Tag: App

Award-Winning App from iOS ‘djay’ Finally Comes to Android

Apple always had an upside when it comes to sophisticated apps. iOS has long been the king in terms of music performance and production apps. But now, Algoriddim, the team behind the popular music mixing app djay, has launched it for Android through the Google Play Store and Amazon App Store, making the app its first on Google’s platform.

The dj-ing software was demoed onstage at the iPad 2 launch and it won Apple’s much craved Apple Design Award in 2011 and Apple’s App of the Year award in over 100 countries. Djay is so well-liked that it’s even being pre-installed on many of the Apple’s demo units in store.

Djay 2 gives you a pair of virtual turntables on which you can load any music from your library or through Spotify (premium account required). Just about everything you can do on real turntables, you can do with djay 2. It’s not limited to the capabilities of physical turntables, though. This app has a full suite of audio effects, waveform views, a drum machine, auto-synchronization, and more.

Spotify music is streamed directly to djay, so you don’t even need the Spotify app installed – simply log in through the music selection pane – and it performs as if the music was stored locally on your device as long as you’re online. You can pick up a seven-day free trial of Spotify Premium to use with djay through the app if you aren’t already a subscriber.

This is a huge feature especially if you don’t typically sync your music library to your device or have a storage limitation that prevents syncing huge libraries. If you do save music directly on your device, djay for Android includes fast access to your own music library with the native Android user interface for quickly picking the desired music and returning to the turntables.

October 29, 2014
Air India Finally Gets on Board! Launches its Official App and Twitter Account

Seems like Air India is finally awake from a deep slumber. It has officially launched a new app for smartphones to make bookings simple and convenient even while you’re on the move. Better late than never, Air India has also officially boarded the micro blogging site Twitter with a new account @airindiain.

As already mentioned, the app should facilitate quick and hassle free bookings along with providing user oriented information like fare details, check ins etc. The app is only available only on the Play Store for now, though will be rolled out for iOS soon.

The airline already has a Facebook page and getting onto Twitter account would be considered a step in the right direction. This makes Air India the sixth Indian airline to have an account on Twitter.

????? / ???? ?????? ???? ???? ????? ????? ?? ??? ?????? ?? ?? ?????? ?? ???? ?? ???? ?? —-> @AirIndiaIN

— SANJAY BAFNA (@sanjaybafna) October 22, 2014

“We will be launching our Twitter account in the next few days,” said Rohit Nandan, chairman and managing director of Air India. “I know it’s a tough task for us to be there, but we have to improve our customer services and I think this is the step in that direction. This will keep us on our toes. We would try to do our best so we can solve customer queries in real time. And gradually scale up our efforts,” said Nadan in a report published by Times of India.

October 22, 2014
Facebook is Reportedly Working on an App for Anonymous Sharing

Facebook is reportedly building a standalone app that will let its users interact and communicate under the cloak of anonymity. This is said to be the outcome of recent criticism for Facebook’s stance on real names. Sources within the company told the New York Times that Facebook plans to release an app that would let people talk anonymously.

Facebook’s long held policies require verified email addresses, and originally required college-specific email address logins per its collegiate origins. Those policies clashed recently with drag queens, some of whom had their profiles outright removed from Facebook by algorithms.

Earlier this year, Mark Zuckerberg said that Facebook would branch out from real-name apps. “I definitely think we’re at the point where we don’t need to keep on only doing real identity things,” he said in an interview. “If you’re always under the pressure of real identity, I think that is somewhat of a burden.”

Little else about the software is known at this stage. We don’t know what it will be called, or whether it’s indeed meant to be a direct competitor to apps like Secret and Whisper, which are built entirely around the idea of staying anonymous. Facebook is also widely criticized for its use of user information. When Facebook made its Messenger app standalone and required more access to users’ information, many decided to drop the service entirely.

Obviously this new app wouldn’t change Facebook’s overall strategy, but it could be an interesting experiment for both the company and its billion-plus users.

October 8, 2014
Getty Images Releases New Free App for iOS Called Stream

Six months ago, Getty Images dropped the watermark for the bulk of its collection, in exchange for an open-embed program that will let users drop in any image they want, as long as they add a footer at the bottom of the picture with a credit and link to the licensing page.

Now, the company has released an iOS app designed to help you browse and share its massive collection. New app, which is called Stream, lets you search Getty’s archives to find images that you can legally share and embed for non-commercial purposes on blogs and social media.

