Audiobooks now available in the Google Play Store

Google is making thousands of audiobooks available on the Google Play Store in 45 countries and nine languages. This enables the ability to purchase and listen to audiobooks without the need for a subscription. More importantly, the audiobooks will be accessible by Google Assistant and will work with Google Home speakers.

Just say “Ok Google, read my book” to listen to your favorite audiobook hands free with the Google Assistant on your phone or speaker, like Google Home. Try “Ok Google, who is the author?” if you need a refresher, or “Ok Google, stop playing in 20 minutes” to set a timer for bedtime reading. This is a key feature of rival Amazon on their Amazon Echo devices," says Greg Hartrell, the Head of Product Management, Google Play Books.

Apple's HomePod speaker comes to US, UK, and Australia on Feb 9

After a delay to market late last year, Apple's heralded HomePod smart speaker is coming on February 9 with preorders happening this Friday. Unfortunately, HomePods is coming to three markets -the US, UK and Australia with other countries (possibly Canada) getting the devices in the spring.

HomePod is a new product category from Apple. It looks to be taking on Sonos in terms of MESH enabled Hi-Fi streaming speakers but also looks to compete with the Amazon Echo and Google Home smart speakers which have been available in Canada since last year. Seen as a delivery methof for Apple Music, Siri, HomeKit and other Apple ecosystems, the HomePod is expected to bring big sound in a compact package.

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Thompson Reuters to host host Girls make Games development program

Thomson Reuters will host Girls make Games, an international game development program designed to inspire elementary and high school girls to pursue interests in STEM related fields. 

Participants will engage in game design, programming, and entrepreneurship workshops led by professional game developers to create their very own video game. Hit jump for details.

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Apple's Tim Cook makes first visit to Canada, surprises students in Apple Store

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

Apple CEO Tim Cook made his first visit to Toronto, Canada. Cook surprised students at the popular Apple Store in the Eaton Centre, one of the country's busiest malls. The unnanounced visit took staff, customers and students by surprise. Cook also thanked app developers, who were running a coding clinic for their contributions to the Apple ecosystem.

The students in question were a class of Grade 7 Students in Toronto's east end who were programming robots dancing on tables using Apple's Swift Playgrounds app on the iPad. Apple opened its Everyone Can Code initiative late last year and this focuses on making technology accessible so virtually anyone can create apps and solutions.

Canada is an extremely important market for us. We have a great team in Canada," Cook said in an interview with The National Post.

There are 120,000 Canadian jobs directly related to Apple's iOS and App Store ecosystem, the company said.