Jordan Kahn

More evidence that Google is preparing to roll out its own Wi-Fi networks in the U.S. has been discovered in documentation for its Fiber service that’s currently in the process of expanding. IDG News Service notes that Google Fiber documentation currently being sent out to cities in the running to receive Google Fiber next have revealed that Google has plans for WiFi in addition to the Gigabit internet and TV service: 
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Earlier today longtime Senior Vice President of Engineering and head of Google+ Vic Gundotra made a surprise announcement that he was leaving the company. While there was no hint that anything at Google would be changing other than a possible promotion within the Google+ team to replace Gundotra, TechCrunch is out with a report claiming the executive shift will come alongside big changes for the Google+ service Gundotra helped create.

The report doesn’t offer much in the way of specific changes you can expect, but it does say that Google will be shifting the Google+ team under the Android team and “building “widgets, which take advantage of Google+ as a platform, rather than a focus on G+ as its own integral product.” It also says that Google will no longer require all products have Google+ integration:
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Google’s Senior Vice President of Engineering and head of Google+ Vic Gundotra has announced that he is leaving the company today after eight years. Gundotra published a long explanation regarding his leaving on Google+, but he didn’t provide much info on what he’ll be doing next:

Today I’m announcing my departure from Google after almost 8 years…I have been incredibly fortunate to work with the amazing people of Google. I don’t believe there is a more talented and passionate collection of people anywhere else. And I’m overwhelmed when I think about the leadership of +Larry Page and what he empowered me to do while at Google. From starting Google I/O, to being responsible for all mobile applications, to creating Google+, none of this would have happened without Larry’s encouragement and support.

Google also provided a statement from CEO Larry Page to Recode who noted Vic was instrumental in building Google+, mobile apps, developer relations and more: “Vic built Google+ from nothing. There are few people with the courage and ability to start something like that and I am very grateful for all his hard work.”
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[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTLBCACEX2k]

Like it did for previous flagship Galaxy devices, Samsung has revealed that a new Swarovski designed ‘Crystal Collection’ Galaxy S5 is on the way. The company has teamed up with Swarovski several times in the past for special crystal studded versions of the Galaxy S4 and more recently a limited edition of the Galaxy Note 3 case.

The video for the new Crystal Collection Galaxy S5 was posted today to the SamsungMobileKorea YouTube page, so we know it will at the very least be arriving for the Korean market. Like previous Swarovski/Samsung team ups, we’re guessing the device will be limited to certain markets and might not make its way stateside. No word on pricing or any specs that differ from the regular version, but we’ll keep you updated if we hear more. 
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Samsung announced today that its WiFi-only models of the new Galaxy Tab 4 lineup will arrive in the U.S. on May 1. That includes the 7-inch, 8-inch, and 10.1-inch models in both black and white with preorders starting tomorrow through a handful of major retailers. As for the LTE models of the tablets, Samsung says this summer AT&T is getting the Tab 4, Sprint is getting the Tab 4 7.0, Verizon is getting the Tab 4 8.0 and 10.1, and T-Mobile is getting the 8.0.

All of the tablets pack in a 1.2 GHz Quad-core processor, Android 4.4 KitKat, 1.5GB RAM, and a 1280×800 WXGA display. Preorders officially kick off tomorrow starting at $199.99, $269.99 and $349.99 for the 7, 8, 10.1-inch models through Samsung.com, Amazon.com, Best Buy, Fry’s, Office Depot, OfficeMax, PC Richard and Son, Sears, and Tiger Direct. 
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We’ve already know all the specs on Samsung’s new flagship Galaxy S5 and that includes its gorgeous 1920 x 1080, 5.1” FHD Super AMOLED with a pixel density of 432 ppi. It’s definitely a step up from any Samsung smartphone before it, and today the company took some time to explain exactly what it’s done to achieve the new experience.

More than simply just the hardware specs, Samsung has made a lot of advancements with its display technology this time around that provides a faster response time, improved color realization, and the best possible viewing experience in every lighting condition. Samsung starts by explaining a new Adapt Display algorithm for the S5 that “analyzes incoming lights & content and automatically optimizes the color range, saturation, and sharpness of your display.”
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Amazon has just reached a deal with HBO that will see some of the network’s content arrive for Amazon Prime Instant Video users and later on the new Fire TV hardware. That includes select programming from the network (so maybe not everything?) and the press release notes previous seasons of shows will become available “approximately three years after airing on HBO.” With a Amazon Prime Instant Video subscription required for access, the companies noted, “this is the first time that HBO programming has been licensed to an online-only subscription streaming service.”

In addition, HBO GO will become available on Fire TV, targeting a launch by year-end. HBO GO is HBO’s authenticated streaming service offering subscribers instant access to over 1,700 titles online including every episode of new and classic HBO series, as well as HBO original films, miniseries, sports, documentaries, specials and a wide selection of blockbuster movies.

HBO will officially arrive on May 21 for Amazon Prime members and FireTV will get access to the app later this year. Here’s what you’ll get:
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[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvH3rtFMa9o&feature=youtu.be]

Google announced today that it’s adding an interesting new feature to Google Maps that will allow users to view historical imagery through Google’s Street View feature. Rather than just being able to view the latest imagery that Google has updated its Maps with (which is usually a year or two old), you can now browse through previous imagery for any location using a new clock icon that appears in the upper left corner of some Street View imagery.

Now with Street View, you can see a landmark’s growth from the ground up, like the Freedom Tower in New York City or the 2014 World Cup Stadium in Fortaleza, Brazil. This new feature can also serve as a digital timeline of recent history, like the reconstruction after the devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Onagawa, Japan. You can even experience different seasons and see what it would be like to cruise Italian roadways in both summer and winter.

