The one hitch mobile users had was the lag time and low streaming quality which gave a poor performance for anyone using a mobile device. Now quality has risen to a level where those joining in on a Hangout with their phone or tablet can get the same quality as a desktop.  Now you will see a starting soon screen and an immediately stream of the broadcast as well. Before, you would have to refresh the page in order to know when the video has started.  So lots of new features on these Google Hangouts.

Google coincided the new features with the premiere of the first Ender’s Game trailer, which was announced during this live hangout:

Source: Google+ Hangouts-On-Air Now Feature Live Rewind, Instant Publishing http://www.reelseo.com/google-hangouts-on-air-feature-live-rewind-instant-publishing/#ixzz2SjgaVFdk

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Rumors are circulating that Google will be making a major change to its Maps Interface ahead of the big I/O convention. Unofficial News from trusted sites have pronounced that the Web giant is said to be rolling out an update that takes away sidebars and navigational buttons and concentrates more on one big interactive map.

The same sites have also posted images of what the new Maps interface will look like. With no Sidebar, different colors, and new icons on a larger Maps screen, we will be seeing an array of new features in the coming days. Another supposed change is that search results can supposedly be filtered for recommendations by users’ Google+ circles.

We have all seen Google tampering with Maps and its other service sites with added features and such. But, this is the first time Google will be doing a complete revamp of Maps in years which could either be a beneficial thing for many users or a major disappointment for most.

Most sources do not know the exact day of launch, but Google Operating System does note that Google’s I/O is next week and that could be a good time for the company to announce such changes.

Source: CNET

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Think Google has already thought of everything? How bout live chat on Google+ Hangout and having someone take over your computer remotely?

Google’s new Hangout Remote Desktop app allows you to help friends and family run diagnostics, open apps, change settings, or even turn on your Spotify. Google engineer Daniel Caiafa said that one of the benefits of Hangout Remote Desktop is you will be able to see what the other person is doing on your desktop cause that person or you are hosting the a Hangout.

Permission is needed from either party being accessed to be able to use the application of course. To use it, start a Hangout, click View More Apps and then Add Apps, and then select Hangouts Remote Desktop.

This could be a great benefit to all those needing a helping tech hand. How people will use this wonderful new feature, only time will tell.

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For over 10 years now HTML 4.01 has been the standard for coders around the world, but since the release of HTML5 users web experience has been taken to a whole other level of functionality. Web browsers like Safari, Chrome, IE and Firefox have taken advantage of this new web standard and have implemented many of their features with it.

Because HTML5 has many advantages for SEO companies, not many know exactly what does advantages are and how to really take advantage of all the latest features.

Here are some simple key elements of HTML5 that will help your SEO:

1. Updated Semantic Tags & Geo-location Microdata Elements

HTML5 has the structure and elements to bring better visibility to your site. Header, article, and nav tags. With Geolocation Microdata, you can have search engines index your information alot better, including reviews, events, etc.

SEO benefits: ”With this cleaner code, pages will be indexed more efficiently. Pages will load much faster due to its simplicity and less call to actions from third party tools.”

2. New Media Elements

HTML5 will not need the the help of most third  parties in order to access its rich multimedia features. For instance, playing audio or video on a webpage had no set standard practice until HTML5 came into being. Generally, flash has been the most called upon third party to play video and audio files in the past, but with HTML5 say goodbye to flash little by little. Embedding video into your site and having it work perfectly with mostly all browsers is the future of what HTML5 brings to the table.

SEO benefits: HTML5 videos will be indexed by search engines much faster. Videos are ultra-fast and are browser based. Also, slower internet connections can have a better browsing experience without video buffering since the downloading and playing both take place in HTML5.

3. Canvas Element

With HTML5 canvas you can now draw charts, graphics, or go all out in a interactive experience for your site.

SEO benefits: It provides greater stability as compared to a plugin since the browser includes the Canvas.

4. Local Client Side Storage

Cookies will also be a thing of the past as we learn that holding on to cookie data is sluggish at best and not the best solution for best browser experience. HTML5 only uses data when called upon it. Data is stored and accessed using Javascript.

SEO benefits: Website’s performance becomes unaffected even after storing large amounts of data.

5. Form Elements

The forms have now been suited with more variety and functionality viz. date, time, URL, email, calendar, search etc.

SEO benefits: Better design and functionality on mobile devices.

6. Multi-tasking capabilities through Web Workers

HTML5 has made web browsers capable of multitasking through Web Workers. Javascript used in the past could not even handle heavy computing. Scripts that would run for long also used to get timed out. The features of Web Workers are somewhat similar to the traditional Java or C# multi-threaded applications.

SEO benefits: Greater flexibility to the developer in separating the content from code intended for processing tasks.

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Finally, one of the most popular applications for Android will now be available for the iOS. It’s called Google Now, and iOS users will find it inside the Google Search app. Google Now will become your new best friend and personal assistant. Locking into your geolocation and your Google accounts, Google will be able to find out more about your and give you personalized information. For example, it will keep you alarmed of traffic delays, your favorite sports teams, and even tell you how long it took you to get home. The Android version has has a few more features than the iOS app which will keep . For example, Android users can get pop-up notifications, but Apple users have to go into the Google Search app.

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One of the primary features we developed was an interactive pricing chart that displays sales and prices for their four locations, updated in real-time and projected both online and in each store.

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Honestly, from the moment I saw it, I knew Windows 8 would never grace my hard drive.  I am sensibly opposed to fixing anything that is not broken.  There was no reason for Microsoft to completely re-brand themselves during the development of Windows 8.  Of course, I do not mean to stifle innovation, but the Windows 8 interface is not remotely ‘next-gen.’  It looks like the Zune interface (which is simply a modified Xbox 360 interface) more than anything.  I would never describe it as revolutionary.  Just look at a side-by-side comparison of each navigation panel:

The Zune, Windows 8 and Xbox 360 GUIs, respectively.

