Zac Hall

There’s some good news for Backblaze and Android users this morning: a fresh, new app called Backblaze Mobile. The unlimited online backup service for Mac and PC is out today with its first Android client for Backblaze users.

While the app doesn’t allow you to upload and save files from your Android device, Backblaze for Android does allow you to view and download saved files from your computer right on your Android device. This means Android users subscribed to Backblaze can browse files backed up from their PC or Mac for viewing, sharing, and opening in Android apps on-the-go. Backblaze for Android supports downloading files up to 30MB in size at the time of launch, so you won’t be able to access massive, gigabyte files to your device just yet.

Backblaze users running Ice Cream Sandwich or later can grab Backblaze Mobile for Android on the Google Play Store for free (the service is $5/month). You can read more about the new app from Backblaze here.

Samsung and Barnes & Noble debut the new Galaxy Tab 4 Nook at $179

Zac Hall Aug 20 2014 - 7:24 am PT

Barnes & Noble has teamed up with Samsung for its latest Nook to compete in the ebook reader+tablet space where Amazon’s Kindle Fire exists. The two companies first announced plans for the new device earlier this year in June, and teased the device in a video shared last Friday.

So what is the Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 Nook? Aside from a mouthful of words, it’s the same 7-inch Samsung Galaxy tablet introduced earlier this year with a splash of B&N’s software on the surface. That means the Nook now sports a 1,280-by-800 resolution display, 8GB of internal storage with a microSD card slot for expansion up to 32GB, both front and back cameras (1.3 megapixel on the front, 3 megapixel on the back), and the library of apps Google Play introduces.

It’s not a bad deal either if you’re in the market for an ebook reader and tablet. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 Nook will be sold online and in Barnes & Noble stores in both black and white for $199, and B&N is taking 10% off the top at launch bringing the price to $179 for early adopters. The new Nook also comes with loads of content from Barnes & Noble including books, TV shows, and magazines as part of the deal. Check below for the latest video and the full press release…
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Google’s new iPhone app lets you publish 360º images to Google Maps

Zac Hall Aug 19 2014 - 9:05 am PT

Google has dropped a new app for iPhone this morning called Photo Sphere Camera. The app offers a special camera that allows you to capture 360º images – everything above, below, and around you – for viewing and sharing. The new app even allows you to publish 360º images you capture to Google Maps for others to see as well. Google notes that the app requires iPhone 4S or higher for capturing images. Photo Sphere Camera is available for free on the App Store joining a long list of other Google apps including its popular game augmented reality game Ingress.
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YouTube

YouTube co-founder Chad Hurley auctioning lunch in Beverly Hills for charity

Zac Hall Aug 7 2014 - 6:56 am PT

CharityBuzz has listed a new auction this morning for lunch in Beverly Hills with YouTube co-founder Chad Hurley on September 18th. In Hurley’s case, the funds raised from the auction will benefit CAA Foundation.
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Tech Industry

President Obama signs bill into law restoring legal cell phone unlocking

Zac Hall Aug 1 2014 - 2:00 pm PT

The White House announced today that President Obama is signing the Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act in law allowing consumers to unlock cell phones from their carriers at the end of a contract.

Today, President Obama will sign into law the Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act, and in doing so, will achieve a rare trifecta: a win for American consumers, a win for wireless competition, and an example of democracy at its best — bipartisan congressional action in direct response to a call to action from the American people.

YouTube’s Director of Product Management departs for Spotify ahead of its own streaming music service debut

Zac Hall Aug 1 2014 - 11:45 am PT

Google may not be buying Spotify, but a top executive from YouTube is jumping ship from the Google-owned company to the subscription music service giant. Re/code reports that Shiva Rajaraman, whose title was Director of Product Management at Google (YouTube) according to his LinkedIn, is leaving Google/YouTube several years with the company to take a new role at Spotify. The report notes that Rajaraman’s role at YouTube encompassed managing the development of YouTube’s yet-to-be launched music streaming service, and his new position at Spotify employs him at what will likely be a major competitor to YouTube’s delayed service.

Google hosting Advisory Council on Right to be Forgotten across Europe including Rome, Paris, & London

Zac Hall Jul 31 2014 - 8:46 am PT

Much discussion on Internet policy has been prompted since the European Union Court of Justice ruled in May of this year that it is an individual’s right to request Google remove sensitive information from search results. Since the ruling on the Right to be Forgotten, as it is often called, Google has established a web page dedicated to taking such requests and begun removing data from its search results as requested although that hasn’t been without further complaints from EU regulators.

