Google Assistant is Coming to Android TV, Android Wear 2.0 and More Devices

Google Assistant has been somewhat of a replacement for Google Now for those who have compatible devices. Many are still waiting for Google to bring the new service to their device, and they're now making some progress with this. Sadly, we still aren't seeing official support for it on non-Pixel Android smartphones, but Google has announced it will be coming to a number of different platforms throughout the year.

The big news here is that all Android TV devices in the United States running Android 6.0 Marshmallow or 7.0 Nougat will soon get an update that adds Google Assistant support.  This is especially enticing given that, at the moment, Assistant is limited to a handful of expensive Google-made products like the Home and the Pixel smartphones. Google gives an example list of Android TV devices that will receive the update, including the NVIDIA Shield Android TV, AirTV Player, Sharp Aquos, Sony Bravia, and Xiaomi Mi Box, but there are definitely others out there that will get Google Assistant.

With voice actions on these supported devices, you'll be able to issue commands like "Play Stranger Things on Netflix," or "Search YouTube for Jimmy Kimmel." This version of Google Assistant will also be able to do Google web searches so you can say something like "Tell me about Jurassic Park," and "How long will it take to get to work?" You'll even be able to control your connected devices that are supported by Google Assistant, so you can say "Dim the lights," to get ready for the movie or show you're about to watch.

We're also told that Google Assistant will be coming to a number of other devices in the near future as well. Google specifically mentions Android Wear 2.0, Android-powered in-car infotainment systems, and "other types of devices" thanks to the Embedded Google Assistant SDK. We'll have to wait and see if the Embedded Google Assistant SDK catches on as much as Amazon's Alexa platform, but each new company that adds support for Google Assistant will make the service that more valuable. Expanding Google Assistant's reach is a great strategy that will bring further exposure to Google's AI and connected home efforts.

Source: <name of site>

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NVIDIA Unveils new SHIELD with 4K HDR Streaming, and NVIDIA SPOT AI Microphone Peripheral

During their CES 2017 keynote, NVIDIA has unveiled the successor to their popular SHIELD TV — simply called the SHIELD. Running Android TV just like its predecessor, the new device aims to replace not only other streamers, but also give you the power of AI through Google Assistant.

The new NVIDIA SHIELD streaming device can now stream 4K content through Netflix and other services. Beyond media content, the SHIELD can also stream multiplayer games from the cloud with support for 4K HDR casting at up to 60fps with NVIDIA GameStream. Outside of these details, NVIDIA did not really specify what powers the streaming device in terms of specifications.

Since the SHIELD runs on Android TV, you also get all the capabilities of the smart OS, including the future update that adds on Google Assistant. Rolling out in the "coming months", the Google Assistant for Android TV update will let users enjoy a hands-free TV experience, with voice control and contextual replies. You could search on YouTube using voice commands starting with the "OK Google" trigger phrase, and interact contextually with the AI Assistant. You can also interact with the connected services that will choose to be a part of the Actions on Google platform.

NVIDIA is also launching a curious peripheral with the SHIELD. Called the NVIDIA SPOT, this is an always-on microphone that aims to spread AI coverage throughout your house. You would need wall outlets that are exposed and are not among furniture that would muffle out your voice commands, though.

The new NVIDIA SHIELD comes with a remote and game controller for $199.99, and is available for pre-order. The NVIDIA SPOT will be sold separately, though pricing and availability have not been announced yet.

What are your thoughts on the NVIDIA SHIELD and NVIDIA SPOT? Let us know in the comments below!

Source: TechCrunch

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Screens Launches Two Apps at Once

 

If you use the split-screen feature in Android 7.0, there's probably a specific pair of apps that you use more than others. The app Screens – Multi Window Manager can create a single shortcut that launches two specified apps at once.

The app is as simple as it gets. Select the two apps you want paired and set a shortcut name.

If you consistently use the same two apps in split-screen, this can be a very useful tool. I have a shortcut for Maps and Play Music so when I start driving, I can instantly launch the only two apps I use when driving.

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ZTE Unveils Blade V8 Pro and Project CSX Winner ‘Hawkeye’ at CES 2017

ZTE took the stage at CES 2017 to unveil not one, but two smartphones. The Blade V8 Pro is an upgrade over the Blade V7, while ZTE Hawkeye is the smartphone winner from Project CSX, ZTE's attempt to crowdsource ideas for a smartphone.

ZTE Blade V8 Pro

ZTE's Blade lineup has seen popularity in Asian markets, and then expanding to Europe and other regions. With the V8 Pro, ZTE is bringing the Blade to the US market, aiming at users looking for an affordable smartphone.

