40 third-party apps pick up Google Now cards support
Google Now and the associated cards that come along with it is one very handy little addition to the Android world. Google is now integrating more apps into the Google Now experience and will be delivering context aware cards from 40 various apps and services that might already be installed on your device. The list […]
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Google’s 3D-sensing Project Tango is no longer an experiment
Yet another project is graduating from experiment to proper part of Google. Only two weeks ago, Glass left the confines of the Skunk Works-like Google X and became its own division headed up by Nest co-founder Tony Fadell. Now Project Tango, the 3D-sensing and -mapping concept, is moving on from the ATAP (Advanced Technology and Projects) labs to become a part of the company proper. Unfortunately what that means for the technology or what products it might eventually end up in isn’t exactly clear. Will the next Nexus sport a depth-sensing IR camera? Maybe. Or perhaps they’ll be used to build more advanced home automation and home monitoring tools for Nest. All we do know is that Tango will live on, even if the name “Project Tango” eventually fades away.
Filed under: Cellphones, Cameras, Tablets, Google
Source: Google ATAP (Google+)
Google will accept Glassware despite Glass being paused
Two weeks ago, the Google Glass Explorer program was shuttered. The entire future of Google Glass was questioned and existing owners of the smart glasses expressed concern over software support. Fortunately, developers will still be able to submit Glassware to make available on MyGlass.
Here is the statement a Glass representative provided to 9to5Google:
For now, you can still build Glassware, submit it for review, and after a successful review, release it on MyGlass. It’s never a wasted effort to experiment and innovate with a new form factor. There’s so much to learn with a new paradigm for computing such as Glass and the best way to learn is to build something and test. That said, it’s too early to say exactly what the developer experience will be like for future versions of Glass. We’re still building platform components and polishing the overall user experience, and it’s safe to say you’ll need to make some changes.
Google clarified yesterday in its fourth quarter earnings report that the team working on Glass will be rethinking their strategy. Rather than dropping Glass altogether, Google is merely pausing the project in its current state and composing a new approach before moving forward.
Via: 9to5Google
Come comment on this article: Google will accept Glassware despite Glass being paused
5 Android apps you shouldn’t miss this week
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Sponsor: ETheme Launcher
[Price: Free]
Our sponsor this week is ETheme Launcher. It is a launcher that boasts over 2000 themes, 200 fonts, a light feel, and more. It comes with a home screen set up to help you get to your apps quickly with additional home screens available if need be. It also comes with a lock screen and new themes every week. It’s free with no in app purchases if you want to check it out!
Welcome back the newly redesigned Google Play Weekly show, now called Android Apps Weekly! We hope you enjoy the new format. Here are your headlines for this week!
- Google finally addresses WebView security issues and their advice is pretty simple: It’s broken, don’t use it.
- Dish’s SlingTV web TV service is now available via invite with a public release slated in a couple of weeks.
- Law enforcement is asking Google to shut down Waze because it allows people to “stalk police”.
- The Marriott Android app has apparently left credit card info open to hackers for years. It’s now been fixed.
- Former Opera CEO has announced a new web browser called Vivaldi with a lot of features.
- Rolling Stone Magazine is publishing their entire archive to Google Play via the Newsstand app.
- Spotify is running a promo to give people 60 days of free Premium Service. They’re also now partnering with Sony to create PlayStation Music.
- With only a few days left, Humble Bundle 10 has added three new games to the Bundle. Act fast!
Here are some of the big Android app updates that took place this week!
- Google Search on mobile is getting an update to bring us gloriously gorgeous movie information.
- Plex updated with a new UI, casting your camera roll to a Plex client, and a new purchase model.
- Twitter now allows Direct Messages (DMs) with up to 20 people at once and has in-line clip sharing (think Vine).
- Snapchat releases a new feature called Discovery which is essentially a mashup of a news feed and Snapchat.
- Hotspot Shield VPN updated to bring three new protection modes for improved simplicity.
And here are the new Android apps releases this week!
Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for Tablets
[Price: Free]
Microsoft has released Word, Excel, and Powerpoint for Android tablets after a year of hearing us complain about not having it. The basic functionality of each app is free to use but to get the full experience, you’ll need an Office 365 subscription. So far, each app seems to work pretty well but do keep in mind that these are early releases and improvements are likely right around the corner.
You can pick up Microsoft Word by using the button below.
Download Microsoft Excel from Google Play here.
Download Microsoft PowerPoint from Google Play here.
Facebook Lite
[Price: Free]
Facebook has released a new lite application that is intended for devices with spotty connectivity and lesser specs. The interface is very scaled down although it is noteworthy that the messaging is built back into the main app here. Otherwise, it’s a basic Facebook experience without too many frills. It’s only available in some countries and on some phones but you can get the APK for yourself by clicking here.
Wrap up
If we missed any great Android apps or games news, let us know in the comments!
Nexus Player to hit Japan by the end of February
Google’s Nexus Player may be viewed by some as the second coming of the Nexus Q, the ill-fated orb that sought to bridge the gap between television and mobiles some years back. Fortunately, unlike the Magic 8-Ball gone awry, it’s making it to stores, safe and sound. Having released already in the USA, Google has now indicated the second territory to receive the Nexus Player is Japan, where it will retail for 12,800 Yen, which at the current exchange rate is about $108, though the value of the dollar/yen has been changing on an almost daily basis, so it could wind up cheaper than the $99 US retail price by the time its late-February release date hits.
We announced Android TV at Google I/O in 2014 as a new platform that puts Android inside televisions and set-top boxes. Just by speaking to the remote, you can find live TV shows, a new movie release on Google Play, or a cooking video on YouTube and watch them all on the biggest screen in your house. You can also use the remote, and the separate game controller, to turn your TV and Android games into a gaming console. (And pick up the game on your smartphone where you left off). Nexus Player, a collaboration with Asus, can also stream movies, music and videos and allows you to cast entertainment from almost any Chromebook, Android device or iOS device to your TV
It will be interesting to see how the Nexus Player fares in the Land of the Rising Sun, given how its only true rival is Apple TV. The Chromecast, while a bit different in nature from the device in question here, has been sighted frequently in used electronics stores which raises the question of its acceptance in the market. While the Chromecast is available both online and in stores here, there is no indication as of yet where the Nexus Player will be sold.
Google Finishes Short of Q4 Expectations, Grows 19%
Google just released its Q4 earnings report today, and some investors may be a little less than pleased. The tech giant finished with less growth than originally predicted, but still managed to bring in a revenue of $18.1 billion and earnings per share of $6.88. The net income was $4.76 billion, which is also an improvement over $3.38 billion from Q4 last year. The full year brought in $66 billion for Google, up 19% from 2013; this includes the sale of Motorola to Lenovo.
Just how much did Google underperform in Q4 when compared to predictions, you may ask? Wall Street expected a revenue of $18.5 billion, so about 2% under. A worse stat was the earnings per share of $6.88 instead of the predicted $7.13—under by 3.5%.
While there could be many explanations to the results (Google frequently underperforms when compared to estimates), we won’t know anything more conclusive until Google releases more info about the specifics.
Do you own Google stock? Let us know what you think about everyone’s favorite tech company’s latest results in the comment section to get the conversation going.
Source: Google
Come comment on this article: Google Finishes Short of Q4 Expectations, Grows 19%
Google is Making Skin to Test for Cancer
Google has been known to get involved in some unusual projects, like Google Glass, Project Ara, and self-driving cars. However, the goings-on at its life sciences division take the cake in terms of unusual endeavours. Google has been working on a bracelet that can detect cancer cells. The idea is still being tweaked, so don’t be expecting any miracles within the next few years, but the evidence is pleasing at this point.
The way the device works is after a pill packed with nanoparticles is swallowed, the particles circulate throughout the body on the hunt for cancer cells. Once they find some, they light up and make their way under the bracelet, which they are attracted to by magnets. The skin had to be made to simulate real human arms in order to test the prototype in action. Many skins were made to represent multiple types of dermal characteristics: thick, thin, light, dark, (etc.)
