Google may be building a bot-heavy messaging service
For those of you who still hold fond memories of chatting it up with SmarterChild on AOL Instant Messenger, Google looks like it has a project in the works that may catch your eye. The sultan of search is rumored to be developing a new messaging service to compete with Facebook’s Messenger and WhatsApp, and one of its primary features is an army of bots that will let you get in on the chatting action even if you don’t have any friends.
In addition to alleviating the crushing weight of your inescapable isolation (if only in a transient and illusory way), these bots will hunt and fetch information for you. Google says the goal is to make finding content more conversational and natural. The Alphabet-owned company is relying on their impressive artificial intelligence research to make these bots dynamic and adaptive. For instance, you might ask one for a dinner recommendation. It may suggest a steakhouse near you, but if you decline on the basis that you’re a vegetarian, the bot will remember this and avoid referring you to meat-heavy establishments.
See also: Facebook M is a digital assistant within Messenger, can buy things and more
The idea is to have a variety of chat bots that can fulfill different needs of different users. The bots will even recommend other bots to you based on your interests and questions. Oh, and you can talk to real people too if you get bored.
In terms of real people communication, Google has been struggling to compete with Facebook’s WhatsApp and Messenger, as well as WeChat, which is China’s largest messaging app. The challenge Google faces is that more and more people are getting their search information from each other, rather than from a search bar. Naturally, Google wants a piece of that pie, and they believe the best way to do it is to let you talk with your fleshy friends alongside a slew of artificial pals who know how to find things better than your mortal compatriots.
“All users care about is a convenient way to find what they are looking for and if Google isn’t in front of the consumer that is a problem for them,” said Scott Stanford, co-founder of venture-capital firm Sherpa Capital. “Messaging is a subset of the Internet where Google is not strong. They have to win and be the dominant player in messaging.”
There’s no timeline for when we can start to see betas of this project. In fact, the new messaging app hasn’t even been officially confirmed by Google yet. However, ever since Hangouts failed to net the same userbase as Messenger, we’ve been waiting for the company to follow up with a new instant messaging app. Pulling from their box of AI toys seems like a pretty logical move, so we’d be surprised if this project or something very similar to it fails to crest the horizon in the near future.
What do you think of the idea of combining chatbots with normal messaging user interface? Recipe for disaster or a natural fit? Let us know in the comments!
Google is reportedly making an AI-powered chat assistant
Hey, Facebook: you might not be the only tech giant with an artificially intelligent chat assistant. The Wall Street Journal‘s sources understand that Google is building an AI-based messaging service that would search the web to answer your questions. From the description, it sounds like a more elaborate, more conversational Google Now. Third parties may even build their own bots to give you site-specific answers.
Google isn’t commenting on the apparent leak, and there’s no word on when and where AI messaging would show up. Hangouts sounds like a good candidate, but it’s not guaranteed. However, it wouldn’t be shocking if this robotic helper shows up soon. Facebook’s ‘M’ is, in some ways, a direct assault on Google’s home turf: why search on the web when there’s an AI companion willing to lend a hand? In theory, this software would keep you in Google’s world even if you spend all your phone time in chats with friends.
[Image credit: Chris Goodney/Bloomberg via Getty Images]
Source: Wall Street Journal
Boston Dynamics wishes you a terrifyingly happy holiday
Whether you think holiday greeting cards are touching or annoying, Boston Dynamics is celebrating the season just a little differently with this new video. Its robots have shown they are capable of navigating almost any environment with surprising speed and agility, so now a few Spot units have been pressed into service as sleigh-pulling reindeer. As usual, I’m torn between wishing one of those was waiting under my Christmas tree, or treating this as an early warning sign of a holiday-themed Judgement Day robot takeover.
Source: Boston Dynamics (YouTube)
Google is testing a new login feature
Google is testing a new feature allowing users to login to their Google account on a PC, Mac or Chromebook without the need of their password. Google believes people have too many passwords these days to remember and wants to help solve that problem. Here’s how it works.
When logging in, users will be prompted for just their email address. Once entered, Google will send a notification to your connected smartphone (must be connected to the Google account in which you’re trying to login). When you see the notification on your smartphone you’ll have to confirm that it’s you and then Google will automatically authorize you the entry on your computer. No password needed.
Users will most likely have to set up the device in which they want to authorize prior to trying out the feature. There’s also a rumor floating around that the feature may only work with Nexus devices.
Although this requires more steps and is a bit more time-consuming than just entering your passcode, it saves people from having to memorize another code. It’s great to see that Google is working on this and it may come in handy if you forget that passcode you recently changed. Let’s just wait and see if we actually get it.
Via: Reddit
Come comment on this article: Google is testing a new login feature
Google tests a way to login with just your phone
Reddit user rp1226, aka Rohit Paul, scored early access to a new feature that Google is reportedly testing out which allows users to log into accounts on their computers simply by placing their phone next to the laptop. Based on the screenshots he posted, the process appears to work like 2-factor authentication but over a Bluetooth or NFC link [Update: scratch that, Paul clarifies that the process works over the GCM]. The user first authorizes their phone, in this case a Nexus 6P, then logs into a Google account on their computer. However, instead of asking for a password, the system instead sends a notice to the user’s phone. The user accepts the notice on their phone and — bing, bang, boom — they’re logged in. The user can still use their password, in case their phone dies or isn’t with them, it’s simply been demoted to a backup position.
