Asus Chairman says Asus and Google are working on “a lot of projects together”
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While the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P were undoubtedly the main course at Google‘s announcement event last month, the release of Google’s own Android tablet, the Pixel C, raised a lot of questions for avid Android fans – Why is Google making their own Android tablets? Does that mean we won’t see anymore Nexus tablets? Thanks to an interview Asus Chairman and former CEO, Jonney Shih, we may have a better idea of whether Asus will be the one making a new Nexus device. During the interview, Shih says:
“Actually, we have a lot of projects ongoing. Please just stay tuned, you know, stay tuned.”
“I think we do have quite a good development partnership with Google”.”I think we do have quite a good development partnership with Google. We are still doing a lot of projects with them together.”
While Shih could be talking about a new Nexus 7 (as reported by several media outlets), we should also remember that Asus also makes the Nexus Player which was also not refreshed this year – though I think it’s obvious which one we’re hoping Shih is referring to. Specifically talking about Asus’ previous Nexus tablets, Shih also added:
“So for the [first-generation] Nexus, I think that both parties feel that this will be an exciting product, with this kind of…price and this kind of functionality and quality. Even [the second-generation Nexus 7], we moved to the Full HD screen, and we still believe in this kind of beauty. It still makes sense. But then the next one actually takes a lot of discussion.”
It’s all very cryptic, and we likely won’t hear more about it for a few more months, but at the very least it seems Asus and Google are maintaining their working relationship for the foreseeable future.
What do you think about Asus working on another Nexus 7 or Nexus Player? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Trusted Reviews via TalkAndroid
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[App Review] ‘InMind VR’
I have owned a Google Cardboard viewer for roughly a year now and have played tons of games and demos on it. However, out of all the games I have tried, my favorite is still one called InMind VR. The reason for this is it has everything you want in a virtual reality game. The graphics are good, the controls are great, and, above everything else, it’s just fun to play. InMind VR is not a very long game, only a few minutes, but that’s what makes it fun. Once completed, you can pass it off to your friend to play and then they can enjoy InMind VR too.
Story
Since this is a video game, there has to be a story. Like most virtual reality games, the story is ultra basic. Basically, it’s in the future where modern medicine has the ability to shrink you down to destroy problems directly inside a human brain. The patient suffers from depression and you must destroy all the “bad neurones” before it’s too late. It’s not really a medical game or very scientific, but that’s the idea of what you are doing. They make it fun and the looks are more space aged than medical.
“The future is nigh. The humanity is standing upon the brink of a new era where modern healthcare makes tremendous scientific advancements. With the help of nanotechnologies a surgical prototype bathyscaphe allows its operator to shrink to a microlevel and travel inside the patient’s body.”
You are also on some sort of pre-configured track, but you can see all around the inside of the brain. It’s more like a roller coaster track that can go in all directions, but mainly goes forward. As you are zipping around, bad neurones are forming all over. You must destroy them as quickly as you can. The roller coaster never stops so you must be as quick as possible to destroy them or the roller coaster will continue on. The more bad neurones you destroy, the better your score will be. Like I said, pretty basic, but really fun.
Graphics
I have played many virtual reality games and usually the graphics just aren’t that great. If you are used to playing on a PlayStation 4, moving to most virtual reality games will look horrible. Obviously, there are a lot more limitations with a mobile game, especially one of this kind, but InMind VR brings that perfect balance of realism mixed with video game characteristics. It’s not trying to trick you to believe that you are actually inside a real brain with photographic imagery, but instead everything looks very futuristic with heavy color saturation. All the lights and effects really make playing fun and exciting. This coupled with the ability to look all around really does give you a new experience compared to regular video games.
If you are using a Carboard viewer, the graphics are mainly based on your phone’s resolution. If you have an Ultra HD or 4K display like on the Sony Xperia Z5 Premium, it will look the best. Lower resolution phones should be able to play it, but you won’t get the same immersive feeling due to the screen door effect. This means there will be black lines forming squares that look the same as if you look through a window with a screen. However, in this case, the lines you see are the pixels. This isn’t anything to do with InMind VR and you will have the same problem with all virtual reality content, but I had to point it out as some people may think it looks bad when it isn’t the games fault.
Controls
The main limitation of virtual reality games, and mainly Google Cardboard games, is there is only one button on the device. You can buy a controller to play them, but they have to be designed with one-button use in mind. This is clearly a large limitation and the main reason why virtual reality games aren’t usually that great. However, one-button controls are not a limitation for InMind VR because it doesn’t use it at all. Since the Cardboard viewer is on your face and your phone is inside, the movement of your head provides control. When you physically move your head around, that moves the “gun” around allowing you to see everything around you. When you see a “bad neurone” forming, you look at it for as long as you can until it is fixed. You know it’s gone bad because it will be red and there will be a circle that must be complete in order to fix the neurone. Once you stare at it long enough, a beam will shoot out and turn it green.
