With Google Home and Google Wifi, we’re finally getting a proper smart home foundation

Google Home and Google Wifi aren’t going to be able to fix the Internet of Things. But they will try to make it smarter and point it in the right direction.

The Internet of Things — many of us have a less-kind name for it — wasn’t going to be fixed in a day. It wasn’t going to be fixed in the blazing sun in Mountain View in May, when Google first announced its plans for Google Assistant and Google Home. And it wasn’t going to fixed today when Google announced more details of its long-awaited (I’d say “overdue,” really) competitor for the Amazon Echo.

And it’s not going to be fixed a month from now, when Google Home ships. Or a little later in the year when Google Wifi joins it. No. The Internet of Things is vast and complex, and we’re lucky to have a hub that manages to even loosely wrangle all those things together.

That’s what we’ve got with the Echo — with “Alexa” — today. We’ve got a semi-smart connected speaker that, while having seen its intelligence grow by leaps and bounds over the nearly two years of its short life, still remains shackled by the fact that Amazon isn’t Google, and you’re only as smart as what you know. Alexa tends to hit that wall quicker than you’d expect.

Amazon isn’t Google, and you’re only as smart as what you know. Alexa tends to hit that wall quicker than you’d expect.

And that’s where Google has always had the leg up. What Google does — especially these days in the new era of “machine learning” — is about intelligence. And that’s where Google Assistant comes in. We’ve only gotten a taste of it so far, in the not-quite-a-must-download Allo messenger app. But you can be sure this new iteration of Google Now (RIP) is a major part of the future of Google as a search company. Ask and it’ll answer. Command and it’ll obey.

While the list of initial IoT partners is small — Philips Hue, Nest, Samsung SmartThings, and IFTTT — it runs the gamut, for sure. And that list certainly will grow once Google opens the APIs to more developers later this year.

And while we still have a good bit of exploring to do once we get Google Home into our homes, it already appears that it’ll be able to control all our things at least as well as Echo, if not better. If you’ve got Philips Hue lights and ever tried to have Alexa change the color, you’ll know what I mean.

And finally, there’s the simple fact that Google Home is a traditional Google Cast target. That is, if you can play it on your Android device you can have Google Home play it instead, via the Cast protocol, and not have to deal with the vastly more clunky Bluetooth.

Amazon Echo isn’t dead, though. Far from it. Amazon is still a shopping destination unlike any other in this part of the world. And so it can plaster its own products on its pages better than Google ever can. (And it wouldn’t surprise us in the least to see Google Home banned from its pages just like Chromecast was.)

That’s the nozzle on the hose, though. Google hasn’t forgotten about where the water comes from in the first place, with Google Wifi. A single router is fine for a lot of uses. But as we connect more and more things in the farthest reaches of our homes, it’s just not good enough.

(And a note to those who work to change our lives: At some point we probably should talk about how the two-plug outlets just aren’t going to cut it anymore, either.)

Google Home and Google Wifi have shortcomings at the outset, but they’ll grow over the coming months as is the Google Way.

Instead of one single point of broadcast, we’re encouraged to use multiple smaller — and smarter — routers in a mesh network. If that sounds complicated, know this: the Google On app that’s controlled its OnHub routers (and soon will be renamed to Google Home as well) is excellent. It’s as simple as it is smart and is a breath of fresh air for anyone who’s dealt with a more traditional router admin panel. (Of course, if you even know how to get into your router you probably can handle the UI, but that’s another thing for another time.)

And price is as important as simplicity when it comes to something you’re supposed to purchase in multiples. Shelling out $299 for three Google Wifi units isn’t quite an impulse buy, but it’s also a good chunk cheaper than the competition. And it also means that my garage will be as covered as my living room.

Current OnHub routers won’t be hung out to dry

Those of us who own one of Google’s two OnHub routers — those sort of random releases from 2015 — got a bit of good news in our inboxes. They’ll work just fine with Google Wifi.

It’ll require a software update, but everything will run on the same Google Home app, and you can use the Google Wifi units to extend your current network if you don’t want to blow things up and start from scratch.

Score one for the good guys.

So we now have a more intelligent way to connect to the internet in Google Wifi. And Google Home finally brings the intelligence of Google out of our pockets and into our homes.

