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Gmail’s ‘dynamic email’ will be available to everyone July 2nd
You'll soon be able to do a lot more in Gmail -- without ever leaving your inbox. Google will make AMP-powered "dynamic emails" for Gmail available to the general public on July 2nd, following a beta release to paying G Suite customers earlier this year. You've undoubtedly encountered AMP, or "accelerated mobile pages" if you've opened a link on your phone; it's a Google-built protocol that can load web pages using it a lot more quickly. With AMP in Gmail, users perform web-based tasks right in their inbox, such as filling out forms, RSVPing to an event, responding to an edit in Google Docs, or browsing images in a carousel. The feature will only be available for Gmail on the web, with mobile due to come at an unspecified date.
Google's fast-loading AMP tech won't hide original web page links
You might like Google's quick-loading AMP pages, but site owners aren't always thrilled when it frequently buries their web domain. They might be more receptive in the future, though -- Google is rolling out support for a feature that displays the original domain while maintaining that speedy AMP tech. It relies on signed exchanges that let sites trust documents (such as pages and cookies) as if they belonged to a given site's origin, ensuring that you see the actual page address without losing functionality.
'Wine Country' is an 'SNL' reunion disguised as a movie
Wine Country -- a star-studded, R-rated comedic romp -- is coming to theaters on May 8th and Netflix on May 10th, and the first trailer dropped today. The film follows Abby, played by Amy Poehler, as she assembles a crew of old friends to celebrate the 50th birthday of her best friend Rebecca (Rachel Dratch). They're joined by Ana Gasteyer, Paula Pell, Emily Spivey and Maya Rudolph for a wine-filled tour through Napa Valley. Tina Fey, Jason Schwartzman and Cherry Jones also join in the adventure.
Ask Engadget: What's the best connected guitar amp?
This week in Ask Engadget: What's the best connected guitar amp?
Google's AMP tech makes Gmail more interactive
Google is finally ready to bring its fast-loading AMP tech to Gmail after more than a year of testing. Now widely available on the web, "dynamic email" (as Google calls it) gives you web-based interactions that would normally require opening your browser. You can fill out forms, reply to Google Docs comments or even browse catalogs, among other things. It also ensures that you get the latest version of content, so you can get the latest product listings or social network recommendations without needing a follow-up message.
Bing implements Google's fast-loading AMP tech
If you're in the US and use Bing as your search engine on mobile, you might start coming across AMP's lightning bolt in the results page. While Microsoft already uses AMP in some of its apps, including Bing, it's only now that the search engine has started implementing Google's open-source technology for its search results within a browser. You can think of AMP as the solution Google conjured up to make web pages load faster on mobile, and it works with Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, Opera and UC Browser.
What you need to know before building a HiFi system
The process of building a stereo can be overwhelming. Should you buy new gear or trawl the local stereo shop for vintage equipment? Do you need a subwoofer for music? Are high-end speaker cables really going to make a difference in sound? It's no wonder, then, that smart speakers have become so popular: They're available in a variety of sizes and, when paired with a music streaming subscription, are a simple way to access a world of music. But the trade-off for that convenience is sound quality. While an Echo or HomePod is perfect for listening to podcasts, it can't stack up to the power and fidelity you get with a traditional stereo. If you're looking to upgrade, rather than ponying up $500 for a single Google Home Max, consider an alternative solution: building your own stereo HiFi system. While the initial setup and research are more intensive than simply telling Alexa to order more Echo Dots, after it's done you'll have a much more versatile -- not to mention better-sounding -- way to listen to music at home.
Boss Katana-Air is a compact wireless guitar amp you can use anywhere
Guitar players wanting to liberate themselves from long instrument cables that tether them to a spot on stage (or clutter up their practice space) usually have to buy a whole system with transmitters and receivers and such. Now, however, Boss has just announced a new compact stereo practice amp called the Katana-Air with wireless built right in, available now for $399.99.
Google's AI-powered News app arrives on iOS
A redesigned Google News for iOS was a notable inclusion at the Google I/O keynote last week. Today it rolls out officially, replacing the existing Google Play Newsstand, which launched on iOS in 2014 as a news and magazine subscription hub. The app has been completely reimagined, designed to handle the ever-evolving way we consume news, and leveraging existing AI and machine-learning technology to create a personalized and curated experience. Most importantly, it draws from a variety of sources to deliver packages of opinion, analysis and fact-checked articles focused on specific newsworthy events, giving users a solid platform from which to make up their own minds about current affairs.
Google is trying to make its fast-loading web tech a standard
Google's Accelerated Mobile Pages have one main problem: they only work in a handful of places (mainly Google, Twitter, Bing and Baidu), which makes their fast-loading technology irrelevant everywhere else. Their underpinnings might not be confined for much longer, though. The search firm has launched a campaign to turn AMP-derived technology into a web standard. It's aiming to clean up and refine these technologies (which include pre-rendering, offline support and locking down features) so they're useful virtually everywhere. Sites that met the criteria could be treated the same way as AMP pages in Google's search results and Android's Top Stories news carousel.
