Google may reportedly add augmented reality support to its camera app

Google is rumored to be looking at bringing augmented reality to its camera app. If true, the company would leverage technology from Google Goggles thereby allowing you to see relevant search results like nearby restaurants, transit information, and recommended retailers to purchase items.

Details given to Android Authority through an anonymous source state that the integration would include a new feature "allowing users to outline specific areas of the image in order to directly target their searches. This would be an improvement on Google Goggles since the previous iteration only allowed you to search the whole image.

Reports also indicate that "this technology has also been tested in "wearable computing devices". This could suggest this technology may come to products like Google Glass and possibly even VR (or AR) headsets."

Google Goggles launched in 2009 as a visual search technology app, but after a few years the company stopped updating it and it fell by the wayside. But if today's rumor is true, instead of making it a standalone app, Google will merge it directly with the camera so it comes incorporated in all phones, likely to build up mobile search usage. In fact, it's likely that with the reported Google keyboard, the company is looking for more seamless ways to get people to search without having to open up another app — it'll be built into the tools that we're accustomed to using.

We've reached out to Google for comment and will update if we hear back.

Google's innovative search technologies connect millions of people around the world with information every day. Founded in 1998 by Stanford Ph.D. students Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google today is a top web property in all major glob... read more »

Source: Google may reportedly add augmented reality support to its camera app

Why the new iPad Pro has such a good camera

You might have noticed that the new iPad Pro has a high-performance 12-megapixel camera that can record 4K video.

Sure, you can use it to take photos and videos of your family vacation, but that's not what it's for.

It's for capturing super-sharp, high-res photos and videos and working with them on the spot.

This is a professional-grade camera and an editing station in a single device. It's perfect for projects where carrying around a camera and laptop is impractical or too much of a hassle.

Here are a few of the things it can do:

Take photos of products, projects, properties, or people; touch them up on the spot with pro-grade editing apps; and upload them to the Internet.

Take high-res videos, edit them on the spot, and upload them to the Internet.

Scan pictures or art, which benefit from a higher quality camera, then annotate or sign with the Apple Pencil.

You can do some of that with non-Pro models of the iPad, like the iPad Air 2, but you wouldn't really want to. The cameras on previous iPad models are notoriously poor, and, while the chips are fine for running Netflix, Facebook, and even some art apps, they're not powerful enough to run pro-grade apps with smooth and fast performance.

And you technically could do all of that with the original 12.9-inch iPad Pro, as it has a decent 8-megapixel camera and runs on the same super-powerful A9X chips as the new iPad Pro. But it's not as good as the 12-megapixel camera, and it's far too large to take photo and videos with while you're out and about.

Above: The new iPad Pro.

Image Credit: Apple

So, why not use the iPhone 6s Plus, which also has a great 12-megapixel camera, can record 4K, and is even more portable than either iPad? The 6s Plus even has a stabilizer to reduce vibrations from your hand when you're taking a shot.

For one thing, the new iPad Pro has "Cinematic video stabilization." We haven't fully tested how well this "stabilization" works, but since it's "cinematic," it might be better suited to shooting video.

Above: The new iPad Pro.

Image Credit: Apple screenshot

Secondly, it's not practical to work on the photos/videos you took with your iPhone with editing apps because the screen is simply too small.

So, for anyone who wants to take big, beautiful photos and videos and fix them up on the spot, whether for real estate, construction or any other purpose, the new iPad Pro offers a complete package.

This story originally appeared on Business Insider.

Source: Why the new iPad Pro has such a good camera

Google Camera app rumored to get Google Goggles functionality

Google has plenty of apps, devices and services, but their main business is Search. Really, everything revolves around Google Search, and if they can somehow tie in their other products, they will.

The latest rumor suggests even the official Google Camera app is to get a bit of extra functionality, but it's really nothing new; it would simply be the implementation of a technology the Search Giant already uses.

The rumor is that the Android camera app would get Google Goggles capabilities. If you are out of the loop on this one, Google Goggles is an augmented reality app which allows you to make a search by taking a picture of anything.

It's actually an awesome app, but not everyone goes through the effort of downloading it. This is why bringing its functionality to the official camera app (which is part of the stock Android experience in devices like the Nexus line) would be a significant move.

