Android Wear will switch to Android L, bring custom watch face API

This fall, Android Wear will make the switch to Android L and bring along the much-anticipated custom watch face API. Since its launch at Google I/O, developers and early adopters were disappointed to find out that Android Wear didn’t have an API to create a custom watch face. Some developers have worked around this by turning the watch face into a stand-alone app, but this method obviously has drawbacks and isn’t a long term solution.

Wayne Piekarski, senior developer advocate at Google, took the time to give us some insight into the situation via a Google+ post:

Custom watch faces are activities running inside another process. However, they have some special considerations due to interactions with the stream and always-on ambient mode–including using a shorter peek card, moving the status indicators for battery and mute, and rendering the faces differently in ambient mode. Right now, without an official API, making a really great watch face currently takes a fair bit of tweaking.

We are working to make this as simple as possible for you so that it’s easy to make good-looking faces that work well across multiple form factors, conserve battery, and display the user’s card stream nicely. Some of these changes won’t be ready until we migrate Android Wear to the Android L release later this year, but don’t fret: they’re coming!Wayne PiekarskiGoogle

As Piekarski explained, the watch face API is a bit tricky to create with the special considerations that come with it. Nonetheless, Google is working hard to create it so that developers can quickly and easily create custom watch faces. Piekarski also confirms that Android Wear will update to run on Android L come fall. At this point is when we’ll likely see the custom watch face API be released. Finally, Piekarski gives a word of warning to devs: hold off on publishing your apps today, or if you do, use the alpha and beta channels of the Play Store, because there’s a good chance that your workaround app won’t work with the API once it’s released.

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Inside the Artificial Brain That’s Remaking the Google Empire


Inside the Artificial Brain That’s Remaking the Google Empire
Since its birth in the company’s secretive X Labs three years ago, the Google Brain has flourished inside the company, giving its army of software engineers a way to apply cutting-edge machine-learning algorithms to a growing array of problems.

July 17, 2014 at 8:56AM
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Fresh Meat: 10 new Android apps worth checking out

New apps need lovin’ too, right? Every day there are thousands of additions to the Google Play Store, but many go unnoticed and never receive the attention they deserve. We’ve shown in the past that this community can discover great apps and propel them to new heights. Our weekly Fresh Meat column highlights new apps with fewer than 100,000 installs. Browse our new Android app picks below and let us know which ones you enjoy.

Flavourit

Flavourit

Description: You like cooking and you enjoy delicious food? Maybe you wish you had a little helper which reminds you of your favorite recipes? flavourit – small enough to practically fit in every pocket – can be your great helper! Create your personal cookbook according to your taste and share your favorite recipes with friends!

 

Pullshot

Pullshot

DescriptionPullshot is a very simple screenshot organizer and manager for your Android. 

  

 

Calendar for Android Wear

Calendar Android Wear

Description: This application is only available Android Wear Device. You can view your calendar on your watch. Features: Monthly (free), Daily (premium), Detail view (premium), Setting color, first day of week (free), Displaying calendar of events (premium).

 

Climatology

Climatology

Description: Climatology gives you climate information for anywhere on Earth: temperature, rain and sunniness. Whether finding where are the warm, dry places to go on holiday in December, avoiding rain for your wedding or finding out what the climate is like in Kazakhstan in April, Climatology allows you to discover the information you want.

 

Starwatch

Starwatch

Description: This is a sci-fi watch face for your Android Wear.

 

120 Sports

120 Sports

Description: 120 Sports is the new way to experience sports. Featuring real-time highlights, expert analysis and interactivity, 120 Sports is a must for every fan. This FREE app offers over 10 hours of live programming every day and requires no cable authentication or subscription.

 

The Active Channel

The Active Channel

Description: Get the world’s No. 1 health and fitness TV on your mobile device. View exclusive shows on muscle building, fat loss, health, nutrition, martial arts, rugby, yoga, how to get a six pack…

 

Wear Mini Launcher

Wear Mini Launcher

Description: It’s often a pain to open an app on your wear device. You have to remember its name of scroll through different lists to find and launch it. Wear Mini Launcher is designed to allow you to launch any app from anywhere.

 

QCast Music

QCast Music

Description: QCast brings shared party playlists to your Chromecast. When you host a party, everyone can add songs to the shared queue and downvote those they don’t like – if a majority is reached, the song is automatically skipped.

 

Normal

Normal

DescriptionNormal is an entirely new kind of earphone designed by you and personalized to the nooks and crannies of your ears. Download the app to capture your ears, customize your Normals and place your order. Every ear is different, but has been treated the same – until now.

