Google will soon rank some mobile sites with pop-ups lower in search

Google will soon rank sites with clumsy interstitials ads lower than those which are more responsible, the company announced today.

The change will affect mobile sites, and only those which have ads that take up an entire screen or otherwise block content wholly. Ads that try to trick you into thinking it’s part of the content (like leaving the article header in place with ads below it) are also being pinged.

Some full-screen interstitials won’t be affected. Easily dismissed banners, age verification and login boxes are okay by Google’s standards.

Google is also dropping the ‘mobile-friendly’ label from search results. It found that roughly 85 percent of webpages meet the criteria for mobile, so it’s dropping the search tag entirely.

For Website Development and Software Development call +91-9568180808

Google’s AI trumps JPEG compression in reducing image file sizes

A group of researchers at Google appear to have taken a leaf out of HBO comedy Silicon Valley’s book for its latest project. The team has developed a way to use neural networks that mimic the workings of the human brain to compress images more efficiently than traditional methods.

The researchers trained an AI system (built using Google’s TensorFlow, which the company open sourced last year) to learn how compression works using 6 million photos for reference. It broke these images into 32 x 32 pixel pieces and selected 100 pieces with the least effective compression to learn from; the idea is that training with these difficult bits would make it a cakewalk to handle the rest of the image.

The AI then predicts how a image would look after it’s compressed and generates that result. In addition to beating standard JPEG compression techniques in reducing file sizes, the neural networks can also decide the best method for compress separate parts of a given picture.

However, the system isn’t perfect; in compressing image files, it can sometimes generate results that don’t look good to the human eye. There isn’t yet a standardized way to test for this. As such, the AI isn’t yet ready for prime-time. But the research team’s progress is certainly impressive, and it’ll be interesting to follow this project in the future.

For more development and training of Software Development and Website Development call +91-9568180808 or SPOKES TECHNOLOGIES

Is the HP Chromebook 13 G1 the future of the laptop?

Hewlett-Packard’s Chromebook 13 is the best evidence yet that the Chromebook is here to stay.

Built around Google’s Chrome operating system (OS), Chromebooks are inexpensive laptops that are beginning to challenge the hegemony of Windows and the Mac.

In brief: the Chromebook, for many, can be your only laptop. I can say that with authority because I’m very attached to Windows and Mac machines. Despite that, I have been happily using HP’s Chromebook 13 exclusively for a couple of weeks.

Chromebooks are powerful if you give them time

Jumping to another operating environment is always jarring. There’s no way to avoid the initial gotchas, pitfalls, and frustration. Chrome OS is no different. The flip side is, it can also open your eyes to a better way of doing things.

And Chrome OS could be a better way for lots of consumers looking for an inexpensive platform that is essentially self-repairing, secure, extremely fast, and where all future operating systems are ultimately headed.

Chrome OS is based on Google’s popular Chrome browser. So, if you’ve spent time in the Chrome browser, you’ll have a pretty good idea of what to expect. Chrome OS is presented as a “desktop” -- just like Windows or Mac -- with icons and a settings bar (the latter analogous to the Control Panel in Windows or System Preferences in OS X). But everything takes place in the browser. That gives you access to Google’s excellent office suite, its Pixlr image editor, Google Photos, the Chrome Web Store, Play Music, Play Movies, Google Hangouts, and lots more.

The HP Chromebook 13 G1

The Chromebook 13 G1 is HP’s 2016 high-end Chromebook, starting at $499. Believe or not, that’s pricey for a Chromebook, which often sell in the $199 to $399 range. For $499 you get a lot, though.

For starters, HP includes a 13.3-inch 3,200-by-1800 “QHD+” display. When HP announced the Chromebook 13 G1, I had to do a double-take on the display specs. In short, you won't find a 2016 Windows PC or Mac with that kind of display for anything close to $499. Other specs for the $499 model include an Intel Pentium 4405Y (1.5GHz) processor, 4GB RAM, and 32GB of storage.

