Traveling to a foreign country? Google just named a language app as best app of 2018

A language learning app that promises to teach users the basics in as little as five minutes a day has been named Google Play’s Best App of 2018.

Drops is a visual-based learning system that teaches vocabulary through illustrations and fast-paced micro-games.

For travelers headed to a foreign country, the app might come in handy, particularly in restaurants, hotels and for public transport.

Because Drops doesn’t prioritize grammar. That’s more for people who want to become fluent in a language. Instead, the basic level focuses on vocabulary, teaching 1,700 words in 99 topics.

For languages like Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Hebrew, Arabic, Russian and Hindi, the app teaches a beginner alphabet course.

Users can also choose between different dialects and accents, from Mandarin or Cantonese Chinese, Castilian Spanish or Latin-American Spanish, American or British English to European Portuguese or Brazilian Portuguese.

Overall, the Drops app features 31 languages.

source: technology.inquirer.net

Travelers can now use spare foreign money on Viber Out

Travelers around the world can now use their leftover foreign money to get more credit on their Viber Out accounts as a result of the partnership between Viber and TravelersBox.

Viber Out allows users to call mobiles and landlines worldwide at low rates.

TravelersBox kiosks allow travelers to turn their spare foreign coins into digital money and can be stored on eWallets and online accounts such as Viber, PayPal, iTunes and Google Play.

TravelersBox CEO Tomer Zussman said that forging a partnership with Viber is “natural” for them.

“TravelersBox essence rooted in our partners’ values. With our technology, money that was worthless due to currency differences, become valuable again. One of our top missions is to find the right partners to give travelers the most out of their leftover currency. Viber, which allows people to call any phone number at low rates, is a natural partner for us,” Zussman said.

Meanwhile, Viber’s FinTech Lead Robi Kopel said that the company is very happy to be working with TravelersBox.

“Our goal at Viber is to connect users all over the world. We’re very happy to be working with TravelersBox to offer a way for travelers to convert their leftover currency to Viber Out credit to contact loved ones,” Kopel said.

There are 75 TravelersBox kiosks in eight countries, two of which can be found in the country: one at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) Terminal 1 and another at Naia Terminal 3. AJH/RAM

source: technology.inquirer.net

YouTube launches kid-friendly mobile app

Children can now access YouTube on mobile devices without parents worrying they might stumble into inappropriate content.

Google on Monday rolled out the YouTube Kids app to devices running Android via Google Play and to Apple devices via the App Store.

"Today, we’re introducing the YouTube Kids app, the first Google product built from the ground up with little ones in mind. The app makes it safer and easier for children to find videos on topics they want to explore, and is available for free on Google Play and the App Store in the U.S.," YouTube Kids Group product manager Shimrit Ben-Yair, a mother of two, said in a blog post.

She said the app has a bright and playful design with larger images and bold icons, making it "fast and simple for little thumbs to navigate."

A voice search feature allows a child who can’t spell or type to still find videos.

Content is narrowed to content appropriate for children, even as parental controls include a timer, sound settings and product feedback.

The app is available via Google Play and the Apple App Store. -Joel Locsin/TJD, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Google Play Music app coming to iPad

After coming to the iPhone, Google's Play Music app has finally arrived on the slightly bigger iPad tablet.

The app contains a new Material Design interface as well as visual improvements and fixes that allow faster and reliable streaming, The Next Web reported.

However, it said iOS users may not be able to subscribe to the All Access plan through the mobile apps – and will have to use an Android device or a browser.

Still, the Google Play Music for iPad lets users listen to tracks stored on their devices along with up to 20,000 of their songs stored in the cloud and even iTunes.

An unlimited plan allows a user to stream any song from the Play Music library and create custom radio stations. — Joel Locsin/LBG, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Updated Google Maps for Android supports local guides

Google has updated its Maps app for Android devices to support local guides, to give travelers access to reviews of local businesses in the places they visit.

In version 9.4, Google Maps offers integration with "Local Guides," a service that allows reviews of local businesses that debuted in January.

"Find the best spots in town and the information you need to get there," Google said in the app's description on Google Play.

Other features include maps in 220 countries and territories, and voice-guided GPS navigation for driving, biking, and walking.

Transit directions and maps are available for over 15,000 towns and cities, along with live traffic conditions, incident reports, and automatic rerouting.

