Google Now public transportation gets an alarm

Google Now seems to get new features on a regular basis. These new additions aren't always huge additions, however they do seems like items that will be perks for some users. Having said that, this latest addition seems like it will benefit those who regularly use public transportation.

Google has added an alarm. The alarm will sound at the end of your journey -- the time when you need to make your exit. Seems like this could be helpful at times when you happen to be in a large crowd and cannot easily see the route and stops, or for times when you are feeling extra sleepy and fall asleep on the trip. There is few things more annoying than falling asleep and waking up after you pass your stop.

Anyway, the alarm isn't automatically set, and it does't appear to be tied in to the regular Android alarm clock setup. The former means you'll have to pull up Google Now after you begin traveling and tap to active the alarm. The latter means you will not end up having dozens of alarms listed in the regular Clock app.

Of course, this alarm functionality has been added in along with the regular public transportation information. Basically, that is to say you'll still be seeing details such as how many minutes you have left, the number of stops and the current location (during that journey). Bottom line here, Google Now has gotten another perk dealing with public transportation.

VIA: Android Police

Story Timeline

• Google Now notifications arriving for Chrome on the desktop


• Google Now incident reports tell you which roads to avoid


• Google Search update allows Google Now to be used offline


• Google Now shows where to buy stuff you search for


• Google Now begins offering bill reminders

Archos “Droid Book” spotted in FCC filing

A recently discovered FCC filing is showing an Archos device called the Droid Book. The filing is showing what looks to be an Android notebook. Or more to the point, another Android notebook from Archos. The company previously introduced a model called the ArcBook back in May.

Interestingly, the ArcBook and this newly discovered Droid Book appear to have the same size display. Seems strange Archos would release two 10.1-inch notebooks with Android, but perhaps these will be offering different specs and aimed at different markets. The FCC filing for th Droid Book was rather light on the specifics.

What we can see from the filing is a model number -- of AC101DB. Seems the DB at the end would fall in for Droid Book. And the 101 in the middle would be the display side, 10.1-inches. A confidentiality request letter from the filing also referred to the notebook as the Archos 101 Droid Book, which again pushes this towards having a 10.1-inch display size.

Otherwise this FCC filing just contained the basics -- the label location (seen in the above image) as well as an RF Exposure and test report document. There was also a confidentially request, which covers images dealing with the test setup, external and internals of the device and the user manual. Archos is looking for a 180 days (fairly standard) from May 27, 2014. Coincidentally, the company also filed for a trademark on the term Droid Book back in early March.

VIA: Liliputing

SOURCE: FCC

Story Timeline

• Archos "Connected Self" wearables will include activity tracker, scale, more


• Archos home automation setup arriving as "Connected Home"


• Archos 45 and 50 Helium smartphones coming with LTE


• Archos Neon tablet lineup unveiled


• Archos mulls over joining the Windows Phone race


• Archos reveals 8-inch 4G tablet and three smartphones ahead of MWC

OnePlus send first round of invitations to buy One

Did you sign up to purchase a OnePlus One? If so, better check your email after you read this. The company has started sending out their first wave of invites to purchase, along with a special URL to prevent fraud.

If you’ve yet to receive an invitation, don’t worry. OnePlus is seeding invites periodically, and this is only the first wave. We’re not certain how many have been invited, either. The email we received also doesn’t seem to have an expiration on it, so the invite isn’t for a limited time.

The move is likely to allow them to sell devices during production, keeping no backstock yet. We don’t know when the second wave of invitees will go out, either, but OnePlus tells us that b the time it’s generally available sometime this quarter, their OnePlus One will be widely available to all.

The beauty of the OnePlus One is that it’s the first non-Google phone to adequately challenge the status quo of hardware and pricing. The One can stand up to the likes of HTC and Samsung proudly, beating their Cyanogen drum louder than any TouchWiz or Sense could. If you want a great phone for around $300, better head over to the One signup page and stand in line.

Story Timeline

• OnePlus One FCC filing shows mysterious memory card slot


• OnePlus One forum member invites promised "soon"


• OnePlus details the next phase of invites


• OnePlus One plus TWRP equals possibilities


• OnePlus smartphone accessory lineup revealed

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AndroidPolice got an exclusive look at an alleged new feature that's said be coming soon to Android devices: Google Nearby, a next-level contextual awareness suite that would give Google-powered devices an even deeper understanding of where you are and what you're doing, no user interaction required.

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Temple Run reaches 1 billion downloads

If you've had your fill of endless runner type of games on smartphones and tablets, you have no one but Imangi Studios to thank or blame. The game studio has just announced that the popular Temple Run game and its sequel has been downloaded a total of 1 billion times, reaching that marker that was set by Rovio's Angry Birds.

1 billion downloads might seem like a lot, but it's best to put it into context. This number includes both the first Temple Run as well as Temple Run 2, which boasted 50 million downloads in the first 13 days alone when it launched last year. However, it doesn't include the numbers from Disney spin-offs themed after films like Oz and Brave. It also lumps together all supported platforms, like Android, iOS, and Windows Phone, so it's harder to get an actual tally, at least from the game's makers. Google Play Store puts both games within the 100 million to 500 million range, but those aren't the exact numbers.

But aside from raw numbers, the studio also released some interesting statistics. One in particular should be a reality check for many. According to Imangi, 60 percent of those who played its Temple Run titles are women, dispelling the stereotype against female gamers. Perhaps mobile gaming is to be credited for this for having made gaming both accessible and acceptable no matter your gender or age.

This milestone does make one ask "what's next?". After reaching that goal, Rovio's popularity has somewhat plateaued, though not entirely plummeted. Temple Run's run, pardon the pun, hasn't been that long, but it certainly doesn't have the same pull as it had when it was fresh off the press. Of course, there's still that rumor about a film, but then again, they said the same of the Angry Birds movie, and we all know how that has yet to hatch.

VIA: The Verge

Story Timeline

• Temple Run 2 available now for Android [Hands-on]


• Temple Run 2 Review


• Temple Run 2 breaks mobile gaming records, passes 50 million downloads


• Temple Run 2 gets more weekly challenges and power-up features