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24 Feb 14:56

The Goodbye Songs Playlist

by Eric Ravenscraft
Photo by KenC1983.

Farewells are never easy. A little hole opens in your heart as you watch your past fly away on a jet plane. Whether you’re glad to see it go or will miss the old days, this playlist helps you find the words to say goodbye.

The playlist, curated by Spotify user Isaiah Rowley, features songs that help you let go from artists like Rob Thomas, Kelly Clarkson, Matchbox 20, and, of course, Adele. It’s probably best to keep a box of tissues nearby while you listen.

Welcome to our Featured Playlist series. Each week, we’ll share a new themed playlist, embedded for your convenience! You can copy the track list to your service of choice, or listen right here. Have a sweet playlist of your own? Share it with us in the comments below!

24 Feb 14:48

Google VP Nick Fox shares sneak peek of Allo for desktop

by Michael Potuck

In a Tweet this evening, Nick Fox, Google’s VP of Communications Products, shared an early look at Allo for the desktop. Although Allo had a decently strong start with over 5 million downloads in the first four days after launch, growth was quite slow after that. So slow that it took almost three months to reach 10 million downloads. Bringing Allo to the desktop might be Google’s best chance to increase user adoption…

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Filed under: Google Corporate
24 Feb 14:47

RCS, Google’s answer to iMessage, expands to 27 more carriers and OEMs

by Ingrid Lunden
qqhmuifuvts89t45mkhogxxmq60lmcr8aq6l-onm2snzo8c0mhmg5p5kudt9ygrwsgsu_ws2048 While messaging apps like WhatsApp, Messenger, Snapchat and WeChat rake in ever more users, features and relationships with key brands, and Apple’s iMessage continues to play strong with iPhone users, Google today announced a big step forward in its own strategy to bring a native, enhanced, native messaging service to more Android devices — a play for Google to help carriers… Read More
24 Feb 14:46

Delivering RCS messaging to Android users worldwide

by Amir Sarhangi

Whether we’re receiving a boarding pass for a flight or chatting with friends and family, SMS (better known as text messaging) is a universal way for us to stay connected. But despite its ubiquity, SMS hasn’t evolved to take advantage of all the features that smartphones enable today. We believe it’s important to innovate in messaging standards, so we’ve been working with the mobile industry on an initiative to upgrade SMS through a universal standard called RCS (Rich Communications Services), bringing more enhanced features to the standard messaging experience on mobile devices. Today, we’re taking a significant step toward making RCS messaging universally available to users across the world with 27 carriers and device manufacturers launching RCS to Android users with Google.

Following our partnerships with Sprint, Rogers, and Telenor, today we’re announcing that Orange, Deutsche Telekom, and Globe are committed to launching RCS messaging powered by the Jibe RCS cloud from Google and will be preloading Android Messages (formerly called Messenger for Android) as the standard native messaging app for their subscribers. We’re also announcing that the Vodafone Group RCS service is supporting Android Messages and has already launched across 10 markets for Vodafone subscribers globally.

These partners have also committed to interconnecting through the Jibe RCS hub so that RCS messages are delivered to subscribers across carrier networks, helping RCS messaging become truly universal. We’re now partnering with carriers representing more than 1B subscribers worldwide.

Upgrading the default messaging experience for Android

We want to make sure that Android users can access all the features that RCS messaging offers, like group chat, high-res photo sharing, read receipts, and more. So we’re working with mobile device manufacturers to make Android Messages the default messaging app for Android devices. Mobile device brands LG, Motorola, Sony, HTC, ZTE, Micromax, HMD Global - Home of Nokia Phones, Archos, BQ, Cherry Mobile, Condor, Fly, General Mobile, Lanix, LeEco, Lava, Kyocera, MyPhone, QMobile, Symphony and Wiko, along with Pixel and Android One devices, will preload Android Messages as the default messaging app on their devices. With these partners, we’re upgrading the messaging experience for Android users worldwide and ensuring a consistent and familiar experience for users. We’ll continue to add more partners over time.

RCS_Android_Update.png

Android Messages supports RCS, SMS and MMS so people can message all their friends regardless of their network or device type. We’ll continue to update and improve Android Messages to bring new features enabled through RCS, such as the ability to search and share all types of content and easily access the messages that are most important to you.

