Google launches trial to include Gmail messages in search results

Google announced today a new experiment with their search results. In addition to the results brought up from the web, users can now receive results from email messages in their Gmail account. The results will show up in a sidebar set apart from the normal web results. It remains unclear exactly how this new functionality may be useful to end users, though I have no doubt someone will figure out a way to make it meaningful.

Along with the inclusion of Gmail results being served up, Google also announced some other features they are working on as part of this experiment in improving search results. They revealed an option for entering a string like [my flights] to produce a nicely formatted page showing flight data. The ability to search Gmail messages is probably integral to being able to then build this kind of functionality. Seeing Gmail results along with web results may just be a consequence of Google’s efforts to build some of these other search capabilities.

Participation in the experiment is only available to users who sign up for it. Two hurdles have to be overcome. First, it can only be used with @gmail.com accounts. Second, only English language accounts can join. Assuming you meet those requirements, you can sign up and at some point Google promises to notify you if you have been accepted and have access to the new search functions. Follow the source link if you are interested in giving the Google Search experiment a spin.

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Google Nexus 7 morphed into ultimate in-car entertainment system

Lots of people have a love of both automobiles and a love of music. The two seem to go hand in hand. The popularity of the combination drives people to all sorts of attempts to build the ultimate car stereo system. In recent years, a new factor in the equation has emerged – the use of smartphones and tablets to serve as the nerve center for an in-car entertainment system. SonicElectronix recently completed a build for a Dodge RAM that incorporates a Google Nexus 7 tablet into the dash for this purpose.

SonicElectronix has connected the Nexus 7 tablet to an Audison bit one controller that drives the audio equipment. By using the Nexus 7 tablet, you can use the Android interface and apps like Google Music to navigate to the music you want to hear with a few finger flicks on the screen. If streaming music is more to your liking than what is in your library, you can access apps like Pandora or Spotify. More than music is available by using a tablet like the Nexus 7 for the interface. The Google Maps app can be used as a navigation unit. Passengers can use the tablet to watch videos or play games.

Check out the video below to see how the Nexus 7 tablet works as an in-car entertainment system. After you see how flexible and powerful this solution is, you too may want to start hacking up your vehicle’s interior to squeeze a 7? Android powered tablet in there.

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Hurricane app from American Red Cross now available in Google Play

The American Red Cross has decided to make the availability of apps on Android devices part of their mission to provide aid and assistance in times of emergency. They released a First Aid
app a couple months ago to help walk people through a variety of medical emergencies. Now they are following up with their just released Hurricane app.
The Hurricane app is primarily composed of three parts. First, there are several functions designed to help you improve your general knowledge about hurricanes. Second, there are functions related to preparations for hurricanes, such as interactive checklists and instructions for assembling an emergency kit. The third part deals mainly with actual hurricane events. You can monitor the projected paths and other information about active hurricanes (think weather app type info) and get information about shelters in the area. The app includes the ability to post messages to a variety of social media outlets to let family members know your status. If a hurricane does strike and you are in the middle of it, the app even provides some tools like a flashlight and strobe light.

If you are interested in grabbing the new Hurricane app, hit the download link below.

Google Play Download Link

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Study finds that Google’s Nexus 7 commercial is more effective than Apple’s new ads

If you watch TV regularly or if you like to read tech blogs, you are probably aware of two ad campaigns from two major technology companies that have been airing for the last weeks.

First, Google has launched a minute-long commercial for its new Nexus 7 tablet, called “Camping”. The spot features a father and his son, spending quality time together, seemingly in the wilderness, accompanied by a Nexus 7 tablet. The two protagonists use the Nexus as a compass, to play some chess on a rainy day, or to read The Little Prince before going to sleep. Overall, the ad conveys a feel-good message, showing how the Nexus 7 can make life better for its users.

Here’s Google’s Camping spot:

The second major campaign is Apple’s “Genius” series of ads, which feature a young Apple Store Genius that helps out hapless people use their Apple products. We have a guy that he thinks he bought a Mac (it’s actually a PC, imagine the horror), an exec that needs to prepare a presentation on his MacBook to get back in his wife’s good books, and a father that wants to document the birth of his child,  by using off course, Apple apps. Apple’s three new ads were panned across the web, and some even went so far as to call them embarrassing and dumb. The main gripe seems to be that Apple always boasted that its devices are easy to use, which is the complete opposite of the pitch in the Genius campaign.

Check out Apple’s new ads yourself.

A study by Ace Metrix, a company that specializes in measuring the effectiveness of ads, has found that Google’s commercial has been received better than Apple’s campaign. Of the three Genius ads, only one managed a score in the upper half of Ace Metrix’s effectiveness scale. Google’s ad had a better impact, with Ace Metrix giving it a score of 662 out of 950. For comparison, before the Genius campaign, Apple’s commercials scored an average of 620.

Which ad is your favorite? Do you like Google’s Camping commercial? Do you think that the negative reaction to Apple’s ads is exaggerated? Let us know!

