Google AdWords to begin disabling Flash advertisements in Chrome
On September 1st, you will no longer see advertisements utilizing Flash. This doesn’t mean that you won’t see video-like advertisements anymore, just they will all be HTML5.
Google’s AdWords division states that this change will speed up browser performance and bring all advertisers in line with the new HTML5 standard.
There is already a setting in Chrome that allows you to disable these Flash advertisement plugins, but on September 1st, Google will switch this to “On” as default in the Chrome browser.
If you’re an advertiser, Google has already attempted to convert your Flash advertisement to HTML5, but there is a chance that it was unsuccessful in doing this. If it was unsuccessful, then your advertisement will be disabled and you will need to do the converting yourself.
Google had the following to say about the changes:
Video and interactive media bring consumers rich, engaging experiences on the web–but they can also impact browser speed and battery life. A few months ago, Chrome introduced a setting (https://goo.gl/cBhea4) designed to increase page-load speed and reduce power consumption by pausing certain plugin content, including many Flash ads. As soon as September (http://goo.gl/u5f019), this setting will be turned on by default so Chrome users can enjoy faster performance and view more content before charging their batteries.
Source: Google
Come comment on this article: Google AdWords to begin disabling Flash advertisements in Chrome
Google announces Android Auto Desktop for testing out apps
A platform is only as good as its developers and apps, which has posed a problem for Android Auto up to this point. Developers had no way to really test out Android Auto apps without buying an Android Auto-enabled vehicle or an Android Auto head unit.
Thankfully, Google has released a new Android Auto Desktop Unit that does exactly what it sounds like; simulates an Android Auto environment on a desktop. Instead of having to use a vehicle to test out apps, the desktop unit runs on a computer so you can fully test out anything without having to leave your house. Pretty useful, and it should definitely make testing and building Android Auto apps a little more accessible.
There a few caveats with this, but they aren’t uncommon for development tools. For starters, your device will have to be connected to your computer via USB, so no wireless connectivity here. You’ll also have to have at least Android 5.0 for the Android Auto app to work. Nothing major, but things to keep in mind if you’re considering jumping into developing an Android Auto app.
source: Android Developers Blog
Come comment on this article: Google announces Android Auto Desktop for testing out apps
5 Android apps you shouldn’t miss this week! – Android Apps Weekly
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zp0G5sAdsQA
Welcome back to the Android Apps Weekly show! Let’s jump right into the headlines for this week:
- Microsoft is now letting people download Cortana as part of a public beta which is the first time it’s been officially available to the public. There is only one problem and that is that you cannot participate in the public beta unless you live in the United States. We don’t think that’ll change which kinda sucks.
- A new app called Vysor was leaked recently and it prompted developer Koushik Dutta to just release the application. It’s a Chrome app that lets you easily control your Android device from your computer. It’s a nifty tool even if it’s in beta and keep an eye out for pricing because there will be some pricing options eventually.
- Facebook M has been officially announced and much like the leaks said, it’ll be a personal assistant that lives inside of Facebook Messenger that helps you buy things along with a suite of other functions for productivity. It’s currently in testing and we have no clue when it’ll be available to the public.
- Earlier this week, Rovio announced that they’ll be laying off 1/3 of their work force. The speculation is that the Angry Birds franchise is finally starting to falter as the company just released Angry Birds 2 not long ago. The company maintains that it made these layoffs to be leaner and more agile.
- Earlier this week, Amazon killed off the free app of the day and replaced it with a new application called Amazon Underground. The new app is meant to offer a lot more apps that the company is calling “actually free”. You can download and install Amazon Underground just like any other Amazon app.
For even more Android apps headlines, updates, and new releases, don’t forget to check out this week’s newsletter. There we have a whole lot more apps and games news that we didn’t have time for here. If you’re so inclined, you can even sign up using your email address and we’ll send it to you every Friday!
Subscribe to Apps Weekly Newsletter
The latest apps, games and Google play news in your inbox once a week.
While you’re at it, why not check out the Android Authority Twitch channel? Yes, we’ll be doing YouTube Gaming very soon as well but we still plan on hanging out on Twitch! Right now our streaming schedule is Sunday and Monday at 4PM EST. Come hang out, chit chat, and play some video games!
AMC
[Price: Free]
Late last week, AMC released its own official application to the Google Play Store. It comes with a lineup of AMC programming including The Walking Dead, Better Call Saul, Hell on WHeels, and a lot more. You do need a cable subscription to have access most of the content but some stuff you’ll be able to access for free. It’s missing some features here and there and the app is suffering from release day bugs, but it’s worth keeping an eye on.
Get it now on Google Play!
Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and S6 Edge+ Experience app
[Price: Free]
Earlier this week, Samsung released the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and S6 Edge+ experience apps. The point of these apps is to show people what kind of experience they can get with these devices and Samsung has released similar apps in the past for their flagships. They’re fairly easy to use and it’s a nice experience to have if you plan on buying either of these devices or just want to see what they’re all about.
Get it now on Google Play!