The app also allows you to browse photo streams created by Getty editors in categories like news, sports, entertainment and special section called “archival,” which highlights photos of historical significance. It connects to Airplay which lets you display a stream on Apple TV. Also, the app gives you options of social media sharing directly from the app interface.

However, you can not copy the image to your camera roll, instead, you can “copy” an image, which saves an embed code to your clipboard. This gives the company control over the image and could eventually be used to earn money by inserting advertising or collecting user information.

September 22, 2014
Popkey for iOS 8 is the World’s First Animated GIF Keyboard

When iOS 8 was announced back in WWDC 2014, one of the main highlights of the new update was the inclusion third-party keyboard apps. This meant that developers would be able to bring third-party keyboard apps to the iPhone, a feature users have been waiting for since practically the launch of iOS.

With this new feature, apps like SwiftKey was expected to be part of the new OS but a new keyboard app is something most iPhone users probably never even expected. The upcoming Popkey keyboard app offer users a totally different keyboard which comprised entirely of animated GIFs.

With this new keyboard you’ll be able to browse featured and trending GIFs, upload your own, save your favorites, and quickly access the GIFs you recently used. You can also browse based on keywords: For instance, tapping LOL will bring up a collection of funny GIFs. There are separate sections for “LOL,” “shocked,” “facepalm,” “swag” and other ideas/words frequently expressed in GIF form.

While iMessage already supports inline GIFs (via copy and paste), Adrian Salamunovic, co-founder of WorkshopX, the company behind PopKey, says this app streamlines the process of searching and sending. Much like the existing emoji keyboard in iOS, PopKey contains different themed sections, each of which will include dozens of GIFs. But rather than keywords, the app is organized by reactions and emotions.

There’s no firm launch date for PopKey, but you can sign up to be notified when the app launches on their website.

September 13, 2014
SHORE : New App for Google Glass That Can Recognize Human Emotions

Well, Google Glass has been a topic of debate since it release and the new app called SHORE may fire that up again. SHORE is an app that runs a software which detects human emotions in real time. This exceptional technology can be used for the aid of people with various disabilities.

The Sophisticated High-speed Object Recognition app (SHORE), uses the camera of the Google Glass to analyze the facial expressions of people and guess their feelings. The app was developed by researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits in Germany.

In addition to the person’s emotions, the app is also able to estimate the subject’s age and gender. The app, however, cannot determine the identity of the person. It guesses emotions through calculations that are based on the structures of the human face. It then uses learning algorithms and a database of more than 10,000 human faces to finish the calculation.

The research team says that this type of technology can open several possibilities for further exploration. For example, the technology can help differently abled people, those suffering from autism to understand facial expressions. The results calculated by the app can be superimposed on the display using augmented reality techniques.

In an attempt to sidestep any privacy concerns surrounding the app, the developers have promised not send any images or data to cloud storage. Since Google Glass application is not commercially available, it will be some time before regular folks can get our hands on a pair and test SHORE.

September 3, 2014
Google Acquires Jetpac, an Intelligent Photo-Analysis App Maker

Adding to the long list of artificial-intelligence hiring, Google Inc is buying Jetpac Inc, the startup that designs social travel applications.

In an official tweet, Jetpac Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer Pete Warden directed people to a new company homepage that announced the news:

We look forward to working on exciting projects with our colleagues at Google. We’ll be removing Jetpac’s apps from the App Store in the coming days, and ending support for them on 9/15.

That may have been a disappointment for the existing users, but for people who use Google services there is some good news. As company managed to simplify a complex branch of artificial intelligence known as computer vision and make it easy for lots of people to use.

More recently, Jetpac developed a mechanism for spotting smiles in pictures to discern how happy people are in a city.

The Jetpac team is highly skilled in this particular field which is an area Google has done plenty of work on, but it certainly could use more talent and ideas for ways to implement image-recognition technologies as plenty other companies, including Microsoft and Baidu, beef up their own deep-learning operations.

Jetpac announced a $2.4 million funding round in 2012. The startup’s investors include Khosla Ventures, Morado Venture Partners, and Jerry Yang. Earlier in its life, the Jetpac app let people explore travel pictures from their Facebook friends and decide where they wanted to visit.

