Starbucks Teams up with Google to Bring Next-Generation Wi-Fi

SEATTLE, July 31, 2013 - Starbucks today announced the selection of Google to provide the next generation of its Wi-Fi offering for its customers. Beginning this August, new U.S. company-operated Starbucks® stores will begin to receive up to 10 times faster network and Wi-Fi speeds. Over the next 18 months, Starbucks will convert more than 7,000 U.S. stores to the upgraded store network and Wi-Fi experience.

“Every day, our customers rely on the free Wi-Fi at Starbucks to study, work, connect with friends or just relax. We want to make sure that they can access the web effortlessly and quickly, no matter what they’re doing, or what device they are using,” said Adam Brotman, chief digital officer, Starbucks. “Our goal is to continue to provide our customers with the best in-store experience possible, and we are excited to offer these kinds of unparalleled experiences at a broad scale.”

In addition to providing faster Wi-Fi, Starbucks and Google will also work together to co-develop the next-generation Starbucks Digital Network.

“Google has always invested in projects that help the Internet grow stronger, including projects that make Internet access more affordable and more widely available. We hope that speedier Internet will make the time customers spend at Starbucks even more enjoyable and productive,” said Kevin Lo, the General Manager of Google Access.

Starbucks and Google will work with Level 3 Communications, an international telecommunications company, to bring faster Wi-Fi connectivity to Starbucks® stores. Level 3 will upgrade existing Wi-Fi devices and will manage in-store connectivity in more than 7,000 company-owned stores across the nation.

Google Introduces Chromecast, The $35 Device that Allows You to Stream Audio and Video From Any Device to Your TV with Ease

Introducing Chromecast
To help make it easy to bring your favorite online entertainment to the biggest screen in your house—the TV—we’re introducing Chromecast. Chromecast is a small and affordable ($35) device that you simply plug in to your high-definition (HD) TV and it allows you to use your phone, tablet or laptop to "cast" online content to your TV screen. It works with Netflix, YouTube, Google Play Movies & TV, and Google Play Music, with more apps like Pandora coming soon. With Chromecast, we wanted to create an easy solution that works for everyone, for every TV in the house.

Remote-free
Once your Chromecast is set up, you can use your phone, tablet or laptop to browse and cast content to your TV, play and pause, control the volume, and more. But unlike other streaming solutions, you can still multitask—send emails or surf the web—while enjoying what’s on the TV screen. It works across platforms—Android tablets and smartphones, iPhones, iPads, Chrome for Mac and Windows (more to come), so your personal device is also now your remote control.

Cast the web to your TV
In addition to apps like Netflix, you can use Chromecast to bring a broad range of content available on the web to your big screen, thanks to a new feature in the Chrome browser that allows you to project any browser tab to your TV. From sharing your family photos to enjoying a video clip from your favorite news site, it’s as simple as pressing a button. This feature is launching in beta, but we’re excited for people to try it out and give us their feedback.



Google Cast SDK preview for developers
To ensure a great Chromecast experience over time, we've built Google Cast, a technology that enables developers to build consistent, intuitive multi-screen experiences across mobile devices and TVs. Today, we’re launching a preview version of Google Cast with more information for developers on our Google Developers blog. A handful of early developers are already working on enabling Google Cast technology in their apps, so more supported apps are coming soon. And while the Chromecast device is the first instantiation of Google Cast, we expect the technology to be embedded in a range of hardware from our partners in the future.

Google Launches All-New Nexus 7 with Sharpest 7" Tablet Screen

The new Nexus 7—the sharpest 7” tablet screen
Together with ASUS, we took what you loved about the original Nexus 7 and made it even better. The first thing you’ll notice is the sharpness of the screen: the 323 pixels packed into every inch of the screen makes it the world's highest-resolution 7-inch tablet. It’s lighter than ever, with more than nine hours of HD video playback and 10 hours of web browsing or reading. Nexus 7 now features stereo speakers and virtual surround sound from Fraunhofer (the inventors of the MP3 format), giving you rich and immersive audio.

