Software : Google Hangouts may get SMS support, iMessage feels the fear |
- Google Hangouts may get SMS support, iMessage feels the fear
- What's new for BlackBerry business users?
- Blip: We did it! Well, someone out there hit 50 billion App Store downloads
- Google IO: Larry Page: I wouldn't grade the industry well in terms of where we've gotten
- Google IO: Google Maps 'photo sphere' adds tours via user-generated pictures
- Google IO: Google tells the beautiful future of Maps during IO keynote
- Google IO: Google brings Hangouts messaging application to life
- Google IO: Redesigned Google+ stream joined by 41 new features starting today
| Google Hangouts may get SMS support, iMessage feels the fear Posted:  While, to our surprise, there was no mention of SMS support for Hangouts during Google's I/O conference yesterday, it seems that we probably shouldn't have read too much into the absence. Some details in the Google Play store have alluded to SMS support being very much available on Hangouts in the future. The information, found within the list of permissions for Hangout on Android, flags up some pretty explicit hints under the "Your messages" section. The permissions include a request to "Read your text messages (SMS or MMS)" and another to "Send SMS messages". Pretty straightforward stuff, really. Let it all hang outThe current Android app doesn't seem to include these features, but the fact these permissions are already being detailed is good news for those still holding out for some SMS love. Of course, such integration could pose a threat to iMessage, which is currently only available for iOS, while Hangouts is cross-platform. Whether the omission in the initial Hangouts rollout is due to Google still developing the support or just deciding against it is unclear for now. Oh, and turns out we were right about Hangouts after all. |
| What's new for BlackBerry business users? Posted:  As well as announcing the budget Q5 BlackBerry 10 handset at the BlackBerry Live conference this week, the company is also updating its management features for businesses – for its own and other smartphones. So not only will the BBM messaging service be available for iOS and Android this summer - initially for text messages, photos and the new branded channels that businesses can use to reach customers - but with BBM voice and video features promised in the future. That could be useful within a business because it allows the sender to see when a message has been delivered and if it's been read yet. But if your business uses Microsoft Lync or IBM's Sametime instant messaging, you can now get encrypted instant messages on BlackBerry 10 handsets. You can see who else is available on IM, see new messages in the BlackBerry Hub, send individual and group messages or switch from a text chat to a voice call. And if you're using BlackBerry Balance to separate personal apps and work information, secure IM can be managed inside the work perimeter of Balance. Secure Work SpaceThe free BlackBerry Enterprise IM 3.0 app is available on the BlackBerry site now, but the Secure Work Space apps for iOS and Android that BlackBerry showed in March is still in beta testing with selected partners. Secure Work Spaces will need an update to the BlackBerry Enterprise Service that will be available at the end of June. It's scheduled to ship by the end of August through the Apple App Store and Google Play. Both versions will include email, contacts, calendar, tasks and file access, a secure browser for looking at intranet sites, and allow admins to package up apps to run inside the BlackBerry-protected workspace. "What we're focusing on is data level protection," Jeff Holleran, Senior Director of Enterprise Product Management, told TechRadar Pro. "It's about protecting data on the device rather than the ability to control the complete device. "We use the right levels of data protection so we don't have the concern of attack vector going against the data, because it's just those fully authenticated apps from the business that have the ability to go across the secure connection to the firewall. You can think of it as extending the firewall to cover the apps on the device." Not only is that easier than trying to build an app that uses a VPN, but it's also better for battery life. Because a VPN connection will time out if it's not being used, other tools for connecting to business data have to keep the connection alive. This involves turning on the phone radio, which reduces battery life and uses up a data plan. BlackBerry isn't yet looking at Windows Phone or any other platforms. Feedback factor"Our customers have asked us to support iOS and Android," Holleran said. "If there is feedback from them, we will add additional platforms when it makes sense to do so." That's over and above the BES 10 version 10.1 update that's available this week, which allows admins to apply the same kind of policies to BlackBerry 10 handsets as they could with BlackBerry 7 devices, like turning off the camera or blocking personal apps and files. It's aimed at primarily government departments and heavily regulated industries that need to strictly control what employees can do with phones. But smaller businesses will also be interested in the new version of BES because it's significantly easier to install, as well as showing more information about the phones – BlackBerry, iOS and Android - that you're managing. The new dashboard will show how many devices are being managed, what mobile network they're on, what OS they're running, what apps are installed and whether they're complying with your policies. "We got a lot of user feedback," Holleran told us. "We listened to the feedback and we've simplified it a lot." For example, BES 10 had multiple installers, all with different requirements, and you had to run them in the right order. "We consolidated the installers so it's going to lay down the components you need in the right order. We do port checking to make sure there are no conflicts. We made sure it became a very seamless installation." Firewall optionsThe June BES update will also make managing iOS and Android devices easier by simplifying firewall options. "The number one complaint we had was all those ports you had to open on the firewall to Apple and Google for managing devices," Holleran said. "Now we route that through the BlackBerry secure infrastructure so you don't have to open extra ports." BES 10 version 10.1 is a free download and BlackBerry is continuing the offer of free upgrades for BES 5 users until the end of December 2013. After that licences will cost $59 (£39) per year per device. |
