Posts Tagged
google
If you were to ask multiple Android Jellybean users what their favorite Android feature is, the smart bet is that most would say Google Now. As a non-Android user, I’ve had little hands-on experience with the feature, but it’s not from a lack of want. I’m a die hard iOS user, but I’m also a very emphatic user of Google’s services (Gmail, search, Google Docs, Chrome).
So imagine my surprise (hint, it was very) this past Tuesday morning when I learned Google Now had arrived on iOS by way of the Google Search app. Having lived with this much touted service for a handful of days now, getting to chance to experience what it really has to offer, it’s time to determine if Google Now has lived up to the hype. (more…)
We’re often admonished to be tourists in our own cities, and with money tight for a lot of people, a vacation in your own town isn’t such bad advice. It’s easier said than done, though, because we fall into ruts, visiting the same familiar restaurants, attractions and finding it hard to venture outside that bubble.
If I just had someone to tell me all the fun and cool things to do, I’d be fine. Well, Field Trip by Google does just that. It finds where you are and then tells you all the neat stuff nearby. But is Field Trip just another Google Maps search app or is there really something more here? (more…)
One of the primary functions of my iPhone (besides work related stuff, as it’s technically a work phone), are the general smartphone functions — check social media, take photos, check email. While the iPhone obviously has really fantastic apps, email apps has always been something that I feel leave more to be desired. The default mail app is a bit bland and at times unintuitive. Sparrow, which is beautiful, always seemed a bit slow to me, plus it really bothers me that the app doesn’t automatically get new messages.
But Gmail … well I’ve been a Gmail faithful since April 2004. When I saw they redesigned their iOS app, I was downright giddy. Let’s see how it stacks up. (more…)
Apple’s mapping system didn’t exactly work out as the company had hoped. After years of rumors and high hopes for the alternative to Google’s solution, Maps in iOS 6 was far from a success. It had so many bugs that all users could do was complain about the app rather than use it. In the end, they transitioned to alternatives like Waze and Maps+, or even Google’s own Web app, which was recently improved for iOS users. None of these really solved the problems for those who enjoyed the old ways. Now there is a fix.
Google worked hard on its own Maps app for iOS, bringing all the old features in a new and modern user interface. It’s won over a lot of users so far and since Google is more reliable when it comes to this sort of thing, there’s no reason not to use the free app. Or is there? (more…)
Just over a month ago, the Apple community learned that iOS 6, set to release tomorrow, would not include an integrated YouTube app. Google’s video streaming service has been available on the platform since its inception in 2007, but Apple’s agreement with the search engine was going to expire so it was up to Google to make its own app for the many iPhone users out there.
On September 11th, Google released a free native YouTube app for the iPhone; the iPad version was said to arrive “in the coming months.” Regardless of tablet support, Google’s official app boasts usability, a better video selection, beauty and simplicity. The search engine giant has the potential to make a great app for the iPhone, but does it live up to this promise? (more…)
I use my iPhone to browse the Internet quite a lot, actually. I’ll visit at least four or five webpages per day on average. It’s a great device to use too, because everything works smoothly and there are many websites optimized for mobile devices. But what about an enhanced experience — something that you’re used to on your desktop computer? What about Chrome for iPhone?
Luckily for those of you who use the browser, Google released an iOS version of their famous multi-platform browser on Thursday. It brings everything you loved about the Android version (if you used it) and a few of the great features included in the desktop app to your iPhone. Chrome on the iPhone has the potential to be a great browser, but let’s take a deeper look. (more…)
I’m big fan of Google. I use almost all their web apps and the ones I don’t use probably are geographically locked — but that’s on the web. On the mobile, it’s a totally different story altogether. From Google Reader to Calendar and Docs, all my favorite apps on the web don’t have a native iOS app.
But they’ve all been present in the Android Market for a long time now. Then there are native iOS version of apps like Gmail that blows. The Google Search app for iOS has been around forever. While not as horrible as the Gmail app, it wasn’t mind blowing either — up until now. Follow me after the fold to learn how the new version of Google Search has made me a believer. (more…)
Last week, the Internet was all in a tizzy about the latest video out of Google, a concept titled Project Glass. It’s this headset that puts a single screen in front of your right eye and displays information about the environment you’re in. If you haven’t seen it yet, take a moment and check out the video, it’s worth the time.
Some are saying that this idea is genius, while others are chastising it as a dumb move and a piece of vaporware. But it does open up a conversation, particularly in regards to the iPhone: What is the future of the device? (more…)
The Internet was all abuzz last week with talk of Google’s Project Glass, a concept video for a visor mounted HUD that you’d wear daily. More on the concept later this week, but we’ve got a question for all of you: Do you think Apple will (or is currently) working on some concept similar to Project Glass?
It seems kind of crazy, but we want to know what you think. Let us know in the poll to the right.
When you think of website search engines, it’s big-name brands like Google or Yahoo! which come to mind — even Microsoft’s Bing is doing very well in the rankings. However, there is an underdog in the mix and it’s not Dogpile.
DuckDuckGo Search is a very simple engine which borrows a lot of traits from Google’s UI. Their search functionality is easy to use and also includes extra features for custom searches — in this way you can limit to specific domain names or even search in alternate places such as Wikipedia. Their web app is certainly fantastic, but the company has done an even better job for their iOS app, which we’ll delve into after the break.
