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Google self-driving cars would have caused 10 accidents in 2015 without test drivers taking control

Avatar for Fred Lambert Jan 12 2016 - 4:43 pm PT
6 Comments

Google published today its annual report on disengagements of autonomous mode for its self-driving car program (SDC), which is required by California’s DMV. The report details events where Google’s test drivers have taken control over the car’s autonomous system, whether it’d be because of a shutdown due to technology failure or for safety reasons.

After having driven over 1.3 million miles in autonomous mode, Google’s self-driving cars were involved in 17 reported accidents, but the company prides itself of not having been at fault in any of them. But with today’s report, we learn the self-driving cars would have caused 10 accidents during the past year if test drivers wouldn’t have disengaged the system and taken controls.
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Google self-driving car lead dismissive of Tesla-like iterative autonomy approach in first public comments

Avatar for Stephen Hall Jan 12 2016 - 3:18 pm PT
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In his very first public comments, John Krafcik, chief executive of Google’s self-driving car division (which is still within Google[X] at the time of this writing), reiterated Google’s focus on achieving full autonomy in contrast to the incremental approach being taken by just about every other company pursuing the technology…


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LG sends out invites for its Mobile World Congress event on February 21st

Avatar for Stephen Hall Jan 12 2016 - 2:15 pm PT
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Mobile World Congress is still more than a month away, but that’s not keeping LG from sending out invitations to its upcoming press event in Barcelona. The company’s keynote is scheduled for February 21st, according to the invite, at 14:00 local time. Beyond that, though, there’s not much to learn here. The invite shows what looks to be a jack-in-the-box along with the slogan “Play begins.”…
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9to5Toys Last Call: LG G Flex 2 (unlocked) $190, USB-C cables from $8, Samsung 850 EVO SSD $290, more

Avatar for Stephen Hall Jan 12 2016 - 9:18 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:

Last Call Updates:

LG and Google’s Nexus 5X gets a permanent $30 price cut

LG G Flex 2 (unlocked) 4G LTE w/ curved OLED: $190 shipped (Reg. $250) | eBay

Googler-approved iOrange-E USB Type-C cables from $8 Prime shipped

Samsung 850 EVO 1TB 2.5-inch Internal Solid-State Drive: $290 shipped (Reg. $350+)

View-Master Virtual Reality Starter Pack for iPhone/Android: $20 Prime shipped (Reg. $30)

Quick Review: SoundPEATS’ Q9A Bluetooth earbuds offer solid value at less than $20, exclusive discount

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

Motorola Nexus 6 factory unlocked 32GB in blue/white: $250 shipped (Reg. $330)

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/686917589210148865 align=’center’]

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

FitBit’s Charge HR fitness tracker available for just $110 shipped (Reg. $150)

WD My Book 5TB USB 3.0 External Hard Drive: $110 shipped (Reg. $140)

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

This new touchscreen Smart Remote controls your devices just by pointing at them

Report: Amazon planning to launch smaller, more portable version of its Echo speaker

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/685497066211176448 align=’center’]

Report: Ford planning separate autonomous car unit, intends to use Google’s self-driving software

Avatar for Stephen Hall Jan 11 2016 - 11:43 am PT
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According to a report today out of The Wall Street Journal, Ford, as part of its plan to reinvent itself, is planning to create a separate business unit dedicated to its ambitions in autonomous cars for “ride-sharing and fleets.” Of course the company is seeking partnerships in this space, and it just so happens that, just as was reported by Yahoo Autos a few weeks ago, Alphabet Inc.’s Google is a big part of this move…


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9to5Toys Lunch Break: View-Master VR $20, PNY 128GB MicroSDXC $35, Verizon Moto E (2015) $40, more

Avatar for Stephen Hall Jan 11 2016 - 9:29 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:

View-Master VR Starter Pack for iPhone/Android: $20 Prime shipped (Reg. $30)

PNY High Performance 128GB High Speed MicroSDXC: $35 shipped (Reg. $80) | Amazon

Verizon Wireless Prepaid Moto E 4G w/ 8 GB flash: $40 shipped (Reg. $70) | eBay

Anker Tech Prime shipped: 13,000mAh Dual-USB Power Bank $25, Wireless Network Camera $60, LED Desk Lamp $26, more

WD My Book 5TB USB 3.0 External Hard Drive: $110 shipped (Reg. $140)

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

FitBit’s Charge HR fitness tracker available for just $110 shipped (Reg. $150)

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

Add Bluetooth capabilities + a dual-port USB charger to your car for $16 (Reg. $28)

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

Segway and Intel got together to create a futuristic robot butler

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/685497066211176448 align=’center’]

Google’s Ubiquity developer summit kicks off at 10 AM PT, tune in here [Updated]

Avatar for Stephen Hall Jan 11 2016 - 8:39 am PT
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Update: You can now view full video from the Ubiquity dev summit on YouTube here.