Maps also offers detailed information on more than 100 million places, along with Street View and indoor imagery for restaurants, and museums.

Enthusiast site 9to5google.com said Local Guides highlights the top reviewers, similar to Yelp and its Elite Reviewers system.

"Once you hit 50 reviews, you’ll receive a Local Guides badge on your account," it said. — Joel Locsin/LBG, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Google Play Movies, TV now available on iOS devices

Good news for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users: you can now access content from Google Play Movies and TV.

This was the latest service Google has made available for Apple device users, tech site Gizmodo reported.

"This is significant not just because it brings Google's formidable library of content to iOS, but because of the capabilities it finally bestows upon iPhone-using Chromecasters," Gizmodo said.

It added this was the latest Google service to be readied for iOS after Google Play Books and Google Play Music.

Until now, iPhone users who had Chromecast could watch Netflix and Hulu Plus, but could not quite access more recent movie content.

Google Play Movies and TV has a catalog comparable to Amazon Video On Demand or Apple's iTunes, Gizmodo noted.

"Google Play Movies and TV brings in rentable and purchasable streaming movies to iOS, and often for cheaper. This can then be streamed directly to the TV via Chromecast," it said.

However, Gizmodo said a user still cannot buy any content through the app itself due to Apple's App Store restrictions.

Also, it said video will only play in standard definition (SD) when viewing on the phone, compared to the full HD experience if one plays through Chromecast.

Users will also be limited to streaming over Wi-Fi and may not save content for later, offline viewing. — KDM, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Android trojan steals banking data, targets Korean users

A new Android Trojan that steals banking data is making the rounds online and is presently targeting Korean users, a security vendor reported this week.

MalwareBytes said the Trojan disguises itself as the Google Play Store app, then replace legitimate banking apps and capture user data.

"This particular one disguises itself as the Google Play Store app and will run as a service in the background to monitor events. This enables it to capture incoming SMS, monitor installed apps and communicate with a remote server," it said in a blog post.

It added this appears to be the latest variant of Android banking Trojans that previously targeted European and Brazilian banks.

MalwareBytes said malware authors appear to be expanding into other markets, "since Android is very popular worldwide."

An investigation showed the Trojan will contain the exact Package Name and look very similar to the legitimate app, "but contains malicious code with no banking functionality."

It will "capture the infected users banking information and other useful data that will generate revenue for them," it added.

MalwareBytes advised users to "stick to reputable markets for your apps and be wary of downloading apps from file shares, especially if one is available in the Play Store." — KDM, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Google Play now on Nook HD

Owners of Barnes & Noble's newest Nook HD tablet will finally be able to visit Google Play to download and install apps from the site, a tech site said late Friday.

This means access to some 700,000 apps in Google Play and the Chrome web browser, according to a report on tech site Mashable.


“We always are taking customer feedback related with what they’d like to see with Nook. The desire to see an expanded app catalog fed into that for sure,” it quoted Barnes & Noble VP of Global Ebook, Jim Hilt, as saying.

But Hilt said Google Play will not replace the Nook’s curated list of apps, but its icon will be on the “Active Shelf” alongside Nook’s other content options.

Nook HD owners will also get a bonus- Google’s Gmail app, which will operate alongside instead of replacing the Nook HD’s native email app.

Adding Google Play can help differentiate the Nook HD from its chief competitor, the Amazon Kindle Fire HD, which presently does not have direct access to Google’s content library.

Mashable said Barnes & Noble refused to reveal exact sales data for its line of Android Ice Cream Sandwich-based 7- and 9-inch tablets, but noted end-2012 sales were not as good as expected.

Still, Barnes & Noble discounted reports it may quit the tablet business.

Meanwhile, Mashable said Nook HD and HD+ owners who download the update via Wi-Fi will get access to Google Play’s library of movies and music.

"Aside from Pandora and Spotify streaming options, the Nook’s downloadable music source has always been something of an after-thought. This will put Nook HD on par with Google’s own Nexus 7 tablet," it said.

On the other hand, it said Google Play’s movie library will augment instead of replace the Nook HD’s current film selection. Hill also said Barnes & Noble has “invested in large relationships with studios.”

As for the browser, Google Chrome will replace the Nook’s Web browser. – KDM, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com