Google’s experimental Hangouts app borrows inspiration from Facebook
Ever since it ditched Google Talk and integrated everything into Hangouts, Google’s messaging service has become pervasive on mobile and the web. While the search giant routinely adds new features, a bigger update could be on the way, at least according to a new leak from Chrome tinkerer Florian Kiersch. He got his hands on a recent test build of Hangouts, known internally as UltraViolet, that shows Google is testing a new interface that mimics the “chat heads” found in Facebook’s Messenger app on Android. According to Kiersch, floating profile icons are just one of the many UI changes expected to come to Hangouts in the near future, but thanks to the experimental nature of the leaked browser app, it’s the only new feature we’re able to lay eyes on, at least for now.
Filed under: Internet, Software, Google
Via: Android Police
Source: Caschys Blog
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Schools find ways to get more women into computer science courses
Technology giants like Apple and Google are frequently dominated by men, in part because relatively few women pursue computer science degrees; just 18 percent of American comp sci grads are female. However, at least a few schools have found ways to get more women into these programs. Carnegie Mellon University saw female enrollment jump to 40 percent after it both scrapped a programming experience requirement and created a tutoring system, giving women a support network they didn’t have as a minority. Harvey Mudd College and the University of Washington, meanwhile, saw greater uptake (40 and 30 percent) after they reworked courses to portray coding as a solution to real-world problems, rather than something to study out of personal interest. Harvey Mudd’s recruiters also made an effort to be more inclusive in advertising and campus tours.
Whether or not course changes are necessary is up for debate. Carnegie Mellon notes that it didn’t have to change the curriculum at all, and points to studies which suggest that it’s the perception of computer science that discourages women; they’re as capable as men in the same courses. Given the results at other institutions, it’s at least clear that there’s more than one solution to these classroom imbalances. The higher ratio of female students won’t necessarily lead to increased diversity in tech, but it shows that the industry’s gender ratios aren’t set in stone.
[Image credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images]
Source: New York Times
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Secretaries beware: Google and HP in talks about Now for the workplace
While Apple has teamed up with IBM to get more of its wares into the workplace, it seems Google is looking to do the same with partners of its own. The Information reports that Google is in talks with HP and others to leverage its card-based Now system for enterprise use. While the negotiations began a year ago, HP has moved forward with its own “Enterprise Siri” project to boost mobile search for businesses. Integrating Now with office-friendly apps will be a chore, as the search option doesn’t currently leverage data or abilities outside of Google’s suite — like Cortana and Siri do for certain applications. As you might expect, the conversations seem to be just that at this point, so there’s no clear indication of a timetable for a partnership announcement or product release.
Filed under: Software, Google, HP
Source: The Information
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Peel doesn’t need any extra hardware to make your iPhone a Dish and DirecTV remote
The ability to turn iPhones into remote controls is something Peel has done before, but this time out it’s doing things slightly different. With its new iOS app, Peel now lets you use your iPhone, iPod touch and/or iPad as a smart remote for Dish Network and DirecTV boxes, without the need for additional hardware — which was the case with the Fruit, a $99 peripheral the startup introduced about three years ago. Peel’s iOS application isn’t just a remote, however; it also comes with discovery features that bring you personalized recommendations on stuff you should watch. In addition to that, Peel acts as a TV guide too, allowing you to easily find shows or movies even if you’re not a Dish or DirecTV subscriber. Peel Smart Remote and TV Guide is compatible with the Dish Hopper and Hopper with Sling (excluding some models), as well as any WiFi-equipped DirecTV box.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Peripherals, Software, HD, Mobile, Apple
Via: TechCrunch
Source: App Store
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Google+ puts your social feed on a TV with Chromecast
Just when you think the Chromecast can’t get any better, it does. So, with more and more services offering support for the diminutive (and very cheap) device, it’s only natural for Google to make its own apps work better with it. To that end, Google+ on Android now lets you display photos from your social stream on a nearby television, thanks to a newly added button in the search giant’s networking application. Technically, doing that was already (sort of) possible with Android’s screen mirroring on Chromecast, but this is something actually designed to be viewed on a TV. Once it starts casting, the Google+ app can cycle through posts from your feed and put them in a loop — that said, you also have the option to pause, in case there’s a photo you really like and want to use as a wallpaper of sorts. Right now, the feature appears to be limited to Android, though it wouldn’t surprise us to see it come to the iOS version of the app later on.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, Software, HD, Mobile, Google
Via: Android Central
Source: Google Play
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Chrome now lets you see some websites when you’re offline
Ever been knocked offline right before you get to read a story on the web? If Google has its way, you won’t be left high and dry in these situations for much longer. The company has posted a test release of its Chrome browser that include a “show saved copy” button on the connection error page. Click that and you should see the last cached version of whichever site you were trying to reach. There’s no guarantee that this offline support will reach polished versions of Chrome, but it would be surprising if that didn’t happen — the feature would be handy for both offline directions and reading material on long flights. If you can’t wait for a complete release, you can visit the source link to grab the Canary build and try the button yourself.