[Image Credit: Getty]
Via: Android Police
Source: Reddit
Google Play holiday deals include three months of music for $1
Most big digital retailers do holiday deals, and Google Play is no exception. Google surely wants the recipients of new Android phones and tablets to get used to buying things through its storefront as quickly as possible. While that obviously benefits Google, that doesn’t mean these deals aren’t pretty solid this year. Perhaps the best deal is three months of Google Play Music for $1 — a deal that’ll also include commercial-free videos on YouTube Red and full access to the new YouTube Music app. That deal is comparable with promos Spotify has been running for some time (not to mention the free three months of Apple Music still up for grabs), but sadly you’ll need to be a new subscriber to take advantage.
If you can’t take advantage of that music deal (or just don’t want to) there are still plenty of other ways to save some cash. The new Minecraft: Story Mode game is only 10 cents, down from its usual $4.99 price point. You can also rent any movie in the store for 75 percent off or purchase any single album in the store for 50 percent off, and books are “up to” 80 percent off. Selected in-app purchases will also be heavily discounted by as much as 90 percent, but we’re not sure what apps are part of that deal.
These deals are live now, and there should be more beyond these to find if you explore Google Play. It’s worth noting that only customers in the US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Australia, Japan, Brazil and Mexico can take advantage, though — if you’re in one of those countries, get shopping.
Google Spotlight Story Special Delivery is a nice YouTube gift for the holidays
If you have not heard of Google’s Spotlight Stories platform, then Google hopes you may pay attention to a new video they released on YouTube just in time for the holidays. The film titled Special Delivery utilizes YouTube’s support for 360-degree video to tell the story of a caretaker on the hunt for a mysterious stranger leaving a trail of gifts. The video for Special Delivery was put together by Aardman Animations, the creators behind the popular Wallace and Gromit videos, and is reminiscent of a Pink Panther caper.
Using the YouTube 360 features means viewers can control what is being watched throughout the video. You can go through and focus on the red-suited stranger one time, then the caretaker the next, and then something else the next time, like the snowman perhaps or just watch a random window.
To really get the full impact of Special Delivery though, users should check out Spotlight Stories if they have a compatible device. Spotlight Stories is a new interactive, immersive platform for storytelling that comes out of the Google ATAP group. Using a compatible device, or even Google Cardboard to really get into things, Spotlight Stories gives users the ability to interact with the story by revealing subplots or making choices at over 60 points that change the direction of the story.
You can check out the full video below on YouTube.
Click here to view the embedded video.
source: YouTube Official Blog
Come comment on this article: Google Spotlight Story Special Delivery is a nice YouTube gift for the holidays
More games get Chromecast support, ‘Angry Birds’ and ‘Monopoly’ included
We’re just days away from Christmas and among the most popular gifts nestled under trees will be Google’s Chromecast. The little dongle does it all. Everything that a pricey media player can do is possible with Google’s $35 darling. Gaming is even in Chromecast’s wheelhouse. And Google wants everyone with a Chromecast (as well as soon-to-be owners) to know that a few more games are now Chromecast-enabled for you to play solo and alongside friends and family during the holidays.
There’s nothing quite like playing Angry Birds on your television while staying warm next to the fireplace.
Here are the games that, according to Google, showcase the excellent multi-screen capabilities of Chromecast:
- Angry Birds Friends
- Driver Speedboat Paradise
- Monopoly Here & Now
- Yahtzee Blitz
- The Game of Life
- Scrabble Blitz 2.0
- Risk
Specifically noted by Google is the addition of Monopoly Here & Now. Four people can simultaneously play the game on one television, each using their own device as the controller.
Check out the entire selection of games that are Chromecast-enabled on the official site. That’s where you’ll see just how serious Google is taking gaming on a device that costs less than $40.
Source: Google
Come comment on this article: More games get Chromecast support, ‘Angry Birds’ and ‘Monopoly’ included
Google adds more Chromecast games for the holidays
If you’re giving someone a shiny new Chromecast this holiday season, it turns out you’d be giving them a healthy dose of family-friendly games as well. Today, Google has announced that it’s rolling out several new games made just for its tiny TV streamer. They include Angry Birds Friends (which lets you compete in weekly tournaments), Driver Speedboat Paradise plus a whole host of Hasbro board games designed to be played on the TV. Examples of the latter include Monopoly Here & Now, Yahtzee Blitz, The Game of Life, Scrabble Blitz 2.0 and Risk. Sorry, no Settlers of Catan just yet.
The idea with these boardgame translations is that you can play them split-screen — the main board will be on the TV, while friends and family can view their own cards or tiles on their phones or tablets. Of course, you’ll likely use your Chromecast mostly for watching movies and TV shows anyway, but the occasional game could be a fun way to kill time as you’re waiting for that ham to finish in the oven. You can download these games starting today on the Chromecast app store.
