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Google Play Store is coming to Chrome OS in mid-June to 3 Chromebooks, more to follow

Avatar for Stephen Hall May 19 2016 - 11:09 am PT
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We spotted the event description yesterday, but Google today finally took the wraps off its plan to bring the Google Play Store to Chrome OS. While the event is just now starting, we’ve spotted a support page on Google’s site that says the feature is coming to three Chromebooks in mid-June, with dozens more devices to follow…


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Android Auto gets updated with “Ok Google” support, will no longer need compatible Android Auto car

Avatar for Edoardo Maggio May 19 2016 - 5:16 am PT
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Google’s I/O developer conference is in full swing, and the company is giving most of its products significant updates. Yesterday, on stage, we saw the final touches being put on Android N, its new VR dedicated platform and a 2.0 update for Wear, however Android Auto was not mentioned.

As it turns out, The Verge reports, Auto too is indeed getting a few sweet upgrades, from support for the “Ok Google” hotword recognition to functionalities that let the standalone app be all you need to use it in your car…


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Google’s new TPU custom chip is their biggest hardware push into machine learning yet

Avatar for Edoardo Maggio May 19 2016 - 3:52 am PT
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Machine learning — a branch of Artificial Intelligence that studies pattern recognition and computational learning — is at the core of many of Google‘s products. Everything from voice search to Maps‘ Street View down to Inbox‘s recently introduced Smart Replies (which are making their way into the just announced Allo) take advantage of machine learning’s incredible capabilities.

However, Google too seems to acknowledge, “great software shines brightest with great hardware underneath”. This is why, over the past several years, the company has worked on a custom ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit) named Tensor Processing Unit (TPU), and it is unveiling it today…


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Huawei announces support for Daydream, Google’s new platform for VR on Android

Avatar for Edoardo Maggio May 19 2016 - 3:24 am PT
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At Google I/O‘s keynote yesterday, one of the highlights of the final unveiling of Android N was all about Virtual Reality. While no “Android VR” headset was announced, the search giant introduced Daydream, a VR platform that will be available within Android N.

According to Clay Bavor, which debuted Daydream on stage, as many as eight big-name partners are already onboard: Samsung, HTC, LG, Xiaomi, ZTE, Asus, Alcatel and Huawei, and today, the latter OEM is giving us some more information about its integration with Google’s VR vision…


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Early builds of Allo and Duo just leaked, but neither of them work [Gallery]

Avatar for Stephen Hall May 18 2016 - 5:04 pm PT
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Google announced two messaging apps today: Allo and Duo. The first is a new messaging platform that emphasizes expression, security, and the inclusion of Google Assistant. The second app is a take on video messaging, focusing on one thing and one thing only: a reliable 1-to-1 video calling experience.

While Google said that both of these apps would be available sometime this summer, early internal builds have already leaked. Don’t get too excited, though — neither of them work…
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It’s official: Android apps and the Play Store are coming to Chrome

Avatar for Stephen Hall May 18 2016 - 12:36 pm PT
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It looks like there’s a little tidbit of information that might have been originally planned for the keynote (pulled because of time restraints, maybe?). According to a session description now on the Google I/O website, Google “announced” today that the Google Play Store is coming to Chrome…

Today we announced that we’re adding the best mobile app experiences in the world, Android apps and the Google Play store, to the best browser in the world, Chrome! Come to this session and test your Android apps for Chrome OS. You will get hands on help from our friendly engineers on how to optimize your Android app for Chromebooks. Oh, and we will also be giving the first 50 developers to show up a free Chromebook so they can get a head start bringing their apps to Chrome!

This isn’t exactly surprising as we saw evidence that this was in the cards all the way back in April, but it’s cool nonetheless to see it become official. It looks like this session is going to involve Google showing devs how to test their Android apps on the desktop platform. Also worth noting: the first 50 devs to show up will get a free Chromebook.

We’re on the ground at the event now, so stay tuned as we learn more.

