Google Search updated with song recommendations, lyrics, covers, and more
Google Search on mobile is receiving an update. Now, when you search for a particular musician, Google will display the normal information about them, but also any upcoming events in your area. Plus, song recommendations, lyrics, covers, and more will be displayed.
Also, it goes beyond just music artists. You can now search for any TV show or movie and get more detailed information about them. You will get a list of past or upcoming episodes when searching for TV shows, or get a list of the cast and show times near you when searching for movies. All of these features are out for Android tablets or phones today, and will be coming to iOS in the future.
Source: Google Inside Search
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All of Google’s new emojis have leaked
Two days ago we told you that a slew of new emojis were coming to Nexus devices. Now we have images of all the new emojis in a leak.
One can expect Google’s new emojis to roll out on Nexus devices early next week. However, if you can’t wait that long to see them, a new leak has provided images containing all the new icons. The new emojis will be part of V.6 of what one can assume is a keyboard update. A link to all of the used unicodes and currently not used unicodes has also been posted, which can be retrieved at the source link down below. If you don’t want to see the icons until the official release, I suggest you turn away now.
Source: Reddit
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TAG Heuer is experiencing difficulty keeping up with the rapid demand for its Android Wear smartwatch
Back in November, TAG Heuer released its first ever Android Wear smartwatch. And so far everything is looking good.
The TAG Heuer smartwatch is a super premium Android Wear powered smartwatch with a round display. Out of all smartwatches, none resemble that of a real watch as closely as the TAG Heuer smartwatch. Apparently the $1,500 price tag isn’t a deal breaker.
A recent report from Bloomberg states that retailers and subsidiaries have requested approximately 100,000 TAG Heuer units since its release. This number is quite shocking and has pushed the company to raise its production level to 2,000 units weekly. In matter of fact, TAG Heuer has suspended sales temporarily while it attempts to catch up with the high demand. For now, the only ones who can get their hands on the smartwatch are physical retail stores.
Due to the success the smartwatch has received, Jean-Claude Biver CEO of TAG Heuer made the following statement in an interview with Bloomberg:
“Considering the success of this single and unique watch, we will develop a collection made out of different varieties, executions and materials at the end of next year or beginning of 2017.”
Source: Bloomberg
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Chrome beta for Android can beam presentations to Chromecast
Whether it be on the desktop or mobile, Chrome’s beta browser is a handy way to preview features before they hit the mainstream crowd. In the most recent release for Android, there’s now the ability for sites to send presentations to Chromecast devices — something developers can implement using Google’s corresponding API and SDK.
Source: Google
10 Android phones you should consider for Sprint (December 2015)
Are you in the market for a new smartphone? Is Sprint the service provider you’re considering? You’re in luck! We’re here to help you pick out that next handset. If you’re an existing smartphone owner, picking out an upgrade won’t be too much of a challenge. But, for others, particularly first-time buyers, the idea of buying an Android might make them nervous.
Which is the newest phone? What is the best phone? Which is the one that’s going to give me exactly what I need? We’re here to help you dig mine through the muck and pull out a few gems.
We’ve put together a list of the top 10 Android smartphones you should consider for Sprint this December. Here, in no particular order, are ten Android handsets that you should consider for Sprint if you’re currently contemplating a new device.
LG G Flex 2
Introduced early in the year, this phone was among the first to boast a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor. It’s powerful enough to contend with most Androids and features a 13-megapixel rear camera with laser focus and optical image stabilization. What it also offers, is a self-healing protective coating, which means your keys and general wear won’t ruin the finish. Also, the phone is curved in multiple ways and allows for one of the most comfortable experiences around.
LG G Stylo
LG Stylo
A low-cost alternative to the Samsung Galaxy Note line, the LG G Stylo gives users plenty of screen space and a stylus for which to write. Running a still-recent version of Android (5.1 Lollipop), this one comes with 8GB internal storage and 1GB RAM. The quad-core processor isn’t gonna set any benchmarks but the total package is affordable and worth the money. First-time buyers looking for a big screen should consider the 5.7-incher.
