Tech Today: Samsung's Google TV deal, Spotify's new direction

Late-breaking news on Monday saw Google launch an impressive iOS Search app upgrade, while Spotify is set to unveil a 'new direction'. Also, Samsung is set to be the latest manufacturer to embrace Google TV.

Google iPad search app gets major overhaul
As Google seeks to narrow the gap on the iPad with the Android-powered range of tablets, this particular move could be seen as slightly counter productive. The Search giant has released a new app for iPad which allows the left hand side of the screen to be used as the search results portion of the page, while the right hand side displays the website itself. Pretty cool for iPad users, but why no Android love?
Link: AllThingsD

Spotify set to unveil 'new direction'
Music streaming pioneer Spotify is set to to unveil some big news next week with CEO Daniel Ek promising a new direction for the company. Spotify has a media event in New York next week. The company added: "In New York on 30 November, we are holding our first press conference to unveil the latest major development from Spotify – and a new direction for the company."
Link: TechRadar

Facebook adds 'sponsored stories' to side ticker
It's finally happening: Adverts are about to infiltrate your Facebook feeds with the company revealing that sponsored stories will imminently be appearing in the live ticker on the right hand side of your homepage. Rather than display actual advertisements, sponsored stories will simply show which brands your friends Like using the social network.
Link: TechCrunch

Samsung next to saddle up with Google TV
According to a report from Reuters, Samsung is about to partner up with Google to provide access to the search giant's UK-bound connected TV platform. The report claims the companies are in "late-stage talks" with a view to launching products in early 2012. Reuters reckons that Samsung's GTV offering will differ from the Sony and Logitech iterations already out there. Google TV is also set to arrive in the UK in early 2012
Link: Reuters

Vodafone partners with Sony for PS Vita 3G connectivity
The 3G prowess of the forthcoming Sony PlayStation Vita will be handled by Vodafone. Pocket-Lint reports that a Vodafone SIM card will ship with all PS Vita models in Europe, with Sony admitting that the network will be the "preferred partner". An official press statement said: "Partnering with Vodafone will enable PS Vita users in the selected countries to always be connected with their PlayStation life, friends and games, wherever they are."
Link: Pocket-Lint
 

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Google Music: All you need to know about the iTunes rival

The Google Music beta has been available to our friends in the US and now Google Music is live, but again only in the US for now. While we hope for a Google Music UK launch in the not too distant future, here's what you can expect from the iTunes rival.

As the invites sent out quite clearly suggested and in an annoncement that has been expected for months, Google has officially taken the wraps of its Android-based music service hoping to give iTunes a run for its money. We've already run the rule over Google Music Beta, but those in the US (for now) can begin to finally get to grips with the full package. Many of the features revealed in the beta still remain but Google saved a few more surprises for the official unveiling.

To find out how Google Music works and what you can expect when it makes it over to Blighty, read on for our quick guide to Google Music.


Google Music: Up in the cloud
Embracing the world of cloud-based storage, Google Music users will be able to store and stream 20,000 songs from their own collection or bought in the Android Market, from Google's cloud servers. Music can then be streamed from your smartphone, desktop and even your Android tablet.


Google Music: Music Manager
This desktop application is essentially your hub where you can both upload and download music from your own collection even if it's spread across several computers keeping any ratings, descriptions that you've added to them since.


Google Music Android app
The service will of course be available for Android smartphones where amongst other features you'll be able to make content available offline which will applyyour choices to all devices running Google Music. To use Google Music on your Android device, you'll need to be on Android 2.2 and have the latest version of Android Market. There is of course the small matter of integration with Android Market which we will move onto next.


Google Music: Android Market music store
With a slick new design and the recent addition of movie rentals, the Android Market will now enable users to buy millions of albums and individual tracks with EMI, Sony and Universal on board to cover mainstream artists, and a  host of independent labels that collectively works out to over 1,000 record labels according to Google. You'll be able to preview tracks for 90 seconds, get a free song of the day like Amazon, while all tracks will boast 320kpbs sound quality.


Google Music: Share on Google+
Remember Google+? You know that social networking service you fought to get invited to? Well Google Music will be popping up in your friend streams as well with the ability to share music that you've purchased with fellow Google+ users who can get a full free play of a track or an entire album that you've bought.


