Spyglass beefs up iOS navigation with augmented reality for the great outdoors
Sure, you can use the regular maps available for iOS to get around, but those who trek around the wilderness need a bit more muscle. Well, Spyglass offers just that, employing all of the sensors Apple’s devices house and tossing in a bit of augmented reality for good measure. The app overlays compass, GPS and location info on top of visuals captured by an iPhone camera or the map itself. There’s also a load of more advanced navigation tools for in-depth tracking — options that include a hi-tech viewfinder (HUD), milspec compass, gyrocompass, tactical GPS, speedometer, altimeter, rangefinder, sextant and more. Real-time tracking based on the location of stars, the sun and the moon is possible too, as is the ability to save waypoints for the return trip. You can also save specific spots for later, snap pictures with the data overlaid and employ one of a dozen different coordinate systems ranging from civilian to military. Sound too good to pass up for that next mountain excursion? Spyglass is available now via the iTunes App Store for $3.99.
Via: Uncrate
Source: Spyglass (iTunes)
Box’s redesigned Android app opens almost any file you put in the cloud
Box overhauled its iOS cloud storage app early this year with a simpler, speedier interface; now, it’s Android’s turn. The just-launched Box 3.0 for Android shares much of its iOS cousin’s look and feel, including minimalist controls and a high-speed previewer that opens over 100 file types right in the cloud. In other words, you won’t have to fire up Office Mobile just to get a quick peek at that PowerPoint presentation. You can search text in any document, too, and it’s easier to open content in Box-friendly apps through a built-in OneCloud gallery. The upgrade won’t necessarily lure you away from the likes of Dropbox or Google Drive, but it may be welcome if you regularly deal with exotic file formats — or if you just have to catch up on work while on the road.
Filed under: Cellphones, Storage, Internet, Mobile
Source: Google Play, Box Blog
IFTTT now automates tasks based on your Fitbit activity
If you’re sporting one of Fitbit’s activity trackers, you can now automate tasks and reminders with the help of IFTTT (If This Then That). The recipe-based software announced a dedicated channel for the sporty gadgets today, handling duties based on goals, activity, sleep, weight and more. For example, you can now log a weigh-in via text message or automatically beam sleep stats to a Google Spreadsheet each morning. Of course, those are just a couple of the possibilities, and users can construct their own formulas as well. Those who prefer Jawbone’s wearables have already been privy to the automated life logging, with other wrist-worn devices like the Pebble smartwatch supported too.
Filed under: Wearables, Software, Mobile
Source: IFTTT
Gmail for Android can save attachments directly to Google Drive
Just because you want to save an email attachment on your phone doesn’t mean you always want a local copy. What if you’re running out of space? That won’t be an issue if you’re using the latest version of Gmail for Android; the newly updated app lets you save files to Google Drive, making it easy to fetch them later on most any Drive-friendly device. The upgrade also gets you to the navigation menu through a simple swipe gesture, and there’s both improved right-to-left language support (think Arabic or Hebrew) as well as explanations for why messages land in the spam folder. It may take a few days for the new app to hit your phone or tablet, but it should be worth your patience if you prefer to fetch important documents from the cloud.
Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Mobile, Google
Source: Gmail (Google+), Google Play
Rdio is now streaming in nine more locales
Spotify isn’t the only music streaming service looking to blanket the globe. In fact, Rdio has surpassed its primary competition in that tally. The latter outfit is now available in 60 countries after it announced the additions of Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Greece, Croatia, Cyprus, Slovakia And Slovenia. For reference, Spotify currently tallies 56 countires worldwide. “We’re thrilled to have been able to expand from two to 60 countries in less than four years, while also pairing this rapid growth with regular catalog increases reflective of the amazing and distinct music that impacts the culture of each country we serve,” said CEO Anthony Bay. Heck, Rdio even made a playlist to celebrate.
