Now you can play XCOM: Enemy Unknown on Android, too
Android gamers who’ve been yearning for XCOM‘s deep, turn-based tactics just got their wish: 2K has released a version of XCOM: Enemy Unknown for Google’s mobile platform. Much like last year’s iOS edition, you’ll get to fight off invading aliens and build your bases in an interface optimized for touch. This is one of the pricier Android games on the market at $10, but our pals at Joystiq are already fans of the mobile version. It’s likely worth the cash if you’re looking for something engrossing to play on your spring vacation — especially if you can’t get enough of it on your PC or console.
Filed under: Gaming, Software, HD, Mobile, Google
Via: XCOM (Twitter), Joystiq
Source: Google Play
XCOM: Enemy Unknown is coming to soon to Google Play
XCOM just took to their Twitter page to announce that the awesome game that is XCOM: Enemy Unknown will be hitting the Google Play Store and Amazon Appstore very soon.
The Award Winning XCOM: Enemy Unknown is coming to soon to Google Play and the Amazon Appstore! pic.twitter.com/5gFpPvPeCx
— XCOM (@XCOM) April 22, 2014
Whilst the extend of the tweet only mentions that it’s coming and nothing regarding a timeframe, the fact the you will soon be able to enjoy the awesome XCOM: Enemy Unknown experience on an Android device is awesome news in itself.
The post XCOM: Enemy Unknown is coming to soon to Google Play appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Technology leaders form alliance to prevent another Heartbleed
Be honest, don’t you kinda wish we could just rub our collective eyes and all this Heartbleed business would just disappear? Tough luck hombre, it’s still here, and some kid’s trying to steal your vacation photos (probably). When we spoke to the open source initiative about it recently, we got a less than reassuring reply — that the problem is partly about resources. What is more reassuring this this: The Core Infrastructure Initiative. If that sounds like a conference you’d pay money to not attend, we’re with you, but trust us, it’s for your benefit. In short, some of the biggest names in tech (Facebook, Google, Amazon, Intel and many more) have pledged to work with the Linux Foundation to make sure something like Heartbleed doesn’t happen again. How? Mostly with cold hard cash, with each of the 13 company’s involved chipping in to the “multi-million” dollar project. But how’s it actually going to work?
The Linux Foundation claims that the OpenSSL project (that makes the software exploited by Heartbleed) has received about $2,000 in donations “in past years.” That’s barely enough to buy the team a new embroidered polo shirts. The Core Infrastructure Initiative will divvy up the cash to similar projects that have been identified as needing proactive assistance, something that it hopes could prevent the next Heartbleed. Unsurprisingly, the first project to benefit from the scheme is OpenSSL itself. Worried that your Facebook stock dollars are funding “free” open source projects? Don’t. So much of the internet relies on this technology that it’s not a question of commercial strategy, it’s common sense. As we’re all finding out now, the hard way.
Filed under: Internet, Google, Amazon, Intel
Via: Ars Technica
Source: Linux Foundation
Verizon and Google have spent over $6 million on lobbying in 2014
Two of the biggest names in American communications, Verizon and Google, are also two of the highest spenders in the world of political lobbying. In the last two years alone, the two spent a combined $63 million attempting to sway legislation in their favor, and 2014 is gearing up to be another landmark year in Silicon Valley’s profits flowing into Washington: the two are already $6 million deep in 2014, with Comcast and AT&T nipping at their heels. Google leads contributions, with over $3.8 million already spent in 2014.
Not that anyone’s surprised; Google’s been involved with politics for some time now, even openly joining the lobbying group The Internet Association in 2012.
Some of the company’s subtler tactics were recently uncovered by The Washington Post, such as hosting a conference at George Mason University and stacking the invite list with Federal Trade Commission regulators and other folks instrumental in deciding the fate of Google’s 2011 FTC investigation (which ended in a settlement).
Verizon’s also no slouch in the world of politics, having previously thrown its weight into the ongoing battle between the companies using wireless spectrum and the government agency which regulates said spectrum (the Federal Communications Commission). Both Verizon and Google are on track to match and exceed previous contributions — the only question is which company will contribute more.
[Image credit: Getty Images, Brand X]
Filed under: Cellphones, Desktops, Handhelds, Tablets, Internet, Software, Google, Verizon
Source: Consumer Watchdog
This Chrome add-on lets you copy and erase text inside any image on the web
What would you say if we told you that it’s possible to copy, translate, edit and even erase the text inside any image you find on the internet? Well, you can, and it’s a lot easier than you might think. All it requires is a new browser extension, called Project Naptha, made by developer Kevin Kwok. It uses a number of optical character recognition (OCR) algorithms, including libraries developed by Microsoft and Google, which quickly build a model of text regions, words and letters from nearly any image.
Once installed, you simply hover your cursor over available image text and select it. Using its built-in tools, you can do a number of things: Firstly, you can copy your selection. This is great if you’ve been emailed a scanned document or a screenshot of an error message. For instance, instead of jotting things down and manually typing it back into to Google, you can simply copy and paste the output directly into your search bar. If an image includes text you don’t understand, Naptha also supports numerous translation services, allowing you to decode a previously unintelligible language (at least to you) on the fly. However, perhaps the extension’s most impressive feature is its ability to edit and remove text. Using a technique similar to Photoshop’s “Content-Aware Fill” feature called “inpainting,” Naptha captures each of the independent colours from regions around the text and intelligently fills the space where it used to be. It’s not perfect, but it certainly beats having to open a dedicated image editor.