Android 4.3—a sweeter Jelly Bean
Nexus 7 is the first device to ship with Android 4.3, the newest version of Android. Tablets are perfect for sharing with others, so in Android 4.3, we're introducing restricted profiles, which let you limit access to apps and content. For example, restricted profiles enable parental controls, so certain family members are prevented from accessing mature content. Likewise, retail stores can use tablets to show off product information, and shops can use tablets as point of sale systems. Android 4.3 also now supports Bluetooth Smart technology, opening the door to mobile apps that connect to new devices like fitness sensors. Android 4.3 is rolling out to Nexus devices starting today.


Ready to Play
The new Google Play Games app brings your friends together with the games you love, where you can invite a friend and start challenging gamers around the world, compete for top achievements, and race to the top of the leaderboard. You can also enjoy the world’s largest collection of eBooks, listen to millions of music tracks and immerse yourself in thousands of movies, TV shows, magazines and apps on Google Play. Plus, Nexus 7 comes loaded with your favorite Google apps, like Chrome, Maps, YouTube, Gmail and Google Now. 
Nexus 7 starts at $229, and is available in the U.S. beginning July 30 (with more countries coming soon!). Buy Nexus 7 online on Google Play, or check it out at Best Buy, Gamestop, Walmart, Staples, Office Max, Office Depot, Amazon, Home Shopping Network, Radio Shack, J&R and B&H Photo. Nexus 7 (LTE) is coming soon with support for T-Mobile and Verizon in the coming weeks. Learn more on our Nexus site.

Google Introduces Project Loon: Balloon-Powered Internet Access

So uhm, yea, Google just dropped the gauntlet to the rest of the world....

The Internet is one of the most transformative technologies of our lifetimes. But for 2 out of every 3 people on earth, a fast, affordable Internet connection is still out of reach. And this is far from being a solved problem. 

There are many terrestrial challenges to Internet connectivity—jungles, archipelagos, mountains. There are also major cost challenges. Right now, for example, in most of the countries in the southern hemisphere, the cost of an Internet connection is more than a month’s income. 

Solving these problems isn’t simply a question of time: it requires looking at the problem of access from new angles. So today we’re unveiling our latest moonshot from Google[x]: balloon-powered Internet access. 

 Read the rest of this incredible audacious idea from some of the biggest thinkers of our time over at the official Google blog.

The Official Google Maps App for iOS is Finally Here!

Yes. It's here. Sort of. It's rolling out worldwide as we speak in the app store. I'm hearing it's even better than the original Google maps app, by a good margin. I can't wait to check it out as soon as Apple graces me with the ability to download it. Who else thinks this will be the #1 free app by tomorrow? :-)

*UPDATE* Got it! And it's smooooth.

Google Launches Stand-Alone YouTube App for iOS

For all you diehard YouTube fans out there who can’t get enough YouTube on your mobile, we’ve got some great news: starting today, you can download the official YouTube app for iPhone and iPod touch from the App Store, bringing you more of the videos you love and more ways to share them with the people you care about. 

The new app is built by YouTube engineers, to give our iPhone and iPod touch users the best mobile experience. Here’s what you’ll find:

Tens of thousands more videos: Watch official music videos like Taylor’s latest hit.

New YouTube channel guide: Swipe your finger from the left edge of the screen to reveal a guide with your subscribed channels on YouTube, giving you instant access to everything from Alli Sports to YOMYOMF.

Find awesome videos faster: Get to videos like “Gangnam Style” faster with new search tools that give suggestions while you type, and let you sort through videos or channels. Flip through related videos, comments and more info, all while watching a video.

More ways to share with the people you love: Share that incredible video you found on YouTube on Google+, Facebook or text message in the app, as well as from Twitter and email.

There’s even more to explore with the new YouTube app for iPhone and iPod touch, available for download from the App Store today. We’re working on an optimized version of the YouTube app for iPad in the coming months, and stay tuned for more details.

You’ve already shown us you love YouTube on mobile—to the tune of 1 billion mobile views a day—so we can’t wait to see what you think about this new experience.

Google Updates the iOS and Android Google Drive App

Get Drive in the App Store for your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch and visit the Play Storeto get the latest on your Android phone or tablet. To learn more about Google Drive, visit drive.google.com/start.

