Zac covers Apple news for 9to5Mac and hosts the 9to5Mac Happy Hour podcast.
Twitter announced last November that it had a number of new features on its roadmap for this year, and today the social network says two of those features are starting to roll out to users. Starting this week Twitter will start allowing users to capture and share videos right from the camera in the mobile app, and direct messages will soon support group chatting for the first time. Here’s how the new video and group direct message features work:
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Update: The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Google is planning to announce Google Fiber expansion to four new cities: Atlanta, Georgia; Charlotte, N.C.; Raleigh-Durham, N.C. and Nashville, Tenn.
Both Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham in North Carolina have long been listed as potential Google Fiber cities, and Ars Technica reports that these cities could be the next to offer the super high speed Internet and TV service with announcements expected next week and construction possibly beginning as soon as April.
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Just one day after T-Mobile unveiled its Smartphone Equality program letting loyal customers avoid credit checks, Sprint has announced a new promotion specifically targeting T-Mobile customers with an offer to make switching carriers easier. Sprint’s latest buyback and trade-in offer joins the carrier’s existing ‘Cut Your Bill in Half’ promo which encourages AT&T and Verizon customers to switch; T-Mobile was notably missing from that offer. Here’s how Sprint details the new promotion for T-Mobile customers:
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Google is constantly bringing new imagery to its Street View feature in Maps, and this week the search giant is highlighting new additions from around Belgium. In what it describes as “some of the best of Belgium”, the new Street View data shows off five different locations including the inside of a castle and a World War II memorial.
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T-Mobile often rolls out “Un-carrier” initiatives that intend to challenge its competitors (which sometimes get copied), and John Legere’s latest announcement for the company is no different. The T-Mobile CEO shared today that the carrier soon start offering the same financing options to customers with weak credit as it provides for well qualified customers. The program is called Smartphone Equality, and here’s how it works…
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Google first announced its Google Play for Education program in mid-2013 at Google I/O with the program launching to K-12 schools in the United States later that fall, and today the company shared that it’s now bringing Google Play for Education to schools in the UK using Android tablets…
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Instagram users on Android could soon be using pre-release versions of the photo sharing app before updates hit the Google Play Store.
Instagram is currently inviting testers on Android to take pre-release versions of its social app for a spin through its beta program for users. The social network shared a Google Group found here where potential testers can apply to test and give feedback for versions of Instagram currently being developed.
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Update: Google has made an official blog post detailing the changes to the Glass project. More information below.
It looks like Google may finally be preparing Glass for primetime as a number of changes around the company’s heads-up display product were revealed today. Most notably, the Glass project will be moving from the experimental Google X group to its own unit under the leadership of Tony Fadell, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Next of note, Google will end the current run of its Glass Explorers program on January 19th, removing the current version of Glass from sale to individuals; however, the WSJ includes that businesses and developers interested in purchasing Glass can still do so through an application process. The Glass at Work program, which has continued to grow, will live on beyond the Explorer Program’s imminent demise.
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Adobe has been working to bring Photoshop Lightroom from the desktop to mobile over the last year, and today the image editing app is landing on Android for the first time. Lightroom Mobile for Android joins the company’s existing creative apps for Android including Photoshop Express, Photoshop Touch, Adobe Revel, and more. Check out our hands-on with Lightroom for Android below for all the details on Adobe’s latest creative app for mobile users…
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Digg founder Kevin Rose was first hired by Google as a partner at Google Ventures in early 2012, and today we learned Rose is shaking up his involvement at the search company’s investment arm. As Fortune notes, Kevin Rose decided several months back to move from general partner to venture partner at Google Ventures, and today Rose shared that his role will shift to an advisory one.
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Facebook shared its latest safety initiative today with a new feature focused on rescuing missing children. Through a partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Facebook will now include AMBER Alerts in the timeline of its users boosting exposure of the critical information needed in such cases.
When local or state police determine that a case qualifies for an AMBER Alert, the alert is issued by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and distributed through the Facebook system with any available information, including a photograph of the missing child, a license plate number, the name and description of the child and suspected abductor.