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Eric Schmidt On Google: ““We Always Wanted To Be In The Hardware Business”

Google head honcho Eric Schmidt recently stopped by the Allen & Company conference in Sun Valley, Idaho to share with the fine folks in the audience Google’s new Nexus 7 and Nexus Q. While offering a show-and-tell of both products, Schmidt took some time to also share Google’s vision for the future and what it has intended to do all along when it comes to the hardware business. Schmidt highlights:

“We always wanted to be in the hardware business. Larry and Sergey have always wanted to do hardware in one form or another. This was a way to get into it quickly.”

While there’s no indication Google is trying to be a hardware company (after all— the company’s foundation is on both its search engine and advertising), Google obviously is looking above and beyond. After all, it has special projects in the making such as the famed Project Glass and lest we forget— it did acquire a certain handset maker last year which Schmidt himself promises will bring “a new batch of products” soon-to-be ready for prime time. Now that we know Eric, Sergey and Larry are clearly working on some goodies behind the scenes, one has to wonder what else the world can be treated to.

Source: TalkAndroid

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Here’s another hilarious Siri vs Google Voice Search video

There has been so many videos lately that pit Siri against Google’s new Voice Search from Jelly Bean. Google seems to win the majority of them and this video is no different, but it’s pretty funny as well. Annie Gaus from App Judgement decided to test them both out with actual questions that she Googled in the last week. Let’s just say Siri didn’t fair to well, and this video will definitely give you a nice chuckle to start off your Monday.

Source: TalkAndroid

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Apple, Samsung Trade Jabs Over Galaxy Nexus

An update from the never ending Samsung vs. Apple saga….
Samsung has won its request to expedite its appeal of the preliminary injunction that Apple won against the Galaxy Nexus.  Samsung needs to file a brief with the court, then Apple has until the end of the month to respond.

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US Retailers Reporting Google Nexus 7 Tablet As Sold Out

Looks like Google may have hit a home run with the $199 Nexus 7 tablet (read our full review here). According to Reuters, retailers across the US are reporting their stock as being sold out. So far, GameStop, Staples, Sam’s Club, Office Depot, and Walmart have all run out of their pre-order allotments before the Nexus 7 even hit store shelves.

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If you pre-ordered your Nexus 7 from Gamestop, good news, it’s now in stock

Those of you that decided to order your Nexus 7 through Gamestop are the lucky ones because you will be able to play with your new Nexus 7 before those that ordered it through Google Play. Gamestop is sending out texts and emails letting those who pre-ordered know that it’s in stock and ready for pick up.
Now if you didn’t pre-order, don’t plan on stopping by to snag one because they only received enough stock to cover pre-orders. The regular supply won’t hit stores until August 7.

Source: TalkAndroid

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Google confirms that your Nexus 7 is on the way

With the exception of those lucky Google I/O attendees, the rest of the world is waiting to get their hands on Google and Asus’ 7″ wonder-tablet. Today brings great news straight from the horses mouth as Google has announced that the Nexus 7 is winging it’s way to a doormat near you.

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Jelly Bean Rolling Out To HSPA+ Versions Of The Galaxy Nexus; Other Developer Devices To Follow

It was only a matter of time before we saw the first batch of Google devices get the anticipated Jelly Bean update since you know— it had just released Android 4.1 to the AOSP and all. And so just when you thought life with the GSM/HSPA+ version of the Galaxy Nexus couldn’t get any better, it just got better as it is officially getting the smooth and buttery update.

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Jelly Bean version of Google Play Music now available for ICS devices

Those of you that aren’t lucky enough to be running a Jelly Bean ROM can still get a taste of it. We showed you how to get the wallpapers, the Sound Search widget, and now we have the Jelly Bean version (4.3.605) of Play Music compliments of XDA member Steveooo7.

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Galaxy Nexus sales are back in action via Google Play Store

Well it looks like Google didn’t waste any time after being granted a temporary stay of ban on their Galaxy Nexussmartphones. The GSM G-Nex is once again up for grabs directly from Google themselves with an updated ship out time frame of 1-2 weeks.

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Google To Launch IaaS Cloud Service At Google I/O

Sources have told GigaOM that Google will likely be launching a cloud services platform next week at Google I/O to compete with Amazon’s EC2 and Microsoft’s Azure services. Sure, Google already has cloud services with its App Engine and Google Cloud Storage,

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It’s Collectibles Week In The Play Store – Get Your Limited Edition In-Game Content Now

For one week, Google is promoting Collectibles Week, an initiative to drive in-game sales for over 20 games in the Play Store. Using the psychological and persuasive technique known as scarcity, Google hopes to get gamers to buy or unlock limited edition items within these games.

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Developers Get A Voice In The Play Store

Google is finally giving developers a way to respond to app reviews in the Play Store. This is a great addition since it gives developers a way to defend their apps against unfair reviews, and for improving customer/dev interaction and communication.

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Google to Hold ‘The Next Dimension Of Google Maps’ Event on June 6th

Today we received an invite from Google to attend a Google Maps event next Wednesday, June 6th where they plan to unveil the “Next Dimension of Maps.” Details are pretty slim right now but I imagine this has something to do with the next step in Google’s 3D mapping programs and a basic improvement over Google Maps in general.

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