And whatever shortcomings Google Home and Google Wifi have at the outset, you better believe they’ll grow over the coming months.

The question, as always, remains whether Google will be able to sell them in any numbers in the first place.

Pixel keeping some exclusive features when other phones get Android 7.1

We don’t yet know all the details about Android 7.1. But we do know what features are specific to a Made by Google Pixel phone.

Whether you were impressed at what was shown at the Google Pixel launch event or not, there was surely a thing or two shown by the Google Hardware team you really liked. While they were focused on showing what the Pixel phones can do, there wasn’t much talk about what was part of Android 7.1 and what was specific to the Pixel phones themselves.

Other than a mention, not much detail about Android 7.1 was made available at the event. We expect to see the new branch in the source code tree and all the developer documentation soon, and until then we can’t know the full list of changes or features. But we do know several things shown that are specific for the Pixel and Pixel XL, as well as a few of the features that are part of the new Android version.

What makes a Pixel a Pixel

Let’s start with what is going to be a feature of the phones themselves. The one that is quickly noticeable is the launcher. The opaque shelf and round folders (as well as the wallpaper picker) are not part of Android and remain a Google application. There was no word on whether the launcher would be made available for other phones through Google Play or if it will replace the current Google Now Launcher. Off the record, I’m hearing yes it will be available, and no it won’t replace the current app. This makes sense because of Google Assistant.

The Pixel’s features come from various sources — the hardware, the newest version of Android, and some just because the Pixel is Google’s baby.

As of today, the Pixel and Pixel XL are the only phones that can use Google Assistant outside of the Allo app. If you want to use Google Now on Tap (if that even remains as an option) and use Google’s launcher you can stick with the existing Google Now Launcher. Replacing it in a way that works differently with different models seems counter-intuitive, and the backlash over round icons because of a forced change would be valid. I just hope the dynamic Calendar app icon finds its way to phones not using the Pixel-style launcher.

The next Pixel feature is Google’s 24-hour tech support service. If you buy a Pixel or Pixel XL, you can call or chat with a trained representative right from the device settings. There is even an option for remote administration, and I’ve been assured that enabling this feature is optional. This is similar to what Samsung and Motorola (as well as other manufacturers) have been doing for a while. Samsung and Moto also offer a way to easily migrate from another brand to their offerings, as does the Pixel with its Quick Switch feature (and dongle).

Another feature getting a lot of attention is the unlimited full-resolution photo and video backup. If you use a Pixel phone, you have unlimited storage through Google for an online backup of every photo and video you take with your phone — and they aren’t downsized or compressed in any way. Even full-length 4K videos. The Smart Storage option will offload images and videos from the phone’s storage to your personal cloud automatically when your phone’s storage starts to get full. Anyone who is using a Nextbit Robin will tell you that this is pretty great if you take a lot of pictures and videos.

Taking 4K video with your phone is great. Having free storage for the ones you end up keeping is awesome.

Finally, there are a few cosmetic differences — things like blue accents and custom navigation bar icons — that are part of the Pixel and not part of Android 7.1.

There are also a few features that are part of the Snapdragon 821 and not the next version of Android. Support for the EVS codec through the X12 LTE modem will mean excellent voice quality for VoLTE calls. The new Aqstic audio codec enables 192kHz/24bit audio playback through the Pixel’s headphones. Improvements to the Spectra ISP in the Snapdragon chipset are a big part of the excellent camera. These are features any vendor using the Snapdragon 821 will be able to incorporate.

Android 7.1 brings its own list

As of this writing, Google says that “Nougat-ready” devices will be updated to Android 7.1. There will also be a 7.1 developer preview program sometime in Q4 2016. We’re not about to read too much into that, and hopefully on a day not about the Pixel we’ll get some details. But we do know that some of the features showcased during the Pixel event are part of the next version of Android, as well as some others we didn’t get to see.

Daydream VR got a lot of attention. What we didn’t get are a lot of answers about other phones being able to use it.

The biggest thing here is Daydream VR support. Everything we saw and heard about VR on the Pixel and Pixel XL is because they run Android 7.1. Any phone updating will be able to incorporate the same features. Google tells us that new phones supporting Daydream are coming, but we have no word on any existing phones getting certified. We know that the Nexus 6P is able to be a Daydream targeted device right now, with the caveat that the experience is less than optimal and there is no certification, so the hardware requirements put plenty of other phones in the running, but software is the big unknown.