For its part, Google has shared its criteria for information removal and announced an the establishment of an advisory panel of experts for fielding concerns throughout this fall over the policy and its implementation. Today the search giant has shared the dates and cities of when that advisory panel will host in-person public discussion on the right to be forgotten. Check below for the specifics:
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Yahoo Finance for Android updated w/ new design, stock tracking & alerts, more

Zac Hall Jul 30 2014 - 10:29 am PT

Yahoo has released a new version of its Finance app for Android featuring the addition of a new tab bar for quicker navigation and other visual changes creating a more open user interface.

The new tab bar at the top of the app consists of the primary Home view for information related to stocks you’re tracking, a new News tab for following general finance news and information, and a Markets view for an overview of U.S., Europe, and Asia finance data.

The update also includes support for adding stocks to your watch list, push notifications for those stocks including breaking news, and interactive graphs.

Yahoo Finance for Android is available on the Google Play Store.

Samsung shows off its tech institute near Mexico City

Zac Hall Jul 25 2014 - 8:03 am PT

First announced last month at a ceremony on June 9th, Samsung has shared some information about its new Samsung Tech Institute in Queretaro, Mexico near Mexico City. The company says representatives from the National Employment Service Delegation Queretaro attended that ceremony alongside corporate managers from Samsung.

The main objective of this program is to train technicians to address the importance and the needs of the production in order to improve living conditions and to provide employment opportunities for recent graduates, who constantly struggle to find job opportunities.

Below Samsung outlines the benefits of its program:
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Google shares latest focus areas for Internet policy and standards research proposals

Zac Hall Jul 24 2014 - 10:49 am PT

Vint Cerf, Google’s Chief Internet Evangelist, posted the company’s latest policy and standards research proposal focus areas today on Google’s research blog:

We would like to share with you the areas of Internet policy in which we are particularly interested to see progress and stimulate further research:

Accessibility: Google is committed to supporting research that generates insights about what helps make technology a usable reality for everyone, regardless of cognitive, physical, sensory, or other form of impairment.

Access: What policies help bring open, robust, competitive and affordable Internet access to everyone in the world? What are the economic and social impacts of improved Internet access? In particular, what are the emerging impacts of gigabit access networks?

Intellectual property (IP) in the digital era: The growth of digital industries has meant that IP law is an increasingly important policy tool governing innovation and economic growth. We would like to better understand how IP legislation can enable new technologies, and what effect different national or regional IP regimes have on innovation, such as the effect of patent litigation on invention, and how copyright exceptions affect the creation of online technologies.

Freedom of Expression: As an advocate of freedom of expression on the Internet, Google is interested in research that produces insights into how discourse and expression in the global online (public) sphere happens, and how stakeholders best allow freedom of expression, balance it with other rights and resolve conflicts or interest/disputes.

Internet Governance: The Internet is a universal space that many expect to remain open, free, and borderless. Multiple stakeholders (internet companies, governments and civil society) work together to design the governance practices and institutions to maintain order and innovation in the global Internet ecosystem. We are interested in supporting top researchers who analyze and contribute insights into which practices and institutional structures work and which don’t.

Open Standards and Interoperability: Open Standards and interoperability of services are at the core of the Internet’s successful international propagation and usefulness. Google is interested in research that contributes analysis and best practices for standardization and interoperability. Among them we see resource management, access control and authorities for the Internet of Things, as well as questions regarding convergence and security. Also, cloud computing and storage could benefit from open standards that enable interoperability.

Additionally, there are several important research areas like Privacy, Economics and market algorithms, and Security, which have a significant policy component but are dealt with as research topics distinct from policy & standards.

For more from Vint Cerf and Google’s role on shaping Internet policy, see the Google VP and Chief Internet Evangelist’s recent interview with Stephen Colbert on Comedy Central as seen in the shot above.

Chromecast boasts 400 million casts as it celebrates its 1 year mark w/ 3 months of free Google Play Music All Access

Zac Hall Jul 24 2014 - 8:47 am PT

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Happy birthday, Chromecast! That’s what Google is saying today as it announced the HDMI media streaming stick has been used to cast content 400 million times in the 12 months since it launched. The Chromecast, of course, allows you to stream content from services like Netflix, Hulu, and Pandora to your HDTV from your Android or iOS as well as your computer via the Chrome browser.

We’ve added hundreds of your favorite apps, including WatchESPN, Pandora, Hulu Plus, HBO GO and PBS Kids; announced new features like mirroring your Android device to the TV and expanded to 30,000 stores across 20 countries.

