Showing posts with label google. Show all posts
Showing posts with label google. Show all posts

Sunday, 27 October 2013

Samsung's Google Glass rival revealed!

 

Samsung's Google Glass rival revealed!

A new patent seems to suggest that Korean firm Samsung is following Google into the smart glasses space. Google Glass competitor, complete with translucent frames, side controls and what appears to be a camera on the front, so you can record with little more than a wink.

Earphones will allow users to listen to music, but unlike Google’s offering – which can operate independently of other tech – these specs pair with your smartphone in the same way that Samsung’s Galaxy Gear smart watch does. There’s even some kind of connective plug on the back, which looks a bit old-fashioned to us.

Of course, this is just a patent and the final product – should it ever make it to market – will no doubt end up looking a lot different to these simple line drawings.

Are you excited about the concept of wearable tech, or do you think it’s a revolution that will fall flat on its face? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

www.easyappsbusiness.com

Monday, 25 March 2013

Now Google is making a smartwatch too: Watch out Apple by

 

Now Google is making a smartwatch too: Watch out Apple

Apple and Samsung aren’t alone in their plans to take over the timepiece on your wrist: a new report published this week confirms that Google too is working on an Android-powered watch computer. Ready for a watch app invasion?

The Financial Times reports that the search giant is working on a smartwatch in its own labs, and that the product is separate to anything Samsung is working on – earlier this week, a Samsung mobile boss confirmed the company’s own plans.

Intriguingly, the report says the Google smartwatch is being developed in the Android division, so it may have little or nothing to do with Google Glass, made by the company’s secretive X Lab. It may also mean the company is planning to bring it to market a whole lot sooner. Fancy a Google Nexus watch anyone? (Pictured above is Motorola’s 2011 Android watch, the Motoactv).

While details are thin on the ground, it’s hard to see the Google smartwatch as anything other than a direct competitor to Apple’s own “iWatch”, word of which has leaked repeatedly in recent weeks. Android’s already ahead of the smartphone field when it comes to things like unobtrusive notifications and the sheer number of apps, and the operating system’s open-source nature could make it the ultimate hacker toy too.

Would you buy a Google smartwatch? Is Google smart to even be trying this? Tell us what you think in the comments below

www.tell-me-first.com

Saturday, 23 March 2013

Samsung Galaxy S4 unleashed, brand new rivals reviewed, and next-generation PCs:

Samsung Galaxy S4 unleashed, brand new rivals reviewed, and next-generation PCs: Gadget Digest

It’s been another epic week for tech fans, with brand new gadgets to play with, and one monster new flagship phone. We wouldn’t blame you if you struggled to stay on top of it all. Luckily, our Gadget Digest roundup is here to help: read on for everything you missed.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 arrives

The rumours were swirling for months, but at long last, it’s finally here: the Samsung Galaxy S4. Samsung unleashed the new Android super phone at a press event in New York last night, and it didn’t disappoint: it’s specced out to the max, and comes running some clever new software too, with a universal translator on board, as well as a feature that pauses videos for you when you look away from the screen. That’s not all either: the South Korean tech titan also served up a bunch of insane accessories, from a game pad to a wireless weighing scale.

Next-gen PCs galore

It’s been a big week for desktop computing too. Xi3, the company behind the tiny Piston gaming rig that’s been dubbed the first unofficial Steam Box, thanks to Valve’s involvement in its creation, put the device up for pre-order – though at $1,000, it might not have Sony and Microsoft too worried for their own consoles. Dell meanwhile unleashed its own bizarre desktop all in one PC, which doubles up as a gigantic, foot and a half long Windows tablet. Speaking of Windows, Apple did Mac users a solid and updated OS X to allow for Windows 8 installs – is the MacBook Air now the best Ultrabook?

Up close with the HTC One

It’s not just the Samsung Galaxy S4 we got to grips with this week: we also posted our full review of its new rival, the HTC One. Can the Taiwanese company’s all-metal Android monster phone and its UltraPixel give Samsung and Apple a run for their money? Check out our verdict to find out.