| Blip: We did it! Well, someone out there hit 50 billion App Store downloads Posted:  We thought we heard bells and whistles over the din of Google IO, and it turns out it wasn't just the result of an Android overdose: Apple's App Store surpassed its 50 billion download mark this afternoon. "We just hit 50 million app downloads," the official App Store Twitter account announced. "Thank you. It couldn't have happened without you #50BillionApps." A little somber, but you're welcome nonetheless, Apple. No word yet on who the lucky winner(s) of $10,000 (around £6,400/AU$9,740) App Store gift card is yet, though none of our friends have posted on Facebook about it. Oh well...we can try for 1 trillion. More blips!News don't cost a thing with our lovely blips. |
| Google IO: Larry Page: I wouldn't grade the industry well in terms of where we've gotten Posted:  Google CEO Larry Page staged the final act of the marathon Google IO keynote today, a 3-plus hour barrage of music, the Galaxy S4 with a Nexus twist and Maps news. While he stayed fairly high level in discussing how humans should use (and not have to think) about the technology in their lives during his prepared remarks, it was after an audience question that he threw barbs at the industry for not progressing as quickly as it should by focusing on "negative and zero-sum games." One culprit in particular: Microsoft. "I've been quite sad at the industry's behavior around [open web standards]," he said. "If you take something as simple as instant messaging, we've had an offer forever that we'll interoperate on instant messaging. "Just this week, Microsoft took advantage of that by interoperating with us, but not doing the reverse, which is really sad. We need interoperation, not just people milking off one company for their own benefit. Google has always stood for that." Sad LarryPage was referring to Microsoft's move earlier this week of adding Google Talk to Outlook.com via the latter's APIs. We've asked Microsoft for its response to Page's comments, and will update this story when we hear back. The CEO, who yesterday revealed he's endured vocal chord paralysis for the past 14 years, admitted that while Google tried to stay "on the right side of things," the company is practical in terms of not "shooting ourselves and our users in the foot." "I'm sad that the web is probably not advancing as fast as it should be," he continued in his response to the query, posed by a Mozilla employee. "We've certainly struggled with people like Microsoft. We've had a great relationship with Mozilla I think, and value that deeply. I'd like to see more open standards and [companies] get behind things that just work." Devs shouldn't have to chooseEven though Android has seen a surge in adoption, Page said he doesn't think developers should have to decide which system they will create software for. "In the long term, developers shouldn't have to think about, 'Am I developing for this platform or another,'" he said. "I think you should be able to work at a much higher level. The software you write should be able to run everywhere easily." Page's comments were perhaps the most rousing part of an otherwise anti-climatic keynote. Though developers are sure to jump on services like Android Studio, the lack of major hardware announcements and demonstrations that have defined conferences' past left a rather empty aftertaste from an end-user perspective. Granted, this is the foundation for the groundbreaking announcement's of next year's (or the year after's) IO. Perhaps if Page's hope for a free-experimentation, Burning Man-type safe spots - a wish he expressed during the unorthodox Q&A - will bring out such earth shaking developments. |
| Google IO: Google Maps 'photo sphere' adds tours via user-generated pictures Posted:  Photo sphere actually has a relevant use now that Google announced at the IO conference that its Maps service will use the 360 degree images app for tours. The new Google Maps enables impressive user-generated tours of landmarks via photo sphere, with pictures showing up at the bottom of the redesigned Maps. An outside 3D model of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome was demoed off using "Google Earth in the browser" capabilities with no plug-ins and no downloads necessary. 3D photo tour examplesThe beauty of St. Peter's Basilica is on the inside, noted Jonah Jones, lead designer of Google Maps.
Jones transitioned to an indoor panoramic of the Vatican City church, giving the Google IO conference audience an interactive look at an almost-360-degree tour interior. "This is a 3D photo tour that is automatically generated from user photos," said Jones, who added that over time "it will only get better and better." Like 'user-generated Street View'A little closer to home, Jones brought the Google Maps photo sphere demo back to the Google IO conference in the Moscone Center. First, he gave everyone the outside perspective from the perspective of skydivers, a nod to last year's more exciting Google Glass keynote opening. Jones then revealed that he had taken a photo sphere image of this year's audience while giving his stage demo and had already uploaded it to the new Google Map. "This is what you guys look like from up here," he said while showing off the recently captured photo sphere.