HTC One E8
Although the HTC One E8 is powered by an older version of Android (5.0 Lollipop), it’s a powerful experience that’s enough for most average users. Don’t let the plastic body fool you; there’s a fair amount of hardware under the hood. Specs include a 2.3GHz quad-core processor, 2GB RAM, and 16GB storage. Toss in a microSD card for up to 128GB extra storage and satisfy your media needs.
LG Tribute 2
You might ask why we have a phone with these specs listed as a recommended buy. The answer is simple: the price is more than fair considering the package. We like what LG has been doing these last few years and this is a great starting point for smartphone newbies. The 4.5-inch screen, is among the smallest you’ll find in today’s smartphones but it feels really good in most hands.
Samsung Galaxy Note 5
The fifth generation of Samsung’s plus-sized smartphone experience boasts a gorgeous metal and glass design. The S Pen digital stylus is smarter than ever and works without even powering on the display. Up from previous models, storage options are now 32GB and 64GB. The battery, which comes in at a commendable 3000mAh capacity, allows for fast charging, wireless charging, and even fast wireless charging.
Samsung Galaxy Note 5 at Sprint
Samsung Galaxy Note 5 at Amazon
Google Nexus 6
Running an untouched version of Android Lollipop, the Nexus 6 is among the first to receive an update to the 6.0 Marshmallow build. The 6-inch screen might be a little bigger than you’re familiar with but the reviews and feedback have been solid. Internal storage is tapped at 32GB with no microSD expansion card slot but it should be enough for those who live in the cloud.
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+
An almost identical sibling to the aforementioned Galaxy Note 5, this one trades out the stylus for the dual curved display. If you don’t need to jot down notes or mark up documents, consider grabbing the more sexy counterpart.
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ at Sprint
Samsung Galaxy S6
Announced in the spring, it’s hard to beat the annual Samsung flagship smartphone. The 5.1-inch Quad HD screen is a stunner and feels oh-so-right in our hands and the premium design includes glass and metal. It’s the first Galaxy S model we’ve wanted to coddle and protect in a long time. It doesn’t hurt that it runs Android 5.0 Lollipop (with an expected 6.0 update), comes with at least 32GB storage, and has 3GB RAM to boost performance.
LG G4
LG continues to impress with a steady stream of flagship models that demand attention. We long ago fell in love with the rear button layout and this year’s version has one of the best camera experiences we’ve ever seen on a smartphone. The specs are top-notch and the screen is a real looker.
HTC One A9
As the only HTC model on this list, we’re big fans of the new design cues and direction. It’s not necessarily a powerful smartphone, but it’s more than enough for first time buyers with plenty left over. It’s the first non-Nexus handset to run Android 6.0 Marshmallow and enjoys features such as Doze, Android Pay, and Android on Tap. For the first time in a few years we are excited about HTC again and can’t recommend this phone enough for its target demographic. The 5-inch screen feels terrific in hand and the fingerprint scanner is highly responsive. Check out our review of the HTC One A9.
The post 10 Android phones you should consider for Sprint (December 2015) appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Google to Fix Incorrect 1-Star App Ratings in Search Results Next Week
Google today acknowledged an ongoing issue causing a number of iPhone, iPad and Mac apps to display incorrect one-star ratings in its search results on the web, and confirmed that a fix should be implemented by early next week.
“I’m happy to share that we’ve been working hard on providing a solution, and a new fix has been scheduled for the next release, which should be rolling out early next week,” wrote Google Search community manager AJ in the Google support forums.
A growing number of developers, including the makers of Dandelion, have reported incorrect one-star ratings in Google search results since late October, despite actually having higher-than-one-star ratings on iTunes.
One of the apps that we have developed – Dandelion App – has an average of 4 star rating on the iTunes store, however when you search it on Google Search, it comes up as 1 star. How does Google generate the average ratings on its search page? Is this an error? The app has more than 1 review – so just interested why it’s coming up with the wrong information.
The issue appears to be limited to App Store apps that have not received enough ratings (five or more) to display an average for the current version, a threshold that can take awhile to reach for apps that have limited downloads or frequent updates.