There are a lot of interesting things to check out using the new feature. Google points out that the feature serves as a history book in images, allowing users to virtually travel to historical locations and view them as they once were. For now it looks like the feature will be limited to the new Google Maps for desktop users. 
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[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5eXnF5RdFI]

Google is about to unveil some new product announcements for AdWords and related businesses, and above you can watch the whole thing live through Google’s own livestream of the event. With only a few minutes before the event starts, it looks like the company’s Vice President of Product Management for AdWords Jerry Dischler will be unveiling a new mobile app installs product for Search and YouTube just as Twitter is launching a similar offering…
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After sharing a first look and details at what is reportedly Amazon’s yet to be announced Android-based smartphone, BGR is out with another report today detailing other features of the upcoming device. On top of the specs shared last time— four IR cameras for a 3D interface, 13 MP camera, 4.7-inch display, and 2GB of RAM— today’s report goes into detail about how the device will use a unique navigation system that relies on physical tilting gestures opposed to traditional menu buttons:
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An iMessage sent to Glass

Google announced today that it’s about to bring SMS for iPhone and a new Calendar Glassware to Google Glass users following an update to KitKat and the introduction of new features earlier this month. First up, iPhone users will now be able to receive text messages on Glass but, as Google points out, they “won’t be able to reply from Glass due to some limitations with iOS.” The support for SMS is a feature that Glass users have long had access to when paired to an Android device.

SMS for iPhone – iOS fans, by popular demand you can now get texts from your friends on Glass. Get started by going to your iPhone’s Bluetooth settings and turning on “Show Notifications” for your paired Glass. When you receive a new text message, it will appear as a notification on Glass. Keep in mind that you won’t be able to reply from Glass due to some limitations with iOS. (Android fans, don’t feel left out – you’ve got SMS on Glass already.

You’ll begin receiving notifications as long as the “Show Notifications” option for your paired Glass is selected from Bluetooth settings. Google also announced today that it will release Calendar Glassware available in the MyGlass tab:
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Google announced today on its Chrome blog that Major League Baseball is adding support for its $35 Chromecast streaming stick through the MLB At Bat app for Android and iOS. That means that users with the app and an MLB.TV Premium subscription will be able to stream live and on-demand video content from the app (or from a browser tab in Chrome through MLB’s site) to a Chromecast connected TV. You’ll also be able to use the phone or tablet you’re streaming from as a second-screen experience to “check scores, stats and news” while watching the game on the bigger screen:

MLB.TV is the latest live streaming service to come to Chromecast, so now MLB.TV Premium subscribers can invite their friends over to watch live, out-of-market games. While casting a game to the big screen, use your phone or tablet to check scores, stats and news from around the league. You can even choose between home or away broadcasts to steer clear of the opposing team’s announcers when your guys are on the road.

The updated apps are rolling out today for the MLB At Bat app for Android and iOS on Google Play and the App Store, but the Chromecast feature will require an MLB.TV Premium subscription to get started. Those cost $129.99/year or $24.99/month in comparison to the regular $19.99/season or $2.99 month At Bat subscription and offers “every 2014 Regular Season out-of-market game LIVE or on-demand in HD” across platforms. 

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After arriving in beta earlier this month, Google today released the Chrome Remote Desktop app for Android to all users through the Play Store. Google has long had its Chrome Remote Desktop app for desktop users to access a laptop or computer remotely for free, and the new Android app brings that same experience to mobile devices starting with Android.

If you haven’t used Chrome Remote Desktop in the past, you can get started by enabling your Windows or Mac machine for remote access through the Chrome Web Store app. Next, simply launch the Android app on your phone or tablet, tap on the computer’s name and start using your remote machine as if you were sitting right in front of it.

The Chrome Remote Desktop app is available for all to download from Google Play starting today and Google notes that an iOS version of the app is on the way sometime in 2014. 
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Following a report at the beginning of this month that Google was about to release a new, standalone Android camera app, today the app has officially made an appearance on the Google Play Store. Google announced the camera app today and in a separate blog post explained the technology behind the new lens blur features:

That all changes with Lens Blur, a new mode in the Google Camera app. It lets you take a photo with a shallow depth of field using just your Android phone or tablet. Unlike a regular photo, Lens Blur lets you change the point or level of focus after the photo is taken. You can choose to make any object come into focus simply by tapping on it in the image. By changing the depth-of-field slider, you can simulate different aperture sizes, to achieve bokeh effects ranging from subtle to surreal (e.g., tilt-shift). The new image is rendered instantly, allowing you to see your changes in real time. Here’s how we do it. First, we pick out visual features in the scene and track them over time, across the series of images. Using computer vision algorithms known as Structure-from-Motion (SfM) and bundle adjustment, we compute the camera’s 3D position and orientation and the 3D positions of all those image features throughout the series.

Some of the features that were reported previously are present, including the lens Blur option, a 100% viewfinder, and a high-resolution panorama mode. We also get a good look at the completely redesigned UI in the gallery below. Here’s the full list of features from Google:
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[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-lMnhiAzEw]

Ahead of its Google I/O developer conference this summer, Google today posted three new videos to its Google Developers YouTube page giving us a taste of how the conference will be more focused on design this year. The company announced today that “design will be an important focus at this year’s conference” and it wants to get the conversation started with the new videos. 

At Google I/O this year, we will have sessions and workshops focused on design, geared for designers and developers who are interested in design. We’re looking forward to exchanging ideas with you both at the conference and online afterwards. Remember, registration is open until Friday and details on Google I/O Extended events are coming soon. 

In the first video, Google designer Isabelle Olson talks how she and team took the original Glass prototypes and turned them into the product you know today. Two other videos (below) have Googlers walk through recent redesigns of Maps and Search while talking design philosophy. 
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