Google’s foray in the phone operating system industry is booming. The growth of Android, along with the abundance of “DROID” advertising has helped launch itself into the forefront of consumers who seek an alternative to the white walled garden, and of AT&T. While Android’s speed of development has been great, there is definitely one area that can be improved upon still: Media. I’m not just talking Android’s lackluster default media player (at least we have alternatives), but the way you obtain, organize, and manage your music and videos. Now, I don’t believe Android NEEDS an iTunes equivalent, I’m quite contempt with manually transferring my media, but it would make some things easier.
The fact that Google is looking to launch Google Music with their next update, code-named Gingerbread – aka, Android 3.0 , gives us a good indication that they wants to be your to go to gadget for tunes. On top of that, Google TV is making great strides with it’s partnership with Logitech, showing off a Harmony Remote app for Android.
While not many details are known to us yet, the fact that Google is looking to launch Google Music, and Google TV, means even tighter integration to Android. So stop playing Angry Birds beta for just a second and take a stroll with me to the possible future….
Manage and organization of your media with the database powers of Google’s search
One stop access to downloading music, tv, & movies
Google TV integration for transferring TV shows & Movies to your phone or tablet
Wireless/Wifi Syncing of new media content
What other possibilities can you imagine? Let us know in the comments.
You may have heard a thing or two about Google’s music service, likely to be dubbed Google Music. The idea was discussed at I/O back in May, which expectations we would see something around September. Well, September is here, and we’ve really heard nothing new about Google Music, until now.
Reports are now coming in that sources are revealing that Google Music may be landing sometime around Christmas. Sources are also revealing that Google is planning to launch the service along with Android 3.0. There’s only one catch, it seems that Google Music, being spearheaded by Andy Rubin himself, is having zero luck in signing deals with any major record labels.
Music is not the only area where Google is reportedly having difficulty getting content providers to come on board. There have been numerous reports that they are having an equally difficult time swaying studios and networks to partner with them over Google TV. One thing is for certain, though, and that is Google had better hurry up and get some record labels on board, or they will be launching a shiny new music service with no music to be found.
Google Music — or a version of what Google plans for Music to be — was shown off way back at I/O along with the debut of Android 2.2. It has since then been assumed that the launch of Music would most likely coincide with the launch of Android 3.0 (Gingerbread). From what has been revealed so far, the service will offer cloud-based functionality such as streaming from a desktop system to your Android handset as well as the ability to push song and album downloads directly to your phone. But when, exactly, does Google plan to unleash their counterattack on Apple’s iTunes?
The word is Andy Rubin has been hard at work in an attempt to get the service up and running by the holiday season, which does go hand-in-hand with the rumored release timeframe for Gingerbread. The problem is, so far Rubin and Google have failed to get any record labels to sign on to their music store. It isn’t that they don’t want to. One exec speaking on conditions of anonymity said, “finally here’s an entity with the reach, resources and wherewithal to take on iTunes as a formidable competitor by tying it into search and Android mobile platform. What you’ll have is a very powerful player in the market that’s good for the music business.”
See, music execs would love to have someone come along and take the power out of iTunes’ hands, or at least alleviate some of the hold Apple has on the digital music distribution industry. But for the same reason negotiations with Google may take a while. Record labels are very protective of their intellectual property, if you hadn’t noticed, and are pretty hung up on big profits at the same time. We expect most if not all major distributors to hop on board, though whether or not negotiations will delay the debut of Google Music remains to be seen.
As usual, Google delivered wonderfully as their Trevor Johns has chimed in on the Android developers blog to show application developers how to do just that. I won’t attempt to summarize his explanation for obvious reasons, but if you want to take a look for yourself be sure to click on over for the lengthy (and educating) read.
Over at the Google Mobile Blog, Google has announced a new Google Mobile YouTube channel, with a pretty cool UI. According to the blog post from Google:
In our channel’s “featured” section, we highlight some of our mobile search capabilities — like search by voice, sight, and location — that really help you take advantage of your phone’s unique technology. Since we understand that these represent new modes of searching for many of you, we’re going to launch some new videos that help illustrate the variety of practical and fun ways that you can use these features. To start with, check out our “Shoot This” series of videos for Google Goggles. Goggles can actually recognize much more than just bar codes and book covers, and these videos really let you take Goggles for a test drive. You can navigate through these videos by clicking on the embedded annotations to fast-forward or rewind.
