PowerPoint spruces up your presentation using image recognition
If you’ve ever slapped together a PowerPoint presentation at the last minute, Microsoft has an Office 2016 feature called Designer that may save your bacon. It worked with graphics pros to build about 12,000 “blueprint” design templates in total. All you have to do is select an image, and it will use the cloud “to analyze and identify the most compelling portion of your images,” and build an appropriate design. For instance, it can zoom in on the tomatoes or peas (above) to build a theme, or avoid busy overlay images altogether if you have lots of charts. Once you’ve picked an appropriate blueprint, you just need to fill it in with your content.
Source: Microsoft
ICYMI: Mobile music making, skateboard stroller and more
Today on In Case You Missed It: The iMaschine 2 app uses Apple’s 3D Touch to record the difference in how hard you tap to make beats, a big upgrade since our wasted days using Simon. Construction on the Giant Magellan Telescope in Chile is finally going to begin, three years after the country first blew up a mountain peak where it will be located. The U.S. and other countries have jointly pledged $500 million towards its construction so we’re eager for that to be finished. And the Quinny longboard stroller is a skateboard prototype that aims to ‘re-imagine the future of baby transport,’ aka terrify grandmothers everywhere.
New Android exploit can hack any handset in one shot
Hackers have discovered a critical exploit in Chrome for Android reportedly capable of compromising virtually every version of Android running the latest Chrome. Quihoo 360 researcher Guang Gong demonstrated the vulnerability to the PSN2OWN panel at the PacSec conference in Tokyo yesterday. While the inner workings of the exploit are still largely under wraps, we do know that it leverages JavaScript v8 to gain full administrative access to the victim’s phone.
Source: The Register
Moto X Style and Moto X (2014) Android 6.0 Marshmallow updates heading to Brazil and India
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David Schuster has announced via his Google+ page that two Motorola devices are starting to see their official update to Android 6.0 Marshmallow. The 2015 Moto X Style, which some dub the 3rd generation Moto X, in both India and Brazil will start to see the update appear today and going forward. As for the 2014 Moto X, 2nd gen if you will, the lovely folks in Brazil will see the update too. The key highlights of the update were listed out as follows:
Here are a few of the new improvements and features in the Marshmallow upgrade:
– A new Memory Manager that lets you check memory usage of all your installed apps
– Volume controls have been greatly improved
– Do not disturb button has been added to the quick settings panel for easy access.
– System UI Tuner will appear in the settings menu at the very bottom once enabled. It provides a few simple UI tweaks.
– Google Now on Tap allows contextual information to be delivered based on content on your screen with a long press of the home key.
– Doze is a battery management feature that detects when your device is not in use and it will automatically go into a deep sleep state which saves your battery.
– App Standby reduces battery drain by putting seldom-used apps into a reduced activity state.
– Expandable Storage support allows for microSD cards to be used either in a portable storage or an internal storage mode. Portable storage allows your pictures, videos, audio and other media files to be stored. Internal storage allows both media storage along with apps and games but can not be used by other devices.
– RAM manager in settings which allows a consumer to view memory used by the system or an individual app over different time frames
– Automatic App backup not only backs up your apps but their associated data so when restored they will be the same as they were before
– Text selection has been improved
One can’t forget the addition on App Permissions, but really, Doze is probably one of the greatest new features wrapped inside Android 6.0. The full changelog of what to expect when your device sees the update can be found at Motorola Mobility. Those of you that haven’t see the update notification pop up just yet can always attempt to trigger it by heading to the Settings > About Phone > System Updates. Be sure you have well over 50% battery life, a solid Wi-Fi connection and some time to kill for it to download and install.
The post Moto X Style and Moto X (2014) Android 6.0 Marshmallow updates heading to Brazil and India appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Google Play Books is more comic friendly thanks to vertical scrolling
Is Google Play Books your go-to app for reading comic books? If so, your digital page turning is about to get a whole lot better. While the app is getting a number of updates, the most notable is the introduction of vertical scrolling. Rather than having to flip to the next page, which can be a bit awkward when it comes to comics on a phone or tablet, simply turn your device to landscape mode and scroll vertically with a swipe. There’s a curated series section too, organizing volumes, issues and editions of some of the most popular titles. To help you find new reading material, the app will also offer personalized recommendations based on what you’re reading. Just as a reminder, Google Play Books houses comics from major publishers like DC Comics, Marvel, Image, IDW and Dark Horse. The update is rolling out to Android users “over the next few days” and iOS is said to follow soon after for users in the US, Canada, Australia, Great Britain, India, Singapore, Ireland, New Zealand, and South Africa.
Spotify recommends concerts based on your listening habits
Spotify’s Discover Weekly feature curates a new playlist based on your listening habits every seven days. Now, the streaming service is using those tracks you play to serve up nearby concert recommendations, too. Spotify says the concert picks are based on the artists it knows you’ll want to see live with some other acts it thinks you’ll enjoy thrown in for good measure. Just like Discover Weekly, the recommendations will change with your musical tastes. What’s more, when you’re heading out of town, you can change your location to see which concerts are happening at your destination. The whole thing is powered by Songkick, and the Concerts feature hits Spotify’s Android and iOS apps today.
Source: Spotify
Windows 10 focuses on Cortana and Edge in first big update
Microsoft is rollingout the first major update to Windows 10 for tablets and PCs. The release focuses on improvements to Cortana, Edge and performance. The personal assistant will now track your event and movie tickets, and even monitor travel time and give you a heads up when you should leave. The update also allows you to book an Uber, in case you need a ride to the theater. And for our international friends, Cortana is finally landing in Japan, Australia, Canada and India.
Via: ZD Net
Source: Windows Blog
Hyundai makes owner’s manuals more interesting with augmented reality
Augmented reality showrooms are one thing, but Hyundai using that tech to make learning about your new car more interesting. This week, the automaker announced its an augmented reality owner’s manual app for Android and iOS. The Hyundai Virtual Guide plays nice with both smartphones and tablets, offering details on repairs, maintenance and vehicle features. Hyundai says the app will only provide reference materials for the 2015 Sonata at first, but other models will be added soon after. There’s 82 how-to videos, six 3D overlay images for areas like the engine bay and over 50 guides to serve up all the details in a format that’s should be engaging that flipping pages. This isn’t the first time owner’s manuals have gone digital, but Hyundai says this is the first to include augmented reality. The apps are available now, free of charge, via either iTunes or Google Play. Slideshow-341185
Via: The Verge
Source: Hyundai
Uber signs up TomTom to provide navigation for its drivers
After losing out to a consortium of Germany’s biggest car makers over the purchase of Nokia’s HERE Maps, Uber has set about building its own mapping and navigation services. They’re not quite ready for prime time, so the company has had to rely upon a number of popular mapping services, including Google (which also serves as an investor), to help both users and drivers understand exactly where they are. Today, Uber has added TomTom to the list, with the Dutch company confirming that it will also support the private hire taxi firm.
Source: TomTom (Businesswire)
Carnegie Mellon may have ratted out Tor users to the FBI
In a story that may become an acid test for internet privacy, the operators of the Tor network have accused Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) of taking up to $1 million to help the FBI bust illegal sites. If the allegations are true, the defendants in question certainly had it coming — they include the drug market Silk Road 2.0 and a child pornographer. However, Tor director Roger Dingledine questions the university’s ethics in the attack. “We think it’s unlikely they could have gotten a valid warrant … [since it] appears to have indiscriminately targeted many users at once,” he said.
Via: Matthew Green
Source: Tor
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