While the processor, RAM, and storage specs may seem meager, they’re not. That’s the beauty of a Chromebook— you don’t need a fast processor or a large hard drive. The new 2016 Chromebooks with Intel’s lower-end 6th Generation Pentium or Core M processors are fast. And because the storage takes place in the cloud, 32GB is adequate.

Other notable HP Chromebook 13 specs include a 2.84 pound weight (but it feels lighter because of the good weight distribution), a 0.5-inch thickness (laptops don’t get much thinner than that), and a sturdy aluminum chassis.

The HP Chromebook 13 I’m using goes for just over $800. That extra cost is mostly pegged to the faster Intel 6th Generation M5 processor and 8GB of RAM in my model (instead of 4GB).

Battery life is good. I found the 3-cell, 45Wh battery delivered a long time between charges. What most reviews (which found battery life lacking) miss is that a laptop with a very-high-resolution display, like HP’s Chromebook 13, is never going to last long between charges without a really big battery. But I got more than seven hours doing lots of productivity work, watching a short movie, and the usual social media and Web browsing.

All in all, the HP Chromebook 13 is a high-quality laptop that delivers a lot of bang for the buck and presages a bright future the Chrome OS.

Caveats

The following caveats don’t apply to HP’s Chromebook specifically, but to any Chromebook.

If you’re wedded to Windows and Microsoft Office, the Chromebook probably won’t be a satisfying experience. I’m a heavy Office 365 and OneDrive (Microsoft’s online file hosting service) user. While the Chrome OS gives you access to the online version of Microsoft Office, many of the full Office features are missing. That said, I found that the Google office suite is a powerful replacement and I would be perfectly happy using it full time (as I’ve been doing).

Another thing to keep in mind is, you don’t have access to the range of apps available to Windows and Mac users. In my experience with the Chromebook, however, I always found ways to get things done and almost always found a comparable app online.

Chrome OS Offline: Whether I’m using Windows, Mac, or Chrome OS, I’m always online (as are most people these days). That said, Chromebooks are designed as cloud devices that rely on being connected to the Web. But Chromebooks are much better at working offline now. For example, when I was writing this review in Google Docs, I turned off the Wi-Fi, and Chrome immediately notified me that all changes were being saved offline. 

Finally, the question that always gets asked is, why do I need a Chromebook if I can just run the Chrome browser on my Windows PC or Mac? My response: true, but why not consider a cheap Chromebook that’s fast, secure, manages and updates itself automatically, and has almost none of the clutter and overhead that Windows and macOS have. Besides, the kind of OS that Google is offering is the future of the PC and Mac. Look no further than Apple’s iOS.

Call +91-9568180808 or visit www.spokes.co.in for Website Development and Software Development.

Google’s Android 7.0 Nougat is finally rolling out and the Nexus 5 is not getting it

Yes, as previously reported, the next milestone update for Google’s mobile operating system, Android 7.0 Nougat has finally begun to roll out today. The update that varies in size, is rolling out to supported Android devices as an over-the-air (OTA) update. As with all Google software, it is rolling out in batches, so your Nexus device may not get it right away.

Supported Devices

Talking about supported devices, the new update this time excludes two older devices from Google’s Nexus line up, the Nexus 5 and the 2013 Nexus 7. Owners need not be disappointed though, as Google has plans to support those two devices by means of security patches, although it isn’t clear as for how long the company will support the same.

As for the devices that are receiving the new update, Android 7.0 will be arriving on your Nexus 6, 9, 5X, 6P, the Pixel C tablet and the Nexus Player. Google said in a statement that the OTA update may take “several weeks” to roll out, so as we mentioned earlier, it will take some time till your Nexus smartphone receives the update notification. Post Android 7.0 update Google has also quarterly update roll-outs which would include maintenance releases, so yes, things are about to get pretty interesting.