Sharkoon X-Tatic SP Plus: Console Headset Revised

Sharkoon presents the successor to their "X-Tatic SP" console headset: The new version of the "X-Tatic SP Plus" comes with simplified connectivity and optimized wearing comfort. The stereo headset is designed particularly for use with the PlayStation 3 and Xbox360, delivering first-class sound with its premium 40 mm Neodymium magnet speakers, but can also be used with a PC, Notebook, MP3 players and Smartphones. Sharkoon has equipped the new model with a flexible headband, which reduces pressure on the ears and thus ensures a comfortable fit. Also new are the configurations of the two microphones: The user has the choice between an approximately 15 cm long, flexible adjustable chat microphone for gaming use and a compact mini-microphone for use while talking on a smartphone.

iSayHello - The Talking Travel Dictionary for the iPhone and Android

Ludwigsfelde, Germany - ADMOVI GmbH is pleased to announce the release of "iSayHello" - the Talking Travel Dictionary for the iPhone, iPad and Android.

We all know the situation: we get to our vacation spot and would really like to talk to the waiter in the restaurant, the staff at the hotel or the seller at the market. Unfortunately, when abroad this does not always work right away, since a foreign language is required and we, as a tourist, are not familiar with the appropriate vocabulary. However, quick and competent help may be called up via the smartphone by simply installing the right iSayHello universal app on the iPhone, the iPod touch or the iPad. iSayHello may also be installed as an app on Android smartphones.

Each iSayHello app covers a certain language combination, e.g. "English - German" or "English - Italian." The App Stores feature more than 100 iSayHello apps, thereby covering the same amount of language combinations. Languages like English, French, Spanish, Portuguese (European and Brazilian), Polish, Italian, Russian, Japanese, German and Chinese are included. There is even a "Bavarian" version - very important for getting along at the Munich Oktoberfest.

Each app provides a catalog that contains 11 subject-linked lessons. Areas such as "Welcome", "Shopping", "Dining", "Soccer" (appropriate for the upcoming European Championships), "Flirting" or "Emergency" are being covered. All lessons are accessible completely offline. This way they may easily be uses at vacation spots, without incurring expensive roaming charges.

"Where is the train station?" - "May I take you home?" - "That's quite expensive!" - "Do you take credit cards?"

Android Gaming – New Controllers Announced at E3

It’s that time of year again when all the latest and greatest gaming projects are thrust into the media spotlight at the E3 gaming expo. The 2012 event has seen some amazing new announcements, from the jaw-dropping visuals of Star Wars1313 to the innovative approach of Microsoft SmartGlass. But what about the mobile gaming market?

There have been a few new developments, including:

● PlayStation Mobile – A brand new version of PlayStation Suite which will work with third-party devices.

● The Amazing Spider-Man – The world’s first 3D rendered open-world game to hit mobile devices.

● Project Dragon – An ambitious new cross-platform MMORPG that will be available on touch-capable mobiles.

But what’s new for Android?

Google Releases Completely Overhauled iPhone Search App

Starting today, when you use the Google Search app on your iPhone, you’ll see a completely redesigned interface that gives you faster results, beautiful full-screen image search, and a simple way to access all your Google apps in one place.

Get results, fast
When you’re on the go, you usually want to get things done quickly. Autocompletion of search suggestions is significantly faster in this latest version of the app, bringing you search predictions instantly with each letter you type. You’ll also notice that pages load faster, and checking out multiple pages is easy with the slide-in panel. Quickly swipe back and forth between webpages and your search results, and swap between search modes like Images and Places with a swipeable menu. Finding text within a webpage is a snap as well; just try tapping the magnifying glass on the bottom menu option on any page. 

Beautiful Image Search
Searching for images will never again be a chore. Tap the images button at the bottom of the search results page, and watch high-resolution images load into a beautiful grid. Browse the images by scrolling down the full-screen grid, or tap on a single image to get details about it and then quickly swipe from image to image. You can also tap and hold an image to save it to your camera roll to use as your wallpaper or share with a friend.

Simple access
We’ve put all of your favorite Google services in one place for easy access. You can choose to browse Google web apps, or see just the apps that you have on your phone. Sign in once, and you’ll never need to sign in again to check a quick email, view your next calendar appointment or see what’s hot on Google+. 
Download the Google Search app now for a fast, beautiful, simple search experience on your iPhone.

Introducing Google's 5GB Cloud Service - Google Drive

Today, we’re introducing Google Drive—a place where you can create, share, collaborate, and keep all of your stuff. Whether you’re working with a friend on a joint research project, planning a wedding with your fiancé or tracking a budget with roommates, you can do it in Drive. You can upload and access all of your files, including videos, photos, Google Docs, PDFs and beyond. 

