Google invests in Africa’s largest wind power farm
Google’s big bet on clean energy isn’t just limited to the US or Europe — far from it. The search firm just promised to invest in Africa’s largest wind farm, the Lake Turkana Wind Power Project in Kenya, by buying turbine maker Vestas’ 12.5 percent stake when the farm is complete. Lake Turkana should generate 310MW of energy when all is said and done, or as much as 15 percent of Kenya’s current output. That could not only help the country transition to green energy sources, but give it the kind of reliable electricity that’s tough to find in the region.
There are some self-serving reasons to invest, of course. More electricity means that more Kenyans get online (and thus see web ads), and it’d give Google an eco-friendly power source for any future data centers. However, it’s hard to knock the deal when it could improve both the environment and the quality of life for a whole nation.
[Image credit: Vestas]
Source: Google Green Blog
Google launches beta testing program for Search app on Android
If you’re the type to sign up for beta testing programs to get first access to upcoming features, then Google wants your help. Mountain View is looking for beta testers for Android’s Google Search app — Droid Life says the company has released a Now card looking for volunteers, but you can also join through the official Play page. Once you’re part of the program, you’ll get notified of new updates, as always, which you can get through Google Play. This time, though, you’re downloading features ahead of most people, some of which might never make it to general release. For first timers, know that a lot of things that go through beta testing are still buggy and unstable, so prepare to use features that still don’t work as intended.
Via: Droid Life
Source: Google Play
NY Times launches VR app with Google Cardboard giveaway
The New York Times is launching a VR app, and will give a million plus subscribers a Google Cardboard VR viewer to use it. It’ll also debut a VR film for the app called The Displaced, which details the struggles of three children caught in the global refugee crisis. Executive Editor Dean Baquet said the NYT “created the first critical, serious piece of journalism using virtual reality, to shed light on one of the most dire humanitarian crises of our lifetime.” The film is best viewed on Cardboard, but will also be available on YouTube and smartphones via a 2D version of the app.
The Times will release a series of VR films for the app, including an existing piece showing how it made the New York Times Magazine “Walking New York“ cover. It said the app also “supports virtual reality playback for Google Cardboard as well as playback of 360-degree video mobile navigation.” Executive VP Meredith Kopit Levien said “the great irony here is that it takes (a 164-year old) print newspaper… and its still remarkable distribution system to deliver one of the most advanced digital storytelling technologies to more than a million people.”
The great irony here is that it takes (a 164-year old) print newspaper… and its still remarkable distribution system to deliver one of the most advanced digital storytelling technologies to more than a million people.
The Times advised subscribers to keep their Cardboards for subsequent releases coming in December and later. (If you’re a subscriber and not sure what we’re talking about, Google’s Cardboard is a fold out device that turns your smartphone into a basic virtual reality viewer, letting you see 3D and 360-degree videos.) The app will arrive on November 7th for Android and iOS, and subscribers will receive Cardboard with their weekend paper starting the same day. Times Insiders and some digital subscribers will instead get a promo code for the viewer, which normally runs about $25.
Source: New York Times
ICYMI: A cold foam heart, fast oil change invention and more
Today on In Case You Missed It: Castrol invented an oil-storing apparatus that lets you change the oil and filter by swapping in a fresh container under two minutes. It’s already inside an Aston Martin racing car but the company’s goal is to get it into mainstream consumer cars within a few years. Meanwhile Cornell scientists invented a polymer that has pores and can pump fluids, allowing it to act as an artificial foam heart. And a Tokyo-based eyewear company will begin selling its smart glasses next month. The classically-styled eyeglasses can track movement and are definitely less nerd-defining than the telltale Google Glass version.
We also included a 3D-printed railgun that makers will enjoy seeing, since some of its parts were 3D-printed. And because you’ll want to send this to someone you grew up with, here’s the video of the adult-sized Little Tikes car.
If you come across any interesting videos, we’d love to see them. Just tweet us with the #ICYMI hashtag @engadget or @mskerryd.
Nexus pricing got you down? At least you’re not living in Japan…
Last month, Google officially unveiled the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P with all kinds of new features and functionality. It also put the pair at a proper price point: competitive with similar products; a good value-for-money proposition. Shortly after news broke about the less fortunate situation overseas, where the darling devices will cost quite a pretty penny. In Japan however, it seems carriers are literally asking for a small fortune.