Chrome OS gets super charged

Google too has been hitting the headlines this week. Just days after we reviewed the beautiful Chromebook Pixel laptop, Android boss Andy Rubin stepped down. The search giant revealed that his job would be taken over by the company’s Chrome and Chrome OS boss – which got us wondering. Is Google’s lightweight laptop software about to get an influx of Android apps? Now that really should have Microsoft scared.

www.tell-me-first.com

Wednesday, 6 March 2013

Google Glass eBay auction goes through the roof!

 

Google Glass eBay auction goes through the roof!

You can’t buy Google Glass yet – the augmented reality spectacles aren’t on general sale. However, that didn’t stop a resourceful eBay member from trying to hawk a pair on the popular auction site, and the listing attracted so much interest that the value rocketed to a staggering $15,900 – about £10,450.

According to Techradar, that’s 10 times more than the developer edition of Google Glass will cost when the product is eventually released this year.

Sadly, the person who bid that amazing amount won’t be getting their hands on Google Glass anytime soon, for two key reasons. First, eBay has cancelled the auction. Second, the seller doesn’t actually have a pair of Google Glass specs yet – they are due to attend the forthcoming Project Glass launch event and were essentially “selling” the pair they would obtain at that point.

You’re not allowed to sell things on eBay which you don’t currently own, hence the closure of the auction. Boo!

Would you be willing to pay over 10 grand for a pair of glasses which make you look like you’re in an episode of Star Trek? If so, we’d love to hear from you, so post a comment.

Sunday, 24 February 2013

The PlayStation 4 unleashed, HTC One arrives and more:

 

The PlayStation 4 unleashed, HTC One arrives and more: Gadget Digest

Weeks like this come along only a few times every generation – console generation, that is. Sony whipped the covers off the Sony PlayStation 4 at long last, but that wasn’t all that happened this week – and when it comes to gizmo news, February’s barely even started. Read on for everything you missed this week.

The Sony PlayStation 4 revealed – sort of

At long last, it arrived – sort of. Sony execs took the stage in New York to reveal the next-generation PS4’s incredible hardware under the bonnet – and we where there live. While the gaming giant was happy to show off lots of new gamers for the system – see them all here – it was less keen to reveal the design of the machine itself, choosing instead to focus on its impressive network skills and instant streaming abilities. Expect plenty more to come from the company in the next few months.

Is the HTC One the one?

Just a day before Sony’s big announcement, HTC had one of its own to share: its new flagship smartphone for 2013, the HTC One. It’s packing some impressive hardware, from a HD screen to a stunning new camera – even the ability to act as your TV remote. Has it got what it takes to compete with Samsung this year?

Google gets the style

Google’s not exactly known for design flair – more its engineering prowess. That looks to be changing this week. First, we got word that it’s teamed up with some seriously stylish sunglass designers to create a pair of Google Glass specs that you’ll actually want to be seen wearing. Then it followed up by unleashing the stunning Chromebook Pixel, a super-charged Chrome OS laptop that’s as beautiful as it is expensive. Is it too much for what’s essentially a web browser?

More on the way

Though we’ve seen two massive tech launches this week, February’s far from over. Next week, the giant smartphone expo Mobile World Congress returns to Barcelona. We’re expecting phones and tablets and more phones – Orange has jumped the gun and shown off its new 4G blower already – and Nokia’s press conference on Monday morning promises to be the highlight of the show, so tune in then for all the news.

www.tell-me-first.com

Monday, 21 January 2013

Games galore, Google’s new laptops, BlackBerry 10 and more:

 

Games galore, Google’s new laptops, BlackBerry 10 and more: Gadget Digest

The snow is falling, but not as fast as the gadget news is coming pouring on in. If you’ve not been able to keep up with it all, don’t worry: we’ve got all the biggest stories of the week rounded up for you in one place. Read on for your Gadget Digest.

Chrome OS Invasion

Last week saw a glut of new Windows 8 machines at CES, but this week, Google hit back, with several of its partners announcing new Chrome OS powered machines that cost a fraction of the price of an Ultrabook. Samsung pimped out its Chromebox desktop with newer, faster specs, while Lenovo turned heads with its very first ThinkPad running the web-based operating system. Is this the netbook replacement we’ve been dreaming of?