Improving business messaging with RCS

Currently millions of businesses, service providers, and brands use SMS to communicate with their customers, whether they’re sending a bank fraud alert or package delivery notification. But while SMS provides a universal way for consumers to connect with businesses, the messages are limited to just plain text. RCS will upgrade today’s business messaging experience by enabling brands to send more useful and interactive messages. For example, a message from your airline reminding you to check in for a flight can now take advantage of rich media and interactivity to provide a full check-in experience, complete with boarding pass, visual flight updates, and terminal maps on demand, all directly within the messaging experience. Businesses can also have a branded messaging experience with information about the business and the ability to share content like images, video clips and gifs.

To make it easier for brands to participate in RCS business messaging, we’re creating an Early Access Program which will allow businesses to learn and build with the technology, influence the roadmap and standards, and be first to offer their customers an upgraded messaging experience. Virgin Trains, Walgreens, Amber Alert Europe, Baskin-Robbins, BlaBlaCar, FICO, Gamestop, G2A.com, IHG, LexisNexis Risk Solutions, Naturas, Papa Murphy’s, Philips, Porto Seguro, Sky, SONIC® Drive-In, Subway, Tailored Brands (Men's Wearhouse and Jos. A. Banks), Time Inc., and Uber are participating in the program in collaboration with messaging partners 3C, CLX Communications, Experian Marketing Services, MessageBird, mGage A Vivial Company, Mobivity, Movile, Vonage through the Nexmo API Platform, OpenMarket, Waterfall, and Zipwhip. Demonstrations of RCS business messaging will be showcased at Mobile World Congress next week in the Android Global Village and GSMA Innovation City, and you can learn more about it on our site.

rcs

We’re excited to see RCS messaging reach more people, and look forward to launching with more partners in the coming months. Learn more about our RCS solutions and the Jibe cloud platform on our site.

24 Feb 14:43

Cloudflare security breach exposes data from Uber, Fitbit, OKCupid among 3,400 websites; password changes recommended

by Ben Lovejoy

User data from 3,400 websites has been leaked and cached by search engines as a result of a bug in Cloudflare, a content delivery network. Sites affected over the course of several months include major ones like Uber, Fitbit and dating site OKCupid. 1Password also uses Cloudflare, but says that end-to-end encryption means that no customer data was exposed.

ArsTechnica reports that the leaks were spotted by Google security researcher Tavis Ormandy.

We observed encryption keys, cookies, passwords, chunks of POST data and even HTTPS requests for other major cloudflare-hosted sites from other users. Once we understood what we were seeing and the implications, we immediately stopped and contacted cloudflare security.

Cloudflare has admitted that the breach occurred, but Ormandy and other security researchers believe the company is underplaying the severity of the incident …

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Filed under: Google Corporate
24 Feb 00:40

Disarm Interrupting Coworkers With a Preemptive Strike

by Patrick Allan
Photo by Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung.

If you have an infuriating coworker that won’t stop interrupting you, it’s time to go on the offensive. The next time you have something important you want say, try this.

Sometimes stopping an interrupting jerk is about making the first move. According to Francesca Gino, professor at Harvard Business School and author of Sidetracked, you should essentially tell them when they’re allowed to interrupt:

...before you start talking, preview what you plan to say and stipulate when it’s okay to break in. Workplace consultant Laura Rose suggests saying, “There are a lot of different pieces to this explanation, so please bear with me. I want to tell you the entire story. Then I want us to wrap around and get your thoughts on specific details.”

This approach can stop an interrupter dead in their tracks. They know they’ll be able to get a word in edgewise at some point, so they won’t feel the need to interject. For more tips on dealing with interrupting coworkers, check out the link below.

How to Handle Interrupting Colleagues | Harvard Business Review

24 Feb 00:38

Alphabet’s Waymo suing Uber over theft of key self-driving technology

by Abner Li

Earlier this afternoon, Alphabet’s Waymo filed a lawsuit against Uber over the theft of a key component related to self-driving vehicles. Former employees working on Google’s self-driving project allegedly stole information before leaving for a start-up that has since been purchased by Uber. Additionally, Waymo alleges that Uber’s current LiDAR tech is near identical to the design pioneered by Google.

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Filed under: Google Corporate
23 Feb 18:01

My Morning Routine Shares Hundreds of Ways to Start Your Morning Positively

by Stephanie Lee
Image by Helen.Yang

Chances are you probably already have some sort of morning routine. But maybe there’s some room for improvement. On My Morning Routine, you can read hundreds of productive morning routines to see what new habits you can pick up and try infusing into your own.

