Google is letting celebrities and businesses post directly to search results

(Google)

Google has begun experimenting with an entirely new format for search results, which could eventually let any brand, celebrity, or organization have a dedicated Twitter-like feed built right into the company's search engine. Google first started employing it last month by letting presidential campaigns post lengthy debate rebuttals — and later by curating candidates' stances on key issues like gun control and immigration. The design of these search results is similar to Google's mobile "cards," which can be swiped as well as clicked or tapped on to expand for more information.

Now the same tools are being extended to small businesses and could potentially be offered to celebrities and bigger-name brands. The change, which Google confirmed toThe Verge was a test, was noticed first by search expert Mike Blumenthal, who was searching for engagement ring stores in Buffalo, New York and came across a specially designed advertisement for local seller Andrew Jewelers. Clicking on one of Andrew Jewelers' posts, which are curated into a Twitter feed-like stream of ads, opens up a dedicated full-screen webpage with text and photos. You can also share the individual posts from the search results page, but you can't like or comment on any of them. You could imagine this feature working for, say, Kanye West and his clothing line.

A NEW TYPE OF SEARCH RESULT DESIGNED FOR SELF-PROMOTION

The initiative looks similar to a new product called Google Posts, which now has its own dedicated website. (A Google representative told The Verge that the initiative is not called Google Posts, and does not have a name.) The company calls Posts an "experimental new podium on Google" where you can "now communicate with text, images and videos directly" on the search engine. The page says it's limited to the 2016 US presidential campaign. "In the future, we plan to make it available to other prominent figures and organizations. If you're interested, please join the waitlist," the website reads. It looks like the expansion has already started.

Google's push to create new and more dynamic search results could help it establish both a social presence and a new advertising product within its most used piece of software. Google's oft-forgotten social network, Google+, remains woefully out of the picture, and the company has increasingly been looking for new methods to keep the web relevant in the age of the mobile app. So it would make sense for Google to extend the same powerful search and social features it's given to presidential candidates to brands and other high-profile people. Google says it does not plan on charging for this feature.

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Android 7.0 N leak reveals some cool new changes

Google is expected to offer a first official look at Android N this May at its I/O developers conference, but the first details are already leaking out. Now a new report from Android Police offers even more information on the update along with some new renders.

The latest leak focuses entirely on Android N’s settings menu, which could see a few functional and visual changes. One big tweak is a new “Do not disturb” bar at the top of the page, making it easy to quickly toggle this option. The entire design has also been updated, replacing the dividers that were between individual items with dividers for entire sections instead.

The settings menu now displays more information from its main list, meaning you won’t have to dive into the trenches as much. “Data usage” now shows how much data you’ve actually used while “Display” reveals whether adaptive brightness is on.

Notifications and Sound have been split into their own separate sections, with only the former showing up in the top-level settings menu. Finally, there’s the new hamburger menu, which pops up once you’re a level deep into the settings page.

These are all relatively small changes, but if you’re an Android user it may take a day or two to adjust to the redesign. We’re also expecting a few more exciting improvements with the N update, though we may not know for sure until it’s actually released in late 2016.

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Google Cast gets an analytics tool for developers

Above: The enhanced Google Cast SDK Developer Console.

Image Credit: Screenshot

Google today announced a significant enhancement to the developer tools for its Google Cast software, which lets people stream media from their PCs and mobile devices to TVs and speakers. The Google Cast software development kit (SDK) Developer Console now includes dedicated pages for analytics for apps that work with Google Cast.

The tool is a bit reminiscent of Google Analytics, which lets people see check website performance and usage. Developers can access it by clicking the View link under the Statistics column for a given app.

“The devices tab shows the number of Cast devices that have launched your application, the sessions tab shows the number of Cast sessions of your application, and the average playback tab shows the average length of media playback time per session for your application,” Google Cast software engineer Chris Dolan wrote in a blog post. Developers can break things down by geography and operating system and change the time range.

Today’s update could be a big step forward to those developers who have supported Google Cast from the beginning despite the lack of first-party tools for measuring usage of it. Cast first showed up in 2013, with an SDK geared toward integrations on iOS, Android, and Chrome.

Google Cast works with the Chromecast, which Google updated last year, as well as Android TV and Cast-enabled speakers. Google has enriched Cast for developers with new application programming interfaces (APIs) and a plugin for the Unity game engine.

