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Showing posts with label Google. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Google. Show all posts

A New Google Messages Update Comes With An Image Editing Feature

Google is making efforts to offer a better messaging experience for Android users by adding more features to Google Messages. It seems like Google has decided to develop its SMS app at full steam. It might be possible that the Google Messages app becomes a possible Facebook or Whatsapp messenger substitute for many people. In its efforts to bring the app to a new level, Google Messages has now finally launched an image markup tool in its latest beta update.

The folks at Android Police first spotted the new image editing tool in Google Messages version 5.9. To use the tool, you need to attach an image to a text and tap on the image before sending it. A preview of the image will be opened you will see an option to edit the image in the top right corner. You can add texts and overlays to any image with the help of this tool. A pencil, a sharpie, and a transparent highlighter are available in 9 colors. These 9 colors will ensure that you are having enough contrast to make your texts pop on your images. The font of the text added to images can’t be changed but there is an option to change the color. After you are done typing the text, you can move your words freely around the photo by holding on the words and place it anywhere on the image. You can also open an already sent image in a chat and edit it. After editing, you can send the image back or save the edited image directly to your phone.

Although, I feel that not everyone will probably need this tool but I am sure that this will come in handy from time to time. This tool is similar to the tools added to Duo and Images by Google recently. Facebook and Whatsapp messenger also incorporates these type of features.

You can get Google Messages having the new image markup tool from the Play Store by signing up for the public beta. This feature is still a bit unstable. So, don’t be surprised if the new feature crashes as there is a reason it’s still in beta.



Read next: Google Will Let Users Resize Picture-In-Picture Window With Android 11 Update
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Google Launches New Camera Go App For Android Go Units

  • Android Go - an altered version of Android designed for low-end smartphones.
  • Arpit Midha, a lead product manager for Android explained how Camera Go app works.
  • The first device with the new app to be shipped soon.

Google is bringing a new experience for its Android Go users by introducing the brand new Camera Go app. Basically Android Go is an altered stock version of Android designed specifically for low-end smartphones having 2GB RAM or less. Android Go has introduced two years ago and is running on 100 million active devices around the globe till now. The Go versions of many key services like Gmail and YouTube were created by Google but still a better cam app was missing up till now.

The new app comes with a simple and uncluttered interface making it easier to be used for people using Android for the first time. Google is staying loyal to its unique vision of Android Go by permitting the users not to fear about the storage issue with the new Camera Go app. The app will show you how many pictures or videos can be stored on the device and will also give suggestions to clear more space on the device. The app comes with a portrait mode. The app has been optimized in a way to be used for devices with 1 GB of RAM, and this app does not support HDR+ or night view mode. Google likely wants to keep the Night Sight feature exclusive to Pixel, so this feature to land in Camera Go app is least expected.

Arpit Midha, a lead product manager for Android at Google says that the new app is deeply built-in into the device’s working system and is not just filtering photos on prime. He also said that Portrait mode is added into the app to create a depth-of-field impact in photos so even 50 dollar units will also get this feature. Arpit Midha believes that it’s a primary one in this class of smartphones. He also states that this will standardize photography for the beginner-level.

HMD’s new Nokia 1.3 will be the first Android Go unit to be shipped which will have the new Camera Go app installed. The device will be available in April and will cost 95 euros ($102).



Read next: Google Pixel and One Plus Remains On Top In Android 10 Report Card, Samsung Makes Surprising Improvements!
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Google Will Let Users Resize Picture-In-Picture Window With Android 11 Update

The picture-in-picture mode (PiP) came in as a flagship feature of the Oreo version of Android operating system and with it, users got the chance to enjoy playing floating videos on top of any application running on android devices.

As the feature turned out to be a great step towards making the possibility of multi-tasking on your smartphone happen with great ease, there was only one issue with it; users were still unable to resize the window as per their choices.

But now with recent developments in place, this isn’t impossible anymore. Google has set a default value in AOSP but with OEMs one can change the value which goes in relation to the size of PiP window appearing on the display. For now, users cannot change these settings on their own but it looks like that the option might come in Android 11.

The news was first confirmed by XDA Developers who have found out a new “PipResizeGestureHandler” class based in the SystemUI of Android 11 Developer Preview 2. The “PipResizeGestureHandler” class is also attached to the “com.android.systemui” instead of “com.google.android.systemui”. This means that the feature, when introduced with Android 11, will come to Google Pixel phones and all other Android devices that support Android 11 as well.

