Skip to content

Posts tagged ‘Google’

24
Dec

Santa Claus is coming to town: Google Tracker live


santa-tracker

You better watch out, you better not cry, better not pout, I’m telling you why — okay, you know the rest by now. Today’s the big day, it’s Christmas Eve and Santa is already in route. For those looking to track Santa with their kids – or if you just really, really love Christmas – Google’s tracker is now live and ready to go!

This year the tracker has received a few tweaks and upgrades to the interface, showing you a customized map that tells you where Santa is, where he has been, and how far away he is from you. There’s also info on how many gifts he’s delivered, and more. Once again, there’s also support for Chromecast, so you can watch Santa deliver presents on the big screen.

Aside from tracking Santa, Google’s Tracker also includes the new game “Code Boogie” which teaches the basics of programming through activities such as making an elf dance. There are also a few other activities including a Present Drop game, a tool that lets you translate holiday greetings and phrases into different languages, and plenty of other activities to keep the kiddos happy.

As a Google fan, the Santa Tracker is certainly a no-brainer, added by the fact there’s so many extras shoved in. For those that prefer the official “NORAD endorsed” option, however, Microsoft and Norad have once again teamed up to offer their own Santa Tracker as well. This “official” option isn’t quite as loaded with extras, but you can check it out here if you’d prefer.

Head over to Google’s Tracker

24
Dec

ICYMI: The best space, drone and car tech of the year


ICYMI: The Best Space, Drone and Car Tech of the Year

Today on In Case You Missed It: We are rounding up our very favorite transportation stories since launching ICYMI in June and it wouldn’t be us if we didn’t talk about NASA taking applications for astronauts again. Couple that with NASA’s Pluto fly-by this year and it’s clear that the space agency is on the upswing.

Back on earth, there was plenty of drone innovation, car tech and let’s face it, actual hoverboard news to keep us interested.

This will be the final show of the week, so please share any interesting science or tech videos with us that you might find between sleeping in and movie binges. Just tweet us with the #ICYMI hashtag to @mskerryd.

24
Dec

Dear Santa, Can you please add these features to flagship devices for 2016?


The lines between budget, mid-range, and high-end phones are rapidly becoming blurred. There are many devices in every price category that perform at a high-level, so it is about time that flagships start differentiating themselves again.

With Christmas just a day away, I’m writing an open letter to Santa Claus who hopefully will grant my smartphone feature wishes for next year. I think I have been good, and hope to have stayed off of his naughty list…

Dear Santa,

Flagship phones cost a great deal of money, and it’s embarrassing to see phones that cost half as much offer similar performance and hardware for half the cost. Santa, can you help Samsung, Sony, HTC, and LG design new features into their best phones to keep the enthusiasts happy? I know some of these ideas might be a little crazy, but it can’t hurt to ask!

o-GOOGLE-SANTA-TRACKER-570

Optical zoom and a camera lens cover

HX400_image_04_noGPS

Before smartphones, most of us used actual cameras to take our pictures. One of the cardinal rules of photography was to never touch the lens. Oil and dust can ruin any picture but no smartphone comes with built-in coverage. Almost all compact cameras come with an automatic lens cover to protect the lens from dirt and oil, so can you help one or all of these companies help protect our lenses? Most lenses come with a coating that helps keep them protected, but after a year of wiping and cleaning, that protection is gone and pictures just don’t come out as good as they did when the phone was new.

Optical image stabilization, ridiculous megapixel counts, laser auto-focus, dual LED flash and Ultrapixels are all great, but optical zoom is what is missing on smartphone cameras these days. Samsung made the Galaxy S4 Zoom a couple of years ago, but that phone was just too thick and a niche device. And Sony made the external DSC-QX30 wireless lens, but no one really likes to bring along a second device to take pictures, unless it is a real camera.

ab5e5f264254a945d6adbe9ec4ffedc2

Santa, can you help the engineers come up with a revolutionary way to bring us 3-10X optical zoom to our smartphone cameras? It shouldn’t add much bulk to our devices and should be reliable too. Optical zoom would be a great way for us to enhance our pictures.

