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Google’s Emu buy seen to bring some brains to Hangouts

Wouldn't it be swell if you could easily turn chat messages into calendar appointments or todo items right then and there, without having to leave the chat app or switch back and forth between chat, email, calendar, and whatnot? That bit of smartness might soon be a reality on Hangouts if Google's acquisition of startup and chat app Emu is what we think and hope it means.



You might not have heard about Emu, which is perfectly fine since it's an app available only on iOS. The purpose of the app is both ingenious and simple that you wonder why not more messaging apps have this feature. It analyzes chats for important keywords and turns them into the appropriate action for another app. Your crush asks if you're free for a dinner date Friday night? No need to scamper to your calendar just to check. Emu will display a small overlay that shows you if you have something already on your plate. Mom asked you to buy milk on your way home? A simple swipe and tap puts it on your tasks. To see it in action, here's Emu's video ad, which hopefully isn't condoning playing games while driving.




If you really think about it, you'd probably wonder why Google Hangouts doesn't have that feature already. After all, Google is king when it comes to context analysis like that. In fact, Gmail on the web already has that feature, turning text into links that can be turned into a calendar appointment. Not so on Android though. Granted, Emu does a lot more than simple linking so it will be quite interesting to see where this new venture will be heading.


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Excited as we may be here in Google's world, it's not good news for existing Emu users. Unlike most Google acquisitions, Emu will be abruptly ending its product's life on iTunes App Store, effective August 25. Details of how Emu operation and development will continue are not a matter of public record, but we do expect, if not hope, that this assimilation will bring Emu's smart features into apps and services like Hangouts, Google Now, and maybe even Gmail on Android.


SOURCE: Emu

VIA: SlashGear


Foursquare version 8.0 focuses on customized recommendations

Two weeks after Foursquare announced that they are rebranding from the ground up, they have finally unveiled version 8.0, and simply checking-in is definitely a thing of the past as far as the new app is concerned. The new Foursquare is all about giving users personalised and localized recommendations, based on what kind of things you like, where you’ve been in the past and what you should be checking out in your hood.



Based on the idea that our smartphones should act us our personal concierge, the updated Foursquare wants to help you explore and expand your horizons by recommending the things and places it has learned you will like. When you launch the new app, it will create a profile for you based on the things that you will check among the options given you (milk tea, art, falafel, breakfast food, comfort food, exercise are just among some of the options. Then based on your taste, your past check-ins and your friends’ recommendations, you will be given recommendations, divided into horizontal tabs (breakfast, lunch, coffee, shopping, fun). Each tab will have photo-driven card recommendations, divided into places nearby, your tastes nearby and recommended by people you follow.


Now when you first look at all these recommendations, it might be a little overwhelming, even though it’s highly visual. But that’s why there are those magic things called filters, so you can narrow down the choices either by price, cuisine or you can even get more specific, like places that are pet-friendly or coffee shops that use local beans, etc. Foursquare says that the more you use the app, the more it will tailor-fit the recommendations for you.




Of course, if you still feel the need to check-in, you can still use their other service, Swarm, which will supposedly work seamlessly with Foursquare, although you have the option whether or not to use it of course. Update your Foursquare app today to explore the changes or if you haven’t downloaded it yet, go to the Google Play Store.


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SOURCE: Foursquare





And then there were two: Galaxy S4 GPE dropped from list

It seems to be that Google is rather actively culling its device roster, most likely to make room for more of different kinds as well as hopefully some fresh new blood. Following the reduction of Google Play Edition devices last month, the Android maker has removed the Samsung Galaxy S4 from the roster, leaving only these year's smartphones on the table.



The HTC One (M7), the Sony Xperia Z Ultra, the LG G Pad 8.3, and now the Samsung Galaxy S4. All of these phones, and one tablet, from last year's catalog. All of them now gone. Not surprisingly really and it was, in fact, inevitable. Still, we do feel a tinge of sadness as we say farewell to these rather unique devices that bear vanilla Android experiences enclosed within OEM hardware. Fret not, remaining GPE fans, because there are still two devices left to choose from. Namely the HTC One M8, which isn't a bad option at all, and the Moto G, an impressive budget phone if you need one.


Google is partially clearing up space to make room for its new babies, the Android Wear smartwatches. Of course, they're not exactly GPE smartphones, since, well, they're not exactly smartphones. These devices, however, have joined the likes of the Nexus line, the solitary Chromecast, the house-trained Nest, and the growing Chromebooks, of having the singular privilege of being enthroned in Google Play Store. At the moment, there are only two things sold in that department, the LG G Watch and the Samsung Gear Live, three if you include the G Watch cradle. But we are definitely expecting more to come, in particular Motorola's highly-anticipated Moto 360.


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That said, we do expect some new smartphones to replace the retired ones. The Galaxy S5 is a prime candidate for the position, having already been teased before. And then there's also the LG G3, which definitely sounds tasty in a GPE variant. It wouldn't hurt to see more tablets also join the team, though Google hasn't exactly been too keen about that.


