ICYMI: End forgetfulness with the e-version of a Post-It.
Today on In Case You Missed It: A German researcher developed a digital Post-It note that never dies as long as the small solar panel gets sunlight. They can be stuck just about anywhere. Meanwhile, EPFL scientists are creating soft robots to act as artificial muscles. So far they see the most success with a belt to help support the weight of people who’ve had strokes.
Finally, the stop motion video of a Death Star being created is a fun watch, as is the disturbing promo video for Google’s newest app, SprayScapes. As always, please share any interesting tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.
Google Photos will animate your videos too
The latest AI-powered upgrade for Google Photos brings four tricks. In a blog post today, we learned about four new features for the service, including the simplest one, which autodetects sideways pictures and prompts you to correct them. Two others dig into its talent for facial recognition, as it will detect people in your new photos, and offer to “rediscover old memories” of those same people in older pics, or, it can pop up a highlight reel showcasing the best pictures of a frequent subject.
Finally, the Assistant could already animate series of similar photographs, but now it’s ready to loop up repeating segments from videos too. You should see the new features available on Android, iOS and the web, and if it’s just a little too creepy, you can go into settings to disable face grouping or its assistant prompts.
Source: Google Blog
Google and Facebook team up on a direct connection to Asia
Google and Facebook are looking to speed up their connection to Hong Kong. According to an announcement today, the two internet giants have teamed up with the Pacific Light Data Communications Company and TE SubCom to build the first direct undersea connection between Los Angeles and Hong Kong. When it is completed in 2018, the 8,000-mile (12,800 km) Pacific Light Cable Network will shuttle 120 terabits of data per second between the two cities and greatly expand each company’s reach in Asia.
As Google’s Director of Networking Infrastructure Brian Quigley explained in a blog post, the data capacity will beat out the previous trans-Pacific record holder (currently held by another Google-backed fiber cable) and gives the PLCN enough capacity for 80 million people in Hong Kong to have an HD video call with Los Angeles at the same time. It also gives Google Cloud Platform — which powers services like Spotify and part of iCloud — the largest network backbone of any public cloud provider. On a user-facing level, the new cable will speed up responsiveness in Google’s G Suite apps for users in the Asia-Pacific region, but the wider implication is that a faster connection will give both companies a stronger foothold on the continent and open doors into more developing countries.
Via: VentureBeat
Source: TE SubCom, Google Blog
Google Sprayscapes lets you build surreal 360-degree landscapes
Google has long held a reputation for being an experimental company, so it was notable that it felt the need to build Android Experiments, the platform it launched last year to show developers how weird you can get when building smartphone apps. The crazy interactive “paper planes” demo Google showed off at its I/O developer conference earlier this year is a perfect example of what the company is encouraging developers to do with Android Experiments.
All developers are encouraged to build Android Experiments, but today Google is launching one of its own called Sprayscape. It’s a weird name, but fairly accurate once you start using the app: It turns whatever your camera sees into a virtual spray paint gun that lets you splash the landscape around a 360-degree virtual canvas. The phone’s gyroscope is used to orient your position inside that sphere.
I won’t fault you if that description just made things more confusing. Here’s an example of an image I created using the app. That should clear everything up.
Still confused? I don’t blame you. It took me a long while to figure out how to best use the app, partially because there’s nothing in the way of directions when you launch Sprayscape for the first time. All you see is a black screen with some white grid lines outlining a 360-degree space. It sort of feels like you’re in an empty Photo Sphere (remember those?).
After many failed experiments, I realized that if you tap and hold on the screen, it’ll “spray” whatever the camera sees onto the 360-degree canvas; if you keep your finger on the screen and move the camera around, you’ll start filling in that space with the colors of the world around you.
It’s not altogether different from creating a Photo Sphere, but Sprayscape encourages weirdness and creativity and is absolutely not well-suited to capturing an accurate representation of the world around you. Once I realized that, I started getting weird. I took my phone on a walk and started randomly spraying in whatever was around me as I walked, with no concern for stitching together a coherent scene.
Another time, I tried to “write” on the virtual wall, with little success; there’s only enough room to get in about three letters, and a lack of precision makes it a pretty tricky prospect. That’s fine, though: There isn’t a “right” way to use the app, and it’s clearly meant for experimentation. Ultimately, the creations I liked the best were when I stood in one spot, spinning around to capture as much of the scene as I could. The results evoked where I was standing, but in a blurry, surreal dream-like way. Stitching together results from various locations looked much weirder and disjointed.