What’s New?

Coming to what has changed in the final release, there’s good news, not much has. This is however in comparison to the developer beta that we played around with a few months ago. For those upgrading from Android 6.0 to 7.0, there are plenty of changes.

There’s multi-windows display, a built-in files manager, you can even block numbers at the system level. Switching between two apps now also gets easier, all you have to do is double tap the recent app (square navigation icon) button.

No update yet? Fear not!

So what if you cannot see the update notification or simply are too impatient to wait? Well Google already has a few images of the official ROM up on its developer pages, so you can click on the links below to download the official firmware and manually install the update.

Nexus 5X

Nexus 6P

The official image for the older Nexus 6 and other devices are bound to appear soon.

As for updating the manual way, this for users who are familiar with custom ROMs. You will need to push the update via your computer after booting your device into recovery. To push the update from your computer you will need ADB, for those who have already rooted their devices, you probably know the drill.

For more information please contact SPOKES TECHNOLOGIES (+91-9565180808) or login www.spokes.co.in

Android Nougat: Release date, news and rumors

Update: The Android Nougat release date is happening on August 22, according to the latest reports. It's already out with Developer Preview 5, and we've tested it. Here's a look at the key features in the latest beta version.

Android Nougat is Google's latest update of its phone and tablet operating system - an OS that's been so thoroughly refined that the company is now more than halfway through the alphabet with names, at letter 14 of 26.

You can now download Android Nougat Developer Preview, and test its new features that didn't make the cut in last November's Android 6.0 Marshmallow launch, alongside the Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X.

Here's how to install it on your compatible device

First, Samsung mistakenly hinted at the Android 7 number. Within its source code for its MultiWindow SDK 1.3.1. It reads "This version has been released with Android N (7.0) compatibility."

Google didn't confirm this at Google IO, it did finally unveil the version number with one simple sentence on its YouTube video: "On June 30th, 2016 we unwrapped our latest treat, Android 7.0 Nougat."

This confirms our suspicions, but it's clear that, more than ever, Google is to be steering more toward the sweeter name, Android Nougat, and away from version numbers.

For Website Development and Software Development contact to Spokes Technologies, +91-9565180808

Google will end support for Chrome apps on Windows, Mac, and Linux

Google has just announced plans to gradually phase out support for Chrome apps on every platform except for Chrome OS. Starting later this year, new Chrome apps will be available only to Chrome OS users and won't be accessible on Windows, Mac, and Linux. (Existing apps will remain available and can still be updated.) Then, sometime in the second half of 2017, the Chrome Web Store will no longer display Chrome apps at all on those operating systems. And come early 2018, you'll no longer be able to load Chrome apps on Windows, Mac, or Linux at all. Extensions and themes are not at all affected by this change; in fact, they'll soon be given a much larger focus in the Chrome Web Store.

That might sound like a big deal, but Google says that a very tiny percentage of people are actively using Chrome apps. "There are two types of Chrome apps: packaged apps and hosted apps. Today, approximately 1 percent of users on Windows, Mac, and Linux actively use Chrome packaged apps, and most hosted apps are already implemented as regular web apps."

The company's justification for this step is that with the advancements of the open web, there's no longer any real place or need for Chrome apps. "For a while there were certain experiences the web couldn’t provide, such as working offline, sending notifications, and connecting to hardware." According to Google, most of those functionality holes have been patched, and more improvements are coming. So the message is clear: move your stuff to the web. "Developers who can’t fully move their apps to the web can help us prioritize new APIs to help fill the gaps left by Chrome apps." The tone is a little different when it comes to Chrome OS, where Google believes they play a "critical role.

 Contact to Spokes Technologies for Software development and Website Development

The head of Google’s Brain team is more worried about the lack of diversity in artificial intelligence than an AI apocalypse

As some would have it, robots are poised to take over the world in about 3 ... 2 ... 1 ...