Last January, Google also bought DEEPMIND, an artificial intelligence startup, which was founded in 2011 by Demis Hassabis, Shane Legg and Mustafa Suleyman. The team is based in London and combine the techniques from machine learning and systems neuroscience to build powerful general-purpose learning algorithms. Also, earlier this year, Google bought Nest Labs Inc, which makes smart thermostat and smoke alarms, for $3.2 billion, making the deal one of the largest in Google’s history.

Check this amazing video where the company explains how their app works.

August 16, 2014
Google’s Revolutionary App Translates Sign Language into Speech

Google is building an app called Google Gesture which translates sign language into speech. It analyses the muscle activity and position of the hand and forearm using electromyography which then uses the smartphone application and translates it into speech in real time.

Google is working with students of Berghs School of Communication in Stockholm, Sweden for the development of this app that will help dumb people to communicate. Google Gesture will be paired with bands worn in forearms that read muscle movement while the user converses using signs. The readings are then sent to the app which analyse these movements and turn it into speech.

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For some people, sign language is a must. While others don’t understand sign language, which means a lot of interesting conversations never takes place. How can we at Google help bridge the gap between those who use sign language and those who don’t?

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The aim of this project is to fix the problem of communication for people who are unable to speak and depend on gestures to communicate daily. Google has been constantly working with people around the world, creating technology that will help people from all walks of lives.

In the past, Google had developed a software that enables the deaf and hard of hearing to communicate via technology. For example, Android offers an option on its Google Translate App that turns speech into text.

June 21, 2014
Nokia Releases the New ‘Z Launcher’ App

These are hard days for Nokia. Once the largest phone vendor by a staggering margin, Nokia has sold its devices and services business to Microsoft and will now try different sectors as it looks toward the future. The company tried something similar by launching an app called Z launcher, a truly novel home screen replacement for Android phones.

Launched on Thursday, this screen app is able to accomplish this by dynamically changing the most frequently used apps throughout the day. Z Launcher is also able to include your contacts and frequently visited websites into the mix and making it a more complete experience.

At the top of the screen are the time, date and the upcoming calendar event. Tapping the time will open Android’s clock app and tapping the calendar event will open the phone’s Calendar app. The remainder of the screen is dedicated to just a few apps, contacts and web pages.

Five static shortcuts appear at the bottom of the screen, while the majority of the launcher screen is occupied by six additional shortcuts. These items lead to a combination of apps, contacts and web pages that you open most often.

If Z Launcher does not offer the apps you are looking for, you can easily bring them up by accessing a feature called Scribble. Scribble works by just drawing the first letter or two of the app or contact you want to access. It then instantly brings you to the proper selection. This virtually eliminates the need to tap, scroll, and hunt for the application or contact you are searching for.

The Z launcher is a very nifty offering from Nokia and it has the potential to completely change the way you use your phone. Smartphones are all about apps, plain and simple. With the Z Launcher, your most used apps take center stage and everything else is a few short swipes away.

It’s currently available only to a limited number of users in a rough alpha release. And while the alpha should run on many Android phones, Nokia has only tested it on the Nexus 5 and the recent Galaxy S models.

June 20, 2014
Skype Update For Android Promises Less Battery Drain
Skype has updated its App for Android, and with the new Skype 4.7 update, the company has introduced new levels of battery savings.

To make this possible, this update has turned off the message notifications in group chats by default, it can be changed for users who would like to continue using it. The company says that this is the beginning, as it expects to further improve battery usage in future updates of this mobile application.

This version also includes the following fixes:
- Workaround for the KitKat bug which caused a runaway process when the camera was synced in the background.
- Fix for audio and video calling on tablets that do not have Bluetooth.
- Now lists your Windows Live Messenger contacts in the Skype (default) view, not just the All contacts view.
Users can download the update starting today in the Play Store. It will be available for the Kindle Fire family of tablets later this month.
March 20, 2014
WhatsApp’s VOIP functionality for iOS Leaked in a Screenshot

During WhatsApp’s recent Facebook acquisition, CEO Jan Koum hinted that WhatsApp may get voice call functionality by the summer. This new leaked screenshot of the App’s upcoming update for iOS shows off those supposed calling capabilities, designed to work along with iOS 7’s design layout.

The camera button on the top also hints at video call functionality. WhatApp will allow free voice calls and video calls with your friends on your WhatsApp list over Wifi and Cellular.

It is also rumored that this functionality comes via Skype or using Skype’s voip technology as Facebook currently integrates Skype calling within its chat windows.