See also: 15 best camera apps for Android90

These details come from an anonymous source who also gave us a bit more details on the project. The report states there will be a new feature integrated, allowing users to outline specific areas of the image in order to directly target their searches.

In Google Goggles, one can only search the whole image, which has proven to bring plenty of discrepancies. Images often display plenty of distractions, background items and other objects that may throw off a search result. According to the sketch provided, the system will also be able to recommend retailers for purchasing products, as well as other details.

Furthermore, it i said this technology has also been tested in "wearable computing devices". This could suggest this technology may come to products like Google Glass and possibly even VR (or AR) headsets.

That's about all we know for now, but if this rumor is to pan out you can be sure more details will emerge soon enough. Until then, you can continue using Google Goggles on its own. What do you guys think, though? Would you enjoy Google Goggles integration on the official Android camera app?

Source: Google Camera app rumored to get Google Goggles functionality

Samsung Galaxy S7/Galaxy S7 Edge tips and tricks

One of the biggest complaints with Samsung's TouchWiz UI a few years ago was the fact that the software package was very bloated, and packed with a slew of features and extras that, ultimately, didn't prove to be all that useful. Samsung has toned down their software experience drastically over the last couple of versions of the UI, and with the latest iteration, the software experience is by far the best yet.

That certainly doesn't mean that these smartphones are particularly lacking when it comes to software and hardware features however. The Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge are making its way to consumers all over the world, and we're here to help you out, with this roundup of our top tips and tricks to help you get the most out of your new smartphone. Let's take a look!

#1 – Disabling the Flipboard Briefing screen

One of the big issues with the Samsung software experience has been the Flipboard Briefing screen, with a lot of stutter and lag seen when swiping to it. The lag isn't as prevalent a problem with the powerful Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge, and quite a few users do find this secondary screen useful, but if you are someone who, like me, don't find it helpful, the good news is that it can be disabled easily.

All you have to do is long press on the homescreen and then swipe over to the Briefing homescreen, where you will see a toggle to turn it off. If you are looking to turn it back on again, just follow the same steps to do so.

#2 – Changing the screen grid size

By default, the screen grid size is set to 4×4, which is a little bit cramped, and doesn't allow you to take full advantage of the available display real estate. Once again, changing this setting is very easy. Just long press on the homescreen, and among the four options at the bottom, tap on Screen Grid. You can choose between 4×4, 4×5, and 5×5, and once you're happy with your selection, tap on Apply. With the larger grid sizes, you will now be able to fit a lot more apps and widgets on the homescreen.

Get more on your Galaxy S7, S6 or Note 5 screen with hidden DPI scaling settings24 #3 – Camera quick launch

The camera quick launch shortcut was first introduced with the 2015 Galaxy S flagships, and is one of the best features Samsung has come up with. Anytime you are looking to launch the camera quickly, all you need to do is a double tap of the physical home button. This feature works regardless of which app or screen you are on, and even when the device is locked.

This is an extremely useful feature and actually removes the need for a Camera app icon on the homescreen as well. The camera quick launch shortcut should be enabled by default, but if it isn't, go to Settings – Advanced Features, and make sure that the Camera quick launch option is toggled on.

#4 – One-handed operation

This feature allows you to shrink the interface down for easier one handed use, and while it may not be required with the relatively compact Galaxy S7, it may prove useful for owners of the larger Galaxy S7 Edge. To enable this feature, go to Settings – Advanced Features – One-handed operation, and you will see a toggle to reduce the screen size.

There is also a toggle for one-handed input as well, which will shift only certain apps, like the Dialer or Calculator, to one side of the phone, for easy one handed use. Once enabled, a triple press of the home button will launch this feature, and you will have the option to move it to left or right side, depending on which you prefer, as well as to go back to the full screen size.

#5 – Re-ordering the Edge panels

This tip is of course, specifically for owners of the Galaxy S7 Edge. With the new Edge UX, Samsung now allows for up to 9 panels to be used at one time, and that can be a lot of panels to swipe through when your searching for a particular piece of information. If there are some panels you use more often than others, such as looking up weather information, you can put those panels at at the forefront to make them easier to get to.