While reading the site, I found it absolutely fascinating to learn about all the different morning routines from people who exercise or do yoga, parents, business owners, and writers like Ariana Huffington and Penelope Trunk. There were predictable patterns, such as drinking coffee and working out, while others weren’t even morning people at all. It goes to show that even if you’re a late riser, having a morning routine is important because it helps set the stage for the rest of your day.

Of course, with all this insight we know that rejiggering a routine rarely works out the way it does in our head. Check out this article on how to make the new morning habits you want to keep stick.

My Morning Routine 

23 Feb 17:57

New Google Doodle celebrates the discovery of seven exoplanets

by Corbin Davenport

Yesterday, NASA announced that it (along with international partners) had discovered seven Earth-size planets orbiting a single star. Even more importantly, three of them are located in the star's habitable zone, the range around a star where liquid water is possible. The solar system (named TRAPPIST-1) is unfortunately located 40 light-years away from Earth, so sending a probe or a person there isn't really possible for now.

Still, it's a very important discovery, and Google is commemorating the event with a Google Doodle.

Read More

New Google Doodle celebrates the discovery of seven exoplanets was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

23 Feb 17:56

Galaxy S8+ spec sheet reveals 6.2-inch display, 64GB storage, included AKG earbuds [Update]

by Ben Schoon

Update: TechnoBuffalo has obtained a spec list for the smaller Galaxy S8 which will include most of the same specifications, but with a smaller 5.8-inch display.

New flagships are right around the corner, with LG kicking things off this weekend with the highly anticipated LG G6. However, Samsung’s latest flagship will be landing not too far behind ─ the Galaxy S8. As with its past two flagship releases, Samsung is expected to launch two variants of the phone, the other being the Galaxy S8+. Now, we’re getting a few more details about that larger phone.

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Filed under: Google Corporate
23 Feb 17:50

Spotify expands its push into original content with new podcasts

by Sarah Perez
spotify-stars-ios Spotify is expanding its podcast selection today, with the announcement that it’s adding three new original podcast series on its service, with plans for more originals to arrive later this year. The series, which are produced in partnership with other media partners like Slate’s Panoply Studios, Gimlet Media, and Loudspeaker Network, aim to help further differentiate… Read More
23 Feb 13:13

Website builder Wix acquires art community DeviantArt for $36M

by Ingrid Lunden
screen-shot-2017-02-23-at-12-59-34 Wix.com has made another acquisition to build out the tools that it provides to users to build and administer websites: it has acquired DeviantArt, an online community for artists, designers and art/design enthusiasts with some 325 million individual pieces of original art and more than 40 million registered members, for $36 million in cash, including $3 million of assumed liabilities.… Read More
23 Feb 13:00

Gboard for iPhone gets an upgrade

by Alan Ni

In May  2016, you first met Gboard, our app that let you search and send information, GIFs, emoji and more, right from your keyboard. In July, Gboard went global. And today we’re upgrading your Gboard experience on iPhone by adding access to 15 additional languages, Google Doodles, new emoji, and—by popular demand—voice typing.

New languages and new emoji

Gboard will now work in Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Greek, Polish, Romanian, Swedish, Catalan, Hungarian, Malay, Russian, Latin American Spanish and Turkish. To get typing, searching and sharing in these new languages, open the Gboard app and go to “Languages” > “Add Language.”

We’ve also increased support for the universal language—emoji. Now you can search and send all of the latest emoji from iOS 10.👏🕴 💁

Google Doodles

Doodles are one of the Googley-est things about Google. These fun animations honor holidays, anniversaries and notable people, and often teach you about a little slice of history. Now you can access them right from Gboard. On days when there’s a Doodle, you’ll see the “G” button animate, cuing you to  quickly tap to open up the day’s Doodle and search for more information about it.
GboarddoodleGIF_2A.gif

Say it faster

With today’s update, we’ve added voice typing, which allows you to dictate messages directly to Gboard. To tee up your next text, just long press the mic button on the space bar and talk.
gboard_voicetyping_mix_1A.gif

To enjoy these updates to Gboard for iPhone, head to the App Store and make sure you’re running the latest version of the app. We’re always working on new features and languages, so please keep sharing your feedback in the app store—we’re listening!

22 Feb 21:48

How to manage Chrome's Autofill feature

by Jerry Hildenbrand

Chrome's Autofill feature remembers typos, too. Good thing editing is so easy!

Having the Chrome browser remember your details when filling out forms on the internet can be handy. Most times when you sign up for any service or buy something online, you'll need to enter the same information each time and a secure way to enter it all at once saves time and means fewer errors. But it's only a good thing if all the info is correct.

