Google Photos Library: An in-depth look at the next big thing in photos

Google’s new REST API for Google Photos gives access to your photos, in your library, in any app.

One of Google’s most loved apps is Google Photos. It may not be what we think of first when we think “Google” but millions of Android and iOS users love Google Photos features and use the service every day. At Google I/O 2018, the company did something that will make us love it even more: it showed off the Google Photos Partner Program and its new Photos API.

More: What’s new in Google Photos at Google I/O 2018

Most of us aren’t exactly sure what an API is, how it works, and (most of all) why we should be excited when a cool one comes along. An API (application programming interface) is a set of functions and tools one program can use to get information from another in a safe and consistent way. Unless you’re a developer, that’s all you really need to know when you see the acronym. That means I can write an app that talks to another app to do things like request data or get access to features for use in my own app.

People create and consume photos and videos in many different ways, and we think it should be easier to do more with the photos you’ve taken, across all the apps and devices you use. That’s why we’re introducing a new Google Photos partner program that gives you the tools and APIs to build photo and video experiences in your products that are smarter, faster and more helpful.

When an app like Google Photos gets attached to an API, that means my app can hook into it and use your existing Photos library inside it. And that’s where things get really cool here. The new Photos API will let a developer do all of this, using the Google Photos engine and storage space:

• List your albums.
• List the media items in your library, or in a specific album.
• Use search filters to select photos that match a specified date, content category, or media type in your library.
• Retrieve details about a media item using its unique identifier.
• Retrieve details about an album using its unique identifier.
• Create an album.
• Upload images or video to your library.
• Create media items in your library and add them to a specific album.
• Add enrichments (like text, location on a map, or a note) to control how an album looks.
• Create an album and share it with other users.
• Join a shared album that you’ve created.
• List your shared albums.

This is great for developers, but think about how it’s going to make other apps and services work better and work with the media you already have. We can think of cool projects independent developers can create using the Photos API, but it all gets really cool when we think about what a company like HP can do.

HP makes a lot of things, but they are still huge when it comes to printers. It’s awesome to look at our photos on a phone or computer, but sometimes you want to print one out to frame or send to grandma. HP printers usually come with a software bundle that lets you do things like make collages or business forms and they also include an image editor. If that image editor ties into your Google Photos library, using Google’s OAuth sign-in and security, the software gets a lot more useful.

Google Photos is a great service that other companies can now use in their own software.

You would have access to all the photos you’ve stored, and have the tools you need to sort through them or to edit any of the metadata through the software that came with your printer. HP is good at making printers, but Google is better at building a photo gallery — and it’s one you already use. HP is one of the early partners Google announced, but we’re not exactly sure what they plan to do. I sure hope it’s something that lets me print from Google Photos using any device with a screen and a connection!

Google has awesome tools coming like Smart Suggestions that maybe part of the final Google Photos API, too.

Right now the Photos API is in a developer preview stage, but anyone can sign up and enable it through the Google API Console. This isn’t free and open software, though, and Google says it will review and require manual approval for apps that use the API and will be available to the public.

Once the API becomes final we expect to see new partners announced and new rules about releasing apps. HP, Legacy Republic, NixPlay, Xero and TimeHop are some of the companies that have already joined the Photos Partner Program and We can’t be sure that any of the apps we already use and love will pair up with the photo library we already use and love, but we can hope!

Google Photos: Everything you need to know!

OnePlus 6: Which RAM and storage size should you buy?

We all like big numbers, but the extra cost doesn’t always make sense.

OnePlus has grown a bit from its days of only offering one phone in single color with no further configuration options. The OnePlus 6 now comes in three different colors, and with three distinct models that have different amounts of RAM and storage. Most people will just buy the base model to keep the cost down, but if you’re considering paying a bit more to increase the memory or storage on your new purchase, you’ll want to start right here.