They also mention that they have made improvements to make video sharing easier, among other changes. Be sure to hit up the source link below to check out the full blog post.
The good folks at Google have published a very cool multimedia showcase for what’s possible in HTML5. Using music by Arcade Fire (the 21st century hipster equivalent of ELO), filmmaker Chris Milk has made an interactive video of sorts that spans multiple browser windows.
Eliot Van Buskirk has a full write-up, including an interview with Milk, over on Wired’s Epicenter blog.
“The Wilderness Downtown,” features HTML5 native video and audio, canvas-animated birds that fly away from your mouse clicks, interactive SVG fonts, and photo panoramas from Google Maps Street View. You enter in the address of where you grew up and it pulls the images for that neighborhood. The neighborhood of my childhood home wasn’t available, so I opted for the section of Burlington, Vermont I lived in throughout college. It was creepy to see my old house in an Arcade Fire video.
Being Google-produced, the experiment works best in Google Chrome, of course. It had problems playing back properly in Firefox 4 beta.
If you have Chrome and can watch it, it really strikes a chord. It goes beyond all the HTML5 vs Flash dogma and presents what’s possible with these new technologies in a way which resonates on a level that’s more emotional and immediate than nerdy and intellectual.
So who do I talk to at Google about getting them to do one of these things for my band?
This post was updated at 2:45 PDT. The original incorrectly said it was a YouTube experiment. The site was created by the Google Chrome team, not YouTube.
Android Only, a conference for Android Developers being held in Stockholm September 29-30, will be featuring the world’s first Google TV, which is a Sony Internet TV with Google TV built in. Google’s foray into TV is slated to launch this fall, featuring devices from Sony and Logitech, as well as a set-top-box from Dish Network.
As you can see from the Twitter screenshot, more details are still to come, so stay tuned for further updates.
Shopper, Google’s barcode scanning, cover recognizing, voice searching application has gotten an update over the weekend. If you don’t know, Shopper can recognize book and other media just by “scanning” the cover art. It can also find items by scanning their barcode or you can search for them by just speaking. But enough about what it does, what did the update do?
Fixed camera bugs
Sorting for results
Related products
YouTube product videos
Faster scanning
Looks like a pretty decent change log to me, nothing revolutionary, but it’s nice to see them moving the application forward and fixing the things that are wrong with it.
Google is no longer hosting phone support for the Nexus One. As of today, if you dial the old tech support number (888) 486-3987, you will receive the news that HTC will be continuing support and then they provide the number (888) 216-4736. The Google Nexus One is now an official developer’s phone and no longer available via Google.com/phone. The Google Nexus One has come and gone, but the specs are still holding strong with new devices. We figured we would provide this information just to save you some time if you ever needed to call phone support.
A couple of days ago the software for the upcoming T-Mobile G2 leaked into the wild. After some ambitious folks over at DroidDog managed to get the ROM operating on a Nexus One we see just what the Sense-free G2 will bring to the table. The ROM is loaded with just about every Google app and widget currently available as well as a Google Voice widget we have yet to see. The widget gives you one-click access to your inbox, message composition, GV settitngs, an on/off switch, and shows how much money is left in your GV account. News of this widget comes on the heels of the recent phone call integration into Gmail. It looks as if Google may be trying to take Google Voice to new levels in the near future. Coincidentally this news comes almost exactly one year after Google had to defend against claims that it was squashing VoIP services on Android. More pictures after the break.
The Google Finance App has received some big changes designed to improve the user experience. When you are trading and buying you need 24/7 access to the stock statistics and this is what Google Finance is designed to bring you.
With more professionals turning to the Android platform this is a welcomed addition to the Google devices. There is a web version and an app version that can be downloaded through the Android Marketplace.
The markets don’t stop when you leave your desk, so we’re bringing the markets to you. Our new design gives you a unified experience across desktop and Android or iPhone phones, offering nearly all the same features and functionality on both. You can easily access the new site when you do a Google search for stock tickers or company names on your mobile device, or when you tap the “Finance” tab on the Google mobile homepage.
Do you ever wish you could be Jacques Cousteau, but you’re terrified of water? Well thanks to the latest updated from Google Earth, you’ll be exploring the ocean floor in no time.:
“The latest version of Google Earth for Android also introduces the “Explore the Ocean” layer, which features hundreds of photos and videos from more than 100 contributors who are excited to share their stories of sea.