With Google Drive, you can:

• Create and collaborate. Google Docs is built right into Google Drive, so you can work with others in real time on documents, spreadsheets and presentations. Once you choose to share content with others, you can add and reply to comments on anything (PDF, image, video file, etc.) and receive notifications when other people comment on shared items.
• Store everything safely and access it anywhere (especially while on the go). All your stuff is just... there. You can access your stuff from anywhere—on the web, in your home, at the office, while running errands and from all of your devices. You can install Drive on your Mac or PC and can download the Drive app to your Android phone or tablet. We’re also working hard on a Drive app for your iOS devices. And regardless of platform, blind users can access Drive with a screen reader.
• Search everything. Search by keyword and filter by file type, owner and more. Drive can even recognize text in scanned documents using Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology. Let’s say you upload a scanned image of an old newspaper clipping. You can search for a word from the text of the actual article. We also use image recognition so that if you drag and drop photos from your Grand Canyon trip into Drive, you can later search for [grand canyon] and photos of its gorges should pop up. This technology is still in its early stages, and we expect it to get better over time.

GoDocs for iOS is Google Docs On the Go

Tallin, Estonia - lightroomapps., a burgeoning mobile applications developer focused on designing lifestyle solutions for the iOS platform, has today announced the recent update of GoDocs for Google Docs for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch devices running on iOS 4.2 or later. GoDocs is a universal productivity solution that gives it's users practical, streamlined, and perhaps most importantly, fully featured access to their Google Docs accounts from right through their iOS devices. Newly overhauled and enhanced, GoDocs version 2.9.0 offers more productivity features, added functionalities. Numerous minor bugs have been resolved to improve overall app performance. Ostensibly useful, GoDocs for Google Docs version 2.9.0 is currently available for download on the Apple App Store for $4.99 in the Productivity category.

Google's cloud based office suite, Google Docs, is one of the most comprehensive document creation, sharing, and editing solutions available today. GoDocs provides full access to this powerful system without sacrificing any functionality or ease of use. From editing spreadsheets and text documents, to sharing slide shows, PDF Documents and more, this app makes viewing, editing, managing and sharing Google Docs on the iOS devices as simple as it would be on a laptop or Google enabled device. Committed to ensuring that GoDocs continues to be the premiere Google Docs utility on the App Store, its developers have just unveiled a new wave of improvements.

Google Chrome Update: Faster Browsing, Safer Downloading

When I visit my favorite sandwich shop, I always order the same thing: a chicken cashew salad sandwich on whole wheat (it’s awesome). Now, the owners know what I want as soon as I walk in the door. Which means they can start making it before I say a word. Which means I get my sandwich faster.

With today’s Stable release, Chrome now does the same thing. Except not with sandwiches. When you start typing in the omnibox and the URL autocompletes to a site you’re very likely to visit, Chrome will prerender the page, so it will appear faster--sometimes, even instantly--as soon as you hit Enter. To learn more, check out the post from our latest Beta release. 

On the security front, Chrome now does even more to help protect you from malicious downloads. In addition to checking a list of known bad files, Chrome also does checks on executable files (like ".exe" and ".msi" files). If the executable doesn't match a whitelist, Chrome checks with Google for more information, such as whether the website you're accessing hosts a high number of malicious downloads.

In the near future, we will also begin rolling out updates to Chrome OS to further simplify the Chromebook experience. With a new image editor, Chromebook users will be able to quickly view, edit and share photos on the web. Users will also see an improved Verizon 3G activation portal, which includes the ability to set up a recurring purchase of mobile data.
If you don’t have Chrome, download it now to check out the latest features!

TouchDocs brings Google Docs to the iPhone and iPad

San Diego, California - Accessing Google Docs(TM) on the iPhone and iPad just became easier with the release of TouchDocs from Kabuki Vision, LLC. With its stunning interface, TouchDocs provides a full-featured solution for easily browsing, viewing, searching, and editing files stored in Google Docs(TM).

A wide variety of file types are supported, including documents, spreadsheets, presentations, PDFs, images, movies, and audio. Documents and spreadsheets can be edited in TouchDocs via Google's mobile web editor, which is accessed directly from within the app. Files in Google Docs(TM) are automatically downloaded to the app so they are always available, even without an internet connection. Designed with a focus on ease of use, TouchDocs provides a superior experience for Google Docs(TM) users.

