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Google updates Glass with video player, improved voice commands, additional Now cards
It's a big day for Glass. Google's pre-production wearable just scored a variety of additional features, including a video player, improved voice control, voice-activated Path and Evernote updates, #hashtags, boosted SMS support and additional Google Now cards. Let's break them down. With the new video player, you can tap a video to play it, tap again to pause, and swipe backward or forward to rewind or skip. Path and Evernote users can update those apps by saying "okay glass, post an update" for Path or "okay glass, take a note" for Evernote. Speaking of which, voice controls are improved across the board, so you can now chat with Glass a bit more naturally. Instead of saying "okay glass" and waiting for a cue, you can speak in complete sentences, without pausing. On the cards front, there's a new method for adjusting volume controls, even while you're on a phone or video call. There are also Google Now cards to remind you of upcoming hotel or restaurant reservations, identify movie showtimes, or catch an emergency alert. Today's release, XE8, is expected to roll out to users over the next few days. Catch the full release notes at the source link below.
Google reportedly testing 'hyper-local' news card for Now
According to a report from Quartz, Google is preparing to launch an improved local news card in Now. The card would be an extension of its existing local news offerings, but would bring those stories directly to your handset based on your location. Quartz confirmed the card's existence through Johanna Wright, the vice president of search and assist at Google. She described the card as be "hyper-local," with granularity down to individual neighborhoods. According to Wright, the card is only being tested internally right now, and there's no guarantee of when, or even if, Google will actually bring it to the public. In many ways Now is meant to be a filter for the absurd amount of information constantly at your fingertips. It's supposed to deliver only the information you need, when you need it. Problem is, Google still seems to be figuring out just what information you need at any given moment. Bus schedules, boarding passes, traffic reports, tourist attractions, calendar appointments, sports scores... the depth of data served up is growing more intimidating with every day. Now already delivers links to news stories that you're following on your desktop. The logical next step (we suppose) is to serve up articles you didn't know you were interested in, based on your location. We've reached out to Google for comment and confirmation, and we'll update this story if we hear back.
'OK Google Now' comes to Verizon's 2013 Droid trio
If you're anything like us, you've been wringing your hands jealously at the few thousand Google Glass-enabled humans wandering around commanding "OK Glass" as their bidding is done. We'd like to say that the solution we've found is to give everyone a free set of Google's latest indulgence, Oprah-style, but that's not the case -- instead, Verizon's new trio of Droid phones enables very similar voice-powered functionality on its Droid Mini, Ultra and Maxx handsets. Employing Google's popular (and delightful) Now app, Droid owners can enact a variety of (unnamed) operations, including waking up the Droid by saying "OK Google Now." It's also targeted at folks who are prone to losing their mobiles, as the command, "OK Google Now, call my Droid" will do just that. It's also possible that people nearby will think you're a crazy person, but perhaps they already did considering you're prone to losing such an expensive and important device to your life, eh? The Verizon-created software enhancements don't stop there, with the trio also getting "Touchless Controls" and "Active Display"; the duo apparently work together to "let users make calls, send texts, get directions, play music, set a reminder and preview notifications hands-free without having to unlock the phone, giving Droid users a whole new way of interacting with their phones." All three phones are available for pre-order starting today and arrive at Verizon starting on August 20th (the Mini lands August 29th).
Google Now just a swipe away on HTC One with Android 4.2.2 update
It's not the rumored Jelly Bean 4.3 update for the One, but these latest software tweaks should make current owners happy nonetheless. HTC's begun rolling out an Android 4.2.2 OTA update to unlocked handsets that lops off the legacy menu button in favor of extending the Home button's functionality. Similar to stock builds of Jelly Bean, One users can now choose to access Google Now with a quick swipe up from Home, while relegating a longpress for options. There's also a quick settings panel built into the dropdown notification pane, so toggles for WiFi, airplane mode, Bluetooth, etc are just a few less clicks away. HTC's tossed in other minor tweaks, like a battery level indicator and a file format change for Zoe that streamlines your gallery, plus the requisite bug fixes. It's already hitting handsets across the pond, so if you haven't seen the update prompt yet, hold tight.
