Google Play Music now uses machine learning to suggest songs

GooglePlay Music will now use machine learning and contextual tools to suggest music you like. Users can opt in to get access to personalised music based on their location, activity and weather. “Your workout music is front and center as you walk into the gym, a sunset soundtrack appears just as the sky goes pink, and tunes for focusing turn up at the library,” explained Elias Roman, Lead Product Manager at Google Play Music. Also, the home screen of Google Play Music has been revamped to show music you like at the top. The feature is powered by Google’s machine learning systems that keeps getting better with time.
Google Play Music works offline as well. The app looks at songs you’ve recently listened to and curates an offline list for when there’s no Internet connection. “As long as you remember to charge your phone, you’ll have your favorite tunes, even if you forgot to download them ahead of time,” said Roman. The new version of the Play Music will be rolled outstarting this week on Android,iOS and the web. It will be available in 62 countries globally.
Google had earlier announced it is looking to sharpen Play Store recommendations with artificial intelligence and expand support for various payment platforms, among other initiatives. The Play Music update is an indication company’s plans have started to materialise. Also, the Google Play Store is also expanding to new platforms, including wearable devices, virtual reality headsets and Google’s Chromebook laptops.

Google: Two Billion Chrome Installed

Google announced a new milestone for its Chrome browser today:2 billion active installs between desktop and mobile since its September 2008 release. The news was made public onstage at the Chrome Dev Summit conference by Chrome Engineering VP Darin Fisher. Of course, this stat differs from active use — just because you installed Chrome doesn’t mean it’s your primary daily browser. That’s especially true of mobile, where a company like Apple makes it easer to use its built-in Safari browser even after you’ve defaulted to mobile Chrome.
Still, 2 billion installs is a first for a Google product. The company announced last year during its I/O developer conference that it has more than 1 billion users of Android, Chrome, YouTube, and search. And last April, Chrome passed the 1 billion active user mark on mobile. That means, between its active install pass and growing mobile presence, Chrome could be the first Google product to hit the 2 billion user mark.
Though it is of course contending with Android. As of last September, Google’s mobile operating system was installed on1.4 billion active smartphones around the world. So for Google, it looks like a never-ending race with itself.

Android Chrome to get new Design

Google might be testing a redesigned Chrome browser for Android smartphones that places search bar at the bottom. The move is aimed at users with big smartphone screens, allowing them to use Chrome with one hand. According to a report in Android Police, the feature is unfinished as the space where the search tab is ideally placed (top) is empty as of now. “A new flag in Chrome Dev and Canary, only described as ‘Chrome Home,’ moves Chrome’s address bar to the bottom of the screen when enabled,” the report adds. In a screenshot put out by the site, we see controls including search tab, to add tabs as well as to switch tabs at the bottom.
While Microsoft has had browser controls for mobile versions of Internet Explorer and Edge for a couple of years now; Google might be on the verge of doing so pretty soon. Also, Safari for iOS has select select browser controls at the bottom such as switching tab, forward and backward. However, it looks like Google is only testing the feature for now and will roll out the same eventually for mobile users.
Google Chrome has been made 15 per cent faster on Windows. Google Chrome’s Sébastien Marchand, in a blogpost said, “Starting in Chrome 53, Chrome has started using Microsoft’s Profile Guided Optimization (PGO) technology to make Chrome up to 15 per cent faster on Windows.” ” PGO uses data from runtime execution that track which functions are most common to guide optimization,” he added.

Google reject EU antitrust charge

Google on Thursday formally rejected European Union antitrust charges of unfairly promoting its shopping service and blocking rivals in online search advertising, paving the way for EU regulators to rule next year on these issues and potentially impose hefty fines.
The US technology giant’s rebuttal in the shopping case came six years after the European Commission opened an investigation prompted by complaints from rivals such as Microsoft and a host of European and US rivals. The EU regulator followed up with an anti-competitive charge against the company in April last year and added more evidence in July this year. It also issued a separate charge sheet against its online search advertising product AdSense for Search at the same time. Google’s general counsel Kent Walker said on a blog that the accusations had no factual, legal or economic basis, and that the company’s actions were driven by its users rather than any plan to squash rivals.“We never compromised the quality or relevance of the information we displayed.
On the contrary, we improved it. That isn’t ‘favouring’ – that’s listening to our customers,” Walker said. He said the Commission had failed to take into account competition from Amazon, merchant platforms, social media sites, mobile web and online advertising by companies such as Facebook and Pinterest.
The EU executive said it had received Google’s response. “In each case, we will carefully consider Google’s response before taking any decision on how to proceed and cannot at this stage prejudge the final outcome of the investigation,” Commission spokesman Ricardo Cardoso said in an email.
Google may find it difficult convincing the EU regulator with its latest arguments, said Michael Carrier, professor at New Jersey-based Rutgers Law School. “Google has a point that its search results help consumers by allowing them to directly buy the item. But the Commission worries about the effect on rivals. This likely will outweigh the consumer point,” he said. Google also rejected a Commission proposal which would let the company charge rivals for displaying their services prominently, with the amount corresponding to its operating cost or a nominal amount based on the lowest reserve price for AdWords which is currently 0.01 euro per click. In the advertising case, the company said it had already scrapped the exclusivity clauses and other provisions identified by the regulator as anti-competitive.
The Commission plans to hand down hefty fines to Google if found guilty of breaching EU rules, the charge sheet seen by Reuters showed. The penalty could reach $7.4 billion or 10 percent of the company’s global turnover for each case. Walker said Google would respond in the coming days to a third EU charge of using its Android mobile operating system to hinder competitors. The Commission has given it until Nov. 11 to do so.