"Using TouchDocs to manage Google Docs files is much simpler and more convenient than using a web browser", says Adam Shaw, founder of Kabuki Vision. "As a native iOS app, it can provide access to Google Docs in a much more convenient, powerful way."

Mujjo Next-Generation Touchscreen Gloves Now Available in the US

Austin, Texas - Fountainhead International, LLC today is pleased to introduce Mujjo Next-Generation Touchscreen Gloves. Created by Dutch company Mujjo, the high-tech conductive gloves allows the wearer to "use all fingertips, knuckles and even the palm of the hand" while wearing the gloves to operate a touchscreen device. The new touchscreen gloves by Mujjo provide the wearer with more options for use since all areas of the glove are usable.

Mujjo developed the Mujjo touchscreen gloves as an effective solution for touchscreen device users to comfortably answer calls, send text messages, take photos, get directions, play games or scroll through music on their phones without taking off their gloves. Mujjo's touchscreen compatible winter gloves work with all capacitive touchscreen devices including the iPhone, Blackberry, Samsung, HTC, LG and any other touchscreen phone available. They also work on larger touchscreen gadgets like the iPad.

Capacitive touchscreens work by sensing the conductive properties of the user's skin. Mujjo gloves are made of high-quality silver-coated nylon fibers knitted into the entire fabric of the glove. These silver-coated nylon fibers make the gloves conductive and therefore touchscreen compatible. Regular touchscreen gloves functionality is restricted to one or two fingertips. Mujjo touchscreen gloves enable its wearer to use all fingertips, knuckles and even the palms of their hands.

Desk Pets Deploys iOS and Android Controlled TankBot

Toronto, Canada – (September 20, 2011) – Desk Pets International (HK) Limited, creator of interactive micro-robotic toys and gadgets with big-play value, unveils TankBot, winner of Popular Science’s Best of Toy Fair 2011.  Three interactive modes allow TankBot to navigate mazes, free-roam, and be fully controllable by your Apple iOS or Android mobile device. Featuring a built-in USB charger, battery cost is non-existent, giving TankBot hours of inexpensive playtime. Available today for $24.99 at Radio Shack and Toys “R” Us nationwide.

Checkout the TankBot in action: Porsche vs TankBot / TankBot on the Loose

Google Announces the Official Blogger app for iOS! (finally!)

Blogger, a blog-publishing service, has been around since 1999 and it has gotten pretty popular since Google acquired them in 2003. Strange enough, the search firm neglected the iOS app until today, when Blogger for iPhone debuted as a free download on the App Store. Google says in a post over at the official Blogger blog that the app lets you write a new blog post and publish it immediately or save it as a draft right from your iOS device. 

Today we’re excited to announce the new Blogger app for iOS. With the Blogger app, you can write a new blog post and publish it immediately or save it as a draft right from your iOS device. You can also open a blog post you've been working on from your computer and continue editing it while you're on-the-go. Your blog posts are automatically synced across devices, so you’ll always have access to the latest version.

Pictures are worth a thousand words, and the Blogger app makes it easy to add photos either by choosing from the gallery or taking a new photo right within the app. You can also add labels and location to provide more details about the post.

 Download the Blogger app today for iOS versions 3.2 and above in the App Store.

Google to Acquire Motorola Mobility

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA and LIBERTYVILLE, IL – AUGUST 15, 2011 – Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) and Motorola Mobility Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: MMI) today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Google will acquire Motorola Mobility for $40.00 per share in cash, or a total of about $12.5 billion, a premium of 63% to the closing price of Motorola Mobility shares on Friday, August 12, 2011. The transaction was unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies.

The acquisition of Motorola Mobility, a dedicated Android partner, will enable Google to supercharge the Android ecosystem and will enhance competition in mobile computing. Motorola Mobility will remain a licensee of Android and Android will remain open. Google will run Motorola Mobility as a separate business.

Larry Page, CEO of Google, said, “Motorola Mobility’s total commitment to Android has created a natural fit for our two companies. Together, we will create amazing user experiences that supercharge the entire Android ecosystem for the benefit of consumers, partners and developers. I look forward to welcoming Motorolans to our family of Googlers.”