Thankfully, changing the data stored for Chrome's Autofill feature is simple. So is turning it off completely if you would rather not have this information about you — including your credit card numbers — stored in the cloud.

When you first enter information about yourself, Chrome can save it if you have the Autofill feature turned on. The information it saves ranges from the relatively harmless to the sensitive, including credit card information, as mentioned above. Here's a list of what gets saved when you're using Autofill.

  • Name
  • Organization
  • Street address, including city, state or province, ZIP/post code, and country
  • Phone number
  • Email address
  • Credit Card information

Your name and address are tied to credit card data in Chrome's Autofill settings or can be data from Google Payments. We think Google Payments is a better place to store your Credit Card information, including the associated name and billing address, but we'll include instructions for managing it through Chrome for completeness' sake.

Autofill data is in the cloud, not on a device. You always need to be aware of what data you're saving and where you're saving it when it comes to your personal information.

You can add, edit, or delete Autofill information at will through Chrome, both on your phone or from a desktop version, like the one you find on a Chromebook. Because the data is stored in your Google personal cloud, the information is the same across all instances of Chrome you're signed into. That's another good reason to make sure you sign out when you're finished on any computer you share with other people.

How to change the Autofill data through the desktop version of Chrome:

  1. Open the settings menu and scroll down to Advanced Settings. Click to open them.
  2. In the Passwords and Forms section, click the Manage Autofill settings link.
  3. To add an address, click Add new street address.
  4. To add a credit card, click Add new credit card.
  5. To edit an existing address or credit card, hover over its entry and click Edit.
  6. To delete an address or credit card, hover over its entry and click Delete.
  7. Click Done when you're finished.

You're unable to change addresses stored in Google Payments through Chrome's settings. To edit one of these, follow the same procedure and then sign into Google Payments in the new tab that opens.

Changing your Autofill data on the Android version of Chrome is almost the same. You'll need to open the settings and tap the Autofill forms entry to find your existing data or add new data. Once open, you'll see the same data as the desktop, displayed in a single scrolling list for a better mobile view. Add, edit, or delete your data the same way as mentioned above.

Turning Autofill off

If you don't want Chrome to hold your data and fill out forms, it's simple to turn the feature off. You might want to do this on some devices and not others, and in that case, you need to look at how to select exactly what to sync between devices.

Read: How to choose what you sync on Chrome across devices

To turn Autofill off in the desktop version of Chrome go to Settings > Advanced Settings > Passwords and Forms and uncheck the box labeled Enable Autofill to fill out web forms in a single click.

To turn Autofill off in the Android version of Chrome tap Settings and then Autofill forms. Tap the switch at the top to toggle it to the off position.

Questions?

Let us know in the comments below, or ask Jerry in our forums.

22 Feb 17:40

SoundR Suggests Music Based on How You’re Feeling

by Kristin Wong

iOS/Android: You might want to listen to different types of music depending on your mood. SoundR helps you find music based on genre, activity, and how you’re feeling.

The app is free and doesn’t require you to sign up for anything to use it. Its interface is kind of fun, but a bit clunky: you select different colored bubbles based on feeling, genre, and activity (morning, party, etc.). The bubbles make it a bit hard to navigate, but once you have your combo, SoundR populates a song list based on your selections.

The app streams from Soundcloud and it’s a fun way to discover new music. Again, the interface is kind of tricky, though. The playlists, which you can save, are represented by bouncing bubbles, but you can tap on them and just get a regular list of songs. To check it out for yourself, head to the link below.

SoundR | Apple Store

SoundR | Google Play

22 Feb 17:32

Runner impales foot in booby trapped park

by Jason Weisberger

A popular running trail in a North Carolina park became dangerous when vandals set nail traps. One runner was injured, setting off a fairly large clean-up process. Over 40 nails were removed.

Via WYFF NBC 4:

A popular park has reopened after being shut down because a runner impaled his foot on one of dozens of intentionally placed nails, the Asheville Citizen-Times reports.

A search since that incident located dozens of 4-inch galvanized nails, hammered pointed end up into roots and logs along a trail in Sylva’s Pinnacle Park in Jackson County.

Brian Barwatt, an engineer with the North Carolina Department of Transportation and the director of a trail race in Pinnacle Park in March, said whoever hammered the nails left them sticking out one-half to 1 inch, and at an angle.

The nails were found on a popular trail that leads to Black Rock Summit.

