Xbox owners. Dubbed Xbox Game Pass, it costs just $9.99 a month and provides access to more than 100 Xbox One and Xbox 360 backwards compatible games.

It’ll be interesting to see how Sony ramps up PlayStation Now in the future to better compete with Xbox Game Pass, especially Microsoft offers unique perks, such as allowing players to fully download games.

Apple is testing four new iPad models around Cupertino, logs reveal

Is Apple about to introduce new iPads? According to one report, it’s at least testing new models in California.

Mobile marketing firm Fiksu (via TechCrunch) noticed new models being tested in Cupertino, California, as well as in other nearby locations, which seems to confirm reports about Apple planning to update its iPad lineup this spring. Fiksu’s raw data showed four different models, but keep in mind it saw the same number of devices being tested before the release of the last two iPad Pro models.

Fiksu gathered the data from its tracking and attribution SDK, which is used in thousands of mobile apps. Apple of course tests the latest iPads with many installed apps, which is how Fiksu was able to spot and track the new models being tested by Apple near its headquarters.

• Which iPad is best for you?
• Apple iPad Pro 9.7 vs iPad Pro 12.9: What’s the difference?

Apple is expected to update its 12.9-inch iPad Pro model, as well as introduce a new 10-inch or 10.5-inch model with thinner bezels and an affordable 9.7-inch option. KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, a reliable forecaster when it comes to Apple news, claimed Apple will launch the two larger models with an A10X chip, a version of the A10 chip used in the iPhone 7, while the low-cost model will use an A9 chip.

Check out Pocket-lint’s round-up for more rumours about the upcoming iPad Pro 2. Apple will likely hold a “special event” in April, and at that event, which could take place at the new 1,000-seat Steve Jobs theatre, we should see the new iPad models debut.

Google says crowdsourced data makes for better fitness apps

Google made a serious move into the health and fitness space when it introduced its Apple Health competitor, Fit, in 2014. Since then, the company has been improving its platform by adding new features to help you keep better track of your daily activities, giving you information on real-time stats, workout logs and goals you’ve set out for yourself. Naturally, Fit is at its most useful when it has deep access to your personal data, as is the case for most tech products nowadays. This is key not only for the search giant’s own apps, but also those from third-party developers that live on Android or are sending info to Fit from an iOS device.

Head of Health and Fitness Apps for Google Play, Mary Liz McCurdy, said in an interview at SXSW that applications in the category aren’t just loggers anymore. Instead, she says, they’ve become much more beneficial to users by turning their data into deeper experiences, which can translate to things like personalized recommendations on how to eat healthier, sleep better and have effective workouts. That’s what you see with apps like Runtastic and Nike+ Training Club.

Head of Health and Fitness Apps for Google Play, Mary Liz McCurdy (far right), at SXSW.

“Now everyone can work out with a personalized coach, whether it be a real coach or in most cases a robo coach,” says McCurdy. “People are willing to pay and they’re willing to spend a lot of time working out, so these [apps] are all just different pocket-sized personal trainers that continue to improve and get more adaptive and smart with time.” Still, despite how valuable these types of apps have become to people, she says they’re not meant to replace a human trainer or a doctor. “This is augmenting your experience if you actually have a condition. That doesn’t mean that you do not need to go to the doctor, it just means you’re an informed citizen. You’re in control of your health.”

McCurdy believes it’s helpful for users to connect with like-minded people through social aspects, which she says wouldn’t be possible without crowdsourced data. “The apps give you the knowledge that you need to make informed decisions,” she says, “and live your best, healthy life.”

Click here to catch up on the latest news from SXSW 2017.