Choose a color first

There are three different colors of the OnePlus 6 — Mirror Black, Midnight Black and Silk White — but unfortunately not every storage option is available in every color. So whether you care more about your storage or your color doesn’t really matter, you still need to be aware of the color options before you settle on your desired storage. Here’s how it breaks down:

• 64GB storage: Mirror Black
• 128GB storage: Mirror Black, Midnight Black, Silk White
• 256GB storage: Midnight Black

The color you’ll see most often is Mirror Black on account of it being the only color available for the base model, so if you want to have something a bit unique you’ll need to up your storage to open up the Midnight Black and Silk White options. Silk White will be extra-exclusive on account of technically being a “limited edition” run, though we don’t know how long it’ll be available.

Pick a storage size

Once you’ve picked your desired color, or at least come to terms with the color options you have, it’s time to pick a storage option. Getting 64GB in the base model is enough for most people, particularly because OnePlus is pretty light with its software and gives you a lot of free space — less than 10GB is used out of the box. Just keep in mind that if you’re used to a phone with an SD card slot, like a Samsung Galaxy, that the OnePlus 6 doesn’t have that capability. You’re stuck with the storage you buy.

Most people will get by fine on 64GB, and 128GB will be extra comfortable — only hardcore users need 256GB.

Keeping that fact in mind, you may consider bumping up to the 128GB storage, which will most likely be more than you’d need in the life of the phone even without active management. The 128GB storage model is just $50/€50/£50 more than the base device — so if you can afford it and have have any reservations about how much storage you may need, go for it. And, as we’ll discuss below, you get 8GB of RAM as part of the upgrade.

Now, who should buy the 256GB model? Well, not that many people. Unless you intend to use your OnePlus 6 to store tons of local media and massive games, you aren’t likely to fill up even 128GB. But if you know that you need 256GB based on where your current phone’s storage stands, then you don’t need this guide to tell you — just spend the extra money and get the storage, you won’t regret it. The 256GB model is another $50/€50/£50 above the 128GB, and has the same 8GB of RAM.

More RAM is just a nice bonus

You’ll notice we’re talking about RAM last in this equation. That’s because you can’t pick the RAM you want independently of the storage — if you pick the 64GB storage you get 6GB of RAM, and both higher storage options jump to 8GB.

Don’t pay $50 extra just to get more RAM — 6GB is plenty.

Do you really need 8GB of RAM in the OnePlus 6? The short answer is “no, but it’s nice to have.” With the base model phone having only 6GB of RAM and a vast majority of Android phones released today still having 4 or 6GB, there’s very little that the extra memory can do for you because software and apps just don’t expect it. It’ll come in handy if you’re running multiple intensive apps in addition to a game, under some circumstances, but really it’s just preparing your phone for the (distant) future where apps and software become even more memory intensive.

Paying $50 more just to get 2GB of extra RAM isn’t worth it, but it’s a nice addition if you do decide to make the move for more storage. So again, pick your storage first and don’t worry about RAM.

OnePlus 6

• OnePlus 6 hands-on preview
• OnePlus 6 vs. OnePlus 5T: How much changes in six months?
• OnePlus 6 vs. OnePlus 5: Should you upgrade?
• These are the official OnePlus 6 cases
• The OnePlus 6 doesn’t work on Verizon or Sprint
• Join the discussion in the forums

AT&T and Verizon will carry the RED Hydrogen One

The phone will be available in the summer.

RED’s Hydrogen One is shaping up to be 2018’s most unique smartphone, and when it launches, will be sold through two of the United States’ biggest carriers — AT&T and Verizon.

Both companies recently confirmed this news in a press release, with AT&T saying the phone will be available “later this summer” and Verizon noted it’ll launch “later this year.” RED recently pushed the Hydrogen One’s release back to August, so that’s likely when sales at the two carriers will begin.

One of the big draws to the Hydrogen One is its holographic display, and commenting on this, AT&T Senior VP of Device and Network Service Marketing, Kevin Petersen, said:

When the RED HYDROGEN ONE launches you’ll be able to look around, below and into your screen’s image with a 4-view holographic display, which is even better than 3D.