SOURCE: Google

VIA: SlashGear





Sony to discontinue PlayStation Mobile for Android devices

It’s a sad day indeed for mobile gamers as Sony has announced that they will not be supporting anymore the PlayStation Mobile app for Android devices that are running the latest versions. This is probably part of their move to strengthen their gaming handheld devices, particularly the PS Vita and others like it, instead of allowing those with smartphones to access the games.



It was mostly indie Playstation games that benefitted from the PS Mobile app, which is more of a framework to let Android users to download and play games on their gadgets. Sony was still pushing it late last year, adding 8 more countries last December 2013 to those who had access to the app. However, it probably seemed too good to be true (or to costly to their handheld sales) and so the announcement is not really too surprising, although it will indeed affect the indie game development community.


This doesn’t mean however that Sony is totally abandoning this publishing framework. Instead, they will still continue to encourage development of games from the community, and of course at the same time trying to catch the gamers’ attention, but this time focusing on PS Vita and their other handheld devices. Even the Xperia handsets that were “PlayStation Certified” will eventually lose the ability to use the PSM app as well.


But it will not be an immediate pullout of course. Devices that are running on Android 4.2 can still continue enjoying the PSM (until when though is still not sure). Those who are already on 4.3 and 4.4 will still be able to access the gaming store and redownload games that they’ve already purchased, but it also depends on the device manufacturer and the game developer itself. But for the upcoming Android L 4.5 or 5.0, games already installed may not work properly, and it will not be supported anymore, as well as no access to the store and for redownloading. Time will tell if this is a smart or foolish move for Sony and if it will affect sales of their gaming handhelds, for better or worse.


VIA: SlashGear





LG G3 A: a smaller LG G3 but a better G3 Beat

Now we're getting to see how much LG really wants to capitalize on the success and popularity of its G3 flagship. After announcing the G3 Beat, or G3 S in Europe, last month, and after "accidentally" leaking the LG G3 Stylus yesterday, the company is now unveling the LG G3 A in Korea. If LG was poising the G3 Beat as an affordable mid-range, then this rather puzzling new arrival would be mid-high-range, if there ever was one.



The reason for that unusual categorization is that the LG G3 A sits cozily in between the LG G3 and the G3 Beat. It is basically smaller than the G3, weaker than the G3 but bigger than the G3 Beat and more capable than the G3 Beat. It's 5.2-inch screen flaunts a Full HD resolution, meaning 1920x1080 pixels. The processor that drives this smartphone is a 2.26 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800. It is joined by 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage, still expandable with a microSD card. The cameras basically boast of the same features as the G3, meaning a 13 megapixel shooter at the back equipped with the new fangled Laser AF system and a 2.1 megapixel camera on the other side. To put these specs into perspective, the table below compares the three "G3" smartphones side by side.



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That said, the G3 A does boast of some features that are new and, surprisingly, not even found on the premium G3. At least not yet. There's this "T Action", which is basically a wrist-based gesture action that can be set to, say, launch an app, answer a call, or silence the phone. If this gesture-based feature sounds a bit familiar, it's because the Moto X introduced this gesture with "Quick Camera", except LG is making it available for other actions as well. There is this new anti-theft feature that could be useful in cafe's. Plug the G3 A to a wall socket, enable the feature, go to the bathroom, and when someone unplugs the the device, it will sound an alarm. Pretty nifty features that hopefully will make their way to LG's other smartphones as well.


The LG G3 A is both an unexpected surprise and, at the same time, a rather decent alternative to a pricier G3. That is, if the G3 A is actually considerably cheaper. LG hasn't yet announced pricing and launch date for the smartphone but it did reveal this: the G3 A will be heading for Korea's SK Telecom. Whether that means it won't be stepping outside of its hometown remains to be seen.


SOURCE: LG





Google May Bring Multiple Accounts To Your Smartphone With Android L

Google May Bring Multiple Accounts To Your Smartphone With Android L


Having multiple accounts on desktops and tablets seems like common sense. After all, we don't need nosey roommates or tablet-savvy children who sometimes act like nosey roommates interfering with our sacred apps and digital configurations. With Android L, it looks like Google is extending the same logic to smartphones.


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WordPress mobile update: swipe stories,chat with support

If you’re a blogger who sometimes needs to fix stuff on your site while on the fly, the WordPress for Android app (well, that is if you’re actually using WP) is a pretty good tool to have lying around your smartphone. And now the app has gotten a pretty large update, to enable users to go through followed blogs easily as well as give your easier access to 24/7 customer service.



Aside from being one of the most popular blogging platforms, WordPress also serves as a reader for both your followed blogs and random posts that WP sends your way. The version 3.0 update allows you to use the power of swiping when going through these posts, allowing you the freedom to either skip a post that doesn’t interest you or choose to read it and then go on to the next.


Sometimes, especially if you’re not an intuitive tech person, handling a blog can be pretty overwhelming and you just need someone to guide you through a rough patch every once in a while. The WP app now has a customer service support where you can chat with a rep within the app. Other new features in the update include improved geotagging for your posts, opting in and out in settings for your analytics, and of course the usual bug fixes.


If you’re thinking of getting into the blogging game or if you haven’t yet tried the Android app, you can get WordPress for free through the Google Play Store. It won’t cost you a thing, and it is a painless, minimalist and easy-to-use app for your blogging needs.





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