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Google: Net Neutrality doesn’t move the needle for consumers, enabling competition is key

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Apr 14 2015 - 4:45 am PT
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Google Fiber’s VP of access services Milo Medin says that while the company is a strong supporter of net neutrality, what consumers really need is legislation that enables greater competition in the broadband market. FierceTelecom reported Medin’s remarks in a keynote speed at the Comptel conference.

No consumers are seeing higher speeds than before the order was passed; no consumers are paying less for their Internet services than what they were paying for; no consumers are seeing higher volume caps that they had before; and no consumers have additional choice of providers than they had before.

Governments cannot legislate for better customer service, he said, but they can pass laws that increase competition in the market, and this is what will make the most difference to consumers … 
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Google’s MVNO to offer pay-per gigabyte plans, rollover data, accompanying app, more

Avatar for Chance Miller Apr 13 2015 - 2:26 pm PT
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Google’s wireless network has been rumored for several months now, with the most recent report claiming that it hopes to offer free international roaming. Android Police has now dug into a leaked app from Google that appears to pair with its wireless network. The app offers information regarding the payment structure, activation, and more.


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9to5Toys Last Call: Galaxy S6 (unlocked) $699, Galaxy S5 (unlocked) $410, $100 off Moto 360 w/ Android, more

Avatar for Stephen Hall Apr 13 2015 - 11:59 am PT
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Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Samsung Galaxy S6 smartphone 32GB (unlocked) GSM: $699 shipped (Reg. $899)

Samsung Galaxy S5 SM-G900A 16GB unlocked: $410 shipped (Reg. $499)

Best Buy offers additional $100 off Moto 360 with Android phone purchase

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 32 GB factory unlocked: $280 shipped (Reg. $500)

Amazon Gold Box – up to 70% off Crucial & Lexar flash storage: 128GB microSD $88, 1TB SSD $330, more

APC and CyberPower UPS Battery Backup Systems up to 55% off: APC 6-outlet $33 (Orig. $56), more

Review: SOL REPUBLIC’s Shadow wireless headphones w/ Bluetooth 4.0 offer an upgraded audio experience, $100 giveaway

More new gear from today:

Daily Deals: Harman Kardon Bluetooth Speaker/phone $105, Toshiba Canvio 1TB External Hard Drive $50, Aduro Bluetooth Shower Speaker $15, more

More deals still alive:

D-Link Wireless N 300Mbps Range Extender: $25 shipped (Reg. $40)

New products & more:

On The Go stuffs nearly every must-have Android add-on into one tiny cube

SolarCity offers free Nest smart thermostat to first 10,000 new customers in California

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Apr 13 2015 - 5:50 am PT
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SolarCity has partnered with Nest to offer a free Nest Learning Thermostat to the next 10,000 customers in California to sign up for solar panels.

This special offer combines two home energy solutions that can cut power bills as well as homeowners’ carbon footprint, and allows homeowners to experience these benefits with one easy package through SolarCity. 

The offer includes the company’s no-upfront-cost deals – the only conditions are that you have a Nest-compatible air-conditioning system and that you agree to connect Nest to SolarCity, most likely to allow it to collect anonymized data … 
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WSJ: Former Apple expert leading new 4-person battery team within Google[x]

Avatar for Stephen Hall Apr 10 2015 - 1:55 pm PT
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According to a report today out of the Wall Street Journal, there’s a small team now working on battery tech within Google[x]—and it’s being spearheaded by former Apple battery expert Dr. Ramesh Bhardwaj. The group was originally started in 2012 with an intention of researching how other companies’ tech could be integrated into Google’s products, but “people familiar with the matter” say that the four person group has expanded to research technology that Google might “develop itself.”
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9to5Toys Last Call: Moto 360 $155+, 13000mAh Power Bank $24, Samsung 500GB SSD $180, more

Avatar for Stephen Hall Apr 10 2015 - 11:54 am PT
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Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Motorola’s Moto 360 smartwatch: $179 or $155 w/ .edu (Reg. $250)

Keep your Android device charged all day: Anker Astro E4 13000mAh Power Bank $24 Prime shipped (20% off)

Samsung 2.5″ Internal SSDs: 850 EVO 500GB $180 (Reg. $200+), 850 PRO 256GB $120 (Reg. $180)

Samsung Galaxy S5 w/ 2-year contract on Verizon: $1 shipped (Reg. $99)

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 32GB (unlocked): $470 shipped (Reg. $700)

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 32GB (unlocked): $295 shipped (Reg. $500)

LG G3 w/ free $100 Amazon gift card for $0.01 w/ 2-yr contract or $479 w/o

GoPro HERO4 Black/Surf Camera: $400 (Reg. $499.99)

Small States Review: This is Ground’s Mod 2 is the ultimate tablet companion, giveaway worth $310

More new gear from today:

Daily Deals: Garmin GPS Watch w/ HRM (Refurb) $85, Char-Broil Infrared Grill $99

More deals still alive:

Motorola SB6141 DOCSIS 3.0 Modem + TP-LINK Archer C7 802.11ac $130 shipped ($185+ value)

New products & more:

Moleskine puts Batman on the cover with its new limited edition Gotham inspired notebooks

Google slashes price of Project Tango in half for some, opening up sales ‘more broadly’

Avatar for Stephen Hall Apr 10 2015 - 8:42 am PT
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Project Tango is still being sold on an invite-only basis, but some users are now receiving an email offering the tablet at half-price. The developers’ kit was previously being sold at a somewhat-steep $1,024, but is currently being offered to some invitees at a “Special Price” of $512. (Once again, I’d like to take this opportunity to appreciate the clever prices that Google has picked for the kit.)


