Google Home can play hours of fireplace and nature sounds
Why it matters to you
Playing soothing ambient noise has been noted to help people stay productive while working.
Google Home, Google’s artificial intelligence-imbued smart home speaker, can walk you through recipes, place restaurant reservations, start your car, and recap the day’s most significant events. But that is not all it can do. Thanks to a recent update, Google Home can serve up soothing ambient sounds that reduce stress and aid in concentration.
Choosing a track is simple. Following up Google Home’s “OK Google” activation phrase with, “Help me relax,” or, “Play ambient noise” starts a random track. You can specify its length by saying, “Play an ambient noise for two hours,” or select a track by asking, “What other ambient sounds do you know?” and choosing one from the list.
The current selection includes:
- Relaxing sounds
- Nature sounds
- Water sounds
- Running water sounds
- Outdoor sounds
- Babbling brook sounds
- Country night sounds
- Oscillating fan sounds
- Fireplace sounds
- Forest sounds
- Ocean sounds
- Rain sounds
- River sounds
- Thunderstorm sounds
- White noise
The Google Home is powered by Google Assistant.
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends
Google Home’s mellow soundtracks are good news for productivity. According to a study published in the Journal of Consumer Research, moderate-level ambient noise — about 70 decibels, equivalent to a passenger car traveling on a highway — enhances performance on creative tasks.
The new ambient sounds feature comes on the heels of another Google Home improvement: Expanded home automation support. In May, Google brought products from Logitech, TP-Link, Wink, Rachio, iHome, Emberlight, Artik Cloud, and Leviton into the fold, adding to a growing list of partners. In March, it brought on August, Lifx, Wink, First Alert, Vivint, Best Buy, Insignia, Frigidaire, Anova, and Geeni.
More recently, Google introduced 25 new actions — third-party apps — for Google Home, including one that lets you listen to hundreds of bird songs and a voice-activated virtual concierge. The Bird Song Skill by Thomptronics can play more than 200 bird sounds and test your knowledge with a song quiz. And Virtual Concierge tells vacation renters at The Lodge in Palmer Lake, Washington, about things like Wi-Fi passwords, nearby restaurants, and activities.
Bill Roberson/Digital Trends
Google said that more than 175 actions have been added to Google Home since the launch of Actions on the Google Assistant platform last December.
The new skills, actions, and integrations follow the launch of multi-account support in early April. A machine-learning algorithm can distinguish between up to six different voices — once enabled, Google Home personalizes responses to questions about upcoming calendar appointments, lists, music, and more.
It will only get better. In an interview with Backchannel earlier this year, Fernando Pereira, Google’s lead natural language scientist, predicted that artificial intelligence would help Google Home become “more fluent, more able to help you do what you want to do, understand more of the context of the conversation, [and] be more able to bring information from different sources.”
There’s no such thing as the Surface Pro 5, says Microsoft Devices VP
Why it matters to you
Microsoft likely won’t reveal the Surface Pro 5 until the company can enhance the Surface Pro 4 design with something
Now that Microsoft’s education-themed event is behind us, all eyes are focused on the company’s next press event on May 23 in Shanghai. As usual, Microsoft isn’t providing any hints about what it plans to reveal during the show, but instead is providing a skyline view of the city from a wooden rooftop deck. The shiny surfaces tease a possible Surface Pro 5 reveal, but if the latest comments from Panos Panay are any indication, that’s likely not going to happen anytime soon.
“There’s no such thing as a Pro 5,” Microsoft’s VP of Devices said. “When it’s meaningful and the change is right, we’ll put it on market.”
Microsoft released the Surface Pro 4 2-in-1 device on October 26, 2015. It built upon the Surface Pro 3’s foundation by incorporating a thinner bezel to enable a larger viewing area. It’s also thinner and lighter overall, and is powered by sixth-generation Intel Core processors clocked up to 2.20GHz (3.40GHz turbo).
That said, with the Surface Pro 4, Microsoft seemingly hit its design sweet spot with the overall Surface Pro product, and the firm sees the device as a competitive product for at least five years starting from its retail release. Thus, consumers who were holding off on the next Surface Pro launch may be waiting for some time, as Microsoft won’t produce a fifth-generation model until it’s “meaningful” and when “the change is right.”
“Meaningful change isn’t necessarily a hardware change, which is what a lot of people look for,” he said. “They’re like, ‘Where’s the latest processor?’ That’s not what I mean. I’m looking for an experiential change that makes a huge difference in product line.”
