What is so special about the NBA?

Image courtesy of pixabay.com

The National Basketball Association (NBA) may not be as watched as much as the NFL or the English Premier League, but the NBA is a fast paced, exhilarating league, that, in years to come, will still be very much enjoyed by millions across the globe. 

The game is followed by fans from the comfort of their own homes with the use of technology as stats are already available on Amazon Alexa, as we mentioned a couple of years ago.  

Other fans may have tuned in to Netflix to watch The Last Dance with the greatest player of all time, Michael Jordan, who may have hung up his basketball shoes (did you know that he wore a new pair every game?) but the NBA is still as invigorating as it once was. What other sport sells 95% of its ticket allocation, at around $90, selling out 741 stadiums? And once inside, the atmosphere is exceptional.  

Click to read more ...

Google to hold digital 'Hey Google' smart home event on July 8

While Google had to cancel its I/O developers conference in May because of COVID-19 and California's shelter in place order, the company has plans to host a digital event for its smart home developer community. So far, it's pushing through even as California is rolling back its reopening plans due to new coronavirus cases. 

The Works With "Hey Google" Smart Home Summit will kick off on July 8 with a keynote from Michele Turner, Google Smart Home Ecosystem's director of product management. Turner's talk will focus on Google's newest smart home projects and how it'll make it easier for developers to implement Google Assistant integration. 

Click to read more ...

Google Photos to stop default backups of social media folders

Embed from Getty Images 

Google Photos will no longer automatically back up photos and videos saved in folders created by and managed by social media apps. The decision will help you save space as well as internet resources it uses when it backs things up. Previously, Google Photos would instantly include these folders when you upload all images saved on your Android or iOS device. But now, this feature will be turned off by default. You will need to toggle "Back up & sync" on for the specific apps or folders.

According to a support page detailing the change, "People are sharing more photos and videos due to COVID-19. To save internet resources, backup & sync has been turned off for device folders created by messaging apps like WhatsApp, Messages, and Kik. You can change this anytime in settings." Those that have already been backed up and organized by social media apps won't be affected by the change. 

Source: The Verge

Waze's brand refresh adds bright colours, cartoon-like icons to fit its users

Google-owned Waze wanted to refresh its look to celebrate its community of users. And with that, the company set about revamping its branding to make it "friendly, organic, and joyful." 

The logo looks similar to the old one, but a few tweaks are added to it. Like, the wheels look like they're coming from both sides of the character instead of on one side. The text looks like it fits more into the aesthetic of modern smartphones. Waze is also introducing Moods into its app. There are 30 different feelings you can express, and the company promises to add more. 

Click to read more ...