Google executives talk Snowden and NSA backdoors during AMA
Senior members of Google’s public policy team took to Reddit today to discuss the company’s stance on government surveillance reform and the pending expiration of Section 215 of the Patriot Act that allows for the bulk collection of phone records. Google’s director for law enforcement and information security, Richard Salgado and David Lieber, its senior privacy policy counsel took part in the discussion. Judging by the responses, the AMA didn’t start as smoothly as they probably hoped. The very first answer about Google being hacked by individuals in China in 2009 seemed extremely canned and prompted the reply, “that is a non-answer. Did the PR team type it up for you?” After that, the answers got a bit more genuine.
They called the federal appeals court ruling that Section 215 doesn’t give the NSA authorization to collect phone records in bulk “great news” and reiterated that Google does not build backdoors into its services and does not have a surveillance portal. When asked about Edward Snowden and his actions — which include leaking data the inferred that Google does have a surveillance portal — Lieber wrote: “too much of the debate around Snowden has focused on whether he’s a hero or traitor. It’s fair to say that we would not be having this debate without Snowden’s disclosures.”
Lieber also noted that some government officials have “expressed concerns” about Google’s deployment and use of end-to-end encryption. But that the company is doing so to safeguard its customers against identify theft.
[Image credit: Associated Press]
Filed under: Misc, Internet, Google
Source: Reddit
Google said ready to give Android users more privacy controls
According to Bloomberg Business, which received information from people who asked not to be identified because of confidentiality, Google plans to give Android users more control over what type of information applications can access. It speculates that this could include photos, contacts, or location-based apps, which would make Android more similar to Apple’s iOS.
Last year, Google made it easier for users to know what permissions apps requested upon attempting to download or update them. If they did not like the permissions, then they could easily cancel the process. Soon, these new settings would let individuals choose what accesses an app can have.
The post Google said ready to give Android users more privacy controls appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Download and install latest Google Play Store 5.5.9 APK (Material Design)
The Google Play Store has just received a version bump, bringing it to version 5.5.9 and few minor changes, only days after version 5.5.8 was released.
What’s New
– There doesn’t seem to be anything major included in this version, and giving the small bump in version number appears only to be a patch to pick up some loose ends from 5.5.8.
Of course, there could be more undisclosed under the hood performance enhancements not immediately noticeable.
If like me you like to be on the cutting edge of developments, you can go ahead and grab the latest Google Play Store 5.5.9 APK from here.
Notice anything else different in the newest version of the Google Play Store? Drop us a comment below.
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German automakers on route to buy Nokia Here
A new report has surfaced indicated German automakers Audi, BMW and Daimler have partnered with Chinese search giant Baidu in an effort to buy the Nokia Here business unit from Nokia. The mapping unit appears to be valued at more than €2 billion ($2.2 billion USD) according to the reports, but more importantly will help the automakers stave off Google’s entry into the self-driving car market. At least, that is what the automakers are hoping.
In order to eventually produce self-driving cars, manufacturers will have to secure a solid set of maps to be used by the vehicle’s computers. Google’s digital maps are some of the most widely deployed and used, but Nokia’s Here maps have received praise since their release. Google makes their Maps product free and according to sources, “The greatest threat to the automobile industry would be if Google developed an operating system for self-driving cars and made it available free to everyone.”
The automakers appear to be looking at the history of what Google did with the smartphone market. As companies like Microsoft and Apple appeared to be poised to take over the market in the early days, Google snapped up Android and then released it for free to device makers. The rest, as they say, is history as Google’s Android has gone on to dominate the market with around an 80% share around the world.
Sources indicate the deal could close within two weeks.
source: Business Insider
Come comment on this article: German automakers on route to buy Nokia Here
5 Android Apps you shouldn’t miss this week! – Android Apps Weekly
brightcove.createExperiences();
Sponsored by: CubX
[Price: Free]
CubX is a puzzle game that employs a unique spin on the game of Tetris. Instead of controlling the blocks and where they fall, you instead control the platform that they fall on. Blocks can come from both the bottom and the top and you can engage in various game modes to challenge yourself. It’s a bit difficult at first but quite enjoyable once you get used to it. It’s also totally free with no in-app purchases.
Hello and welcome back to Android Apps Weekly! Here are the big headlines from the last week:
- The latest Humble Bundle came out this last week and it features some great games. You can pay whatever you want and get The Last Express, Spaceteam, and Tilt to Live 2. If you beat the average, you can have Monument Valley, Blek, and Joe Danger. It’s a cheap way to get some great games and give to charity.