Google community manager AJ advises developers that continue to see incorrect ratings in search results after mid next week to report the issue in the Google support forums so the company can continue to investigate.
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Play Store will now let you split payments between Google Play credit and other payment methods
Have you ever had a Google Play credit, wanted to buy something with it, but were short just a few cents, so you were forced to use a credit card or some other avenue of payment? It’s quite frustrating, but it looks like Google might be making things easier with a new split payments feature.
This new feature is rolling out slowly, but it will allow users to split a payment for an item by applying the Play Store balance to purchase, and paying for the difference through some other payment avenue, such as your credit card or PayPal.
It’s an optional feature, meaning you can uncheck the box at the payment if you’re not interested in using up that Play Store balance. I personally haven’t seen it on any of my devices or via the computer, but there are reports of a handful of users getting access to this new split payments feature.
If it’s rolled out for you already, be sure to let us know in the comments below.
via: Android Police
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Google gifts sight to machines with its Cloud Vision API
Google has just unveiled some new tools and an API to aid developers in the design of app, drones and other robotics that can “see”. Known as the Google Cloud Vision API, the tool gives developers access to the company’s advanced machine learning algorithms.
Google has been working with machine learning for a good while now and makes use of the technology itself for facial, object and voice recognition across a number of its services. For example, Google Photos can automatically find pictures featuring a particular person or place. Google’s new API gives developers simplified access to recognition technologies that can be used to identify objects, landmarks, and even the emotion on people’s faces.
The Cloud Vision API works by uploading images taken on local hardware up to the cloud, where Google’s algorithms run their magic and then real time data is transmitted back, containing information about what has been found in the image. You can see more about how this works in the video below:
Google demoed its API through a hobbyist GoPiGo robot, which can respond to facial expressions and identify objects help up to its camera. However, this technology could end up powering some more sophisticated consumer and industry products. Aerosense, Sony’s drone company, has already been testing out the Cloud Vision API to analyse image data. With Amazon and Google gearing up drone delivery services and self-driving cars eventually heading to our roads, machine learning and visual recognition are crucial technologies to analyse the mass of real-time visual data required.
Developers out there who are interested in joining the Limited Preview program to gain early access to the Google Cloud Vision API can register here.
Lowering the barrier to computer vision technologies is sure to drive plenty of new innovative product ideas, but it’s also a little unnerving to think that we are edging closer to low-cost machines that can interpret and understand their surroundings. Fortunately, I don’t think the cute little GoPiGo signals the countdown to Judgement Day. But perhaps I’m just naive.
Google tool helps devs make their games play nicer with Chromecast
The mobile gaming world is ever-ramping up as more and more developers are starting to consider the Android operating system a serious gaming platform. However, there’s only just so much immersion you can get on a tiny screen (unless you go the VR route). That’s why Google is trying to convince developers to make their games more friendly to televisions via Chromecast. They’ve even released a plugin to simplify the process: the Google Chromecast Remote Display plugin.
The light plugin helps developers using the Unity Game Engine create a multi-screen experience for their project. For a lot of games, this could really open up the doors to a lot of interesting features that they might not have previously considered. It’s not just immersion that can be improved by casting mobile games. With visuals out of the way, the smartphone can become more of an input device. Google discusses the possibility of creating “abstract controls” that let users interact with the screen through motion and touch.
Alternatively, it’s possible to turn the smartphone into something like an inventory screen, allowing players to see what they’re carrying just by looking down. Google does warn, however, that from a player experience perspective, having players constantly looking back and forth from one screen to the other is fatiguing. Google has released a guidebook to help keep the Remote Display experience consistent.
If you want to know more about Remote Display, head over to Google’s blog post and download the plugin. Are you a developer with experience building for multiple screens? Let us know how this will affect your work in the comments.
Google crams fully-functional smartphone apps into mobile ads
You probably ignore most of the mobile ads that pop up on your smartphone — “Cookie Jam” may promise to be a engaging, fun experience but you’re not going to hunt down the app to find out for yourself. Now you don’t have to: starting today, Google will embed 60-second trials of smartphone apps directly into some of its mobile ads.
Source: Techcrunch
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