But one machine-learning expert — who is, after all, in a position to know — thinks that’s not the biggest issue facing artificial intelligence. In fact, it’s not an issue at all.

“I am personally not worried about an AI apocalypse, as I consider that a completely made-up fear,” Jeff Dean, a senior fellow at Google, wrote during a Reddit AMA on Aug. 11. “I am concerned about the lack of diversity in the AI research community and in computer science more generally.” (Emphasis his.)

Ding, ding, ding. The issue that the tech industry is trying to maneuver their way around, for better or worse, is the same issue that can stunt the progress of “humanistic thinking” in the development of artificial intelligence, according to Dean.

For the optimists in the audience, Google Brain wants to improve lives, Dean wrote. And how can you improve lives without people with diverse perspectives and backgrounds helping to build and develop the technology you hope will impact positive change? (Answer: You can’t.)

“One of the things I really like about our Brain Residency program is that the residents bring a wide range of backgrounds, areas of expertise (e.g. we have physicists, mathematicians, biologists, neuroscientists, electrical engineers, as well as computer scientists), and other kinds of diversity to our research efforts,” Dean wrote.

“In my experience, whenever you bring people together with different kinds of expertise, different perspectives, etc., you end up achieving things that none of you could do individually, because no one person has the entire skills and perspective necessary.”

For more Software Development and Website Development, Contact +91-9568180808 or Spokes Technologies

Google is secretly creating a new OS that’s not based on Linux

Here’s a bit of unexpected Friday news: Google is building a completely new operating system. As in, not just an upgrade to Android or Chrome OS, but instead, a new system that’s not derived from the Linux kernel.

It’s called Fuschia. While Google hasn’t officially announced anything about the OS, it released details about the project on GitHub with the cryptic description “Pink + Purple == Fuschia (a new Operating System).”

  

Android Police dove deeper into the documentation and found some interesting tidbits. First off, the OS uses a new Magenta kernel, which is designed to compete with IoT-oriented operating systems like FreeRTOS or ThreadX. The difference here is that Magenta appears designed to scale all the way up to smartphones and desktop computers.

Meanwhile, Dart is the main programming language and Flutter support indicates that the OS will likely use Material Design for its user interface.

That doesn’t necessarily indicate Google has plans for Fuschia beyond IoT devices; with the company creating more IoT hardware like OnHub and Google Home, it might simply want a lighter OS that can work for any future hardware products. Still, the ability to scale up remains exciting, especially as the line between Android and ChromeOS becomes increasingly blurred.

As for why Google has remained so quiet about the OS so far: Brian Swetland – a senior Engineer at Google who has worked on Android and the T-mobile Sidekick’s OS – mentions that the decision was made to build the OS open source from the beginning, implying that some details are yet to be finalized.

Eventually things will be made public, documented and announced, says Christopher Lane, another engineer at Google. Until then, we can only speculate.

Contact to Spokes Technologies or call +91-9568180808 for Website Development and Software Development.

Google Chrome will start blocking all Flash content next month

Flash was an integral part of the internet in years past, but it has also been a drag on performance and the source of a great many security vulnerabilities. Today, HTML5 is a better way to get the same sort of interactive content running on the web, and it works on mobile devices. The next phase in Adobe Flash’s agonizingly slow demise starts next month when Google Chrome begins blocking all Flash content.

This will come as part of the Chrome 53 update, which should be available in early September. Chrome 53 will block all the small, non-visible Flash elements on web pages. These are usually tacking platforms and page analytics, but they can slow down page loads just like larger Flash content. This is not Google’s first attempt to de-emphasize Flash on the web. Last year in Chrome 52, Google made most Flash content “click-to-play.”

So, what’s different now? In Chrome 52, the Flash block only applied to Flash objects that were above a certain size, but now that’s being extended to smaller Flash objects. The previous restriction was in place because at the time, there was no reliable way to detect viewability. Now, Chrome’s intersection observer API allows that. You will have the option to enable Flash objects on a page if they are necessary for the experience. If non-visible Flash objects are blocked, an icon in the address bar will alert you.