Unfortunately, the app is also pretty buggy right now in some crucial ways — namely saving your creations. Once you’re done making your scene, you can tap a save button that’ll upload an image file to your Google Drive account. You can also upload the link to a Sprayscape sharing site that’ll let others view it in their browser, on web or mobile. Viewing in a browser works pretty well, actually; you can pan around the scene by moving your phone, or click and drag around if you’re on a desktop.
But a few times times my creations simply didn’t save to Drive. I’m not sure where they went, but they were gone, never to return. I didn’t exactly mourn the loss of any of my abstract, messy creations, but the overall process for saving and sharing your creations could be a bit smoother. The app also straight-up crashed on me several times, but I’m not going to fault Google too much for that. I’ve been testing a beta version, and I’ll be looking to see if the app that’s now out in Google Play is more stable. The good news is that using the “share” feature to email links around to my weirdo creations seemed to work just about every time — the files just didn’t always end up in Google Drive.
Given Google’s interest in letting people generate their own “VR-ish” content, Sprayscape is a fun tool to achieve those ends. The results can be viewed in Google Cardboard, of course, but Sprayscape creations can still be fun to view in a normal browser. I may not have come up with any great pieces of 360-degree art in the few days I had to play around with the app, but I have little doubt that more skilled souls will use this to make some pretty fascinating landscapes. The app is out now for Android, and Google says that an iOS version will launch soon.
Verizon now says the Pixel will get Android updates immediately
Since it was announced that Verizon was the only US carrier selling Google’s new Pixel smartphone directly, there’s been some confusion about what that’ll mean for Android updates. Originally, it sounded like the Verizon version of the Pixel wouldn’t get Android updates at the same time as the unlocked versions, which meant Verizon customers could end up waiting for the carrier to approve the updates — something that has historically slowed things down significantly. (To refresh your memory, just look at how badly things with when Verizon sold the Galaxy Nexus way back in 2011 and 2012.)
But Verizon now says that it won’t make Pixel owners wait. According to a statement received by Ars Technica, all versions of the Pixel will be updated simultaneously. “First and foremost, all operating system and security updates to the Pixel devices will happen in partnership with Google,” Verizon’s statement reads. “In other words, when Google releases an update, Verizon phones will receive the same update at the same time (much like iOS updates). Verizon will not stand in the way of any major updates and users will get all updates at the same time as Google.”
Verizon also noted that its version of the Pixel is carrier unlocked, and it included three pre-installed apps, all of which can be uninstalled by the user. That’s about as good as we could possibly hope for when talking about an Android phone on Verizon — historically, they’ve been full of uninstallable apps and Android updates could be delayed for months. In fact, this might be the first time Verizon has offered an Android phone that’ll get updates at the same time as unlocked phones sold directly by Google.
Google also confirmed that the Verizon Pixel would get updates simultaneously, saying that “OS updates and monthly security patches will be updated on all Pixel devices (Verizon and non-Verizon versions) simultaneously.” Both of these statements from Verizon and Google are pretty unambiguous, so we’re hoping both companies live up to their words here. Previously, we would have recommended all interested Pixel buyers purchase the phone directly from Google — but if Verizon makes good on its promise, it’ll be hard to fault anyone for buying the phone directly from them.
Source: Ars Technica
Google’s Curio-Cité shows you a different side of Paris
Anyone can visit Paris, but even residents like myself can’t just stroll into Mayor Hidalgo’s office or go backstage (and underneath) the Opéra Garnier, the venue that inspired Phantom of the Opera. So you may be interested in Google’s latest Curio-Cité project that lets you stroll through ten “forgotten corners” of Paris.
Along with a tour of the mayor’s office and opera house, you can see Tour 13, a condemned high-rise building that’s housing the world’s largest street art exhibition. It also takes you to the 145,000 square foot “nave,” or central area of the Grand Palais built for the 1900 Universal Exhibition, on a boat down the Seine river, around Roland Garros stadium, and inside the Arènes de Lutèce, (Lutetian Arena) built between the first second century.