If you live in or around Los Angeles, AT&T will be demoing the Hydrogen One at Warner Bros. Studios between June 2 and 3 as part of AT&T Shape. If you’re interested, AT&T asks that you first register for the event to ensure a spot is saved for you.

Availability on AT&T and Verizon should be a huge win for RED, especially considering that the Hydrogen One sounds like a phone you’ll need to see in person to really experience what it has to offer. However, the question still remains of whether or not consumers are ready to throw down $1200 for a phone made by a company they may or may not have heard of before.

Camera maker RED just announced a $1200 phone — the Hydrogen One

eBay Updates App With Apple Music-Inspired ‘Interests’ Feature for More Personalized Shopping

eBay today announced “Interests,” a new feature that tailors the iOS and Android app’s shopping experience to your own personal passions, hobbies, and style. The company says that the feature is aimed at making it easier for you to find unique, interesting items you care about among eBay’s vast assortment of inventory.

The backbone of Interests is a questionnaire eBay will begin asking shoppers, including topics like favorite activities and styles. Similar to Apple Music, you’ll tap bubbles with the answers in them, and when done eBay will match the answers to your pre-existing browsing patterns. This data will be combined to curate “things you love – and things you didn’t even know you might love.”

In fact, eBay head of engagement Bradford Shellhammer says that the Interests questionnaire was directly influenced by Apple Music’s bubble-based user interface (via Fast Company). In Apple’s app, you tap genres and artists you like, double tap to love them, and hold to remove the ones you dislike.

As he imagined what eBay could become, Shellhammer looked beyond the retail world to the music industry. For instance, Spotify’s “Discover Weekly” personalized playlists served as an inspiration for Interests. The Interests questionnaire was influenced by the questions Apple Music asks users in order to provide them with the best possible recommendations. “We want you to tell us what you like, let us look at your behavior, and get you into your own personal store,” he says.

eBay also divulged some numbers in its press release today, noting the site has 171 million active buyers worldwide, 80 percent of all merchandise sold on the site is new, and 88 percent of items sold are through Buy It Now, meaning that more people are avoiding bidding on the marketplace. In terms of mobile app usage on iOS and Android, 62 percent of the eBay platform involves users shopping and interacting with the site while on their smartphone.

eBay has been making a raft of improvements to its mobile apps in recent months, including a barcode scanning feature to greatly speed up the listing process and the ability to search for products with images. Amid all of the UI improvements and feature additions, eBay in February detailed plans to install Adyen as its new primary payments processor and slowly phase out PayPal.

Tag: eBay
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Waze Launches on Ford’s SYNC 3 Infotainment Systems Through iOS AppLink

At CES in January, Ford discussed a new partnership with crowdsource navigation app Waze that aimed to bring Waze onto the touch screen of SYNC 3 vehicles through Ford’s AppLink. That partnership has been fully realized today with Waze users worldwide now able to connect their iPhones to AppLink via USB and mirror Waze on their infotainment system.

This allows drivers to access their favorite Waze features when following a route, searching for a nearby gas station, and even reporting traffic accidents, all while their iPhone is safely stored and locked. Voice guidance and commands are available as well through a Ford vehicle’s speakers and microphone system.

The SYNC 3 integration includes recent Waze app updates like “Talk to Waze” for voice controls, route support for carpool lanes, more accurate arrival times, and more. Waze’s crowdsourced navigation features are fueled when users open their smartphones and begin driving, with people typically using iPhone mounts and other products to safely drive without holding their devices.

Ford executive Don Butler explained how partnerships between carmakers like Ford and GPS apps like Waze further improve the safety of driving thanks to reducing potential smartphone distractions.