Google’s Android Instant Apps lets you use them without installing

Avatar for Edoardo Maggio May 18 2016 - 11:57 am PT
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Google had already showed us a glimpse of functionality in Android that made the platform capable of streaming apps from the Play Store without actually installing them — like with AdMob’s ad platform, for instance.

The feature had been rumored for a long time now, and games already took advantage of something similar, but today, the company has formally announced it under the “Android Instant Apps” name…


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9to5Toys Lunch Break: Moto X Pure Edition (3rd gen) $299, Moto X (2nd gen) $150, more

Avatar for Stephen Hall May 16 2016 - 11:57 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 X Pure Edition (3rd gen) 16GB Black (unlocked): $299 shipped (Reg. $350) | Amazon

32GB Moto X (2nd gen) w/13MP camera, 5.2″ 1080P display, more: $150 shipped

Full 1080p HD 27-inch Displays: LG Ultra-Thin Bezel $160 (Reg. $250+), more

Amazon Gold Box: Eneloop Rechargeable 14 battery Power Pack – 10 AA, 4 AAA w/charger: $26 Prime shipped

Roundup: The best power strips w/ USB ports to quickly (and safely!) charge all of your devices

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

The 2016 Roku Streaming Stick receives its first discount: $40 Prime shipped (Reg. $50)

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/732228446772994048 align=’center’]

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

Cut the cord for good w/ the AmazonBasics Ultra Thin 50-mile HD Antenna for $32 Prime shipped (Reg. $40)

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

The Tap Bluetooth wearable turns nearly any surface into a functioning Bluetooth keyboard

What we expect at Google I/O 2016: Android VR, Android N, Chrome OS, and more

Avatar for Stephen Hall May 16 2016 - 9:15 am PT
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Google I/O is right around the corner, and this year’s a bit different. Google’s holding the event closer to home — at Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, California. And everything’s happening outside in the cool breeze of the Bay Area. This is different scenery than the last several years that have  at the Moscone Center in downtown San Francisco, and we’re hoping that this means the event itself is going to have some fresh scenery as well.

Among many other things, this year looks like it’s going to be heavy on virtual reality, with a little bit of Android N, Chrome OS, Project Tango, ATAP, and messaging sprinkled in for good measure…


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As battle between Google and the EU continues, the search giant may face a record €3 billion fine

Avatar for Edoardo Maggio May 16 2016 - 6:01 am PT
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We had heard that the EU was planning to levy a substantial fine on Google for its alleged favoring of its own services in search over those belonging to competitors last year already, and the Telegraph is reporting that the European Commission is now estimating a hefty €3 billion ($3.4b) tag…
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9to5Toys Lunch Break: Samsung Galaxy S7 (unlocked) $530, 13-inch MacBook $850, more

Avatar for Stephen Hall May 13 2016 - 10:03 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 S7 32GB (unlocked): $530 shipped (Reg. $695)

Apple 13-inch MacBook Air 1.6GHz/8GB/128GB (newest model): $850 shipped (Reg. $999)

Apple’s just-released 13-inch 256GB MacBook Air w/ 8GB of RAM gets its first price drop: $1,000 shipped (Reg. $1,199)

Apple 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro (newest model) 2.7GHz/8GB/128GB: $1,040 (Reg. $1,299)

HTC One (M8) w/ 32 GB flash storage (refurb): $110 shipped (Reg. $300+) | eBay

Motorola Moto 360 (refurb) smartwatch in various styles: $80 shipped (Reg. $200+) | eBay

Motorola SURFboard DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem & 802.11AC Wi-Fi Router refurb: $75 shipped (Reg. $220)

Green Deals: Philips Hue LED Starter Kit (1st Gen.) $110 shipped (Orig. $200), more

Philips Friends of Hue Bloom Wireless LED Bulb $45 shipped (Reg. $60)

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

QNAP 4-Bay NAS w/ HDMI, AirPlay & PLEX: $349 shipped (Orig. $480)

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

iTunes $0.99 HD Rentals (Reg. $5): Sicario, Prometheus, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, much more

