Jordan writes about all things Apple as Senior Editor of 9to5Mac. He covers Google for 9to5Google.com, the best gadgets and deals on 9to5Toys.com, and delivers a weekly roundup of EV and solar news on Electrek.co. Sometimes he makes weird electronic music as one half of Makamachine.
Contact Jordan with news tips and long-winded complaints:
Fly Labs, developer of popular video editing apps for iOS, today confirmed it’s being acquired by Google in an announcement on its website. As part of the deal, the company will leave behind its own apps and continue work on photo and video products at Google.
Expand
Expanding
Close
Google Drive updates arriving today include new features for the Android app including sharing notifications and the ability to share with people without a Google account.
As part of its Drive mobile app updates today, both users of the iOS and Android apps can now enable notifications for when files are shared with them. Not only is it a notification, but it also acts as a quick links to jump right into the file or folder. And in addition, Google notes that “If a file/folder owner has notifications turned on and someone requests access to their content, the owner will be notified of the request instantly on their mobile device so they can quickly grant access.”
And while the Google Drive iOS app is getting what Google describes as a new consistent sharing experience (essentially bringing it up to par with Android), Android users are getting the ability to share with people without a Google account:
Until now, a Google Account was needed to view shared files on an Android device. Now, people can do this without a Google Account just like they can on the web.
The updated Google Drive app for Android is available now.
Google is making some announcements for its Google for Work platform today at the Web Summit in Dublin, including the introduction of a new program dubbed “Recommended for Google Apps for Work” and an update on paid user numbers.
In addition to announcing the new app recommendations, Google’s Amit Singh unveiled that the company has now hit over 2 million businesses with paid Google Apps for Work accounts:
Expand
Expanding
Close
SoundCloud, the music sharing and discovery community popular with independent musicians, is today releasing its first ever app specifically for creators with the release of SoundCloud Pulse for Android.
Expand
Expanding
Close
It’s certainly not the only connected-security camera, but following Google’s acquisition of popular security cam maker Dropcam last year, the company has just launched a second-generation product with new features. The new product was re-envisioned by Google’s Nest team— the people building smart home accessories like the Nest thermostat and fire alarm— and in the process dropped the Dropcam branding and gained a few notable enhancements.
But is the new Nest Cam worth an upgrade from your current Dropcam setup? And how does the product compare to the other connected home security-cam and all-in-one security devices on the market? We’ve been testing out Nest Cam since its release a few weeks back to find out.
Expand
Expanding
Close
Google is today rolling out updates to its Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Keep apps that add a handful of new features for Android users.
First up, the Sheets app now allows users to view more content on the screen by automatically hiding “toolbars and headers so that you can see more of your content on the screen at one time.” And you’ll notice the toolbars and headers reappear when you sign to scroll up or zoom out.
After adding gameplay recording features to mobile apps alongside its new YouTube Gaming platform launch earlier this month, Google is today updating its Google Play Games app for Android with similar features.
The update will allow users of the Play Games app to quickly hop into gameplay recording with the ability to share their own commentary simultaneously using their device’s front facing camera and microphone.
It’s simple. In the Play Games app, select any game you want to play, then tap the record button. You can capture your gameplay in 720p or 480p, and choose to add video of yourself and commentary via your device’s front facing camera and microphone. When you’re done recording, you can quickly edit and upload your video to YouTube.
Google notes that the feature should come in handy for some of the content creators contributing to the roughly 144 billion minutes of gaming videos and live streams viewed on YouTube each month.
The updated Google Play Games app for Android is rolling out to users in the US and UK starting this week with users in other countries getting access in the near future.
Skype is rolling out an update for its Android app today that introduces new video filters not unlike competitive video chat services.
The new filters can be applied to video messages with various effects to choose from, and you’ll also find some Halloween themed emoticons and filters to celebrate the occasion this month:
Get started by tapping the filter wand at the bottom left of the video message window. Choose a filter to see it in action then, when you’re ready, hit the record button. Add balloons to your video message to celebrate any occasion. If you’re feeling goofy, change the appearance of your face to make it look rounder or longer – we love this one! Or, if you’re sending a video message showing off your Halloween costume, add some ghosts or use the negative filter to set a spooky mood.
