Google

Update to Google Play Store includes colorful layout

On the evening before the Google I/O keynote address, the Web giant has spruced up its Google Play Store.

Version 4.1.6, which appeared Tuesday night, features colorful home buttons for the store's App, Movies, and Games categories, as well as improved spacing for the "open" and "install" buttons on individual application pages.

The Wishlist feature also sports a card design that displays apps in rows of three from left to right instead of the previous top-to-bottom list view.

Meanwhile, Google Play Services has received new synching options for "App Data" … Read more

Rumor Has It: Next Xbox don't need no stinkin' Internet

Google I/O begins this week, so the rumor mill churned out a few goodies for us to take a look at.

A couple rumors we're bound to see: the next-gen Nexus 7 and a revamped Maps. A new Nexus 7 sounds great, but you know what doesn't? Google+ tainting my Maps searches with its stupid opinions.

The long-rumored Amazon phone might actually be two phones, with one supposedly sporting 3D hologram images. Um, why? And finally, the debate on whether the next Xbox will require an always-on Internet connection might finally come to an end, at least … Read more

Sensor motes sniff out Google I/O data trends

We're all used to the idea that Google tracks what we do online. But if you go to Google I/O, you'll find that the data-hungry company, in partnership with the O'Reilly Data Sensing Lab, is keeping tabs on the physical world, too.

At its developer conference, the company has a set up a network of 525 sensor motes. Each small electronics board monitors temperature, humidity, ambient light levels, air quality, audio noise, and radio-frequency noise. And with footstep detectors, some monitor where people are going at the conference, too. … Read more

Google Glass Explorer Edition teardown reveals hits and misses on repairability

Not since the iPhone or iPad has a gadget generated more buzz than Google Glass. So of course I wanted to take it apart and explore its internal hardware. Unfortunately, as I'll show you, this version of Google Glass wasn't built to be easily dissected or repaired.

According to Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt, Glass is still "probably a yearish away" from hitting store shelves. But true to the company's iterative development style, Google is shipping 10,000 or so Explorer Edition units to developers, beta testers, and winners of Google's "If I Had Glass" contest. And while the company might make a few tweaks to the product before launch, these test units still give us a good idea of what to expect in terms of overall design and hardware.… Read more

Google close to launching streaming music service

Google is close to unveiling its streaming music service, as it prepares to take on Pandora, Spotify, and possibly Apple.

In March, Google signed a deal for two streaming services with Warner Music -- one tied to YouTube, the other to Google's Android music platform, Google Play. And now Google has struck deals with Universal Music as well as Sony Music, according to a report in The Verge, which suggests that Google could make the announcement at tomorrow's big developer conference, Google I/O.

While Google has been working with the music labels on two services, sources tell … Read more

Google loses case in Germany over autocomplete search suggestions

Google suffered another loss in a German court ruling. On Tuesday, Germany's Federal Court of Justice ruled that Google's autocomplete feature, which automatically generates search suggestions based on what the user is typing, can lead to infringing situations that require remedy.

The case involved a search on a user's name via google.de that included autocomplete entries --"Scientology" and "fraud" -- which the court deemed defamatory to the plaintiff.

Google will not have to remove autocomplete in Germany, but it must evaluate potential defamation claims related to the feature when they are … Read more

Designer: Mirror API for Glass 'awfully prohibited and closed'

As Google chugs forward with Glass, there's a feeling in the air that we're on the cusp of a major revolution in wearable technology. However, Google's limited Mirror app-programming interface (API) for Glass leaves much to be desired, according to one Canadian design firm.

In a conversation with CNET, a rep with Toronto-based creative agency Playground said that the limited architecture of the Mirror API was "surprising" because it's "awfully prohibited and closed." To be sure, Google announced the API as a preview offering, even going as far as to ask developers to "come dream with us." However, the Canadian design company -- and surely many other developers -- want deeper access to Glass.

… Read more

Google CEO Larry Page discloses why he lost his voice

This past year, Google co-founder and CEO Larry Page lost his voice for a period, missing Google I/O and some quarterly earnings calls. In a post on his Google+ page, the executive disclosed the reason for his absences and now hoarse voice: vocal cord paralysis of both cords. Page, who has been recovering gradually, did speak at length during Google's first quarter earnings call in January.

In his post, Page wrote:

"...overall over the last year there has been some improvement with people telling me they think I sound better. Vocal cord nerve issues can also affect … Read more

Google promises speedup with new Go 1.1 language

Google released Go 1.1 Monday, promising faster software for programmers who use the language.

"We have made optimizations in the compiler and linker, garbage collector, goroutine scheduler, map implementation, and parts of the standard library," said Andrew Gerrand in a blog post. "It is likely that your Go code will run noticeably faster when built with Go 1.1."

Google made the announcement just before the Google I/O show in San Francisco. The company plans to detail Go at the developer-oriented conference, including a session on writing Go programs on Google App Engine, a … Read more