Netflix download zones are coming to Ontario cottage country

By Sonya Davidson

Heading up to cottage country or a weekend getaway sounds like bliss. Family bonding time looking for toads, makng s'mores on an open fire, potato salad...it all sounds like a slice of heaven. But the drive in traffic isn't always fun and "are we there yet?" is often MY repeated question on any road trip.

If you have small kids you may be interested in learning that Netflix and Rogers will help with those lengthy drives by offering "Download Zones" across Ontario this summer at various locations. Parents can now download hours of entertainment for the family to enjoy on the drive- all without breaking your data plan.  I think it's also great for those down-times when you just needed a break or on a rainy day. 

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Google can now help you find a job

Google leverages its advanced machine learning capabilities and introduces a new project that would help out job seekers. Called Google for Jobs, it seems to be a specific part of its search engine that shows job listings you might be interested in. Google itself isn’t hosting the listings. They’re using third-party sites and companies like Facebook, Glassdoor, LinkedIn, Monster, and ZipRecruiter. You can customize the search for criteria like length of the commute. The feature even bundles together openings for jobs that might be similar but have different titles. When you select a job you want, Google will then redirect you to another service. 

Some of the big companies piloting the program include FedEx and Johnson & Johnson. According to Google CEO Sundar Pichai, these companies saw an 18 percent increase in applications over previous methods used. The project is first rolling out in the US in the coming weeks. 

Source: The Verge 

Google Assistant is now officially on iOS

At the Google I/O developer conference, the company made it official that Google Assistant is now on iOS. But with API restrictions, it can’t be interchangeable with Siri. Instead, it comes as a separate app, which you can put as a widget on your screen. It can do the usual stuff like send iMessages, play a song on your Spotify app (not on Apple Music), look up your schedule on Google Calendar, and check something in another language, among other things. But with the abovementioned restrictions, it can’t set alarms. The app does have a drawer icon of sorts that shows you what it can do for you. Google Assistant on iOS is first launching in the US. 

Source: CNBC + The Verge 

Google Home brings the fight to Amazon Alexa

Google Home is taking the fight to Amazon Alexa with a slew of new features including its own calling feature (as we reported earlier). What’s more, Google Home now also gets access to the free tier service of Spotify and support for SoundCloud and Deezer, among other music and radio services. The smart speaker now also supports HBO Now, Crackle, and Hulu. Google also adds Bluetooth connectivity from any compatible device, including the iPhone.

Aside from these, one of the new big features is what the company calls Proactive Assistance. Google Home will identify important information you might want to know and as the name suggests, it will light up on its own to let you know that it has something to tell you. An example shown at Google I/O demo was that it’ll alert you if you need to leave a bit earlier because of traffic in your area. Google promises to roll out these features slowly and will add more capabilities over time.

Source: BGR