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Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Google Now could be headed to Google's homepage on desktops

Google Now was first introduced last year as part of the Jelly Bean version of Android. Generally regarded as a more comprehensive alternative to Apple’s Siri, the popular personal assistant feature was largely expected to hit iOS devices and Chrome sometime this year, but now new evidence suggests the search giant might be going for an even wider rollout as it bakes the functionality into the Google.com home page.

References to the feature were spotted by the Google Operating System blog on a test page for the search engine containing several mentions scattered throughout the code, including the following introduction: “Get started with Google Now. Just the right information at just the right time.”

Google Now on a Nexus 10 tablet

It's not clear how Google Now will look on desktops compared to the Android app, but the code suggests users will be able to set and edit their home and work locations as well as their current location, and customize what to display through the use of “cards” -- the service currently supports over 25 different card types, including friends’ birthdays, restaurant reservations, boarding passes, news, events and so on.

Bringing Google Now cards to the Google homepage would mark a stark departure from the minimalist approach the company has usually taken. That said, even if Google Now indeed makes it outside of the mobile landscape, we imagine the feature won’t be forced upon all users but rather be presented an option for those who want a more customized experience -- sort of a modern version of the soon to be shut down iGoogle.

As a refresher, Google Now uses a natural language user interface to answer questions, make recommendations, and deliver information to the user even before he asks for it by predicting what they want based on user settings and past search habits. From the service’s official description: “It tells you today’s weather before you start your day, how much traffic to expect before you leave for work, when the next train will arrive as you’re standing on the platform, or your favorite team's score while they’re playing. And the best part? All of this happens automatically. Cards appear throughout the day at the moment you need them.”

View the original article here

By: Unknown On 9:34 PM

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Bigger LG Optimus G Pro spotted with 5.5-inch 1080p display, headed for Korea?

Are LG working on a bigger Optimus G Pro 55inch screen and an even bigger battery spotted

Remember the LG Optimus G? Then the Optimus G Pro, headed exclusively Japan? Well how about another iteration? Apparently bound for the Korean homelands, this one's still called the Optimus G Pro, but expands to a 5.5-inch 1080p display, as well as getting a battery bump-up to 3,140mAh. According to the leaked spec sheet sent to Phone Arena, this will join a 1.7GHz Snapdragon processor, alongside a healthy 2GB of RAM and a whopping 32GB of storage -- plus microSD expansion. Is LG readying something similar for its global fans? We'll give them a few more weeks to fill us in.

Source: Phone Arena

Friday, December 14, 2012

Updated: As production sees a surge, Surface headed to non-Microsoft sellers

Surface sales to soar?

Microsoft's Surface RT tablet will soon be on more store shelves, namely those that aren't run by the Redmond-based corp.

The company announced its plans to push the RT tab to additional retailers by the middle of the month in a press release Tuesday.

Buried in the retail talk was another tidbit: Microsoft is bumping up Surface production.

"We've increased production and are expanding the ways in which customers can interact with, experience and purchase Surface," Panos Panay, general manager, Microsoft Surface, said in the release.

Today's announcement confirmed rumors that surfaced Friday that the Softies were planning a two-phase push to pump out their Windows 8 slate at retailers outside company-branded storefronts.

Non-Microsoft retailers in the U.S. and Australia will see the Surface first, while additional countries will join the Surface fest in coming months, the company's announcement read.

Office supply chain Staples confirmed that it will carry the tab as early as Wednesday in all locations as well as online.

Best Buy also chimed in that it will start selling the Surface soon.

In Australia, retailers JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman both confirmed they will be stocking the tablet as well.

Microsoft assured that Surface sales are still available at company stores in the U.S. and Canada and online in Australia, Canada, the U.S., U.K. and other locations.

Not only is Microsoft expanding Surface retailers, but at least some of the holiday stores constructed just for the season will remain active into the new year, with a number to be converted into permanent retail outlets.

The company had set up 32 holiday stores in North America prior to the Surface's launch. Based on the success of those locales, all will extend into the new year. It's unclear at the moment which ones will transition into brick-and-mortar locations and which will switch to "specialty store locations."

While the retail push should help boost sales of the Surface RT, Microsoft is probably preparing for the mad dash that should follow the release of the more powerful Surface Pro.

That tablet, complete with the full Windows 8 suite, is due in January.