Skype Translator is heading to the desktop app this summer
Last month, Microsoft removed the sign-up requirement for folks to give Skype’s live translation chops a try. Now, a preview version of the multi-language tool is heading to the desktop. Skype Translator is scheduled to roll out inside the chat-focused app’s desktop software at the end of the summer, delivering real-time translation for voice/video calls and instant messaging. Right now, the speech function supports English, Spanish, Italian and Mandarin, but if you’re conversing via IM, there are 50 more languages added to the list. Windows 10 arrives at this summer too, and real-time translating is sure to come in handy when chatting it up on a 84-inch Surface Hub.
Filed under: Internet, Software, Microsoft
Source: Skype
Bookindy Chrome extension lists local options for books on Amazon
There’s no question that Amazon is hurting independent bookstores. It’s hard to compete with the convenience of quick shipping. If you live in the UK, though, a Chrome extension uses the online retailer’s listings to give you a local option during the hunt for a new book. The add-on is called Bookindy and leverages info on independent retailers from locally-focused site Hive. Not only does it display the spot with the best price, but how far you’ll have to travel in order to pick up the title in person, too. “I wanted to build something that doesn’t compete head-on with the Amazon machine, but embraces it, augments it and nudges you towards the local option to buy,” explains Bookindy’s creator Will Cookson. Unfortunately, it’s only useful in the UK, so here’s to hoping another creative soul devises a similar plug-in for other locales.
Filed under: Internet
Via: @frasermatthew, The Guardian
Source: Bookindy (Chrome Web Store)
Organize your life with Centrallo, a fresh look
Just about eight and a half months after my original Centrallo review, Centrallo has released a material design update. I am going to take a fresh look at the app with its updated design!
Centrallo is an organizational app that aims to add order to your life.
It is actually an ingeniously simple concept. You can add lists and notes. Each list can contain more lists and notes.
Usage
The Good
The simplicity of the app is the real attraction here. Centrallo has the easiest to use interface. Everything is intuitive to use, but some of the glyphs for images are a bit tough to decipher. After playing around, it is very easy to use.
Centrallo is perfect for organizing projects or thoughts.
As stated in the previous review, the cross platform usability is also a nice plus. It works on desktop, iOS and Android devices. Another thing being done right is each app has been specifically designed for the particular platform.
The Android app isn’t an iOS port, it is a full fledged app with material design and all things that Android users love.
The Middle Ground
Sharing capabilities could be better still. While people can now view lists or notes without a Centrallo account, the in-app sharing is a bit buggy. This will most likely be fixed in future builds.
Actually, sharing doesn’t work at all. I have to copy the link provided and share that to others. It isn’t a bad thing, it is just that there is an option for sharing to things like Facebook or Google Plus, but they don’t actually work. Yet.
Update: The sharing functionality now works as it would be expected to! Once again, the Centrallo team is very quick when it comes to user concerns and suggestions..
The Bad
There really isn’t anything that bad. The only thing I miss is a checklist type function. You can make lists, but there is no real way to make it a checklists.
In order to make a checklist, I have to use lists and notes. From there, I change all items that are done to one color and the items not done to another color. It is a crude but effect solution.
You can always archive or delete items that are done, but I prefer to keep them so that I know what I have and haven’t accomplished.
Interface
The Good
Material design! Really, is there anything else to say about it? A year after Android L previews and material design debuted, material design is still hard to come by. Only two of my daily apps have material design implemented excluding Google apps and including Centrallo.
The interface is snappy and beautiful. It actually makes the app even more enjoyable to use.
The Middle Ground
There really isn’t middle ground to be had about material design. Some love it, some hate it. Some really don’t care. It is just kind of like “Tada, I’m pretty now!”, and Centrallo is definitely that, pretty.
The Bad
The update to material design removes the ability to change the color scheme. That isn’t a big deal though because the current look is amazing and has no need to change.
Only other thing I have to complain about is the timing. Really? An entire year? Oh well, I guess it takes time to look this good.
![Screenshot_20150604-231844[1]](https://i2.wp.com/www.androidguys.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Screenshot_20150604-2318441-169x300.png?resize=169%2C300)
![Screenshot_20150604-231758[1]](https://i2.wp.com/www.androidguys.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Screenshot_20150604-2317581-169x300.png?resize=169%2C300)
![Screenshot_20150604-231754[1]](https://i1.wp.com/www.androidguys.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Screenshot_20150604-2317541-169x300.png?resize=169%2C300)
![Screenshot_20150604-231744[1]](https://i0.wp.com/www.androidguys.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Screenshot_20150604-2317441-169x300.png?resize=169%2C300)
The post Organize your life with Centrallo, a fresh look appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Star Wars: Uprising game coming to Android devices soon
Kabam RPG Studio has teamed up with Lucas Films and the Walt Disney Company to create “Star Wars: Uprising,” an upcoming game on mobile devices.