Two telecoms will sell the Nexus 5X, each only offering the 32GB variant. SoftBank subsidiary, Y!mobile, is charging ¥80,352 (roughly $673):
NTT docomo is charging an even higher fee. The “true” price of the Nexus 5X is ¥93,312, or $781. Those who purchase before November 30th will get a ¥10,800 discount, bringing the total down to $691:
For reference, the Japanese Google Store is selling the 32GB Nexus 5X for ¥63,400, or $531:
Surprised?
For Americans, the 32GB Nexus 5X costs $429. This means that Google Japan is charging $102 over the US retail price, Y!mobile is charging $244 over the US retail price, and NTT docomo – without the campaign – is charging $352 over the US retail price.
The numbers may change slightly depending on which state you live in given that Google’s $429 does not include sales tax; the Japanese prices however, do. Suffice to say the carriers here are charging more than what the Nexus 6P costs in America.
SoftBank’s Nexus 6P preview page.
In Japan, a 32GB Nexus 6P from the Google Store costs ¥74800 ($626). Is it also being sold via SoftBank for ¥78,720 ($659). Carrier-based Nexus 5X units are thus more expensive than the Huawei variant, and even the one carrier selling the 6P has less mark-up to boot.
Why the high prices?
Japanese carriers have operated on a ¥0 down, installment-based payment system for roughly a decade. The pricing detailed in this piece assume the customer pays Full Retail Price at the time of purchase.
Y!mobile provides no discount, thus customers are paying the FRP over 24 months. NTT docomo will provide a ¥46,800 discount over the course of 24 months (¥2,025 per month) thus bringing the cost down to ¥33,912 ($284). Still, this discount is dependant on a specific contract, which typically requires a costly unlimited talking plan, in addition to internet access and the phone installments themselves.
It should be noted that both Y!mobile and NTT docomo are only selling the Nexus 5X, and SoftBank is only selling the Nexus 6P. There is no choice to be had within a specific carrier.
Likewise, the monthly phone installments are interest-free (and ¥0 down) thus carriers might seem a better initial proposition than Google for many customers, especially if they don’t realize Google sells directly.
Wrap up
The Japanese Nexus situation highlights regional differences that can occur even with a single product. It is unclear as to why these two carriers have chosen to inflate the price of the Nexus 5X beyond that which Google Japan already did. One possibility is to make the smartphone seem impressive (as a factor of cost). Still, the Google Store and Softbank (carrier) 32GB Nexus 6P offerings are actually cheaper, despite major hardware and spec advantages. It’s a curious situation indeed.
Perhaps fittingly, the Nexus 6P is sold-out on the Google Store, and SoftBank Mobile has finished accepting reservations. As of this morning NTT docomo was still offering free Google Cardboard to its early Nexus 5X customers, however the promotion now seems to be finished, so clearly the price isn’t a concern for some.
Now that you know Japan’s peculiar pricing predicament, do you still feel like the new Nexus devices are expensive in your country?
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Google tightens its OEM requirements for new Marshmallow devices
Android 6.0 Marshmallow comes with a number of useful and perhaps even exciting new features, but OEMs are sometimes a little picky about which features they implement or tweak when it comes to building their own versions for their new smartphones. Google doesn’t want OEMs to mess without a couple of important Marshmallow features though. The Android 6.0 Compatibility Definition Document (CDD) states that Marshmallow phones must include Doze mode and Full Disk Encryption.
Doze, in case you missed it, aims to improve the standby battery life of Marshmallow smartphones by taking greater control over when apps wake up from sleep. The CDD states that the power saving mode must not be altered from the AOSP and that all apps that don’t use the feature must be visible to the user.
If OEMs attempt to remove, alter or even improve this feature, they would lose Google certification for their product, so manufacturers are going to have to play ball here. Here’s exactly what Google has to say about it.
8.3. Power-Saving Modes
All apps exempted from App Standby and/or Doze mode MUST be made visible to the end user. Further, the triggering, maintenance, wakeup algorithms and the use of Global system settings of these power-saving modes MUST not deviate from the Android Open Source Project.
