Google launches guide for bringing technology into the classroom
Google has released its guide to help schools integrate new technology into classrooms in an effort to boost engagement with Google Apps for Education and similar services. Many schools are bringing Google services and Chromebooks to the classroom, and Google wants to use them as an example for how other schools can enhance how they teach students with technology.
The guide touches on five major steps: Defining your goals, Invest in (internet) access, Build your team, Offer web tools, and Manage change. Each step of the guide goes into detail and examples of how to integrate technology and how other schools have done the same. There’s quite a bit of information in the guide, so if you’re interested, you can find it at the link below.
source: Google
via: 9 to 5 Google
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Charlie Hebdo will print a million copies of its next edition with government and Google help
Charlie Hebdo will not stop skewering politics and religion alike despite the horrific January 7th attack that killed 12 people, including many of its staff and two policemen. Instead, the Paris-based journal will publish a million copies of its next edition on January 14th, compared to a normal printing run of around 50,000. It’ll likely sell out easily, given an inspiring show of unity and support for freedom of speech displayed by the French populace. To make the run possible, the government kicked in almost €1 million ($1.2 million), while French newspapers pledged €250,000 ($296,000). Google’s Press Innovation Fund added another €250,000 and the Guardian Media Group contributed £100,000 ($150,000). The paper is also asking the public to subscribe at a reduced rate or make a donation.
The support will not only aid the large print run, but help keep the journal operating in the near-term. Charlie Hebdo never backed down from its uber-irreverent brand of satire that targeted politicians, celebrities and extremists of all stripes, despite numerous death threats and a 2011 fire-bombing. In an emotional interview on France 2 last night, Charlie journalist Patrick Pelloux — who was late to the meeting where the slaughter took place — said that “they killed pacifists and tolerant people. It’s not just one journal that was attacked, but all publications everywhere.”
[Image credits: Charlie Hebdo, Dan Kitwood via Getty Images]
Via: Mashable
Source: The Guardian
Google app broken in Spanish-speaking countries after yesterday’s update
Yesterday, Google pushed an update to its Android app that would fix bugs and introduce Now Cards. Everything is seemingly working fine in the United States and much of Europe; however, users of the app in Spanish-speaking countries are reporting otherwise. The update effectively disables the cards found in Google Now for those users. It will not push new cards with personalized information and that renders it useless. The purpose of Google Now is to be a personalized hub of information for a user.
Are you experiencing any issues with Google Now? Let us know in the comments.
Via: XDA-Developers
Come comment on this article: Google app broken in Spanish-speaking countries after yesterday’s update
Upcoming Android Auto feature could help you navigate to an empty parking spot
Google already offers real time details on traffic and incidents during navigation on Android. It can even tell you where your car is parked thanks to real time tracking. And a new patent filed by Google suggests that the company could take it a step further by letting users navigate to an empty parking spot. This feature will reportedly make its way with Android Auto, so you might require a vehicle with the required hardware to make use of the feature.
The patent filing posted by Google says the following – “Provided are systems, methods, and computer-readable media routing users for determining a parking route near a user’s destination. A request for parking near a destination and user parking criteria are obtained. A list of parking spaces based on the destination and near the user parking criteria are determined, and a parking mute from the user’s current location that traverses the list of parking spaces is also determined. The first portion of the parking route between the user’s current location and the first parking space is determined. Additional portions of the parking route to additional parking spaces are provided until parking termination criteria are met.”
It is likely that Google will use real time parking lot monitoring at public places like airports, malls etc. As pointed by Phandroid, this would require Google to team up with people responsible for the infrastructure in the particular area. Sadly, this could take some time to get implemented on a global scale. But it seems like Google wants to test this feature out in California where it is also conducting tests for its self driving cars.
It’s certainly an innovative idea and we’ll keep a close eye on Google for more word on this feature’s development over the coming months.
Come comment on this article: Upcoming Android Auto feature could help you navigate to an empty parking spot
iHeartRadio to now support upcoming Google Cast for audio, Sony PlayStation
The music streaming service, iHeartRadio, has announced a host of new partnerships at CES 2015 that will enable it to bring its services to Sony’s PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 consoles among other devices. The other high-profile brands that iHeartRadio will be joining hands with include TiVo, DISH, Google and LG etc.
It will become one of the first apps that are ready for Google’s new Cast for audio system, launching next month. Google Cast for Audio uses a similar technology to that of Chromecast to remotely connect with sound bars, speakers and A/V receivers. Just like Chromecast, users can listen to music on a Google Cast Ready speaker by tapping the cast button on the iHeartRadio app.
iHeartRadio will find its way to in-home entertainment domain by partnering with DISH and TiVo. The service will expand to in-dashboard multimedia systems by BlackBerry’s QNX subsidiary and Clarion.
“These multiple integrations are setting the tone for 2015, which will be another banner year where iHeartRadio focuses on a consumers-first approach – from launching its app on all meaningful devices to continuing to leverage its live radio and entertainment events to provide the best music experience for its listeners,” said Darren Davis, President of iHeartRadio and iHeartMedia Networks.
The all-in-one streaming music and live radio service, which already has 60 million registered users, will come preloaded with at least a dozen devices to be launched by its partners.
These latest integrations add to iHeartRadio’s growing list of device platforms across web, mobile phones, tablets, automotive, smart TVs, gaming consoles and more.