- Google is currently testing a new method of converting websites so that they load four times faster and consume 80% less data. This is great news for people in countries like India and Indonesia where data connections aren’t so good and it’ll help the rest of us a little bit too.
- Google has also officially acquired an app called Timeful. Timeful is an app that combines to-do lists, calendar, and scheduling all in one place and then tries to help people get it all done. Ostensibly, Google will be using this in their own products to make them smarter.
- Everyone remembers Snake, the classic mobile game that used to come on old cell phones. The original creator has announced that he is launching a sequel called Snake Rewind to the Google Play Store. We don’t have an exact release date but it’ll be out this month.
- In our last bit of news this week, a woman got out of a hostage situation by ordering a pizza. She convinced her attacker to let her order some pizza for her kids and used the special instructions box in the Pizza Hut app to ask them to phone for help. Everyone made it out okay and the hostage taker is now in jail. Awesome.
To see the rest of the Android apps and games headlines, news, releases, and updates, don’t forget to check out this week’s newsletter. We have a lot more stuff in there that we couldn’t fit into the show and we release every single Friday. If you want to, you can also subscribe to it using your email address and we’ll beam it straight to your inbox every single Friday.
Subscribe to our Android Apps Weekly newsletter!
GoatZ
[Price: $4.99]
GoatZ is essentially a mashup of Goat Simulator and DayZ. You’ll play the totally realistic life of a goat as you battle zombies and try not to get run over by cars. Or you might be are trying to get run over by cars. Either way, it’s a goofy and fun little game that includes a crafting system, a large map, zombies, and of course the usual mayhem that comes from these games. It’s $4.99 but there are no in-app purchases.
Chrome Dev Channel
[Price: Free]
Google Chrome eventually gets updated and Chrome beta gets some stuff sooner but if you really want the bleeding edge of what Google is working on, then you want the Chrome Dev channel app. It is a web browser where Google tests out the latest features, patches, and fixes before it heads out anywhere else. There will almost certainly be bugs but it’s a lot of fun if you’re into seeing what Google has cooking right now.
SNL: Saturday Night Live
[Price: Free]
If you’re a fan of SNL then you’ll definitely want to pick this up. The app features the ability to watch all kinds of old sketches, highlights from the current season, and the lineup of upcoming hosts. You can search for old clips by season, episode, or by the cast members that were in them. It’ll also recommend other sketches based on what you like. There is even some exclusive content. Like I said, all fans should have this.
Meerkat
[Price: Free]
Apps like Meerkat and Periscope have been making headlines for their ease of use and ability to stream anything. Now, the Meerkat app is live in the Play Store although it is in beta right now. It allows you to stream live video from your smartphone camera to Twitter. You can also get notified of other people streaming if you follow them and they use Meerkat. It’s totally free but again, it’s a beta so beware of bugs.
Grim Fandango Remastered
[Price: $9.99 on sale (usually $14.99)]
Last up this week, Double Fine released a remastered version of the PC cult classic Grim Fandango. It’s pretty much the same game fans will remember but now on mobile with a few enhancements like a revamped soundtrack, developer commentary, and new graphics. The game is on sale right now for $9.99. There are some release day bugs so buyer beware but those should be straightened out sometime soon.
Wrap up
That’s it for this week folks! If we missed any great Android apps or games news, let us know in the comments!
Google adds food delivery option to search results
Google voice search has evolved considerably over the last year or so, bringing cards that describe illnesses, cards for different types of drinks, and most recently adding voice command support for an increasing number of third party apps. Now Google is aiming to make it easier than ever to order takeout.
To use the feature you’ll need to perform a search for a restaurant that offers deliveries, you’ll then see an option under the restaurant listing that reads “Place an Order”. Clicking on this will let you pick to use one of six different delivery services: Seamless, Grubhub, Eat24, Delivery.com, BeyondMenu, or MyPizza.com. While supporting just six services (initially in the US only) makes this option pretty limited, the good news is that Google says it plans to roll out support for more services, and perhaps even more countries, in the future.
What do you think of this latest feature, something you could see yourself using? What other new Google search options would you like to see Google add in the future? Let us know in the comments.
Huawei Nexus device rumoured to have Snapdragon 810 and Quad HD display
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We’ve heard rumours that have said Chinese manufacturer, Huawei, will be the next Nexus smartphone manufacturer, and today we get another rumour to strengthen the case for that. Specifically, the rumour comes from Weibo page of Chinese analyst firm, Pan Jiutang, and alleges that this Huawei Nexus smartphone will have a 5.7-inch Quad HD display and be powered by a Snapdragon 810 processor.