And lastly, Android users get a few welcomed improvements to conversations and contacts in the update, including:
• Quickly send photos and files to the entire group by tapping on the corresponding icon in the group chat media bar.• Want to chat with a friend who isn’t in Skype? Invite your friends to join Skype from the contacts tab.
The updated Skype for Android app is available on Google Play now.
After first unveiling OnHub in August, a new wireless router that intelligently finds the best connection for its user, today Google is announcing its second OnHub router hardware through a partnership with Asus.
Expand
Expanding
Close
Developer of the popular PC game MapleStory has long had a mobile version of the game, Pocket MapleStory, but up until now there has only been a Korean version and a soft launch in select countries. Today the game officially comes to all users worldwide with a localized version for English players.
The mobile version of the game packs in the full side-scrolling MMORPG desktop experience including all 1,500 different quests, real-time online multiplayer functionality, and rich, colorful environments.
Available now, the side-scrolling action that fans have adored for more than 10 years on the PC now gives players the chance to explore the vast and colorful universe of Maple World on mobile devices. Pocket MapleStory has already garnered more than seven million downloads in Asia and has been the number one free game on both the App Store and Google Play in Korea and Taiwan. The game had also ranked first and second in free game category on the App Store in China and Japan respectively… In honor of the worldwide launch, there will be two launch events for fans to earn additional in-game rewards.
Android users are getting the game first with a release on Google Play for free, but with in-app purchases available for items and character customizations.
Developer NEXON Korea noted in its press release that the game already has “more than seven million downloads in Asia and has been the number one free game on both the App Store and Google Play in Korea and Taiwan.” The game is yet to get a worldwide release on iOS, but it will come to all users on the platform later this year.
Pocket MapleStory is available for Android users now on Google Play.
As usual, iFixit has cracked into the latest Nexus device, Google’s Nexus 5X manufactured by LG, to give us our first look at the insides of the device and some insight into just how repairable it will be for owners.
Google’s Android team already filled us in on why it left out Qi Charging on the new Nexus devices (the reversible USB Type-C included is simply more efficient, it said), but we didn’t get an answer on why it didn’t take advantage of Qualcomm’s Quick Charge technology. It turns out the device actually includes a chip that supports the feature, the Qualcomm SMB1358, Quick Charge 2.0 IC, as confirmed in the teardown earlier today. And Qualcomm supports the Nexus 5X’s new USB-Type C connector, so it’s still a possibility the feature could be enabled for the device in the future.
But apart from getting a look inside of the device for the first time, the teardown doesn’t reveal many details we didn’t already know. It does, however, show that Nexus 5X is easily repairable compared to much of its competition with a score of 7 out of 10 meaning most components of the device will be easy to swap in and out or fix. The one downside iFixit noticed included a fused display assembly, which it noted means the “glass and LCD will need to be replaced together if one or the other breaks.”
The positives include the fact that several components “are modular and can be replaced independently,” according to iFixit, and that a standard Phillips screw driver, and not proprietary tools and parts like other devices, is all that’s necessary to open the device.
You can check out iFixit’s full tear down here.
App publisher Glu today announced its latest game for Android, which is also its latest celebrity partnership with actor Jason Statham starring as the game’s main playable character. The free game is a first-person shooter that some players will notice bears a similarity and seems to borrow from some of Glu’s past FPS games including the Contract Killer series.
“As Glu’s first male celebrity partner, Jason Statham’s over 55 million social followers add a new demographic to the company’s celebrity gaming platform,” said Niccolo de Masi, Glu Chairman and CEO. “Mr. Statham’s creative input throughout the game’s development has ensured a unique and authentic action-adventure experience his fans will enjoy worldwide.”
As part of Statham’s elite paramilitary team SPEAR, players work side-by-side to dismantle terrorists and rogue states that conventional forces can’t touch. Enemies of freedom can run, but they can’t hide from Sniper X!
The celebrity tie-in, featuring Statham’s name, likeness, and voice, follows Glu’s successful “Kim Kardashian: Hollywood” game that reports last year said was on pace to take in around $200 million.
Sniper X with Jason Statham is available on Google Play now for Android smartphones and tablets. The game is free to download but includes in-app purchases for in-game items, which is also the approach Glu took for the successful Kim Kardashian game.