The game will “introduce a new chapter of the Star Wars™ universe that will illuminate dramatic events in the Anoat Sector, inclusive of Hoth and Cloud City, following the Battle of Endor and the death of the Emperor,” according to a release.
The RPG will immerse players in the Star Wars universe during a unique time following the fall of Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine.
Although there is no set date for the app’s official release, users can pre-register to receive a beta rollout in the coming weeks.
Hit the break for the full presser and the app’s promotional video.
Click here to view the embedded video.
SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Kabam, in collaboration with The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) and Lucasfilm Ltd., today announced the development of Star Wars™: Uprising, the first mobile game to take place after Star Wars™: Episode VI Return of the Jedi™ and before Star Wars™: The Force Awakens™. Developed by the industry-leading team at Kabam RPG Studio in San Francisco under the direction of Senior Vice President Aaron Loeb, StarWars™: Uprising will allow players to create their own unique character, go on missions, and build their gear and skills, while amassing a powerful crew and cartel to join in large-scale sector-wide battles that dictate the future of the game universe. Players will also be able to engage in real-time co-op with friends against the Empire.
Star Wars™: Uprising will introduce a new chapter of the Star Wars™ universe that will illuminate dramatic events in the Anoat Sector, inclusive of Hoth and Cloud City, following the Battle of Endor and the death of the Emperor. Players will learn hundreds of abilities and collect iconic Star Wars gear to create their own takes on the next generation of heroes: Smuggler, Bounty Hunter, Rebel Guerilla, Diplomat, Gambler or something completely unique.
“Star Wars™: Uprising is a deep role playing game (RPG) experience that will immerse players in the Star Wars universe during a unique time following the fall of Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine,” said Loeb. “The Kabam RPG Studio has taken its collective experience and passion for role playing games to focus on creating a unique and immersive gameplay experience for Star Wars fans and RPG gamers around the world.”
The Star Wars™: Uprising official website is now live at http://playstarwarsuprising.com, where the game’s first trailer is now posted. By pre-registering, Star Wars fans can help shape the future of the in-game universe and win exclusive prizes such as a storm trooper helmet by voting for in-game content. Star Wars: Uprising will begin a beta roll out in select territories in the upcoming weeks.
The creative power behind the game comes from Kabam RPG Studio in San Francisco, which is made up of the top art, design and storytelling talent from the RPG world, and technical masters from across the video game industry. The team is dedicated to bringing the best RPG experiences to mobile and includes Daniel Erickson, former creative director of Star Wars™: The Old Republic™ and Danny Keller, Emmy award nominee for Star Wars™: The Clone Wars™. The studio’s most recent game, Spirit Lords, received the highly coveted Editors’ Choice Award on the App Store.
STAR WARS © & ™ Lucasfilm Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Used Under Authorization.
ABOUT KABAM
Kabam, Inc. (“Kabam”) creates, develops, and publishes games that are available on mobile devices via its own dedicated channel in the Apple App Store, Google Play, and the Amazon Appstore. Valued at more than $1 billion, Kabam is the 6th fastest growing company overall in North America, according to Deloitte LLP. The company has been profitable since 2012. Kabam’s Kingdoms of Camelot franchise has grossed more than $250 million, making it one of the top 10 strategy franchises of all time. Kabam has also created four titles that have grossed more than $100 million each in their life. In 2014, Kabam had three titles rank in the Top 50 Grossing apps on the App Store. Kabam has more than 825 employees around the world, with corporate headquarters in San Francisco. The company’s investors include Alibaba, Canaan Partners, Google, MGM, Intel, Pinnacle Ventures, Redpoint Ventures, Warner Brothers and others. More information about Kabam can be found at www.kabam.com.
Source: BusinessWire
Come comment on this article: Star Wars: Uprising game coming to Android devices soon
Facebook Messenger only shares your location when you tell it to
Sharing your location with the person you’re chatting with in Facebook Messenger isn’t a new feature, but the way its done has changed… thankfully. The app no longer shares your location by default, nixing the stalkerish function that updated folks on your friends list with your movements. Instead, Messenger only sends that info when you tell it to. By tapping on a map pin, those details can be sent as a separate message in a chat window. The app places a small map in your convo as its own note, pointing to either your current spot or a rendezvous point for future reference.
Before this update, the mobile software pinged your phone every time you sent a message and shared that info with your pals. That method of sharing made things like this creepy Chrome extension possible. Of course, Facebook never hid the location-tracking chops of the app, and now it only shares your location with friends when you tell it to. According to TechCrunch, this update is just the beginning of what the folks in Menlo Park have planned for GPS inside the app, so we’ll be curious to see how the next stage plays out.
