Project Ara modular phone size and costings revealed
It’s no secret that Google is working on a modular phone which they are calling Project Ara, and attention has turned to establishing details about just how it will work.
Google has scheduled a developer conference on April 15-16th in Mountain View, California to discuss the alpha version of the Ara Module Developers’ Kit and discuss everything about the MDK that is necessary for developers to become familar with the modular device.
Despite this, the Project Ara team attended the LAUNCH tech conference and gave a 25 minute talk about the concept and how the modular swapping actually works.
The device will come in three sizes: a mini version measuring in around 4″, a medium of 5″, and a larger tablet version, with prices set to be hovering around the $50 mark. The Project Ara team state that the actual modules themselves should cost around $15 per unit.
The post Project Ara modular phone size and costings revealed appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Google Glass team forgoes monthly updates for bigger changes, like Kit Kat
Whether you’re a Google Glass wearer or merely observing the new devices, you may have noticed a lack of major updates in January and February. Android Police and Glass Almanac reveal a post from the Explorers-only community forum explaining that after version XE12 closed out last year, those monthly updates might not be monthly anymore. That’s not necessarily a bad thing however, since the team is focused on making larger changes, and is currently focused on moving Glass from the Android 4.0.3 (Ice Cream Sandwich) software it shipped with to the current version of Android, 4.4 (Kit Kat), and all the improvements that includes.
According to Glass team member Teresa Zazenski, it will make things “smoother and just plain better,” adding that developers should be excited too. There is one small change to report though, as Glass wearers can now post photos and videos directly to Google+ communities. While we wait to find out what’s in store, the Glass team just linked a behind the scenes video for tomorrow’s Academy Awards, giving a POV look behind the scenes from workers who make the show happen — check it out after the break.
Filed under: Wearables, Mobile, Google
Source: Android Police, Glass Almanac
Bay Area residents can score a Chromecast for as low as $13.33
If you find yourself living in the San Francisco area saying, “boy, I could really go for a new Chromecast this weekend”, we’ve got a deal for you. Head over to Google’s Shopping Express website and add one to your cart. Google will shave some money off the order if this is your first time making a purchase. Add promo code “costco25″ to the order and you’re going to walk away with a Chromecast for $13.33. Indeed, this is roughly one-third the price of a normal Chromecast.
Hurry, there’s no indication as to how long this deal will last!
via ChromeWatching
The post Bay Area residents can score a Chromecast for as low as $13.33 appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Google’s ‘show me the menu’ search brings the most important restaurant info up first
No matter how good the food is, it seems like many restaurants hide the most important info (what’s cooking, and how much does it cost?) under a slew of sub pages, outdated Flash interfaces or bizarre PDF scans of printed pages. Google Search users can now pull up those details even faster and in a standardized interface on the desktop or mobile devices, simply by starting their search with “show me the menu.” Add in the name of the restaurant and the city it’s located in, and you should see the menu right on Google’s page complete with prices, where available. Search Engine Land points out that Allie Brown spotted the feature in testing a few weeks ago, although it’s not entirely clear where Google is pulling its info from — menu aggregators like AllMenus.com, HTML tags embedded in restaurant websites or maybe an extension of Zagat. Either way, it seems like a command worth filing away when Yelp, Foursquare and other local info services fall short.
Filed under: Internet, Mobile, Google
Source: Google (G+)
App lets you attach digital messages to real-world objects… for fun?
For those who don’t know, Project Tango is a Google-built prototype smartphone jam packed with Kinect-like 3D sensors and components. One of Mountain View’s software partners involved in the project, FlyBy Media, has built what it’s calling the first consumer app capable of utilizing Tango’s image recognition skills to… chat with friends. Dubbed FlyBy, the app allows users to share text and videos messages by attaching them to a real-world object; like a menu at your favorite restaurant or collectible from your honeymoon. Recipients are notified once they’re in close proximity, then they need only to scan said object and voila, message received. While the concept isn’t new — or popular… yet — the company believes that this time people will catch on. Just think of it as geocaching your conversations. That could be fun, right?
Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Google
Via: TechCrunch
Google Search Returns now off up full Restaurant Menus
Google is constantly improving the amount of information you can acquire from a simple search. A new addition is filtering its way through the back end of Google that has your eating out interests in mind. Rather than surfing through a restaurants website to find their menu, which sometimes requires downloading a PDF, you can now just have Google pull it up for you.