Google Search Android app updated with location-based offers, voice-activated music playback
Jelly Bean users running Android 4.1 or later can now snag a few more features with Google's Search app. The update (version number varies depending on your device) delivers three notable additions. The first tool pushes saved offers as you approach a redemption location, reminding you of forgotten deals when they're most relevant. Next up is a new voice action, which lets you control music playback -- both on your device and in the Play Store -- by speaking to your handset. (Voice action tips also make a debut with this refresh.) A third addition enables instant access to information about television programming you're currently consuming, assuming your HDTV is connected to the web and on the same WiFi network as your device. Get your download on at the source link below.
This week on gdgt: PlayStation 4, MacBook Air, Google Now
Each week, our friends at gdgt go through the latest gadgets and score them to help you decide which ones to buy. Here are some of their most recent picks. Want more? Visit gdgt anytime to catch up on the latest, and subscribe to gdgt's newsletter to get a weekly roundup in your inbox.
Google Now adds reminder cards, real-time public transit info and music recommendations
Google Now is getting some I/O love, too. Several updates, called cards, are already available in the Google Play Store. Firstly, you'll be able to set for nagging pop-ups ("buy milk" is the obvious example). Now will also show you cards for upcoming books, albums and TV shows based on what Google thinks you'll like -- which could either be quite helpful or borderline insulting depending on how well it knows you. Finally, real-time public transportation updates will be available in select cities, and Japan will even get a "last train home" alert. Nab these features by visiting the source link below. No word on when the new functionality will hit the iOS Google Search app. We got a look at the new features in action via an onstage demo. Voice queries like, "Okay, Google, show me things to do in Santa Cruz" will bring up relevant results, and subsequent questions like, "How far is the boardwalk from here?" take into account that you're in Santa Cruz -- and then give you up-to-date traffic info and route recommendations. When it comes to reminders, you can tell Google to nudge you about "calling Katie next Wednesday," for instance, and a card will pop up on your device at the specified time. This all looks pretty sweet, but we'll have to give Now a spin ourselves before reaching a final verdict.
Chromium code hints at Google Now for OS X
A few months back Chromium whiz François Beaufort spotted a piece of code in the open source web browser that hinted at Google Now possibly coming to Chrome. Today, the programmer has uncovered an issue log pointing out notification center enhancements for OS X. An entry, listed as "[Mac][MC] Implement notification updates and relayouts" could possibly indicate Google Now having a future on Apple's desktop platform. With Google's I/O a little over a week away, hopefully we won't have to wait too long to find out. In the meantime, we'll reach out to the company for a comment on Beaufort's findings and see what turns up.
Switched On: On iOS, Now is Google's time
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. In the early days of the internet economy, the saying went that webpages were created on Macs, served on Unix and viewed on Windows. In the iOS app economy, it's often the case that apps run on devices by Apple, but connect to services by Google. With the exception of many games, at this point, apps increasingly strive to be internet services. Google has been investing in more of these services for a longer time and in a way more directly tied to apps than Apple has. Google Maps has been the best example, but others include Google Drive (with its editing features), Google Voice and Google+. In contrast, Apple's biggest consumer online service success (other than the iTunes store) has been iCloud, which is less app-like and more of a silent shuttle for documents and files among iOS devices.