Fingerprint gestures — things like swiping down on the sensor to open the notification tray — are part of Android 7.1. Google’s Night Light feature — a blue light filter, is coming with 7.1 as are improvements for screen sensitivity and display refresh — the latter being pretty important for Daydream.

Another feature talked about is Seamless Updates. We know that any phone built to run Android 7 or higher can use them, but we also know that unless the device storage is partitioned with Seamless Updates in mind, it can’t be used. Google did make a big deal of it during the launch event, so it’s worth mentioning that the feature is available for everyone.

We still expect plenty of API changes and other features aimed at developers, of course. When we get those full details and the documentation, we’ll talk more about it. For now, we’ll have to be content sparring with each other over the Pixel’s features and price.

Google Pixel + Pixel XL

• Everything we know so far
• New navigation buttons
• Google UI + circular icons
• Android 7.1 Nougat
• Pixel vs Pixel XL
• Older Nexus phones

Watch our Google Pixel hands-on video!

We’ve written the words, now see the video.

We know you can’t get enough of the new Pixel and Pixel XL, and to help you get a better understanding of how the phone looks, feels and looks, we’ve worked up a hands-on video. We’re primarily showing off the “standard” Pixel here, but have several shots of the Pixel XL that show just how similar the two phones are — really, it’s two sizes of one phone.

So feast your eyes on our hands-on video above, and when you’re done be sure to follow that up with a read of our complete hands-on preview for the phones. And if you need even more (we know you do), check out the rest of our comprehensive Pixel coverage!

Google Pixel + Pixel XL

• Everything we know so far
• New navigation buttons
• Google UI + circular icons
• Android 7.1 Nougat
• Pixel vs Pixel XL
• Older Nexus phones

Google Home vs Amazon Echo: What’s the difference?

It didn’t take long for a tech company to copy Amazon Echo.

Amazon’s voice-activated speaker is a critical success, and so it wasn’t too surprising when Google introduced at Google I/O in May that it developed its own speaker called Google Home. Then, at the Made by Google event in October, Google announced some key features for Home, as well as how much it costs and when you can get it. Now you just have to decide which speaker you want.

To help make that process a little easier for you, we’ve looked through all the specs and details and explained the primary differences between Amazon Echo and Google Home. Let us know in the comments which one you think you’ll buy.

Google Home vs Amazon Echo: Design

Google Home’s design was inspired by wine glasses and candles, Google said. Its bottom casing can be swapped out for different shells to match your furniture (there are six shells in fabric or metal). It has a sloped top, with a touch-capacitive display and four LEDs to provide visual feedback. There is only one physical mute button at the back, which you can press to prevent Google from listening to “hot words”.

Amazon actually offers a few different versions of Echo, but we’ll focus on the original, canister-shaped model for this comparison. Echo is a 9.25-inch-tall cylinder speaker with a seven-piece micr array. The outside has perforation for the speaker grille, while the top of Echo has a ring of light that you can turn to adjust volume and buttons for mute and activation. The speaker only comes in black or white colours.

Keep in mind Amazon’s Echo lineup offers tiered-speaker heights that remind us of Starbucks coffee sizes (grande, venti, and trenta). Alongside Echo, Amazon offers two sibling speakers that debuted in March 2016 in the US, called Amazon Tap and Echo Dot, each of which are available at different price points. To learn more about the different models, check out Pocket-lint’s comparison.

Google Home vs Amazon Echo: Voice assistant

Google Assistant

Google Home will let you ask Google anything, thanks to its Google Assistant AI. You will have access to Google’s 17 years of search experience, which allows you to ask specific questions such as “How much fat is in an avocado?” or “What is Draymond Green’s jersey number?” Those types of questions would stump Amazon Echo, but not Google. You can even ask for weather or check Wikipedia.

Because Google Home has Google Assistant, you can be conversational and ask follow-up questions like “Where did he go to college?” Google Home will be able to connect the “he” pronoun to your previous question about, say, Draymond Green (or whoever) in order to serve up an accurate answer. You can also ask complex stuff like “What was the US population when NASA was established?”