New games and ways to play

Gaming fans had lots to get their teeth – and fingers – into this week. We set live our full Dmc: Devil May Cry review, while the eagerly awaited Temple Run 2 dashed onto iPhone. And if you can’t wait for Nvidia’s Project Shield handheld gaming console, we took a look at the ways you can stream powerful PC games to your phone or tablet on the go right now.

RIM gears up for BB10 launch

Research In Motion’s planning to make its big smartphone comeback at the end of the month, with its BlackBerry 10 platform launch on the 30th. Ahead of the unveiling, we took a look at the apps RIM desperately needs to stand a chance against iOS, Android and Windows Phone, while we also heard that an old-school, QWERTY BlackBerry will be announced on the day.

Social networks get new skills

It’s been a big week for social networks. Facebook summoned the world’s press to its HQ to announced a brand new search engine that should have Google scared, while it slipped out something almost as important on the down-low: free phone calls for life via its Messenger app. It wasn’t just Facebook with news to share though. Remember MySpace? It came back with a bang, going live to the public with a new design and focus on music. Can it ever get back to its glory days?

www.easyappsbusiness.com

Friday, 14 December 2012

It’s here! Google Maps brings free satnav to iPhone

 

It’s here! Google Maps brings free satnav to iPhone

It’s here, it’s here! The Google Maps iPhone app we’ve all been waiting for has arrived on the App Store. It’s everything we’ve been hoping for and more, bringing all that rock solid data, and even turn by turn navigation, to any iPhone released in the last three and a half years.

Google Maps for iPhone appeared as a free download on iTunes overnight, and will run on any iPhone 3GS or higher with iOS 5.1 and up. On first impressions, it’s been worth the wait: it’s clean, shockingly fast thanks to vector graphics and filled with all the data that Apple Maps was woefully missing. It even offers free turn by turn satnav directions, just like on Android.

The only things missing? Offline mapping you can download in advance as you can on Android, and support for iPad, coming later. Oh, and adverts, but we doubt you’ll be too upset about that.

For those who missed the furore earlier this year, Apple began using its own data and animation for its Maps app in iOS 6, ending a partnership with Google since the original iPhone. It didn’t work out: the pretty, woefully inaccurate Apple replacement was heavily criticised, forcing Apple CEO Tim Cook to make a rare public apology. The man in charge of iOS software, Scott Forstall, was subsequently forced out of the company, allegedly over Maps and other missteps.

Thursday, 29 November 2012

Five things you never knew you could do with your Chromebook

 

Five things you never knew you could do with your Chromebook Five things you never knew you could do with your Chromebook

With everything stored in the cloud, Google’s Chromebooks offer super fast start-up times and are much lighter than most laptops. And with great devices like the Acer C7 being a bargain at just £199, now could be the time to invest in a Chromebook.

Don’t worry if you think they’re less well-equipped than proper laptops, either. Far from it. With a Chromebook, you can do this little lot, for starters.

1 Stream music

Last week Spotify announced it was launching a version of its streaming service using a browser. You can sign up now through the company’s Facebook page. Or you can use Rdio, and bring millions of tracks to your Chromebook using your browser. Hard drive? Who needs a hard drive?

2 Watch movies using Netflix

The original version of Chrome OS wouldn’t stream Netflix, but the movie service will now work like a charm on your Chromebook, giving you a ton of options that’ll more than make up for the lack of DVD drive. Just careful you don’t get popcorn in the keyboard.

3 Make video calls

The bad news is it’s a little tricky getting Skype to work on Chrome OS. Thankfully there’s an app called imo, which’ll let you use Skype as well as Google Talk, ICQ, and more. Of course, you could always start a Google Hangout in Google +, which works seamlessly with Chrome OS. Your contact will need to be on Google +, which admittedly not that many people are, but signing up is a doddle.

