Man Proposes with Google Cardboard VR

As we all know, everyone loves viral internet videos and marriage proposals, especially when they’re combined with a clever idea. This time, the proposal game is taken to an entirely different reality: a fellow proposed to his fiancée using Google’s Cardboard VR headset.

The idea is genius, and his execution is flawless. Expect to see more of the same as virtual reality becomes more mainstream. Watch the video below, then let us know what you think in the comments section!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Source: Phandroid

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Google served with complaint regarding deceptive ads on YouTube Kids

Various advocacy groups are coming together in an effort to get the Federal Trade Commission to investigate the possibility of deceptive advertisements being placed on YouTube Kids. The complaint submitted to the FTC points out that Google has neglected to define a difference between advertisements and user-generated content from the service itself. Also, spacing between videos and advertisements is nonexistent.

Viewers, especially children, are not able to understand whether select content has been user-generated or professionally produced. Even when products are being endorsed on YouTube Kids, there may be a lack of disclosure of the relationships with product manufacturers. This area of concern is most noticeable with unboxing videos. Were the products purchased or provided by the manufacturer? If it is the latter, the content producer should note the relationship.

The issue of continuous streaming does not allow for a separation of videos and advertisements. Television is slightly different in that there are bumpers to separate the two. Even worse is that entire channels can go unnoticed as promotional. Viewers can go minutes before seeing actual content and not an advertisement.

The following is YouTube’s statement:

“When developing YouTube Kids we consulted with numerous partners and child advocacy and privacy groups. We are always open to feedback on ways to improve the app.”

Source: FTC (Docstoc)
Via: The Verge

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Complete Star Wars movie collection coming to Google Play on April 10

Star Wars has been one of the most popular movie franchises in history, but one thing it lacked was digital availability. That is all changing as it will now be available digitally starting this Friday, April 10.

This means it will be available on Google Play, and it will also be available on iTunes, Vudu, Amazon, Verizon Fios, Xbox Video, and Disney Movies Anywhere.

You can pre-order the entire collection now for $89.99 from Google Play. Not only will you get all 6 movies, but you will also get a bunch of bonus material like deleted scenes, interviews, and behind-the-scenes stuff.

And don’t forget, if you purchase it on Google Play, you can link it to your Disney Movies Anywhere account making it available to watch on iTunes or Google Play for just one purchase.

We have the pre-order link below the commercial video spot….

Click here to view the embedded video.

source: Google Play

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Google may be working on new Meeting platform

Google Plus user Florian Kiersch has stumbled upon a new product that Google may be working on called GMeet. The application appears to be an online conferencing solution, possibly built on top of Google’s Hangouts platform. There is not much information available about what GMeet can do since it appears Google is limiting access to their own staff, but it looks like it might be similar to services like GoToMeeting or WebEx.

Hangouts already possesses many of the features of other online conferencing solutions, although it may not be readily apparent to end users. If the GMeet app is using Hangouts’ backbone, the app could just be an extra interface layer designed to make it easier for users to deploy, especially in a business environment.

Google has not issued any statements about GMeet, so it is not clear whether this is a platform the company is developing to eventually be available as a business or consumer-oriented product or whether Google will just use it internally as a way to involve internal and external people in meetings and events.

Do you think Google needs something better than the current Hangouts platform to compete as an online meeting provider?

source: +Florian Kiersch (Mortes)
via: Phandroid

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Parents groups take concerns about YouTube Kids to the FTC

There are plenty of rules about what you can and can’t do on kids’ tv, but not a lot of those rules automatically carry over to the internet. That’s why a posse of advocacy groups is asking the FTC to investigate if YouTube’s kids-only service is breaking laws on unfair and deceptive marketing. According to a report by the San Jose Mercury, these groups believe that YouTube Kids also contravenes FCC rules about advertising to young children that have been in place since the ’70s.

The meat of the complaint is that YouTube Kids is a bit of a wasteland regards regulating what’s being put in front of children. For instance, adverts for the show My Little Pony stand side-by-side clips from the same show, but when you click through the clips, you’re actually presented with commercials. Then, there’s the issue that companies like McDonalds have channels on the service that produces promotional videos styled as news reports.

The group also wants Google to pull all unboxing videos from the app, describing an example clip as “in effect, a seven minute commercial.” The charge leveled at the company is that there’s no guarantee that the clips are fan created, and that they act a lot more like toy advertising than, say, entertainment content. It seems like a near impossible task for Google to deal with, however, since almost all of the site’s content is user-submitted.

It’d be easy to dismiss these concerns as the bellyaching of overprotective parents, but the list of signatories includes heavyweights like the Center for Digital Democracy and Consumer Watchdog. Medical practitioner groups are also signing the document, including the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Studies have shown that young children lack the cognitive ability to resist advertising, making them overly susceptible to craving the latest toy. For its part, YouTube told the Mercury that it “consulted with numerous partners, child advocacy and privacy groups,” and would always accept feedback on how to improve the app. Whatever happens, this one is likely to run and run.

Filed under: Internet, Google

Comments

Source: San Jose Mercury, DocStoc.com (.PDF)

Google and ChowNow team up to offer mobile payments via Wallet at several restaurants

Google has teamed up with ChowNow in bringing Wallet to several other restaurants across the U.S. Thanks to this newly forged partnership, thousands of small restaurants will allow users to make payments for their meal using Google Wallet.