Google said Google Home will give you immediate answers each time. Also, Google Home can read the relevant part of webpages back to you. Google Assistant on Google Home is the same as your Assistant on the phone. Data is shared across your Google stuff on both devices. To learn more about Google Assistant, check out Pocket-lint’s in-depth look at the virtual AI assistant.

Amazon Alexa

Similar to Google Assistant, Amazon Echo is another type of Assistant. It is capable of understanding simple commands, or even a series of simple commands, but they’re fairly basic and can’t understand conversations. And the default search engine is Bing. Still, Alexa will play music, provide information, deliver news and sports scores, tell you weather, and control devices.

It will even allow Prime members to order products they’ve ordered before. Alexa updates through the cloud automatically and learns all the time. The more you use Echo, the more Alexa adapts to your speech patterns, vocabulary, and personal preferences. To learn more about Amazon Alexa, check out Pocket-lint’s in-depth look at the digital assistant.

Google Home vs Amazon Echo: Smarthome

Google Home can be a control centre for your entire home, because it has access to Google Assistant. Not only will let you do the basics like set alarms and timers and manage to-do lists and shopping lists, but it will also connect your smarthome devices and includes support for popular network systems. That means you will be able to control smart lights, switches, doors, and more.

At launch, Google Home works with Nest, SmartThings, Philips Hue, and IFTTT. Google Home also acts as a Chromecast receiver. So, with just your voice, you’ll be able to ask Google Assistant to adjust your Nest Thermostat or turn off your Philips Hue lights or fling content via Chromecast to your TV. Google plans to work with more partners so you can control more things in the home.

Thanks to Amazon Alexa, the Echo can also respond to your voice commands and control any Alexa-enabled products, such as lights, switches, thermostats, and more. Simply ask Alexa to switch on a lamp, turn on the fan, dim the lights, or increase the temperature. Some products work directly with Alexa and other smart home ecosystems require a compatible hub.

Featured brands that work with Echo include Samsung SmartThings, Philips Hue, Wemo, Insteon, Wink, Honeywell. You can find a full list of compatible devices and shop for these devices from here on Amazon. Because Echo has been around for a couple years longer than Google Home, it got a head start and already has tonnes of partnerships lined up.

Google Home vs Amazon Echo: Integrations

Google is working with developers so you can control things beyond the home too, such as booking a car, ordering dinner, or sending flowers to a loved one. And the best part is you will be able to do this with just your voice.

At launch, Google Home works with YouTube Music, Spotify, Pandora, Google Play Music, TuneIn, and iHeart Radio. With support for these services, you can ask, “OK Google, play that Shakira song from Zootopia.” Without having to name the song, Home can figure it out and play it from your favourite app. Thanks to Google Assistant and its machine-learning capabilities, Google Home knows you and your preferences.

Amazon has also been working with developers to include support for Echo, and a few of the standout apps include Pandora, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, iHeart Radio, NPR, Google Calendar, Uber, and Dominos. At the beginning of 2016, Amazon bragged that more than 130 apps supported Amazon Echo and Alexa voice commands. Again, it’s had the time to grow these relationships.

Google Home vs Amazon Echo: Audio

Google Home is a Wi-Fi speaker that can stream music directly from the cloud. Google said it will deliver rich bass and clear highs – thanks to dual side-facing passive radiators – all from a compact form factor. If you prefer, you can send music from your Android or iOS device through Google Cast. That last bit is important because, with Google Cast support, you’ll be able to use Google Home to control other connected speakers.

You’ll even get multi-room playback, meaning you can add one or more Google Home devices to a group of speakers in order to blast tunes throughout your house. But that’s not all: Google Home will let you control your video content. Let’s say you want to watch the latest episode of Jimmy Fallon or some sort of cat video on YouTube. Just issue a voice command to Google Home, and the content will appear on your TV.

Amazon Echo Bluetooth speaker, so it can play music and be controlled from any device that supports Bluetooth audio streaming. It’s a 1.0 channel speaker, meaning that it is a single speaker with one tweeter and one woofer. In our review of the device, we thought Amazon could’ve done better in the sound department. Also, Amazon Echo doesn’t currently support multiroom audio.

Google Home vs Amazon Echo: Price

Google Home is now available for pre-order though Best Buy, Walmart, and Target in the US. It costs $129 and will be available in stores from 4 November. Amazon Echo, in the original form factor, costs $179 (£149.99 in the UK), though you could always get Dot, a smaller, speaker-free, still voice-activated version of the Echo for $50 (£50 in the UK).

