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Smart pens and their alternatives all have one thing in common: they make it easy to transmit nearly identical copies of your handwritten notes to the cloud for use on a smartphone, tablet, or other device. And since they're built for digitizing handwriting and, in many cases, transcribing it into searchable text, they can be more consistent and reliable than software-based note-taking solutions.
This smart Rubik’s Cube helped me get my solve time under a minute
Competitions and tips gamify the whole experience
Over a decade ago, when I was still decorating my pharmacy, I bought two Disney-themed Rubik’s Cubes (Mickey Mouse and Winnie The Pooh) to add a fun touch to the children’s section. I was hoping no kid would ever ruin the cube so much that I’d never be able to retrace their steps back, but that was not taking into account how fast kids can be. They messed up the first cube, then the second, and that’s when I decided to learn how to fix them — the cubes, not the kids. I couldn’t leave them all disordered like that. Between watching YouTube tutorials and trying to make sense of an image cube (more annoying than a regular colored one), my first solve took over two hours. Today, I just went under the one-minute mark thanks to the smart cube from Rubik’s Connected.
You've been able to save images on Google's app and mobile site without downloading them for a long time now. Last September, that functionality extended to non-image pages, and in April, customizable collections rolled out to replace saved pages. Now, certain image searches trigger the Google app to ask if you'd like to create a collection for the thing you're searching for — and images that fit the bill automatically save to the appropriate collection.
Android Auto keeps reaching more and more car brands around the world, and now we know it's officially coming to one of the teeniest cars around: smart.
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One of the unique features of Google's Inbox mail application was smart replies. Inbox tries to predict what the message is about, and provides three quick replies. I'll admit, I don't use it much, but it's pretty nice if you're quickly exchanging messages.
If you've had your eye on a Nest thermostat, but couldn't pull the trigger because of the price, then this Bloomberg report might be of interest to you. Supposedly, a cheaper, sub-$200 thermostat is in the works and it could launch next year. Bloomberg's source also indicates some other new products, like a home alarm system, a digital doorbell, and an update to the Nest Cam, are in development, too.
Have you ever looked at your low-tech car audio system and wished your head unit could just be as smart as the phone in your pocket? Or maybe you have one of those fancy infotainment systems whose software tends to make the HTC G1 look futuristic by comparison. Well, an automaker finally decided to acknowledge that it's easier to use the hardware that the customer already has than build something newer and more expensive that won't do any better. Which manufacturer decided to do it? It's the same people who brought you this:
There have been rumors recently that LG's G Watch might be the focus of Google I/O's Android Wear discussion, with the nascent device possibly being handed out to attendees. Whether Moto's watch, the Moto 360, would make an appearance has remained unclear. Until today though, those were the only two Android Wear devices even rumored for I/O cameos.
A few days ago, we posted a rumor we felt pretty confident in that would see "who" added to Google's "when" and "where" options for reminders. We now have another rumor, from a source familiar with the matter, which is also related to Google Now's ever-expanding functionality.
Readers may remember Archos' suite of connected home "objects" announced last December and officially detailed at CES. The suite includes a motion-sensitive camera, lights, a weather station, and a Smart Tracker.
As part of its Mobile World Congress presentation, Huawei officially unveiled its own entry into the wearable market with the TalkBand B1. There's no denying the device looks odd, but there's functionality hidden in its slightly weird-looking body. The display portion of the device actually pops out and can be used as a Bluetooth headset, while the band itself can be uncapped to reveal a USB connector for charging.
Somewhere amid the rest of Google's app updates today, Google updated its Search app. While the Play Store still shows an old change log, there are at least a couple of notable changes with the new update.
In a post to its blog today, Sony gave a brief look at a new device to be announced this Sunday, the 15th of September.
Update: According to GigaOm, today's Galaxy Gear images are definitely of a prototype, as VentureBeat speculated could be the case earlier. Additionally, GigaOm's sources indicate that the watch will be running Android 4.3 with Bluetooth LE connectivity, a dual-core 1.5GHz Exynos 4212 processor (with Mali-400 MP4 GPU), and the ability to make phone calls. Our original post follows below.
If you're intrigued by the idea of wearable technology, but don't see the Pebble's appeal, or don't have the patience to wait for Google Glass or any of the other rumored wearable goodies coming from Apple, Samsung, or Google (depending on who you ask), Motorola's MOTOACTV, the fitness-tracking smartwatch, may be a good starting point.
There's no denying that wearable tech seems to be where it's at among industry analysts. Indeed, the concept of wearable devices separate from smartphones and tablets has piqued the interest of many would-be users. Pebble's smartwatch drew some pretty significant attention, and rumors of more advanced watches from both Samsung and Apple have fueled buzz for several weeks.
Since the Nexus 10 was released last October, I've been hunting for great accessories to go with it. There's no word on the official-looking dock we saw in Google's "Happy Holidays" video, nor has there been even a mumble about the flip cover we spotted when the Verge got an exclusive hands-on.
Back in 2011, Eric Schmidt (among others) predicted that Android would soon power home devices, including refrigerators and other appliances. Samsung fulfilled the refrigerator vision with the RF4289. We've questioned the wisdom of Android-powered appliances in the past, but today's pre-CES announcement from Dacor is definitely worth talking about. The California-based company, known for manufacturing quality home appliances, has just announced an Android-powered in-wall oven.
Looking to give users the "fastest, smartest launcher for Android," Jesse Andersen brought Conjure to the Play Store recently. The app, which is actually more of a launcher companion, can perform an incredible range of actions, from finding and launching apps to calling contacts, adjusting device settings (like volume, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc.), and searching the web.
Google Flips The Switch On Smart App Updates In The Play Store [Video]
There seems to be quite a lot of movement happening behind the scenes at the Play Store - yesterday we discovered that Google Play Store gift cards and
There seems to be quite a lot of movement happening behind the scenes at the Play Store - yesterday we discovered that Google Play Store gift cards and wishlist are getting prepped for launch, and today Google seems to have enabled those smart app updates that we've been salivating about since Google I/O.