As if running wasn't unpleasant enough.

22 Feb 13:03

Gorgeous shots from circumnavigating Australia, aka "The Big Lap"

by Andrea James

Tom Rex Jessett and his fiancee Vanessa tricked out a panel van and drove all the way around Australia, a journey known as The Big Lap.

We spent hours upon hours driving, walked on hundreds of beaches, Watched nearly every sunrise and sunset as well as ate a whole lot of tinned food! 35,000km later we were back where we started, the big lap complete! Here is just a small selection of the photographs I took along the way as memories.

Bonus video: Catherine Lawson and David Bristow take newborn Maya all the way around Highway 1.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGSG-lqj6t8

I Spent 9 Months Road Tripping The Big Lap Of Australia And Took These Amazing Photos To Remember It! (Tom Rex Jessett)

21 Feb 21:17

A Clinton-era tech law has quietly, profoundly redefined the very nature of property in the IoT age

by Cory Doctorow

An excellent excerpt from Aaron Perzanowski and Jason Schultz's The End of Ownership: Personal Property in the Digital Economy on Motherboard explains how Section 1201 of the 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act -- which bans tampering with or bypassing DRM, even for legal reasons -- has allowed corporations to design their products so that using them in unapproved ways is an actual felony. (more…)

21 Feb 21:12

Updated Amazon Fire TV Stick brings Alexa to TVs in the UK

by Harish Jonnalagadda

Amazon's Alexa-powered Fire TV Stick is coming to the UK in April.

The updated variant of Amazon's Fire TV Stick with Alexa integration has made its way to the UK for £39.99. The device is currently up for pre-order on Amazon UK, and will be releasing on April 6. The new Fire TV Stick comes with a redesigned user interface, a faster processor, and a remote powered by Alexa.

With Alexa integration via the bundled remote, you'll be able to issue voice commands to search for TV shows and movies, control playback, search across apps, check the weather, book an Uber, and so much more.

Amazon mentioned that last year's Fire TV Stick was its fastest-selling device ever, and the company is now looking to continue the momentum by bringing the second-generation model to the UK. The Fire TV Stick will also be available from Dixons Carphone, Argos, John Lewis, Tesco, Maplin and Shop Direct starting April 6.

21 Feb 21:12

The real sticker artists behind Allo, Google's underrated messaging app

by Florence Ion

Mauro Gatti and Marylou Faure walk us through what the design process is like for art that's used in a messaging app.

Ever wonder who the artists are behind the digital stickers you use in your favorite chat app? I certainly have, especially after I started using Allo. The app's included Google-commissioned sticker packs are not only unique, they were designed by prominent and prolific artists, including Gemma Correll, GIF animator Cecile Dormeau, and BuzzFeed.

I managed to sneak some talk-time with two of Allo's artists, Mauro Gatti and Marylou Faure. Gatti's sticker packs include Funder the Sea, a collaboration with Stefano Meazza, while Faure's include the vibrantly colored 90s Baby and Worst Day Ever sticker packs. I talked to both about how they each became artists, what their respective processes in designing, and what it was like to design for a messaging app.

You're an artist. Tell us a bit about yourself. How did you get started doing the kind of design you do now?

Gatti: I was born and raised in Italy — my obsession for pizza comes from there! Now, I live in Los Angeles, where I work as VP of Content and Programming for JibJab (the funniest company in the world) and as an illustrator on a wide range of projects. One of my dearest projects is Mojimade, a small shop focused on creating the best static and animated stickers for brands, startups, and agencies.

My passion for illustration goes a long way back. I've always considered myself a person who loves telling stories through pictures, stories that make people laugh. Turning my passion into a career (and a pay check) has been an incredible adventure made of failures and achievements, endless nights of work (and cold pizza), curiosity, friends that inspire me, and dogs — lots of dogs.

Style wise, I've always cared more about the message than the style and I found my inspiration in the art of amazing artists like Ed Emberley, Ryohei Yanagihara, and Raymond Savignac.

Faure: It was a bit of a discovery journey to be honest, I worked on a lot of different illustration styles until I found one that I felt really suited me and that I was happy to take on forward. I did a project called 'The Ultimate Summer' that was really a turning point for me, that's when I realized I was having a lot of fun working with this vibrant, bubbly, quirky style!

Does your design method typically include digital cartooning and animation? What software do you typically use?

Gatti: Ninety-nine percent of my work is digital. Sketching, illustrating, and animating are all done on a pen display. I'm not a great animator, so for projects like the Allo sticker set I collaborated with one of the greatest animators that I know, Stefano Meazza.