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Google’s free photo editing app Snapseed 2.0 gets lens blur, layers, new UI, more

Avatar for Jeremy Horwitz Apr 9 2015 - 4:28 pm PT
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Snapseed, the excellent free photo editing application, today received its first major update since Google purchased developer Nik Software back in 2012. Version 2.0 arrived in the Play Store with a brand new user interface and a huge collection of new features, most notably including spot healing, lens blur effects, perspective transformation, and a non-destructive editing system that can copy edits from one image to another. The app has been refreshed has a minimalist UI with Material Design influence on Android.

Snapseed’s unique ability to selectively fix small parts of photos — such as improving the brightness level of one dark face in an otherwise bright image — has kept it relevant as a key photo editing tool for years. Snapseed 2.0 expands upon that feature, letting you apply filters and brushes selectively with a brush tool. You can also go into individual layers and make adjustments to changes that were previously applied during the editing process.

Snapseed 2.0 is available for free from the Play Store now, although it’s still rolling out so it may not be available for your device just yet. Additional details are after the break…


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9to5Toys Last Call: Gold Moto 360 $260, Verizon Galaxy S5 w/ contract $1, Galaxy Note 4 $470, more

Avatar for Stephen Hall Apr 9 2015 - 11:59 am PT
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Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Moto 360 in champagne gold: $219 shipped (Reg. $330)

Samsung Galaxy S5 w/ 2-year contract on Verizon: $1 shipped (Reg. $99)

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 32GB (unlocked): $470 shipped (Reg. $700)

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 32GB (unlocked): $295 shipped (Reg. $500)

LG G3 w/ free $100 Amazon gift card for $0.01 w/ 2-yr contract or $479 w/o

GoPro HERO4 Black/Surf Camera: $400 (Reg. $499.99)

Small States Review: This is Ground’s Mod 2 is the ultimate tablet companion, giveaway worth $310

More new gear from today:

Amazon has the famous “not so bad” shitphone for $50 shipped today (44% off)

  • Games/Apps: Twisty Hollow for iOS free, Sony PS4 Last of Us Bundle w/ PS+ $395, more
  • Daily Deals: Seagate 4TB External Hard Drive $100, Foscam IP Camera $49, Jawbone BIG Jambox $185, more

More deals still alive:

Philips Hue Lux price drops make it cheaper than ever to add smart lighting to your house: single bulb $20, Starter Kit $80

New products & more:

DJI’s Phantom 3 drone shoots 4K video, uses new sensors to navigate indoor airspace

9to5Toys Last Call: Galaxy Note 3 (unlocked) $295, LG G3 w/ $100 Amazon GC, WD 2TB Hard Drive $80, more

Avatar for Stephen Hall Apr 8 2015 - 12:37 pm PT
0 Comments

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 32GB (unlocked): $295 shipped (Reg. $500)

LG G3 w/ free $100 Amazon gift card for $0.01 w/ 2-yr contract or $479 w/o

WD My Passport Ultra 2TB USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drive $80 shipped (Orig. $140)

Philips Hue Lux price drops make it cheaper than ever to add smart lighting to your house: single bulb $20, Starter Kit $80

GoPro HERO4 Black/Surf Camera: $399 (Reg. $499.99)

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 32GB (unlocked): $470 shipped (Reg. $700)

Small States Review: This is Ground’s Mod 2 is the ultimate tablet companion, giveaway worth $310

More new gear from today:

Games/Apps: Royal Trouble Hidden Adventures free (Reg. $7), Mortal Kombat X for iOS/Android launches, iOS freebies, more

Daily Deals: DJI Phantom 2 Vision Quadcopter $599, CaseCrown Pro Case for iPad Air 2 $5, Vaas Waterproof Bluetooth Shower Speaker $15, more

More deals still alive:

Media: Harry Potter 8-film iTunes collection $50, Game of Thrones S1 Blu-ray $20, more

New products & more:

Orange Chef’s Countertop kitchen prep accessory integrates with Apple Watch and Vitamix

Month view is making a comeback in the latest Google Calendar update

Avatar for Stephen Hall Apr 8 2015 - 10:46 am PT
3 Comments

Google is usually pretty good at acting on user feedback, and today they’re doing so with the return of month view to the Google Calendar app for smartphones.