Most restaurants have also updated their mobile apps by adding the new Google Wallet option during checkout. Any new restaurants that will be added to the ChowNow network will have support for Google Wallet by default, which is good news.

This move will mean that users will not require to manually input their Google Wallet credentials for every app, thus saving time. ChowNow caters to a small group of small town eateries which only the locals might be aware of, but still, it’s a good move by Google which should increase adoption of its mobile wallet service to a great extent.

Catch the full press release after the break:

Google Partners With ChowNow To Bring Google Wallet To Thousands Of Independent Restaurants

The addition of Google Wallet makes mobile ordering easier than ever for customers and restaurant owners

LOS ANGELES, April 6, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — ChowNow, the online ordering and marketing platform for restaurants, is proud to announce a new partnership with Google that brings Google Wallet to thousands of independent restaurants across the United States. As of today all ChowNow restaurant clients’ ordering apps have been updated to include Google Wallet at no additional cost, and all new restaurant clients will receive it as a standard feature.

“We continue to uphold our mission of helping independent restaurants compete with larger chains by providing them with technology that would be both difficult and cost-prohibitive for them to build themselves,” said Chris Webb, CEO of ChowNow.

The addition of Google Wallet benefits both restaurants and their customers. Rather than manually inputting their credit card number and billing address, customers with an Android phone can simply tap the “Buy with Google” button. As a result of the added convenience and reduced ordering times, restaurants should see increased order volumes, and hence a more profitable to-go business. With 70 million Android phones currently in use the addition of Google Wallet has broad appeal.

“In addition to increased convenience, Google Wallet also offers an extra layer of security to both consumers and restaurants,” says Webb. With Google Wallet Fraud Protection 100% of verified unauthorized Google Wallet transactions in the US are covered. “At ChowNow we pride ourselves in strengthening the relationship between our restaurant clients and their customers, and now that relationship is stronger and more secure than ever. This partnership is a win for everyone involved.”

For more information on ChowNow, please visit: ChowNow.com

For more information on Google Wallet, please visit: Google.com/Wallet

Source: Google Play Store

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Google MVNO might offer free global roaming

Google has been working on their own MVNO, as has been reported earlier this year. While not a whole lot has been announced officially, lots of rumors have been spreading as to what this might look like, such as Google being able to offer service plans for cheap by purchasing them in bulk (sort of like a Costco for mobile network plans). Another rumor is that this service won’t be tied to just one carrier or cellular data type, but rather your phone will just use whichever carrier is offering the better service at the moment you’re using it. So if you live in San Francisco, you might regularly be using T-Mobile’s network, but when you travel to Los Angeles, Sprint might have better service, so your phone will automatically connect to that (no actual evidence supporting that, just an example). It looks like Google might offer this globally as well.

According to Telegraph, Google is in talks with mobile service provider giant Hutchison Whampoa to offer users free service when traveling internationally, much like T-Mobile currently does. Hutchison Whampoa is already trying to do this across Europe with its Three UK mobile network. So this partnership would be quite natural. However, if this deal between Google and Hutchison Whampoa is successful, than Google might be able to offer service globally for the same, low-cost. If Google can achieve that, than it will do a lot to place pressure on the mobile carriers, where pressure is much-needed these days.

via AndroidCentral

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Google partners with ChowNow to bring Google Wallet to thousands of restaurants

ChowNow, an online ordering and marketing platform for restaurants, has partnered with Google to bring Google Wallet to thousands of restaurants across the United States.  As of today, any restaurant who is a client of ChowNow, can now allow customers to pay using Google Wallet through their phones or tablets.  Having the ability to pay with Google Wallet is much easier for the customers as well as the restaurants.

Since ChowNow is an online ordering service, customers were forced to manually input their credit card number and billing address to place an order.  Now customers can open their Google Wallet app, and click “pay” like they would do for buying a movie or an app through the Google Play store.

Google and ChowNow have just made it that much easier to spend your money.

Press release

The post Google partners with ChowNow to bring Google Wallet to thousands of restaurants appeared first on AndroidGuys.

Google working on small wireless network project in overseas markets

Sources have revealed that Google is engaged in talks with Hong Kong conglomerate Hutchison Whampoa, owner of U.K. wireless carrier Three, to establish a “small scale” mobile network. The network does not appear to be one that consumers could sign up for regular service, serving instead as a means for U.S. travelers to use their phones while traveling abroad without incurring expensive international charges. Ultimately the wireless service in overseas locations would be tied back to Google’s attempt to create a U.S.-based mobile network to compete with the existing major carriers.

The ability to offer international calling and data support at no-cost or at a very low cost would put Google in a position to put some pressure on U.S. carriers. Sources suggest Google is interested in driving major carriers to reduce their pricing for services so the profit margin is more in line with overseas carriers. This makes sense for Google who would want access to be as cheap as possible so as to keep more customers online using Google services.

Besides the price pressure Google may eventually bring to bear, sources think Google’s move may also put more pressure on carriers to create more extensive coverage with WiFi based hotspots. Consumers may also see more pressure on carriers to reduce or eliminate roaming charges. Three is already pushing for their elimination and it appears European regulators may be planning to address the issue as well.

source: The Telegraph

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