Thursday
Apr212016

Google Search might soon include live TV listings

Today, I’m excited to announce that, coming soon, Google Search will have live TV listings. So now when you’re looking for The Big Bang Theory, we’ll not only show you the apps and sites where you can find the latest episode, but also show which channel you can turn your tv to later in the evening or week to catch it live.

Looks like Google Search will help solve one of the most infuriating things about live TV, which is how hard it is to sometimes find what you want to watch. Turning Google Search into an intelligent, high-tech and localized TV Guide, will enable viewers to find the shows they want on cable and live TV, apps and streaming services they subscribe to. Ther's no indication of when the feature will be enabled and if it will be made available outside of the USA, but it definitely holds promise as one of the features users will rely on a daily basis.

A feature like this could be the tip of the iceberg if enabled on devices like Chromecast or Nexus Player which can now act as conduits for searching and playing back a lot of this content on demand, which could be the revolution that set top boxes have been waiting for.

Source:Google via Android Authority

Wednesday
Apr202016

Google introduces new Chrome extension and hashtags for labels on Keep

Google released a new update for its Keep note-taking app to make it easier to look for notes and save directly from websites. All you need to do is add hashtags to your notes to create labels. You could place labels before but you needed to head into the menus, which for some was a bit cumbersome. The app also gets a new Chrome extension so you can save links right from your desktop. It’ll show some information about the site or you can select some text and save that with the note as well. If you’re using your Chrome on your mobile device, you just need to head to the “Share to” function and that’ll save the sites and information directly into the app. The update is rolling out for both Android and iOS now.

Source: The Next Web

Wednesday
Apr202016

Facebook brings group calling to Messenger

Aside from being able to make free voice calls over at Facebook Messenger, the app now has group VoIP calls from its Android and iOS apps. All you need to do to start a group call is head over to a group you want to talk to and tap the phone icon. From there, select which members of the group you want to include. You can have up to 50 friends on the same call. It’s a simple feature that might be useful for some. It’s rolled out globally to both platforms today.

Source: Lifehacker + The Verge | Download: Google Play Store (Free) + iTunes App Store (Free)

Wednesday
Apr202016

Pictar camera grip interacts with your iPhone via ultrasonic waves

Feeling a bit envious about the LG G5 Friends camera module? A new Kickstarter project by Miggo hopes to recreate that experience with its Pictar accessory. The $90 USD accessory attaches to the back of your iPhone to give you physical buttons and a better hold on your phone when you shoot. Instead of Bluetooth, it connects to your phone using ultrasonic waves. It’ll emit an ultrasonic sound every time you press one of the buttons and this will be picked up by the iPhone’s mic. You’ll need to be using Pictar’s app to get this to work though. The good thing about using ultrasonic noise is it won’t drain your iPhone’s battery life and the case’s own juice at a faster rate. But we’re not sure how it’ll work in noisy environments. If you plan on getting one, Miggo plans to ship the Pictar by the end of the year.

Source: The Verge