“Our goal is to make it as easy as possible for people to access the smartphone features, apps and services they care about most in the car, without having to pick up their device,” said Don Butler, executive director, connected vehicle platform and product, Ford Motor Company. “With Waze, our customers get the benefits they’re accustomed to with the added luxury of experiencing them on a bigger screen.”

To access the new feature users will need SYNC 3 software version 3.0 or greater installed in the vehicle, as well as iOS 11.3 and the up-to-date Waze app downloaded on the iPhone. Ford encourages customers to head to its website for more details on Waze integration.

Tags: Ford SYNC, Waze
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Apple.com Updated With Focus on Accessibility Features of iPhone, Mac, Apple Watch, and More

Apple today updated the front page and accessibility section of Apple.com in celebration of Global Accessibility Awareness Day. The event is held on the third Thursday of May every year and was created to promote inclusion and usability of technology for anyone with a disability.

This year, Apple is highlighting its own accessibility features right on the home page of Apple.com, stating that “Technology is most powerful when it empowers everyone.” On the main accessibility page, Apple has again posted its short commercial from 2016 about real people with disabilities who use its products in everyday life, narrated by Sady Paulson, who uses Switch Control on a Mac.

Otherwise, the company has greatly expanded the web page to mark today’s event. When you scroll down, each section is marked by accessibility features focusing on different areas of disability, beginning with vision. These include VoiceOver, adjustable display accommodations, Dynamic Type to upsize text, and Zoom to get a closer look at an iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac, or Apple TV screen.

In the hearing section, Apple says it wants to “keep everyone in the conversation” with features like Live Listen that let users fine-tune MFi hearing aids to hear more clearly. The company also showcases FaceTime for those who use sign language to communicate, closed captioning for music and sound effects on all Apple devices, LED Flash for iPhone alerts, and Type to Siri for manually asking the AI assistant to perform any task.

The last two sections focus on physical and motor skills as well as learning and literacy. Here Apple talks about using HomePod to automate complex scenes with just a voice, AssistiveTouch for customized iOS gestures, Speak Screen to hear text spoken aloud on iPhone and iPad, and Safari Reader to stay focused on content and reduce visual clutter that can become a sensory overload for some users.

Earlier this week, Apple’s director of global accessibility policy and initiatives, Sarah Herrlinger, discussed the company’s efforts to help individuals with disabilities through its various products. In March, Apple donated $250,000 to sponsor an “Innovation Zone” in an accessibility-focused playground opening soon in Sunnyvale, California.

For last year’s Global Accessibility Awareness Day, the company launched a series of “Designed for” videos on its YouTube channel, highlighted interviews conducted between CEO Tim Cook and three accessibility activists, and held a Stevie Wonder concert at One Infinite Loop.

This year, Apple says it’s hosting global events that will promote inclusive design and “emphasize how technology can support all people with disabilities,” including events at Apple corporate in Cupertino, Austin, Cork, and London. Throughout May all of its stores will have accessibility-related Today at Apple sessions for customers to participate in. If Apple celebrates the accessibility-focused day with other events, we’ll be sure to update this post.

Tag: accessibility
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Apple’s Everyone Can Code Curriculum Expanding to Schools Serving Blind and Deaf Students

Apple today on Global Accessibility Awareness Day announced that its Everyone Can Code curriculum is expanding to schools serving deaf, blind, or visually impaired students, starting with various locations in the United States in the fall.

Initial list of participating schools:

• California School for the Blind (Fremont, CA)
• California School for the Deaf (Fremont, CA)
• District 75/Citywide Programs (New York, NY)
• Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind (St. Augustine, FL)
• Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired (Winnetka, IL)
• Perkins School for the Blind (Watertown, MA)
• Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (Austin, TX)
• Texas School for the Deaf (Austin, TX)

Everyone Can Code enables students of all ages to learn how to code with Apple’s open source programming language Swift. The curriculum involves the iPad app Swift Playgrounds, which lets students use real code to solve puzzles and control characters, and the iBooks course App Development with Swift.

