Hasta La Gadget!

Today, Google announced it’s making some improvements to its social network, both on the web as well as on the Android and iOS apps. The company’s own Vic Gundotra has — appropriately — taken to Google+ to share that notifications have been improved all around, making them “much easier to use across mobile and desktop.” Additionally, these notifications now tout a new bell icon which lets users know when stuff is waiting to be glanced, plus there’s a tray that manages read and unread items — in other words, they’ve become a lot less obtrusive and cumbersome.

The Android application, meanwhile, has been updated with the option to delete pics from within the “Photos” view, while other under-the-hood improvements were added to the menu in order to make it “more consistent with other Google apps.” The rejuvenated notification system is expected to be rolling out over the next few days, however the Android app is available now at the Google Play link below.

Filed under: Internet, Software, Mobile, Google

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Source: Google Play, Google+

Gesture lovers and polyglots rejoice! Yesterday, Google updated Gesture Search for Android phones and tablets, making it compatible with even more languages. The app provides quick access to music, contacts, applications, settings and bookmarks — to name some — by letting users simply draw characters on the screen. It now recognizes over 40 languages and even handles transliteration, which comes in handy in Chinese, for example, where some native characters require more strokes than latin equivalents. Gesture Search started life as a Google Labs project back in March 2010 and received several tweaks over the years, including tablet support last fall. So go ahead: download the latest version from the Play Store and swipe away.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile, Google

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Source: Google (Google+)

Under Armour has always prided itself on the science and technology that goes into its sports apparel. But, let’s be honest, the company could spend four times as much on R&D for a shirt as HTC did on the One, and it would still never generate the same fanfare. Sure, a heart rate monitor and app still aren’t going to set the tech blog world on fire, but it could be the move that earns the company the respect it deserves. The Armour39 system combines a small Bluetooth LE-enabled pod with a distinctive chest strap and an app that tracks your level of exertion, awarding you WILLpower points. What the system isn’t, however, is a “lifestyle” product or an “activity tracker.” Under Armour is clearly going after those who fancy themselves athletes. Obviously, the question is whether or not the sportswear company has anything valuable to offer in the space. Does its new training platform actually encourage you to push yourself harder and is it really anything more than a FuelBand with an extra dose of testosterone? The answers are exactly where you’d expect them: after the break.

Filed under: Wearables, Software, Mobile

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If you’ve been sitting around not clocking up the miles with your Basis Band, we imagine it’s because you were waiting for that long-delayed mobile app. Well, it might not be Q1 as promised, but it’s finally time to lace up those sneakers. It’s team Android that gets out of the blocks first, with the app debuting on the Google-flavored OS. Features include automatic sync, the ability to see your current progress towards your activity (aka habits,) plus, of course, lots of historical data. Think you set your goals too high? Too low? No problem — you can edit said habits direct from the app, drill down to show more detail, and get notifications or reminders about how well you’re (not?) doing. The app is free, and while Android might have the head start, we’re told the iOS version isn’t far behind, so iPhone owners might want to start limbering up now. In the meantime, those with green stripes can head to the source for the goods.

Filed under: Cellphones, Peripherals, Mobile

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Via: PopSci

Source: Google Play

There’s typically more than one person involved in building a traditional magazine, at last check. It only makes sense, then, that Flipboard just opened up its internet-based magazine curation to groups. Those who’ve built a magazine can now invite friends to add content at will, whether it’s through one of the mobile apps or a web bookmarklet. We doubt that the resulting collaborations will give big league publishers a reason to panic, but Android and iOS users alike can test that theory by downloading the updated Flipboard today.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Internet

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Via: Inside Flipboard, The Next Web

Source: App Store, Google Play