Google Search will now show you cocktail recipes when searching for them

Google wants their search engine to become a resource for nearly everything, from health information to song lyrics. And now they’re adding another element we didn’t think we’d need (but probably will appreciate): cocktail recipes.

So the next time you decide on the perfect drink you want to feature at a social gathering you can simply search “how to make a dark and stormy” on Google, and the quick recipe will be smack dab at the top of the page for you to take a look at.

We should note it’s a very barebones implementation for a recipe, so specific measurements for different serving sizes, mixing instructions and more are absent. That still gives you plenty of reason to explore the other dozens of recipe sites that will show up in your search results. Have at it, and try not to have too many before you have to go back to work today!

[via Google]

The HTC One M9 and M8 look so much alike, not even HTC can tell them apart

Check out everything you need to know about the HTC One M9

After numerous leaks — including an exclusive of our very own — suggested HTC would be more-or-less revising the design of the HTC One M8 for the all new HTC One M9 instead of drastically changing it, many were taken aback to find out the leaks were true. Especially considering @evleaks came out of nowhere with some beautiful renders of the device next to its bigger brother, the HTC One M9+.

In the end, the cold reality was a 2015 flagship that looked nearly identical to its predecessor, save for the back which features a new square camera and other very subtle tweaks. No matter how much HTC says to the contrary, the phone looks so close to last year’s HTC One M8 that even HTC is having trouble telling them apart.

We stumbled across a sponsored post from HTC’s Facebook page which was supposed to show off the BoomSound speakers on the One M9, but actually pictured last year’s One M8 instead. Ouch. Of course, we wanted to give HTC the benefit of the doubt. Maybe this was just an ad touting their One line’s BoomSound speakers only? Unfortunately, the text accompanying the photo clearly makes mention of the HTC One M9 in hashtag form. And if HTC can’t tell the 2 apart, how do they expect anyone else to?

Now, we understand comparisons made with auto makers who build upon the design of a flagship car line. A Corvette will always look like a Corvette and a Porsche, a Porsche. But in the case of the HTC One M9 and M8, maybe they were too close for their own good. Especially considering the great lengths their biggest competitor (Samsung) went through to revise their flagship Galaxy line.

[Facebook]

Samsung confirms their next smart watch is circular and invites developers to help them

Yesterday, a pair of Samsung trademarks hinted that the company was finally ready to try their hand at a circular smart watch. It didn’t take long for Samsung to come out and confirm those suspicions.

The company has issued an open invitation for developers to help them build their next wearables platform ahead of launch. They’ve confirmed that it’s for the 7 generation of their Gear lineup, and while they didn’t exactly spell out the word “circular” the teaser you see above should do enough to convince you.

Developers who want to get their apps going on the upcoming watch can get started as soon as today by heading here and grabbing the SDK. Unfortunately that’s as much as we know right now as Samsung didn’t even give us an idea as to when this product might be ready for consumers. All we know is that if the Samsung Galaxy S6 is anything to go by, Samsung’s first circular Gear smart watch could turn this market on its head.

[via Samsung]

Google takes Apple’s cue and reviews Android apps before letting them into Google Play

Google today made a huge announcement regarding the way they handle app submissions in Google Play. To now, the company has been lax about letting developers upload applications and only looked to remove apps in hindsight if they were found to have violated Google Play’s developer policies.

But it seems Google’s tired of that approach — they’ve gone ahead and created a bit of a walled garden for Google Play not unlike the one Apple employs for their App Store (that is to say, they’re now reviewing apps before letting them into Google Play). Google says this move was made to better protect users and to ensure the quality of apps in Google Play remain top notch.

Google said this process actually started a few months ago, and developers have yet to even notice. Their crack team of “experts” are able to review a large amount of apps in very quick succession so apps still appear in Google Play just mere hours after submission.

This sounds scary at first, we know. It’s a road we never thought Google would take, what with their emphasis on Android being “open” and “free.” But malware, hordes of apps that don’t work, and other toxic material in Google Play is counterproductive to the company’s goal of making Android even more fit for the mainstream than it already is. Example: what workplace is going to want to participate in Android for Work if their employees’ devices are exposed to potentially harmful apps?

