Google improves the Cardboard SDK, brings in Street View support
Today, the Cardboard SDK for Android and Unity were updated. Google aimed to address drift correction and Unity performance by issuing an update to “the sensor fusion algorithms that integrate the signals from the gyroscope and accelerometer.”
Google also announced Street View, a feature found in Google Maps that has since spawned its own app, is now supported by Cardboard. The Street View app for Android and iOS devices has been updated so that you can use it with Cardboard and “immerse yourself in destinations around the world.”The Cardboard app — now standing at more than 15 million installs — is now available in thirty-nine languages and over one hundred countries around the world. And you can make your own Cardboard viewer by downloading Google’s instructions. Or, you know, you can just purchase a unit.
Source: Android Developers
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Google releases improved Cardboard SDK and adds Street View
Google announced today that its Cardboard VR app is now available in 100 countries for both iOS and Android. The company also stated that the app’s software development kit has been improved. According to the Google Developer’s Blog, the new SDK now features better drift control thanks to “a major overhaul of the sensor fusion algorithms that integrate the signals from the gyroscope and accelerometer.” This should diminish the amount of “drift” wherein the displayed images continue to move even after your head has stopped turning.
The SDK is also now compatible with the Unity programming language which enables the app to work with both Metal rendering on iOS as well as Android’s multi-threaded rendering system. Most exciting, however, is the news that Cardboard now works with Street View. Users can now immersively explore most anywhere in the world simply by sliding on a Cardboard-compatible headset.
[Image Credit: lede – Bloomberg via Getty Images, inline – Google]
Source: Google Developers Blog
Google Now on Tap not working with some Google Apps accounts
As Android Marshmallow starts to roll out to user’s Nexus devices, there are some finding one of the benefits of the updated operating system is not available to them. Users who have older, free versions of Google Apps are not able to turn on Now on Tap. The dialog box where users normally configure their devices to use Now on Tap displays the option, even for users who log in with their legacy Google Apps account. However, the system will turn Now on Tap back off as soon as a user tries to turn it on. At present, the only workaround appears to be signing up for a regular Gmail account, but that means giving up apps that a user may have paid for and trying to coordinate a transfer of all old account data.
Source: Google Product Forms – Thanks Ed!
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YouTube adds local versions in six new countries
Google today announced that YouTube has local versions in 85 countries, adding Adriatics, Baltics, Bulgaria, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Belarus just today. As you can imagine, global reach is important to Google, especially when it comes to YouTube with 80% of its viewership being outside of the United States.
From Google:
Local versions of YouTube are good news for creators, too. It opens up the opportunity for creators to become a partner, earn money from their channels, and gain access to tools and resources that can help them make the most of YouTube. Creators can access online lessons via the YouTube Creator Academy to get started and learn best practices, and the Creator Community gives creators a place to meet each other, find collaborations, and more. We hope that this will allow more creators to bring more of their ideas and talents to YouTube for all of us to enjoy.
In other words, users in these six new countries can expect to see better quality videos as creators begin to take advantage of YouTube’s many creator opportunities.
source: YouTube
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Google shows off how you can improve your life with the Google app
Everyone knows how to use Google. But there are a lot of features and add-ons that have been introduced in the last year or so that we aren’t necessarily aware of. To help with that, Google released a few new YouTube videos that go on to explain all the features.
Titled ‘Meet the Google app‘ this is a set of three different videos that cover various facets of your life where Google can come in handy. Each video has a different theme, and each video showcases what Google can do to improve your day-to-day life.
Check out the videos below, and let us know what you think about the progress that Google has made with Google Now since its inception. With the release of Android 6.0 Marshmallow, Google has introduced even more features, known as Google Now On Tap, which aims to help you use Google without exiting any app that you’re already in.
Now On Tap is pegged to be a new and innovative wave for Android devices. Even though you can only get these features with Android 6.0, Now On Tap will help you complete tasks without hitting the back or home button once. We’ll dive more in depth into Now On Tap later, but in the meantime, check out these videos from Google and let us know what you think.
Source: Google YouTube Channel
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Google’s ‘Meet the Google app’ videos show how useful the Search app has become
Using Google’s Search app might be second nature to some of use, but, now and then it learns some new tricks. Google has posted some videos that show off the app’s ability to link web search requests to other apps such as the Calendar app and Google Maps among others.