The software I use is part of the Adobe Creative Suite: Illustrator, Photoshop, and After Effects.

Faure: I will always create the digital artwork on Photoshop or Illustrator, and if I'm animating anything, it will mainly be done on After Effects.

Did designing stickers for Allo feel like an extension of your craft, or just a fun side project?

Gatti: Designing the sticker set for Allo was right up my alley. All the right ingredients were there: mobile content, character design, animation, and lots of fun. Working for brand the size of Google is always challenging and stimulating because their standards are very high and you have to give your best. The roster of artists involved in the project was packed with people I admire and respect.

Faure: It was nice working on a sticker set (especially for Google!) because there was a challenge of making the illustrations work on a small format. But it was a bit different from the projects I usually work on; I had to make [the sticker set] not too simple so that it would be boring, but also not too complex that you wouldn't be able to understand [the context].

Let's talk about your characters. Where did you derive inspiration? And are they related to your other character art?

Gatti: I always liked the juxtaposition of a cute little character with a big clumsy one, and these two guys were just perfect together.

Faure: I'm very much inspired by people I see in my everyday life. I will often see something about their outfit or their attitude that I'll find inspiring and portray through my characters.

Was there a theme you adhered to?

Gatti: The theme assigned was "best friends." I sent ten different ideas — including a squirrel/acorn and a lumberjack/sasquatch [variation] — inspired by things around me, like pop culture, or sketches from my sketchpad. In the end, they picked the Starfish and Octopus.

Faure: I had a theme for both of my sticker sets — Another one just came out called "90s baby".

The first theme was "negative comment" and I had to come up with phrases and visuals that would follow that theme.

How long does it take to design the stickers used in a chat app? For instance, do you go through the same iterative process an animator would, like with a storyboard?

Gatti: The process is pretty linear. I start sketching the characters in different poses, focusing on the few best actions that really underline the synergy between the two characters. Once the client approves this first step, I start working on the colored version of the characters and a sketch for each of the stickers. When all the sketches are approved, it's time to work on line test animations so the client can see a quick preview of the stickers in action.

The final phase is animating the finalized illustrations and export all the stickers. I've designed sticker sets in as quickly as five days. Some have taken as long as three months. It really depends on who the client is, the approval time in between each phase, or how detailed the illustrations and animations are.

Faure: There is a first phase of sketches that needs approval. Once that's done, there will usually be a few rounds of feedback once we get to the color versions. The feedback is mainly about changing the color palette, removing or adding elements to make an expression more obvious, things like that.

Were you aware what Allo was when you were designing the stickers?

Gatti: No, I knew it was a new Google product, but we were working on the sticker set while Allo was in the making.

Faure: I was told that I was creating a set for a new messaging product from Google, but didn't know the name or anything more specific about it.

Do you use Allo?

Gatti: Yes, absolutely! I love all their stickers and to chat with Google Assistant!

Faure: I do, actually. Especially with my family and boyfriend.

21 Feb 21:11

Best Microsoft apps for Android

by Harish Jonnalagadda

Microsoft apps have come a long way on Android.

Microsoft essentially shunned Android and iOS for several years, but with Satya Nadella taking the helm in 2014 and adopting a mobile-first stance, the company has turned its attention to bringing its apps and services to rival platforms. From heavy-hitters like Office to side projects developed by employees in their free time under the Microsoft Garage label, Microsoft has a lot to offer on Android.

Microsoft Office

Microsoft made the Android and iOS versions of Office free in 2014, opening up the floodgates for its adoption on these platforms.

Standalone apps for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint debuted in 2015, allowing users to quickly edit documents, spreadsheets, and presentations on the go. Basic editing functionality is available for all users, but if you want advanced features — inserting section breaks, viewing file history, customizing headers and footers in Word — you're going to have to subscribe to Office 365. If you're just looking to create, edit, or save documents, then the free option should be more than adequate.

Word, Excel, and PowerPoint sync over OneDrive, allowing you to quickly view files stored on the cloud. The apps work even if you don't have the cloud storage service set up, but you'll be limited to working with files locally stored on your device. If you're not a OneDrive user, you can also sync your files through Dropbox or Box.

OneNote

OneNote has picked up several new features lately, turning it into one of the best note-taking apps currently available. One of the biggest additions in recent times is cross-platform availability, making it a viable contender to the likes of Evernote, even more so now that the latter service has gravitated to a paid structure.

