Apps and Updates
Latest Now on Tap update shows useful shortcuts when activated on the homescreen
Google Calendar on Android will now tell you when you’re free for an event
In April, Google Calendar for Work and Education received the ability to “find a time” when your coworkers are free for a meeting. Now an update to the Android app adds a similar “when you’re free” feature to all personal Google accounts when scheduling an event.
Android Twitter app now has button to start live Periscope broadcast … kind of
Twitter has updated both iOS and Android apps with a Live button that starts a Periscope broadcast. It’s actually a bit of a cheat, though, as all the button does is open the Periscope app – or prompt you to download it if you don’t already have it installed.
Pinterest acqui-hires the team behind the popular Fleksy keyboard
Pinterest has today announced that they have acquired the team behind the popular keyboard app Fleksy. Pinterest is solely acqui-hiring the developers behind this application, not the technology or app itself. The app will remain live on both Android and iOS ‘for the foreseeable future’ and app updates will be very minimal.
Google’s Screenwise Trends Panel research program rebranded to Cross Media Panel
Google has a number of services that offer rewards for answering questions and sharing data about product usage. One of these, Screenwise Trends Panel, collects usage data to improve online products like YouTube, Chrome, and Android. Now, the service has been rebranded to the Cross Media Panel with a revamped and simplified design.
Facebook Messenger officially gains SMS support on Android, rolling out today
Google Springboard is essentially Google Now for work, Sites receives a major revamp
Over the past few months, Google has rolled out several new features powered by machine learning. Announced at an enterprise event today, Google Springboard allows users to search through Google Apps and acts as a day-to-day work assistant, providing “useful and actionable information and recommendations.” The company also announced a major revamp to Google Sites.
This week’s top stories: Best Android phones (June), hands-on w/ Android Wear 2.0, Tango, OnePlus 3, & more
In this week’s top stories: We breakdown the best Android phones you can buy right now, get a closer look at upcoming Android devices including the OnePlus 3, Galaxy Note, and Project Tango devices, and give you the latest app news and updates alongside our picks for the best 5 Android apps you should download this month.
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Hands-on with 5 Android apps you should download in June 2016 [Video]
There are nearly 1.5 million applications currently on Google Play and with so many to choose from, finding interesting new experiences can be a hassle. That’s why today we’re kicking off a new series here at NewGeekGuide highlighting 5 different Android apps each month that are worth checking out.
So without further ado, let’s take a look at our picks for the month.
Chrome 52 Beta includes many developer features to improve browser performance
With Chrome 51 rolled out to browsers, mobile, and Chromebooks, version 52 is now in the beta channel. The release adds many developer focused features that should improve the overall performance of the browser.
YouTube Smart Offline allows users in India to download videos overnight to save money
Offline video is one of the main benefits of a YouTube Red subscription. In developing countries, downloads are actually available for free as a means to work around connectivity issues. Now YouTube is rolling out a new Smart Offline feature in India that downloads videos during late night hours when carriers offer discounted data.
Now you can post 360-degree photos on Facebook straight from Galaxy camera app
It wasn’t that long ago when creating 360-degree photos that you could share with others online required special camera kit, and you had to post them on websites that supported the feature. It’s since got much easier, and as of the latest update to the Android Facebook app, you don’t need anything more than a Samsung Galaxy phone and the stock camera app.
Simply take a panorama with your phone […] and then post it on Facebook as you would a normal photo. From there, we’ll convert it to an immersive 360 photo that people can explore, similar to how people experience 360 videos on Facebook …
WhatsApp is testing a quote feature in its Android app’s beta program
Messaging apps are among the most important — and indeed most used — by millions and millions of users every day, so it is only logical for them to implement new features as they evolve.
WhatsApp, despite being used by over a billion users, has remained a fairly simplistic chat app over the years, but things seem to be changing…
Google rolling out Nearby to Android, allows third-party apps to talk to smart beacons
One of Google’s approaches to the Internet of Things involves placing low-energy Bluetooth beacons that can communicate with devices. Google is announcing new partners today who have updated Android apps that can talk to beacons placed in stores, museums, and airports.
HTC announces Vive Business Edition w/ commercial licensing, bulk purchasing & support
One day after announcing availability of its Vive VR headset for consumers following a few delays, HTC today announced an enterprise edition of the product.
It is now easier to navigate Street View in Google Maps on Android
Street View is now a feature we take for granted in all our mapping services, but in 2007 it was a very ambitious effort by Google to photograph the world. The feature on the latest version of Google Maps on Android received a slight revamp to make navigation on mobile easier.
France launches terrorism warning app for Euro 2016 football tournament
Fears that terrorists may be planning attacks in Paris during the Euro 2016 football tournament have led the French government to create an app that sends location-based terrorism alerts to users, helping them steer clear of affected areas.
Google’s Motion Stills app turns Live Photos into stable GIFs and movies w/ cinematic backgrounds
Google’s latest photography app — following behind others such as Google Photos and Snapseed — stabilizes iOS Live Photos and turns them into shareable GIFs and short movie clips. The app can create still images by freezing the background of a Live Photo and makes short videos that feature sweeping cinematic pans. The free Motion Stills app comes to us from Google Research and is only available on iOS…
Twitter officially announces Material Design revamp of its Android app
Google Contacts on the web now shows verified business information from Maps
Despite being announced over a year ago, the revamped Google Contacts web app remains in preview and is still lacking some legacy features. A new feature rolling out today, however, will list verified business information from Google Maps directly in a contact.
Microsoft Band 2 is company’s latest attempt to persuade Android owners to use Cortana
With Microsoft almost out of the consumer phones business, it’s working harder to find a new home for its intelligent assistant, Cortana. After initially making it available to Android users six months ago, it has now updated its health app so that you can access Cortana through the Band 2 fitness wearable.
With Cortana on your Band, you can access your personal assistant for instant notifications of important events, communications, and voice-active info without reaching for your phone. Speak into the mic on your Band to Cortana to take actions for you …
Flamingo is a highly customizable Material Twitter app from the developer of Weather Timeline
Created by a single developer, Weather Timeline is one of the best examples of Material Design on Android. Packing the same attention to design, Sam Ruston’s next app is a highly customizable Twitter client. Everything from the look of Flamingo to how the interface functions can be personalized to your liking…
AnyPixel.js from Google allows web developers to build giant interactive displays [Video]
AnyPixel.js is great example of a Google experiment becoming an actual product. The open source software and hardware library — available on GitHub — allows anyone to use the web to build “big, unusual, interactive displays” with any component.
Google Maps gains a public beta channel on the Play Store
At this year’s I/O, the Play Store gained the ability to let users easily participate in an app beta without having to first join a Group. Google Maps for Android now has a beta channel (via Android Police) that users can easily sign-up for here.