4 Turn it into a Windows PC or Mac

You may be feeling a little underpowered with your Chromebook, but did you know you can effectively turn it into a Mac or Windows PC? Just install Chrome Remote Desktop, and you can access another of your computers right on your Chromebook. Add the app to your browser, enable remote connections (both computers will need to be connected to the internet), and you should be able to jump between the two on the same screen.

5 Edit photos and videos online

No hard drive to install programs on might leave you thinking you can’t pull off any photo or video editing. Well you’d be wrong. There are a bunch of programs available online that’ll do the job. Ok, so they might not be able to rival Photoshop and Final Cut Pro for the really polished effects, but for your basic editing they’ll have everything you need. Check out Pixlr Editor, LunaPic, Fotoflexer, and iPiccy for snaps, and the YouTube Video Editor is pretty handy.

Wednesday, 28 November 2012

Google Chromebook: Touchscreen netbook killer on the way this year!

 

Google Chromebook: Touchscreen netbook killer on the way this year!

Google’s trio of new Nexus goodies may not be the only gizmos the tech giant has for us before Christmas: according to a new report, the search gurus at Google are working on an own-brand Google Chromebook laptop, complete with a touchscreen. Is Google’s answer to the low price laptop about to get even smarter?

According to China Times, Google is working on its own-brand Chromebook laptop, to rival the likes of Samsung and Acer – and it may start shipping before the end of the year, in time for Christmas. Unusually, it will pack a touchscreen, meaning that you should be able to swipe up and down and select on-screen icons, as you can with many new Windows 8 machines.

Chromebooks run Chrome OS, Google’s operating system that’s fast, free, and little more than a web browser – if you caught our feature last week though, you’ll know that’s much less of a limitation than it used to be, and you can do almost anything with it that you’d want to on a Windows PC or Mac.

We’ll let you know as soon as more information surfaces about a touchscreen Google Chromebook.

www.tell-me-first.com

Tuesday, 20 November 2012

Google Drive, SkyDrive and Dropbox: Which cloud storage app is best for you?


Google Drive, SkyDrive and Dropbox: Which cloud storage app is best for you? We keep hearing that the cloud is the future: it’s where we stream all our music and movies from, and even our games. But it’s also a handy way of storing your own files, not just the ones you rent by the month from the likes of Netflix and Spotify. We took a look at three of the most popular cloud storage services around: Google Drive, Microsoft SkyDrive and Dropbox. Read on to find out which one is for you. Google Drive (Web, Mac, PC, Android, iOS) Considering all the features you get, Google Drive is remarkable value (5GB Free, 1TB – £31.65/month, 100GB – £3.17/month, 25GB – £1.59/month): not only does it let you store all your files, you can write, store and edit documents and spreadsheets in the cloud too. And if you’ve got a Google account, you’ve already got it. Like Dropbox, you can download an app that syncs files with your Mac and PC, though you get a bit more storage for free. It works like a dream on Android phones and tablets too, though the iOS app is unfortunately still a bit unstable, and crashes quite often. Best for: Android users, people with personal or work Gmail addresses, those who don’t use Microsoft Office. Microsoft SkyDrive (Web, PC, Mac, Android, iOS) Microsoft SkyDrive is sometimes overlooked, but it’s every bit as accomplished as its rivals, and crucially, it offers the most storage for free (7GB free, 100GB – £32/year, 50GB – £16/year, 20GB – £6/year). It packs in some useful, exclusive features, such as the ability to fetch anything from a computer with SkyDrive installed, even if it isn’t in your SkyDrive folder, and acts as an easy and secure backup to everything you create in Microsoft Word. It also comes built into Windows Phone, which makes it a no-brainer for mobile Microsofties. Best for: Windows Phone and Microsoft Office users. DropBox (Web, PC, Mac, iOS, Android, BlackBerry) While Dropbox is probably the best known of all three cloud storage services, it’s not the cheapest – you get just 2GB free (500GB – £32.11/month, 200GB – £12.84/month, 100GB – £6.42/month) to call your own. But it’s a very polished service, with lots of extra features (auto-uploading your phone’s camera images to a private folder), easy to generate sharing links, and the syncing app for PC and Mac is just superb: it looks just like a regular folder in the file explorer, but small icons by each file indicate what’s been uploaded and what’s whirring away at the moment. It’s also easy to get free space – buy a new HTC Android phone and you’ll get 25GB worth free for two years, while each friend you will refer will nab you an extra 200MB of space. And if you’re on a BlackBerry, it’s the only game in town. Best for: Android and BlackBerry users, those who have to share files publicly www.tell-me-first.com















Sunday, 18 November 2012

Robocop goggles beat Google Glass to shop shelves!

