Google releases new crop of Chromebooks for the Indian market
Google has just teamed up with a couple of OEMs in India to bring a new set of Chromebooks to the region. The Mountain View giant has teamed up with XOLO and Nexian in the region and aims to target the budget segment.
The Chromebooks are super affordable, making them an attractive proposition for students and people who are simply looking to give Chrome OS a go. These Chromebooks were spotted in an ad recently as well, so we’ve been anticipating its arrival for quite some time now.
Both Chromebooks are running on Rockchip SoCs, so the users can’t expect much in terms of performance. Initial hands-on opinions of the devices suggest that the XOLO offering looks to be more refined in terms of ergonomics and overall design.
As for the pricing, the XOLO Chromebook will be available through local retailer Snapdeal for Rs.12,999 ($204). The Chromebook by Nexian will be available through Amazon India and carries the same price tag.
Both Chromebooks carry the same 11.6 inch display, so it’s very hard to differentiate in terms of hardware or even the price for that matter. The Chromebooks also have 16GB of onboard storage (expandable), 2GB of RAM and 4,200 mAh battery units.
Source: Amazon India, Snapdeal
Via: Tech Crunch
Come comment on this article: Google releases new crop of Chromebooks for the Indian market
Literata is the new official font of Google Play Books
Google has announced a new default font for Play Books, designed for easy readability. The new font is called Literata, and looks pretty slick, as you can see above.
The change should affect the default font in your books, but Google still offers a few other options if you’re just not crazy about Literata.
source: Google
Come comment on this article: Literata is the new official font of Google Play Books
The top 15 smartphones you can buy right now
It’s been a while since we took time out to list our favorite smartphones, which means we’ve had to make more than a few updates to our buyer’s guide. Big players like LG, HTC, Samsung and Motorola have unleashed a flurry of updates to their previous lines, and in most cases the devices are better for it. The G Flex2 has restored our confidence in LG’s curvacious form factor, piling on strong internals and improved specs. Samsung stepped up its game for the with the gorgeous Galaxy S6, while HTC built on the success of its One line to bring us the M9. Motorola added LTE to the Moto E for 2015 and partnered with Google to launch the super-sized Nexus 6. There are plenty of options for all budgets and power requirements, so cruise through the gallery or head over to our buyer’s guide for help picking out your next daily driver.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Apple, Samsung, Sony, Microsoft, HTC, Nokia, Google, LG
Google unveils two new budget-friendly Chromebooks for India
Google has just introduced two new sub-$250 Chromebooks, which are now available for purchase online in India. Manufactured by Nexian and Xolo, these Chromebooks will offer consumers an inexpensive alternative to other low-cost laptops available in the country.
Both new devices feature essentially the same specifications, with an 11.6-inch TFT display with a resolution of 1366 x 768, a 1.8GHz quad-core Cortex-A17 processor, a Mali-T764 GPU, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of on-board storage, a 4200mAh battery and a 1MP 720p built-in webcam. Of course, both Chromebooks also have expandable memory and come with 100GB of Google Drive storage space for two years.
The Nexian Chromebook will normally retail for ₹13,499 ($212), though it’s currently available on Amazon for the sale price of ₹12,999. The Xolo Chromebook is now available through Snapdeal for just ₹12,999, as well.
Google also explained that more budget-friendly Chromebooks will be available in India sometime soon from manufacturers such as Asus, Samsung and a number of other Indian hardware makers.
Google partners with the University of Washington to make stunning timelapses from public photos
Millions of images are uploaded to photo-sharing websites every day, but many go unseen by members of the public as it’s only those with a larger following that gain attention.
However, Google teamed up with the University of Washington to develop a fully automated way to make use of these unseen pictures by creating time-lapse videos of popular tourist landmarks using shots from Flickr, Picasa and other sites.
If you’d like to see some examples of the time-lapses created using the software, check out the breathtaking video below:
Come comment on this article: Google partners with the University of Washington to make stunning timelapses from public photos
Google partners with the University of Washington to make stunning timelapses from public photos
Millions of images are uploaded to photo-sharing websites every day, but many go unseen by members of the public as it’s only those with a larger following that gain attention.
However, Google teamed up with the University of Washington to develop a fully automated way to make use of these unseen pictures by creating time-lapse videos of popular tourist landmarks using shots from Flickr, Picasa and other sites.
If you’d like to see some examples of the time-lapses created using the software, check out the breathtaking video below:
Come comment on this article: Google partners with the University of Washington to make stunning timelapses from public photos
Google researchers create amazing timelapses from public photos
There are a zillion digital photos in the public domain and scientists have just figured out something very cool to do with them. A team from Google and the University of Washington have developed a fully automated way to create time-lapse videos of popular tourists landmarks using images from Flickr, Picasa and other sites. Here’s how it works: first, the researchers sorted some 86 million photos by geographic location, looking for widely snapped landmarks. Next, the photos were ordered by date and warped so that all had a matching viewpoint. Lastly, each photo was color-corrected to have a similar appearance, resulting in uniform time-lapse videos (below).
