Google Clock app gets Spotify integration to create customized alarms

Want to wake up to your favourite song? Google and Spotify have teamed up to make this happen. Both free and Premium Spotify users can set their soundtrack of choice to help kick off their days. Premium users can select any track, artist, or playlist to use as an alarm. Just head to the Alarms tab in the Google Clock app. There will also playlist recommendations there based on recently played music or curated Spotify morning playlists. Free users get the feature but the playlists will be in shuffle mode. Once you turned off the alarm, there will also be an option to continue playing the playlist. If you don’t have the Google Clock app, you can download it right from the Play Store. This new feature will be rolling out over the next few days, so keep your eyes peeled for it. According to 9to5Google, YouTube Music will be getting a similar integration soon.

Huawei surpasses Apple in global smartphone market share for Q2 2018

Power Trio: The Huawei P20 Pro Review

Huawei had a great second quarter for 2018. Data coming from IDC and Canalys show the Chinese tech company surpassing Apple and taking second place when it comes to the number of smartphones shipped worldwide. Huawei has shipped over 54 million handsets for Q2 2018 compared to the 41.3 million iPhones from Apple. Samsung is at number one with 73 million units shipped. According to the press release from IDC, “The arrival of Huawei in the second position marks the first quarter since 2Q10 where Apple has not been the number one or two smartphone company in terms of market share.”

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Logitech will buy Blue Microphones for US$117 million

Logitech is securing its place in the high-end audio recording market with its latest acquisition. The company just announced that it is buying Blue Microphones for US$117 million. It’ll be an all-cash transaction. Blue, which is known for creating USB condenser mics like the Snowball and Yeti, will be joining Logitech’s other brands like Astro Gaming, Jaybird, and Ultimate Ears.

In a blog post announcing the deal, Logitech wrote, “For Logitech, this is a new space. But, at the same time, it’s not at all. Gamers are already using our Logitech G webcams to stream. People are video calling with friends and family thanks to Logitech every day. And in business, our audio and video know-how is apparent every time a video meeting takes place at the office. Joining up with Blue and their microphone lines is a logical adjacent opportunity with great synergies.”

Facebook accidentally makes plane reaction emoji available to Android users

One new Facebook reaction emoji wasn’t supposed to go live. But it was spotted by some eagle-eyed Android users before the social network could take it down. Among the list of available reactions on the app, a cute little airplane emoji showed up. A lot of people assumed this was a feature Facebook was testing or getting ready to launch. (Although, we question what an airplane emoji could even mean.) Facebook was quick to dispel the news. Apparently, it was part of an employee hackathon and it wasn’t meant to go live. A Facebook spokesperson said, “This was created as part of an employee hackathon and wasn’t cleared for takeoff. Our apologies.”

Source: Fast Company