Subscribe:

Ads 468x60px

Labels

Waze update adds contacts from phone, send location

Waze, the traffic monitoring app that was recently bought by Google, has added several features in their Version 3.8 update to make it even more helpful and social for its users. Connecting with friends and using the app together as a group seem to be the primary focus of the new features added to the app in both its Android and iOS incarnations.



Relying on strangers’ directions and tips in Waze can be both enlightening and frustrating, especially the ones who have too much time on their hands to deliberately troll people with fake updates. So this new feature which can automatically add Waze friends who are in your phonebook will definitely help you sort through the noise in the app. It will also come in handy when you and your friends are driving to the same destination and you’re just too busy to give directions on how to get there. But even if you’re not traveling together, the new updated Waze will also be very efficient, as you can send people the exact address of your location, destination or home and office address. Not only will they get where it is located but it will also tell them how to get there.


A feature that has been around for some time now but not many Waze users are aware of is the fact that you can share your drives with your contacts. The 3.8 update has made this easier and with just a few tap of some buttons, your drives can now be shared directly to your friends. They will also be able to follow the route you’ve taken and so adjust to the ETA based on that. It’s perfect for letting people know where you are really (unless, you actually don’t want them to find out exactly)




Some other updates include easier access and management of your user profile as well as friend requests. There are also some design/layout updates like a redesign of the Main Menu to include the Send Location button and the Share-A-Button tab.


Download Waze on the Google Play Store


SOURCE: Waze


mobile_view ETA main_menu_1_location friends_Eng02 Friends_bar02


The Traveler for Android gains a Google Glass companion app

The Traveler is a trip journal app created at Ball State University. The Android app isn't new, however there has recently been a companion Glassware app released. The Google Glass app goes by the same name -- The Traveler, and can be found in the Glassware section of MyGlass.



The Glassware version of The Traveler is described as having been created for "anyone who wants to capture their experience in one seamless package." The description also makes it clear this is to be used as a companion to the Android app. But having said that, users will be able to benefit from the hands-free experience that is available with Google Glass.


This includes everything from capturing and saving images, to recording notes about your experience with your voice. Of course, similar to other Glassware apps, users have the option to tap and scroll as opposed to using only your voice. Bottom line here, if you are already using The Traveler app on Android and happen to have Glass -- this sounds like Glassware you'll want to grab.


The Traveler for Android can be found in the Google Play Store. The companion Glassware app can be found in the Glassware section of MyGlass using this link.


Otherwise, while we cannot say new Glass apps are coming at a rapid fire pace -- there have been a few new releases in the previous weeks. We've seen the Shop X grocery app, and also the Watchup app arrive. Shop X is aimed at those wearing Glass while grocery shopping and Watchup brings news video viewing to your wearable.





Google Glass Alamo Drafthouse ‘ban’ further clarified

Google Glass once again made headlines when a movie theater owner "officially banned" the wearable. The details of the ban were shared by Tim League, who is the theater owner. But while the Glass being banned aspect was caught in many headlines -- it seems League didn't draw a firm line. Not to mention, Glass isn't the only item he bans from use while the movies are playing.



The theater is the Alamo Drafthouse, and looking back to earlier in the month, here is what League had to say in regards to Glass; "Google Glass is officially banned from @drafthouse auditoriums once the lights dim for trailers." He also clarified how this had been something in discussion for more than a year, and also how items such as Glass with prescription frames would be handled on a case by case basis.


Simply put, it seems League wasn't targeting Glass as much as he was simply trying to prevent any attempt at piracy. Anyway, Tim League was recently interviewed by Glenn Beck and he talks a bit more about his decisions regarding Google Glass in the Alamo Drafthouse.


The interview measures in at just under 7 minutes in length, and aside from the aspect of Glass -- it touches nicely on the aspect of disconnecting, or living in the moment. Bottom line here, if you remember the Alamo Drafthouse Google Glass 'ban' story from earlier in the month, this interview is a nice follow-up.







Hexoskin body metric wearables gain Android support

We tend to think of small gadgets such as a fitness tracker as a wearable these days. And while that type of device may define the wearable space for many -- there are some items making more accurate use of the term. Enter Hexoskin, the body metrics wearable. Some may remember the Hexoskin name from an earlier Indiegogo campaign, however the initial launch didn't win many fans on the Android side.



First things first though, the Hexoskin is a shirt loaded with sensors. Wearing this shirt will allow you to track everything from heart and breathing rates, to activity level, steps, cadence, calories and more. And in a bit of good news for Android users -- there is now an app available from the Google Play Store.


hexoskin-app-screens


The Hexoskin app has already made its way through the beta period and is currently sitting at version 1.0.0. Perhaps equally as important to know -- the app is available for devices running Android 4.0.3 or later. Anyway, by combining the shirt (with sensors) and the app you'll be able to see the data in real-time.