 

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LG G3 Beat official, smaller specs paired with smaller size

LG has made the LG G3 Beat, a mini brother to the LG G3, official. The LG G3 Beat trims down the size and specs of the flagship G3 to form a smaller, mid-range phone. The G3 Beat features a smaller display than the G3, though it’s still one of the largest in a “mini” phone, clocking in at 5 inches. The screen has a resolution of 1280×720, and there’s also a 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of storage with microSD card slot, 8-megapixel rear camera with Laser Auto Focus, 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, 2540mAh removable battery and Android 4.4.2 KitKat with LG’s skin overtop.

While not a flagship, the G3 Beat should be a fine mid-range phone. Pricing is still unknown, but we wouldn’t expect it to be exorbitant. Availability was more detailed, with LG saying that the G3 Beat will launch in South Korea tomorrow, July 18, and roll out in Europe in the weeks that follow. In Europe, the phone will also be known as the LG G3 s. LG didn’t mention any other countries in availability, so it’s best to assume that the LG G3 Beat will be rolling out to only Europe and South Korea.

Check out the press release below for a few more details.

Show Press Release

SEOUL, July 17, 2014 — LG Electronics (LG) today announced the official launch of LG G3 Beat, a mid-tier variant of LG’s highly acclaimed LG G3 smartphone. The LG G3 Beat delivers a similar premium user experience, sophisticated Floating Arc metallic design and fast Laser Auto Focus technology featured in the G3 but in a more compact package dominated by a 5.0-inch thin-bezel display, setting it a class above other similarly priced mid-tier devices.

The LG G3 Beat was developed to address the growing low- to mid-tier segment of smartphone customers who want a great device that’s more compact but still powerful enough to run the most popular apps. With the fast pace of technology in the wireless industry, it’s now more possible than ever to offer a smartphone that does all this but at a lower price point than was previously possible. LG G3 Beat retains the best features and functions of the G3, delivering its values without compromising usability.

Proving that less can be more, the LG G3 Beat comes with a largest-in-class 5.0-inch HD IPS display with a screen-to-body ratio of 74.1 percent, the highest in the mid-tier smartphone segment. The LG G3 Beat offers impressively thin bezels and a robust 2,540mAh battery. The LG G3 Beat features the Floating Arc Design first unveiled on the LG G3, boasting smooth curved sides and gradually tapered edges for the ultimate comfort in grip and feel.

“Smartphone manufacturers cannot ignore this growing segment of consumers who want the best balance of looks, features, performance and, of course, price,” said Dr. Jong-seok Park, president and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “The LG G3 Beat represents our commitment to the mid-tier smartphone market that demands mature technology, proven branding, great innovation and attractive price, all in a single device.”

Highlights of the LG G3 Beat include:

■ Laser Auto Focus enables the G3 Beat to focus precious moments faster than ever before by measuring the distance between the subject and the camera using a laser beam.
■ Touch & Shoot lets users simply touch anywhere on the display to focus and shoot, reducing a two-step process to just one.
■ Gesture Shot allows you to simply clench your hand in front of the screen to automatically begin a three-second countdown before the picture is snapped.
■ Smart Keyboard learns how you type for faster input with fewer mistakes, reducing errors by up to 75 percent.
■ QuickMemo+ lets you jot, sketch, take notes and be as creative and inspired as you want to be.

The LG G3 Beat will make its debut on July 18 in South Korea and begin its global rollout from Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries in the weeks that follow. The LG G3 Beat will be available as the LG G3 s in Europe and the CIS. Prices and details of availability will be announced locally at the time of launch.

Key Specifications:

■ Chipset: Qualcomm®Snapdragon™ 400 processor 1.2 GHz Quad-Core
■ Display: 5.0-inch HD IPS (1280 x 720, 294ppi)
■ Memory: 8GB / 1GB RAM / MicroSD slot
■ Camera: Rear 8MP with Laser Auto Focus / Front 1.3MP
■ Battery: 2,540mAh (removable)
■ Operating System: Android 4.4.2 KitKat
■ Size: 137.7 x 69.6 x 10.3mm
■ Weight: 134 g
■ Network: 4G LTE / HSPA+ 21Mbps (3G)
■ Connectivity: Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, A-GPS/Glonass, NFC, USB 2.0
■ Colors: Metallic Black, Silk White, Shine Gold
■ Other:Touch & Shoot, Smart Keyboard, QuickMemo+, Gesture Shot

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Microsoft anuncia el mayor recorte de su historia: 18.000 despidos

Odiamos tener razón en este tipo de rumores, pero finalmente la filtración que contamos hace unos días sobre una inminente oleada de despidos en Microsoft ha resultado ser cierta. La compañía liderada por Satya Nadella acaba de anunciar que…

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