Tech Industry

1,101 'Tech Industry' stories May 2013 - May 2014

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Google acquires Rangespan to help extend Google Shopping’s reach

Mark Hearn May 2 2014 - 1:53 pm PT

Google is taking a step towards advancing its e-commerce business, by purchasing London-based Rangespan, which has developed a unique tech that helps retailers forecast products and services that will be high in demand in the future.

A message on Rangespan’s website confirmed the buyout today. “We are very happy to announce that Rangespan is joining Google,” the company wrote. “We will continue to work on services for shoppers and retailers at Google, and we’re super excited about the opportunities to come. As part of the change, we will wind down Rangespan’s services. We’ve already begun working individually with each of our retailers and suppliers on this process.”

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Nostalgia much? T-Mobile still has the HTC G1 promo site up like its 2008

Zac Hall May 2 2014 - 7:29 am PT

It’s like a good old-fashioned Throwback Thursday… except it’s Friday (TGIF beats #TBT anyway) But if you’re still rocking the Android smartphone that started it all, you probably don’t care what day of the week it is.

Maybe it’s for the sake of nostalgia or T-Mobile CEO John Legere didn’t get the memo (after all, this phone pre-dates his role at T-Mobile by 4 years!), but as a Reddit user comically notes, T-Mobile still has the site up for the HTC G1, the Android phone to rule them all… in 2008. Or maybe this is all part of the next big Uncarrier movement, although as the fine print warns, it just might not be in stock.

At any rate, the buy now and upgrade buttons take you to Samsung’s shiny new Galaxy S5 phone like it’s 2014 or something, and the “Experience G1” button does anything but that as it lands you to the carrier’s homepage. The page does animate, though, showing off the best apps you could ask for on a Cupcake-named operating system. You can step into the time capsule while its still preserved and see for yourself.

(Photos via Flickr)

Opinion: Three reasons Glass isn’t ready for mass consumption

Mark Hearn Apr 28 2014 - 11:33 am PT

In 2012, Google unveiled a teaser video for what would eventually become Google Glass. About two and a half minutes long, the short walkthrough highlighted a day in the life of a “Project Glass” owner. Aside from working the internet into a nerd-fueled frenzy video, the confirmed popular rumors that Google’s super secret X lab was laboring away on a new piece of wearable technology.

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Now back at Microsoft, Stephen Elop says Nokia X’s forked Android is here to stay

Jonathan Kizer Apr 28 2014 - 9:34 am PT

As Microsoft completed its acquisition of Nokia’s smartphone and handheld business this past week, Stephen Elop — the former Microsoft executive turned Nokia CEO — has made various comments about the future of the Android-based Nokia X line. Many, including ourselves, expected Microsoft to cancel the device the moment the acquisition was officially approved, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. Stephen Elop, now the Vice President of Microsoft’s Devices and Services unit, stated the following:

Microsoft acquired the mobile phones business, inclusive of Nokia X, to help connect the next billion people to Microsoft’s services. Nokia X uses the MSFT cloud, not Google’s. This is a great opportunity to connect new customers to Skype, outlook.com and Onedrive for the first time. We’ve already seen tens of thousands of new subscribers on MSFT services.

We are using AOSP to attack a specific market opportunity, but we are being thoughtful to do it in a way that accrues benefit to Microsoft and to Lumia.

The Nokia X is a low-cost device that runs a heavily-modified version of Android. The device is part of Nokia’s strategy to target emerging nations and the low-end device market.

This position makes sense, in light of Microsoft’s most recent strategy of focusing on services but you can’t help but wonder what it says about Windows Phone OS that Microsoft actually needs an Android product.
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Google possibly courting Nike Fuel Band castaways to join Nest team

Mark Hearn Apr 25 2014 - 10:18 am PT

Google recently started selling its Nest Thermostat at its Play Store, but after acquiring the climate controlling device’s parent company for $3.2 billion, Mountain View appears to be ready to expand its brand and it’ll need some new talent to make this happen. Right now the careers section of the Nest website has plethora of job openings for engineers that could be filled by folks from Beaverton, Oregon… Beaverton, Oregon?

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Amazon reportedly set to launch its own cellular plan called ‘Prime Data’

Benjamin Mayo Apr 25 2014 - 8:19 am PT

According to Boy Genius Report, Amazon is readying its own-brand cellular wireless plan as part of its new phone launch.

However, the plans are still quite mysterious. Although the name has leaked, specific details about what Amazon’s cellular plan will entail are not known. Apparently, the plan is “unique”.

The plan is tentatively named “Prime Data,” and it will be positioned as one of several key selling points for the phone.

BGR characterizes the other information in its report as “speculation” from sources. The post suggests Amazon could launch exclusively on AT&T in the US and ‘Prime Data’ would resemble something similar to AT&T’s Sponsored Data offerings. This may mean users get free access to Amazon’s content.