Google Glass make learning Morse code easier

Google Glass can make learning Morse code much easier as researchers have developed a system that teaches the code within four hours using a series of vibrations felt near the ear. Morse code is a method of transmitting text information in which letters are represented by combinations of long and short light or sound signals. Participants wearing Google Glass learned it without paying attention to the signals — they played games while feeling the taps and hearing the corresponding letters. After those few hours, they were 94 per cent accurate keying a sentence that included every letter of the alphabet and 98 per cent accurate writing codes for every letter, the researchers said.
“Does this new study mean that people will rush out to learn Morse code? Probably not,” said lead researcher Thad Starner, Professor at Georgia Institute of Technology . “It shows that PHL (passive haptic learning) lowers the barrier to learn text-entry methods — something we need for smartwatches and any text-entry that doesn’t require you to look at your device or keyboard,” Starner said in a Georgia Tech statement. This is the latest chapter of passive haptic learning studies at Georgia Tech. The same method — using vibrations while participants aren’t paying attention — has taught people braille, how to play the piano and improved hand sensation for those with partial spinal cord injury.
In the current study, the team decided to use Glass because it has both a built-in speaker and tapper (Glass’s bone-conduction transducer). In the study, participants played a game while feeling vibration taps between their temple and ear. The taps represented the dots and dashes of Morse code and passively “taught” users through their tactile senses — even while they were distracted by the game. The taps were created when researchers sent a very low-frequency signal to Glass’s speaker system. Because it was played very slowly, the sound was felt as a vibration. Half of the participants in the study felt the vibration taps and a voice prompt for each corresponding letter.
The other half — the control group — felt no taps to help them learn. Participants were tested throughout the study on their knowledge of Morse code and their ability to type it.
After less than four hours of feeling every letter, everyone was challenged to type the alphabet in Morse code in a final test.

First phone with Google Tango start shipping

Lenovo announced that its Phab 2 Pro would be the first phone to ship with Google Tango. And now, following early estimates of a November release window after a delay from the original summer date, we know exactly when that day will be: November 1st.
The Phab 2 Pro immediately stands out thanks to the extra-large depth-sensing Google Tango camera on the back of the device that allows the phone to map out physical spaces,track its position in a room, and follow objects. Getting down to the numbers, the Phab 2 Pro will cost $499 unlocked, which, in addition to the Tango sensor gets you a 6.4-inch QHD display, Snapdragon 652 processor, 4GB of RAM, and 4,000mAh battery.
The announcement of the Phab 2 Pro’s release date comes in a slightly strange manner — in the form of a small notification on Lenovo’s Tango-less Phab 2 page — so there’s still not a lot of information of where you’ll be able to buy the Phab 2 Pro.

Google Cast now Google Home

Google is gearing up for the release of Google Home in early November by updating the Google Cast app with a new design and a new name: "Google Home."This marks, somewhat confusingly, the third name for Google’s companion application for controlling Google-branded connected devices, following the original"Chromecast" and "Google Cast" names.
And while the consolidated branding is sure to be helpful going forward, as the Google Home app now serves as a one-stop shop to manage all your Google Home and Chromecast devices, it’s easy to see that it could be a bit confusing for customers who are familiar with the old product names.
Along with the new moniker, Google has updated the app with "Watch" and "Discover" tabs, making it easier to find new suggested content to watch on your Chromecast, along with a library of applications that support the device.