Users will be able to narrow down activity by type with everything from the basics such as running and biking to hockey, martial arts, meditation, general gym workouts, and more. The app will also present the data using easy to read charts and graphs.


Having said all that -- the app is free to download, but you will need the Hexoskin wearable to get any use. Shirts are available for men and/or women and are priced from $175. There are also starter packs for $399, and even bigger bundle packs for those looking for multiple shirts.


SOURCE: Hexoskin





Finalists of Moto 360 watch face design competition revealed

As Motorola tries to catch up to its rivals in terms of wearable technology, their design competition for the watch face of the Moto 360 drew in over 1,300 entries. The 10 finalists were announced on Motorola’s G+ page and now users may +1 their favourite entries until June 24 with the most votes getting the chance to be the design of the brand’s smartwatch.



In keeping with the minimalist but technological feel that Motorola was going for when they announced their call for entries last month, the 10 best chosen from thousands of entries reflected this look. Unlike other wearables like Samsung’s Gear 2 and the upcoming G Watch from LG, the Moto 360 has stuck to the classic round face design found in most watches.


However, looking at the finalists, as sleek and as modern as they look, it seems like the entrants were designing for a watch rather than a smartwatch. There wasn’t much room for notifications or even a spot where you can read short emails and social media posts from friends. Among the 10, there was only one who added a special feature to their design, which is actually a compass, something you can already find in ordinary watches.


Motorola, looking to bank on the crowdsourcing kick that brands have these days, will be looking at the winning design to see if it is actually feasible to make it the actual design of the Moto 360 or to just draw inspiration from it. They are looking for a beautiful design that will also function well given the features that users are asking for from smart watches. Voters can head over to the G+ page and +1 the design that they think best fits this criteria.


SOURCE: Motorola


Here are the 10 finalists


will rodriguez vanishing hour2 Moto-360-Product_flyingrhinocmg_concept2_a_v3 Moto-360-Aramis-anim Moto 360 Product Template - SPEEDO Moto 360 Product 5 Pawel H Moto360 Concept moto3-blue-square jw2moto360 4





Fleksy Messenger teaches you to type on smartwatches

Smartwatches are cool and innovative and everyone seems to want to have one. But one problem baffles some potential customers: Will you actually be able to type on it given its size? And if you can’t type on it, well, then what’s the point of it actually? The The Fleksy Messenger app will try to teach smartwatch owners that yes, there is a way to actually type on your device.



Normally, the smart watches that come out will just let you view your notifications and answer yes or no questions regarding some applications. But installing the Fleksy Messenger can change that. Available for the Gear 2 and the Galaxy Gear, it uses a predictive text engine and a gesture-based punctuation entry to help you say something using your smartwatch. What they cannot guarantee though is that you won’t be sending out hilarious messages sometimes coz of the eventual typo errors that will come out of this.


Although the Gear 2 technically doesn’t run on Android but on Tizen, installing Fleksy Messenger will show you the possibilities for your other Android-run smartwatches in the future. It can also run on the Galaxy Gear 1 which does use Android as its platform. According to CEO and Founder Kosta Eleftheriou, they are looking into expanding to other brands, as much as they are happy with their Samsung smartwatch community. The objective of their business is to develop even more keyboard prodcuts "for smart and connected devices."


You can download Flesky App at the Samsung App Store for free.


VIA: Slashgear







Twitter finally embeds GIFS on web and mobile apps

Did you ever want to respond to a tweet not with words but with a funny, moving picture? Have you always wanted to post the funny antics of cats to help cheer someone up on Twitter? Well finally, the micro-blogging giant is now supporting animated images continuously looped, more popularly known as GIFs, on their web and mobile apps as well.



Twitter made the announcement through their official account earlier today that users can now post, view and re-tweet the animated GIFS on their web app and on both Android and iOS devices. This caused a flurry of animated animals, celebrities, embarrassing moments and funny faces to flood people’s timelines, to the delight of some and to the annoyance of many.


They may be years late compared to other social media sites and blogs, but it is still a welcome development for the users who believe images are more powerful than 140 characters. However, unlike with sites like Tumblr, where the GIFs are on a constant loop, on Twitter, you still need to push the play button to “activate” the animation. You can upload your GIF just like you would any other picture and this has become the first video-type content that users can post and share. Previously, you could only share videos if it was through the URL of other sites like Vine or YouTube.


It is still only available on the web desktop and mobile phone versions, and not with third-party apps like Tweetdeck and Hootsuite. Tablets also don’t support GIFs yet, but pretty soon, they would probably extend that to all of them as well.


SOURCE: Twitter


Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)