YouTube Gaming
[Price: Free]
YouTube Gaming is finally official and Google has released the official app to prove it. Google’s competitor to Twitch is in full swing and the application will give you access to everyone who is streaming games. You’ll also be able to engage with past broadcasts, plenty of channel and page browsing options, and the app will offer live streams from large events like E3, PAX, and Gamescon. It’s definitely worth checking out and hey, you’ll see us there very soon!
Get it now on Google Play!
Framed
[Price: $0.99]
Framed is an award-winning puzzle game with a unique premise. You are given a set of video clips which you must arrange to create a certain story scene. If you do it incorrectly, you lose and if you do it right, you can proceed. It’s backed by a pretty decent jazz soundtrack and there is a lot of game here to play. It’s definitely something a bit different and actually very fun to play. It’s only $0.99 and it’s worth every penny.
Get it now on Google Play!
Lara Croft GO
[Price: $4.99]
Last and certainly not least this week is Lara Croft GO. This highly anticipated game has finally made its way to Google Play to extremely positive reviews so far. This title features 75 puzzles over five chapters as you guide Lara through obstacles and fights with various creatures. It holds true to the series as you’ll be exploring ancient ruins with mythical puzzles. It looks good, it plays great, and $4.99 isn’t an unfair price at all.
Get it now on Google Play!
Wrap up
If we missed any great Android apps and games news, tell us more about it in the comments! Thanks for reading, watching, and subscribing and we’ll see you next week!
Inbox by Gmail updated with some much-needed text formatting features
Inbox by Gmail is receiving a small update, bringing with it some much-needed text formatting features. There are a lot of basic features in Inbox by Gmail missing that you will find on almost any email client out there, and Google is slowly adding these missing features.
In its latest update, those using Inbox by Gmail on the web can now insert text formatting, such as numbered lists, bullet points, bold, italics, underline, and more. There’s even keyboard shortcuts available for these abilities, making it quick and easy to insert any formatting you might need.
While it sounds like a small update, bringing text formatting to Inbox by Gmail actually makes it a better viable option to other email clients, as users will now be able to craft professional and organized emails not only personally, but professionally as well.
Inbox by Gmail still has a long ways to go, but this is a step in the right direction.
source: Inbox by Gmail (Google+)
Come comment on this article: Inbox by Gmail updated with some much-needed text formatting features
Developers can test Android Auto apps without buying a Bentley
Android Auto developers now have way to try out their apps without spending lots on an actual head unit or entire car. The Android Auto Desktop Unit (DHU) runs on your Windows, OS X or Linux desktop and works in conjunction with the companion app on Android 5.0 (Lollipop) or higher. Installing it is a bit of a rigmarole and you’ll need to connect your Android device via a USB cable, but you probably already know that if you’re a developer. Once you’ve compiled and installed your app, it’ll “behave as if it’s connected to a car,” according to Google.
Android Auto apps naturally need to be minimally distracting, so porting a regular app straight across is out of the question. Google provided some rough simulation through its SDK before, but more or less expected you to “work from your car,” according to its blog. However, using the emulator is now tantamount to using an actual Android Auto device. And since you can use it on a PC, why not test it with a road simulator (like the one below) to make sure it’s truly driver-friendly?
Filed under:
Transportation, Google
Source:
Google
Tags: AndroidAuto, ConnectedCar, DesktopHeadUnit, Developers, DHU, Emulator, google
DeNA wants you to stream your Android phone to the world
Japanese mobile game company DeNA has launched an app called Mirrativ that lets you livestream anything and everything that’s happening on your phone. Think of the app as a mix of Periscope and Twitch — yes, there are plenty of ways to stream your face and your games to the world, but with Mirrativ you’re not limited to just either-or. DeNA is also targeting a broader range of uses than just gaming. What else might you like to stream? Speaking with The Wall Street Journal, DeNA’s Junichi Akagawa says that users could perhaps browse online stores while seeking “shopping advice” from followers, or read news articles and share their thoughts on the topics.
The app is is currently in public beta, and DeNA is restricting streaming to a few hours a day while it works stuff out. Viewing streams is akin to other services — you can comment or show appreciation and it’ll show up on the streamer’s end live, just like in Periscope. Unfortunately, there’s no archive for streams just yet, so once an event’s over it’s over.
“I think this is the first app that allows users to broadcast everything happening on the their smartphone device through the Internet,” Akagawa tells the Journal. He’s not right, as Sony added Twitch and YouTube streaming to its recent Xperia devices last month, but Mirrativ works across a wide range of Android devices. DeNA is also working on a similar app for iOS, although given the closed feature set Apple provides developers with it’s tough to imagine the experiences being identical cross-platform.
If you’re wondering where you’ve heard the name DeNA before, wonder no longer. It’s a big deal in Japan, where it’s behind some huge mobile titles, and also runs an online gaming platform called Mobage, which is a rough equivalent of Xbox Live or PlayStation Plus. It’s such a big deal that Nintendo has partnered with it to create mobile games and build its next-generation online services, taking a 10-percent stake in the company at the same time.