By contrast, OneNote is completely free, and lets you easily type, draw, or hand-draw notes. The service lets you scan handwritten notes, and has a powerful search feature that lets you find what you're looking for. You can organize your notes with labels, save web clippings, take voice notes, add photos and videos, and so much more.

OneNote also offers the ability to password protect your notes, version history for your files, Android Wear support, and a widget that lets you quickly jot down a note. The best feature is that you can access your notes even when you're offline, which isn't possible unless you're on a paid plan on Evernote.

Download OneNote from the Play Store

OneDrive

OneDrive is a feature-rich cloud storage service that rivals Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, and others. OneDrive integrates with OneNote and Office apps to provide a seamless experience on Android. The app has automatic photo and video backup, and you can link it to your camera roll to automatically sync photos to your OneDrive account.

OneDrive lets you download files for offline use, share photo albums and collaborate on documents, and receive updates when someone makes changes to shared documents. The free tier comes with 5GB of storage, but if you're subscribed to Office 365, you'll get 1TB of cloud storage. If you're not on Office 365, you can buy 100GB of storage for $1.99 a month or 200GB for $3.99.

Download OneDrive from the Play Store

Skype

Skype revamped its UI in 2015, offering a cleaner layout that gives you easy access to calls, chats, and contacts. Calls between Skype users are free, and the service also offers group video calls for up to 25 people. Skype retooled chats by rolling out emoticons and Mojis, which are essentially short clips from popular movies and TV shows. You'll also be able to send photos, videos, and share your location from the IM interface.

Skype also offers the ability to call international numbers and landlines, with the service boasting some of the most affordable rates in this space. To incentivize adoption in emerging markets, Skype is letting customers from India call mobile numbers in the U.S. and Canada for absolutely free.

Download Skype on the Play Store

Outlook

The Outlook app is one of the best email clients available on Android. Microsoft paid over $200 million for Acompli, a mobile email service with built-in calendar and file sharing, back in 2014, and has rebranded the service to Outlook. Since then, it has added several features, including the core functionality of Sunrise Calendar, another of Microsoft's acquisitions.

Outlook lets you manage email from Gmail, Outlook.com, Microsoft Exchange, Yahoo, and others, providing a unified mailbox. You can archive or delete mails with a swipe left gesture, or peruse your mails at a later time using the schedule function.

The app hooks into the built-in calendar to add details from your emails automatically, and it offers a Focused Inbox that lets you prioritize important emails. You can also attach files easily from OneDrive, Dropbox, and Google Drive. As with all Microsoft services on Android, Outlook is free. If you're in need of a better email client, then you should definitely give Outlook a try.

Download Outlook from the Play Store

Microsoft Authenticator

If you regularly sign into a Microsoft account, the company's own two-factor authenticator comes in handy. Instead of the usual six-digit code to log you in, Microsoft Authenticator lets you authorize the sign in attempt with a simple tap, making the process much more convenient.

In addition to adding your Microsoft account, you can also add details for other services that are secured by two-factor authentication, including Google and Facebook. Haven't secured your accounts yet? Here's why you should set up two-factor authentication right away.

Download Microsoft Authenticator from the Play Store

Office Lens

Office Lens is essentially a portable scanner that lets you easily scan whiteboards, documents, and receipts. I used Scanbot for several years, but Office Lens' integration with Office apps gives it a distinct advnatage over other utilities in this space.

You can scan and upload your documents to OneNote, Word, or OneDrive, and Office Lens offers the ability to convert your images to Word documents, PDFs, and even PowerPoint files. The app uses optical character recognition to convert images into text, making them searchable.

Download Office Lens from the Play Store

Microsoft Launcher

Microsoft Launcher offers an interesting take on an Android launcher. It emerged from the previous Arrow Launcher but was reborn for the better. As well as regular launcher features, like adding apps to home screens and customizing your wallpaper and widgets, Microsoft Launcher has some neat tricks others do not have.

You can create your own personalized feed of things, such as news, calendar appointments, office documents, and contacts, while also having the ability to set the feed as your default home screen. Glanceable information is something Microsoft has done for years in Windows on phones.

One of the most interesting features is integration with "Continue on PC." When linked to your Microsoft account, you can perform certain actions on your PC that you started on your phone. And that's beyond nifty. Currently, it's only in preview, but you can gain early access by joining the preview group through the Play Store.