 

Robocop goggles beat Google Glass to shop shelves!

Meet the Vuzix Smart Glasses M100: a mealy name for a groundbreaking bit of tech. This little headset connects to your smartphone to show you augmented reality data about the world around you, right in front of you. Sound a bit like Google Glass? It’s coming out before them…

SlashGear has the details on the Vuzix Smart Glasses M100, a headset with a screen on the end that gives you the impression of a 4-inch phone screen in front of you: it also packs in GPS for location, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and a HD camera – and it’s all powered by Android, so any app that can run on an external monitor will work just fine here. The company says battery life is good for up to eight hours on a charge.

Better still, Vuzix is working on an SDK (software development kit), so that developers can make their iPhone and Android apps work with the Vuzix Smart Glasses M100: you could have everything from your Spotify playlist appearing in front of you to a realtime feed of public transport timetables when you walk up to a bus stop.

The project is very similar to Google Glass, the augmented reality computer Google is working on – but it looks like it could be out first. Vuzix is promising a 2013 release, and a developer kit will be out as soon as next month so coders can get started early.

What do you reckon – does augmented reality computing have a future? Would you want to see things like the Terminator? Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments below.

www.tell-me-first.com

Wednesday, 18 April 2012

Valve working on “wearable computing” for gamers

 

Valve working on “wearable computing” for gamers

Following Google’s Project Glass, video game developer Valve has revealed that it too is working on technology that we can wear. Speaking of “wearable computing” Michael Abrash of Valve spoke of technology where “both computer-generated graphics and the real world are seamlessly overlaid in your view.” Think “Terminator vision” vision, says Valve. More exciting glimpses into the future this way. 


Michael Abrash, a video game developer at Valve has written a blog post in which he reveals that “wearable computing” could be a viable future concept. It is just one of the things he and his studio is working on. He states that following developments in desktop, laptop and tablet computing, wearable computers could be part of the next platform shift.

“The logical endpoint is computing everywhere, all the time – that is, wearable computing…” Abrash says. “I have no doubt that 20 years from now that will be standard, probably through glasses or contacts, but for all I know through some kind of more direct neural connection. And I’m pretty confident that platform shift will happen a lot sooner than 20 years – almost certainly within 10, but quite likely as little as 3-5, because the key areas – input, processing/power/size, and output – that need to evolve to enable wearable computing are shaping up nicely, although there’s a lot still to be figured out.”

Such as? How software will work with any wearable tech, how it would look, how does one interact with it and how does the computer know what a user is looking at. These are all challenges facing Valve right now.

However, Abrash did want to make one thing clear. There should be no rumours of robotic gaming glasses at this point in time. “To be clear, this is R&D – it doesn’t in any way involve a product at this point, and won’t for a long while, if ever – so please, no rumors about Steam glasses being announced at E3.

“It’s an initial investigation into a very interesting and promising space, and falls more under the heading of research than development.”

It’s fascinating stuff from the gaming developer. If there is something to take out of it all, if not E3 rumours, it is that, as Google has already shown, augmented reality lifestyles using computer-aided vision could be part of our daily routine closer than we might have first thought.

Still trying to get your head over it all? Then check out Google’s Project Glass vision here. If Google’s plans are anything to go by we’ll all be wearing futuristic headsets giving us built-in sat-navs and smartphone capabilities simply by wearing a pair of glasses. Scary or exciting? Let us know what you think.

Sunday, 8 April 2012

Google Project Glass: a vision of the future, or pure fantasy?

 

Google Project Glass: a vision of the future, or pure fantasy?