Google has plans to release the new update for Android somewhere in the later part of this year. The company even teased its users by showing some really exciting features back in February including the all new music player in the Quick Settings panel.

Google wants to make Android 11 as big as possible and therefore one can expect some necessary and some revolutionary changes to take place on your android phones soon.


Read next: You Can Now 'Report Content' Within Google Discover
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Google and YouTube Introduces New Resource Pages to Help Teachers and Families to Educate Students At Home

As the Coronavirus has taken over almost all over the world, the countries are shutting down. Some people are going into self-isolation while others are put into quarantine by the government and health officials. Schools, offices, universities, market places, cinemas, and other public gathering venues are being shut down to fight the highly contagious virus of Corona. Amidst this time of fear and panic; YouTube and Google have launched new resource pages which will help families in isolation and quarantine to teach their kids at home while their schools and other educational institutes remain closed.

The pages are going to effectively help teachers and students in the process of learning and educating during the crisis. The page of Google is called ‘Teach from Home’ and it offers many recommendations on how teachers can teach while staying at home with the help of Google products. The pages are simple and clean, currently, there are suggestions including how teachers can do a group video call with Google Hangouts or how online quizzes can be made by using Google Forms.



Apart from this, the ‘Teach from Home’ also has a ‘Teach from Home Toolkit’ which can help the users to personalize their experience on these pages as well as to help the users to organize their stuff into slides. The pages of ‘Teach from Home’ are currently available only in the English language. However, its toolkit is available in other ten languages including Arabic, German, Danish, French, Spanish, Polish and Italian. Google announced that more languages will be a part of this toolkit soon. Apart from all this, Google is also launching a Distance Learning Fund (DLF) which is formed in response to COVID-19. The money generated from this fund will be given to the education partners of Google so that they provide good learning opportunities to the kids during this Corona Virus pandemic.
Like Google, YouTube also has a resource which is called ‘Learn@Home’. It highlights the educational channels on YouTube which students can watch at home on the recommendation of their teachers. This page has categories for all age groups of children and adults. YouTube will be partnering with a lot of educational institutes including the Khan Academy for their resource page.



The service of ‘Learn@Home’ is also available currently in English but will soon be available in Korean, French, Japanese, French, Chinese, etc. the channels that are currently mentioned on the resource pages are Discovery Education, Crash Courses, PBS Kids, Cool School, and Sesame Street. But soon more channels will be highlighted too.

Read next: Google launches website and tools dedicated to COVID-19
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Google launches website and tools dedicated to COVID-19

The outbreak of coronavirus has created a panic situation all over the globe. While citizens are strictly advised to stay home by government officials, health authorities are crumbling under the weight of growing diagnoses.

In these crucial times, various organizations are lending a helping hand in their community by rationing groceries, providing educational and entertainment materials, donating blood and simply reaching out with emotional support.

Tech companies including Facebook, Google, Microsoft, and Twitter are also doing their part during the pandemic and preventing misinformation from spreading on their platforms through different protocols. They are also highlighting relevant information regarding the illness to keep the visitors updated.

And now Google has introduced a dedicated website that would include comprehensive information about the coronavirus.

Coronavirus is a type of respiratory illness that was first ‘identified’ in the Wuhan district of China, in December 2019. Since then, the contagious disease has spread like wildfire with over 284,000 diagnoses and 11,000 + deaths globally.

To help the users, reach medical safety in a timely manner, Google has launched its ‘Information and Resource Website.’ Apart from general information such as symptoms, prevention, and statistics regarding the disease, the website will include directions to the health departments and access to test results.

The page also includes a ‘resources’ page with the help of YouTube which will consist of videos on various topics such as stay at home tips, family activities, meditation guide, recipes, and indoor exercises.
Google also plans to add more information as they become available. In their statement, the search giant said that coronavirus is the most searched topic globally and the company wants to ensure that the worldwide population stays updated with the correct information.

COVID-19 Google Trends

Alongside the website, Google has added a COVID-19 warning message to all medical-related queries on Maps. The message is brief but directs the individuals to call their doctor before visiting the specific COVID-19 office if they suspect of being infected with the coronavirus.

Read next: Facebook suggests its users to take social distancing measures responsibly
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