Google says that all Chrome users will see a benefit from this move. All the Flash objects loading in the background can make page loading sluggish. If you’re on a laptop, Flash also gobbles up power and reduces your battery life. Flash’s innate inefficiency is why it never took off on mobile devices.

While Flash content will be blocked in general, Google is making a temporary exception for some popular sites that still rely heavily upon Flash. Those include Facebook, Twitch, and Yahoo, among others. You’ll be prompted to enable Flash on these sites when loading them, but Google plans to phase out the Flash whitelist over time. When Chrome 55 rolls out in December, HTML5 will become the default experience. It’s not clear how exactly that will affect the whitelist.

The writing is on the wall for Flash; it’s not just Google waging a war on the archaic plug-in. Firefox 48 was announced last week with some Flash content being click-to-play and all Flash being blocked by default in 2017. Even Microsoft is cutting Flash off at the knees. In the Windows 10 anniversary update, Edge uses click-to-play for non-essential Flash elements. Another year or two and we’ll be all done with this.

Call +91-9568180808 SPOKES TECHNOLOGIES for Website Development and Software Development.

Google Nexus ‘Sailfish’ appears on benchmarking websites, specs ‘revealed’

Google's rumoured Nexus smartphone, codenamed 'Sailfish', has surfaced on AnTuTu and Geekbench benchmarking websites. As per both the benchmark listings, the Google Nexus Sailfish smartphone runs Android NMR1 (Android Nougat Manufacturer Release 1).

The Nexus Sailfish handset is also expected to feature a full-HD (1080x1920 pixels) resolution display and quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, clubbed with 4GB RAM. The listing suggests the device to house 32GB inbuilt storage as well. On the camera front, the Nexus Sailfish might come with an 8MP front-facing camera along with a 13MP rear camera.

On the homescreen, the regular Google search bar has been removed from the top and shows up as a small icon on the top corner of the screen. More functionality might be integrated into the Google icon in future. There is also an option to turn off the icon under settings.

A redesigned Google Now on Tap design is also in tow. It is expected to arrive along with the new launcher in the upcoming Nexus handsets.

The two rumoured Google Nexus devices are being said to be created by HTC. The Taiwanese tech giant in the past has worked with Google to launch the Nexus tablet. The second device codenamed 'Marlin' is supposed to be more powerful than 'Sailfish'.

Contact SPOKES TECHNOLOGIES for Website Development, Software Development and Placement cum Training.

Google is rolling out a Wi-Fi-only mode for Maps on Android

Back in July, Google began testing a new feature that would allow users to enable a Wi-Fi-only mode for Maps, which would help those with limited or expensive data plans avoid overages. Well apparently the tests went well, as Google has started rolling out the addition to Google Maps on Android.

Wi-Fi-only mode can be toggled on in settings and will limit the app to only working with your saved offline areas unless you're connected over Wi-Fi, while the rest of your device operates as normal. Maps for Android is also picking up SD card support, allowing you to download those offline maps without eating up your local storage.

The new updates have begun rolling out to Android users now, but as with most Google updates, it will likely take a couple weeks before everyone has it on their device.

For more website and software development contact Spokes Technologies

Google buys Orbitera, a platform for cloud marketplaces, for $100M+

Google today announced another acquisition that will help the company improve how it competes against Amazon’s AWS, Salesforce and Microsoft in the area of enterprise services, and specifically selling enterprise services in the cloud: it has acquired Orbitera, a startup that developed a platform for buying and selling cloud-based software.

Terms of the deal have not been disclosed but our sources close to the deal tell us it’s just north of $100 million.

