TechCrunch: Google to livestream Android O launch event timed for total solar eclipse. “Google is using a astronomical event to debut its newest Android operating system update: Android O is set to arrive on August 21, with a livestreamed unveiling event timed for 2:40 PM ET in NYC – which is roughly when the maximum solar eclipse is set to occur for New York.” I personally will be paying attention to the eclipse, and not Google’s livestream!
Android
Ars Technica: Researchers report >4,000 apps that secretly record audio and steal logs
Ars Technica: Researchers report >4,000 apps that secretly record audio and steal logs. “A single threat actor has aggressively bombarded Android users with more than 4,000 spyware apps since February, and in at least three cases the actor snuck the apps into Google’s official Play Market, security researchers said Thursday.”
CNET: Google to Android developers: Cut the crappy apps, or else
CNET: Google to Android developers: Cut the crappy apps, or else. “Google is relegating poorly behaved Android apps to obscurity, making it harder for you to find them when you’re searching the Google Play Store.”
Neowin: Google says there will be 11 Daydream VR phones by the end of 2017
Neowin: Google says there will be 11 Daydream VR phones by the end of 2017. “At its I/O 2017 developer conference in May, Google shared details of improvements planned for its Daydream virtual reality platform. Daydream allows owners of certain Android smartphones to use them with Google’s Daydream View headset, along with a touch controller, creating a portable VR solution. Google CEO Sundar Pichai said yesterday, during Alphabet’s earnings call, that by the end of 2017, there will be 11 Android devices available that support Daydream.”
Ghacks: Google app takes screenshot of your searches on Android
Ghacks: Google app takes screenshot of your searches on Android. “The company saves the search history of Google users already, but has added a new feature to the Google application that captures screenshots of all user searches automatically. The idea behind the feature is to provide users with direct access to their searches on the local device. If you need to recheck something, you can open the recent listing instead of having to run the search again.”
TechCrunch: Google brings its GIF-making Motion Stills app to Android
TechCrunch: Google brings its GIF-making Motion Stills app to Android. “Google last year introduced an app called Motion Stills that aimed to help iOS users do more with their Live Photos – including being able to crop out blurry frames, stabilize images, and even turn Apple’s Live Photos format into more sharable GIFs. Today, Google says it’s bringing Motion Stills to Android, along with a few changes.”
Adventures abound: Explore Google Expeditions on your own (Google Blog)
Google Blog: Adventures abound: Explore Google Expeditions on your own. “Google Expeditions makes it possible for teachers to take their classrooms on virtual reality field trips to amazing places like the Taj Mahal or Machu Picchu. Today, we’re starting to roll out a new solo mode of Expeditions for Android, so that anybody can explore more than 600 different tours on their own. Just download the Expeditions app (coming soon for iOS), drop your phone into Cardboard and get ready for an adventure.”