As we told you a couple of weeks ago, Google’s Ubiquity internet of things-focused dev summit is kicking off today at around 10 AM PT. Google has several technologies including Brillo and Weave that are geared for this trend in computing (which we will surely hear about), but the official schedule mentions everything from Chromecast to CloudSpin to Android Auto…
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December’s self-driving car report from Google details rain encounters, zero new accidents

Avatar for Stephen Hall Jan 8 2016 - 4:07 pm PT
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Google has been releasing monthly reports about its self-driving car program for quite some time now, and now December’s report has hit the interwebs. This report was delayed due to the holidays (they usually hit around the 1st of the month), and it also just so happens to be one of the most bare-bones we’ve seen so far. The company does note what they’re doing to combat the rain in California (say what?), though…


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Google Now’s new weather cards are colorful and way more useful (Update)

Avatar for Cam Bunton Jan 8 2016 - 6:22 am PT
3 Comments

Update: Google has officially announced the refresh, as well as the ability to add and save multiple locations.

It seems Google is testing a new version of its weather cards in Google Now. Rather than seeing the usual, plain white Material-designed card that we’re used to seeing, some users are noticing a brand new richer design. The cards are colorful, and have far more functionality…


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Google Cardboard isn’t just a $20 toy, it’s being used in hospitals to save lives

Avatar for Chance Miller Jan 7 2016 - 8:08 pm PT
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Google’s virtual reality offering is doing more than just providing users a new way to watch videos and game. According to a new report from the NY Daily News, surgeons recently used Google Cardboard to help repair the lungs and heart of a four-month-old child. Teegan Lexcenher was born with half a heart and one lungs and her parents were initially told that she couldn’t be operated on, until Cardboard come into the picture..


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Hands-on with the new Huawei stuff: Mate 8, Honor 5X, MediaPad M2, Huawei Watch [Video]

Avatar for Stephen Hall Jan 6 2016 - 4:20 pm PT
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Huawei announced a lot of stuff yesterday. Press day at CES 2016 started with a huge press conference from Huawei, featuring the Mate 8, MediaPad M2, the Huawei Watch, and a gold Nexus 6P, and the day ended with Huawei’s Honor brand announcing the Honor 5X and the Honor Band Z1. It’s a lot to take in, and we’re only just now starting to dig in so that we can bring you full reviews for these products over the coming weeks. We did get some hands-on time with some of these devices yesterday and today, though, and you can find that video below…


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Samsung’s CES 2016 press conference starts at 2 PM PT, tune in here [Livestream]

Avatar for Stephen Hall Jan 5 2016 - 1:24 pm PT
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Samsung is up next for CES press day, following a very Android- and Google-heavy Huawei event. This event isn’t expected to be nearly as exciting, however, as Samsung has a wide variety of products spanning many categories to mention. Just like last year, I wouldn’t be surprised if we heard about Samsung services, some connected home products, some televisions, and maybe a new variant of a smartwatch (the Gear S2 this time, likely)…
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[Liveblog] Huawei’s Mate 8 CES event kicks off at 10 AM PT, follow along here as it unfolds

Avatar for Stephen Hall Jan 5 2016 - 9:08 am PT
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For Google fans, Hauwei’s press conference this morning is likely to be one of the most interesting of CES 2016. The company has boldly entered the United States market this year with the launch of the Huawei Watch and the Nexus 6P, and just about everyone — myself included — is excited to find out what the company has in store for 2017. From what we’ve heard, the company is planning to launch the Mate 8 for the United States, as well as introduce a new smartwatch (and some other things)…


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Facebook intentionally made its Android app crash to test how addicted users are

Avatar for Chance Miller Jan 4 2016 - 6:02 pm PT
2 Comments

According to a new report out of The Information, Facebook has been putting a variety of contingencies in place behind the scenes to ensure that should it ever feel the need to pull out of the Play Store, it could survive. The report details a variety of practices Facebook has engaged in recently to attempt and reduce its reliance on Google, the Play Store, and built-in Android features.


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Year in Review: These were the 10 most important moves that Google made in 2015

Avatar for Stephen Hall Jan 1 2016 - 10:09 am PT
2 Comments

2015 saw many announcements and developments within the Mountain View company. It was a big one. While we may not have seen as many of the flashy moonshot projects we’ve seen announced over the last few years, like Google Glass, Project Loon, Project Titan, and others, 2015 came with some big changes, upgrades, products, and services. From Google being completely restructured to be a new huge conglomerate called Alphabet to the recent launch of the company’s Nexus line, 2015 wasn’t a boring one for Google by any stretch of the imagination.