This does sound like a tool from Star Trek, so you can be forgiven for being a little bit skeptical. To help remove some of that skepticism, watch the video below from the Atlantic and learn more.
Click here to view the embedded video.
Via: Engadget
Source: The Atlantic
Come comment on this article: Google is Making Skin to Test for Cancer
They have to be kidding: Google admits they can’t keep up with Nexus 6 demand
It’s starting to sound like a broken record with every Nexus phone. Google reported quarterly results today and CFO Patrick Pichette acknowledged that they can’t keep up with Nexus 6 demand.
He said, “While the Nexus 6 was well received as a new phone, we had real issues and were unable to secure sufficient inventory to meet the demand that we had forecasted.”
Why does this always seem to be the case with Google? It all started with the Nexus 4, which was a complete fiasco. The Nexus 5 wasn’t too bad, but things got bad again with the Nexus 6. It’s not like Google doesn’t have deep pockets to buy phones. Do they want people to believe the demand is so high?
Nexus phones are not big sellers no matter what anyone tells you. Just take a look at the latest distribution numbers in which Lollipop didn’t even make the list. That means that less than 0.1% of people are on Lollipop. That includes current and older Nexus devices, not to mention some other Motorola devices. We are talking very small numbers here. How could a company like Google and Motorola miss by that much.
The bottomline is that Google likes to keep the production lower than the demand to create excitement. Even if the demand is not all that high. The Nexus 6 is no iPhone folks. Ask anyone on the street if they ever heard of it and 99 out of 100 people will say “what?”
Come comment on this article: They have to be kidding: Google admits they can’t keep up with Nexus 6 demand
Google is offering Inbox invites until tomorrow morning
Oddly enough, Google still hasn’t opened up Inbox by Gmail to the general public months after its announcement. If you’ve been itching to try the service, today is your lucky day. Google is giving out Inbox invites until 9 AM PST/11 AM CST on Friday morning. All you need to do is send an email to inbox@google.com with your current Gmail address.
Inbox has been around for quite some time now, and the majority of users seem to be torn on the service. Some think it’s confusing and too limited, while others seem to think it’s an easier way to sort through their cluttered inboxes. No matter the case, Google has provided some interesting stats about how Inbox is doing. 70% of Inbox users are on Android, 28% on iOS and 34% on the web. 85% of all messages received on the service are grouped into a bundle of some sort, and 60% of users sweep away bundles twice a day. There are some other interesting stats listed, and you can find them all by following the Gmail link below.
If you want some more information about the app before you download it, head to our overview and hands-on video here. If you want to score an invite, hurry up and send that invite request!
Google X Labs made synthetic skin to test a cancer-detecting bracelet
If someone asks you to name a Google X Labs moonshot, you’d probably say Glass, self-driving car or maybe even Project Loon. But as you might remember from the WSJD Live conference last year, it also has a flourishing Life Sciences division that employs 100 doctors and scientists, and one of their main projects is a Fitbit-like bracelet that can detect cancer cells. Now, The Atlantic has taken a peek into the division’s headquarters in Mountain View. The publication’s video (below the fold) also explains why the team has to create synthetic human skin mixed with the real thing to cover disembodied arms.
See, those arms serve as testers for the Labs’ cancer-detecting bracelet project. For that to make sense, though, you need to understand how the system works: first you’ll need to take pills packed with nanoparticles that circulate throughout the body looking for cancer cells. If they find any, they’ll bind to those cells, which then literally light up. After that, the cell-particle combos make their way underneath the bracelet, since it has a magnet that attracts the nanoparticles.
Since the team wants to make sure that an illuminated clump of cancer cells is visible through human skin, they created those practice arms. They’re covered in skin exhibiting different properties (thickness, etc.), as well as skin mimicking those of different ethnicities and skin tones. The bracelet probably won’t be sniffing out cancer in the real world anytime soon, though, so watch the interview for now to see what it’s like inside Google X Labs’ Life Sciences department.
Source: The Atlantic
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