Category: Google

For those of you who use Google Weather on your Android phone, there is a small but nice update that has happened behind-the-scenes for the feature.  In addition to the hourly temperature forecasts, you also now get a wind and precipitation forecast in the information card.  If you aren’t familiar with what I’m referring to as Google Weather, it is something that is found on phones by simply doing a search for weather on your phone.  When you do that, your phone will pull up the local weather information in an applet that launches in Google Search.  While there is nothing to install, you can have the applet store your weather information for other cities too.

So if you are super paranoid about Google knowing everything about you, this post may not be good for your blood pressure.  If, however, you like being able to see your activity using Google products and services on any give day, the new My Activity site is for you.  And frankly, it is pretty darn cool.  For each day you can see a breakdown of the apps, services and other content that you have done on any given day.  It is literally a minute-by-minute breakdown.   You can see your search history, the website you have visited, the apps you have used, the YouTube videos you have viewed.  You get the idea:  If you give Google access to this information, it is in there in impressive detail.

Today Google has announced that they will start using images from the Landsat 8 satellite for Google Earth and Google Maps, bringing far superior images for both apps when you view the earth in satellite mode.  The change moves the primary imaging source of Google from Landsat 7 and both of the satellites are operated by the USGS/NASA Landsat Program.  What this means for you is far more detailed and clearer images when you use either of the apps.

Today we’re rolling out an even more beautiful and seamless version, with fresh imagery from Landsat 8 satellite and new processing techniques for sharper images than ever before. Satellite images are often cloudy, but not always over the same place, so we looked at millions of images and took the clearest pixels to stitch together this cloud-free and seamless image.

There is nothing we as users have to do.  This is a back end update from Google and you should start seeing higher quality images in both apps today.

Android N is nearly upon us and the question that everyone wants to know is if their phone or tablet will see the update.  For their part, Google has clearly outlined which Nexus devices will get updates and for how long after it is no longer for sale.  While the definition has been roughly outlined and discussed by Google, to this point there has never been a document outlining which devices will get updates and when those updates will stop.  That, thanks to a post in the Google Support pages, has been formally defined.

Google Calendar for Android has been updated and with it comes a new event conflict notification feature.  This feature shows you in the app as you try to schedule another event where you have conflicts in your schedule.  The idea is to prevent yourself from double-booking events only to realize it later.  This feature actually rolled out to those who use the app as part of Google apps for Work or Education last month as they were tied to domains associated with those services.  Google has now rolled it out to everyone although it does have some limitations.

The Google Photos app and service got a small tweak yesterday behind-the-scenes that will make heavy users of the app rejoice.  Now when you are viewing your albums in either the app or on the web, there is a new Slideshow feature on the overflow menu.  That feature allows you to start a slide show on your devices or, if you have a Chromecast, cast them to your TV.  It is a small addition but an important one as it is an often requested feature.

Full disclosure:  I’m a Google Top Contributor for Google Photos in the Product Forums.

The nice thing about this update is there is not app update required.  The most current version of the app on your phone or tablet will simply have the feature pushed to it.