Download Microsoft Launcher from the Play Store

Xbox

If you have an Xbox One, the Xbox app offers a ton of utility. The app acts as a virtual controller for the Xbox One, allowing you to control your console with your phone. You can also scroll through your activity feed, view achievements, messages, buy games from the store, and much more.

Download Xbox app from the Play Store

Your turn

What Microsoft apps do you use on your Android phone or tablet? Let us know in the comments below.

Updated October 10, 2017: We removed Groove Music (sad face) and added the new and improved Microsoft Launcher.

21 Feb 21:05

Researchers devise method for regenerating hair cells to help reverse hearing loss

by Brian Heater
unnamed As we age, the hair cells in our ears – like the rest of us – slowly die (how’s that for a bummer of an opening). That damage to the approximately 15,000 hair cells per ear, which can be exacerbated by loud noise and some medication, is a leading factor contributing to hearing loss. And once those cells have been damaged, they don’t grow back naturally. A new… Read More
21 Feb 15:27

Intricate sculptures from food and soap

by Andrea James

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5L9ExoOIpc

Artisan Daniele Barresi can carve anything into beautiful sculpture: broccoli, papaya, mushrooms. For more lasting works, he creates beautiful sculpted and intaglio soaps:

Check out his Instagram and Facebook for more cool creations.

Papaya Orchid - Daniele Barresi (YouTube / Dany's Art Show via Bored Panda)

21 Feb 13:46

All the big Android announcements we expect to see at Mobile World Congress 2017

by Edoardo Maggio

Barcelona’s famous fair, the Mobile World Congress, is just around the corner. As always, (almost) all the big names in mobile will join the party to show the latest and greatest coming out of their R&D. And while Samsung’s absence may represent a hit for the general vibe of the coming days, there will certainly be no shortage of new products and announcements.

So let’s dig through them a bit…

more…


Filed under: Google Corporate
21 Feb 00:50

Cat attempts to steal a treat tossed to dog, regrets decision quickly

by Xeni Jardin

Miscalculation.

(more…)

20 Feb 19:36

Google removing piracy sites from first page of UK search results, auto-complete predictions

by Abner Li

Google and other search engines have long been accused of making it easy to access pirated content on the web. In the UK, Google has now voluntarily agreed to measures that will demote these sites from the first page of search results and auto-complete predictions.

more…


Filed under: Google Corporate
20 Feb 15:43

Monzo, a UK digital-only bank, is closing in on new funding led by US-based Thrive Capital

by Steve O'Hear
monzo-mastercard-1 Monzo, one of a number of new digital-only, or so-called “challenger,” banks in the U.K. aiming to re-invent the current account, is closing in on new Series C funding, which could be announced as early as this week. According to multiple sources, U.S.-based Thrive Capital is leading the round. Read More
20 Feb 14:34

Countdown Tracks How Long Until the Events You're Looking Forward To

by Eric Ravenscraft

Android/iOS: When you’re looking forward to an event, you can’t help but get excited watching the days tick by. Countdown helps you keep track of everything you’re looking forward to in one neat-looking app.

The app, from timeanddate.com lets you add a large picture, set the date the event is going down, and set its location. You can even add a widget to your home screen to show the current countdown on Android. It’s not as full featured as a calendar app would be, but then it’s only really designed to do one thing and it does it very well.

Countdown | Google Play Store

Countdown | iTunes App Store

18 Feb 10:40

Google Photos on the web now shows which albums a photo is in

by Richard Gao

There are a ton of people, even non-techies, who use Google Photos. After all, why wouldn't you? It's free with unlimited storage, allows you to access your photos from any device with the Internet, backs files up automatically, and is just an awesome tool in general. Photos' latest tweak for the web allows users to see which albums a particular photos belongs to.

To view the albums that a picture is in, simply tap the (i) button near the top right of the screen.

Read More

Google Photos on the web now shows which albums a photo is in was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

17 Feb 23:48

BatON is an app that tries to show the battery level of connected Bluetooth devices, despite Android's limitation in this area

by Jordan Palmer

Love or hate them, Bluetooth devices are here to stay for a little while. Whether they be smartwatches, computers, or headsets, we rely on the wireless connection standard for convenience. But one issue that we Android users have is that our favorite mobile operating system does not display the battery levels of connected devices (except for some ROMs like MIUI), unlike its fruity competitor's. Along comes BatON, an app that tries to solve this issue.

Read More

BatON is an app that tries to show the battery level of connected Bluetooth devices, despite Android's limitation in this area was written by the awesome team at Android Police.