Via: CNET
The post iHeartRadio to now support upcoming Google Cast for audio, Sony PlayStation appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Google app getting a version 4.1 update with the addition of ‘Now Cards’ [APK Download]
The Google app on Android is getting an update to version 4.1 which brings with it the usual suite of bug fixes and the addition of something known as ‘Now Cards‘. This essentially lets you control what cards appear on your Google Now page with the ability to check card history on the web, delete custom preferences or even turn them off.
The update also brings some security related fixes to the Google app. From the “Ok Google” Detection settings page, users can now toggle ‘Personal Results’ to be shown even when using a secure lock screen. This essentially means that personal data like calendar events can be displayed when using the “Ok Google” command from the lock screen.
For users concerned with the amount of space the Google app can take, Google has also added a manage space button in the Settings which allows you to clear app data. The update should be rolling out to devices as we speak. But if you’re impatient to wait for it to pop up on your device, you can side-load it onto your device using the apk file below.
Come comment on this article: Google app getting a version 4.1 update with the addition of ‘Now Cards’ [APK Download]
Hangouts for iOS now shows your Google Voice messages
If you rely on your iPhone for Google Voice, Hangouts just became much, much more useful. As on Android, the messaging app’s iOS version now shows your Google Voice texts and voicemail — you won’t have to switch apps just because you’re embroiled in an online conversation. There are a few tangible upgrades even if you live well outside of Google Voice’s service area, for that matter. You now get smart suggestions for sharing your location when it’s relevant, and you can set status messages if you’re eager to let everyone know what you’re doing. All told, it’s easily worth swinging by the App Store for an update.
Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Mobile, Google
Source: App Store
Google TV officially shutting down, Android TV to reign the living room
Early adopters of Google’s living room initiative may now be in possession of obsolete hardware. Google is officially focusing its living room team on the newer Android TV, putting a freeze on further Google TV development themselves, and pulling the developer tools that other developers have relied upon to build their apps.
This news comes quietly out of a Google+ post from the Google TV and Android TV teams on the Google TV Developers Google+ page. Their reasoning is plain, Android TV is in full swing now, offering a superior experience for users – basically, the future is now, let’s live in it.
This news comes along with a ton of CES 2015 announcements, with many big names having announced adoption of Google’s new Android TV operating system. We already talked about Sony committing to bring Android TV to their 2015 line of Bravia smart TVs, but others are on deck as well.
What should you do with your old Google TV hardware? Don’t make any plans to throw it out the window just yet. Some of the devices are on track to receive an update to Android TV, bringing your hardware to the next level. Other devices, unfortunately, do not have what it takes to move forward, but rest assured that Google promises to do their part in keeping those devices running as they do today, to keep you connected with your favorite media sources and apps. Just don’t expect any new system updates, that’s all.
This move toward embedded Android TV is an exciting one for those of us shopping for a new television this year. This should be a very exciting progression for Google’s efforts as well. Google TV was decently supported by the industry, but, as evidenced today, it never garnered the level of success that many had hoped for.
If you are not in the market for a new television with Android TV on board, you can still get your hands on Android TV through the Nexus Player. Nexus Player is Google’s set-top box solution, the first consumer release Android TV device, if you do not count the ADT-1 that was handed out at Google I/O 2014.
Are you upset that Google TV is biting the dust, or is Android TV without a doubt the better solution for your needs?
YouTube set to support 360 degree video footage in the coming weeks
Google has announced that they’re hard at work on letting you upload 360 degree video footage onto YouTube. They didn’t specify exactly how the footage will work, but it’s supposedly set to debut on the video streaming service in the coming weeks.
Of course, if you want to upload any 360 degree video, you’re going to have to use a camera that actually supports it. Your smartphone or point-and-shoot isn’t going to get the job done. Viewing the videos also seems like it’ll be tricky, especially on something small like a smartphone screen, but Google might just implement an IMAX-esque panoramic view on widescreen monitors or tablets. There’s also a lot of potential with VR headsets like Google cardboard or Samsung’s Gear VR, but that might be putting the horse in front of the cart at this point.
We’ll keep you updated as soon as Google announces anything else. For the rest of our CES 2015 coverage, click here.
source: Gizmodo
Come comment on this article: YouTube set to support 360 degree video footage in the coming weeks
Google unveils “Cast for Audio”
Google has today taken the wraps off its “Cast for Audio” streaming platform, which has been specifically configured to enable hardware partners to embed Chromecast compatibility into their speakers, soundbars, TV’s and set-top boxes. This provides users with the ability to use Android, iOS and desktop operating systems to stream music, podcasts and more.
Major audio manufacturers Denon, LG and Sony are the first to unveil their “Cast Ready” speakers. Recent reports suggest that gaming-orientated OEM’s are also working with the search engine giant to bring the first Cast Ready console to the market as early as the second quarter of this year.
Users of the Cast Ready speakers will be able to stream content from any application that currently supports Chromecast, like, for example, Google Play Music, Deezer, Pandora, Rdio, TuneIn and iHeartRadio. The process works in exactly the same way, you simply open the app, hit the Cast button and select your destination device.
Click here to view the embedded video.
Is a Cast Ready audio system something you’d be interested in? If so, be sure to let us know why in the comments section down below.
Source: Google
Come comment on this article: Google unveils “Cast for Audio”
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