Further down in section 9 of the CDD you’ll find a part about disk encryption, which requires certain devices to support encryption of the user data and sdcard partitions. Google had previously planned to make device encryption compulsory with Android 5.0 Lollipop, but seems to have manage to find a compromise with Marshmallow. Here’s the extract from the latest document.
9.9 Full-Disk Encryption
For device implementations supporting full-disk encryption and with Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) crypto performance above 50MiB/sec, the full-disk encryption MUST be enabled by default at the time the user has completed the out-of-box setup experience. If a device implementation is already launched on an earlier Android version with full-disk encryption disabled by default, such a device cannot meet the requirement through a system software update and thus MAY be exempted.
However, devices which don’t meet these AES crypto performance requirements won’t have to comply with these rules and neither will devices that don’t have lock screens, such as smartwatches. Importantly, this works as an exemption for older smartphones and tablets that are updated to Marshmallow too, so only new devices will have to support the feature.
So there you have it, new Marshmallow powered smartphones and tablets must be compatible with the OS’ power saving and encryption features. This should result in a longer battery life and additional security protection for most, but unfortunately not all Marshmallow users. If you like, you can check out the full compatibility document in the source link below.
LG Nexus 5X factory images for Android 6.0 now available from Google
‘Tis that time of the year again, when new Nexus devices are shipping from suppliers and into the adoring arms of early adopters. Indeed some customers are already in receipt of the LG Nexus 5X, and of that crowd there will inevitably be a number of users who want to get their mod on. Google has, thankfully, just posted the official 5X factory images for Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
Please be aware that three variants are currently posted for the device, known as “Bullhead” however Google has not included any information to specify which one is which. To this end, it is advisable for users to check their device’s Settings -> About Phone menu to glean the relevant variant listing: MDA89E, MDA89F, or MDB08I and ensure that the correct one is flashed to ensure full compatibility.
Please also note that flashing the ROM will erase all contents on your phone, thus a proper back-up is suggested before doing anything drastic. Those willing to take the risk but unsure of what to do can read our guide here.
The factory images can be obtained here, all signed and provided by Google:
Tech Entrepeneur Nanodegree helps developers turn apps into business (it can be free)
You may be able to make amazing apps, but it takes a special set of skills to effectively get your content into some of those 1 billion+ active Android users around the world. There’s over 1.6 million Android apps in the Google Play Store (according to Statista), so the competition is fierce and you need to be able to stand out.
Sadly, many of us tech geeks are not great at business, something Google is trying to fix with its newest educational program for developers. Offered in collaboration with Udacity, the Tech Entrepreneur Nanodegree is meant to educate developers on everything that goes into making an app successful. The program taps into design, validation, creating a prototype, monetizing, marketing app ideas and more.
How do I sign up?
Want to kick your business off? Google and Udacity can have you certified in 4-7 months, with tuition amounting to $200 a month (after a free week trial). This fee will grant you access to all the courses, coaches, guidance, career counseling, a certificate and even the chance to pitch your application to “venture capitalists at Google”. The latter is exclusive to top graduates, though.
Here’s the kicker: as it goes with other Nanodegree programs, you can get half your tuition back if you graduate before 12 months. This is pretty much a steal, as the classes are said to last much less than a year! But the craziest part is that the tuition fees are only necessary for those who actually want the certificate and all the added support. Those who only seek the value in knowledge provided by these courses can take all the classes for free!
Taking the courses with no charges
You read that right! You can gain all the knowledge without paying a penny. All the courses in the Tech Entrepreneur Nanodegree can be found at Udacity’s website… completely free of charge.
- Product Design: Learn Google’s Design Sprint methodology, Ideation & Validation, UI/UX design and gathering the right metrics.
- Prototyping: Experiment with rapid-low and high-fidelity prototyping on mobile and the web using online tools.
- Monetization: Learn how to monetize your app and how to set up an effective payment funnel.
- App Marketing: Understand your market, analyze competition, position your product, prepare for launch, acquire customers and learn growth hacks.
- How to get your startup started: Find out whether you really need venture capital funding, evaluate build vs. buy, and learn simple ways to monitor and maintain your startup business effectively.