For those of you running Android 2.2, there are some more treats in store. Google Earth now supports Flash in balloons, so if you have the Flash player installed on your mobile device, you can watch videos right in the balloon. We’ve also made the program easier to navigate; for most devices, you can now use two fingers to “look around” and change your viewpoint, as an alternate to using the on-screen button. This makes it even easier to tilt your view to see mountainous landscapes or underwater canyons. Rotating your view with a simple twist of your fingers is now available on more devices as well.
Google Earth 1.1 is available now to all Android devices running Android 2.1+
Download Squad says HTC is building Google’s Chrome OS tablet that will launch on November 26. Verizon is purported to be offering it as well and it will be heavily subsidized – maybe even free.
Specs? Download Squad guesses the Chrome OS tablet will have a Tegra 2 processor, 1280×720 multi-touch display, 2GB of RAM, at least a 32GB SSD, Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/3G, GPS and a webcam. Memory might be expandable through a multi-card reader.
According to New TeeVee, Verizon unveiled a series of new video applications today, including an upcoming iPad app that will allow FiOS subscribers to watch the same linear programming that is available on their TV screens on their tablet devices. The new app is expected to be rolled out early next year and Verizon expects to have all of its content partners on board by the time the app launches.
TV Everywhere automatically confirms that people are paid-up subscribers. Other than that, the service mostly uses existing online infrastructure. Both Comcast and TW Cable own a piece of Clearwire. But if Google, Intel and Sony band together for Google TV, and competitors like Boxee Box offer a la carte video entertainment, all that’s really required is a broadband connection.
It’s no secret, now, that from time to time, Google will remove an application from the Android market (mainly only if it violates the terms to which the developer agreed before he set up his market account or if they find the app is malicious or dangerous). An analyst taking a break through his busy number-crunching day went for a stroll in the Android market one day and – to his disgust – found Hitler themes when he searched the word “Jewish”.
According to the analyst – Michael Gartenberg of Altimeter Group – Google contacted him after he publicly thrashed about the app and agreed that it was “upsetting and violates TOS.” The violation? Obscenity, but I can’t judge that having never installed or used the themes for myself. Obscenity is very subjective, and while I’m sure a majority of folks in this world aren’t exactly gunning to become president of Hitler’s fan club, can you really consider images of the man and the logo he once donned “obscene”? We see it everywhere now, and it just so happens to be in the Android market, as well.
This particular case has an interesting twist, though, where searching the word “Jewish” could lead an unsuspecting Jewish user to the hurtful logo that’s been cursed by their ancestors for decades. Could it invoke psychological distress? Absolutely. But if we consider the definition of the word “obscene”, does the app really convey obscenity in such a way that Google would see fit to remove it without hesitation? Perhaps a slap on the wrist until the developer removes instances of the word “Jewish” from its description would suffice as that’s what’s bringing the app up in search terms in the first place.
If there were hateful words or images in tow, then yes: I’d agree with Google in a heartbeat. But then again, I haven’t seen these themes myself, so only those who had the displeasure of installing it (not many, according to recent market data) – and Google – can truly judge this instance. I’m not pro-Nazi, as much as my commentary might make me out to seem (and I like Google’s judgment, if we’re considering only this case), but I’d just like a bit more consistency in the Android market when it comes to these sorts of things (there are certain other “flags” and content in the market that I’m sure a few other groups don’t take kindly to). Fair is only fair until the top of the food chain doesn’t agree with you, in case any other developer still needs a clear warning.
If there’s one thing anyone can’t deny about the “walled garden” Apple polices, it’s that they at least make it clear what you can and can’t do and will take action before the first user calls foul. At the end of the day, I’m just wishing Google would stop trying to emulate a completely hands-off approach when it’s clear that a higher degree of regulation and consistency to enforce those regulations are needed (and desired, depending on who you are).
Google isn’t pleased with the latest suit filed against them and their open source Android OS. Oracle is claiming that seven of their patents are infringed upon in Android and its accompanying Dalvik virtual machine. The suit has dollar signs written all over, as Oracle recently acquired Sun Microsystems with intentions to reap the benefits of its Java patents from the beginning, according to one ex-employee. Google sees it as a personal attack on the open-source Java community, with a statement reading:
“We are disappointed Oracle has chosen to attack both Google and the open-source Java community with this baseless lawsuit. The open-source Java community goes beyond any one corporation and works every day to make the web a better place. We will strongly defend open-source standards and will continue to work with the industry to develop the Android platform.”