It’s the latest interactive tour for Google, which also offered inside looks at Abbey Road in London and five US national parks. The company has also hinted that there are more Curio-Cité visits to come. Check it out here, on Android or iOS, or Google Cardboard and other virtual reality headsets. It’s not the same as being here in person, but with a baguette, some Camembert, a glass of Bordeaux and a VR headset, you can do a decent simulation.
Source: Google
Download Android 7.1 Nougat in beta later this month
Android version 7.0 Nougat launched to all devices at the end of August, offering some long-overdue quality-of-life upgrades. Weeks later at their Made By Google event, the tech giant teased the mobile OS’ 7.1 update and a few features, like instant chat support and automatic data uploading to the cloud. Today, they’ve announced that it will come out by the end of October for the Nexus 5X and 6P phones as well as Google’s own Pixel C, with the remaining supporting phones added by December.
They also confirmed what 7.1 will bring to the table. Aside from Daydream VR support, most of the new features focus on giving developers more options to spruce up their apps’ functionality. First, they can now make custom shortcuts, much like the ones popping up in iOS via 3D Touch. There’s also support for image keyboards so users can insert stickers or GIFs within apps. For carriers and calling apps, 7.1 has APIs for multi-endpoint calling and telephony configuration. Lastly, developers can now route users to a Settings page to free up storage space by deleting unused files.
While the 7.1 early look is intended for app makers under their Developer Preview program, anyone can apply on the Android Beta site to enroll. There’s no solid date for the version’s full release, but interested tinkerers are encouraged to sign up now to make sure their software works before the Nougat upgrade is unleashed to the public.
Source: Android blog
YouTube acquires FameBit to help creators get that brand money
YouTubers looking to get some of that sweet brand advertiser budget should now have an easier time finding sponsors for their work. Google announced today that YouTube has acquired FameBit, “a technology platform company that helps creators and brands find and work with each other through sponsorships and paid promotion.”
Even prolific creators with strong followings have complained about the disconnect between YouTube fame and YouTube fortune, so Google is hoping the partnership will lead to more opportunities for YouTubers while simultaneously enticing more advertisers to spend their money on the platform. On the one hand, the partnership should clear up some issues creators had with unclear ad guidelines. On the other, it might just make it easier for major national advertisers to get independent creators into their pockets. If everything works out, however, the union of YouTube and FameBit could lead to some hardworking YouTubers finding their right sponsor for their particular brand of weird.
“Creators will always have the choice in how they work with brands,” YouTube’s VP of Product Management Ariel Bardin wrote, “and there are many great companies who provide this service today. This acquisition doesn’t change that.”
Source: YouTube blog
As the Note 7 dies will Google inherit the Android kingdom?
Samsung just officially ended the Note 7, barely two months after it launched. The full implications for Samsung are yet to be seen, but it’s undeniably a huge blow to its mobile reputation. When Mountain View unveiled the “made by Google” Pixel recently, some wondered what it meant for the Android ecosystem. If Google can capitalize on the demise of the Note 7, it could mean a significant shift in the Android hardware landscape. And it could happen faster than anyone thought.
That said, a highish price tag ($769 or $869 for the 32/128GB XL version) and limited carrier options (Verizon in the US/EE in the UK) currently give brands like Samsung, Huawei and LG some breathing room. But, there’s no denying the Note 7 leaves an immediate hole that needs filling, and the Pixel XL could be a logical fit.
Samsung’s Note arguably defined (and then did away with) the term “Phablet.” The first model was “only” 5.3-inches — normal by today’s standards — but this was at a time when the current iPhone had a mere 3.5-inch display. Samsung also normalized the dual-sized flagship strategy. We don’t think anything of a company launching a handset along with a “pro” or “plus” model these days.
While Samsung is oft-maligned (or legally charged) for copying Apple, it’s not hard to argue the Note was the one thing Cupertino envied. Its success was clearly the inspiration for the iPhone Plus. The demise of the Note 7 today is not the end of big phones from Samsung (it makes many of those), but the Note branding may be in danger. And now there’s a gap in the market just ahead of the holidays.
Enter Google Pixel XL
“Made by Google.” That’s how Mountain View sold its Pixel phones to the world at their Californian launch last week. The reality, however, could be that Pixel ends up being made by Samsung. At least in a metaphorical sense. The Pixel line-up was already imposing on Samsung’s turf. The “regular” 5-inch Pixel and a 5.5-inch “XL” version would stand shoulder to shoulder with the 5.1-inch Galaxy S7 and 5.7-inch Note 7.