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Google discusses new techniques that improve Chrome’s security and performance

Mark Hearn Apr 25 2014 - 7:49 am PT

Google’s recent partnership to make the internet a safer place to play hasn’t stopped the company from working on its own products. The software giant recently opened up about a set of security enhancements to Chrome that make its famed browser safer and faster. Google anti-abuse research lead, Elie Bursztein published a post on the company’s blog detailing the measures taken to improve Chrome for desktop and Android.

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Samsung announces projector-equipped Galaxy Beam 2

Mark Hearn Apr 24 2014 - 10:05 am PT

If you’re in the market for a new phone and a new projector, why not kill two birds with one ~~stone~~ phone? At least that’s what Samsung is hoping for with its projector-toting Galaxy Beam 2. Aside from its major draw, the Beam 2 sports a 1.2GHz quad-core processor, 1GB of RAM and a low-res 800 x 480 4.66-inch display — we’re guessing Samsung wants you to focus on creating your own display with the projector.

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Google partners with Facebook, Amazon and Microsoft to stop the next Heartbleed

Mark Hearn Apr 24 2014 - 8:15 am PT

Aside from working the world into a frenzy, the recent Heartbleed phenomenon reminded us that the internet isn’t as sterile as we’d like to think. As a lesson learned, a big group of tech industry heavyweights have joined forces to stop the next big internet security threat before it happens. Companies like Amazon, Facebook, Intel and of course Google have started a new project with the Linux Foundation called the Core Infrastructure Initiative.

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Google’s Connected Classrooms is hosting 18 field trips today for Take Your Child To Work Day

Mark Hearn Apr 24 2014 - 7:21 am PT

In honor of Take Your Child To Work Day, Google will be hosting 18 virtual field trips today via Hangouts. The search giant is partnering with Forbes to set up visits to various businesses, which include trips to: the Georgia Aquarium, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Stanford National Lab and the Chicago Bulls locker room.

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Google inks $250 million deal with SunPower Corporation, will lease solar power to consumers

Mark Hearn Apr 23 2014 - 7:06 am PT

Yesterday was Earth Day and Google announced its biggest renewable energy purchase ever and today as an encore the company is looking to get into the home utility business. The Mountain View software giant has announced a $250 million partnership with solar cell manufacturer SunPower Corporation ($100 million from Google and $150 million from SunPower) that will see the two companies leasing solar panels to American households.

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Google inks a 407 MW wind energy deal with MidAmerican Energy for its Iowa data center

Mark Hearn Apr 22 2014 - 3:42 pm PT

If it feels like a lot of major corporations are going green, it could have something to do with today being Earth Day and of course Google is joining in on the eco-friendly festivities. Sure, the company is fighting poachers and helping nonprofit organizations, but what about its own backyard? Earlier today, the folks in Mountain View announced a new deal with MidAmerican Energy that will supply its Iowa data center with up to 407 megawatts of 100 percent renewable wind energy.

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Motorola shipped 6.5 million devices globally during Q1

Mark Hearn Apr 22 2014 - 12:52 pm PT

History has taught us that manufacturers typically don’t discuss hardware sales and shipments publicly, but some firms will occasionally issue press releases sharing statistics when boasting about success. However, the folks at Motorola Mobility have taken a much more casual approach to outlining its figures. Today, the soon to be Lenovo-owned company tweeted that it shipped 6.5 million devices globally during Q1 of 2014.

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Nest Thermostat now available from Google Play

Mark Hearn Apr 22 2014 - 10:34 am PT

Yesterday, Google’s newly acquired thermostat system made an appearance on a Play Store support page. This led many to believe that the search giant would soon offer its smart climate controller at its online marketplace, alongside its other in-house products. Today, the company has made things official and the Nest Thermostat is now available from Google Play for $250 with an estimated 1-2 day warehouse departure.

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Sprint will unlock any device released after February 11, 2015

Jonathan Kizer Apr 22 2014 - 6:56 am PT

Sprint will offer an unlocking service for all devices on its network released after February 11, 2015, according to the company’s unlocking policy (via Android Police). This means that Sprint will support unlocking a device to use it on other carriers in the United States, as the company calls this a “domestic unlock.”

This change is due to various factors. More devices offer compatibility with both GSM and CDMA networks than ever before. More importantly, however, are the newer agreements between carriers. Sprint has signed the CTIA’s Consumer Code for Wireless Service, which includes an Unlocking Commitment statement. These new policy changes bring Sprint’s stance on unlocking devices in compliance with these standards.
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Samsung opens Innovation Museum, starts with electricity, ends with 180-degree 4K screen

Ben Lovejoy Apr 21 2014 - 4:59 am PT

Samsung has been around for a while. From a grocery company and noodle manufacturer in 1938, it created Samsung Electronics Devices in 1969, with a black-and-white television set its first ever product.

To celebrate its 45th anniversary, the company has opened the Samsung Innovation Museum in Korea, a combined museum of technology and Samsung product showcase, reports Engadget.

The museum is undeniably stylish (and it helps that it’s brand new), but what I liked the most was the realia; the for-real artifacts from history. Not just a StarTAC and the first slimline TV, but an Edison filament lightbulb, the first ever TV.

