Let's Talk Tech
Email is one of my biggest time wasters when it comes to getting my work done, and I’m pretty terrible at organizing it consistently. Any tools that can actually help me clean out my inbox are greatly appreciated, and that’s what Google is aiming to do with this new Inbox app. At the time this video was shot, it was an Invite only public BETA, so let’s take a look!
Announced on today on the Google Android Blog, version 5.0 of their newest operating system will be called Lollipop. Featuring the new Material Design we’ve all been drooling over. With thousand of new API’s, it’s also built to be developer friendly, and to integrate with a number of new services and devices.
Of course the first devices to run Lollipop will be Nexus phones and tablets. We also finally have confirmation that the Nexus 6 is the 6″ Motorola we’ve seen leaks of, and will feature a QHD screen, front facing stereo speakers, a 13MP camera, and a turbo charging feature which provides six hours of run time after only 15 minutes of charging.
On the tablet front HTC is behind the new Nexus 9 with a brushed aluminum shell and an 8.9″ screen with an optional keyboard folio dock case.
Nexus 9 will be available for pre-order October 17, while Nexus 6 will follow later in the month in time for the holidays. Pricing, availability, and carrier info to come soon. You can see Google’s teaser vid below!
If you are an avid fan of Chrome then you know how useful extensions can be. Today we are looking at the New Tab Page extension for Chrome.
If you love tiles then this extension is for you. The Modern New Tab Page is chock full of customization options. This extension allows you to create a custom background image which you can change the opacity and color. The live tiles can be configured into three different sizes so you can arrange the tiles any way you want. Modern New Tab Page has a total of 26 different color themes to match your style. Setting up the Modern New Tab page is really easy to do. Continue reading “Review: Modern New Tab Page extension for Chrome”
It’s about damn time!
Ahem…
Having lived in limbo for a while now, Google is finally updating Google Voice by making it a part of the Hangouts service. Google Voice allows users to send phone calls to multiple phone numbers, and manage text messages and voice mail from a web browser or app.
An update to Hangouts, rolling out over the next couple days will now absorb those Google Voice features, allowing you to make calls and send texts through your Google Voice number, and you’ll be able to make free voice and video calls through the app.
Google’s full PR is below.
Continue reading “Google Finally Merging Google Voice with Hangouts, Offers Free Voice Calling”
Glass is taking another step towards being a commercial product. Google is now offering the Explorer Edition in the Google Play store.
They’re slowly walking away from the previous invite system, and they’ve flirted with selling Glass at events and kiosks, and recently had a limited time open invitation for new Explorers. Now anyone who wants to jump on board can grab Google’s wearable eye-level computer. They are also selling frames and earbud accessories alongside Glass.
Unfortunately, this doesn’t come with any pricing breaks, and you’ll still drop $1500 to own a Glass of your very own. Still, we can consider this progress, and some small sign that Google still has faith in the project while we wait out a more reasonably priced consumer edition.
Starting some time during the day August 8th 2014, Google’s servers stopped processing new videos. Even my channel has been affected as I’ve had three video uploads utterly fail to process. There are few things more frustrating than writing out a description, and filling a video full of tags (which can’t be copied out of their tag section) only to have the video bork, and have all of that writing lost.
This issue comes only a day or so off of significant changes to how Google organizes tags. One might wonder if that has anything to do with the current processing error.
We totally understand that these can happen, no system can have 100% up time, but some notification to producers that you’re aware of the issue and working on a fix might be nice Youtube? Also, when a video fails, maybe give us the ability to open the video description notes and tags as plain text for us to copy, so we don’t have to re-write all of that content manually.
We’ll keep you posted on when it’s safe to try re-uploading your cat vids and vlogs. Stay strong. Stay safe. We will persevere…
Progress has been painfully slow, but eventually Google Voice and Hangouts will merge into one super app of calling and communication. Recently we’ve been looking for changes to the Hangouts app, but Google has just announced an update to Voice that shows they are walking these two services together.
Alex Wiesen, a Manager at Google, posted this to G+ yesterday:
When I’m travelling I like to call my family from the Google Voice website on my laptop, but without a phone handy, it’s a little hard to use. To make things easier, we’ve just added Hangouts as an option when making calls from the web. It works even if you aren’t using Hangouts in Gmail, and doesn’t require a Google+ account. Try it the next time you place a call from the Google Voice website — I think it’s a much easier way to keep in touch with people.
You can check out the update now logging into Google Voice on a desktop browser. Hopefully this means we’ll eventually see updates to the mobile apps for these services soon.
Happy Birthday Chromecast!
Google’s little, inexpensive, wunder-streaming HDMI stick is now a one year old, and no birthday should ever pass without celebrating it with presents. Google’s gift to Chromecast users is a free three month trial of Play Music All Access. The caveat is you can’t already be signed up for the All Access service, so those of us all ready paying for it aren’t invited to the party.
If you do have a Chromecast, head over to chromecast.com/offers to sign up!