He gave a few examples, such as a significant drop in the weight or/and a huge advance in battery power. On the weight level, consider that Microsoft has managed to increase the screen size of its Surface Pro device while reducing the overall weight since the introduction of the original Surface Pro in February of 2013.
Take a look:
Surface Pro
Surface Pro 2
Surface Pro 3
Surface Pro 4
Release date:
February 2013
October 2013
June 2014
October 2015
Processor:
Intel Core i3
Third-gen
Core i5
Fourth-gen
Core i3/i5/i7
Fourth-gen
Core m3/i5/i7
Sixth-gen
Screen:
10.6-inches
1,920 x 1,080
10.6-inches
1,920 x 1,080
12-inches
2,160 x 1,440
12.3-inches
2,736 x 1,824
Size (inches):
10.81 
6.81 (H)
0.53 (D)
10.81
6.81 (H)
0.53 (D)
11.50
7.93 (H)
0.36 (D)
11.50
7.93 (H)
0.33 (D)
Weight:
2 pounds
1.984 pounds
1.76 pounds
1.689 pounds (M3)
1.733 pounds (i5/i7)
As the chart shows, Microsoft hasn’t released a new Surface Pro device since October of 2015. Since then, Microsoft has seemingly focused on its Surface Book line along with Surface Hub and the just-announced Surface Laptop. And as Panay pointed out, Microsoft may not extend the Surface Pro line until it can make a radical change in design just like it did between the Surface Pro 2 and Surface Pro 3.
However, one last thing we’d like to point out is another comment made by Panay. He used the term “Surface Pro Next,” which seemingly backed up his claim that “there’s no such thing as a Pro 5.” That seemingly points to another Surface Pro overhaul. But when?
There’s no such thing as the Surface Pro 5, says Microsoft Devices VP
Why it matters to you
Microsoft likely won’t reveal the Surface Pro 5 until the company can enhance the Surface Pro 4 design with something
Now that Microsoft’s education-themed event is behind us, all eyes are focused on the company’s next press event on May 23 in Shanghai. As usual, Microsoft isn’t providing any hints about what it plans to reveal during the show, but instead is providing a skyline view of the city from a wooden rooftop deck. The shiny surfaces tease a possible Surface Pro 5 reveal, but if the latest comments from Panos Panay are any indication, that’s likely not going to happen anytime soon.
“There’s no such thing as a Pro 5,” Microsoft’s VP of Devices said. “When it’s meaningful and the change is right, we’ll put it on market.”
Microsoft released the Surface Pro 4 2-in-1 device on October 26, 2015. It built upon the Surface Pro 3’s foundation by incorporating a thinner bezel to enable a larger viewing area. It’s also thinner and lighter overall, and is powered by sixth-generation Intel Core processors clocked up to 2.20GHz (3.40GHz turbo).
That said, with the Surface Pro 4, Microsoft seemingly hit its design sweet spot with the overall Surface Pro product, and the firm sees the device as a competitive product for at least five years starting from its retail release. Thus, consumers who were holding off on the next Surface Pro launch may be waiting for some time, as Microsoft won’t produce a fifth-generation model until it’s “meaningful” and when “the change is right.”
“Meaningful change isn’t necessarily a hardware change, which is what a lot of people look for,” he said. “They’re like, ‘Where’s the latest processor?’ That’s not what I mean. I’m looking for an experiential change that makes a huge difference in product line.”
He gave a few examples, such as a significant drop in the weight or/and a huge advance in battery power. On the weight level, consider that Microsoft has managed to increase the screen size of its Surface Pro device while reducing the overall weight since the introduction of the original Surface Pro in February of 2013.
Take a look:
Surface Pro
Surface Pro 2
Surface Pro 3
Surface Pro 4
Release date:
February 2013
October 2013
June 2014
October 2015
Processor:
Intel Core i3
Third-gen
Core i5
Fourth-gen
Core i3/i5/i7
Fourth-gen
Core m3/i5/i7
Sixth-gen
Screen:
10.6-inches
1,920 x 1,080
10.6-inches
1,920 x 1,080
12-inches
2,160 x 1,440
12.3-inches
2,736 x 1,824
Size (inches):
10.81
6.81 (H)
0.53 (D)
10.81
6.81 (H)
0.53 (D)
11.50
7.93 (H)
0.36 (D)
11.50
7.93 (H)
0.33 (D)
Weight:
2 pounds
1.984 pounds
1.76 pounds
1.689 pounds (M3)
1.733 pounds (i5/i7)
As the chart shows, Microsoft hasn’t released a new Surface Pro device since October of 2015. Since then, Microsoft has seemingly focused on its Surface Book line along with Surface Hub and the just-announced Surface Laptop. And as Panay pointed out, Microsoft may not extend the Surface Pro line until it can make a radical change in design just like it did between the Surface Pro 2 and Surface Pro 3.