Filed under: Internet, Software, Google
Via: 9to5Google
Source: Chrome Canary
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Madfinger Games branching out with upcoming MOZON, virtual model building
Many of you should know the game development company Madfinger Games. They have brought along some great titles like Shadowgun and the Dead Trigger duo. Dead Trigger 2 has probably been their most successful game to date and one that can continuously expand while raking in the bucks with IAPs and such. The company just pushed an update for DT2 about a month ago that brought all kinds of new stuff to the game. However, DT2 has been out for quite some time. It would seem that Madfinger is now shifting their gears from the first and third person shooter genre to something a bit more relaxing with a new app called MONZO.
As you can guess from the screen above, the app will be all about model building in a virtual world.
“MONZO has great potential to capture the interest of mobile gaming fans from all present genres and it will also be fun for gamers of all ages as well.” explains Marek Rabas, CEO of MADFINGER Games. “The construction of virtual models is very close to the experience of actual construction. The whole process takes gamers through the purchase and unpacking of kits to assembly, painting, exploring and sharing of finished models on Facebook and other social media” adds Rabas.
Once you painstakingly (without the cuts, glued up and painted fingers, and the drying time it would appear) complete your model it then can be overlayed through your camera so you can snap it sitting in your house, outside or what have you. Then off to the social spheres it goes.
MONZO will be a free app when it launches, but will have in-app purchases for you to buy various model kits that will listed out and categorized from simple to complex. I imagine the price tag will reflect the complexity as well. It would seem that Madfinger will have 8 kits available at launch, or at least that is how many their site says they have right now. Those would include the Black Widow bike, a COLT Model 1911, Paddle Boat, TREVITHICK Engine, Drilling Machine, Sports Car, Slingster Dragster and a Fire Truck.
In their gallery they also show off a Catapult Bow.
We aren’t certain of the launch date yet, but we do know they will be at GamesCom tomorrow showing it off at the Unity Booth (Hall 4.1, B030). If any of you guys will be around that area, swing in and check it out for us.
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The post Madfinger Games branching out with upcoming MOZON, virtual model building appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
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Update goes out for Box with Box Notes and new Languages
Box has released an update to their app for Android today that brings in a pretty useful new feature for those users on the go. The update brings in a recently released web feature, called Box Notes, that can now be utilized via your Android device. Box Notes is similar to Google Drives real-time multi-user collaboration offering.
Box Notes on Android features seamless integration into the native menus, allowing for all the basic editor features you’d expect: cut, copy, paste, bold, italic, underline, bullet list, numbered list, indent and outdent.
The update also lets users see a list of the 25 most recently accessed files, making it a bit easier to get back to a draft easier without searching for it again. You will also find some advanced settings for URL’s and fine-grained admin controls. In addition to the above mentioned, you can also now delete comments on files and there is a new “pull-to-refresh” gesture too.
If you have Box installed then check the Play Store for the most recent update. If you don’t, feel free to hit the widget below and get it installed.
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The post Update goes out for Box with Box Notes and new Languages appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
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Siri co-creator is working on a virtual assistant capable of anything
There’s no question that Apple’s virtual assistant comes in handy when you need information quickly. And now, one of Siri’s creators is working on a more advanced form of AI that goes far beyond the current iPhone option. Viv Labs says its personal assistant will possess a limitless tool set because the software can teach itself. This means that in addition to the regular ol’ search, the artificial intelligence will also be able to perform tasks like booking reservations based on openings in your schedule and more. “Siri is chapter one of a much longer, bigger story,” Dag Kittlaus, Viv’s co-founder who also worked on Apple’s assistant, tells Wired. Bypassing the need for coders (and constraints), Viv generates its own program to answer queries and complete tasks in seconds. Once the system is “trained” to understand the vocabulary of a subject, the company aims to sort through loads of data to not only lend a hand, but anticipate what we’ll need next.
[Photo credit: Ian Waldie/Bloomberg via Getty Images]
Filed under: Software
Source: Wired
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Live from Sony’s PlayStation event at Gamescom 2014!
At the game industry’s annual United States trade show, the Electronic Entertainment Expo, the big three console makers battle it out for your attention. At Gamescom — the world’s largest gaming trade show which draws around 350K people — it’s kind of Sony’s show. Sure, Microsoft has an event. And hey, this year there were some pretty big announcements at Microsoft’s event. But Europe is Sony territory, and this is the show where PlayStation is wont to make some big waves. Join us right here at 1PM ET for the whole event as it unfolds, live from Cologne, Germany.
Filed under: Gaming, Software, HD, Sony
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AIVAnet 