The videos aren’t just breathtaking, but also illuminating. For instance, they show glaciers receding, waterfalls evolving and skyscrapers sprouting (above), making them useful tools for geologists or builders. The science that went into the time-lapses is also interesting, as researchers combined various techniques in warping, stabilization and color normalizing to make it work. Many sequences contain over 1,000 images and took around six hours to render on a single computer. The best part is that even though it’s a fun form of crowdsourcing, it doesn’t require participants to do anything but be a tourist.
Via: Prosthetic KNowledge
Source: University of Washington
Android Authority this week – May 17, 2015
Android fans, this week was relatively quiet, but we’ve still got a few glimpses of exciting new devices coming soon. HTC launched yet another high-end smartphone in Japan and hinted it may try its luck with a low-end tablet; Xiaomi opened up its store in Europe, while specs of its next Redmi device leaked out; Google launched a new and greatly improved Android One device and issued a big update to its Play Music web app; the Galaxy S6 Active surfaced; Oppo revealed its R7 and R7 Plus; and Asus revealed it’ll launch a new smartwatch at Computex.
Inside AA HQ
Inside AA HQ
We’re already in May, and that means we’re heading for an interesting time in the mobile industry, as companies rush to make their big announcements before the inevitable summer lull. Without doubt, the most interesting upcoming event is Google I/O on May 28; with Android M all but confirmed to be announced at the conference, it looks that we’ll have another preview edition to geek over in the summer months.
New devices are coming: Oppo has the R7 and R7 Plus launching next week, and Josh will be in China to cover it. Back in the States, Nvidia has an Android gaming announcement, Asus is about to launch the Zenfone 2, and Huawei has a surprise for early June. Computex is taking place in Taipei in the first week of June and we expect a smattering of Android tablets and Asus’ new smartwatch. And there’s E3, and given how mobile is becoming a key focus for companies like Nintendo, Konami, or Square Enix, we look forward to quite a few interesting mobile gaming announcements.
We’re expanding our team with some bright new people, including an absolute expert in electronics and electrical engineering. Expect some great deep-level articles on the topic soon.
As always, take a few seconds to enter our weekly giveaway, this week we are giving away a Samsung Galaxy S6! You never know when luck strikes and you get yourself a hot Android device!
Android Authority Podcast
The stuff you shouldn’t miss
- Feature: What does Samsung need to do to make the next Tab S a hit?
- Tech talk: The race to add more cores to mobile SoCs continues, and that’s actually not a bad idea
- Feature: The Note 5 is coming, and it has some big shoes to fill – Andrew explains
- Tips: Nirave looks at how to improve the battery life of the Galaxy S6 Edge
- Review: The Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3 is one of the best budget phones of the year, thinks Josh
- Feature: Truths and myths about the cell phones radiation and its effects on our health
- Feature: We’re almost half through the year: what cool Android phones should we expect in late 2015?
- Opinion: Simon discusses the pros and cons of Google adopting a yearly release cycle for Android
Top news of the week
And here are the top news in the Android world this week:
Xiaomi rumors and new store
- Next Xiaomi Redmi rumors: 1080p, octa-core and Isocell camera
- Xiaomi beta testing its UK accessory store (Update: France, Germany and US too!)
HTC thinking about a cheap tablet
New Android One
Galaxy S6 Active leaks
HTC J Butterfly
This is the Oppo R7
Google app updates
- Google to shut down editing in Map Maker following the peeing Android fiasco
- Google Play Music’s web interface updated with huge Material Design refresh
- Chromecast support makes its way to CBS, HGTV, FOX and many others
- Google Fit receives distance tracking, history, a new widget and more in new update
New ZenWatch
Sound off
We always want to hear your feedback. Whether it’s criticism or praise, feel free to tell us what you think about Android Authority’s content, design, and community. Comment here or get in touch with us on our social channels:
Happy Sunday!
Huawei produced Nexus smartphone based on Mate 8
Sources in China claim that the forthcoming Huawei-produced Google Nexus smartphone will be based on a prototype of the manufacturer’s Mate 8 smartphone. Previous leaks have suggested the next Nexus smartphone will have a 5.7-inch 2K display which would be consistent with the Mate 8 from Huawei.
However, the Mate 8 is slated to be powered by Huawei’s in-house produced Kirin 930 processor. The next Nexus is believed to be equipped with a Snapdragon 810 processor despite the controversy swirling around that chip. This newest source indicates the Nexus device could be powered by a Kirin 950 chip, which is likely Huawei’s next generation following the Kirin 930.
Other hardware details are still unclear, especially the construction of the device. If based on the Mate 8, the new Nexus device should give the impression of a high quality smartphone, possibly employing a metal chassis and lots of glass.
source: MyDrivers.net
via: GizmoChina
Come comment on this article: Huawei produced Nexus smartphone based on Mate 8
Browse your recent Google Play tunes on your Android Wear watch
Google Play Music just got a lot more convenient… if you’re using a cutting-edge Android wearable, that is. Smartwatches running the new Android Wear 5.1.1 update (such as the LG Watch Urbane) now let you browse your recent Play Music items. If you’re bent on finishing an album or can’t stop revisiting a favorite playlist, you no longer have to pull your phone out of your pocket. You can also check out All Access radio stations if you’re in the mood for some variety. This upgrade won’t be much help if you want to sift through your whole collection, but it could save you a lot of time when you’re listening on the move.
Filed under: Wearables, Software, Mobile, Google
Source: Android Central
AIVAnet 