The ‘Meet the Google app’ videos cover three themes, Breakfast, Halloween and Moving (house), and they are pretty good at showing off the things that Google does better than anyone else. You check out the videos below, and if you haven’t used Google Now in a while, it’s a great time to see what it can do.
Click here to view the embedded video.
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Google showcases its Search app in 3 helpful videos
Chances are many of you are not really taking full advantage of what the Google Search app can offer. Google is great for finding random information and local businesses, but its capabilities extend far beyond simple searches. One can control applications, set calendar entries, send messages, initiate calls, start navigation, turn on the flashlight and more!
In an effort to further demonstrate how resourceful Google Search and Google Now can be, the Mountain View tech giant has just released a trio of fun videos. These display real-life situations in which Google Search can be a life saver. Let’s take a look at them!
Pretty neat, right? I happen to be a fan of these ads. They are very personal and show everyday struggles we have all found ourselves in.
Are any of you guys using these unconventional features? Google Search is getting quite complex in Android devices. More recently the Search Giant integrated Twitter posts, the ability to find your phone via Search and a new service that connects you to home service workers.
In which other interesting ways do you guys use Google Search? I have to say I am not the best user when it comes to this app. I mostly use it for random searches and do everything else manually.
Nexus 5X release date gets confirmed for October 22
Those who purchased Google’s newest Nexus 5X smartphone will be glad to know Google just confirmed the date the device will begin shipping.
The Nexus 5X listing recently changed from “shipping in the coming weeks” to “will ship October 22.” However, this will only be for those who purchased the black and white colored variants. Unfortunately, the mint color option is still not ready for the prime time. Pre-orders for the device have remained up on the Google Store. So, if you are interested in pre-ordering the device, you can do so by October 22 and receive a $50 credit to the Google Play Store in addition to 90 days free for Play Music all access.
The Nexus 5X comes in 16GB and 32GB options. The 16GB variant costs $379 and the 32GB will cost an additional $50 at $429. The device will include Google’s latest Android 6.0 on board along with a new built-in fingerprint scanner for mobile payments. Those waiting on the Nexus 6P will have to wait a little longer. The listing still states the device will ship in 4-5 weeks.
Source: Google Store
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Here’s how to install Android 6.0 on your Nexus 10
The Nexus 10 was a great tablet and is still perfectly useable for the average consumer. Unfortunately, Google has decided not to update it to Android 6.0 Marshmallow. However, just because Google won’t update it, doesn’t mean you can’t.
Since this is a Nexus device, the updating process is a lot easier than it would be for other tablets. Dmitry Grinberg, the same person who posted instructions on how to install the Marshmallow update on the Nexus 4, has also posted instructions on how to install the Android 6.0 update on the Nexus 10.
If you don’t want or know how to do it yourself, he has also included a pre-built AOSP Marshmallow image that you can download. To see the full instructions, head over to his site.
Source: Dmitry Grinberg
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Amazon’s cheap Fire tablet supports installing Google’s Play Store without root
Amazon’s latest 7 inch Kindle Fire tablet is one of the cheapest tablets on the market, coming in at just $50. It’s a pretty decent tablet, if you’re heavily invested in Amazon’s ecosystem, but lots of us like to have access to Google’s services on top of what Amazon offers. That’s almost always been possible on Amazon’s Fire tablets, but only for users that were willing to root their devices. The 2015 Fire Tablet, however, can use Google’s Play Services with absolutely no rooting required.
The drawback to this is that it’s not as simple as side loading an app and running it. You’ll need a Windows PC and a little bit of know-how to get your tablet properly connected, but once you’re up and running, all you’ll have to do is run a pre-made script then wait for your tablet to sync up with Google’s services.
This method will give you access to most things you’d find on a fully licensed Google tablet, including the Play Store and Gmail, although there have been issues reported with Inbox. Still, that means you can access Google’s wider app offerings and actually keep your Fire tablet synced up with your other Android devices, which is worth a little bit of trouble.
If you’re interested, follow the link to XDA below and follow the instructions.
Source: XDA Developers
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