That’s certainly a lot of casting from the $35 accessory, and Google is giving all Chromecast users 90 days of its Google Play Music All Access service for free to celebrate. The offer to redeem 3 months of free access to the $9.99/month music subscription service will run from today, July 24th, through September 30th, for all existing Chromecast customers not already subscribed to All Access.
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Google Voice now features calling from Hangouts on the web

Zac Hall Jul 24 2014 - 6:53 am PT

We reported earlier this year that Google has plans to eventually roll Google Voice’s features into its Hangouts service and retire the former product, and we’re slowly seeing that transition play out now. Google’s Alex Weisen, who works on Google Voice, shared last night in a Google+ post that they’re making calling via Hangouts an option from the Google Voice website. Furthermore, the functionality will not require a Google+ account to work either. The option appears to be live on the Google Voice web interface now.
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Google announces Q2 earnings: $15.96B revenue, $4.99 EPS, $3.42B net income

Zac Hall Jul 17 2014 - 1:19 pm PT

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5AfS0GW2Jo

Google has shared its second quarter earnings result announcing consolidated revenue of $15.96 billion, up 22% since Q2 2013, earnings per share of $4.99, and net income of $3.42 billion.

“Google had a great quarter with revenue up 22% year on year, at $16.0 billion”, said Patrick Pichette, CFO of Google. “We are moving forward with great product momentum and are excited to continue providing amazing user experiences, with a view to the long term.”

Google is scheduled to host its live earnings call with investors and analysts to discuss today’s report at 1:30 PM (PST) / 4:30 PM (EST).

Google’s full press release follows:
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Senate bill passes bringing regulated post-contract cell phone “unlocking” closer to reality

Zac Hall Jul 16 2014 - 10:37 am PT

Android users could soon finally be able to easily use any supported carrier at the end of their service contract without having to jump through hoops or use other means to unlock the device. That is if a proposed bill currently processing through Congress passes and becomes law.

The Hill reports that the mentioned bill, the Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act, cleared through the Senate after a vote on Tuesday through a ‘unanimous consent agreement’ and will next move to the House for a vote before potentially becoming law after first being introduced last year.
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Google’s Chief Internet Evangelist Vint Cerf discusses the fate of the Internet w/ Stephen Colbert (Video)

Zac Hall Jul 16 2014 - 7:34 am PT

Vint Cerf, Google’s Chief Internet Evangelist and general co-father of the Internet, stopped by The Colbert Report on Comedy Central to discuss the origins of the Web as well as where Cerf sees the Internet going forward.

During the conversation, Cerf noted that “about 3 billion people are online right now,” a number which is unimaginably larger than what the Internet was intended for when it was being developed for the military and academia, and Cerf says we have another 4 billion people to go with expanding online access.

While Colbert comically recommended dropping free AOL CD’s to developing countries to promote the Internet around the world, Cerf pointed seriously to the role of the smartphone in spreading Internet access to third world countries.
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Google Play Store now lets you flag content as inappropriate from the Web

Zac Hall Jul 16 2014 - 6:32 am PT

The ability to flag content on the Google Play Store as inappropriate, a feature long available on Android, has recently hit the Web version as well. The link to do just that can now be found on the web interface under Report within the Additional information section of the content’s description. While the feature is likely targeted toward apps that may violate some policy or have a lower-than-appropriate content rating, it does extend to other media like books, music and TV shows, and music distributed on the Google Play Store as well.

Google Maps for iOS adds mapped search results and Gmail appointments, more

Zac Hall Jul 11 2014 - 2:07 pm PT

Google today updated its Maps application for iPhone and iPad to version 3.2 introducing new features and improvements.

The latest version of Google Maps now supports viewing search results with descriptions directly on the map view. Gmail users will notice appointments and reservations with addresses will now appear the map view as well. The update supports changing between the map view of results and the list view of results and features an explore view for discovering new locations to try out.

Google Maps 3.2 for iPhone and iPad is out today on the App Store.

Adobe updates Photoshop Express for Android with blemish removal tool, RAW importing, more

Zac Hall Jul 11 2014 - 12:29 pm PT

Adobe has actively been rolling out new and powerful tools for mobile platforms in recent months including Lightroom Mobile for iPad followed later by Lightroom Mobile for iPhone and Photoshop Mix as well as Adobe Voice for creating storytelling from iPad. Adobe says Lightroom for Android will follow eventually.