Conclusion

This is a real toss up. While Google Home beats out Amazon Echo in terms of offering different colours and finishes, you can get Amazon Echo in different models. Also, Google Home is coming out of the gate with some great partnerships (IFTTT, Nest, Spotify, etc), but Echo already works with many of these and has been building its devices/services portfolio for a couple years.

In terms of audio quality, we really need to test Google Home before we can give a definitive review. However, the fact that it offers Google Cast and multiroom audio support, whereas Amazon Echo doesn’t, is really compelling. Google’s take on an assistant is also compelling. That’s where these speakers really differ. If you don’t care about how many apps are available or the ability to fling content to other speakers and TVs, Google Home might be what you’re looking for, as it features Google Assistant, which seems to really outpace Amazon Alexa.

Again, we need to review Google Home to be sure, but that Assistant feature definitely stands out. It’s conversational and can tap into Google’s 17 years worth of search experience, while Alexa is more simple and can only understand basic commands. Google Home is also $50 cheaper than Echo, though if you really are only interested in voice tech, you can get Echo Dot for $50.

Fisker teases an electric sports car with a 400 mile range

Henrik Fisker is back in the news with another electric car company. Fisker Inc. (not to be confused with Karma Revero) is the latest venture from the famed designer. Aside from claims that the electric sports car will travel over 400 miles between charges, there won’t be anything to see until halfway through next year, according to a report from Bloomberg. “It will definitely be something that when you see it, it will look completely different,” Fisker (the person) tells the publication. “It will be sporty and spacious.” He hopes to take on the Tesla Model S with the first vehicle, which he describes as a spiritual successor to the 2012 Karma.

More than that, the company has plans to release a mass market model for under $40,000 in the future. Sounds familiar, no?

Additionally, the automaker is producing its own batteries under the Fisker Nanotech banner. Reuters reports that the batteries will make use of graphene — the material that’s capable of everything from treating spinal cord injuries to being brighter e-paper — to hit those lofty range goals.

The batteries themselves will apparently have some lithium in them, but won’t be like the lithium-ion cells like what’s in the Model S. And that’s where Fisker says the company’s future is: selling the tech to other manufacturers.

“If you want to reach true mass-market potential, we need probably, eventually, an OEM,” Fisker says. “We are having very superficial discussions right now with a couple of them.” Tesla, on the other hand, has its battery partner Panasonic building battery cells in the Gigafactory.

Now to see if Fisker’s historical smoke scares the likes of Detroit away or not.

The Original Fisker is back. I am very proud to be launching Fisker Inc. With a game changing battery technology.. pic.twitter.com/8RHvUWSqTq

— Henrik Fisker (@FiskerOfficial) October 4, 2016

Source: Bloomberg, Reuters

Simple robot roams around using just a ball motor

Robots don’t have to be overly complex to perform more than basic tasks. Carnegie Mellon University researchers have created SIMbot, a human-sized cylindrical robot that gets around with only one moving part besides the robot itself: the ball at its base. It’s a spherical induction motor that uses a combination of magnetic fields and clever math to move in any direction, including turning around in a complete circle. That not only allows for a much simpler (and thus more reliable) robot, but also permits very tall robots that won’t easily tip over. You can even push SIMbot and watch it roll back into place.

Ball robots like this would only be useful in limited situations — just ask Sphero how well its robots climb up stairs. However, it’s easy to envision refined versions of SIMbot’s technology proving useful in security robots. They’d both spend less time in the repair shop and have a better time navigating humans that aren’t above the occasional shoving match. The Carnegie team also sees ball robots serving as guides, carrying packages and even helping you out of your chair. Don’t be surprised if you eventually see these machines roaming hospitals and offices.

Via: ScienceDaily

Source: Carnegie Mellon University

AI can help you find a programming job

Artificial intelligence isn’t just helping you work more effectively… it can help you find work, too. Sourced is running a job service that matches programmers with employers by using a “deep neural network” to scan open source code for relevant qualities. And it’s not just about understanding whether or not you can write well in a given language, either. The AI can even look for coding styles that match the methods of a given company, so you may land a position simply by fitting in more gracefully than anyone else.