Google Music Artists hub
If the X-Factor route doesn't take your fancy, the Artist hub is a new way to get your unique sound noticed. Working similiar to the way developers sell apps on the Android Market, musicians (with necessary rights) can set up pages, dicate how much their music will cost and decide whether users can have 90 second previews, full previews or unlimited previews of their music. 70% of the revenue generated will be kept by the artist and Google also revealed that it is looking to allow artists to sell music alongside YouTube content like music videos for instance.


Google Music Exclusive content
One of the ways Google is trying to entice people to use the service is by offering content than can only be found on Google Music. To start the ball rolling, this includes exclusive live concerts from the Rolling Stones, Busta Rhymes debuting his new studio album on Google Music, plus free live albums from Coldplay, Shakira, Pearl Jam and Dave Matthews Band.


Google Music price
The fear was that despite offering Google Music beta for free, a pricing scheme would be introduced on its official arrival. The good news is that the service will continue to be free and that it is no longer limited to those who managed to test it out first time around.


Google Music UK release date
So as we mentioned earlier, there were no details on a UK launch although the spokesperson for Universal present at the announcement did mention that he was excited for the global rollout of Google Music across all Android devices, so at least we know it's on the way. As for an official date? We hope to find out more in the coming months and hope it's sooner rather than later. Interestingly, T-Mobile USA is partenering with Google Music and will have the service running on HTC and Samsung smartphones with the ability to buy music through your phone bill just like you'd buy an app on the Android Market. So there is always the distinct possiblity a similiar deal could be struck with T-Mobile in the UK.


Google Music video

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Google, Samsung Officially Launches Galaxy Nexus

It has been quite sometime since the initial Nexus phone from Google first came out. Unfortunately, it wasn’t able to make its mark in the smart phone market and was gone before it was able to take off. But one thing came out of it that has really caught quite the attention that Google may have expected- the Android OS. And now that the Android OS has made quite a dent in the smart phone market, Google may have decided that it may be time to resurrect the Google Nexus smart phone. And recently, it just did.    Google and Samsung have just officially launched the new Samsung Galaxy Nexus, the next generation Google Phone, if you put it that way. Samsung provided the hardware tech while Google took care of its operating system. The new Samsung Galaxy Nexus comes with a 2GHz dual core processor, 1GB RAM, 16 or 32 GB of storage, and a 4.65 inch HD Super AMOLED touch screen display. The Samsung Galaxy Nexus will also come with the latest Android Ice Cream Sandwich OS with new features like face control, voice dictation, better user interface, improved multitasking, NFC support and a host of other enhancements from its previous version. The Samsung Galaxy Nexus is expected to be available sometime in November. No pricing details have yet been provided by both camps.
Image Source: Google

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Google to Develop Flipboard Competitor?

Google is said to be developing a social news sharing app that will compete with Flipboard, which was awarded 2010 iPad App of the Year by Apple. The word about Google’s rumored app first appears from blogger Robert Scoble’s comment in Google+.
“Google is working on a Flipboard competitor for both Android and iPad,” he writes. “My source says that the versions he’s seen so far are mind-blowing good.”
Flipboard is designed to collect contents from social networks and other websites, then present them in a magazine format. The app also allows users to flip through user’s social networking feeds, as well as feeds from Flipboard-partnered websites.
Another source, Kara Swisher of All Things D, claims her sources have told her the new Google app will be named “Propeller,” which she calls a “souped-up version of similar reading apps such as Flipboard, AOL’s Editions, Yahoo’s Livestand, Zite, and Pulse.”
We will see in a couple of months whether these rumors turn out to be true.
Source: Mashable

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Gmail Offline for Chrome Browser

Google has unveiled a new Chrome browser app that keeps you connected with your Gmail messages even if you cannot get a connection. The Offline Google Mail is built to support offline access, thus allowing users to read, respond, search, and archive mail while without Internet access. The app will also automatically synch messages and queud actions while the Chrome browser is running and online connection is available.
To start Offline Gmail after installation, just open a new tab in Chrome and notice the Gmail Offline icon on the tab pane. Clicking on the icon would load the service. As mentioned, the app only works in Chrome, much like how Angry Birds in Google Plus works best in Chrome.
Also in the mix are the upcoming offline versions of Google Docs and Calendar, which are expected to be available next week. Users can activate it by simply going through the settings and look for the offline tick box.

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