To re-order the panels, swipe open the Edge interface, tap the Setting icon, and select the Re-order button at the upper right. From here, re-ordering the panels is as simple as dragging and dropping. Now, your Edge panels will be exactly the way you want them to be.

#6 – Moving multiple applications to another homescreen

One of the most annoying things about Android when it comes to moving and organizing apps around the homescreens is that you can only move one item at a time. Luckily, Samsung has come up with a pretty elegant solution to help in this regard.

Just long press and hold an application, as you normally would when moving an app, and up top, you will see a Move Apps option appear. Once you've dragged an app to it, you will then be given the option to select 5 more applications to move. Once selected, swipe to any of the other homescreens, and simply drag them back down from the top.

#7 – Make the UI look like stock Android

The latest version of the TouchWiz UI doesn't look that bad, with a few aesthetically-pleasing changes made throughout, but if you're still not a fan and are looking for a more stock-like interface, you can easily do so via the in-built Theme store.

Confessions from a stock Android fan: TouchWiz isn't the monster I thought it was354

My favorite theme lately is the Android 6.0 Marshmallow theme, but there are plenty of really good ones to choose from. The easiest way to find them is to use the search term "Material," and you will find a lot of themes that offer a stock Android look, with a majority of them also available for free.

#8 – Customizing the Always On display

One of the new features introduced with the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge is the Always On display, and while its functionality is quite limited at the moment, Samsung does offer a few ways to customize it. You'll find these options by going to Settings – Display – Always On display, where you have the option to choose between a clock, calendar, or image, to display.

If you want to customize the clock, for example, you can pick between several analog and digital clock styles, and you can also add a background image to the clock. Granted, there are only a few images to choose from here, but those are available do look nice, and hopefully, more options will be added in the future.

#9 – Turning off Pop-up view

A feature that I've always found to be quite annoying is Pop-up view. This feature lets you shrink an app into a floating window that you can manipulate and move around by swiping inwards from the top left or right corners. However, you will often find this feature being triggered when you're simply trying to pull down the notification shade.

The good news is that with the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge, you now have the option to disable this feature. Go to Settings – Advanced features, tap on Pop-up view gesture, and turn it off.

#10 – Keeping the screen turned off

The last and final tip is with regards to how to keep the screen from turning itself on when you don't want it to. With both smartphones coming with physical home buttons, they can be prone to accidental presses from getting tossed around in a bag, or even while in your pocket, which can ultimately waste a lot of battery life, with the screen turning on constantly.

Go to Settings – Display, and you will see an option for keeping the screen turned off. Once you've enabled this feature, your phone will never accidentally turn itself on in your pocket, bag, or any other dark environment.

So there you have it for this roundup of some useful tips and tricks to help you get the most out of your Samsung Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 Edge. If you feel like there is something we've missed out on, don't forget to mention it in the comments section below.

See also:

Source: Samsung Galaxy S7/Galaxy S7 Edge tips and tricks

Windows 10 Mobile New Update For Camera, Photos Apps

Washington: The Windows 10 Mobile users will be pleased to hear that Microsoft has updated the Camera and Photos (from 16.201.16372 to 16.317.14282) apps. Now, while viewing a photo, the users will be able to print the image by clicking on the ellipsis menu (?).

The new update for the Camera and Photos apps will allow users to print an image directly from their phone running on Windows 10 Mobile OS. Users will be able to choose the Orientation under the print heading, its size and the photo will be used as a Living Image picture if motion is noticed during its capture.

This feature bears resemblance to Apple's Live Photos, which records a 3-second video. Microsoft has imitated the idea and it will enable users to view a Living Image picture when it comes on the screen, but it can also be used as a still picture.

The changelog for the latest update for the Camera app contains only bug fixes and performance improvements, but nothing else. And the users are upset because the Rich Capture HDR option was added and they can't film in panorama view either.

Hopefully, these features will be included in the camera app in the near future.

Source: Windows 10 Mobile New Update For Camera, Photos Apps

Here's why the new iPad Pro has such a good camera

Apple screenshot

You might have noticed that the new iPad Pro has a high-performance 12-megapixel camera that can record 4K video. 

