Tag: update

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Google Play Music Now Allows Music Uploads Through Your Browser

google play music updateIt’s a simple update, but a helpful one.

If you manage your music collection online through Google Play Music, you now have a little more control over how you upload tracks to your cloud storage. You originally had to upload tracks through a program which lived on a desktop, but now Google has updated the service to allow for browser uploads.

It’s a handy little update for those moments you might want to manage your music collection while on the go. It’s also a great way to showcase Chrome apps, as the service ties into a new mini-player available through the Chrome browser.

Now I’m hoping they’ll build some of that functionality into the Play Music apps on phones and tablets.

More info on Google’s Play Music site.

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HTC BlinkFeed app arrives at Google Play ahead of new One phone

htc blinkfeed google play screenshotOh HTC. You just can’t time anything for your new flagship phone’s release can you?

Ahead of the announcement for their all new flagship M8 HTC One, what I’m loving calling the worst kept secret of 2014, HTC has taken the wraps off of their new BlinkFeed app.

This is a fantastic play by HTC and something I’ve been literally begging more manufacturers to do. Companies like HTC, LG, and Samsung deliver a TON of features and apps on a phone. Unlike a Nexus which is a fairly bare experience. However those individual manufacturer apps don’t get updated very often as they’re baked into the ROM supplied by said manufacturer. If the tiniest app gets updated at HTC HQ, you have to wait for a FULL OS UPDATE to get the benefits of that updated app. It’s one big lump sum.

Or at least it was until now. HTC is separating out BlinkFeed, and hosting it on Google Play. Now whenever a team at HTC but a little polish on this app, it can be pushed directly to One owners without waiting for a massive ROM download.

Android is still somewhat hamstrung by the carrier approval process, in that there’s still a significant lead time between when Google releases an OS update, the manufacturers customize it, and that update is approved and distributed by carriers. Google has been making a lot of progress in splicing out individual Android services and posting them as standalone apps. A user might not always get the latest Android OS, but all of their services can be up to date. Now HTC is following in those footsteps, and that makes me happy.

HTC BlinkFeed on Google Play (2014 One only)

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Qualcomm Toq update improves fitness tracking and notifications

qualcomm toq activity tracker update smartwatchToq owners should see a new update for the smartwatch and companion app. I normally wouldn’t write up a .1 update, but Qualcomm is quickly refining the Toq experience.

Toq software update 1.4 brings a couple new watch faces while polishing up the notifications and activity tracker. You can now see the last five text messages in the watch’s history. Also the fitness tracking has been expanded with better charts for visualizing your progress. You can also set goals for yourself in the Android app, and the watch will show you your progress.

The whole Toq experience is getting cleaner while providing more functionality, and now we’re just waiting out more 3rd party app support. We’ve already seen Toq added to the list of supported watches by Augmented SmartWatch Pro, which adds even more notification customization and support for Fitbit and Withings.

Nice little bit of progress for Qualcomm’s smartwatch tech test bed.  Continue reading “Qualcomm Toq update improves fitness tracking and notifications”

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Android Reads You The Classics: Audiobook Test of the Updated Google Text to Speech Engine

google tts high quality female voiceWhy “The Classics”? Because they’re public domain and I don’t have to shell out cash for them!

Google recently updated their text to speech app, and many android users wont realize that not only is this engine now a standalone app on Google Play, but digging into the accessibility settings, there’s now a “High Quality” mode, where you can download parts of the voice to live on your phone.

Seeing as how I come from a background of voice over production, do audiobook narrators and voice actors have anything to worry about? Let’s take a listen…

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Qualcomm Toq update points to 3rd party App support. SDK Available!

Qualcomm Toq More Applets Screenshot SomeGadgetGuySo this might be the most boring screenshot I’ve ever posted on SGG, but if you’re playing with a Toq, there’s a lot of potential for excitement.

The Toq is my personal favorite smartwatch, but it’s been difficult to recommend people pick one up, as the selection of applets is fairly limited. That changed yesterday!

A new update was pushed to the Toq adding a menu option called “More Applets”, and within that menu you’ll be able to see which apps on your phone are compatible with your Toq. Right now that number is zero, but Qualcomm has also finally released their SDK. Now app developers will have the tools to properly develop services for this wearable.

It’s been an exciting ride. Only a week ago, we got an unlocked accelerometer that most of us didn’t know was even built into the watch. Hopefully we’ll see new services pop up quickly!

Qualcomm Toq SDK Press Release

Related:
Toq unboxing, setup, and first impressions!
Toq Update – six day battery life!
qualcomm toq box smartwatch wireless charge cradle review somegadgetguy

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Qualcomm Toq Update: Activity and Fitness Tracking Applet!

Qualcomm is teaching their Toq smartwatch a new trick!

I was really happy to see this, as I wasn’t completely sure if the Toq even had an accelerometer built into, but apparently it does, and this newest software update has unlocked activity tracking. It’s SUPER beta, but let’s take a look!

Continue reading “Qualcomm Toq Update: Activity and Fitness Tracking Applet!”

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More Apps Coming to Chromecast Soon! SDK is Available for Developers!

google chromecast tv hdmi dongle somegadgetguyChromecast is one of the most cost effective ways to start streaming to your TV, and its ingenious use of apps and services on your phone or tablet makes for a terrifically easy learning curve. If there’s been a complaint, it’s been in the selection of services compatible with Chromecast. Picks have been slim.

That should change very soon! Google has finally seen fit to release a proper SDK, so now app developers will be able to build Chromecast functionality into their offerings. The possibilities are endless. Video and audio players are a given, but what about cloud storage? Gaming? Chromecast might enable a whole new relationship between your phone and TV! And it’s cheap!

Hit the Chrome blog for more info, or grab the SDK now if you feel like tinkering.

Related:
Chromecast Supports 10 New Apps!
Chromecast Unboxing, Setup, Review, and Viewer Questions!
Buy Chromecast!

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Pebble App Review: Blockslide 2.0 (with Battery display)

We’re only a couple days into playing with the Pebble, and we have a full video hands on coming soon, but that doesn’t mean we can’t take a look at a few apps for this little wunder-watch.

With all the customization options available, the first thing you notice, a lot of the watch faces aren’t anything special. Mostly just static images with a clock pasted on top. Examining the wares at MyPebbleFaces can be a bit daunting when you first search through the site.

One of the first watch faces I stumbled upon, using the 2.0 BETA firmware on my Pebble, was Blockslide. It has a fun, almost Atari-retro look to the clock, with a date below the time. Instead of the time just updating, smooth animations slide blocks around to usher in new minutes and hours. It’s not only pleasant, but it’s smoother than I thought the Pebble capable of.

One of my pet peeves with Pebble s the lack of a stock battery indicator. Blockslide includes one via wrist flip. Twist your wrist over, and the time will morph into a battery readout for a couple seconds before sliding back to the clock. It looks cool. It looks really cool.

If you’re sporting a Pebble, this is a fun free watchface which has garnered a reaction from everyone I’ve shown it to.
Blockslide 2.0 (for SDK2) on MyPebbleFaces

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