Google replaces Trips app with new Travel site

If you found Google’s Trips app quite useful for planning out trips, unfortunately, the company seems to be replacing that with a new travel site. The aptly named google.com/travel brings the tools you’ve used in Trips into this website. Using Android’s Material Design, the sleek-looking site will show you all your past and potential trips along with “Popular destinations.” You used to have access to this feature through Search, too. But here’s a more visually appealing update. The left sidebar shows links to Explore, Packages, Flights, and Hotels. The site also gives you an aggregate of different airline and accommodation results.

The Trips section of the site has a timeline feature that you can edit. You will soon be able to manually add new reservations and see what the weather will be like at the top of the site for the days you’ll be traveling. Aside from having related searches, saved places, and tracked flights, you’ll soon be able to see viewed hotels in this page as well as feature travel articles, upcoming events, popular restaurants, and suggested day plans.

Source: 9to5Google

Gmail on Android now has Google Task integrated

Google redesigned its Task app after getting rid of its standalone service and now, the company has ported this feature into Gmail on Android. So, if you’re using the improved app, you can now add emails into it. You just need to tap on the overflow menu (the three-dot menu) and click “Add to Tasks.” You’ll get a notification if an email has been added successfully, and whether you want to jump directly into the Tasks app to view this new addition.

Source: Android Police

Spotify tries out Stories feature for artists

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Spotify has its own take on Snapchat’s Stories feature and is calling it Storyline. The idea behind this is that musicians can share Stories-like content on their songs—whether these be a song’s influences or making-of trivia fans would love to hear. Unlike the Behind the Lyrics feature, which pulls information from Genius, artists will have to work directly with Spotify. The streaming service is trying out the feature on both Android and iOS, but it won’t say if or when this feature will be widely available to its users. The company says it’s always trying out new features and experiences. Expect it to show up for popular musicians.

Source: Engadget

Apple launches its new TV app on iOS, Apple TV, and Samsung smart TVs

Apple’s revamped TV app is now rolling out to over 100 countries for iOS users, Apple TV users, and select Samsung smart TVs. This brings the Apple TV channels, which was introduced back in March, and a new design, and personalized recommendations, among other features. Through iTunes, you will get access to over 100,000 TV sows and movies. The app will let you directly sign up in the app for popular video services (or what Apple calls channels) and access channels like Showtime, HBO, EPIX, MTV Hits, and Starz. By signing up through Apple TV, you can manage these services collectively within your account. The Apple TV app also offers Family Sharing for up to six family members and support for offline downloads to watch content offline.

For Samsung TV owners that have 2019 TVs and some 2018 models, the firmware update will come your way. And according to Samsung executives, the Apple TV app will work “seamlessly” with Bixby.

Source: SlashGear