Yahoo’s Flurry analytics tool added support for Apple TV last month, and in January Twitter’s Answers analytics tool got Apple TV support. Now companies like Spotify have a good way to see how their apps are doing on Cast devices like Chromecast.

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Android N To Be Finally Named ‘Nutella?’ Next Version To Remove The App Drawer?

(Photo : Justin Sullivan | Getty Images News)

Android N is still unnamed as far as today is concerned.

The new OS is set to launch by October this year, and fans can only guess whether the new skin for android devices would be a "Nutella" or a "Nougat." Android users are familiar with the naming scheme of Google with their operating system.

Version after version, from Froyo to Gingerbread to Ice cream sandwich to Jellybean to Lollipop to Marshmallow, and now N, consumers have been very used to it being associated with desserts.

According to Google SVP Sundar Pichai, the naming of the next version will be based on an online survey, Pocket-Lintreported. In addition, it is expected that specific details will be confirmed during the Google I/O this May and that Nexus devices will be the first to be incorporated with the Android 7.0 version.

Meanwhile, there are speculations regarding the removal of the app drawer in the user's interface. Pocket-Lint in their report, stated that the idea originated in a Tweet by Google Maps where a preview of a Nexus 6P's interface was flashed not having any app drawer.

Although Google said that it was an inaccuracy and misinterpretation by fans, they were not too convinced with the clarification as there had been rumors in the past that this would be happening.

Furthermore, it was also previously confirmed by a source before that the tech giant has been planning to remove the application tray.

Pocket-Lint suggested this move would mark the demarcation line between iOS and Android as consumers are very much aware of iOS' use of several application drawers in their devices. Removing the said feature in Android would distinctly categorize the said operating system.

There are still a few months to confirm whether these rumors would already transpire in the forthcoming Android version, and it would probably be a big leap for long-time Android users the moment this big leap happens.

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7 features I desperately want (but won’t get) in the iPhone 7

If half a dozen independent reports from reliable sources pan out, Apple is less than three weeks away from unveiling its first new iPhone of 2016. The iPhone SE is shaping up to be a valuable addition to the company’s smartphone lineup, providing a solid option to users who want to upgrade but don’t want a larger phone. It’s a smart business move but on a personal level, I have no interest in the iPhone SE.

The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are the smartphones I want to see, and I still have more than six months to wait before they’re made official.

In the meantime, I’ve been thinking a great deal about the innovation we’re seeing elsewhere in the smartphone market right now. While nothing is official until Apple makes it official, there is some great new technology out there that Apple almost certainly won’t include on the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. Here are the seven features I want most, but almost definitely won’t get.

UP NEXT: Serious smartphone security mistakes you need to stop making immediately

Significantly better battery life

It’s great that Jony Ive and his pals like thin phones. I like thin phones too. But as we’ve seen time and time again in literally every survey on the matter that has ever been conducted, consumers value battery life more than the thickness of their phones.

According to the most accurate Apple analyst in the world, Apple’s new iPhone 7 will be even thinner than the current model, measuring somewhere between 6.0mm and 6.5mm thick. That’s an incredible feat, but I would much rather have an iPhone 7 that’s 7mm or 8mm thick that can actually carry me through a busy day without needing to be recharged.

An OLED display

A new report on Thursday stated that Apple might make the switch to OLED displays in 2017. While it seems very peculiar that a move like that would be made in a year where we’re due for an “S” upgrade, I suppose anything is possible. In any case, I want an OLED equipped iPhone as soon as possible.

The displays on the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus look great, but they’re no match for the higher-resolution, higher-quality OLED screens on Samsung’s phones. In fact, it’s not even close anymore.

Samsung’s new autofocus technology

While most smartphones use phase detection to focus, Samsung’s new Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge use dual photodiode pixel autofocus. It’s technology that comes over from Cannon DSLRs and it’s insanely fast. You can read a bit about it here.

Especially in low light, Apple’s iPhones can often be a bit slow to focus. This is even more problematic with Apple’s nifty new Live Photos feature. Apple, please steal this functionality ASAP.

Waterproofing

Early rumors suggested that Apple was working on waterproofing its iPhone 7 lineup, but a more recent report states that won’t be the case. It’s not a deal-breaker, but it would be great if Apple caught up to the competition and managed to release an iPhone with an IP68 water and dust resistance rating.

Expandable storage

Maybe this year’s iPhones will bump up their entry-level storage capacities to 32GB and maybe they won’t. In either case, it’s not enough. It’s never enough.