Dual front-facing speakers with full range sound

Quite a few phones have dual front facing speakers like the Nexus 6 and 6P, but many flagships like the Samsung Galaxy Note5 and LG V10 still have a mono speaker on the bottom of the device that are anything but spectacular. Loud but tinny sound is the norm on flagships, but can you help the engineers develop fuller sound like the HTC One line has?

It would be nice to make audio an important feature on all flagships these days and we shouldn’t have to settle for a huge black bar to get it. We all love to listen to music, take calls over speakerphone, play games and watch videos. Is it too much to as for full range sound?

Decently made earbuds with an inline remote and microphone

The Apple iPhone has great earbuds that come free with every purchase. Sadly many manufacturers have quietly stopped giving us earbuds and make us buy them separately. If they aren’t going to provide us with quality front facing speakers, can you help them develop earbuds that seal out excess background noise while providing decent sound while being included with every purchase?

Panasonic makes the RPHJE120K In-Ear Headphones and they retail for $6.29 on Amazon.com with free 2-day shipping! The headphones have over 27k reviews with an average rating of 4.5/5 stars which means they are excellent. It really can’t cost manufacturers that much money to manufacture these, so I beg you to help these companies add headphones back into the package.

31-nuw-iqAL

External Memory with 32GB of base memory

There are fewer and fewer flagships with the ability to add external memory. As technology progresses, our data consumption increases right along with it and some of us need more memory. We are downloading HiFi music from Tidal, and videos from YouTube Red and need our storage space.

Some companies like HTC and LG still have external memory as an option, but Samsung recently decided people care more about looks than internal hardware. In this time of great phones, we should be able to have great builds with external memory too. And while I am at it, can you also make 32GB of memory a base option for flagships? Android software can take over 5GB of space, and that isn’t including all of the bloatware that Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T install on our phones without our permission.

16GB of base memory is unacceptable for flagship devices.

USB type-C and Qi Wireless charging

Many devices are switching over to USB type-C, like the Nexus 5X and 6P which is a great thing. One of my favorite features, albeit a very simple one, is that you can insert the plug in any orientation. Even though it is a huge pain in the rear to have different charging cables(micro USB and USB type-C), the benefit of not having to look at a small plug before inserting to charge is a nice feature to have.

Santa, can you help all companies adopt this standard?

Sadly while Google brought USB type-C to the Nexus 6P and 5X, they decided to leave out wireless charging. It’s kind of ridiculous that we need to sacrifice one feature for another. Can we just have both? Wireless charging is a great feature that many of us take advantage of. Once you get used to wireless charging, it is really difficult to go back to using a standard plug to charge your device.

48-hour battery life

426123-android-battery-tips

I’m not sure why phone manufacturers have set a 24-hour limit on battery life, but most flagships barely can make it through a full day of heavy usage. Before smartphones, our flip phones used to last a couple days on a full charge. One would logically think that battery life on smartphones would get better as time passes, but as efficiency improves manufacturers just make the batteries smaller. The Samsung Galaxy Note3 and Note4 both had larger batteries than the Note5, but all three get roughly the same amount of usage on a single charge.

The Note5 can last a full day on a single charge with a 3000mAh, battery, but it’s time to give us a 4000-5000mAh battery found in unlocked devices. We want more time away from our chargers. Is this something you can help us with?

4k Display

I know having a 4k display seems a bit ridiculous at this point. 2k displays commonly found on flagships are so clear that you cannot see pixels without magnification. But as virtual reality(VR) expands in popularity so does the need for increased resolution. VR magnifies your display in a viewer, like the Google Cardboard, making pixels on 2k displays easy to see.

The Elephone Vowney is an unlocked Android smartphone and comes with a pixel busting 2k display with 535ppi. It also comes with 4GB of RAM, 32GB of memory, an octa-core processor and even a 2k display. It also costs just $299. Paying top dollar for a Samsung, LG, HTC or Sony flagship just doesn’t make sense when you can get so much hardware at a mid-range price.

4k resolution may be a bit over kill for most, but it will help future proof our investments since our devices should last us two years or more.

Case and Screen protector

I have now purchased two unlocked budget devices from Gearbest.com, and both phones came with a screen protector installed with a clear hard case covering the back too. Sure this has never been apart of any flagship, but most of us do want added protection for our devices. When we pay $800, it won’t cost much to throw in a case and screen protector.