This is an acquisition of talent, technology, and existing business. The CEO Marcin Kurc (tellingly) is an alum of AWS. And Google notes that some 60,000 enterprise stacks have already been launched on Orbitera. These include the likes of Adobe, Oracle and Metalogix, who all resell cloud services from third-party vendors as part of their larger enterprise businesses.

“This acquisition will not only improve support of software vendors on Google Cloud Platform but also provides customers with more choice and flexibility in today’s multi-cloud world,” Google said in a statement provided to media.

Kurc notes in his announcement that Google will keep everything running as is, “at this time.”

The startup says its focus is on providing four (end-to-end) aspects of building cloud marketplaces: Packaging and Provisioning, Billing and Cost Optimization, Marketplace and Catalogs, Trials and Lead Management.

It looks like Google will continue to operate that business on behalf of existing users, and maybe to help out its own marketplace for cloud services on its own cloud platform.

“Looking to the future, we’re committed to maintaining Orbitera’s neutrality as a platform supporting multi-cloud commerce. We look forward to helping the modern enterprise thrive in a multi-cloud world,” writes Nan Boden, head of global technology partners at Google.

As Google has grown well beyond its earliest roots as a search company, its reached an interesting relationship with companies that are at turns friends and rivals to its own business interests.

Buying a platform company that works with so many of these in the area of cloud services is an interesting development for Google, and one that it’s keen to try to tread carefully in making.

In this case, Google is trying to reassure customers that even as it sells a platform to sell products, it recognises that the ultimate repository of those products might not be Google itself.

(Whether or not that is the case longer term is another question — in other areas like ads, Google has walked an impartial line and then changed course — but for now there is a viable enough business for Google in remaining a neutral party.)

“We recognize that both enterprise customers and ISVs want to be able to use more than one cloud provider and have a way to conduct product trials and proofs of concept before building a full production deployment, all using their trusted SIs (System Integrators), resellers and normal sales cycles,” Boden notes.

“Orbitera has built a strong ecosystem of enterprise software vendors delivering software to multiple clouds. This acquisition will not only improve the support of software vendors on Google Cloud Platform, but reinforces Google’s support for the multi-cloud world. We’re providing customers with more choice and flexibility when it comes to running their cloud environment.”

Orbitera was co-founded by Firas Bushnaq and Brian Singer, who came up with the idea for the company to fix some of the “transactional and operational challenges associated with selling software” that they encountered while founding and working at previous tech companies.

Based out of West Hollywood, CA, Orbitera had raised some $2 million in funding from angels like Hiten Shah and Arjun Sethi, Double M Partners and Resolute.

Contact Spokes Technologies or 9568180808: For Web Development, Software Development and Placements.

Google Age-Discrimination Lawsuit Could Grow

An age-discrimination lawsuit filed by two people who interviewed unsuccessfully for jobs at Google could expand to encompass other individuals if a motion filed this week is successful.

The motion for conditional certification of collective action status was filed in a San Jose federal court Wednesday. Computerworld reports that the motion, which is similar to a class action, aims to include “all individuals who interviewed in-person for any software engineer, site reliability engineer, or systems engineer position with Google in the United States in the time period from August 13, 2010 through the present; were age 40 or older at the time of interview; and were refused employment by Google.”

The motion seeks to make the case “opt-in”, giving other parties the option to join an age-discrimination lawsuit filed against Google last year.

The anti-discrimination suit was filed last year by Robert Heath and alleges that Google “engaged in a systematic pattern and practice of discriminating against individuals (including Mr. Heath) who are age 40 and older in hiring, compensation, and other employment decisions.”

In February 2011 Google did not hire Heath, who was then 60, for a software engineer position he had applied and interviewed for, according to the suit. “Heath had highly-pertinent qualifications and experience, and a Google recruiter even deemed him a ‘great candidate’,” it added. Heath had a “technical phone interview” with Google for the role.

Last year programmer Cheryl Fillekes joined Heath’s suit. Fillekes, who is in her 50s, was invited for in-person Google interviews on four separate occasions but was not hired for any of the positions.