Apple has tailored Everyone Can Code to work with its accessibility features, ranging from its screen-reading technology VoiceOver to Switch Control, which enables switches, joysticks, and other adaptive devices to control what is on the screen.

Apple collaborated with engineers, educators, and programmers from various accessibility communities to make Everyone Can Code as accessible as possible and will work in close coordination with schools to augment the curricula as needed. This will include providing additional tools and resources such as tactile maps to enhance the understanding of coding environments for non-visual learners.

Apple CEO Tim Cook:

Apple’s mission is to make products as accessible as possible. We created Everyone Can Code because we believe all students deserve an opportunity to learn the language of technology. We hope to bring Everyone Can Code to even more schools around the world serving students with disabilities.

Bill Daugherty, superintendent at the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, offered praise for the initiative:

Our students were tremendously excited at our first Everyone Can Code session earlier this year. There are more than 10,400 students with visual impairments in Texas, and the development of this curricula is going to be a big step in opening up coding opportunities for our students and those across the nation.

Apple also announced that, throughout May, all of its retail stores will host accessibility-related sessions for customers. On May 17, Apple’s corporate offices in Cupertino, Austin, Cork, and London will hold similar events.

Apple has also revamped the accessibility section of its website for Global Accessibility Awareness Day, which has promoted digital accessibility and inclusion for people with all disabilities on the third Thursday of May every year since 2012.

Tag: accessibility
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Latest Apple Pay Promo Offers Free Grocery Deliveries on Instacart Orders Over $35

The latest Apple Pay promotion grants you free delivery on groceries with Instacart as long as you use Apple’s mobile wallet to checkout on the app through 11:59 p.m. PT on May 23, and your order runs for $35 or more. There is no specific promo code, so as long as you meet these requirements the discount should appear automatically during the checkout process in Instacart.

Free delivery will still be subject to availability in certain areas, and service fees and taxes will apply to your order. If your area supports the promotion, you can save $5.99 or more on an Instacart order, with delivery fees starting at that price point and increasing when factoring in the size and time of the order. Delivery fees can also be affected by “Busy Pricing,” an added fee during the busiest parts of the day.

Free delivery from Instacart for orders over $35 normally requires a membership to Instacart Express, a service that costs $14.99 per month or $149 per year. Apple’s free delivery offers an opportunity for potential Instacart customers to test Instacart Express. Otherwise, this week’s promotion highlights grocery stores where you can checkout using Apple Pay: Trader Joe’s, Giant, Smart & Final, SuperValu, Food Lion, and Winn-Dixie.

Instacart has been a popular app in Apple’s ongoing Apple Pay promotion series, previously being featured through similar offers in January and February. The last few promotions have offered flowers via 1-800-Flowers for Mother’s Day, furniture through Hayneedle, and french fries from McDonald’s.

Tag: Apple Pay promo
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This $4,600 solar charger comes with an iPhone X attached

Caviar

If you’re in the market for an iPhone X, and pricey battery packs also happen to be your thing, then this flashy new offering from Caviar is a match made in heaven.

The Russian accessory maker, which some of you will recall also brought us the gold-plated iPhone 5S engraved with an image of Vladimir Putin’s face, has just started selling the solar-powered “iPhone X Tesla” (phone included) for the princely sum of $4,600. The first one off the production line is being sent to Tesla CEO Elon Musk as a gift, apparently.

The handset comes with a solar panel attached to the back, and, according to the images, looks almost as if it’s part of the phone. But it definitely isn’t. If you look closely, the handset bulks up a bit with the addition of the expensive case.

The design features a carbon base with gold decorative elements and a battery charge indicator. It begins charging the iPhone with the press of a button.

You’ll be pleased to know that to create the case, Caviar’s engineers carried out more than 100 tests “proving the effectiveness and safety of this system,” though unfortunately details regarding power specifications aren’t shown on the product’s page.