Apple will probably never include microSDXC support in its iPhones, but I really wish that it would. And if the company refuses to add expandable physical storage, there are always innovative cloud-based solutions like the one Nextbit just introduced.

A more compact design

Samsung’s new Galaxy S7 edge is a great phone for a number of reasons, but one of the most impressive things about it is how compact it is for a phone with such a big display.

Apple’s iPhone 6s Plus has a 5.5-inch display and it’s impossible to use comfortably with one hand unless you’re in the NBA. The Galaxy S7 edge also has a 5.5-inch screen, but it’s surprisingly comfortable to use with one hand.

Game-changing long-range wireless charging

It’s coming, but not soon enough.

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For more on the iPhone’s shortcomings, check out our article on 6 ways Android outshines my iPhone 6s.

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Android N tipped to bring changes to Settings app

Days after a report claimed that Google will include a refreshed notification shade in Android N, it’s now being said that the Settings app will get a refresh, too.

The folks at Android Police claim to have seen screenshots from Android N, and they’ve mocked up screenshots of its Settings app based on what they’ve seen. Up at the top of the Settings list is a bar that’ll display your Do Not Disturb status, and below that is the full list of Settings options. The dividers between the individual settings is now gone, and now each section has a thinner divider between them. Additionally, each individual setting shows some info on the main Settings screen. For example, “Wi-Fi” will show which network you’re connected to, and “Data usage” will show how much data you’ve used.

Additionally, it looks like Google has split the “Sound & notification” section of Android Marshmallow into two separate “Notifications” and “Sound” sections in Android N. It also appears that the “Home” section is no longer its own section in Android N.

The hamburger menu that was present in the screenshots Google shared last month are here, too, letting you jump from one area of Settings to another without having to go back to the main screen of the app.

These Settings tweaks seem aimed at helping the user save time while using the app. The bits of info shown in each section of the main Settings screen could save you time by not having to actually jump into the section itself, and the hamburger menu available in each section is meant to help you move between sections without going back to the top level of the Settings app. To actually save time, though, you may have to be a few levels deep.

It’s also worth noting that the final Android N Settings app could look different than what we’re seeing today. Not only are we probably still a few months out from Google even mentioning Android N, the new version likely won’t launch to the public until later in 2016. 

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Google tops list of best companies to work for, again

Google's famous perks include free onsite laundry, haircuts and bike repair services.

 (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)

Looking for a new job? You might want to apply to these places.

Fortune on Thursday released its annual survey of the 100 best companies to work for in the U.S., and Google (now known as Alphabet Inc.) topped the list for the seventh time.

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FOR THE RECORD

An earlier version of this post said Activision Blizzard was the world's fifth-largest video gaming company. It is the largest among publicly traded video game makers.

See the most-read stories this hour >>

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Riot Games in West Los Angeles (39th),Activision Blizzard in Santa Monica (77th) and Cheesecake Factory (98th) headquartered in Calabasas Hills were the only companies in the L.A. area to make the list.

All told, California was represented by 20 companies, including Genentech (11th), a biotechnology and pharmaceutical firm in South San Francisco, and Nugget Market (13th), a grocery chain based in Woodland.

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Two-thirds of the results were determined by random surveys distributed to employees of participating companies. Respondents are asked about management’s credibility, overall job satisfaction and camaraderie.

The other third is based on pay, benefits, hiring practices, training and diversity.

Google was lauded for its famously generous perks, which include healthcare for part-timers, on-site childcare and paid time off for volunteer work.

“The perks are phenomenal,” an employee told Fortune. “From three prepared organic meals a day to unlimited snacks, artisan coffee and tea to free personal fitness classes, health clinics, on-site oil changes, haircuts, spa truck, bike-repair truck, nap pods, free on-site laundry rooms and subsidized wash and fold. The list is endless.”

Riot Games ranked 13th on last year’s list. Activision Blizzard, the world’s largest publicly traded video gaming company by revenue, improved from its 96th-place ranking in 2015. The company, which is currently hiring new staff, is expanding into the movie and TV business this year.

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WhatsApp for iOS and Android updated: Here’s how you can share documents

After a big update on WhatsApp for iOS that introduced pinch to zoom for videos and sharing from third-party apps, there is a new server side update rolling out to both iOS and Android devices that are updated to the latest versions from their respective app stores. The new server side update will now allow users to share locally stored documents with individuals as well as groups.