The Blade V8 Pro features a 5.5″ FHD LCD display, which is standard fare on many price segments these days. On the inside, you get a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 with 8x Cortex-A53 clocked at 2.0GHz; 3GB RAM and 32GB of internal storage. You can choose to expand the storage by another 256GB by making use of the hybrid dual-SIM slot with microSD support. There's a decently sized 3,140 mAh battery onboard, along with a USB Type-C port and Quick Charge 2.0 capabilities. The phone does sadly run Android 6.0 Marshmallow, and ZTE has not made known any upgrade plans, so a Nougat release remains up in the air at this stage.

The Blade V8 Pro fuels the dual-camera trend with its dual 13MP cameras on the back, supported with dual LED flash and PDAF. You can also record 4K videos at 30fps. The front camera is an 8MP shooter.

The ZTE Blade V8 Pro is available for pre-order through ZTE's website and other retailers for a price of $299.98.

ZTE Hawkeye

While ZTE had chosen the winner of Project CSX through community voting a few months ago, they have now chosen the name of the upcoming smartphone.

Named 'Hawkeye', the winner of Project CSX is a smartphone with a self-adhesive back with eye-tracking technology. ZTE Hawkeye is now live for funding on Kickstarter for a discounted price of $199. The device is expected to ship globally in Q3 2017.

For more information, you can visit the Kickstarter page for ZTE Hawkeye.

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What are your thoughts on ZTE Blade V8 Pro and ZTE Hawkeye? Let us know in the comments below!

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LG Says They’re Moving Away from Modular Designs with the LG G6

Last year, LG made tons of headlines when it was announced they would be shifting to a modular design with the LG G5. The device quickly became one of the most anticipated smartphones of the year, and LG even said they were committing more funds to marketing the device than they should.

LG even seemed dedicated to the LG Friends modular system and were doing what they could to entice 3rd-party developers to jump on board at special developer events.

The company had once promised that it would continue to support the modular design with their future smartphones, in an attempt to get customers to invest in the modules. But then the device was released and the reviews weren't as favorable as LG had hoped they would be. This decline in popularity continued throughout the year and it was ultimately considered a flop by the company when they were unable to meet sales expectations. Availability and compatibility issues with the already-limited set of modules were the nail in the coffin for the G5.

This resulted in a 23% drop in quarterly revenue and attributed to LG's mobile division losing millions of dollars last year. Thankfully their appliance division was able to keep the company afloat, but many were wondering if LG would spin off the mobile division to prevent these losses from dragging the company down. LG's Chief Technologist, Skott Ahn, is at CES this week and he assured the audience that spinning off the mobile division is not something they would consider doing.

Ahn also spoke about the upcoming LG G6 at the event too, telling us that it is moving away from the modular design LG invested in with the LG G5. We're told that LG could decide to launch the LG G6 in Barcelona at the Mobile World Congress event next month. However, a date has yet to be finalized and they are also considering a couple of other dates for the launch as well.
Source: The Wall Street Journal

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Samsung & BlackBerry Publish Their Android Security Bulletin for January

Each month we talk about Google's Android Security Bulletin, but these aren't the only vulnerabilities that get patched.

Google helps OEMs by taking care of the patches which are specific to the core Android platform, but that's not all there is to it — many smartphone manufacturers add their own skin and some even make major changes to the platform itself so that they can implement the features they want. These changes can also add vulnerabilities, and this is part of why we see other smartphone companies releasing their own Android Security Bulletin each and every month, so we are also seeing BlackBerry and Samsung release their summary of patches for the month of January: On top of the patches Google announced, Samsung is patching over 15 vulnerabilities with their Android security update for January.

Only one of these vulnerabilities has been marked with a high severity level, with the rest being considered medium or low. These have all been privately disclosed, with some dating all the way back to May, but they will be patched in this month's security update. As with all monthly security updates, Samsung is unable to give us a list of which devices will be receiving the update, nor can they tell us when owners of Samsung devices can expect to see this update pushed to them.

On the other hand, BlackBerry doesn't give us individual lists to show us what vulnerabilities they're patching from Google, and which ones they have found specific to the BlackBerry platform. However, they do tend to do a better job when it comes to delivering these updates and have told us that updates are pushed out immediately to those devices that were purchased from their Shop BlackBerry website. Those who purchased directly from a carrier, though, will have to wait until the update is certified and pushed out by the carrier.

Follow the links below for more information:

Source: Samsung

Source: BlackBerry

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Zenfone 3 Zoom and Zenfone AR Hands On

While at CES, Miles got a chance to check out two of the hottest phones announced today. The Zenfone 3 Zoom and Zenfone AR were just unveiled and they look amazing. The Zenfone AR features some monster specs that make it ideal for VR. The Zenfone Zoom 3 is also an awesome looking phone that people are very excited about.

Still no word on the prices of these phones but we will no doubt have that information within the next couple of months. Check out the video for the full hands on demo.

Thanks to Honor for sponsoring our CES coverage. Be sure to check out the new Honor 6X.

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