The view “provides a high level view of all scheduled events for a full month, allowing people to then tap on a specific day for a closer look,” according to Google’s blog post…


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Android Lollipop still straggling, adoption barely passes 5% in March

Avatar for Stephen Hall Apr 8 2015 - 8:03 am PT
2 Comments

Google has today updated the Android distribution data, and it looks like Android Lollipop—the Mountain View company’s latest mobile OS, which was released in November of last year—has now passed the 5% milestone in terms of adoption. In February we saw that number hit just 1.6%, and last month the data was updated to show usage at 3.3%…
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Android 5.1 now rolling out to Google Play Edition HTC One M7 & M8

Avatar for Chance Miller Apr 7 2015 - 7:34 pm PT
1 Comment

After the Android 5.1 rollout began for the Google Play Edition LG G Pad this morning, the Google Play Edition One M7 and M8 are also now receiving the update. HTC VP of Product Management Mo Versi confirmed on Twitter that the company has received approval for the updates and that the rollouts have commenced. Android 5.0 Lollipop rolled out to the Google Play Edition M7 and M8 in December of last year.


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Google appears to be developing a teleconferencing tool called GMeet

Avatar for Chance Miller Apr 7 2015 - 3:57 pm PT
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First noticed by Florian Kiersch on Google+, Google appears to be testing a new meetings service. Google Meetings, also referred to as GMeet, appears to allow users to schedule and join teleconference calls with one click. Instead of having to dial into a teleconference call, one user could create a meeting topic in GMeet, then invite everyone else to the call. People who received an invite would be able to then join the call with a single click.


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Google reportedly developing tool to allow users to compare local home repair services

Avatar for Chance Miller Apr 7 2015 - 3:06 pm PT
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According to a new report from BuzzFeed News, Google is planning to launch service that will allow users to easily communicate with providers of home repair services. The report claims that Google is interested in connecting users with plumbers, electricians, roofers, and various other handyman-type jobs.


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YouTube Kids app “deceptive to children,” say consumer groups in FTC complaint

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Apr 7 2015 - 6:39 am PT
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The YouTube Kids app, launched in February to provide access to family-friendly videos on both Android and iOS, has been accused by around a dozen consumer groups of being “deceptive to children” in the way it mixes ads into programming. The NY Times reports that a formal complaint to the Federal Trade Commission is expected to be filed today.

[The complaint] argues, in essence, that YouTube is using advertising tactics like “host selling” – having cartoon characters sell products inside their show – that would be illegal if they were on television instead of online.

The groups argue that the app should be held to the same standards that apply to TV shows … 
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Android co-founder Andy Rubin announces Playground Global, a tech hardware incubator

Avatar for Chance Miller Apr 6 2015 - 2:20 pm PT
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It was announced last year that Android co-founder Andy Rubin was leaving Google to pursue his interest in starting an incubator for startups interested in building technology hardware products. The Wall Street Journal reports today that Rubin is launching a tech incubator called Playground Global LLC. Rubin’s company hopes to provide support and advice to tech startups in search of a helping hand.


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Google reportedly looking to offer free international roaming with its MVNO

Avatar for Chance Miller Apr 5 2015 - 12:18 pm PT
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Reports of a Google MVNO have been circulating for a few months now, with Google itself even adding fuel to the fire. Today, The Telegraph reports that one of Google’s goals with its wireless network is to offer free international roaming to its customers. The report claims that Google is in talks with Hong Kong-based Huchison Whampoa, the owner of Three and soon O2, regarding its ambitions.


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Google Wallet for Android updated w/ Maps integration & new transaction search tools

Avatar for Chance Miller Apr 3 2015 - 1:56 pm PT
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Google announced today that it has started rolling out an update to Google Wallet on Android with a couple of notable new features. First off, Wallet on Android now packs Google Maps integration. With this integration, you can see exactly where you performed any given transaction on an embedded map. This feature, Google says, will make it easier to notice any sort of suspicious activity that occurs.


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Google+ Stories now showing up as a Google Now card for some users

Avatar for Stephen Hall Apr 3 2015 - 9:00 am PT
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Google+ has long had an interesting feature called “Stories” that creates a fun timeline out of your uploaded photos, but now users are reporting that these are now showing up in Google Now. The card that’s appearing in some users’ feeds shows a photo preview of the story, an associated date, the number of moments—and tapping this card takes you to the Google+ app to view it in its full form or share it with your followers.

There are a lot of things you need to make sure are in order before you might see one of these cards, but it’s not all too complicated. The hardest part for most tech enthusiasts would probably be going out and taking enough photos for Google+ Stories to have something to work with. If you’ve never used Google+ Stories before, this is how you get started (according to Google’s support page):

Make a story

Stories are automatically created and you’ll be notified when one is made for you. Stories will work best if you:

After you’ve done all of these things, it probably won’t be long before you see the above card in your Google Now feed. On the other hand, if you are receiving this card and you don’t want to or you simply have no interest in Google+ stories at all, Google says you can turn the feature off completely by disabling Auto Awesome.

(via Thomas Tenkely)