Mirrativ is available in the Google Play store now, and you can keep tabs on when the streaming starts each day over on the company’s Twitter.
Filed under:
Mobile, Google, Nintendo
Source:
Mirrativ (Google Play)
Tags: dena, google, mirrativ, mobilepostcross, nintendo, streaming, twitch, youtube
Google adds some visual flair to Android app searches
Google has transformed Android search for apps and now displays the results in a pictorial, grid-like fashion. For instance, searching for “music apps” (either in Now or a browser) brings up the above grid, and clicking on a given app will take you straight to Google Play, as you’d expect. The feature, spotted by Android Police, appears to have rolled out over the last few days. Regular search results are still displayed below, but the grid images take up the entire first page, in much the same way as Google’s Knowledge Graph. It only works on Android, so far — doing a similar search on iOS yields a regular app list with the option to install.
Google has mixed feelings about Android app discovery, having recently published a study decrying full-page, “interstitial” app ads. However, Yelp CEO Jeremy Stoppelman criticized its methods, saying “Google’s Web search team has a conflict of interest… (when) you download the Yelp app, you’re less likely to do another search for a local business on Google.” As for the new app search grid, the results I checked showed a good mix of results, but if there’s a Google app in a given category, it does seem to come up first.
Filed under:
Cellphones, Tablets, Software, Google
Via:
Android Police
Source:
Google (Android devices only)
Tags: apps, google, GooglePlay, KnowledgeGraph, search
The Big Picture: It’s always sunny in Brooklyn
Google isn’t the only company looking to map out urban skylines ahead of the solar revolution. The folks at MapDwell create surveys similar to Sunroof using technologies developed at MIT, and for more cities to boot. The company has already mapped out New York City, as you can see above, as well as Boulder, Colorado(for growing solar-powered hydroponic kush, obvs), all of the confusingly-named Washington County, Oregon and now San Francisco. “We range irradiation (energy that falls onto the surface) for each city,” MapDwell wrote to Engadget. “From zero (dark brown) to maximum or ideal (bright yellow), we call this Solar Access Index or SAI.” As such, the southern tip of Manhattan probably isn’t the best place for a solar installation. And unfortunately, the service does not also extend to solar-powered food carts.
Tags: Brooklyn, energy, Engadget, google, GreenEnergy, Manhattan, mapdwell, maps, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, NewYork, NewYorkCity, renewable, solar, sunroof, TheBigPicture
Google launches improvements to weather forecasts to help keep you safe
As the United States enters into hurricane season, Google has given us improvements in weather forecasts and public alerts in Google Search to track storms during this year’s hurricane season. Just 10 years ago Hurricane Katrina came and went leaving New Orleans in a state of National Emergency.
When you now search the web for information about specific storms or tornadoes, according to Google, you may see:
- A map showing your location in relation to the oncoming storm
- Visualizations of its forecasted track, wind severity and arrival time, courtesy of NOAA
- Concise instructions for preparing and staying safe, customized for the estimated intensity of the storm and its arrival time relative to your location, from FEMA and ready.gov
Google searches are becoming more relevant and tailored to each individual and their location. When you search a specific weather pattern, Google will tailor the results to the event and your context.
For example, if you search for a specific storm when it’s still several days away, you may see a map of the developing weather event and a recommendation to start preparing an emergency kit. If the storm is only hours away from your location, you might receive a reminder to start charging your phone in case power goes out. And if you search when the storm is nearby, you’ll get the most urgent information, like how to avoid injury from fast-moving water or flying debris.
Kudos to Google for helping us in areas where they don’t need to. Something of this nature is usually left to the government, but Google is helping to step-in so another Katrina like event doesn’t affect the health and lives of so many people.
The post Google launches improvements to weather forecasts to help keep you safe appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Google: EU is ‘wrong as a matter of fact, law, and economics’
Google officially responded to charges levelled by the European Commission that it unfairly favored its own products over its competition and abused its market dominance to crowd out potential rivals. The EC began poking around back in 2010 so this isn’t the first time that Google has had to publicly defended its position. “Economic data spanning more than a decade, an array of documents and statements from complainants all confirm that product search is robustly competitive,” Kent Walker, Google’s general counsel, wrote in the Google Europe blog.
He continued:
Showing ads based on structured data provided by merchants demonstrably improves ad quality and makes it easier for consumers to find what they’re looking for. We show these ad groups where we’ve always shown ads — to the right and at the top of organic results — and we use specialized algorithms to maximize their relevance for users. Data from users and advertisers confirms they like these formats. That’s not “favoring” — that’s giving our customers and advertisers what they find most useful.
Walker also took exception with the EC’s proposed remedy, which would require Google show ads sourced from other companies in its own advertising spaces at the top and right of the natural search results. Google faces a maximum fine of €6 billion should the EC determine it has been operating a monopoly.
[Image Credit: Associated Press]
Via:
Reuters
Source:
Google Policy Europe
Tags: antitrust, EuropeanCommission, europeanunion, google, lawsuiots, legal, search
AIVAnet 