Tag: Google

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Android Youtube App Updated – Allows User to Control Streaming Quality

youtube android app streaming quality screenshot somegadgetguyQuick update for Youtube from Google!

It always bothers me when I can’t control streaming video quality (Netflix I’m looking in your general direction). On desktop browsers we can set the quality for Youtube. The user can make a choice between the speed and stability of a stream and a higher resolution.

Well now we can do the same on our mobile devices, which should have been a no-brainer feature when you think about how many of us are on some kind of metered plan, and fast 3G and 4G networks can be kind of spotty at times.

When playing a video in the app, tap the three-dot menu button, and you see an option of a gear icon. Tap on that, and you’ll get a menu where you can select what quality you would like to stream the video at. Interestingly enough, Android apparently only supports streaming up to 720p. Good to know.

This updated Youtube app (build 5.7.36) should all ready be rolling out now, so hit the Google Play Store to see if you’ve gotten it!

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AT&T HTC One M7 Updated with Sense 6 – New Blinkfeed and Camera App

HTC One M7 Update Blinkfeed Sense update ATTPlaying with this year’s flagship devices, it’s been great going back to see how good our phones were last year. In an era of premier phones all sporting 5+ inch screens, the HTC M7 stands as one of the last high end phones with a SLIGHTLY smaller screen. It’s a joy to use one handed, so that makes updates like these even more enjoyable.

HTC has really stepped up on the support front, and are following Google’s example in separating apps and services from full OS updates. The M7 is now getting updated to the newest version of Sense (the skin HTC developed to customize their phone experience). Now services like Blinkfeed and HTC’s TV remote app can be updated through Google Play. This brings much faster support to the ecosystem, as individual services can get updates and bug fixes without having to push OTA updates through carriers.

HTC One M7 updated camera app screenshot somegadgetguy

The M7 gets a great new Blinkfeed, it adopts the nicer camera app from the M8, and a few other goodies alongside the normal slate of patches and bug fixes. It breaths a little more life into on of the best Android’s from last year, and should prove to keep the phone running current software longer into the future.

You can check to see if you have the update by jumping into your settings, and AT&T’s changelog is below.

Continue reading “AT&T HTC One M7 Updated with Sense 6 – New Blinkfeed and Camera App”

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Google Separates Hangouts from Google Plus

hangouts update google plus somegadgetguyGoogle is doing something interesting with their services of late. Instead of continuing to try and tie everything together, apps are being sliced back out to stand as their own services. Recently we saw Google splice out Docs and Drive again. Photos stands as it’s own app, and now we see an interesting tweak to the most recent update to Hangouts.

When you used to tap on a profile pic in Hangouts, it would take you to a Google+ profile. Now, if you have that person in your contacts, it shows you a contact card. If you don’t have that person in your contacts, you wont see anything.

Following Google’s recent turn of not forcing people into combining Youtube and Google+ profiles, it would seem they are changing direction on what they expect of G+. What that will finally be remains to be seen, and we’re still waiting to see if Hangouts will eventually adopt Google Voice to become Google’s primary communication app.

Have you used the new Hangouts update? Has this contact change affected your use?

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Google Releases 64-Bit Chrome Browser BETA

download-hero-winFor those who like to live on the bleeding edge of the internet, Google is releasing Canary and Dev versions of their popular Chrome browser which properly support 64-bit computers.

Boasting faster and more stable performance, Google has pushed into 64-bit versions as most Windows 7 users now use 64-bit systems. The Canary version is the up to the minute version with new builds pushed out daily. It also might have more instability than the Dev version which is a more stable BETA.

You can grab either version, and Google’s full PR is below.

Continue reading “Google Releases 64-Bit Chrome Browser BETA”

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Google Unleashes Video Quality Report Site Showcasing Under-Performing ISPs

google video quality report siteFollowing in Netflix’s footsteps, Google has launched a site to report average Youtube streaming speeds. It allows consumers to compare performance between different providers in their area.

This is a tactical play by Google who recently signed off on a letter supporting Net Neutrality in the face of the FCC’s proposed “Fast lane” rules. It’ll provide customers an additional tool to shop service (at least for those people who have more than one option in their area). Based on location, you can see which companies are providing more HD, standard definition, or low def video streams.

In a climate where Americans often pay more for service than other developed nations, and receive slower speeds, providing shoppers more info is handy as ISP’s usually only discuss what their theoretical maximum download is.

You can check out your area here http://www.google.com/get/videoqualityreport/

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Google Shows Off Driverless Car Prototype With No Steering Wheel

Vehicle Prototype Image Banner Cropped 600pxTil now, Google’s prototype driverless cars have been actual production vehicles, often Toyotas, retrofitted with sensors and cameras.

Well Google is following in Tesla footsteps by building their own vehicle designed from the ground up to be a self driving people mover. It looks like a toy version of a Fiat or Smart, but it carries two people in comfort. It’s basically a rolling couch with seatbelts and some navigation equipment.

As  this is very much a prototype, the initial run of vehicles will be capped to 25mph, but they have enough faith in the platform to build out 100 of these little cars to push the driverless program forward. Google is hoping to bring cars like these to market in the next couple years, and it’s no small stretch to think we might see them start filtering into taxi fleets or partnering with services like Uber.

You can see the little prototype in action below.

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Sign Me Up. I’m Ready For Driverless Cars In California.

google self driving carThe open road. The freedom. The romance of wide open throttle on a long stretch of asphalt.

None of that exists in Los Angeles anymore.

Sure, on a holiday weekend at three in the morning you can let loose a little, but the normal condition for Los Angelinos is a bumper to bumper, stop and go, passive-aggressively, road ragey experience. You can’t live in the state for any length of time without witnessing the most common stories we all share. The jerks who skip the line of cars to merge at the last possible second. The jerks who cut you off while driving ten miles an hour slower than you were going. The INSANE number of people doing anything else instead of focusing on driving, even watching videos on tablets (actual pic from one of my commutes)… Continue reading “Sign Me Up. I’m Ready For Driverless Cars In California.”

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Google Plus App Updated! Feature Walk Through of the New UI!

new google plus app on HTC one m8

We normally wouldn’t make such a big deal out of an app update, but Google has made some pretty significant changes to the Google Plus UI for Android.

Utilizing a sleeker and bolder interface, the whole experience feels a little snappier too. We go hands on in the video below to compare it to the older G+ app, and show off all the goodies!

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