Daily Update for May 1, 2013
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
How to turn off Google Now and keep your battery charged
Google has recently added its Google Now service into its search app for iOS, but there's one big drawback to getting constant weather, traffic, and other local information on your phone: Location Services runs constantly. You can tell by the little arrow icon up in the corner of your home screen. Usually, that service only flips on when your phone needs to know where it is, but Google can be greedy with that information, keeping your Location Services on all the time, and thus draining your iPhone's battery much faster than it would otherwise. So what's the solution? Inside Apple's Settings app, you can manually turn off Location Services for each app that uses it, so if you want to keep Google Now from draining your battery you could turn off Location Services altogether. Another approach, suggested by Mac OS X Hints, is to turn off the Now feature within the Google Search app, and only re-enable it when needed. Not the best solution, but it works for sure. Our commenters point out a somewhat less draconic approach to toning down Google Now's location access: in the Privacy settings within the Google Search app, you can disable Location Reporting. With that option turned off, Google Now won't keep track of your location in the background -- it will only check when the app is actually open and in use. This may decrease the utility of the traffic cards, for instance, but it should help battery life. I had the same issue, actually, with Google's Field Trip app. I thought the app worked great, but it definitely drained my battery, and the constant notifications got to be a bit much. The solution I found there was simply to sign out of the app when I didn't want to hear from it, and that's worked all right; it does reduce the spontaneous discovery of nearby attractions that Field Trip tries to deliver, but that's a trade I am willing to make. Ideally, both of these apps would have big on/off switches included, so users could make sure the apps were only active when they were needed. We should note that Google's help document for Google Now suggests that the location reporting feature ought to have minimal impact on battery life, but that isn't necessarily matching up with the real-world experience of users with this first version on iOS. Hopefully, Google will hear some of these complaints, and we'll see the apps work a little less greedily in the future. Post updated to clarify MacOSXHints recommendation. Update: Google has gotten in touch with TUAW to say that these claims of battery draining simply aren't true. The company says they tested the apps thoroughly, and while other apps using Location Services may drain your battery, Google tells us that these apps won't. Whether or not you want to leave these services on, then, is up to you. Here's Google's full statement: Reports that Google Now drains battery life are incorrect. We understand people's concern about seeing the Location Services icon stay on when they use Google Now. Many apps that keep the icon on actually do drain the phone's battery because they require very accurate location. (For example a navigation app has to run your GPS all the time to keep you from missing your turn.) Google Now is built very differently: it uses cell towers and wifi hot spots for much lower battery impact. We extensively tested Google Now on iOS for months and didn't see reports of significant battery impact -- we would encourage you to try it in the Google Search app for a few days and we don't expect you to see significant impact on your battery. If you are seeing a problem, please do tell us (just tap feedback in the app settings). We take user feedback very seriously.
The Daily Roundup for 04.29.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Osito wants to be Google Now for iOS, a bit too late
Osito is a free iPhone app that tries to do what Google Now has done for Android phones (and now the iPhone), which is provide a time- and location-aware app that supports your daily schedule with weather, traffic, travel news and more. [The previously launched Tempo calendar is another approach to solving the same problem. -Ed.] Osito finds information about your location, and what is on your calendar, in your emails and your daily routine. For example, if it finds a meeting in your calendar, Osito will check traffic and give you relevant advice on when to leave. Of course, the address of your meeting needs to be in the calendar for Osito to figure that out. Weather forecasts are based on location. Some of Osito's functions require a Gmail account. The app's developers say it takes a few days for Osito to learn your schedule, and I can confirm that. Mainly I have been getting a morning weather forecast. It's not been terribly responsive to catching my meetings, and others who have used Osito are seeing the same thing. %Gallery-187057% Osito was the kernel of a good idea for iOS users who were deprived of Google Now, but earlier this morning Google updated the Google Search app with almost every feature Google Now has on Android. That's going to put Osito in the weeds unless it comes up with more and better features, and Google is a tough competitor. If you want to stay out of the Google ecosystem, Osito has some promise, but even Osito has to work with Gmail to give you all its features. My colleague Steve Sande has the details on the Google iPhone app enhancements in a post today. That app looks strong and is likely to even give Apple's Siri some heartburn. Osito is optimized for the iPhone 5 and requires iOS 6.
Google Now for iOS hands-on
Google Now is, perhaps, one of the more compelling reasons to opt for an Android device over iOS. But, Mountain View is smart enough to realize that its big push to deliver information pre-emptively would be severely hampered if it was isolated to one platform. So, here we are, almost a year after Now debuted with the launch of Jelly Bean, and the (mis)labeled Siri competitor has finally landed on Apple's mobile OS. Obviously, to truly come to grips with a product like this, you'd need days or weeks to truly judge it, but we're familiar enough with the Android version to feel comfortable passing along our initial impressions. So head on after the break to see whether or not Google was able to replicate its virtual assistant magic on iOS. %Gallery-187092%
Google Now added to search app on iPhone, iPad
Google has updated its search app for iOS to version 3, adding a tool that until this point was available only on devices running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean or better -- Google Now. Now adds some impressive features to your device. As Google notes, it adds "the right information, at just the right time" to your iPhone or iPad. Back in March, a very official-looking promo video for Google Now on iOS leaked out. The same video is prominently featured in the new version of Google's app, so it seems that it was legit. To enable Google Now, update or install the Google Search app, sign in and then swipe up from the bottom of the display screen. Google includes a short video explaining how the app works, providing "cards" full of contexual information where and when you need it. If you're about to drive to work, the app can tell you how long it's going to take to get there and route you around traffic. If you're near a public transit station, you may get information on when the next train leaves, and if you're heading out on a trip you may well see your flight info displayed in a card. Google's powering Now by looking into your data on other Google services (calendar, search, contacts and maps among them) so if this sort of oversight makes you twitchy, you can choose not to turn the Now capability on in the search app. %Gallery-187052% Voice search has improved in the new app. Previously, users could tap a microphone icon to enter search terms; not that exciting, really. Now you can pretty much ask Google Now anything and get responses almost immediately -- the service both seems to understand your requests better and responds faster than Apple's own Siri, so it will be a great addition to the iPhone for those of us who like to carry on conversations with our handheld devices.