Of course, the approach doesn’t rely exclusively on algorithms. You’ll still have to talk to Sourced on the phone, and you’ll need to clear interviews like any other job seeker. The AI is more about getting your foot in the door, about proving that you’re up to the challenge without having a human read your code first. And the strategy appears to be working. Sourced is almost profitable after just two years since starting operations, and it’s planning to expand from its small European base (Berlin and Madrid) to include offices in the UK, US and elsewhere in Europe. There could well be a day when recruiters come knocking with little effort on your part — they’ll just know that your programming talents could be better-served elsewhere.

Via: TechCrunch

Source: Source(d)

Uber’s self-driving cars are off to a rough start

Uber’s autonomous ridesharing cars appear to be running into snags just a few weeks into their Pittsburgh test runs. Quartz has gathered multiple reports of the self-driving vehicles getting into accidents or otherwise having trouble, some more serious than others. Officially, Uber is only aware of an incident where another car bumped the fender of one of its rides. That’s fine given that human drivers frequently pose the biggest danger to robotic cars, and it’s difficult to account for all possible behavior. However, Nathan Stachelek also recorded video of a driver manually turning a self-driving car around after it went the wrong way down a one-way street — suffice it to say this could have created major problems if there was oncoming traffic.

There aren’t any other incidents on the record at this point, and Uber has already stressed an abundance of safety precautions. There’s always a human driver as backup, and the vehicles are only allowed to drive at certain hours and on certain terrain. They’re pre-programmed to accommodate street-specific issues, too, such as dangerous intersections. With that said, these early issues suggest that Uber still has some work to do. That fender-bender happened at an intersection notorious for rear-end accidents, and it’s odd that map data didn’t prevent turning on to a one-way street in the first place.

Also, these early rough spots raise questions about Uber’s cooperation with Pittsburgh. The city doesn’t have formal data sharing agreements with Uber, so it’s not clear that one side or the other will always have up to date information on incidents or other concerns. The two might need to work more closely to make sure that every collision or wrong-way panic is accounted for.

Source: Quartz, Nathan Stachelek (Facebook)

Where to buy the Google Pixel and Pixel XL in India

Here’s where you can buy the Pixel and Pixel XL in India.

The Pixel and Pixel XL are now official, and the phones are all set to debut in India later this month. Pre-orders kick off on October 13, with in-store availability commencing shortly thereafter.

The Pixel and Pixel XL are targeted at the high-end segment, offering the latest internal hardware in the form of a 2.15GHz Snapdragon 821 SoC, 4GB of RAM, 32GB or 128GB storage, 12.3MP camera, 8MP front shooter, and USB-C. The Pixel has a 5-inch Full HD display, with the Pixel XL sporting a 5.5-inch QHD panel.

MORE: Pixel and Pixel XL specs

The phones will be available in Quite Black and Very Silver color options in India, with both the 32GB and 128GB storage variants available. The 32GB Pixel will retail for ₹57,000 ($855), putting it squarely in S7 edge and iPhone 7 territory.

Buy the Pixel and Pixel XL at Flipkart

Flipkart will sell both the Pixel and Pixel XL in India. Pricing for the 32GB Pixel will be ₹57,000, and as is often the case, we’ll likely see several launch offers to incentivize the phone. For now, Flipkart is focusing on its Big Billion Days sale, but we should see more information regarding the phones next week.

See at Flipkart

Buy the Pixel and Pixel XL at Reliance Digital

Both the Pixel and Pixel XL will be coming to Reliance Digital. We’ll have to wait until next week to know more about the pricing and availability, but it is likely that both phones will make their way to a majority of Reliance Digital’s outlets across the country.

Buy the Pixel and Pixel XL at Croma

Alongside Reliance Digital, the Pixel and Pixel XL will be sold at Croma. The site is usually one of the best when it comes to financing schemes, so if you’re interested in buying Google’s latest, check back on October 13 to know more about EMI options and availability.

This time around, Google is focusing its attention on after-sales support, and has mentioned that Pixel and Pixel XL customers will be able to call a dedicated toll-free number for any assistance. For any hardware-related issues, you’ll be able to 54 walk in service centres in over 30 cities across the country.

What’s your take on the ₹57,000 price tag for the Pixel in India?