Sure, you can use it to take photos and videos of your family vacation, but that's not what it's for. 

It's for capturing super sharp, high-res photos and videos, and working with/on them on the same device.

This is a camera and an editing station for professionals in a single device. It's perfect for projects where carrying around a camera and laptop is impractical, or is at least more of a hassle than bringing a single device, like the iPad Pro.

Here are a few of the things it can do:

take photos of products, objects, projects, properties, people, or anything you want, and touch them up on the spot with pro-grade editing apps, and upload to the internet.

take high-res videos, edit on the spot, and upload to the internet.

scan pictures or art, which benefit from a higher quality camera for scanning, then annotate or sign with the Apple Pencil.

You can do some of that with non-Pro models of the iPad, like the iPad Air 2, but you wouldn't really want to. The cameras on previous iPad models are notoriously poor, and while the chips are fine for running Netflix, Facebook, and even some art apps, they're not powerful enough to run pro-grade apps with smooth and fast performance. 

And you technically could do all that with the original 12.9-inch iPad Pro, as it has a decent 8-megapixel camera and runs on the same super-powerful A9X chips as the new iPad Pro. But it's not as good as the 12-megapixel camera, and it's far too large to take photo and videos with while you're out and about. 

Apple

So, why not use the iPhone 6s Plus which also has a great 12-megapixel, can record 4K, and is even more portable than either iPads? The 6s Plus even has a stabilizer to reduce vibrations from your hand when your taking a shot.

For one, the new iPad Pro has "Cinematic video stabilization." We haven't fully tested how well this "stabilization" works, but since it's "cinematic," it might be better suited for shooting video. The verdict is still out on that, though. 

Apple

Also, it's not practical to work on the photos/videos you took with your iPhone with editing apps because the screen is too small. 

So, for anyone who wants to take big, beautiful photos and videos and fix them up on the spot for whatever reason, whether it be for real-estate or construction or whatever else, the new iPad Pro is a complete package for the professional on-the-go. 

Read the original article on Tech Insider. Follow Tech Insider on Facebook and Twitter. Copyright 2016.

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Source: Here's why the new iPad Pro has such a good camera

Microsoft Will Soon Release Universal Skype App For Windows 10

As Barbie Stafford, the director of product marketing for Skype, told a group of reporters during a small press event earlier this year, Microsoft learned that the original task-focused apps may have tested really well, but on larger screens, users really want all of the features in a single app – and that's what the new Skype UWP app aims to offer. "Over time we will streamline all Skype for Windows 10 experiences into the Skype Universal Windows Platform app", says the press release, which may imply that this is the plan long-term.

The changelog for the new update for the Camera app contains only bug fixes and performance improvements, but nothing else.

However, the Windows 10 Mobile OS has been the one which needs the most attention as of now, and that Microsoft has been doing of late.

The screen shot embedded in this post is of the new Skype UWP app which – unsurprisingly, given the list of Version 1 features – looks basically like the unified current Skype Win32 app.

I asked Microsoft officials whether the coming UWP Skype app would be available through the Store or be bundled with Windows 10.

The Skype story on Microsoft's reinvented Windows platform is anything but smooth. The initial app will support video calls, messaging, and most of the basics of Skype.

At this point Skype seemed to be retreating from the UWP. Future releases will add the ability to participate in group video calls, screen sharing, and video messages.

The company has worked to simplify the interface by removing duplicate menus and clutter, and of course, the interface is much more touch-friendly.

In November 2015, previews of those task-based UWP apps appeared, initially on desktop Windows 10, and then also on Windows 10 Mobile. You'll also be able to share your screen, as well as files and video messages. What Microsoft discovered is that the decoupled apps are preferred on the phone-phone usage tends to be more task-oriented, and the decoupled apps mimic the approach taken on, for example, iOS, where Phone, iMessage, and Facetime are all separate.

"[Our] team has been working in partnership with Microsoft and we are within 30 to 45 days of releasing a Windows Phone app", said COO of Starbucks, Kevin Johnson.

Source: Microsoft Will Soon Release Universal Skype App For Windows 10