Wrapping it up!
Whether you are interested in the actual Nanodegree or not, we can’t deny these are some great tools Google is offering developers. The Search Giant also announced their Android Nanodegree for aspiring developers, and now they are helping app makers put all that coding knowledge to good use.
Are any of you guys enrolling? If you are, make sure you do so before October 26th at 11:59 AM ET, which is when enrollment closes.
Here are the requirements for fingerprint sensors in Marshmallow
The new Nexus phones are out and everyone seems to be really liking the fingerprint readers in them. However, fingerprint sensors will soon be coming to many other Android phones, but will people find them just as nice to use?
Luckily for other manufactures, Google has laid out all new fingerprint sensor rules for them to make sure everything works correctly with Marshmallow. All they have to do is read Google’s Marshmallow Compatibility Definition Document (CDD). Google does not force manufactures to use fingerprint sensors on their new devices, but they do strongly encourage it.
7.3.10. Fingerprint Sensor
Device implementations with a secure lock screen SHOULD include a fingerprint sensor. If a device implementation includes a fingerprint sensor and has a corresponding API for third-party developers, it:
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MUST declare support for the android.hardware.fingerprint feature.
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MUST fully implement the corresponding API as described in the Android SDK documentation [Resources, 95].
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MUST have a false acceptance rate not higher than 0.002%.
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Is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED to have a false rejection rate not higher than 10%, and a latency from when the fingerprint sensor is touched until the screen is unlocked below 1 second, for 1 enrolled finger.
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MUST rate limit attempts for at least 30 seconds after 5 false trials for fingerprint verification.
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MUST have a hardware-backed keystore implementation, and perform the fingerprint matching in a Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) or on a chip with a secure channel to the TEE.
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MUST have all identifiable fingerprint data encrypted and cryptographically authenticated such that they cannot be acquired, read or altered outside of the Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) as documented in the implementation guidelines on the Android Open Source Project site [Resources, 96].
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MUST prevent adding a fingerprint without first establishing a chain of trust by having the user confirm existing or add a new device credential (PIN/pattern/password) using the TEE as implemented in the Android Open Source project.
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MUST NOT enable 3rd-party applications to distinguish between individual fingerprints.
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MUST honor the DevicePolicyManager.KEYGUARD_DISABLE_FINGERPRINT flag.
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MUST, when upgraded from a version earlier than Android 6.0, have the fingerprint data securely migrated to meet the above requirements or removed.
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SHOULD use the Android Fingerprint icon provided in the Android Open Source Project.
Of course, the most important part is everything stays secure. There are hardware and software that must be used in order to use Google’s fingerprint sensor system. This also includes older versions of Android that move to Android 6.0 Marshmallow updating their fingerprint data or it will be wiped from the device. Possibly meaning current devices with fingerprint sensors might ask you to set it up again after the update.
Source: Android 6.0 Compatibility Definition Document (PDF)
Via: Android Police
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Uber is running Bing mapping cars on streets for months
It looks like Uber doesn’t want to leave any stone unturned in order to improve its mapping technology, especially since it has decided to go head to head with Google and Apple in the war of self-driven cars.
The cab service provider is reported to be running a number of mapping vehicles to capture 3D images of streets – not unlike Google Street view, albeit with drivers. Now that the mapping cars bearing Uber’s branding have been capturing images of streets for months, the data is likely to be used to improve the accuracy of route suggestions as well as ETAs. For example, the improved data would warn the driver in advance before entering a street that is frequently congested, an Uber representative told BuzzFeed.
It all started in March when Uber acquired mapping startup deCarte followed by acquisition Microsoft’s mapping technology and team in June. The company already has partnerships with Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and the University of Arizona, close to which Uber has deployed a separate fleet of mapping vehicles. These vehicles use Uber’s propriety algorithm to capture images to collect data on safety needs of autonomous cars.
Uber currently uses a mixture of its home grown algorithm and Google Maps to navigate through streets and predict ETAs. But with a helping hand from acquired companies, it clearly has its eyes set on the future, which belongs to autonomous vehicles.
Source: BuzzFeed
Come comment on this article: Uber is running Bing mapping cars on streets for months
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