I’m not sure how I feel about this new UI, but the remote looks good so long as the battery lasts.
What you need to know The Android TV dongle we’d hoped would debut at Google I/O is shaping up to be quite the compelling device. XDA Developers obtained what appear to be official renders of the new Android TV dongle, its remote, and an updated Android TV UI. The dongle doesn’t appear to be much bigger [Read More…]
Staying apart by two meters is a social good. It’s also hard to gauge.
What you need to know Google has launched Sodar, an app that encourages effective social distancing. Making use of augmented reality, it is intended to help users visualize a two-meter or six feet radius around themselves. It’s available as a web-app on Chrome for Android.
Google has launched a new experimental web-app, Sodar. Built to work with Chrome on Android, it’s an AR [Read More…]
No address? No problem.
What you need to know Plus Codes are a new addition to Maps that use latitude and longitude coordinates to create “digital” addresses, even in areas without a traditional address. Plus Codes are searchable in Google Maps, just like a regular address. Google is making its digital address technology open source for developers to use as they see fit.
Your address is just as much a part of your identity as your phone [Read More…]
Google Fi integration will also come to the Messages app in the near future.
What you need to know An APK teardown of Google Messages v6.2 has revealed that the messaging app may soon gain end-to-end encryption for RCS chats. Both the sender and receiver will need to have a good internet connection for end-to-end encryption to work. There is no word yet on exactly when end-to-end encryption will arrive.
Google began testing iMessage-like reactions in RCS [Read More…]
Google continues to build out Android’s accessibility features.
What you need to know Google has improved Android’s accessibility apps in respect of Global Accessibility Awareness Day. The pre-existing Live Transcribe and Sound Amplifier apps get useful and meaningful updates. The company has also rolled out a new Action Blocks app for reducing day-to-day cognitive load on impaired users.
Google is improving support for Android users with extended accessibility needs this week to acknowledge Global Accessibility Awareness Day. To [Read More…]
Pixels have never been about chasing specs — but Google may actually be able to compete on price now.
It’s no secret among tech followers that Google’s Pixel line doesn’t sell anywhere near the numbers that the big-name competition does. The Pixel 3a and 3a XL are the only exception, and even still, the “high” sales are only relative to their underperforming siblings. As a constant observer of phones in the wild, when I see a Pixel [Read More…]
Right now, it’s just a prototype.
What you need to know The helical sensing matrix (HSM) using E-textiles are currently in the prototype phase. Interactions can be done via pinching, sliding, twisting, and other ways to control various devices and programs Fiber optic strands can be woven into the fabric to give visual feedback through light.
Google has been experimenting with fabrics for a while [Read More…]
Hardware is only a part of Google’s massive business, and Pixels are just a tiny slice of hardware.
Anytime the CEO of a massive company in our industry speaks, we hang on every word — we had the opportunity to do just that with CEO of Alphabet and Google, Sundar Pichai, thanks to a fresh interview with The Verge. It’s a well-timed interview, from our perspective, given the recent news of a shakeup in the top ranks of [Read More…]
Google seems set to drop a failed idea.
What you need to know Google’s Pixel 5 may ditch the Soli radar chip. Project Soli powered the Motion Sense feature of the Pixel 4 and 4 XL. It also drained battery and added little benefit to the phone’s experience as a whole.
With the Pixel 4, Google brought a new feature — Motion Sense — to the Pixel line. Powered by the innovative Project Soli, Motion Sense added [Read More…]
This could hit the iPhone SE where it hurts, and put Google’s Pixel right back in the mix.
What you need to know Initial reports suggested a 64GB model would cost $ 399. New rumors say that a 128GB model might cost $ 349 Either way, Pixel 4a would be priced competitively with iPhone SE
The entire Android world has been eagerly anticipating the imminent launch of Google’s new budget flagship, the Pixel 4a. After the success [Read More…]