With this feature WhatsApp may become the single point of social networking that everyone has been looking for. Now if only they could work out their battery drain.

March 16, 2014
Google Translate for Android, Brings the Love for Handwriting in 13 new Languages including Punjabi, Gujrati and Arabic

Google’s latest translate app update will offer a lot of help to travelers and locals of the middle east and South Asia including India. With handwriting recognition added in 13 new languages including Arabic and Persian as well as Indian dialects like Gujarati, Kannada, Punjabi, Tamil and Telugu. You’ll also find support for Bosnian, Cebuano, Hmong, Maltese, Mongolian and Somali.

Google is constantly updating their language tools and it becoming easier and easier to communicate with people of a different language thanks to these updates. With handwriting support added, those from India who cannot type can now scribble directions to the nearest bar on this app. Lovely!

March 13, 2014
Spotify Acquires The Echo Nest

The music streaming app and desktop platform Spotify, which plays tunes for users without the hassle of downloading music, took on Somerville-based The Echo Nest, the company announced on Thursday.

The company says that the acquisition supports Spotify’s strategy to grow global music consumption and overall revenue back to the music industry “by building the best user experience and music discovery engine for millions of global fans.”

For the time being, The Echo Nest will continue to operate as normal, maintaining its offices in Somerville, Massachusetts and San Francisco. Also, the company will continue to offer its API, on which numerous music apps are built, for free, Spotify stating that it recognises that “the developer community is crucial to the success of both Spotify and The Echo Nest”.

Given that The Echo Nest powers many of Spotify’s competitors, including eMusic, MOG, VEVO, Twitter Music, and Rdio, how exactly Spotify manages the API moving forward could impact online music across the board.

In a statement, Chief Executive and founder Daniel Ek said the company has “been fans of the Echo Nest for a really long time” and that the takeover will help Spotify’s “quest to play you the best music possible.”

March 6, 2014
Pebble 2.0 Beta App Updated And Available For Developers
Today Pebble officially pushed out version 11 of the Pebble 2.0 Beta app for Android. The update brings with it fixes that are said to offer “considerably” improved stability as well as firmware installation enhancements, fixes for sideloading issues and tweaks to make MyPebble load faster.

For those users who have the smartwatch, the company notes that you’ll need to remove previous Beta versions and install this one.
- PebbleKit JS localStorage is now sandboxed for each app
- Many improvements to onboarding and FW installation
- Issues with sideloading apps in some circumstances have been fixed
- Some issues with loading JS configuration views after the app has been quit have been addressed
- JavaScript app logs printed via ADB are cleaner
- MyPebble now loads faster
- Known issue: Pairing a Pebble during onboarding may not succeed. If you run into problems, exit the Pebble app. Remove the pairing entry from Android BT settings & your Pebble. Then pair manually using BT settings.
You’ll need to uninstall version 10 before you install this one, and any javascript-based apps will need manually reinstalled.
March 5, 2014
The 12th Auto Expo 2014 App Will Help You To Organize Your Visit

The 12th Auto Expo 2014 is around the corner, it is fine if you did not organize your visit yet. With the upcoming Motor show, the company has also lunched a new application on all mobile platforms. ‘AutoExpo – Motor Show 2014’ is the app, and can be downloaded from Play Store, App Store, Windows Store and also on BlackBerry’s Store.

To start with, the user interface of the application is fairly simple. The home screen will show you options like the list of exhibitors, from which you can choose your loved one and mark it as favorite. The application also showcases the Site Map of the new venue, which is the India Expo Mart, Greater Noida. Buying tickets for the much loved Auto Expo is easy as it can be done online, the charges for a reugular ticket on weekdays is 200 INR and on weekends is 300 INR. However, if you want to visit during the business hours, the money you will spend is 500 INR.

Moving On, as the Auto Expo 2014 shifts from Pragati Maidan to India Expo Mart, it also takes the convenience of Delhi Metro. However, the organizers have also provided free shuttles from the nearest metro station. The Auto Expo 2014 will witness the launch of over 70 products from the Auto companies, this makes the Auto Expo 2014 to be the biggest ever auto show in sub-continent.

All this information is given to us via the Auto Expo app itself, once you enable the push notifications it will show you all the latest happenings in the event. The application does a great job of giving al the information a person might be looking for to attend the huge upcoming show. So, are you planning to visit the show ? Expect every new launch to be covered by us, Stay tuned to AutoGyaan.

January 25, 2014