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Ad extensions were already popular in Google searches and now they’re making their way to YouTube. In a search, these snippets of information show useful details pertaining to the query. For example, if you’re looking for dry cleaning, an ad in your results might also include the address with a link to the map. Extensions can also include buttons to place a phone call or send a message, among other options.
It's been a volatile time for Google's streaming services. YouTube Red was rebranded as YouTube Premium in May and YouTube Music Premium was launched, which lacked some features found on Google Play Music. The product team held an AMA to calm some of the anger behind it all. Amid the confusion, it’s possible users might have subscribed to memberships with the same services. To help customers sort out their subscription mess and save some money, Google posted a YouTube Help document detailing the various feature sets and steps to take for remedying duplicate music accounts.
Smart speakers are quickly becoming standard across U.S. households. My grandmother recently floored me when she demonstrated how she uses her JBL Link to play 60s music with Google Assistant. I was impressed because she was still learning how to Google, but here she was jamming out while making breakfast. That’s the moment I knew smart speakers were here to stay. Research from Nielsen now confirms the sudden rise of this market category.
AI is not limited to simply phones and speakers anymore as TV manufacturers continue to add extra capabilities to their flatscreens. Smart TVs are essentially mini computers running operating systems such as Tizen, webOS, and of course Android TV. Google has made it possible for manufacturers to integrate Google Assistant into their products even if they don’t use Android TV, something LG has been doing this year. Until recently, the AI was limited to English, but this is beginning to change.
LG’s latest device is still two days away from its official unveiling, yet it feels like we already know all about it. Leaks started way back in June and since then, we’ve had renders and even an official LG press release and teaser video. The most intriguing aspect of the V40 ThinQ is its camera setup – two lenses on the front and three on the back.
Not content to let others have all the fun in October, Lenovo has decided to tease an announcement of its own, showing off a flexible phone. If you feel like you’ve heard this story before, it’s probably because you have; Lenovo introduced us to a bendable wrist-phone in 2016. That concept device never made it to market so the latest news might seem like a similar PR stunt.
It’s becoming something of a monthly habit for eBay to release site-wide coupons. This month is no different with a one-day, 15% off code valid on almost all products. When checking out, simply use the promo code PICKSOON before 6pm PST today, September 27. This discount is fairly standard for the company, although we occasionally see 20% off site-wide and even $25 off entire purchases.
Amazon Music Unlimited is now available in Canada. Yesterday, the e-commerce giant announced details of the expansion which includes a 90-day trial (4-month trial for residents of Quebec). The launch of the service also brings Alexa to the app (iOS and Android) and Echo smart speakers. Pricing for the service is a bit cluttered due to the different plan options and Prime status of the customer so let’s break it down:
Millions of people continue to struggle with flooding after Hurricane Florence wreaked havoc along the U.S. Eastern seaboard. During times of natural disasters, communication is critical to finding lost family members, contacting emergency personnel, and even locating basic necessities such as food and water. Often during these times, we see U.S. cellular carriers provide free services or credits to those living in affected areas.
It’s been quite a while since we’ve heard the Sikur name, with the security-focused company last seen in February promoting its “hack proof” SIKURPhone. The company had 20,000 units available for pre-order, but they weren’t scheduled to ship until August. Like all its phones, the device essentially amounted to a very secure messenger and cryptocurrency wallet with few third-party apps.
Google has quietly added more countries to its supported locations for developer and merchant registration. First up, developers in Palau and the U.S. Virgin Islands, two countries that were previously completely off the list, can now register on Google Play as well as create merchant accounts. Their payments will be made in USD, which is the official currency of both nations.
Note-taking app Evernote received an update today which adds Android Pie support, templates, and fingerprint dialog capabilities. The update is the first major release after a massive layoff and the exit of Evernote's CTO, CFO, CPO, and HR head. While Evernote has supported templates for a couple of years, they were not built into the app. Instead, they had to be added online from the template website to a user’s account.
Chrome recently turned 10 years old, which is quite difficult to believe as it seems like only yesterday I was fighting Internet Explorer on Windows XP. In that time, it’s become the most-used web browser, accounting for over 60 percent of web traffic. A month before its release, Internet Explorer and Firefox led with 60.4 percent and 32.4 percent respectively.
The Note9 has officially been released for two months and we’re continuing to see deals for the Exynos variant (SM-N960F/DS), this time at the low price of $829.99 ($130 less than the MSRP). This dual-SIM version replaces the Snapdragon 845 with Samsung’s in-house Exynos 9810 chip and is suitable for use worldwide. We last saw a deal for this version on Sept. 4th at $867.
In February, we posted a teardown that revealed audio quality controls for YouTube Music Premium much like those in Google Play Music. The settings remained inaccessible, however, until an app update on Friday, Sept. 21st. YouTube Music Premium users can now set the quality for audio downloads for both wifi and mobile data. These controls mirror the options available in Play Music, which have been available for nearly two years.
A teaser for the Ticwatch E2 is now live on Mobvoi’s website. The company's Ticwatch line has proven popular in the wearable marketplace and it just recently launched the Ticwatch Pro, which we reviewed. The E and S models were first released in July 2017 after a successful Kickstarter campaign.
Google's plans for a Chinese search and news service, known internally as Dragonfly, continue to leak and create controversy. In August, it was revealed that Google would soon reenter the Chinese marketplace, which Google CEO Sundar Pichai denied, calling it "an exploration stage." Then on Sept. 14th, it was reported that Google would track users using their phone number.
Daredevils open your wallets: GoPro announced three new cameras on Thursday with the Hero7 line. With a price range of $200 - $400, GoPro’s Hero7 line provides power and performance updates over the previous Hero6 lineup. The flagship Hero7 Black is distinguished visually as the only model featuring a front-facing LCD screen.In addition to the information screen on the front, the Hero7 Black ushers in several firsts for GoPro:
Google has split Family Link into two applications. Previously, the parental control service was offered in a single app which was installed on the devices of parents and children alike. The existing listing has now become Family Link for parents and a second app, Family Link for children and teens, has been introduced. After installing the latter on a child's device, parents can control it directly from their dedicated app.
Popular e-commerce website Newegg is the latest victim of cyber attacking by Magecart, according to Volexity, a cyberthreat monitoring firm. Newegg is one in a string of high profile cyber attacks making use of the card skimming code which recently compromised British Airways, Ticketmaster, and Feedify. Most critically, customer names and complete card details were stolen using exploited code between August 16th and September 18th.