Even with all of those new products, Adobe is continuing to add features to its existing mobile apps with the release of Adobe Photoshop Express 2.3.273 today. The updated version of Photoshop Express for Android specifically brings four new features: a new blemish removal tool, the ability to increase or decrease filter strength, a new defog tool to remove haziness, and the ability to import photos in the RAW format.

As always, the Android version of Adobe Photoshop Express is available as a free download from the Play Store, and the update is out now.

Google Trends knew LeBron James was going back to Cleveland

Zac Hall Jul 11 2014 - 9:27 am PT

Eight days ago, NBA star LeBron James became a free agent. The sports world has since completely obsessed over awaiting for James’ to announce his decision to sign with Miami again, go back to Cleveland, or sign with another team altogether, and the Miami Heat player has made no effort to rush announcing his decision.

As Business Insider points out, Google Trends reveals which regions are most interested in the NBA star based on search frequency. If you view the regional interest results by subregion, Ohio beats out Florida with 98 searches in the state of his current team to 100 searches in the state of his former team.

Google Trends might have just slam dunked this one, too, as the NBA all-star just announced through Sports Illustrated that he is indeed returning to his old team in Cleveland. Nice job, Google!

(Image via Business Insider)

Google services restored to users in China after weeks of disruption (Updated)

Zac Hall Jul 10 2014 - 8:21 am PT

Update: Well that was brief…

Reuters is reporting that access to Google services like search, email, and maps have been restored to users in China after weeks of limited access.

The Google disruption began in the run-up to the 25th anniversary of the government’s bloody crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators around Beijing’s Tiananmen Square.

China maintains tight control over the Internet, nipping in the bud any signs of dissent or challenges to the ruling Communist Party’s leadership.

Google acquires music service Songza

Zac Hall Jul 1 2014 - 1:07 pm PT

It’s official. Google has purchased music streaming service Songza (Play Store). Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but a report broke last month that Google was offering $15 million to acquire Songza. The deal follows Apple’s announcement earlier this year that it bought music streaming service Beats Music and headphones and accessories maker Beats Electronics for $3 billion.

The service is expected to improve Google’s own Play Music service as well as YouTube (and could possibly benefit YouTube’s potential music service) and other services, and Google says that nothing will change for Songza users in the immediate future.

If you’re not familiar with Songza, the service offers curated playlists in a music streaming service across various platforms including Android, iOS, and the Web. Playlists are chosen in several ways including based on moods and occasions.

Check below for statements on the acquisition from both Google and Songza…

Android TV Remote Control and preview version of Google Cast Receiver hit Play Store

Zac Hall Jun 26 2014 - 6:45 am PT

Yesterday at its I/O developer conference, Google introduced its new take on bringing the power of Android to the living room with Android TV. Google’s new “L” version of Android will power set-top boxes and full TV sets from Razor, Asus, Philips, Sony and more bringing voice control and gaming capabilities to the entertainment experience.

In addition to making an Android TV SDK available later today so developers can create software for Android TV, Google has already released a remote control app on the Play Store for use with Android TV when it’s available later this year. Google notes that the app is intended to work with the ADT-1 Developer Kit. The app features both a d-pad and touchpad for using your Android device to maneuver around the Android TV interface. Android TV Remote Control is available today on the Play Store.
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Google talks Chromecast: Casting without WiFi connection, new Backdrop feature with news, weather, photos, and mirroring

Zac Hall Jun 25 2014 - 10:55 am PT

Not only did Google discuss Android TV at Google I/O, the company also discussed its Chromecast HDMI stick that connects content from your smartphone, computer, or tablet to your TV. Rishi Chandra, Google’s Director of Product Management Chromecast, noted that the Chromecast “consistently outsells all other streaming devices combined” at Best Buy and similar retailers. He pointed out that Chromecast tops Amazon in a several countries as well. Since its launch last year, usage has jumped 40% with the majority if views coming from YouTube. A new dedicated site at chromecast.com/apps will now present a list of compatible apps.

Using “the cloud”, Chromecast users can now share content from devices to a Chromecast-connected television without being on the same WiFi connection. A new feature called Backdrop coming later this year will present information like news, weather, and photos on a blank Chromecast to make it useful to have connected to your TV even when you’re not sending content from a device. The Chromecast will also support mirroring from Android on supported devices from HTC, LG, Samsung, and Nexus devices.
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Android “L” will include Factory Reset Protection (kill switch) and Universal Data Controls (privacy) to enhance security

Zac Hall Jun 25 2014 - 10:08 am PT