Fillekes, who filed this week’s motion, has a doctoral degree in computational geophysics from the University of Chicago and has undertaken postdoctoral work at Harvard.

Washington D.C.-based law firm Kotchen & Low is representing Fillekes in the case. “We think that there are a whole host of folks who are qualified and did not receive a position at Google because of their age,” Daniel Kotchen, a partner at the law firm, told in media.

If the court approves the motion filed this week, Google would be required to provide names and contact details for every applicant over 40 who had in-person interviews for software engineer, site reliability engineer or systems engineer jobs. The individuals would then be contacted and given the option to join the lawsuit, according to Kotchen.

Fillekes’ motion identifies a number of other job applicants by initials, Computerworld reports.

The motion will be heard in court on Nov. 10.

Citing data from compensation research specialist Payscale, Heath’s lawsuit claims that in 2013 the median age for a Google employee was 29.

Heath is represented by San Francisco law firm Smith Patten. Dow Patten, a partner at the firm, told that Heath is seeking to join the motion for conditional certification, with a change to its scope. "It will expand the scope beyond those that were screened out during in-person interviews to include those who were screened out during telephonic technical interviews," he said.

Heath's initial lawsuit will go to trial in July 2017.

The median age for a computer programmer in the U.S. is 43, according to 2015 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

A Google spokeswoman told that the company doesn’t comment on pending litigation.

This is not the first time that a Silicon Valley heavweight has been accused of age discrimination.

In 2011 an age discrimination lawsuit filed by former Google executive Brian Reid was settled for undisclosed damages.

Former Twitter employee Peter Taylor filed a lawsuit against the San Francisco-based firm in 2014, alleging that he was fired for being too old. The case was settled last year.

Please contact to Spokes Technologies for Website and Software development.

Rumor: Google-branded phone due in 2016

Though CEO Sundar Pichai says otherwise, rumors suggest Google is prepping its own branded smartphone.

According to The Telegraph, Google is in discussions with mobile operators about releasing a handset later this year. But earlier this month, Pichai said that while his company may request design changes to Nexus phones and tablets, it will continue relying on partners to manufacture devices.

Google did not immediately respond to PCMag's request for comment. Currently, it focuses on software, producing the popular Android operating system but handing off production of Nexus devices to partners like LG and Huawei.

Details remain foggy, but as Engadget points out, the Pixel C tablet could offer a glimpse of what a Google smartphone might be like. The high-end piece of hardware—available in 32GB for $499 or 64GB for $599—earned a three-out-of-five rating from PCMag's Sascha Segan, who called the slate "extremely buggy" with dull cameras.

The Web giant, meanwhile, is busy readying its modular smartphone, Project Ara, for distribution later this year. A developer edition will start shipping in the fall as a 5.3-inch Android device with most of its key technology house in the frame, with room for up to six additional modules.

Contact Spokes Technologies for CS/IT Courses, Web development and Software developmemt

Android apps are now available on Chrome OS beta channel, still limited to three devices

Android apps arrived on Chromebooks with Chrome OS 53 in June, but as we noted during our initial hands-on, the developer channel was still quite buggy and not recommended for use as a daily driver. While the Play Store is still limited to three Chromebooks, version 53 has entered the beta channel with some much needed stability.

After Chrome OS has updated, the Play Store will immediately launch and ask users to agree to terms and conditions. Users will be asked to sign into the Google Account they’d like to use the Play Store with. Most apps, including those from third-party developers, perform just fine, but all are still prone to occasional crashes and lag.

I noticed a few bugs, but the browser part of Chrome OS feels more stable. Android apps and the Play Store are still only available on the Acer R11, Asus Flip, and 2015 Chromebook Pixel. To be on the safe side, I would still caution those who use their Chromebook for daily work to avoid Android apps until the final stable version, expected later this year.