The controls are another big reason why I like this game. The original Google Cardboard viewer has a magnetic button that doesn’t always work with all phones and will never work if the radio it needs to work is on the other side of your phone. For example, my aged Samsung Galaxy S III has the special radio it needs on the bottom of the device and not the top. You can’t just flip your phone around, meaning you can never use the button. The second Google Cardboard viewer solves this problem, but it’s still a little weird to press a button on the side of your head especially since it’s attached to cheap cardboard. However, InMind VR should work on every phone without any issues since it doesn’t use the button at all.
Fun Level
The fun level is really all that matters when it comes to virtual games. If you don’t believe you are in some other world, at the end of the day, the game has failed. Being in a 360-degree environment, especially if you have a Cardboard viewer that’s strapped to your head, makes everything in InMind VR seem a lot more real. All the colors and flashing lights really take you into another world. The fact that objects are literally all over the place and you have to physically move your head around to destroy them is truly next level. It is an experience that only VR games can provide. Everyone that I let play this game always thinks the experience is awesome.
Closing
Although you may not be playing InMind VR daily, it is definitely a game you need to check out. Whenever I want to impress people and get them hooked on virtual reality, this is the first game I let them play. It’s very easy to understand and fun for all ages. Also, as I mentioned earlier, many games look only as good as your phone’s resolution is, but this game doesn’t matter as much. I tried it on my older Samsung Galaxy S III with a 720p display and on my Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge with it’s Quad HD display and the fun level was close to equal. Of course, it looked better on the Galaxy S6 Edge, but it’s not always about looks, it’s about the feeling you get while playing.
Come comment on this article: [App Review] ‘InMind VR’
ICYMI: Cancer loves supplements, cheap robot claws and more
Today on In Case You Missed It: An affordable robotic arm is up on Kickstarter for $350 and promises machine vision, artificial intelligence and all kinds of other great stuff that we can hardly believe is available for that price. A shocking bit of research was just published on the effect some antioxidant supplements had on lab mice with cancer. Turns out it made tumors grow faster than the control group. Meanwhile those happy-go-lucky bike commuters have another new piece of bike tech for signaling to drivers. The Revolights Eclipse Plus syncs with Bluetooth and is being fulfilled through Kickstarter now.
SVP of Android promises that new emoji for Android are on their way
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Apparently when Apple released iOS 9.1, it released a whole new batch of emojis that Apple users were very happy to have, and Android users were apparently unhappy not having, which has kicked the Android team over at Google into gear. It seems unusual that emojis would matter that much, but the newly appointed Senior Vice President of Android, Hiroshi Lockheimer, has taken to Twitter to officially say that they are working on new emoji for Android.
So I have a feeling y’all want new emojis? a) Thanks for the feedback, b) We’re on it, and c) Sorry!
— Hiroshi Lockheimer (@lockheimer) October 23, 2015
http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Again, it seems unusual that Google would need to apologize for a lack of emojis (despite the fact there are already so many), but there it is. Lockheimer didn’t suggest what kind of timeframe we should be expecting these emojis to be available in, but presumably the team is working hard to fill in all the gaps in our emoji vocabulary.
What do you think about getting new emoji for Android? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Twitter via Phone Arena
The post SVP of Android promises that new emoji for Android are on their way appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Android 6.0 Marshmallow review: All about polish and power
When Android 5.0 Lollipop started hitting devices last November, people could tell. Google’s new Material Design aesthetic made sure you wouldn’t mistake it for any prior version of the OS, which was great… especially when you consider how confusing parts of it could be. Now that Android’s look has been more or less firmed up, Google set about making its operating system smoother, smarter and more battery-friendly. The end result: Android 6.0 Marshmallow. So, how’d they do? Spoiler alert: pretty damned well.Slideshow-333282
Google Frightgeist scares up Halloween costume trends
Google Trends has launched a new interface that lets you gauge the likelihood of showing up to the costume party dressed just like someone else. It’s called Frightgeist, and it uses Google Trends’ search data to anticipate how many people are dressing up in specific costumes this Halloween season in the United States. You can even see which costumes are most popular by region.