Caviar

The company says three people inspired it to build the iPhone X: Tesla “Steve Jobs, Nikola Tesla and Ilon Mask.” We’re betting on that being a spelling error rather than a mysterious inventor no one’s heard of yet.

The production run has been limited to 999 units, with Caviar promising that “every smartphone has its own number.” We think we know what it means.

The 64GB iPhone X Tesla costs 284,000 rubles ($4,600), while the 256GB model will set you back 299,000 rubles ($4,850). Add local taxes and customs duties for the final price.

There’s no indication of any formal relationship between Musk’s electric-car company and Caviar, or indeed if the CEO is cool with Caviar using the name, but the iPhone X Tesla can now be yours if you have a bit of spare cash knocking around.

Alternatively, if you’d prefer a solar charger for your phone that costs considerably less than the iPhone X Tesla, do take a moment to check out Digital Trends’ selection of some of the best ones currently on the market. Prices start at $40 and top out at $265.

Editors’ Recommendations

• iPhone X: Here’s everything you need to know about Apple’s best phone yet
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• Check out 30 of the best iPhone 7 cases and covers for your shiny new phone
• Apple iPhone X review

New ‘Interests’ feature recommends products you’ll actually want to buy on eBay

Upon meeting with the eBay team at their office in New York City, I was brought over to a room with a sign that read “Store of Brenda,” which was filled with items curated for me based on a short questionnaire I filled out prior to the visit. Scanning the room, it felt like my wish list came to life — from a Nintendo Switch to La Mer skincare products and the Polaroid instant film camera, I didn’t know which item to look at first. With the launch of eBay’s “Interests” feature, the company is attempting to create a similar experience for its users each time they open the eBay app on their smartphones.

With Interests, eBay is providing users with a personalized shopping experience based on their hobbies, style preferences, and more. When you open the eBay app, you’ll be see a banner that gives you the option to answer a few questions when it comes to your favorite activities, sports teams, and clothing preferences, among other things. Your interests are then matched with your browsing patterns and your home page will adapt to the changes in real time — providing you with products and brands you might already be a fan of or new ones to discover.

“We realize that personalization is the future … that [people] don’t care about content that’s not personalized. Gone are the days where people in high offices who are designers, who are retailers, or editors are dictating trends. Trends are coming from all over the place, styles are coming from all over the place … in order for us to react to this new world of shopping which is a personal experience, our catalog had to have the structure attached to it,” Bradford Shellhammer, head of Browse & Personalization for eBay, told Digital Trends,

Rather than attempting to re-create or revolutionize strategies other e-commerce sites are using, eBay took a page from the world of streaming. Inspired by services like Spotify that offer users playlists and artists based on what they already listen to, the eBay app essentially behaves the same way but with products. Using machine learning and algorithms, you’ll only see items you’re interested in or related items you might like as well.

The feature is available for both new and existing customers to use. For those who use eBay often, adding your interests will help feed the algorithm already in place based on your shopping behavior. For instance, if you search for a baseball cap after adding that your favorite team is the Baltimore Orioles, then you’re more likely to receive results that include O’s merchandise. As for new customers, the hope is that Interests will serve as a destination shoppers can rely on to not only fuel but also broaden their interests.

“A fashion customer who loves home and her cat won’t see car parts and accessories or men’s things … if we are truly agnostic to what people buy, then we should probably take a backseat to what we think people will buy and double down on the things we think they’ll engage with or interact with” Shellhammer said. “It’s more than just buying … we believe there is an opportunity for people to view eBay as a place to get inspiration.”

You also have the option of adding more interests or editing the current ones. The team is currently working on a feedback mechanism that will allow you to select specific items you want to see more or less of throughout the app. Other future plans will include the ability to tap on a heart icon to symbolize you “like” an item — in order to help narrow in on your interests even further.

The Interests feature is currently available on eBay’s mobile app for iOS and Android in the U.S.. Throughout the next few months, it will continue to roll out for desktop and mobile web.