Here’s are some of Google’s most important announcements, in no particular order…


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9to5Toys Lunch Break: Galaxy Tab A $150, Sharp 55″ 4K UHDTV $600, Nexus 6 $300, more

Avatar for Stephen Hall Dec 29 2015 - 1:13 pm 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 Tab A 9.7-Inch Tablet (16 GB): $150 shipped (Reg. $300) | eBay

Daily Deals: Sharp AQUOS 55-inch Smart 4K Ultra HDTV $600, Logitech MX Master Wireless Mouse $79, more

New Google Nexus 6 64GB by Motorola: $300 shipped (Reg. $600) | Amazon

Refurbished Samsung Gear Fit Watch: $50 shipped (Reg. $100) | eBay

Samsung 850 EVO 2.5-inch Internal Solid-State Drives: 250GB $65 (Reg. $90), 500GB $140 (Reg. $150+)

Write-Off Week™: Last chance to write off biz expenses w/ best deals on office equipment, tech, supplies, more

Starbucks $15 gift card for $10: save 30% on your favorite drinks!

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

HP Officejet Pro 8610 e-All-in-One Inkjet Printer w/ AirPrint $50 shipped (Reg. $100)

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

 

Macbook Air 11.6″ Core i5 4GB/128GB w/.edu: $700 shipped ($750 without .edu or less)

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

Thimble’s DIY robot subscription service launches on Kickstarter to great success

Here are the Holiday Best Sellers from Amazon’s record-breaking year

This is Google Glass: Enterprise Edition in the flesh [Gallery]

Avatar for Stephen Hall Dec 28 2015 - 10:31 am PT
4 Comments

Earlier this year, we told you across several exclusive reports that new Google Glass hardware was on the way, namely a device Google has been working on for more than a year aimed at the workplace. Now, several months later (and with many interesting reports about Google’s mysterious Project Aura having surfaced since), we have our first look at the device in the flesh…


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Google search data shows what people in each state searched for most in 2015

Avatar for Abner Li Dec 28 2015 - 10:28 am PT
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The Google searches people make can reveal a great deal about their interests and concerns. When that data is aggregated, it can reveal general trends in society. For a long time, Google used such trend data to monitor for flu outbreaks for instance. Estately, a real estate blog, mined Google Trends to reveal what terms people in each state search for the most this year.
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WSJ: Google is working on an AI-powered chat service that may or may not be a new Hangouts

Avatar for Abner Li Dec 22 2015 - 1:57 pm PT
0 Comments

Hangouts is widely criticized in the Android community for being slow and buggy. According to a rumor last week, SMS support is being stripped out of Hangouts in order to make the app a better chatting service. Perhaps on a related note, The Wall Street Journal is today reporting that Google has grander ambitions for the chat field and plans to infuse their artificial intelligence technology into it.


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Searching ‘bubble level’ in Google Search now presents you with an interactive level

Avatar for Stephen Hall Dec 22 2015 - 12:28 pm PT
1 Comment

One Googler took to Reddit last week to tell the world about a new feature that his team (presumably) added to Google search. Now, if you search for “bubble level” in search from the Google app or Chrome on your mobile device (yes, including the iPhone), you’ll get access to an interactive bubble level mini-app directly from the results page itself.

And that’s about it. This doesn’t need much explaining, does it? Personally, I think this is a pretty nifty little feature to have whenever I need it. That said, I wouldn’t use this for any professional jobs that need exact precision. At least in my experience, this little widget isn’t nearly as accurate as the standalone apps on the Play Store or the iOS Compass app.

Rumor: Samsung’s Gear S2 Classic coming in new platinum and rose gold variants

Avatar for Stephen Hall Dec 22 2015 - 11:49 am PT
1 Comment

This is definitely in the realm of “unsubstantiated rumors,” but it looks like the popular Samsung Gear S2 smartwatch — which runs a custom build of Tizen and sports a rotating dial on its bezel — is getting a couple new colors. This comes from a WinFuture.de writer on Twitter, suggesting that the two new variants will be in “platinum” and “rose gold” colors for the Gear S2 Classic version of the watch…


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Ceramic and Champagne OnePlus X models are now available in Europe & Hong Kong

Avatar for Stephen Hall Dec 22 2015 - 8:16 am PT
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Forgetting OnePlus’ annoying invite system, the OnePlus X is actually a pretty solid option when it comes to budget smartphones. Our own Dom Esposito went as far as to say that it’s the “best budget phone available.” Now, as expected, OnePlus says that you can buy both Ceramic and Champagne variants via open sale in Europe and Hong Kong for a limited time…


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Google’s latest 360-degree interactive Spotlight Story is a Santa-based thriller by Wallace & Gromit creators

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Dec 22 2015 - 4:40 am PT
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It’s a little over two years since Motorola launched Spotlight Player, an app that could be used to view a 360-degree interactive animation. Initially limited to the Moto X before being rolled out to other Android devices, you move your smartphone up, down, left and right to choose which part of the scene to view – and can also view through Google Cardboard.

Google held onto the team when it sold Motorola to Lenovo, and it has now launched Special Delivery, a holiday-themed Spotlight Story from Aardman Animations, the creators of Wallace & Gromit. While you have to pay for some stories, this one is free as a holiday gift from Google …


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