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News and notes from Android team
Tap. Pay. Give.
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
Every gift is twice as nice. Support special education with every Android Pay purchase.
‘Tis the season to give back. Android Pay and Google.org are teaming up with DonorsChoose.org to support the 6.4 million children in the US education system with special needs. Over the last month, Google.org has been
shining a spotlight
on teachers who are using innovation in the classroom to improve learning and inclusion for kids with special needs. This is part of Google’s focus on improving the lives of people with disabilities through their
Global Impact Challenge: Disabilities
.
Now,
Android Pay
is extending that effort. Starting today through December 31st, we’ll donate $1—
up to $1 million
— to special needs education projects.
And as we kick off the season of giving, we’re doubling our donation for every Android Pay purchase made on Black Friday (November 27th). There’s never been a better time to give — twice.
Android Pay is accepted at over a million locations across the US - wherever you see these logos:
To find out more about how your taps can help make education more inclusive for every child, click
here
.
Teachers spend nearly $500 out of their own pocket each year to outfit their classrooms with enriching projects and programs. Since each student learns differently, let’s support special needs classrooms across the country to make education more inclusive
for every kid
.
Happy holiday tapping -- and giving!
Posted by Sherice Torres, Marketing Director, Android Pay
Void for residents of AL, HI, IL, MA, MS, SC, and where prohibited. Standard data rates, terms and conditions apply. May not be available from all service providers/devices. Between 11/24/15 & 12/31/15, Google Inc. will donate $1 to Donorschoose.org for every purchase made using Android Pay and $2 for every purchase made on 11/27/15, up to $1,000,000 in total. Charity information at www.donorschoose.org. App uses are not tax deductible.
Terms and conditions
here
.
Google Fit: Step up your fitness
Thursday, November 19, 2015
When it comes to fitness, every effort counts: each step, sit-up, snack, and good night’s sleep. That’s why
Google Fit
’s latest update recognizes all your healthy choices: from cardio to strength training, what you eat plus how you rest, and coaches you every step of the way.
Instant insights.
See real-time stats for your runs, walks and rides on your phone. Google Fit will record your speed, pace, route, elevation, and more so you can stay motivated and on track.
Strength training.
Want to add push-ups to your routine? If you have an
Android Wear
watch, you can start a daily challenge and your watch will automatically detect and count each sit-up, push-up, and squat. They'll be added to your daily activity, so you get credit for each one.
The whole picture.
Google Fit will now show you info from your favorite nutrition and sleep apps. Monitor your diet with
MyFitnessPal
,
Fatsecret
,
Lifesum
, or
LoseIt
. Or track your sleep with
Sleep as Android
,
Xiaomi Mi Band and Mi Band 1S
,
Sony Smartband 2
, or the
Basis Peak
. These new integrations (rolling out in the coming days) will provide even better insights into your health and fitness. And with Google Fit, you'll always have a personal coach cheering you on, right from your phone.
When you’re able to view your overall fitness, you may just start making better choices: taking the stairs instead of the elevator, choosing salads over eclairs. Looking to stay fit this holiday season? Check out the new
Google Fit
updates and start making every effort count.
Posted by Michael Gaiman, Software Engineer, Google Fit
Solving the age-old question: Batman or Superman?
Thursday, November 12, 2015
It’s a multi-generational debate—are you team Batman or team Superman? While we can’t personally help you make this very difficult decision, we can tell you it’s never been a better time to be a comic book fan. With a smartphone in your pocket, you have a sharp color screen at your fingertips and instant access to read any comic whenever and wherever you are.
Holy Android
!
Today, Google Play Books is getting an upgrade specifically designed for comic book fans, making it easier to read your favorite comics on your phone or tablet. Reading a comic book is all about following the story and enjoying the art, dialogue and pace the way you want. But navigating a comic can be tricky on a small phone or tablet screen. So, we’re introducing a new vertical scrolling experience for comics in landscape mode. Flip your device on its side and you can easily scroll through the story with quick vertical swipes.