Sun and their internal Java work had chance to make a coalition with Android when Google first began developing the OS, but wanting their hand too deep in the cookie jar, Sun and Google butted heads on how to employ and license the Java Micro Edition ecosystem. Google then parted ways to develop their own virtual machine, one that Oracle claims makes illegal use of their intellectual property. Google will see strong support from the open-source community as the suit moves forward.
Oracle is suing Google for patent and copyright infringement over the use of Java in the Android operating system. The complaint, which was filed in the Northern District of California, makes several claims that target Google’s use of the Software Development Kit (SDK) and Dalvik virtual machine, which are both used to run the Android OS.
Oracle is claiming that Google infringed on Sun’s patents and trademarks, including the use of code and documentation. The claim, which also seeks monetary damages, has asked the court to stop Google from further infringement – an action which would possibly stop Google from shipping its Android operating system.
“In developing Android, Google knowingly, directly and repeatedly infringed Oracle’s Java-related intellectual property. This lawsuit seeks appropriate remedies for their infringement.”
“Without consent, authorization, approval, or license, Google knowingly, willingly, and unlawfully copied, prepared, published, and distributed Oracle America’s copyrighted work, portions thereof, or derivative works and continues to do so,”
“Google’s Android infringes Oracle America’s copyrights in Java and Google is not licensed to do so.”
When I got my hands on the T-Mobile MyTouch 3G Slide and had a chance to play with the enhanced Genius features, I kept wondering why we couldn’t all have the cool features of sending email and text messages using just our voice. The guys over at Google obviously have some form of telepathy and heard my thoughts.
Google today announced in a press conference in San Fransisco that they have released an updated voice service for all devices running Android 2.2 and above. the new enhanced voice control add-on for Android now includes Voice Actions that allow you control more features of your Android device than previously permitted.
Quoted from Google announcement today:
Voice Actions are a series of spoken commands that let you control your phone using your voice. Call businesses and contacts, send texts and email, listen to music, browse the web, and complete common tasks, all just by speaking into your phone
I played around with the application a little this afternoon and I can say that’s its working very well on my Google Nexus One. Accurate voice recognition and command detection seemed to be the order of the day and most of my attempts at sending emails, text messages and navigation commands went through without a hitch.
Mike LeBeau, the lead engineer for Voice Actions, show you how it all works in this video:
Google have added quiet a few extra command to the existing voice search facility in Android, they include:
send text to [contact] [message]
listen to [artist/song/album]
call [business]
call [contact]
send email to [contact] [message]
go to [website]
note to self [note]
navigate to [location/business name]
directions to [location/business name]
map of [location]
If you’ve already got Android 2.2 on your device, when you get a chance, head over to the Android Market and download the updated Voice Search application.
You can click or scan the QRCode below from your phone to head over and download it now.
What other features do you think Google could add to Android to make our every day lives more exciting?
Oracle Corp. said Thursday that it will be suing Google claiming that their Android OS infringed on intellectual property of Oracles Java Platform.
Google is no stranger to lawsuits. The most recent lawsuit being Viacom’s billion-dollar lawsuit against YouTube/Google claiming YouTube infringed on its copyrights and knowingly allowed offending content to remain on its site. A federal judge sided and ruled in favor with YouTube. Viacom has filed an appeal.
Oracle is claiming that Google also knowingly violated Java patent and copyright protection. Oracle and Google were not immediately available for comment.
According to MSNBC, Oracle is seeking an injunction to stop Google from further building and distributing Android plus higher monetary damages for willful and deliberate infringement.
Oracle acquired the java software with a $5.6 billion takeover of Sun Microsystems Inc. back in April 2009.
Today at the Google Mobile Event, Google announced the release of a new feature for Android, dubbed Voice Action. This new feature is a way for us to be able to speak to our Android devices to accomplish tasks. Commands include:
send text to [contact] [message]
listen to [artist/song/album]
call [business]
call [contact]
send email to [contact] [message]
go to [website]
note to self [note]
navigate to [location/business name]
directions to [location/business name]
map of [location]
The new feature is only available for Android 2.2 devices, leaving quite a few devices behind, but in time, more devices will follow in tow. Video of the features below., along with a qr code to download the app from the market.
Via:
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