For now, users who update to version 2.12.453 for Android and 2.12.14 on iOS will soon see another sharing option that allows users to share documents. For now however, there is this one tiny issue. The receiver (your friend) should also have the updated version installed in order to receive the said document on their device.

On Android, the same appears upon clicking the attach icon where there is now a ‘Document’ icon instead of a ‘Video’ one. Tapping on the same will show you all the locally stored documents on your device, where you can select and send the same.

On iOS, tapping on the ‘Upload’ icon will now show a ‘Share Document’ option among others that will allow you to share documents from other third-party apps (mainly online storage) which is similar to what was revealed in the last update for photo and video sharing.

For now users are reporting that they are only able to share pdf documents. Since this is a server side update, it may take some time till it is available on your smartphone.

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How to use your iPhone's share button like a pro

One of the best features of your iPhone or iPad that you're probably not using is the share menu.

You know it — it's the strip of apps that appear when you tap the share button (the little square with the arrow erupting out of it) within an app. Introduced in iOS 8, the sharing system — which other apps can work with via a tool called "share sheets" — in iOS lets you send documents, URLs, photos and other files to other apps and services. The share icon (below) is available in a slew of core iOS apps and plenty of third-party apps, too.

SEE ALSO: How to get Siri to read you any webpage

And tons of apps include share-sheet support. But you might not know about it, because Apple keeps this power-user feature relatively hidden.

Here's how to get the most out of your iPhone's share button.

Going beyond the basics

Before iOS 8, iOS limited how you could share information and files between apps. If you were lucky, you could email or text a link some place else. But starting with iOS 8, Apple added support for third-party apps. Some apps really take advantage of the share sheet and can perform smart actions based on the type of document you want to share.

The iOS share button

By default, the sharing menu lets you share a URL, document or photo with Messages, Mail, and the Reminders app. You can also add the item you're sharing to the Notes app. Wouldn't it be great if you could put your favorite apps here, too?

You can, and here's how. Open an app with share-sheet support (we'll use Safari for our purpose) and tap the share button.

At the top of the screen, you'll see the apps already enabled and set up for sharing. Scroll all the way to the right until you select a button that says "More."

When you tap on this button, it'll open up a configuration menu to set up your share sheet.

Enabling and re-arranging apps

Tons of third-party apps support the iOS share system. When you open the "More" menu, you'll see every app that supports share sheets that's installed on your device.

There are toggles to turn support for an app on or off. This basically just determines whether an app will show up in your share sheet options or not.

Some apps such as Mail and Messages are always going to appear but you can turn-off support for other apps you might not use.

You can also arrange apps in the order you want to use them. This is especially useful if you have lots of apps with share sheet support installed.

Simply tap on the hamburger menu on the right hand side of screen and drag the app up or down to place it in the order you want it to appear.

Special features

Depending on the app, you can enable various functions in the share sheet, too.

As an example, I use the bookmarking service Pinboard. I have a bunch of different Pinboard clients installed for iOS (it's really hard to pick my favorite) and many of them have more than one share sheet option.

The app Pinner, for instance, has two share sheet options. One is simply a "Quick Pin," which will save the URL to my Pinboard quickly and without user interaction.

Pinner has two share sheet options. The second (Pinner) brings up a secondary window.

If I tap "Pinner," however, it opens up a secondary window where I can add a description for a link, tags and toggle whether I want the link to be saved publicly or privately.

App-specific shares

Different apps will have different default share options. For instance, in the Photos app on iOS, the share options are different than they are in Safari.

In Photos, you can choose to share to your iCloud Library and there are a host of third-party camera apps — including Snapchat — that support the share sheet, too.

You can also select and share text in apps such as Mail, Safari and Notes. This is especially useful if you want to add a snippet of text to a note or create a calendar entry based on something in an email.

The built-in Notes app has particularly great share-sheet support. You can add photos, text or a URL to an existing note or a new note, straight from the share sheet.

Apps with great share support

We'll be honest, there are a plethora of apps with great share support, but some really go a level beyond.

A few of our favorites include:

Pinterest — Works in multiple apps. In Safari, it'll even let you select the photo you want from a web page to share to your favorite board.

Snapchat — Share photos from your camera roll directly into Snapchat.

Slack — Slack is a must-have app for plenty of offices and the share extension lets you share text, photos or document directly into Slack.

Tumblr — Like Pinterest, Tumblr is an iOS app that tends to support the latest and greatest iOS features. Share support in Tumblr is robust and it works on web pages, with Apple Music and in Photos.

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