However, one last thing we’d like to point out is another comment made by Panay. He used the term “Surface Pro Next,” which seemingly backed up his claim that “there’s no such thing as a Pro 5.” That seemingly points to another Surface Pro overhaul. But when?
Nvidia shows off its multi-user VR system at GPU Technology Conference
Why it matters to you
You’ll soon be able to collaborate and interact with other uses in the same virtual reality space, thanks to Nvidia’s work with multi-user VR systems.
So far, virtual reality (VR) has been a largely solo affair, with VR systems aiming to provide enough performance to create an immersive VR experience for a single player. Not nearly as much attention has been paid to creating shared experiences involve multiple users.
Nvidia is one of the main players in PC-level VR solutions, with its GeForce and Quadro GPUs being optimized not just for gaming and high-end professional graphics, but also for driving VR systems. The company has also been working on creating multi-user VR systems, and it has just introduced a new proof of concept aimed at letting multiple players experience the same virtual worlds.
The system is being shown off at the GPU Technology Conference (GTC), where Nvidia is demonstrating a number of VR technologies. The prototype is a massive system, stocked with four Nvidia Quadro P6000 GPUs that run four virtual machines on a PC server and uses HTC’s Lighthouse tracking system.
Via the combination of graphics power and HTC’s Vive Business Edition headsets, the system can power VR for four people who share the same physical space. It’s intended to show how multi-user VR systems can be created for applications like amusement parks, arcades, and military and first-responder emergency training. The system can be packed into minimal space and require minimal power and cooling, allowing for portable systems that can be quickly deployed.
While the system was originally conceived for multi-user VR, Nvidia hopes it will have other use cases. Mixed-reality spectator view is one concept, in which participants wear head-mounted displays driven by some virtual machines while others drive observer cameras.
As Tom Kaye, senior architect at Nvidia, puts it, “The possibilities are endless. With the addition of remote management and reliability features, such as multiple templates, clone on boot and remote rebuilds, we could see system builders working to create a robust, ready-to-deploy multi-user VR appliance.”
Other companies are using the system for their own solutions, such as MonsterVR, a community-driven VR development studio and Cavrnus, which focuses on collaborative VR solutions. According to Anthony Duca, Cavrnus founder and CEO, ““When NVIDIA shared this system with us, we knew it would be an ideal solution for our collaborative VR platform for our most demanding users. The feedback and reaction to the multi-user, virtualized system, particularly in the engineering and defense markets, has been tremendous.”
Anyone who’s attending GTC can check out the system in person. Nvidia partners who are interested in building their own multi-VR systems can check out Nvidia’s design guide for more details.
WhatsApp continues to make app safer, adds encryption to iCloud backups
Why it matters to you
Want to ensure that your messages are as safe as possible? WhatsApp now encrypts iCloud backups.
WhatsApp is getting even safer to use than it already is. The company has quietly added new security features to the iCloud backup feature of the messaging service, and now WhatsApp iCloud backups will be encrypted.
The move represents the closing of a potential loophole in the end-to-end encryption of WhatsApp, and should ensure that you can more easily keep your private messages private. According to some reports, iCloud backup encryption has been a feature for a few months now, but it only recently became known. One security company, however, claims to have been able to get around the encryption.
The company, called Oxygen Forensics, can only circumvent the encryption in a specific scenario: when it has access to the SIM card with the same cell number that WhatsApp uses for verification to generate the encryption key. What that means is that, for example, police with access to a SIM card could potentially use it to gain access to encrypted messages stored in iCloud.
Encryption is a growing concern among consumers, especially considering recent reports about government spying, and the fact that new hacks and malware are discovered all the time. WhatsApp has long been a trailblazer in bringing end-to-end encryption to users, and completed a rollout of the encryption to all of its platforms and users in April 2016. Not only that, but the company has resisted demands from governments asking for access to user data. As a result, the app has been blocked multiple times in Brazil as a penalty for refusing to hand over data.
These battles over user data and encryption are only likely to continue to heat up over the next few months, as governments repeatedly demand access to data, and companies continue to refuse to comply with those demands. In the meantime, however, your iCloud WhatsApp backups are now a little safer.
Google has updated the Google I/O app for 2017
Google I/O is coming soon. Get the app today.
Google has updated its useful and well-designed app for Google I/O 2017, the upcoming annual developer conference that begins on May 17.