Google's new Wallpapers app gives phone freshy feeling

I've long had a pet theory that wallpapers are disproportionately important when it selling new phones. After all, the industrial design of many high-end handsets is pretty identical (just compare the iPhone 7 and the new Google Pixel), but it's the wallpapers that really stand out — those are sometimes the design aspects that feel the newest. In that spirit, if you want to give your old Android handset a bit of a facelift, Google has just the thing: anew stock app named Wallpapers.
The app has a bunch of high quality wallpapers, including some gorgeous landscape photography, cool architectural shots, abstract textures, and some nice Google Earth satellite images very similar to those used in promo pictures for the Pixel.
There's also a function that lets you switch your wallpaper every day if that's your thing. Of course, these are just wallpapers— an abundant digital resource and basically the freest thing in the world. But if you're anything like me, you've probably stopped caring bit about hunting out nice backgrounds for your phone, and it's good to have the easy option of an app with great shots preloaded. Just don't think it's going to make your actual phone any better.

Google Flights updated

Google is making it easier for users to plan trips and book flights as well as hotels this holiday season. Google Flights will now update users when flights are likely to increase in price, and help find good hotel deals. “Google Flights can now help you be more confident that you’re booking your flight at the right time to get the best price,” said Nabil Naghdy, Product Manager of Google Flights, in a blogpost. Google Flights now show when specific airlines a user is interested in are expected to raise their prices on specific routes. Users first need to select a specific flight they want to book. A notification indicating when the fare is expected to rise and how much they can save on booking might appear next. Notification bar with tips to choose the best price for a specific route may appear if users are looking to book a certain route but haven't selected a specific airline. “Tips can include things like recommendations for alternate airports or dates,” Naghdy said.
Google Flights may also show tips on an expected price jump for that route. Users will need to click on the card to see more details such as how much the price is likely to increase and when. Google Flights will send notifications via e-mail to users who’ve are interested in booking a flight for a specific route but haven’t done so yet. They can enter the details like airlines, routes etc and Google Flights will send notifications related to the same. Fare expiration and expected price jump notifications feature will roll out in the coming weeks.
Google Flights will let users track and manage saved flights seamlessly on their smartphones as well. There’s an Explore option which will suggest ideas on destinations to visit based on the type of vacation a user is looking for.
Google Flights will now help users find more deals on hotels in a particular location, like “hotels in new york”. Now, if users want to find out hotel deals , they need to tap in the upper left to filter for Deals. Additionally, Google Flights will notify users when savings are available toloyalty members on a hotel’s website.

Google’s new smartwatches with Android Wear 2.0 arriving early 2017

Google is reportedly working on two new smartwatches based on Android Wear 2.0.The smartwatches first rumoured in July this year are expected to launch early next year. Google recently delayed Android Wear 2.0 till early next year and might debut the new wrist friendly version of Android alongside the new smartwatches.
Google is currently revamping its hardware ambitions big time. The company recently ditched the Nexus smartphone brand to announce its own Pixel range. Google’s Pixel and Pixel XL are the most premium Android smartphones one can buy right now. Google is probably preparing its own smartwatches in order to better compete with other smartwatch makers and particularly help Android Wear watches jump back in popularity.
The timeline for the release of Google’s own Android smartwatches come from Evan Blass. He tweeted the release date alongside pictures of product first revealed by Android Police. Like Pixel smartphones, Google’s Android Wear 2.0 smartwatches will focus on Google Assistant as the primary method of interaction. The smartwatches are codenamed Angelfish and Swordfish and are also likely to come with new watch faces.
Android Police had reported that Angelfish will be a larger watch with large crown button while Swordfish is expected to come with more subtle and cleaner look. The Swordfish is expected to be the minimalist watch while Angelfish will concentrate on technical specifications.
Android Wear 2.0 was showcased at Google I/O 2016 with dedicated Play Store and support for material design. The next version is also expected to bring standalone apps and support for messaging directly from the watch.
Google has not confirmed plans of launching its own smartwatches but these could well be the first smartwatches to run Android Wear 2.0 and probably ‘Made by Google’ smartwatches.

Google is working on a new search index for mobile

Google is working to make the Web experience for mobile users better by indexing search results for smartphones. According to a report in Search Engine Land, Google will create a new primary search index for smartphone users in the coming months. “A separate desktop index will be maintained, one that will not be as up-to-date as the mobile index,” the report added. Search Engine Land quoted Google’s Gary Illyes, who confirmed to the site the mobile index will be rolled out within months. Gary talked about the same in a keynote address at Pubcon as well. However, he didn’t give out a timeline for the launch of mobile index. The Search giant first revealed it is working on mobile index at SMX East last year. Google has since been working to develop the idea. However, no details of the project are known for now. “The most substantial change will likely be that by having a mobile index, Google can run its ranking algorithm in a different fashion across “pure” mobile content rather than the current system that extracts data from desktop content to determine mobile rankings,” the report says. Google’s AMP Project addresses the issue of slow site loading on the internet. It is similar to Facebook’s Instant Articles that is designed to load instantaneously. According to Google, it takes less than one second for an AMP page to load.