Google Now available on iOS devices starting today
When it comes to major news, we didn't expect to hear much from Google in the run-up to I/O, but clearly, the company just couldn't wait that long. Google Now, a service that Android users have enjoyed for a year, just became available on iOS devices in the form of an update to the Google Search app, confirming those leaked videos we saw a few weeks ago. It won't have integration with notifications or alerts at launch -- it may come in a future update, but the company wasn't willing to divulge its future plans -- so you'll need to enter the app and swipe up to refresh your list of cards. The iOS version won't have every type of card that you'll find on Android, either: boarding passes, activity summary, events, concerts, Fandango and Zillow aren't included this go-round. Improvements and additional features will likely trickle in over time, but it's certainly better than nothing for iOS fans who've looked at Jelly Bean users with a slightly jealous eye. We've included Google's blog post in its entirety below, and you can jump to the source to download the app.
Google reportedly acquires natural language processing startup Wavii
Word that Google has snapped up natural language processing startup Wavii first came from TechCrunch, and now the Wall Street Journal is chiming in with its own sources claiming the deal has in fact been struck, and that an announcement is imminent. In its current form, Wavii parses a personalized news feed and distills text into a summary for the top stories, similar to Yahoo's recently-purchased Summly. TechCrunch reports that Apple and Google were locked in a bidding war for the outfit, but the web titan ultimately won with a bid in the neighborhood of $30 million. According to the WSJ, the fledgling firm's talent will join Page and Co.'s web search team, which means the language detection technology may bolster its Knowledge Graph, giving users better results (and direct answers) for their queries. As language recognition permeates Page and Co.'s projects, Google Now and Google Glass could potentially benefit from the acquisition as well. Mountain View has yet to acknowledge the reported purchase, but if the tea leaves are being read correctly, expect that to happen soon.
The Daily Roundup for 04.22.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Now may land on Google's home page, come to the web
While everyone else speculates about new Nexii and what sweet treat the next version of Android will be named after, we're anticipating some exciting news about Now at Google I/O. Specifically, that it might be coming to both iOS and the desktop. We've already seen quite a bit of evidence that the virtual assistant app will eventually land on Apple's mobile platform and maybe even Chrome. Newly discovered code in a Google page hints that it might just become part of the standard web search interface -- provided you opt to turn it on, of course. Source code for the page in testing encourages you to, "get started with Google Now," because it provides, "just the right information at just the right time." It also offers you the opportunity to change you home and work locations because, as the explanation goes, "Google Now uses your Home location to show relevant information like weather, traffic conditions, and nearby places." As you dig through you'll also find plenty of references to "now_card." If Now becomes a standard part of the Mountain View lineup, regardless of platform, it could be huge for a company which already dominates the search market. Not to mention, it might satiate those seven people out there still mourning the loss of iGoogle. We won't know anything for sure until the wraps are taken off and have reached out to the company for comment, but we anticipate the response will be predictably non-committal.
Google Now update adds real-time package tracking, faster search results
Have an Android smartphone running Jelly Bean? You might have come across Google Now, the search giant's information hub that aggregates personalized content from your inbox, calendar and GPS. Now, an updated version of Google's Android app, which hit Play today, adds a few more features to the mix. The latest revision brings real-time package tracking from certain carriers, assuming a tracking number arrived in your inbox, a new info option that provides a basic settings readout, and faster Google search results. You should be able to snag these additions right now -- simply update your Google Search app to take advantage.