B&O’s upgrade for old speakers requires some heavy tinkering
In 2018, most new speakers come with WiFi and/or Bluetooth as standard options. Let's face it: Almost everyone is using their phone to access music these days, so wireless connectivity is a must. However, if you invested in a set of non-connected speakers before the wireless craze hit, you may not want to shell out more money to replace them just yet. For older passive speaker setups, Bang & Olufsen has an option for getting that connectivity thanks to a collaboration with HiFiBerry. You'll have to get your hands dirty, though.
Google plans Snapchat-esque stories for mobile search results
Assuming you have a basic understanding of social media and haven't been living under a rock for the last year, you're going to be familiar with "Stories" -- full screen displays of content that you can swipe or tap through, which are available for a limited time. Snapchat got the ball rolling, Instagram got on board, Facebook followed suit, and now Google is getting in on the action, following the initial report it would back in August. According to a Google blog post, "AMP Stories" are in the works, and soon they could completely shake up the look of your search results.
Google is testing its fast-loading AMP tech inside Gmail
At this point, Gmail is the world's most popular email client, but that doesn't mean that Google can rest upon its laurels. The company is now experimenting with its Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) tools to bring email into the 21st century. If you're unaware, AMP is Google's way of making webpages load faster on mobile devices, often by acting as an intermediary between you and the site you want to visit.
Google will remove its name from fast-loading mobile URLs
Google's fast-loading, data-saving AMP sites help you mainline morning news on the train to work, but they come with an undesirable side effect. As you will've noticed, the URL for an AMP site looks something like this: google.com/amp/www.engadget.com... As Google explains, it starts loading the page before you've even decided whether to click or not. For that and privacy reasons, Google has to be the middle man, though it has figured out how to nix that URL prefix in its mobile Search apps. In the latter half of 2018, though, Google has said it expects to be able to remove the AMP signature from URLs in Chrome and other smartphone browsers, too.
Google cracks down on linkbaiting through AMP
Google officially launched its Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) in February 2016 to be lightweight versions of source websites that used a lot less bandwidth. But some webmasters have deliberately included less content in their AMP editions with a link to the original page, and Google isn't happy. By next February, AMP pages and their source counterparts must have identical material, the search giant declared.
Google tests tools that encourage you to pay for news (updated)
It's no secret that Google and conventional news outlets have a fraught relationship, and that's in no small part due to the problems publishers have turning Google searchers into paying customers. Why subscribe when you just read an article for free? It might soon give you more incentives to sign up, though. The company is conducting tests with the New York Times and Financial Times that would encourage and streamline subscriptions. They're not necessarily good if you prefer free news, but they might influence your decision if you're sitting on the fence.
Blue raises the bar for wireless audio with its Satellite headphones
After making its name building microphones for both amateurs and professionals, Blue made the leap to headphones back in 2014. Its first model, the Mo-Fi, featured a built-in amplifier and the company followed up with three others, including a planar magnetic set that also has an onboard amp. All of those options were wired, though, and if we've learned anything about "courageous" smartphone makers these days, the headphone jack is on its way out. To cater to the wireless craze, Blue announced its first wireless headphones, the Satellite, at CES in January. While this $400 model features and amp for top-notch audio, the Satellite lacks a key selling point for headphones: comfort.
Apple plans to make Safari scrolling a lot smoother
Apple is making changes to its mobile Safari browser that will make scrolling work smoother across all websites, according to posts on Hacker News and Daring Fireball. Right now, regular pages scroll differently on iOS Safari than sites like Reddit that use AMP (Google's accelerated mobile pages). That's because Google uses an iOS technique that allows AMP pages to override the default scrolling, making pages slicker and faster to browse.
Blue's wireless Satellite headphones pack a built-in amp for $400
Blue announced its first wireless headphones back at CES, but now you can finally get your hands on a pair. The company's latest model, Satellite, has Bluetooth 4.1 and Apt-X to keep the wireless streaming from your go-to device going strong. To further enhance the high-quality audio, there's a built-in headphone amp. Similar to some of Blue's existing headphone models, you can turn that feature off to save battery or at times to you may not need it -- like when you're listening to podcasts.
Fender's new guitar amps can be fine-tuned from your phone
Fender first revealed its mobile software plans back in August of last year when the guitar maker's digital arm debuted a tuner app for iOS. In November, we learned the company had guitar amplifiers in the works that would wirelessly sync settings with its library of apps. Today, we finally meet the pieces of Fender connected guitar gear: the Mustang GT amps.