Kwok says he’s consistently working on expanding the project, which will include bringing it to other browsers like Mozilla Firefox. Right now, not all images allow you to edit words within them, although the developer has said he hopes to include support for vertical text in the future. Project Naptha is available now for free via the official website or Google’s Chrome Web Store.
[Image credit: Wikimedia Commons]
Filed under: Internet, Software
Source: Project Naptha, Chrome Web Store
Google Street View now serves as your own personal time machine
In the seven years since Google launched Maps, it’s collected a ton of imaging and location data, which we’ve only been able to see in its most recent form. That’s about to change, however, after the company announced it’s opening all of that information up, allowing you to go back and see how much each of its locations have adapted during that period. Starting today, Google says it will begin rolling out the new future across its desktop Maps service, adding a new clock icon to Street View images. Once clicked, you can move a slider and select the different thumbnails of a location in a particular space in time. You’ll see skyscrapers go up, houses come down, or maybe even witness the rebuilding efforts of a community affected by a natural disaster. There’s no word on whether it’ll make its way beyond the desktop, so for now you’ll likely only be able to procrastinate from the comfort of your home computer or office.
Source: Google Lat Long
DoubleTwist’s latest Android tweak brings Google Play Music to Apple TV
Google’s mobile-streaming tech has a lot going for it, but listening to music stored in Mountain View’s cloud is still limited to a handful of home devices. AirPlay-compatible gadgets, however, are a probably a bit more common than the Nexus Q, Chromecast and Sonos systems are, and developer doubleTwist’s latest project acts as a bridge between the two ecosystems. The outfit recently released “AirPlay for Android,” which is exactly what it sounds like: the tweak open’s the search giant’s media-streaming to AirPlay devices. The rub is that your device running Google’s mobile OS has to be rooted for the hack to work. First, grab and install the aforementioned APK from the dev’s blog, launch Google Play Music (GPM) and hit the Cast button. From there, you need to grant root access to the app, force-stop it and then relaunch. Viola! AirPlay devices on your wireless network should populate the list of compatible targets.
Because this (like so many of doubleTwist’s other projects) is essentially a hack, the dev warns that you may have to force-close GPM now and again to sidestep Google’s restrictive whitelist for approved devices. DoubleTwist doesn’t say if AirPlay for Android will work for apps other than GPM, but given how Casting functions, we wouldn’t rule the possibility out.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Wireless, Mobile, Google
Source: doubleTwist
Google offered to help Samsung with Apple patent battle costs
Confirming what a lot of us thought already, Google is more than a little interested in Apple and Samsung’s continuing court battle. New evidence revealed by Apple’s lawyers outlines emails from Google that offered to foot some of the damages (if Samsung lost), as well as cover part of the legal costs in the current trial. This would cover two of the five patents that Apple is fighting over. Google lawyer James Maccoun confirmed that it would help Samsung as part of the Mobile Application Distribution Agreement, the framework that allows Samsung to use Google-made apps on its Android devices. According to Maccoun’s taped deposition: “As I read it, Google’s essentially offering to defend Samsung to the MADA and does offer to defend some [patent] claims.”
Apple is looking to claim $2.2 billion from Samsung over five patents, while in return (you know how these things go), the Korean company is claiming a smaller $7 million for infringing two of its patents. Samsung had already stated that four of Apple’s patents are covered by Google’s Android OS, and has called in engineers to testify to that effect. The details of exactly how much cash Google will be willing to offer up haven’t been disclosed, although it’s likely hoping it won’t have to pay a thing.
Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Apple, Samsung, Google
Source: WSJ
Google’s new mobile ads help find apps that fit your daily habits
Ads for mobile apps are rarely personal; they’re more often based on search keywords than your actual habits. Google is fixing this today with new ads in search and on YouTube that reflect your day-to-day app uses and purchases. If you regularly track your runs with fitness software, for instance, you may get ads offering to install a companion diet app.
Google is also taking a cue from Facebook with keyword-based ads that launch into apps you have. Search for hotels on an upcoming trip and you may see an ad that takes you directly to an installed hotel booking app that would otherwise be gathering virtual dust. The smarter ads may ultimately exist to improve the bottom line for both Google and app developers, but they should also be a big help if you’ve had trouble finding the right app for your needs — even if it’s already sitting on your phone.
Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Mobile, Google
Via: TechCrunch
Source: Inside AdWords
In honor of Earth Day, Google expands ‘Giving through Glass’ program
In honor of Earth Day (today, that is), Google’s announcing another wave of its Giving through Glass program for non-profit organizations. The program, originally launched late last year, equips groups including the World Wildlife Fund and Give Directly with Google’s wearable computer, with the goal of “bringing more transparency to philanthropy.” Now, Mountain View is looking to partner with another five nonprofits — submissions are open today through May 20th, and the selected organizations will win a $25,000 grant in addition to Google’s hardware. Nonprofits can head here to apply, and everyone can head past the break to check out a WWF researcher using Glass while tracking rhinos in Nepal.
Filed under: Google
Source: Google+
AIVAnet 