Project Glass is an ambitious concept from Google, that, if it ever comes to fruition will see us all wearing futuristic specs that provide augmented reality vision. Imagine having a built-in sat-nav and smartphone in your specs and you’ll get the idea. It might look like the dreams of a science fiction movie director, but Google’s plans to digitise our daily life may not be so far off.

To show it all off Google has released a trailer for Project Glass revealing what could be a vision of how we’ll soon be using augmented reality to enhance our daily routine. As the user wakes up he is able to check the weather forecast simply by looking up at the sky. The temperature is overlaid on his own sight.

As he walks out of the door he discovers that his train isn’t operating, so a map appears immediately before his eyes, offering alternate walking directions aided by a realtime compass.

He encounters a poster for a concert and utters a voice command to remind him to book tickets. A reminder is automatically set, just like that. He soon meets a friend who introduces him to a new eatery, which he checks into within a second. Saying “take a photo” snaps some interesting graffiti along the way. 


He ends up overlooking a sunset, enjoying it with his girlfriend who can see what he sees over a video call. It’s as if everything previously controlled by a smartphone will be controlled by more more natural commands.

And that’s Google’s Project Glass. Ambitious or what? Augmented reality already exists in our mobile phones, letting us see the world through the eyes of a computer. Now it seems Google wants to make the experience more, human.

Saturday, 19 November 2011

Five for the weekend: From Nokia Lumia 800 to PlayStation Vita

 

Five for the weekend: From Nokia Lumia 800 to PlayStation Vita

 

Five for the weekend: From Nokia Lumia 800 to PlayStation Vita

The past five days have been some of 2011’s most exciting – both in the gadget and gaming world. New tech, some amazing triple-A games, and a few record-breakers make up this week’s best stories.

Read on for our weekly roundup. Don’t forget to click on the links for the full lowdown.

Nokia Lumia 800 goes on sale
 The long-awaited Nokia Lumia 800 finally went on sale this week. Why the fuss? Well, this isn’t any old Nokia handset – it is the first Nokia phone to sport the Windows Phone 7 operating system, and is possibly the most gorgeous phone we’ve ever laid eyes on. 


PlayStation Vita: Pre-order, get free stuff As the PlayStation Vita release date nears, it’s time to start saving up and get thinking about which games you’re going to purchase come launch day. If you’re thinking about getting hold of one, check this out. Those who pre-order the PSPgo successor will receive a bundle of goodies and gaming discounts. So hop to your nearest participating retail now to see who’s participating. Click on for more details.

Apple replacing faulty iPod Nanos Still got your first-generation iPod Nano? Don’t toss it away just yet. Apple wants to give owners a new one. A battery fault has been discovered by Apple, which Apple believe could potentially pose a safety threat. Better safe than sorry. If you’ve got one, sign up to the iPod Nano Replacement Program. Stat! Click on the link for all the details. 



Google Music: 5 things you need to know Google may already have the world’s most-used search engine, and have plans to take on Facebook, with its own Google+ social network, now the ‘Big G’ wants to take over music. Google Music is a cloud-based music streaming service backed by the music industry’s top dogs, offering millions of songs, the ability to house your albums in the cloud and listen to them offline. It could be big – so hit the link for five things you need to know about the new service.

Modern Warfare 3 launch week the biggest ever in UK Modern Warfare 3 carried on from the groundbreaking success of previous games int he series by breaking more sales records. The game sold a colossal 6.5 million copies in the U.S and UK within 24 hours. Modern Warfare 3 launch week was also the biggest ever week in UK game sales, bringing in over £120 million. That’s some serious moolah.

Friday, 18 November 2011

Google Music: 5 things you need to know

 

Google Music: 5 things you need to know

Google Music: 5 things you need to know

The Google empire marches on. This time the search giant has revealed a brand new music service, called Google Music, and it’s a cloud-based music streaming service supported by some of the biggest record companies in the world. It could be huge! Here are five things you should know about Google Music.