Official trailer from Glu below:
[youtube=https://youtu.be/AYkwjYuly2U]
Google is releasing the beta of Chrome 47 today that introduces as number of new features across platforms including new splash screens for Android web apps, improved management for push notifications on the desktop, enhanced multitasking and more.
For the new splash screens, developers will be able to take advantage of splash screens when their web apps are launched from an icon saved on the homescreen. Google points out that “apps can take a few seconds to load” and presenting a nice looking splash screen will “allow apps to show something meaningful to users as the app loads, improving perceived performance” for users.
In addition, Chrome 47 beta brings an improved push notification experience for desktop users on Mac, Linux, Chrome OS and Windows by introducing auto dismissing notifications:
“Sites such as social media or email can generate a large number of push notifications that take up screen space and aren’t particularly relevant unless viewed soon after posting. The new version of Chrome now allows developers to configure automatic dismissal of desktop notifications, improving the experience for these kinds of notifications. Sites can set NotificationOptions.requireInteraction to indicate the notification should remain onscreen until the user dismisses it.”
And lastly, the 47 beta release brings what Google refers to as “Cooperative multitasking with requestIdleCallback()”, something developers can take advantage of to improve performance by allowing apps to run during “idle time” when resources aren’t being used by other tasks.
Google has more info on the release here.
Google is rolling out an update to Maps for Android over the coming weeks that adds quick access to gas station price comparisons and other nearby points of interest when navigating. The new feature allows drivers using the app for turn-by-turn navigation to search for points of interest without having to exit the navigation screen.
When the update lands, a new magnifying glass in the upper right corner of the screen will allow users to search for the usual points of interest like gas stations, restaurants, coffee shops and more. Alongside the quick shortcuts, you’ll also see a microphone icon and search option for both voice and text searches for additional points of interest.
Google says the update is rolling out for all Maps users on Android over the next few weeks.
Over the next few weeks, we’re rolling out an update to Google Maps on Android that will make your next gas stop more convenient and affordable. Now you can check out gas prices and add detours to your route, without having to exit out of navigation… When you’re driving in navigation mode and you get that call from your spouse to pick up some more milk on your drive home or if you’re on a road trip and want to find a great restaurant option along your route, simply tap the magnifying glass at the top right corner of the screen. You’ll see a drop-down menu with helpful options, like gas stations, grocery stores, or restaurants. If the drop-down options aren’t what you need, you can always add a detour to your favorite coffee shop by tapping the search icon or by using voice commands.
Business Insider profiled 23-year-old Googler Brandon S. who decided to forgo the usual high-priced San Francisco apartment and instead move into the back of a 128 square foot truck in the company’s parking lot.
The idea started to formulate while Brandon — who asked to withhold his last name and photo to maintain his privacy on campus — was interning at Google last summer and living in the cheapest corporate housing offered: two bedrooms and four people for about $65 a night (roughly $2,000 a month), he explains to Business Insider.
He didn’t do much to pimp out the back of the $10,000, 16FT Ford truck with a modest setup consisting mostly of a bed and storage (and no power), but it has enabled Brandon to save around 90% of his income, while Google and security apparently have no issues with the living arrangements:
“I don’t actually own anything that needs to be plugged in,” he explains on his blog. “The truck has a few built-in overhead lights, and I have a motion-sensitive, battery-powered lamp I use at night. I have a small battery pack that I charge up at work every few days, and I use that to charge my headphones and cell phone at night. My work laptop will last the night on a charge, and then I charge it at work.”
Here’s a look at the inside of the truck:
Brandon is blogging about the experience on his site Thoughts from Inside the Box.
Yahoo is rolling out an update to its Mail app for Android that introduces a refreshed design, as well as new features including smarter search, contacts management and rich compose. Alongside the updated app, Yahoo Mail is for the first time introducing account integration for third-party email services including Outlook.com, Hotmail, and AOL Mail.
Expand
Expanding
Close
Google is rolling out a couple notable updates to its Google Translate apps that adds additional languages for translations of printed text and support for the new Split View app mode on iPads.