Cut the cord for good w/ the AmazonBasics Ultra Thin 50-mile HD Antenna for $32 Prime shipped (Reg. $40)

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

The Vuze Camera brings an affordable point-and-shoot design to virtual reality

Review: Samsung’s KS9500 65-Inch curved 4K TV is pretty amazing [Video]

Android Pay UK launch appears imminent, date could be announced at Google I/O

Avatar for Edoardo Maggio May 13 2016 - 6:31 am PT
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Few things have made the case for an interesting use of the NFC chips inside our phones like contactless payments. Revived by Apple with the introduction of Apple Pay in late 2014, mobile-based transactions have seen an interesting resurgence ever since.

Companies like Samsung and LG have come up with proprietary solutions, but Android users have all found a home under Google‘s very own rooftop with Android Pay. Initially launched in the US alone, the service is now expanding, and after recent promises of a forthcoming launch, it looks like the green light for the UK may be imminent (via Telegraph)…


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Google is postponing support for its 3D Touch-like feature for Android

Avatar for Edoardo Maggio May 12 2016 - 12:15 pm PT
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With the announcement of the Apple Watch‘s “Force Touch” first and the iPhone 6s‘ 3D Touch after, Apple introduced a new, intriguing way to interact with our screens, matching interesting software features with the pressure-sensitive panel behind the actual display.

Predictably, despite some devices like Huawei‘s Mate S or ZTE‘s Axon Mini already supporting some sort of similar, proprietary technologies, Google was rumored to be working on a system-wide implementation for all Android OEMs to use. However, as Recode reports, the support for such a feature seems to have been put momentarily on hold…


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9to5Toys Lunch Break: HTC One M8 (refurb) $110, Google Play $1 MP3 albums, more

Avatar for Stephen Hall May 12 2016 - 10:10 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:

HTC One (M8) w/ 32 GB flash storage (refurb): $110 shipped (Reg. $300+) | eBay

Google Play $1 MP3 albums: Goo Goo Dolls, Pantera, more (Reg. up to $10 ea)

New Google Express customers can grab a $40 credit for $15 with email delivery (42% savings)

Motorola Moto 360 (refurb) smartwatch in various styles: $80 shipped (Reg. $200+) | eBay

Sony 128GB Class 10 UHS-1 Micro SDXC: $33.49 shipped (Reg. $47) | Amazon

Apple’s just-released 13-inch 256GB MacBook Air w/ 8GB of RAM gets its first price drop: $1,000 shipped (Reg. $1,199)

Apple 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro (newest model) 2.7GHz/8GB/128GB: $1,040 (Reg. $1,299)

Cut the cord for good w/ the AmazonBasics Ultra Thin 50-mile HD Antenna for $32 Prime shipped (Reg. $40)

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

Audio Upgrades: Beyerdynamic DT-770 Over-ear Headphones $139 (Reg. $200), Apogee Groove DAC $235 (or less), more

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/730778613180727296 align=’center’]

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

iFixit 64-Bit Screwdriver Kit lets you open phones, tablets, laptops, games consoles, and more: $35 (Orig. $50, CA Tax only)

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

The newest Garmin Fitness Tracker delivers a ‘Suffer Score’ after each of your workouts

Report: U.S. House blocks access to Google services amid fears of ransomware attacks

Avatar for Chance Miller May 11 2016 - 6:25 pm PT
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According to a report from Reuters, the U.S. House of Representatives’ information technology team has blocked members from accessing any services hosted by Google. The move comes in an effort to prevent hacking aimed at lawmakers and their staff. Earlier this week, Yahoo Mail was blacklisted as well in fear of ransomware infiltration.


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Samsung Galaxy Note 6 to be released the week of August 15th

Avatar for Stephen Hall May 11 2016 - 2:40 pm PT
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Just like pretty much every other Android handset ever, we already know — or think we know — a lot of specifications and other details about Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Note 6. Now, via Evan Blass, it looks like we have pretty solid confirmation of when the phone will be hitting shelves in the United States: the week of August 15th…


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