Filed under: Internet, Software
Source: Rdio (Facebook)
AllCast now streams your media to any Android device
Koushik Dutta’s AllCast app can stream media to seemingly any set-top box you might own, but it hasn’t let you stream to (most) Android devices. Today, though, that barrier has come down: Dutta has released AllCast Receiver, an app that turns any supporting Android gadget into a streaming target. You can now send video to a tablet for more for more comfortable viewing, for example, or mirror your screen to walk someone through an unfamiliar app. To top it off, AllCast itself has received an update that will stream Google Play Music to other hardware, provided you get root OS access on the host device first. Whether or not you’re willing to take that risk, you’ll definitely want to grab the newer apps if AllCast is your go-to content sharing tool.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, HD, Mobile
Via: Koushik Dutta (G+), Droid-Life
Source: Google Play (AllCast Receiver), (AllCast)
Whisper app now includes related posts, still keeps your identity anonymous
Whisper, the anonymous secret-sharing app, now delivers a more personalized experience — but don’t worry; your identity will still be hidden. To show you relevant posts without revealing who you are or using your phone’s address book, the Whisper team redesigned the app to show related content after you submit a new secret. In other words, the app isn’t personalized to display confessions from people you know, but instead it delivers content related to your own anonymous secrets. Additionally, the app now sorts Whispers by location, so you’ll be able to zoom into general (not super-specific) areas to see what users are talking about.
This is admittedly a pretty smart solution for personalizing an app that is identity-free by design, and it has the side benefit of encouraging users to share more. According to Whisper CEO Michael Heyward, only 50 percent of users who post secrets will see related content, and lurkers who are only there to browse will never see any. The update is already available at the App Store (see source the link below), and it will arrive on Android in about two weeks.
Filed under: Software
Via: Re/code
Source: Whisper (iTunes)
Groupon lets merchants process cards, track customers with iPad-based Gnome
Gone are the days when restaurants and retailers needed to drop five figures for the privilege of tracking and ringing up customers. Square’s Register app has been letting merchants process transactions with “cheap” consumer hardware since 2012, and now Groupon’s reinforcing its own position in the point of sale game with a new iPad-based solution. Gnome, which is expected to cost merchants $10 per month, will let customers redeem their Groupons via Bluetooth, or simply by providing their name at checkout. Customers can receive email or printed receipts, and they can pay entirely with cash or a credit card whenever they’re not redeeming a voucher. The company plans to move all merchants over to Gnome within the next few months, so expect a more streamlined Groupon experience soon.
Facebook may launch ‘Slingshot’ Snapchat competitor this month
Facebook could be gearing up to introduce a Snapchat-like video message tool later this month, according to a Financial Times report. The app, known to staffers as ‘Slingshot,’ would enable users to send short video messages, and it would likely not be integrated with the social site’s other applications, such as Facebook Messenger. Based on the timing of Slingshot’s potential release, it’s possible that a team within the company began working on the app shortly after negotiations to acquire Snapchat for $3 billion failed late last year, leaving Facebook to build its own competitor from the ground up. Still, while the new app appears to be nearly ready for primetime, the launch apparently has yet to be approved — it’s possible that Slingshot may never see the light of day.
Filed under: Internet, Software, Facebook
Via: Verge
Source: Financial Times
Engadget Daily: Sony’s Alpha A7s, WP8 gets home automation app, and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours — all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
‘Halo 5: Guardians’ and live-action Halo TV show set for fall 2015 launch
We knew a Halo 4 successor was coming, but today, Microsoft and 343 Industries announced that Halo 5: Guardians will arrive fall of 2015. What’s more, the live-action Halo TV series may debut around the same time. And now, we wait.
What you need to know about online advertisers tracking you
No one enjoys the thought of having their online routines tracked by advertisers, but is there really anything you can do about it? Read on as our own Jose Andrade dives into the Do Not Track (DNT) initiative and how it can protect you.
Microsoft brings home automation app and devices to the Windows Store
Windows Phone 8 users take note: Microsoft just announced its own Insteon home automation app is “coming soon.” In addition, Insteon will sell standalone devices in the Windows Store, including a leak sensor, LED bulb and WiFi camera for $30 – $80, with kits starting at $200.
Full-frame and 4K-ready: The Sony Alpha A7s can be yours in July for $2,500
Sony’s super successful Alpha A7 is getting a successor this year. Called the Alpha A7s, this full-frame mirrorless shooter will go on sale in July for $2,500 (body only). That’s a lot of dough to cough up without getting a lens, but the A7s has the features to deserve it.
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Filed under: Misc
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