Amazon.com lists many cases and screen protectors for less than $10. I’m sure cases and screen protectors cost a fraction of that amount, so start including them with our purchases. Instead of giving us fewer accessories, while giving us software features we don’t need, can you help the manufacturers redirect their investments and put them towards things we do need? A simple case and screen protector would be fantastic, and is probably the most reasonable things on my wishlist for 2016.

Budget devices come with them installed out of the box, so the big manufacturers like Samsung and LG shouldn’t have an issue with this.

I think I have been good this year…

Santa, I think the things I am asking for are not too unreasonable. Android manufacturers like HTC and Samsung are getting killed when it comes to smartphone sales and are frequently turning over senior management. They have lost sight of what makes their phones great, and 2015 was a year that lacked in true innovation. Mid-range and budget devices have caught up this year, and are set to do even more damage for 2016.

I ask for the things listed above, because the current sales figures for 2015 represent our growing dissatisfaction with what the major smartphones offer us, and I really want to see a comeback for smartphone flagships in 2016.

I may or may not be granted some of my items from my wishlist, but I am taking part in the spirit of giving on my own anyways. I will be selecting one winner from the ultimate giveaway package that can be entered with a simple comment.

Have a safe trip delivering gifts around the globe Santa. I will be tracking you using Google’s Santa Tracker.

 

Burst_stack_98385546424975_4

 

 

The post Dear Santa, Can you please add these features to flagship devices for 2016? appeared first on AndroidGuys.

24
Dec

Check out NVIDIA’s 12 days of Christmas deals for the SHIELD


 
It is Christmas Eve and there is a good chance you’re enjoying time off of school and/or work. NVIDIA is kicking off  its 12 days of Christmas with a sale of games that can be used on its SHIELD devices which are designed to handle games with PC like quality.
So enjoy your egg nog, turkey, prime rib and desserts while getting your game on. The holidays are for relaxing and having fun.
Here is NVIDIA’s entire list of games on sale:

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (50% off – 12/24- 12/28 only)

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a story-driven, next-generation open world role-playing game set in a visually stunning fantasy universe full of meaningful choices and impactful consequences. In The Witcher you play as the professional monster hunter, Geralt of Rivia, tasked with finding a child of prophecy in a vast open world rich with merchant cities, viking pirate islands, dangerous mountain passes, and forgotten caverns to explore.


Trine 3: The Artifacts of Power (50% off)

In Trine 3: The Artifacts of Power, Amadeus the Wizard, Pontius the Knight, and Zoya the Thief have slowly come to the conclusion that having their lives commandeered by a powerful magical artifact is not a desirable state of existence on a permanent basis. The three heroes try to return their extraordinary gifts to the Artifact called Trine, and so they meddle with powers beyond their understanding. Trine shatters. With a literally heartless ancient sorcerer on the loose, and only a broken artifact to guide them, the heroes must try and repair the damage they’ve caused… or the damage that might yet be done. Trine 3 is a fairytale of a grand adventure as well as the additional challenge levels provide true tests to the heroes’ skills in combat and of solving puzzles in the most creative ways. Playable either in single player, and with friends online or in local co-op.


Sublevel Zero (25% off)

Sublevel Zero is a first-person roguelike six-degree-of-freedom shooter set in a universe where reality is falling apart. Take control of a lone gunship pilot whose mission is to loot and craft ancient technology. Descend into a vast underground facility, fighting through procedurally generated zero gravity environments to recover the technology you and your clan need to survive. Includes Steam digital key for PC download.


Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas (50% off)

Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas is an action/adventure game with a strong story and vibrant, detailed graphics. Your father has disappeared and you must explore the islands, and dungeons, of Uncharted Seas to try to find clues to his whereabouts. Along the way you’ll fight enemies, learn to use magic, and discover all sorts of helpful loot—and face-off with the sea monster Oceanhorn.

Don’t Slip On These Android Game Deals!

While the NVIDIA SHIELD Android TV is a great device for streaming AAA-caliber PC titles to your TV or SHIELD tablet you really can’t beat it when it comes to playing Android games. With that in mind, be sure to jump on these deals.