Both of these things would seem very logical for a 2015 flagship device, however a few things stick out like a sore thumb. Huawei so far has not favoured Quad HD displays, waving them off and using 1080p displays instead. Furthermore, Huawei likes to use its own Kirin processors, and these two facts suggest that either Google has demanded that these parts be used in the manufacture of said Nexus device, or the rumour could be untrue. Or maybe it’s somewhere inbetween these two options. Whatever is the truth, Google I/O isn’t too far away now, so perhaps we’ll find out something there in a month’s time.
What do you think about a Huawei Nexus device with a Snapdragon 810 processor and Quad HD display? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Weibo via Phone Arena
The post Huawei Nexus device rumoured to have Snapdragon 810 and Quad HD display appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Bloomberg: Google improving controls for Android app permissions soon
It’s always a little concerning when a battery management app needs access to your location and contacts. According to Bloomberg, Google’s poised to ease that anxiety by improving control over what apps can access in Android. According to its sources, an update to the operating system — possibly coming ant Google’s I/O event this month — would allow users to switch off access to things individually, similar to how app management in Facebook works. Features like those described were discovered in Android, hidden, as far back as 2013. If you’re using one of Android’s most famous forks, you’ve had them since 2011. Google eventually removed the hidden controls, perhaps to prevent incomplete tools from interfering with apps not primed for the change, but now it seems they’re ready for prime time. How will your torch cope without knowing all your friends’ names, and where you are? We’ll just have to wait and see.
Filed under: Cellphones, Google
Source: Bloomberg
Huawei’s Nexus phone to feature 5.7-in screen and Snapdragon 810 – Chinese analyst
Confirming older rumors about an upcoming Nexus device manufactured by Huawei, a respected Chinese analyst reveal some key features of the device.
The analyst is Jiutang Pan, Research Head at the Shenzhen Huaqiang Electronics Research Institute specializing in the value chain of the electronics industry of China. Pan has authored several papers on the electronics industry and has accurately leaked details about upcoming devices from Chinese companies, including Xiaomi, Meizu, and Huawei. Most recently, Pan revealed the specifications of MediaTek’s next generation Helio X20 system on a chip.
Posting on Weibo, Jiutang Pan claims the Huawei-made Nexus will feature a 5.7-inch display of 2K (Quad HD) resolution and that it will be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 810 processor. The device is said to be slated for the second half of the year, though that’s not a hard prediction to make given we’re close to June already.
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If this is accurate, the Huawei Nexus shapes up to be a high-end affair, and one of a more manageable size, following the 5.96-inch monster that is the Nexus 6.
There’s a lot of sense in Google teaming up with a Chinese manufacturer for a Nexus device. Huawei, and its local peers like ZTE, Xiaomi, and even Lenovo, are the most dynamic Android OEMs right now. More importantly, they are the players that are winning market share in developing countries, where most new smartphone users are coming from. Plus, Google has a strong incentive to team with a Chinese player, as it hopes to return to the bustling Chinese market, potentially this year. Sundar Pichai himself said at MWC 2015 that Google plans to work with a local company to make this happen, and Huawei fits the bill perfectly.
How do you feel about a 5.7-inch Snapdragon 810 Nexus smartphone?
Google Voice customers will lose features when switching to Google Fi
Engadget has reported that Google’s upcoming cellular service, Fi, lacks Voice features, including calls, texting, and voicemail within Talk, Voice, and Obihai. However, these options are available currently in Hangouts, as long as you have them turned on, in addition to call forwarding and voicemail transcripts. It’s possible that these features will come to Fi in time.
That’s not all to the new service. AndroidCentral has made it clear that, counter to previous speculation, Fi does not destroy a user’s Voice account upon activating it. Fi relies on the same infrastructure as Voice. As I mentioned previously, Hangouts can be used to forward calls and access transcripts, and you are able to call and text from within Hangouts, as well.
Fi just gives the option to use a mobile carrier service running on T-Mobile and Sprint’s networks. Plus, the service allows you to pay exactly for what resources you use. Of course, you still can use WiFi, too.
Should you have any more questions or are interested generally in Fi, head over to this Reddit AMA of user idreamincode who received an early invite. He or she explains that user projectfisimon, a commenter in the thread, is a Google representative for the project who can answer questions about the service.
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