Forget about the seventh-generation iPhone. Forget about the rumored Retina iPad mini and forget about the potential for any so-called "iPad killers" that may stem from the next-generation of tablet devices released by Google and their partners. If the speculation is to be believed, the next consumer technology battle could be fought by companies who are prepared to hit the market with some kind of advanced wearable technology. Google has already thrown their hat into the ring with the Glass project and it looks like Apple could be next if the iOS-powered iWatch becomes reality, but where would consumer allegiance lie?
It has now been a year since the old Android Market was rebranded as the much more all-encompassing Google Play Store, and to commemorate the occasion, the Big G is running a whole week of deals for its users.
With Android frequently making the news with regards to malware outbreaks, you may be forgiven for thinking apps on the the open-source platform were more likely to leak your private info than, say, the much more watertight iOS. Apparently, this is not the case, and as per a study by Appthority, which plies its trade in assessing mobile apps for numerous companies, free apps over at the App Store present a greater privacy risk to users than the free offerings over at the Play Store.
Google Glass is certainly one of the most exciting technologies to arrive in recent years, and one individual from Cleveland, Ohio has already tried to sell a pair on Internet auction site eBay. The listing, which was littered with errors in spelling and grammar from an individual claiming to be an "early adapter", had all the hallmarks of a scam, and having reached an eye-watering $15,000 with a day still to go, was eventually taken down by eBay.
Thus far, it has been a pretty winning formula. Devices created by Samsung, but running Google's Android software, account for 40% of total Android smartphone sales, and have helped Android become the number one ecosystem in terms of reach. With this in mind, you may think Google would be happy that its key manufacturing ally is doing so well, but while the search giant is grateful its partner is shifting such vast quantities, the Mountain View-based outfit is also a little worried the Korean company's dominance is getting a little too big, and wants other vendors to step up their games and offer some competition.
When It comes to the Web, or indeed any field within the technology industry, Google is never far away with its own service or product looking to revolutionize (or at least Googlize) the way we do things. With the likes of Spotify and Pandora currently seen as two of the main players in the streaming music game, The Big G, it is claimed, wants a piece of the action, and with Apple trying to get its own iTunes Match service off the ground, Google would once again be locking horns with one of its fiercest rivals.
The Chromebook was initially touted as an affordable, efficient product catering to the very basic computing needs, but today, in announcing the Chromebook Pixel, a premium notebook offering a 12.85-inch, 2560 x 1700 touchscreen-equipped panel, it's clear Google's ideas evolved way beyond that original manifesto. The notebook is a direct competitor to Apple's MacBook Pro with Retina display, and as well as the sharp display covered in solid Gorilla Glass, there is an LTE model (as well as Wi-Fi only), and it will begin shipping from next week.
There's scarcely an industry within the digital spectrum that Google hasn't tried its hand at, and having made a decent start to its notebook ventures with a fleet of Chromebook machines, the Mountain View company is looking to step things up a notch or two. This is according to the Wall Street Journal, which states the search giant is planning to release Chromebooks later this year with touchscreen panels, and after several reports singing a similar tune, it's looking increasingly likely that the Big G does have something up its sleeve.
What would you do if you had Glass? This is the question that Google is putting to every tech enthusiast who is hoping to get their hands on pre-production editions of Google Glass, as the company is looking to ship some prototypes to creative individuals.
Google has teamed up with a couple of big-name manufacturers to deliver a slew of successful Nexus devices to market, but one constant criticism of the series has been the underperformance of the camera. That all looks set to change, according to one Google executive, Vic Gundotra, who has promised the next line of Nexus smartphones will offer snappers which deliver crisper, altogether better shots by packing, in the words of the Google chief, "insanely great cameras."