Never Alone (60% off)

E-Line Media and developer Fair Play Labs have brought the unique puzzle platform game, Never Alone, to Android devices, including NVIDIA SHIELD Android TV. Originally created by Alaskan developer Upper One Games for PC and next gen consoles, the game puts players in control of Iñupiat girl Nuna and her Arctic fox companion as they traverse the frozen landscapes of Alaska in the hopes of restoring balance and ending the eternal blizzard. The game’s spread out over eight chapters and blends Alaskan Native folklore into stores like Blizzard Man, the Little People, Manslayer, the Rolling Deads, and the Sky People. There’s also a co-op gameplay mode that allows each player to take control of one of the characters.


Whispering Willows (60% off)

In Whispering Willows, young Elena Elkhorn embarks on a harrowing journey to find her missing father and discover the secrets of the Willows Mansion. Aiding her journey is a unique amulet, she received from her father, which allows her to astral project her spirit into a ghostly-realm and communicate with the dead. Play as Elena to find her missing father, use your astral projection to solves the mansion’s tricks and puzzles, help the lingering souls and discover so much more in this exciting adventure game.


Q.U.B.E.: Director’s Cut (50% off)

As featured on the SHIELD Hub, Q.U.B.E.: Director’s Cut is the definitive version of the brain-twisting first-person puzzler. Using special high-tech gloves to manipulate cubes in the environment, the player solves an array of conundrums – from physics-based challenges; to 3D jigsaws; to platform-based trials. Play it on NVIDIA SHIELD.


>The Battle of Sol (50% off)

In The Battle of Sol, Earth had become toxic and unsafe for human life by the year 2500. Pollution and overpopulation had ravaged the planet, forcing humanity to the stars. Colonies and settlements soon sprung up across the solar system, but man had not left its thirst for war behind. Then, they learned the Sun was dying, and everything changed. Only when faced with a threat greater than each other did the nations of man finally come together. The United Colonies of SOL (UCS) was born, its first and only mission: to locate a new home for mankind, safely beyond the doomed borders of our solar system.


Chariot (50% off)

Chariot is a humorous, physics-based couch co-op platformer in which a brave Princess and her Fiancé carry a funeral wagon through ancient caves, fending off swarms of looters while amassing riches, to bury the King’s remains in a worthy, gold-filled tomb. If only his majesty would keep quiet… The chariot’s large wheels and long tethers allow the heroes to reach higher ground, swing across chasms and perform all sorts of impressive maneuvers.


Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions Evolved (50% Off)

Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions Evolved includes all of the great content & features from Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions and more. Experience the full evolution of the award-winning Geometry Wars franchise and battle through waves of enemies on 3D grids in this frenetic arcade shooter!


Heckabomb (50% off)

Heckabomb is a twin-stick space bound shooter that recalls classics like Asteroids, but has some cool modern updates and ideas. Aliens have destroyed your home planet, and the only artifact to survive, a doomsday weapon called the Heckabomber, is loaded for revenge. You sail from enemy world to enemy world, turn the planets into rubble, and then glean the wreckage for upgrades to your personal Death Star. It’s a bit of a dark task, all things told, but undeniably fun.


Pure Pool (50% off)

The power of Tegra K1 allows Pure Pool to really shine with high resolution, realistic reflections and refractions, highly detailed pool table and surroundings and to top it all off, post processing effects like bloom and depth of field. All these combined make Pure Pool look stunning on Tegra K1 and provides you with the ultimate pool experience. Experience a pool hall from the convenience of your living room – all wrapped up in VooFoo Studios signature jaw-dropping visuals!


Killing Floor Calamity (50% off)

Killing Floor: Calamity is a re-imagined Arcade Shooter version of the original Killing Floor, the hugely successful and multi-million unit selling, multi-award winning PC First Person Shooter. This exciting action game takes place in the devastated cities and countryside of England, after a series of cloning experiments for the military goes horribly wrong. You are a member of the military, dropped into these locations with a simple mission: survive long enough to cleanse the area of the failed experiments. The only problem is, these “experiments” aren’t waiting to be taken out – they’re coming for YOU!