We’ve seen several new Android phones debut at CES 2015 from Asus, LG, Lenovo, and Verizon announced today availability for one of the more interesting smartphones announced in 2014 with its launch of the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge. First announced by Samsung in September of last year, the Galaxy Note Edge features a 5.6-inch quad HD super AMOLED display with a dramatic curve alongside the right of the phone for displaying notifications, controls, app icons, and more. Check out our hands-on video for the Galaxy Note Edge and read on for Verizon availability details.
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Google today released what it calls “a guide to activating technology in schools” as part of its education efforts. Intended to assist teachers and IT administrators, Google says the new guide based on what other schools processes provides schools with the following frameworks to bring the web into the classroom.
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Smart lock maker August announced its latest device today at CES 2015 simply dubbed ‘Connect’. The August Connect is an WiFi-connected device that plugs into a power outlet in your home to provide the Bluetooth-connected August Smart Lock with a constant Internet connection. August says its latest accessory enables several new features for owners of its smart lock product…
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AT&T announced today a new plan feature for its mobile share value customers: shareable rollover data. The carrier says more than 50 million subscribers will automatically gain the benefit when it kicks off at the end of the month on January 25th. If this news sounds familiar, that’s likely because competing wireless provider T-Mobile became the first of the big four national carriers to offer rollover data with its “data stash” feature announced last month alongside a free 10GB data promo. Here’s how AT&T says its version of rollover data works:
Android Auto, Google’s solution to integrating content from your smartphone to your car’s built-in display, is on full display at CES 2015 this week as Pioneer announced three new aftermarket in-dash receivers with Android Auto support. Starting at $700, Pioneer will beginning shipping the second generation of its NEX receivers starting in March bringing Android Auto to the car you already own.
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Kenwood announced today at CES 2015 its first entry into the aftermarket Android Auto space with its new DDX9902S multimedia receiver. In addition to supporting Android Auto, Kenwood says its DDX9902S display will support Apple’s CarPlay feature in the same unit.
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We saw Misfit introduce a unique, luxury version of its Shine fitness and sleep tracking wearable with Swarovski at CES yesterday, and today Misfit is launching Bolt—its first smart bulb. Misfit describes Bolt as “a wirelessly connected color-changing light bulb that lets users personalize their home lighting.” Misfit points out that its Bolt connected light bulbs won’t require a hub and actually integrate with the company’s existing sleep tracking devices (Shine, Flash, Beddit) to gently wake you up with lighting during light sleep.
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$GOOG on January 5, 2015
Google announced today that it will share its Q4 2014 financial results on Thursday, January 29th, 2015. Following the financial report, Google will host its quarterly conference call with investors and analysts to discuss its reported results. The call will take place at 4:30 PM EST, 1:30 PM PST, with a webcast available online at investor.google.com/webcast.html. NewGeekGuide will bring you full coverage of both the financial results and the conference call on that date.
Google previously reported its quarterly earnings on October 16th.
In addition to announcing the Zenfone 2 at CES today, Asus used the Consumer Electronics Show to unveil its new Zenfone Zoom Android smartphone. Similar to Samsung’s Galaxy Zoom line, Asus claims its Zenfone Zoom is the world’s thinnest smartphone with a 3X optical zoom camera.
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After revealing the G Flex 2 name previously through CES banners, LG officially unveiled its next generation curved display Android handset at the Consumer Electronics Show today. The first LG G Flex was met with early reviews characterizing it as an expensive prototype, and we found it hard to recommend especially next to LG’s other smartphones in our own hands-on review. So what does LG have planned for the G Flex 2 as it takes the curve for a second spin?
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Even in the age of Instagram and amazing cameras on our smartphones, the classic concept of shoot-and-print isn’t dead thanks to Polaroid’s Socialmatic camera on display this week at CES. Polaroid’s vintage-style cam is actually modernized with WiFi connectivity and an Android-based system for shooting and sharing with a retro design.
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As part of its CES announcements kicking off today, SanDisk revealed its new, faster Ultra Dual USB Drive 3.0 with micro-USB for use with Android devices as well as PC and Mac computers.
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Google is highlighting some of its philanthropic efforts going into the holidays as it promotes the season of giving. Through Google.org, the charitable arm of the company, Google is donating more than $15 million in grants to three specific groups: Feeding America, Nexleaf Analytics, and Malaria No More.
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