Source: Chromecast
10 best Android apps released in 2015!
We’re nearing the end of 2015 and it’s time to take a long, hard look at the Android apps that made the biggest impact this year. It was a big year with large projects leaving beta and gigantic holes in the Android apps ecosystem that have been filled. These selections were not made lightly, and the majority of these apps have already become mainstays on tons of devices all around the world. Without further delay, let’s look at the best Android apps released in all of 2015!
A ton of Adobe apps
[Price: Free]
Adobe long ago promised that they would take Android a lot more seriously and they definitely proved it in 2015. They released a ton of apps, including Lightroom Mobile, Capture CC, Illustrator Draw, Photoshop Mix, Shape CC, Brush CC, and Color CC. These apps all have a range of functionality from photo editing, advanced photo editing, illustration, design, and other creation tools. You’d be hard pressed to find a better suite of tools for designers, photographers, and other creative types and they’re all free to use.
Get it now on Google Play!
Apple Music
[Price: Free app, $9.99/month]
Apple Music may not be what Android fans want to see on this list, but it actually is a decent little service. It boasts 30 million songs, radio stations, live radio, and a bunch of content. It competes head-to-head with the likes of Spotify and Google Play Music in terms of content available, although individual features may be more tempting based on personal taste. The app itself still needs work, but we assume Apple will eventually take care of that.
Get it now on Google Play!
Cortana
[Price: Free with subscription options]
After a long wait, Cortana landed on Android in early December. Microsoft’s cross-platform virtual assistant now gives Android users a second big choice aside from Google Now that can do things like put things on your schedule, text and call people, and even tell jokes. It’s a long way away from being complete and it’s been well documented that the app has some problems right now, but it is totally free and it’s almost certainly going to greatly improve over the course of the next year.
Get it now on Google Play!
Khan Academy
[Price: Free]
Khan Academy is an online learning resource that can help either teach you things or help you brush up on things you haven’t studied in a while. There are a variety of subjects you can check out, including math, science, economics, history, and plenty of others. In the application, you can watch videos about various subjects and bookmark your favorite content. Of course, the phone and the site sync so you can almost always start again where you left off. Learning is a lifelong endeavor and this is a decent app to help you keep going.
Get it now on Google Play!
Kodi
[Price: Free]
Kodi is a media center application that was once known as XBMC. Of course, legal things happened that caused a name change, but Kodi is still the epic and powerful media center app that it always was before. The official version was released to Google Play this year and includes a full interface where you can browse your TV shows, movies, music, and more. There is also third party plugin support, it is entirely open source, and completely free to use. Like the developers, we don’t recommend using it on smaller screens.
Get it now on Google Play!
See also: The best new Android apps from the last month!
Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint
[Price: Free]
Microsoft’s iconic Office suite took its sweet time making it to Android but it was worth the wait. All the way back in January, we saw the apps released for tablets, with phone releases coming some months later. Each application is entirely free to use for the most part and they’re all extremely solid and functional. You can get additional functionality if you use an Office 365 subscription, but either way, this is a seriously powerful Office suite and we’re happy to have it on Android, finally. To download, click the name of each app above or click the button below to browse all of Microsoft’s apps!
Get it now on Google Play!
Periscope
[Price: Free]
Periscope is one of the most unique applications to come out this year. It allows pretty much anyone to live stream what they’re doing through their phone camera and pretty much anyone can watch the streams. It’s been a favorite of bloggers, web stars, and even one dude who Periscoped himself brushing his teeth. The name of the app has already become a verb and that’s how you know you’ve done something special in the software space!
Get it now on Google Play!
Sling TV
[Price: Free app, $19.99+ per month]
Sling TV made some serious waves when it was released earlier this year. It is not the first service to offer live streaming TV, but it is among the first and among the largest to offer it without an existing cable subscription. You can get about two dozen channels with a basic subscription with add ons for things like sports and kids channels at an additional cost. The app needs some work, but the premise is amazing and we hope they expand on it in 2016.
Get it now on Google Play!
YouTube Music, YouTube Gaming, and YouTube Kids
[Price: Free, $9.99/month]
Google spent a great deal of time expanding YouTube this last year. They introduced YouTube Red, a subscription service that removes advertising and gives you additional features. They also released YouTube Kids, YouTube Gaming, and YouTube Music. These specialized versions of YouTube take away the general bric-a-brac and gives you a leaner collection of stuff you actually want. They’re all free, but can be enhanced with a subscription, and each comes with their own set of nifty features. Click the app names above to download each one or click the button below to see all of Google’s apps.
Get it now on Google Play!
Best Android App of 2015: Google Photos
[Price: Free]
Our pick for the best Android app released in 2015 is Google Photos. This application changed the game when it came to online photo storage, sharing, and backup. It provides free, unlimited photo and video storage as long as you don’t mind them reducing the quality a little bit. There are also a variety of sorting features, editing features, sharing features, and labeling features that make this a truly powerful application that literally everyone can appreciate.
Get it now on Google Play!
Related best app lists:
If we missed any great Android apps released in the year 2015, we want to hear about them in the comments! To see our complete list of best app lists, click here.
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