The app offers all the fixin’s you’d expect from Google: the ability to log in using your I/O credentials and check schedules for planning, along with quick links to video feeds when they’re live. This year, Google is trying to avoid any long lines by allowing attendees to reserve seats to popular events, like the What’s New in Android session on the first day that always fills up quickly.
Along with the schedule, the app has a map of the Shoreline Amphitheater and surrounding area to make it relatively easy to find where you’re going, and quick reference to the Wi-Fi password, travel information from the various hotels and more.
The company says that every session will be livestreamed this year, so even those not planning to travel to Mountain View should download it for a quick place to get all the latest information.
Are you attending Google I/O, or planning to follow along at home? Let us know in the comments!
Eye tracking is coming to HTC Vive: Here’s what you need to know
aGlass brings eye tracking support to the HTC Vive – here’s what you should know!
Following the release of several high-end VR headsets, hardware manufacturers are beginning to search for the “next big thing” in virtual reality. While wireless VR and improved visual fidelity are seeing heavy investment, various new technologies are emerging which promise to deliver a more immersive experience. Enhanced tracking is one of these areas of interest, in an attempt to further bridge the gap between your physical body and the virtual world.
Eye tracking looks to be one of the more interesting technologies, potentially offer huge leaps in immersion and performance. With companies like “FOVE” taking orders for VR headset sporting full eye tracking, we’re already beginning to see small companies push for technology. But what if you could use eye tracking on your existing VR hardware?
Read more at VRHeads!
Win a free Nintendo Classic and Bluetooth controller from Modern Dad!
It’s contest time again, boys and girls! Up for grabs this time is one is one of the hottest gaming gadgets of the past year — the Nintendo Classic!
No need to mince words here; Nintendo in its infinite wisdom has decided to cease production of the throwback Nintendo Classic — a diminutive (and updated) version of the original NES. It was tough enough to buy in the first place, having been sold out for months.
I’ve enjoyed the hell out of it. But now it’s time to find it a good home. And I’m throwing in a wireless controller just because. This contest is open to anyone, anywhere, so long as it’s legal where you live and you promise to appreciate the awesomeness that is video games from the 1980s.
So let’s get to it! This one’s open for a week. Use the widget below to enter or hit up moderndad.com/contest for more.
Win a Nintendo Classic from Modern Dad!
Modern Dad
- Subscribe on YouTube
- Snapchat
- See the gear
Put Amazon’s Alexa to work with an Echo for just $150
Our friends at Thrifter are back again, this time with an even more affordable way to get an Echo in your home!
If you’ve been considering picking up an Amazon Echo, now is the time. Currently, you can grab one for just $149.99, which is a savings of $30. It isn’t often that we see discounts on these, so when you see one you should act on it. The Echo allows you to use your voice to do tons of different tasks that you would normally need to pick up your phone or even computer to accomplish.
You can use the Echo to control various smart home accessories, check on the local news, and even order pizza if you wanted to. Amazon has been adding new features to Alexa just about every week so it continues to become smarter and smarter. If you’ve been interested in checking one of these out and have been looking for a discount, this is the perfect way to see what all the hype is about.
Want to save even more? Amazon is selling a certified refurbished version of the smart speaker for just $134.99. You can also save $20 when buying three Echo Dots with code DOT3PACK.
See at Amazon
For more great deals be sure to check out our friends at Thrifter now!
Google Play to end ‘Top Developer’ program in favor of highlighting specific apps
The blue badges are going away.
Google Play is ready to retire its “Top Developer” program, soon to replace it with a new system. This is the program that currently recognizes some well-known developers with a blue badge and “Top Developer” on their app listings, presumably giving some extra weight to their apps in hopes that it will increase downloads.
In an email sent to developer accounts, Google says that it will be replacing the program with something new that will focus on individual apps and games rather than entire developer accounts. The email reads:
The Google Play Top Developer program launched many years ago to recognize developers who created high quality Android apps and games. We conducted research, with both developers and consumers, and observed a clear value and preference for the recognition of individual apps and games, instead of entire organizations.
After taking a look at our existing app recognition programs, the Google Play editorial team has decided to focus its efforts on recognizing high quality and innovative apps and games. As a first step, we will be closing the Top Developer program and removing the badging from the Play Store within 30 days. We have exciting plans to recognize more of the great apps and games you create and will be sharing updates soon.
I’m not entirely sure how much weight the Top Developer badge ever really held, though the idea of giving some sort of official recognition to good developers isn’t necessarily a bad one. We’ll soon find out what Google has in store for a new program to give the best apps their time to shine.
AIVAnet 