Then there was the Daydream VR headset that didn’t step, rather trampled on the GearVR’s toes in the mobile virtual reality space. This might not have been a direct attack on Samsung — most phone line-ups resemble this, and Samsung could make Daydream handsets — but the parallels to the Korean giant’s mobile offering were undeniable. Even if Google was ostensibly setting its sights on Apple.
Pixel, on the other hand, needs every chance it can to get it’s hooks in the public’s mind. The Nexus brand never fully managed this. Samsung might have had problems with the Note 7, but it’s dominated Android in terms of both brand recognition and sales. The Pixel, with its fancy AI “Assistant” and big camera boasts had instant tech-appeal, but the relatively high upfront cost and limited carrier options aren’t setting it up for mass appeal.
Google just needs to make the Pixel XL easier, and cheaper to get hold of. Right now, unless you’re on Verizon in the US, you have to either pay upfront or buy direct from Google (and pay monthly on top of your cell plan). And even with a contract, the Pixel isn’t cheap. In the UK EE is the only direct operator, but it’s available on other networks via one online retailer. Not to mention that, ironically, with Samsung’s Note out of the way, Google’s biggest competition for the Pixel XL could be the relatively affordable Moto Z ($624) from the formerly Google-owned Motorola.
Here’s the big question: Can Google position the Pixel XL at a more competitive price and mop up the Note 7 market? Then address the second issue: getting it sold through more operators. It’s not clear if Google’s exclusivity deal with Verizon is just for the launch window, or the life of the phone (we’ve asked). But, getting more operators onboard seems the most sure fire way for Mountain View to get the Pixel into the largest amount of hands, quickly.
Google’s newly appointed (and formerly Motorola) hardware boss Rick Osterloh proudly told Bloomberg “[Pixel,] it’s ours.” Osterloh was referring to Pixel being the first phone designed in house (albeit assembled by HTC). He was perhaps also reasserting Google’s place in the hardware game (and moving away from the experimental Nexus Q, and Google Glass era). We’re sure Google wasn’t expecting Samsung to help with its goal, but the Note 7’s demise could be the surprise gift Pixel needed.
Google’s Project Fi now has family plans
If you don’t use a ton of data, Google’s Project Fi (a cell phone service that jumps between Sprint, T-Mobile and US Cellular, depending on signal strength) is one of the better deals in wireless. Now, Google’s making it a bit easier and cheaper to use if you have a family: the company is rolling out group plans starting today. If you’re a Project Fi user, you can add up to six total people to your plan. Each additional user costs $15 per month for unlimited talk and text, down from the $20 Project Fi charges when starting up service on your own. Data stays at the same $10 per GB rate that Fi has always offered.
As before, you only get charged for what you use: if you have 10GB of data on your plan, that’ll add $100 a month to your bill in addition to the charges for each line. But if you only use 8GB, you’ll get $20 back on your next bill. And if you go over by 500MB, Google adds $5 to your bill.
Project Fi’s group plans include safeguards to keep your data usage under control, also. You can set different alerts and caps for your group members — so if you only want your kids using 2GB of data a month, it’ll shut them down after that point, for example.
It’s hard to compare Project Fi’s costs to other carriers because no one else really offers a plan like this, but things could get expensive quick if you use a lot of data. But no other carrier offers you money back for unused data, and there’s a lot to like about Project Fi beyond that — there’s no contract, and group members can be added or dropped at any time. That same reasonable data rate applies in dozens of international locations. If you’ve ever tried to take a phone abroad using Verizon or AT&T, Fi can be a godsend.
Perhaps the biggest drawback to Project Fi is that it only works with three phones: the brand-new Pixel series, the Nexus 5X and the Nexus 6P. To make starting out with Fi a little less expensive, Google is offering discounts on the 5X and 6P: the 6P now starts at $399. The Nexus 5X still costs $199, the same price Project Fi has offered it at for a while now. And it’s about time Google slash the price on the 6P, given that it’s a year old now with a shiny new successor out in the field.
If you’re a Project Fi user and want to add members to your group plan, the feature is live today. You can add users by visiting your Project Fi account page online.
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