Unsurprisingly, the museum becomes increasingly Samsung-focused as you move through the years, but does include products from rival manufacturers like Motorola, Nokia, Sharp and Sony. There’s even an Apple II in there, described as “the first home computer.”

Photo: The Verge

Watch Google test Project Tango in a zero gravity environment (video)

Mark Hearn Apr 18 2014 - 7:50 am PT

What happens when you take Google’s motion mapping phone, Project Tango and pair it with SPHERES robots in a zero gravity environment? You get something really cool. The folks from Mountain View recently teamed up with NASA to test how Project Tango’s 3D environment sensors would act in a near real life space scenario.

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Marissa Mayer planning to push Apple to replace Google with Yahoo! as the default iOS search engine

Mike Beasley Apr 16 2014 - 2:59 pm PT

Jony Ive and Marissa Mayer (right) eat pizza with other industry executives

Re/code reports that Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer is planning an attempt at persuading Apple to switch its default iOS search engine from Google to her company’s own offering. According to Re/code’s sources, Mayer has built what she hopes will be a convincing arguement in favor of the change.

Yahoo! current powers the weather and stocks apps and Notification Center widgets found in iOS 7 as well as a few Siri functions, such as sports, but lost out on the chance to power Siri’s web search to Microsoft’s Bing. Both Yahoo! and Bing are included as optional search engines in the Safari browser, but the default selection is Google.

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Google’s new Street View image algorithm can crack most CAPTCHAs

Mark Hearn Apr 16 2014 - 2:05 pm PT

Although most human eyes struggle to see them clearly, Google has developed a software that can crack most CAPTCHAs. In a paper published earlier this week, Google researchers from its Street View and CAPTCHA teams discuss a new algorithm capable of solving the company’s jumbled text security puzzles with an accuracy rate of 99.8 percent.

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LG to will partner with TSMC to produce mobile processors

Mark Hearn Apr 16 2014 - 9:39 am PT

LG will soon try its luck at designing mobile processors in the near future, a company spokesperson recently confirmed. The South Korea-based electronics maker will reportedly contract Taiwan-based TSMC to manufacture its processors. According to The Korea Herald, the company’s in-house chips could possibly show up in LG’s rumored G3 smartphone, which the outfit hopes to announce in the next couple of months.

As for the chip’s build, it’s reportedly based on four 2.2GHz Cortex-A15 cores and four Cortex-A7 cores clocked at 1.7GHz. By entering the chip making business, LG will further its rivalry with Samsung, which currently produces and manufactures its own Exynos processors line. In addition to LG handsets, the company’s new chips could possibly be used in other third-party devices.

(via Phone Arena)

Check out Google’s homemade trackpad tester [Video]

Mark Hearn Apr 15 2014 - 3:08 pm PT

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-09Up5eqI98]

A trackpad’s performance can make or break your experience with a laptop and the folks at Google are well aware of this. Working towards the best user experience, the company’s Chrome OS team has assembled the “Quickstep,” a USB-powered machine that uses a laser to measure trackpad latency in Chromebooks. Whenever a person breaks the laser’s beam with their finger, Quickstep calculates the delay between the trackpad and its input.

While it’s not a fancy space elevator, this piece of tech is definitely making the world a better place.

Google X tried to conquer space elevators, hoverboards and teleportation

Mark Hearn Apr 15 2014 - 12:32 pm PT

Over the years Google has produced some unbelievable products and the search giant shows no signs of slowing down. This has led to some heavy rumors claiming that the company’s super secret innovation lab, Google X has been working on a space elevator. As far-fetched as it may sound, guess what? It’s true! Well, sort of. Not only did Google kick around the idea of building a space elevator, it’s X lab also entertained the thought of building a hoverboard and the reality of teleportation. Recently, a group of members from Google’s hush-hush R&D group opened up to the folks at Fast Company about some the team’s wildest ideas.

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Report: Amazon phone to feature four IR cameras for 3D interface, 13 megapixel camera, 4.7 inch display, 2GB RAM

Benjamin Mayo Apr 15 2014 - 7:52 am PT

Boy Genius Report has posted its knowledge of Amazon’s next smartphone. Although it technically hasn’t been confirmed to be an Android device, it is almost certain that it will be powered by Android at some level, given Amazon’s existing Android ecosystem. BGR claims to have the first pictures of the phone, shown above.

According to the report, the phone will feature a 3D interface. This feature is enabled through a set of four front-facing Infrared cameras that track the position and orientation of the user’s face. The user interface can then update in response to facial movements. Apparently, the four sensors are located in each corner of the front face. The Wall Street Journal reported that the product would feature a 3D interface last week and is set for a June launch.

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Google patent application details micro camera system for contact lenses of the future

Mark Hearn Apr 14 2014 - 10:38 am PT

Google will soon open its Glass explorer program to all US residents for one day only, however a recent patent application from the search engine kingpin might make you reconsider making a purchase tomorrow. Spotted by the folks at Patent Bolt, Google has filed a patent application for a micro camera component to compliment its recently announced smart contact lenses.

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