Expand
Expanding
Close
Google looks to be rolling out a redesigned version of Google Maps on the web that introduces a tweaked user interface that in many ways mirrors its mobile app experience on both Android and iOS. As pictured above, Maps gets a redesigned menu/sidebar/search UI that is clearly inspired by Material Design and the user interface of its mobile apps.
Expand
Expanding
Close
Google first introduced app indexing for iOS apps in search back in May, allowing in-app content to appear in search results with links that send users directly to an app. The feature was originally only available in the Google app and Chrome browser, but now Google is launching an updated version of the framework that will make the app links also appear in Google search results in Safari.
Getting your app content found on Google just got easier. App Indexing is now compatible with HTTP deep link standards for iOS 9, as it has been on Android from the beginning. That means that you can start getting your app content into the Search results page on Safari in iOS, simply by adding Universal Links to your iOS app, then integrating with our SDK.
Developers simply need to support the Universal Links standard to get their apps to show up in search results. Users will begin to see the app indexing links showing up in Safari on iOS by the end October.
Devs can read more on how to support the feature here.
Google today announced that WhatsApp on Android — the popular messaging platform Facebook acquired a couple years back for $19 billion— is integrating the ability to backup content directly to Google Drive from within the app. That means that WhatsApp users will be able to quickly make a secure backup of their chat history, voice messages, photos, and videos and have it accessible from their Google accounts.
Expand
Expanding
Close
Google today announced that it’s tapping into Google Translate to bring in-app translations to Android 6.0 Marshmallow users beginning this week. With the new feature, anyone running the latest version of Android that also has the Google Translate app downloaded will have the ability to translate text into 90 languages right from within supported apps.
Expand
Expanding
Close
A few Googlers that worked on the new Nexus 5X and 6P have taken to Reddit today to answer questions about the new devices that officially went up for pre-order yesterday following Google’s press event. Among some of the info shared by the team: Google is working to officially support Band 12 for T-Mobile by launch time, something that would require it to support VoLTE, and it also clarified some details about the lack of Qi charging this time around and security for the new fingerprint sensor features.
In addition, Google confirmed its thought process behind the names for the new devices, noting that X in 5X is “for the core of the Nexus brand (plus it sounds cool!),” and that the P in 6P is for “premium”.
Head below for a roundup for the most interesting info from the Reddit AMA:
Expand
Expanding
Close
Google today announced changes to its display ad network that will ensure advertisers only pay for ads that are 100% viewable. The move could be viewed as a first step by Google to combat ad blockers that many believe could drastically change the landscape for advertising online going forward.
Expand
Expanding
Close
Following the introduction of new devices yesterday, Google has now updated its list of availability by country for the Google Store for the new Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, second-gen Chromecast, and Chromecast Audio.
For the most part the new Nexus devices arrive in the same countries that the previous generation Nexus 6 was available, while the new Chromecast and Chromecast Audio get support for additional countries beyond availability for the previous generation Chromecast.
Here’s the full breakdown:
Nexus 5X
Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, United States, United Kingdom
Nexus 6P
Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, United States, United Kingdom
Chromecast 2nd Generation
Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States
Chromecast Audio
Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States
In case you missed any of yesterday’s announcements, you can catch up with our coverage at the links below:
Watch Google’s Chromecast 2, Nexus 5X/6P event right here [Livestream]
LG Nexus 5X officially announced, $379 gets you full HD display, Snapdragon 808 and fingerprint sensor
Huawei Nexus 6P officially announced, 5.7-inch QHD AMOLED display, Snapdragon 810, more
Google: 1.4B Android actives, 1B active Play users, 30k new Chromebooks/day, 10k companies using Android for Work
Google confirms its ‘Pixel C’ Android tablet w/ detachable keyboard, Android Marshmallow, more
Android 6.0 Marshmallow gets a release date: Rollout starts on next week for Nexus 5, 6, 7 (2013) and Nexus 9
Google launches Google Play Music All Access Family Plan w/ 6 users for $15 per month
New Google Photos features announced: Shared albums, people labeling, Chromecast support
Google unveils the 2nd generation Chromecast w/ better WiFi, Feeds, Fast Play, more
Google’s Chromecast Audio WiFi-enables your speakers, packs multi-room support