Filed under: Software, Mobile, Facebook
Source: Facebook
Facebook Lite uses less storage and bandwidth for emerging markets
Facebook’s regular Android app just uses too much data and storage for devices in developing areas. It also tends to eat up a good bit of pricey data. To remedy those connectivity woes, the folks in Menlo Park announced Facebook Lite: a version of the mobile software that’s less than 1MB is size, yet still offers the social networks essential tools. Despite requiring a modet amount of space and time install, even on a slow network, the app still handles News Feed, status updates, photos, notifications and other items users employ on the regular. In addition to this new software, Zuckerberg & Co. are also behind the Internet.org project that’s bringing free access to essential services to underdeveloped countries, too. Facebook Lite is rolling out today in Asia, and it’s set to hit parts of Africa, Europe and Latin America in “the coming weeks.”
Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile, Facebook
Via: TechCrunch
Source: Facebook
‘Abused emoji’ give kids an easy way to talk about serious issues
Some situations are just too hard to put into words even if you’re the most eloquent person on the planet. So just imagine how tough it is for kids in troubled homes to tell someone, anyone, what they’re going through. A Swedish non-profit for children’s rights called BRIS believes one way to get them to open up is through emoticons — that’s why the organization has created a special set for them called “Abused Emoji.” At first glance, they look like the usual light-hearted, sometimes silly, smileys you see on phones or computers, but a closer inspection will reveal some rather disquieting details.
(WARNING: The image and video below the fold show representations of child abuse in emoji form.)
Some of the graphics have a black eye, others show injury, while the most disconcerting ones suggest that the adult in the kid’s life is making him/her miserable. The group’s director of communication, Sylvia Ernhagen, told Wired:
Kids issues range from issues about how to fit in or feeling awkward to really dark and heartbreaking stories about violence, sexual abuse, grooming, bullying and suicidal thoughts… Emoji are a very natural way for children and teenagers to communicate, and we want to show that there’s nothing wrong with reaching out when you feel down.
However, since the pack can be downloaded by anyone with an iOS device, at least one person is worried that the graphics can be misused. According to Wired, Gregory Leskin, the director for the NCTSN Military and Veteran Families Program, fears that the emojis could be misconstrued. After all, not everyone’s trained to talk to kids from troubled homes like the folks from BRIS are. Still, he believes creating the set “is going in the right direction,” seeing as more and more people these days are expressing their thoughts using the ideograms.
Via: Wired
Source: BRIS, Abused Emojis
SoundHound takes on Siri and Google with new voice search app
While SoundHound hasn’t seen the tune-searching success as Shazam, the company behind it is taking a similar stance as the competition. Like Shazam’s recent addition of product queries, SoundHound is looking to tackle more than songs too, and it’ll do so with a new app called Hound. It’s more like Siri or Google Now (taking some design cues from the latter), handling searches for weather, directions, hotels, stocks and much more. And yes, the know-how from SoundHound is baked in as well, so you won’t have to wield two apps just in case you need to identify a track by humming.
There’s a voice search option that not only allows you to get specific (see above), but it’ll let you add a secondary set of criteria once you browse the initial results. All you have to do is say “OK Hound” and speak your search info — I wonder where they got that idea. Hound also handles spoken requests by allowing you to speak naturally, as it boasts “Speech-to-Meaning” abilities that recognizes language and not just words. Hound is currently in beta on Android with an iOS version set to join soon.
Google Maps real-time transit info is now available in more places
Public transportation info has been in Google Maps for quite some time, but today the feature is seeing some handy improvements. First, when you select a transit option in the app, you’re served a a list of options that will not only show you the next bus or train, but how long you’ll be playing Candy Crush if you miss it alongside some alternative options. The details are updated in real time and you can expect to leverage the tool in more places, too. Google added partners to the list in six new locales: UK, Netherlands, Budapest, Chicago, San Francisco and Seattle. While public transit info was available for those spots, you can now access real-time info as well. The folks in Mountain View say today’s news brings schedules for over 2.5 million stations, stops, terminals and more worldwide. Heck, you’ll even be able to see when your train leaves on your wrist.
Filed under: Internet, Software, Mobile
Source: Google
Foursquare updates its Android app with Uber integration
Foursquare has just begun pushing out a server-side update for its official Android application. In terms of added functionality, this upgrade transports the usual truckload of bug fixes and speed optimizations together with integration for Uber’s cab-hailing service.
From now on, when a user searches for a specific location using the Foursquare app, an Uber button will appear alongside the travel information for that destination. Clicking the Uber button will prompt an active menu, which allows users to select the vehicle type they would like to travel in.
To celebrate this launch, the two company’s have come together to hold a special promotion for new users. If you’ve never travelled using Uber before, simply use the promo code FOURSQUARE at checkout to receive a discount.
Via: Forbes
Come comment on this article: Foursquare updates its Android app with Uber integration
AIVAnet 