It isn’t perfect yet and does have plenty of limitations. For instance, you must use “show me the menu for…” prior to the restaurants name. If you don’t, you won’t get the new return. Also, it is new, so you might find one or two locally, but big cities with hot restaurants are more likely to show up right now. I did a search of a few on my phone and on my desktop PC and came across one that pulled up.
Fir right now the roll out of the new information is limited to the U.S. What good eats have you found the menu for so far.
Via Google+
Google Barge bids farewell to San Francisco, to make Stockton its new California home
Still think of the Google Barge as a wacky idea from a company that makes more money than it knows what to do with? Well, Mountain View will soon prove that a floating building has its merits: for one, when the company gets in trouble with authorities, it can get the hell out of dodge… literally. According to CNET, the vessel is slated to set sail to Stockton, California, after it was discovered in early February that it didn’t have a construction permit in San Francisco. The barge is still a work in progress (hence the need for the proper paperwork), but once it’s done, it will showcase the company’s more avant-garde creations like Glass, autonomous cars and other projects from Google X’s lab.
Google’s moving because the 35-day window it got from the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission to secure a permit is almost up. Without the permit, Google’s liable to be fined up to $30,000. Clearly, even though 30 grand is pocket change for the tech giant, it chose to pack its bags and finish construction in friendlier waters (read: outside BCDC’s jurisdiction). A rep from the Treasure Island neighborhood (where the barge is currently moored) said the vessel could leave as soon as next week, and since Stockton’s just on the other side of the bay from SF, it’ll be there in no time. Fingers crossed that Google can now focus on finishing construction, because we can’t wait to confirm if the barge’s party deck exists.
Source: CNET
Google Hangouts 2.0 for iOS redesigned with iPad tweaks, 10-second video messages
Google Hangouts just jumped a full version number on Apple hardware — the first major update since it added voice calls late last year — and 2.0 has more than just a new iOS 7-ready look. The new app is “fully optimized” for iPads, with a “two-pane” conversation view. On all devices, it’s ready for animated stickers — look out Whatsapp and Facebook Messenger — 10-second video messages for when your friends are offline, and can send a map of your current location with a few button presses. It’s rolling out on the App Store now, assuming you prefer the matchup of Google services and Apple devices.
Filed under: Internet, Software, Mobile, Apple, Google
Source: iTunes, Frank Petterson (Google+)
Daily Roundup: Apple explains Touch ID, Google’s modular phone and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours — all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Apple explains Touch ID
Apple updated its iOS Security white paper today, shedding new light onto the iPhone 5s’ Touch ID fingerprint scanner. And while its end-to-end encryption measures are impressive, we’re still waiting for the feature to be opened to developers.
Megapixels and mobile imaging
In recent years, smartphone photography has been centered around pixels. Lots and lots of pixels. But Google’s latest concept phone, dubbed Project Tango, could take mobile imaging to an entirely new level. Read on as Engadget’s Steve Dent explores the potential of handsets equipped with with multiple sensor technologies.
Nintendo shutting down multiplayer services
Nintendo’s shutting down its original Wii and DS multiplayer services worldwide on May 20th. A few select features will remain online after the fact, but we’d suggest you get in a few games of Mario Kart DS while you still can.
Google’s modular smartphone may cost $50
If you’re a fan of Project Ara, you’ll be happy to know that Google wants its modular smartphone to be very affordable. For $50, users would get a working, barebones exoskeleton that could be upgraded with parts from special kiosks.
Filed under: Misc
Google’s new web gallery helps you find public map data
A number of organizations offer public map data through Google Maps, but finding it can be tricky — if you even know it exists. That may not be an issue now that Google has just launched its Maps Gallery. The web portal showcases location info from both Google and a slew of its Maps Engine partners, ranging from the World Bank’s internet usage stats to National Geographic’s historical overlays. This is really just the start of the search firm’s map discovery efforts, though. Google tells TechCrunch that it wants to surface public maps in regular search results, and it would also like to draw attention to Maps Engine Lite data created by amateur cartographers.
Via: TechCrunch
Source: Google Maps Gallery
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