Google yesterday announced the launch of Keep, the first note-taking app since the company scrapped Notebook in 2009 and allowed competitors like Evernote to dominate the mobile and cloud-based note-taking sector. Keep is available on the web and to Android users, and is still very basic. The default layout is a single column in an internet browser, and allows you to quickly snap pictures, create lists, add gifs, take a voice note, or jot information down quickly – but that’s it. It’s currently analogous to a souped-up sticky notes function, a place to quickly put things that we might otherwise put on a pad of paper. If, however, the app is expanded to the scope of an Evernote, it could quickly become indispensable; one can easily imagine Drive, Mail, Maps, Calendar, and Glass synchronization. For now, though, Keep might just replace those yellow sticky notes all over your desktop.
Tag: google
Strategy Analytics Report On Cloud Market Share
Oftentimes, companies focus on market share for hardware and software, but in today’s world cloud media services are an increasingly important service for our devices, and Strategy Analytics has, for the first time, quantified market share data: Apple’s iCloud and iTunes Match are the leaders for cloud services in the U.S. at a combined 27% of usage. This makes sense, as apple has tried its hardest to ensure that the majority of users are synced into the cloud network, especially on iOS 5. For others, the gap is significantly smaller. Dropbox and Amazon Cloud Player are at 17% and 115% respectively, while Google Drive is hovering at just 10%. One of the most striking conclusions of the study: music is the driving force of cloud utilization, as audio represents 45% of the content on cloud-based any platform. At the same time, it’s clear that the cloud hasn’t fully developed: 55% of those asked hadn’t used a cloud service at all; it appears that there’s a long way to go before everybody is interacting with the cloud.
Google Adds GIF Search
In a Google-dominant day, the company made another major announcement regarding the expansion of the popular search engine: it will now be adding a GIF filter to its search function, available today. The file-types filters that are filterable, located in “search tools,” now include faces, photos, clip art, and animated GIFs. The feature allows users to preview the animations directly within the results page, making executive decisions about which GIF to include in an email or blog post that much easier. Though GIFs have been included in search results in the past, this filter allows the user to search specifically for the animated GIFs. The deluge of animations in the digital age looks set to continue in full force thanks to this easy-to-use functionality.
Google Drive Realtime API Allows Developer Collaboration
Google’s newly-labeled Drive has replaced documents, and is one of the main components of the opt-in Google product suite. Before today, the power to collaborate with this software, to incorporate it into new apps and document-sharing situations, has rested in the hands of Google developers exclusively. But today Google posted Drive Realtime API that lets third-party apps integrate simultaneous collaboration with Drive within their products. So keep your eyes open for further Drive integration with third-party platforms; cloud-based document storage and sharing is here to stay.
Samsung Galaxy S4 Launch
Samsung held their launch event for their flagship Galaxy S4 smartphone in Times Sq yesterday. With Samsung’s marketshare growing to 21.4% for Jan 13, many are curious how the new handset will compete with Apple which holds 37.8% of the market. We could dive into some of the tech specs like the 5″ display or 13 megapixel camera, but let’s move our focus to the software and business concerns that will likely have the greatest impact for the Korean tech giant in their battle with Apple.
S Features: Despite being a Google Android phone, Samsung has a number of unique features that give it an edge over other Android products. One of the most interesting is their touchless controls like gesture inputs that let you wave your hand to take a call or smart pause which will stop videoplay when you look away. We’ve been talking about vanishing interfaces since our 2012 trends report which seem to be more prevalent each day. Also interesting is the line of “S” features like voice drive which converts text to speech and S Health that uses integrated sensors to measure steps taken and monitor other health activity. Samsung is smart to capitalize on the quantified self trend that previously relies on external hardware like Nike Fuelband or Fitbit.
Marketing: Samsung has bet big on the Galaxy SIII and SIV in an Us vs. Apple marketing push. The company has spent $401 million in the US alone in 2012 compared to Apple’s $333. We predict them to keep the spend strong for several months following the launch, but that may die down if they are not able to see increased sales growth.
Converting Users: Samsung is certainly taking over the Android space with HTC, Motorola and LG trailing way behind but how about Apple users? That valuable chunk of the market may be the most difficult to sway, despite lowered price point. One big consideration is the media sales as Apple users are known to spend substantially more in apps, content and more. For an iPhone owner to switch, they would need to begin their media purchases from scratch as they move into an entirely separate platform. This will undoubtedly be the biggest hurdle for Samsung, UI considerations aside.
Do you have any predictions for the S4? Weigh-in in the comments section below.
Google And Volkswagen Develop Smileage Campaign
As part of Google’s “Art, Copy, Code” initiative to re-imagine advertising, the tech giant is developing the Smileage project in partnership with Volkswagen. The campaign leverages a social app that aims to make driving more fun by tracking your route, making driving suggestions and socializing activity while you’re in the car. The entire experience is powered by Google Plus and while it doesn’t have the capability at the moment, Smileage could benefit from bringing in interesting data points like speed and fuel levels to deepen their story.
Facebook Acquires Atlas
Facebook has announced that they are purchasing Microsoft’s Atlas Solutions division for a rumored price of less than $100mm. This brings to a close several months of speculation after details of purchase discussions leaked late last year. Facebook is demonstrating that they’re willing to spend the money and resources that are required to expand their ad stack. While they may never achieve their stated ambition of displacing Windows/iOS as the main method of interacting with a computer, there may come a time when Facebook is the primary interface for a brand to manage a digital advertising campaign.
Google+ Sign-In Rivals Facebook Connect
In a direct play to rival Facebook, Google today announced Google+ Sign-In. It’s an answer to Facebook Connect that provides a single login interface for websites and mobile apps that brings user information onto third-party sites. In a now-familiar setup: the user logs in with social media credentials while the website explains what information the site or app needs to access; in Google’s case this also includes Gmail, Calendar, etc. The user can choose which circles to share this information with, and if desired the “private” setting prevents anybody else from seeing the activity. This feature is now available with Android and iOS.
But where this feature departs from Facebook is in the distinction between passive and active sharing. Things that are passively passed to the G+ network, like what you’re listening to on Spotify, don’t pop up in streams at all in an attempt to sort out spamming and constant advertising overload, though if you grant users the right permissions to view your profile they can find this information if they seek it out. Active sharing, in contrast, is a direct, interactive post to the feed of the person or circle you’ve chosen, and each app or website has a stylized button, i.e. “buy” or “listen” that then kicks back to the related website or app. It might have a way to go yet to catch up with Facebook, but the more nuanced Google+ Sign-In system seems poised to at least rival Facebook’s far-reaching platform of sign-in and sharing across the web.
New Video From Google Glass
The Google Glass project is one of the most hyped tech advancements this year and for good reason. Google just released some video showing the promise of their AR glasses that deliver digital experiences based on your environment. The glasses should be dropping later this year and seem to feature voice controls quite prominently in Google’s entrance into the wearable computing market.
Google To Open U.S. Retail Stores
According to a report released today, Google plans to open retail stores across the United States in order to showcase its expanding line of physical products. The goal is to have the first flagship stores open for the holiday season in metropolitan areas. Google accelerated plans to open physical locations in order to appease customers unlikely to purchase expensive physical hardware, such as Google Glass, without first trying the device for free. Already, Google has Chrome mini-stores inside Best Buy in the U.S. and electronic shops in the U.K, but stand-alone flagship stores would bring Google’s image as a physical retailer to the fore, and win over more Android skeptics.