If you don’t already have a unit, get your NVIDIA SHIELD Android TV or NVIDIA SHIELD tablet K1 at Amazon.com.

Source – NVIDIA

The post Check out NVIDIA’s 12 days of Christmas deals for the SHIELD appeared first on AndroidGuys.

24
Dec

Google’s turning an old semiconductor plant into a data center


It’s a happy holiday season indeed for Clarksville, Tennessee officials. Google vice president for Data Center Operations Joe Kava has confirmed to The Leaf-Chronicle that the company is turning the old 1,300-acre Hemlock Semiconductor site in the city into a $600 million data center. Kava says Google has big plans for this site and wants it to become “one of the world’s most efficient and most technically advanced data center campuses.” As part of its plans to achieve that goal, the company aims to offset 100 percent of the data center’s electricity use with renewable energy.

Mountain View has already purchased 2 gigawatts of renewable electricity, and it will most likely buy more once the plant’s already operational a few years from now. This isn’t the first structure Google has snapped up to repurpose into a data center: there’s also the old coal plant in Jackson County that the company bought this year and the paper mill in Finland that it turned into a seawater-cooled facility.

Via: USA Today

Source: The Leaf Chronicle

23
Dec

How to use Google Cardboard


google cardboard io 2015 aa (1 of 9)

The era of virtual reality is upon us, and while there a growing number of solutions aiming to bring VR into the home, Google Cardboard’s approach is unique in that it is an extremely affordable way to get your VR fix using nothing more than a simple VR headset, your existing smartphone, and any Google Cardboard compatible app.

So what exactly is Google Cardboard, where do you get it, and how do you use it? Those are the questions this guide aims to answer.

What is Google Cardboard, and how it works

Simply put, Google Cardboard is a virtual reality platform. Google creates a basic spec for “Cardboard compatible” viewers and apps but doesn’t actually regulate or sell either of these things – though it has occasionally offered fully assembled viewers for free as part of various promotions.

Since there’s little to no regulation on the viewer designs sold, there are a ton of different viewers out there. While the “default” model is in fact made of cardboard, there are variants that come in plastic, foam, and other materials.

DIY Google Cardboard 12

As for how Cardboard works? Basically an app splits an image on your phone’s screen into two. You then insert your phone into a reader, and using two special lenses, you are given a 3D VR type affect might pale in comparison to high-end VR experiences like you’d find with an Oculus Rift, but is actually pretty impressive considering the low-key investment here.

Controlling the games is done a few different ways, but most commonly you interact by looking at things long enough to select them. You can also look around the VR world just as you would in the real world, by moving your head. Some viewers and apps do support extra input methods like triggers on the viewer, Bluetooth controllers, etc, but these methods of control are less common at this stage.

Where can you get Cardboard

Merge VR is one of the more "premium" Cardboard viewers out there.

Merge VR is one of the more “premium” Cardboard viewers out there.

Before you decide to jump into the wonderful world of Cardboard, keep in mind you’ll need a phone that runs Android 4.1 or higher. Thankfully, that shouldn’t be a problem for almost everyone these days. It’s also worth mentioning that some Cardboard viewers are designed with smaller phones in mind, while others support up to 6-inch displays, so keep that in mind when deciding which viewer is right for you.

For the DIYers out there, you can actually build your own Cardboard as well! The process for it isn’t too complicated, and is further explained here. If you’d rather not mess around with building your own though, there are a number of pre-assembled units available through Amazon and other e-tailers:

  • Tonsee DIY Cardboard A base Cardboard viewer made of cardboard and offering no extras. While it’s simple, it’s also dirt cheap at just $3.90 with shipping.
  • Google Cardboard 3d Vr Virtual Reality DIY Basically the same as the Tonsee but with straps for keeping it on your head and a few other minor ‘extras’. At $12.98, it’s a good deal more expensive than the basic version, but really that’s still very cheap for a VR headset.
  • JoyGeek 3D Cardboard This model has a strap, a plastic design, padding comfort while wearing, and several other enhancements that set it several levels higher than the first two viewers on the list. At $24.90, it’s still extremely affordable too.
  • View-Master Virtual Reality Starter Pack This one is billed more as a toy, and follows the iconic design of the View-master reel viewers that many of us owned as kids. That said, it is fully compatible with Google Cardboard apps and even has some cool extras like support for its own AR “discs”. At $19.25, it’s once again light on the wallet.
  • IncrediSonic M700 VUE Series VR Glasses Another plastic viewer that’s fully compatible with Cardboard apps. At $45, this one is much pricier, but it does have a Bluetooth controller that will allow you better interaction with games that support in. Unfortunately, there really aren’t that many games that do, though.
  • Merge VR At $100, this unit is honestly way to expensive, especially when Samsung Galaxy S6 and Note 5 owners can get a Gear VR unit for the same price and the Gear VR is much more capable (Gear VR is NOT designed with Cardboard apps in mind however). That said, Merge VR is one of the most comfortable solutions out there, made of foam that feels great and is light. Merge VR is also fully Cardboard compatible, and has its own SDK that will eventually yield cool apps. But for now? The Merge VR has a lot of promise, but you’re probably better off getting something cheaper, unless comfort is of utmost importance to you.

Getting started

Google cardboard best vr apps

Okay, so you now have a Cardboard ordered. How do you actually use it? The first thing you’ll want to do when your headset arrives (or you build it) is download the official Google Cardboard app. This is a great starting point, as there is an easy setup guide as well as a portal for finding apps and other Google Cardboard experiences.

Get Cardboard on Google Play

.rvs_wrapper
width: 350px;

.rvs_wrapper.align_left
float: left;

.rvs_wrapper.align_right
float: right;

.rvs_wrapper.align_center,
.rvs_wrapper.align_none
width: 100%;

.rvs_wrapper.align_center
text-align: center;

.rvs_wrapper.align_center.cbc-latest-videos ul li
float: none;
display: inline-block;
vertical-align: top;

.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos:not(.align_none) ul li:nth-child(2n+1)
clear: both;

.rvs_title
font-weight: 600 !important;
margin: 0 !important;
font-size: 24px !important;

.rvs_wrapper.align_right .rvs_title
padding-left: 20px;

.rvs_title a
font-family: ‘Roboto Condensed’;
color: #3a3a3a;

.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
padding-top: 10px;

.rvs_wrapper.align_left.cbc-latest-videos ul li,
.rvs_wrapper.align_none.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 15px 0 0;

.rvs_wrapper.align_right.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 0 0 15px;
float: right;

.rvs_wrapper.align_center.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 7px;

.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li > a
font-weight: 400;

.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li > a .yt-thumbnail
margin-bottom: 0;

@media only screen and (min-width : 480px)
body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
width: 100% !important;

@media only screen and (max-width : 480px)
body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos
width: 100%;
float: none !important;
overflow-x: auto;
overflow-y: hidden;

body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
overflow: auto;
max-height: none;

body .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li
float: left !important;
clear: none !important;

Aside from the Google Cardboard app, we also have a list of recommended apps to check out that are built with Cardboard in mind. Also don’t forget to check out Youtube, which has an extensive library of VR videos that you can watch with your Cardboard viewer.


Google cardboard best vr appsSee also: 7 best Google Cardboard VR apps and games5

A final word of caution: some apps can’t be found simply by using the official Cardboard app. So if you’re looking for more Cardboard experiences, try hitting up the Google Play store and searching for terms like “VR” and “Cardboard”. You could find some gems in the process.

Ultimately, Google Cardboard is a bit like the wild west of VR, but with its relatively low entry price and the fact that the majority of apps are free, we highly recommend at least picking up a base viewer.

23
Dec

YouTube says T-Mobile downgrades its video quality without consent


YouTube was nowhere to be found in T-Mobile’s list of partners when Binge On was launched, but the Google-owned website claims the carrier’s been downgrading its videos anyway. A YouTube spokesperson told The Wall Street Journal that T-Mo’s been lowering the quality of its videos to 480p even though the company hasn’t agreed to anything. “Reducing data charges can be good for users,” he told the publication, “but it doesn’t justify throttling all video services, especially without explicit user consent.”