Google Music is supported by the major labels And that’s important because without it, you wouldn’t be able to listen to tracks from your favourite artists. Thankfully the likes of Sony Music Entertainment, Universal and EMI have all pledged their support. A host of independent labels will also be on board, giving Google Music a library of around 13 million tracks. Some labels are even working on delivering exclusive content. Google is currently working with the Rolling Stones, Coldplay, Shakira and others to offer exclusive music from upcoming concerts. Google Music could soon be the place to listen to new tracks before anyone else.

Store all of your songs 
The great thing about the cloud service is that you’ll be able to store all of your songs up on Google’s vast servers – 20,000 songs in total that you already own, or will have purchased from the Android Market music store. Customers will be able to preview tracks for 90 seconds. Songs are being reported to cost between 56 pence and 86 pence. There will also be a free song of the day, and tracks will be 320kpbs sound quality, so it all sounds very promising. Literally.

Offline listening 
 Because Google Music is a cloud-based streaming service, users will be able to listen to music offline on Android 2.2 smartphones without being hooked up to the internet. The Google Music Android app will let users log into their account, adjust their settings, and get listening to any of the millions of tracks available.

Share music using Google+ Google+ integration will let members share their musical tastes with their fellow music-loving chums. So when you purchase an album from Google Music, Google+ will let your friends know about it, letting those in your circles play through the entire album once. Google hopes it will be a great way for friends to discover new music. The service hasn’t arrived in the UK, but should you wish to turn sharing settings off, we’re sure the option to do so will be there.

A global rollout Google music was launched in the U.S. A UK launch date has yet to be revealed or confirmed. At the launch, however was mention of a global rollout. So there’s still hope, and demand for a UK Google Music service should hopefully be enough to convince the ‘Big G’ to bring it over here.

Tuesday, 1 November 2011

Google Galaxy Nexus UK price and launch date revealed

 

Google Galaxy Nexus UK price and launch date revealed

 

Google Galaxy Nexus UK price and launch date revealed

Not content to let Nokia hog the limelight with the new Mango-based Nokia Lumia 800, Samsung has announced the launch date for the Galaxy Nexus, with the handset also popping up on Amazon. Read on to find out more about the launch of the world’s first Ice Cream Sandwich-based Android smartphone.

The Google Galaxy Nexus was revealed just over a week ago, and is set to be the first Android smartphone to run Ice Cream Sandwich – the latest version of the OS.

It’s packed with high-end features, including one of the best screens to hit the market so far. The Super AMOLED display on the Nexus measures in at a whopping 4.65 inches, and features a resolution of 1280×720 pixels – higher than any other smartphone.

You’ll also find more than enough performance to power the new operating system, with a dual-core 1.2GHz processor, and 4G connectivity for fast web browsing and downloads.

The Galaxy Nexus is set to hit the shops on November 17th, and has already popped up on Amazon UK. The price? £549.99 SIM free.

Sunday, 24 July 2011

Google to warn PC virus victims via search site

Google has begun issuing warnings to millions of people that their PC has been infected with a virus.

The malicious code pipes browser traffic through sites that promote the scammers' wares which include fake security programs.   Those hit by the virus will be warned with a message that will appear at the top of searches carried out via Google.

The search firm estimates that more than two million people have been hit by the infection.
Stolen traffic Google uncovered the huge number of infected machines while doing routine maintenance on a data centre.  During maintenance, Google servers get taken offline and typically this means search traffic for that cluster of machines dries up.

Saturday, 16 July 2011

Android Market overhauled, but what does it have to offer?


As with iTunes and the iPhone, the Android Market is one of the best bits about owning an Android phone, letting you download thousands of applications to cater for almost any need. Google is set to launch an overhauled Android Market, however, with a Windows Phone-esq design. Read on to find out what it has to offer.

The Android market is arguably one of the best app markets available, offering hundreds of thousands of apps and a lot more freedom than Apple’s own iOS offering. It’s one of the biggest reasons that lots of people opt for Android over rival smartphones, yet Google has felt the need to refresh its Market. Here are some of the things it’s changed.

Brand new designFor a start, the whole look and feel of the Android Market has changed, with new icons and finger-friendly sections that fill the whole of the screen. With different sized icons, it looks suspiciously like Windows Phone, but that’s no bad thing.