"It's like a user-generated Street View," Jones said to applause. Google said that users won't want to wait for this, so it's rolling the photo sphere-filled Google Maps feature to users via invites starting tomorrow at maps.google.com/preview. |
| Google IO: Google tells the beautiful future of Maps during IO keynote Posted:  The new Google Maps for Android and iOS made its debut today at Google's IO conference with a new 5-star ratings system for businesses, Zagat listing integration, improved UI features, a dedicated tablet experience, and yes, more. Google Maps Director Daniel Graf introduced the new mobile Google Maps today during the IO keynote in San Francisco. "Maps are also about exploring and discovering places," Graf said. The new Google Maps for iOS and Android will also feature Google Offers from business that will rival similar features from social map apps like Foursquare. Graf even took a dig at Apple's unfortunate maps app by reminding viewers that Google Maps is actually accurate. Improved navigationGraf also detailed changes to directions in Google Maps for mobile devices. New dynamic features will alert drivers to incidents on the road and reroute them in real time. Real time traffic view has been improved as well. The new Google Maps experience will arrive on mobile devices this summer, and it will be optimized for iPad and Android tablets. The future of Google MapsGoogle Maps Lead Designer Jonah Jones then took the stage to introduce the future of Google Maps on the desktop, which he said was rebuilt from the ground up. It's "a map built for you," Jones said. Each user will see a custom map that displays locations that are important to them. Highlighting a landmark will even label every little street around it, so you won't be left wondering what the 1 inch, unnamed strip of white is on your map and whether or not it's the alleyway you're supposed to turn left on any more. The new experience will feature "cards" that summarize everything about a place, and the future of Google Maps will focus on the maps and add rich, beautiful textures, Jonah said. It will learn from users and improve over time.
The new full Google Maps experience will also also you to search for directions by clicking around on the map, and will compare public transit and driving routes directly on the map, making things much more convenient. Public transit directions will also include schedules built right into the new Google Maps. The demonstration concluded with an impressive look at the Earth from space that showed clouds on the day side and lights on the night side of the planet in what appeared to be real time.
Google is taking invite requests to preview the new Maps now via a dedicated page. The history of MapsBrian McClendon, vice president of Google Maps, also took the stage to reveal that over 1 million websites, visited by over 1 billion people a week, currently use Google Maps. McClendon discussed the past of Google maps since it launched in 2005, explaining the various changes to the service over the years in great detail. The new Google Maps leaked last night, giving an early look at some of the features shown today. |
| Google IO: Google brings Hangouts messaging application to life Posted:  Google wants people to talk to one another no matter where they are or what platform they're using thanks to its new Hangouts messaging system for Google+. Hangouts, announced at Google IO, was the replacement name that we confirmed for "Babel" and now is very real. And speaking of replacements, Google plans for Hangouts to take over Google Talk. App users will be able to start live group video conversations with up to 10 friends in what Google is calling a stand-alone version of Hangouts that combines text, photos and live video. Users can take a conversation from device to device, and those messages will appear in a list format. All convos will be stored in the cloud, with users able to plug into conversations anytime, even if they aren't connected. Here's a rather sentimental Hangouts explainer video that at least relays the message the service works across devices: Hang looseThe Android version of the app makes a point to note that Hangouts replaces Talk, so be warned if you want to download the app yet like the older chat service.
Users can insert photos and videos into the app, and provides cross-platform support on the web as well, and emoji are certainly part of the mix. A Hangouts history allows users to swipe back to older conversations, though this feature can be turned off. The rumored "one time" notification is also a part of Hangouts, meaning once users see a notification on one device, it will clear from other devices and computers (though Google curiously specified this will work for Android devices with no mention of other platforms). Hangouts will be available starting today for Android, iOS and Chrome. Though the Android Hangouts app is available right now, SlashGear discovered there's apparently a FaceTime-like block on AT&T handsets preventing the video chat from playing. We'll update when we have more information as to whether this is a glitch or a permanent reality. |
| Google IO: Redesigned Google+ stream joined by 41 new features starting today Posted:  Google is laying lots of love on its social platform today with the announcement of 41 new features across three major areas that will start rolling out today and over the next week for Google+. Google Senior Vice President Vic Gundotra made his return to the Google IO keynote stage to talk about the burgeoning social network. The stream will see a new design chopped up into columns, moving away from the "flat" design of the previous layout. Users will see between 1-3 columns depending on screen size and orientation, while photos and videos can take the entire wide of the screen. Google is also adding a related hastags feature to the stream, which takes advantage of Google's vast access to the world's knowledge on the web. Let's say you're reading something about your favorite sports team: Google will hashtag is accordingly, then ID and rank relevant conversations across Google+. When users click on the related "#," the card will flip and let users browser related content inline. Put a smile on your faceGoogle+ will add a new Hangouts app as well, plus new photo features. On the photo front, every Google+ user will now have access to 15GB of free photo storage, and the company will automatically back up mobile pictures as the snaps are taken via Auto Backup (a.k.a Instant Upload). In addition, the Google social network will automatically choose your best images for you using a new feature called Auto Highlight. Alternately referred to as Highlights, the feature won't include images that are duplicates, blurry, or poorly shot. Its algorithms can, however, recognize landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and smiling faces. It will also give greater prominence to photos of people it detects are important to you. Google+'s new photo enhancing algorithms will also "take into account human taste" to automatically tweak noise reduction, white balance, tonal distribution, and more, and "make images perfect," Gundotra said, in a new feature call Auto Enhance. Auto AwesomeAnother new Google+ photo feature is Auto Awesome, which creates new images based on images you've uploaded. Auto Awesome images can include collages, panoramas and choppy moving GIFs that Google will construct automatically and "gift" to users on Google+. Auto Awesome will debut on Google+ this afternoon, according to Gundotra. |
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