Spoilers: if you’re planning on going as Harley Quinn, don’t expect to be the only motley seductress on the dance floor or get any bonus points for creativity. It seems like everyone and their grandmother is dressing up as the Joker’s sexy sidekick this year. Think you’re getting ahead of the curve with that Boba Fett outfit? It’s still another two months until the Star Wars movie comes out, after all. You should be safe, right? Think again. Frightgeist claims you’ll have a “frighteningly high” chance of bumping into other Star Wars characters.
The Harley Quinn and Star Wars hype makes sense, of course. The Batman franchise has been killing it lately with the Arkham video game series and the lingering impact of Christopher Nolan’s gritty trilogy, not to mention building anticipation for 2016’s Suicide Squad. Star Wars is a no-brainer. If you haven’t gotten your tickets already, by the way, you might want to hit up Cinemark’s website, because showings are already selling out.
But what baffles me is that the number one costume in my area is Minnie Mouse. I mean… what? Why is Minnie Mouse on so many people’s minds around here this year?
If you’re looking to ride the trend, then by all means don the motley and fire up your lightsaber, but if you’re looking to stand out, Frightgeist has a “Show something less popular button.” Frightgeist recommended I show up as a loofah if I wanted to be really original this year.
A loofah.
I’m surprised that one is as popular as it is at 361st place, to be honest.
Spotify now works with the original Chromecast!
If you are like me and were disappointed that your first-generation Chromecast was not compatible with Spotify, the update we have been waiting for is here!
Users on Reddit have noticed that a firmware update to the first-generation Chromecast has made it possible to cast Spotify to it from your Android device. To get the update, all you need to do is reboot your Chromecast to force the download. You can do this from inside the Chromecast app or by unplugging the micro USB from the back of the Chromecast and plugging it back in.
Owners of second-generation Chromecasts and the Chromecast Audio have enjoyed this feature for a while, and when it was first announced, many original Chromecast owners were worried that they would be left behind. Now that Spotify is working on all the Chromecasts, maybe we will see it coming to the Nexus Player soon, too.
Now go cast your Spotify tunes to whatever Chromecast you want!
The post Spotify now works with the original Chromecast! appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Early Play Music All Access users will be able to keep their $7.99 rate when YouTube Red launches
If you adopted Play Music All Access back in the summer of 2013 and are still using the reduced $7.99 plan, you’ll be glad to hear that Google will be granting you a month’s complimentary access to YouTube Red from Wednesday, October 28. If you’re happy with the additional service and do decide to continue using it, you’ll be able to add it to your account free of charge.
For those unaware, YouTube Red provides subscribers with the ability to save clips for offline playback, play audio in the background and view videos without ads on smartphones and tablets.
Here’s what Google had to say:
“We’re giving you a free month of YouTube Red starting on October 28. There’s no action needed from you. And if you choose to keep YouTube Red after November 28, you’ll receive the discounted Play Music price of $7.99 per month for as long as you’re a member.
YouTube Red gives you the same benefits as Music Key – ad-free videos, save offline and background play – across all of YouTube whenever you log in to YouTube or a YouTube app.
We hope you love your free trial membership of YouTube Red. Your first billing date will be 12/1/15. And you can always manage or cancel your membership in your settings.”
Via: Android Police
Come comment on this article: Early Play Music All Access users will be able to keep their $7.99 rate when YouTube Red launches
Google made an info hub to help the migrant and refugee crisis
A number of tech companies, such as Apple, Google and Facebook, have joined the global efforts to aid Europe’s ongoing refugee crisis. With that in mind, Google today introduced a new initiative designed to assist the migrant relief overseas, adding to the matched donations it announced last month. The search giant has now built a mobile site for people in need, called Crisis Info Hub, which offers quick and simple access to vital information about lodging, medical facilities and transportation. Google’s also looking for volunteers to help improve Translate, a service that’s useful to the migrants and refugees who are in a new country. If you speak German or Arabic and you’d like to lend a hand, head over to Google’s Translate Community page to get started.
Via: The Next Web
Source: Google
Fear not, Android users: The taco emoji is coming soon
Earlier this week, iOS and Mac users rejoiced at the arrival of the taco emoji, just one of a number of new emoji that were added to the operating systems via a software update. Unfortunately, Android users don’t yet have access to these emoji, something that’s an undeniable bummer. The good news is that the senior VP of Android says more emoji will be coming soon, the bad news is we don’t know when. Last night, Hiroshi Lockheimer tweeted that he’s heard the feedback and that Google is working on it — but when that change might happen is up in the air. Still, it’s good news — every day that goes by without a taco emoji is a day that isn’t lived quite to its fullest.
Via: Android Central
Source: Hiroshi Lockheimer (Twitter)
AIVAnet 