New vertical scrolling experience for comics
(Featured “
Star Wars: Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Shattered Empire
”)
We’ve also made finding great comics and series really easy. Now we’re offering a new comics destination and a bunch of beautifully curated series pages on the Google Play Store that organize volumes, issues and other editions of the top comic series. You’ll also find new personalized recommendations for similar series to help you discover new stories and characters.
Easily discover and continue a comic series in Google Play Books
(Featured: comic series discovery in the Google Play Store app and Google Play Books app)
Google Play offers binge-worthy comics from all the major publishers, including DC Comics, Marvel, Image, IDW and Dark Horse. Whether you’re a long-time fan or just starting out, our collections will have something great for you, with series like
The Walking Dead
,
Justice League
,
Deadpool
and
Mortal Kombat
. And for the next week we’ll be celebrating these new features with
several free comics
, including issues from
The X-Files
,
Lazarus
, and
Jem and the Holograms
, and more.
These experiences will roll out to Android users in the next few days (with iOS soon to follow) in the US, Canada, Australia, the UK, India, Singapore, Ireland, New Zealand and South Africa. Now stop reading here, and go connect with the canon!
Posted by Greg Hartrell, Senior Product Manager, Google Play Books
Cellular support comes to Android Wear
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
Android Wear lets you stay connected, even when your phone isn’t with you. With Bluetooth and Wi-Fi support, for example, you can see who’s calling when your phone is in the next room, or respond to messages at the gym while your phone is at home. Today, we're bringing cellular support to
Android Wear
, so you can stay connected in even more places.
No more worrying about Bluetooth or Wi-Fi—your watch will automatically switch to a cellular connection when you’re out of range. As long as your watch and phone are connected to a cellular network, you’ll be able to use your watch to send and receive messages, track fitness, get answers from Google, and run your
favorite apps
. And yes, you’ll even be able to make and take calls right from your watch, for when your hands are full, or your phone is elsewhere.
The first Android Wear watch with cellular support is the LG Watch Urbane 2nd Edition LTE.
The watch’s three buttons offer quick access to what you use most: your contacts list, the LG Health fitness app, and back to the watch face to see the time. Its high resolution 480 x 480 P-OLED display makes it easy to read important info, no matter where you are. And the built-in heart rate monitor helps you get more out of your workouts. US customers can buy the LG Watch Urbane 2nd Edition from AT&T and Verizon. And international customers will be able to buy it within the coming months. Supported features for the watch may vary, so please check with your carrier.
The next time you’re running an errand or a marathon, try leaving your phone behind. With calling, messaging, and thousands of apps right on your wrist, you’ll always be able to stay in touch and on track. Say goodbye to bulky pockets and awkward armbands: cellular support for Android Wear lets you wear what you want.
Posted by Peter Ludwig, Product Manager, Android Wear
Android Wear: Introducing TAG Heuer Connected
Monday, November 9, 2015
Watches have a long and
celebrated history
of mixing beauty with engineering breakthroughs. And TAG Heuer has been at the forefront of many of these innovations—from the first chronograph accurate to 1/100th of a second, to the first belt-driven tourbillion, and
many more
. With the TAG Heuer Connected we're excited to introduce another first: the first luxury watch powered by
Android Wear
.
Inspired by the TAG Heuer Carrera, this watch includes a titanium case and signature strap in seven striking colors. In addition, its high-resolution, transflective sapphire glass display makes it easy to check the time and other important info—even in the bright sun.
Moving from atoms to bits, the TAG Heuer Connected includes a beautiful set of digital watch faces with classic TAG Heuer dials. You’ll be able to personalize what information you want to see: weather, step count, or calories. And because the watch is powered by Android Wear, you can check your messages, receive fitness coaching, and ask Google for help—right from your wrist. (Yes, even if you have an
iPhone
.)
The TAG Heuer Connected represents an incredible collaboration between watchmakers from La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, and engineers from Intel and Google in Silicon Valley, California. With our combined expertise in watchmaking, hardware, and software, we’ve created a watch that we’re excited to share with the world! So check out the
TAG Heuer website
, and learn more about this beautiful, useful watch.
Posted by David Singleton, VP of Engineering, Android Wear
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