Other changes coming as part of Chrome OS 53 include a new Material overview mode that places windows in cards and provides better labeling. Additionally, the search functionality is more visible, as is the ability to use the arrow keys to navigate around windows. Other changes include a new, more detailed storage manager in Settings.

 For more software development and IT/CS/ME/CE courses visit to Spokes Technologies

Google parent Alphabet and GlaxoSmithKline form a new company

GlaxoSmithKline and Google parent Alphabet’s life sciences unit are creating a new company focused on fighting diseases by targeting electrical signals in the body, jump-starting a novel field of medicine called bioelectronics. Verily Life Sciences – known as Google’s life sciences unit until last year – and Britain’s biggest drugmaker will together contribute 540 million pounds ($715 million) over seven years to Galvani Bioelectronics, they said on Monday.

The new company, owned 55 percent by GSK and 45 percent by Verily, will be based at GSK’s Stevenage research center north of London, with a second research hub in South San Francisco. It is GSK’s second notable investment in Britain since the country voted to leave the European Union in June. Last week it announced plans to spend 275 million pounds on drug manufacturing.

Kris Famm, GSK’s head of bioelectronics research and president of Galvani, said the first bioelectronic medicines using these implants to stimulate nerves could be submitted for regulatory approval by around 2023. “We have had really promising results in animal tests, where we’ve shown we can address some chronic diseases with this mechanism, and now we are bringing that work into the clinic,” he told Reuters.

“Our goal is to have our first medicines ready for regulatory approval in seven years.” GSK first unveiled its ambitions in bioelectronics in a paper in the journal Nature three years ago and believes it is ahead of Big Pharma rivals in developing medicines that use electrical impulses rather than traditional chemicals or proteins.

Galvani, however, is taking electrical interventions to the micro level, using tiny implants to coax insulin from cells to treat diabetes, for example, or correct muscle imbalances in lung diseases. Galvani will initially employ around 30 scientists, engineers and clinicians.

The company will be chaired by Moncef Slaoui, GSK’s vaccines head, who pioneered the drugmaker’s drive into the bioelectronics field. Slaoui is retiring from GSK next March but will continue to steer Galvani after that date, a spokesman said. Galvani will be fully consolidated in GSK’s financial statements, following the model of the group’s majority-owned ViiV Healthcare business, which sells HIV medicines.

For Software development and IT/CS Certified training contact to Spokes Technologies

Google takes down man's blog, erasing 14 years of work

Artist Dennis Cooper made a horrifying discovery June 27: His 14-year-old blog—the sole home of his experimental writing, research, photographs, and more—was gone, Art Forum reports.

According to Fusion, Cooper's blog was hosted by Google-owned Blogger, and those headed to denniscooper-theweaklings.blogspot.com are greeted with the message, "Sorry, the blog at denniscooper-theweaklings.blogspot.com has been removed. This address is not available for new blogs." It's not all he lost: Google also deactivated his Gmail account, which held his contacts and gig offers, the Guardian reports.

The only explanation Google gave Cooper, who considers his blog a "serious work of mine," was a stock message that he was in "violation of the terms of service agreement." Cooper on Saturday wrote on Facebook that despite numerous efforts to communicate with Google, it "remains completely silent, not a comment, response, explanation, nothing." Google has apparently made one comment, to Fusion, saying only it is "aware of this matter." The incident is raising concerns among the art community about the power Google and other corporations now have to control artistic voices.

"I think this is definitely censorship. The problem is nobody knows what the specific issue is and certainly Dennis has posted images that one might find troubling,” Stuart Comer, curator at MoMA, tells the Guardian, which notes Cooper's blog featured an adult content warning. All Cooper knows is that other artists need to learn from him and "back everything up," something he did not do, meaning he has lost, among other things, a gif novel he's been writing for seven months. A Change.org petition is asking Google to restore the blog.

Want a websites? Contact Spokes Technologies