YouTube has admitted to Ars Technica that it has been talking to T-Mobile about joining the service. If the company’s not pleased with this development, though, it’s safe to say they haven’t agreed on the details of partnership yet. We’ve reached out to the wireless operator for its side, and we’ll update this post when we hear back. But, it’s worth noting that when Ars asked for its response, a spokesperson reportedly pointed the publication to a tweet from John Legere that says users have “complete control to turn [Binge On] on/off at will.”

As a reminder, Binge On is the carrier’s controversial product that allows users to stream videos on from select services without it eating into their data allowance. The FCC has recently summoned T-Mobile for a discussion about the product, as net neutrality advocates believe it makes “certain video apps more attractive to others.”

Source: The Wall Street Journal

23
Dec

New Google messaging service will be smarter than its competitors



http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();

Everybody is currently playing on a level playing field in the instant messaging space and it’s going to take something pretty innovative to stand out from everyone else – something which Google thinks its gotten its hands on. According to the Wall Street Journal, a new Google messaging service is being developed that will use some artificial intelligence paired with its instant messaging roots to provide a service that will rival any competitors – the idea is that this service would answer questions and requests in instant messages. If the idea sounds familiar to the Facebook M service, that’s because it’s pretty much the same thing, except that Google intends for its service to be completely autonomous, making use of chatbots to interpret requests in messages.

And of course, thanks to Google’s formidable artificial intelligence technology, it’s likely that Google’s take on such a messaging service would be superior in quite a few ways:

“For its new service, Google, a unit of Alphabet Inc., plans to integrate chatbots, software programs that answer questions inside a messaging app, the people familiar with the matter said. Users will be able to text friends or a chatbot, which will scour the Web and other sources for information to answer a question, those people said.”


Of course, Facebook is already testing its version of this service right now, so Google has to move quite swiftly despite no timetable being detailed. Whenever it does become available, however, expect the instant messaging landscape to change once again.

What do you think about a new Google messaging service? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Source: Wall Street Journal via Droid-life

The post New Google messaging service will be smarter than its competitors appeared first on AndroidSPIN.

23
Dec

[Deal] Get three months of Google Play Music for $1


google_play_music_disc_TA

Just in time for the New Year, and the inevitable awesome party that precedes it, Google has an incredible deal on all the music you could ever need. A three month subscription to Google Play Music is only $1! Don’t worry, it’s not just you, I also thought I read that wrong when I first saw it.

If you are interested, make like me and hit the link below to claim your three months at this incredible rate.

Source: Google Play Music (Twitter)

Come comment on this article: [Deal] Get three months of Google Play Music for $1

23
Dec

Google running holiday deals on Play Store for movies, music, books and more


I personally get a lot of my media content from the Play Store, so I love when Google randomly throws out a game sale or discount for movies or music. Since the holidays are among us, Google decided to have a wallop of deals on practically everything it offers on the Play Store. Let’s run through where you can save a few bucks.

Movies

If you go through this link, you’ll be able to redeem 75% off a movie rental. You’ll have to be logged into your Google account. It only works on one rental and you have until January 4th to redeem the discount.

play_movie_discount

There are also a multitude of movies-to-own on sale. You may want to go through that list and see if one of your favorites has a big price cut.

play_movie_own_sale

Music

Likewise, there’s a Play Store link for a discount on a music album. Click here and you’ll be able to redeem 50% off any album of your choice. This deal is also through Jan. 4th.

play_music_discount

If you’re not yet a Play Music subscriber, Google is allowing you to get a 3 months subscription for just $1. Check it out here. If you’re an existing subscriber, sorry, this deal is only for newcomers.

play_music_deal

Books

Google also has a big sale for books on the Play Store. You can check out that list here.

play_book_sale

If magazines are more your thing, those also have a collection of price cuts. Additionally, you can get a 3-month subscription to Newsstand for only $3.

play_newstand_sale

Games

The Play Store is no stranger to holding sales that slash the prices of games tremendously, and this holiday sale is no exception.

play_games_sale

You can find the list of the discounted games here, some as little as 10 cents. If you’re a fan of Minecraft, the Play Store has two of its games discounted here.

Bear in mind that Google’s holiday sale runs through Jan. 4th (until midnight), so don’t miss out!

The post Google running holiday deals on Play Store for movies, music, books and more appeared first on AndroidGuys.