Rent moviesAt the moment, this feature is only available in the US, but Google is looking at rolling it out in more countries. You’ll be able to download films, and you can also set them to work offline, for when you don’t have a data connection or are trying to eek out extra battery life.

eBooksThe Android Market now offers the world’s largest collection of electronic books (according to Google), with over three million titles available. With the latest handsets like the Samsung Galaxy S II and Sony Xperia Arc offering screens that measure over 4 inches, they’re perfect for taking advantage of eBooks.

New descriptionsApps are better labelled than ever before, with a comprehensive description of what you’re getting, along with user reviews, so you know beforehand whether it’s worth downloading or not

Android Market overhauled, but what does it have to offer?

As with iTunes and the iPhone, the Android Market is one of the best bits about owning an Android phone, letting you download thousands of applications to cater for almost any need. Google is set to launch an overhauled Android Market, however, with a Windows Phone-esq design. Read on to find out what it has to offer.

The Android market is arguably one of the best app markets available, offering hundreds of thousands of apps and a lot more freedom than Apple’s own iOS offering. It’s one of the biggest reasons that lots of people opt for Android over rival smartphones, yet Google has felt the need to refresh its Market. Here are some of the things it’s changed.

Brand new designFor a start, the whole look and feel of the Android Market has changed, with new icons and finger-friendly sections that fill the whole of the screen. With different sized icons, it looks suspiciously like Windows Phone, but that’s no bad thing.

Rent moviesAt the moment, this feature is only available in the US, but Google is looking at rolling it out in more countries. You’ll be able to download films, and you can also set them to work offline, for when you don’t have a data connection or are trying to eek out extra battery life.

eBooksThe Android Market now offers the world’s largest collection of electronic books (according to Google), with over three million titles available. With the latest handsets like the Samsung Galaxy S II and Sony Xperia Arc offering screens that measure over 4 inches, they’re perfect for taking advantage of eBooks.

New descriptionsApps are better labelled than ever before, with a comprehensive description of what you’re getting, along with user reviews, so you know beforehand whether it’s worth downloading or not.

Saturday, 9 July 2011

Five reasons Google+ is better than Facebook


Ever since MySpace enjoyed an incredible amount of popularity, we’ve seen new social networking sites pop up every year or two. Facebook appears to have changed the game, however, sticking around for years and continuing to grow in users. In a bid to get in on the action, search giant Google has launched its own site – Google+, read on to find out what it does better than Facebook.

Facebook has proved unusual among social networking sites, attracting kids, teenagers, adults and even businesses, and continuing to hold their attentions. Unlike its rivals, it also appears that Facebook is here to stay. With that in mind, is there enough space in the market for yet another social networking site?

Google appears to think so, which is why we now have Google+. Joining means you’ll have to go through the whole rigmarole again – tracking down friends and acquaintances, setting up a profile and getting to grips with the new site, but it does have some features that Facebook can’t offer.

Circles One of the features we like the most about Google+ is Circles, which lets you split your contacts into different categories. It means you can add people from work, people you used to go to school with, and all your current friends or family, and keep them all separate from each other. That means there’s no more worrying about having to accept requests from your boss, and then trying to hide drunken photographs or status updates.

Sparks Sparks is similar in concept to Facebook’s ‘Like’ function, with the intention to strike up conversation between users. It lets you find subjects you’re interested in, and helps to bring you closer to other people. It also brings personal advertising with it, with adverts targetted directly at individual users.

Hangouts Hangouts offers one of Google+’s best features, letting users chat to each other via video messaging. With the ability to conduct video conferencing between more than two users, it’s similar in concept to Skype, but without having to pay a subscription. As such, it could be perfect for businesses and staying in touch with colleagues.

Huddle Huddle is an instant messaging client for Google+, offering a similar mobile product to RIM’s BlackBerry Messenger. You’ll be able to chat on your Android handset wherever you go, without having to wait for minutes for text messages to come back to you.

Android We already love the Facebook integration available for Android but Google+ has one big advantage over its rival. The fact that Google is also the company behind Android means that it can build even better integration into its smartphones, also tying in all your features from your Gmail account, contacts and calender.