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WIMM Labs acquisition brings smartwatch expertise to Google

A few years ago a company called WIMM Labs started showing a smartwatch with a 1 inch screen and an Android-based operating system. It might have been a bit ahead of its time — in the next year Samsung, Apple, and many other companies are expected to launch their own smartwatches, while WIMM’s device has […]

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Chromecast may support local video streaming after all… eventually

Google’s Chromecast is a $35 media streaming device designed to let you stream content from YouTube, Netflix, and other online video sites to a TV. But independent developers have been spending the past few weeks teaching the Chromecast new tricks, such as streaming videos from your Android phone’s gallery or from your PC hard drive […]

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Google kills support for streaming local videos to Chromecast (kinda… for now)

Google’s Chromecast is an inexpensive device designed to let you stream internet video to your TV. But as folks quickly figured out, you could use the device for much more by creating software that lets you stream local video to your TV. For instance, Koushik Dutta has been working on an app called AllCast that lets you […]

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Google bans apps with notification-style ads from the Play Store

Google is banning apps which place ads in the Android notification bar from the Google Play Store. That’s just one of the changes in the latest Google Play Developer Program policy update — but it’s one that could pretty much put at least one company out of business. Airpush is an ad network which specializes […]

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Google releases Nexus 7 (2013) update to fix GPS, touchscreen issues

There’s a lot to like about the new Google Nexus 7 tablet. It has a high-resolution display with great viewing angles and color reproduction. It has a speedy processor. The tablet fits well in one hand. And it’s reasonably priced. I really enjoyed the time I spent with a review unit, but some folks have […]

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Google to test its balloon-powered internet network in California (Project Loon)

Google’s latest crazy idea to change the world involves using balloons to blanket hard-to-reach areas with internet access. It’s called Project Loon, and in June the company announced it had already been running a limited test in New Zealand. Now it looks like Google is ready to expand that test — and this time it’s […]

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Google Play Services 3.2 brings remote wiping to most Android phones, tablets

Google has finished rolling out Google Play Services 3.2 to most Android phones and tablets around the world. What that means is that folks running Android just received updates that should save battery life when using location services, enable support for a few new key features in third party apps, and you can remotely locate […]

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Chromecast start page could eventually show news updates, photos, or ads

Google’s Chromecast doesn’t have much of a user interface. When you plug it into a TV and turn it on, the Chromecast simply boots to a “Ready to Cast” page and waits for you to send commands from your phone, tablet, or PC. But it looks like Google could eventually add support for a news […]