Google hasn’t further detailed their review process, though they ensure us that the only thing they’re looking to do is make sure developers’ apps adhere to the developer policies outlined here. This isn’t going to be some Apple-like affair where they turn apps away for “duplicating functionality” or other nonsensical reasons.

To drive that point home, Google also mentioned that they will now be more upfront and clear about why your app may have been rejected or removed from Google Play. Furthermore, they’ve made it easier to resubmit apps for review after they’ve been rejected, so the fear of being exiled from Google Play forever should you make one tiny mistake should now evaporate.

No one is more thrilled to hear that than us, of course, as we’ve been the unfortunate recipients of Google Play banishment in the past.

Our issue was never that our apps were removed in the first place. We’d eventually accepted and corrected our mistakes after having to comb through the developer policy ourselves and simply guess what we were doing wrong. It was Google’s lack of clarity as to why our apps were removed that drove us crazy, and that they didn’t make it easy to rectify the issue after identifying and fixing it didn’t help.

If what Google says is true, then we — and any other developer who has ever been in our shoes — should have a much easier time creating quality apps and uploading them to Google Play, even if it has to go through a very reasonable review period. And in the event that you do make an honest mistake and accidentally violate Google’s developer policies, it should be no sweat off your brow to get it fixed. This is great for developers and users alike, and it’s our hope that Google Play will become even stronger because of it.

PS: Google also detailed a new content rating system based on existing digital content guidelines established in each region. Developers will be asked to submit questionnaires about their apps and games, after which it will be given an age rating by an appropriate ratings board for each region the app is available in (ESRB in North America and PEGI in Europe, for instance).

The questionnaire isn’t required for existing apps right now, though Google notes that any apps without a rating may be blocked in certain countries where distributing unrated content is prohibited. The questionnaire will be required for all new apps and games uploaded to Google Play starting in May. Be sure to get your app situated by submitting questionnaires (available through the developer console) as soon as possible.

[via Google]

Sega is removing select titles from Google Play, download what you can or possibly lose them forever

With more than 28 titles on the Google Play Store, Sega has done a pretty great job of introducing a variety of casual or even Dreamcast ports to Android gamers. If we had to guess, we’d bet Sonic the Hedgehog exists in some form or another on your device.

If you’ve been looking to build up your collection, you might want to do it fast. Sega announced today that they’ll be removing a handful of select titles that no longer meet their “standards.” They didn’t specify exactly which titles, only that the removal span across app stores like Google Play, Amazon Appstore, Samsung app store, and the Apple App Store.

They did mention that the games could always make a return in the future in an “updated form,” so nothing is set in stone. Also, any titles you’ve already download/paid for will still be available to you even after they’re removed, that is until they’re no longer compatible with a future Android version or new hardware.

Since we don’t know which titles could possibly be taken down forever, you just might have to download all of them or miss out on some of Sega’s classics.

[Sega titles on Google Play]

Google bought a company that develops ways for you to use apps without installing them

Streaming movies. Streaming Music. Heck, even streaming games is a thing now. So why can’t we stream apps? That’s a very interesting question indeed, and it’s one Google has reportedly been thinking about for a while.

Google is said to have quietly bought Agawi late last year, a company that specializes in technology that allows you to stream apps with extremely low latency. “Why stream an app when I can just download it and use it natively,” you may ask.

One use case being offered up is the ability to trial apps instantly and risk-free before buying or downloading them for long term use. This may seem like a trivial use case for most typical apps that come in at just a few megabytes per download, but there are some pretty large apps out there that could benefit from this.

We also imagine the technology could be used as a feature for entry level devices that might not have a ton of internal storage to download many apps. Streaming those apps would allow them to be able to use whatever they want without having to worry about a lack of persistent storage. Agawi also says the technology could be used for streaming games on mobile.

Unfortunately we’re a bit far off from anything we’re slated to see, with Agawi apparently confirming that it’d take them at least a year to implement their wares in whichever ways Google is looking to use it. We’ll wait, though, because we’re sure it’ll be well worth it.

[via The Information]