Each GUI is a simple handful of boxes laid out in a grid with labels; frankly, they look like they’ve been designed for children, considering the simplicity and geometric orientation.  The negative public outcry has prompted Microsoft to bring back our beloved and familiar Start Bar.

The question many are asking is: “How could Microsoft repeat a blunder of this scale after all of the mistakes they’ve had the opportunity to learn from?”  My best guess: Microsoft misinterpreted customer data from console gamers and touch device users as applicable to the PC user; the end result was an interface designed for touchscreens and consoles being implemented on non-touch, non-console devices (PCs).

Window 8′s interface is clearly designed to be touchscreen-friendly, despite most PCs lacking touchscreen functionality.  The result: users are unable to efficiently navigate the system because there is no touchscreen.  Those users become quickly frustrated; they revert to their old operating system or switch to a different OS, or simply return their device for a different one.  Why would Microsoft let such an incredible error in judgment pass through their testing phases?  They claim they had positive customer feedback to back up their decision.  This is where we see Microsoft become victims of their subjective interpretation of data.

I believe Microsoft had excellent customer feedback from users on touchscreen-enabled PCs using Windows 8.  I also believe there was a failure in properly testing and collecting feedback on Windows 8 for non-touchscreen systems. The end result of those two suppositions (if true) would absolutely skew the data in favor of Windows 8, and lead directly to the current dilemma of unhappy users who want their traditional functionality restored.

Conclusively, I think that Windows 8 developers are bringing back the start bar in their next round of updates because their product testing team made an astounding error and are cleaning up the mess.  It would not be the first time an operating system escaped the Microsoft offices ill-equipped for widespread implementation.

Microsoft’s developers got lazy and used a touch-friendly interface as the primary navigation system for an operating system intended for non-touch devices.  After the positive feedback they received on the interfaces for the Xbox 360 and the Zune, they mistakenly assumed that it was the interface, not the high-quality devices and excellent third-party developers, that were responsible for their success.

They thought they could reclaim their slipping market share by copying their console and touch-device successes to the PC.  To their dismay, those successes were dependent on the design of the device and the extensive third-party development and support.  They mistakenly removed a part of the trademark functionality of Windows from the new OS, which led to widespread confusion in the PC world for users who bought a Windows 8 device expecting familiarity

With all that, at least they have realized their error and are making strides to repair the situation before it falls apart irreparably like a balsa-wood kite in a hurricane.  You can never do anything great without making a few mistakes, Microsoft has proven that hundreds of times over.  It is always their loss (and our gain) that the microscope of the internet will find and publicize their every misstep.  It forces them to bow to their clients or risk fading into obscurity in the face of Google and Apple’s next-generation technology and shiny marketing campaigns.

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Developers have finally taken advantage of all that real estate offered on the blank canvas that is the new page tab in Chrome. Google’s latest extension is not groundbreaking but it definitely brings a great feel and productivity to what it use to be.

The new extention is called “New Tab Page”  and will offer you a very familiar dashboard with productivity and update areas within the dashboard for new, apps, and even weather. This new extension is easy to install, just follow the link; New Tab Page on the Chrome Web Store and click Add to Chrome.

What will happen after you install this new extension? Well, you will find yourself in familiar territory, similar to the Google search page but beefed up with much more accessibility. Wether you are just searching, wanting to access different extensions, or event just get the latest weather update, this new extension has it all.  This extension also offer Google voice to do your searches, but the bugs are still getting worked out from what I am hearing. To get the latest weather update for your city just click on the location button at the bottom of the weather widget.

There will be more features to come, some of which are available in the beta version or the developers version. You may also find some features right below the search bar.

Will this be the extension for you? Could this replace the way you land on Google? We shall see!

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Are you ready for a new music app by the same people who have created a social media empire? Twitter has announced that they will be releasing their own Music application this weekend to the world.

Variety of sources are proclaiming that the large social media company will be introducing this new music services as early as today. Some others sources are also suggesting that Twitter will be using the Coachella music festival as away to market and promote this new service, I guess we will find out soon.

Twitter confirming that it has purchased music discovery service We Are Hunted. Twitter had acquired the music discovery service last year and was using its technology to build a standalone music app.

Although there is no exact confirmation on the name, most people think it will be called Twitter music. There is also speculations that this service will be available for iOS as it’s first platform.

Twitter Music is said to suggest artists and songs to listen to based on a variety of signals, and be personalized based on which accounts a user follows on Twitter. Songs are streamed to the app via SoundCloud.

American Idol host Ryan Seacrest confirmed the app’s existence in a series of tweets yesterday that indicated he was “lovin” using it.

source: CNET

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Google Glass is getting closer to it’s consumer debut. Just a couple of weeks ago Google announced who will be beta testing out the hardware in their everyday lives called “Google Explorers.” These lucky individuals that where announced via Twitter and Google+ have a chance to purchase this amazing new product before Google the retail unveiling which is theorized to happen sometime at the end of the year.

Applicants where required to either submit a short video of themselves or pictures of themselves with a short statement telling Google why they deserve the opportunity to become part of this team of explorers who will test out the product before launch. After the announcements, Google sent out a piece of glass with a number on it representing the Google Explorer ID#.  The future explorers took to their camera phones and social media fairly quickly and shared their  Glass with world. 

Google hopes to beta test their new product in hopes of pushing for consumer demand. As for for developers, SXSW was a big step for future Glass writers to see what type of language applications for glass will be written in.  HTTP and JSON will be the main languages for what Google calls timeline cards. These cards is the information of what will be displayed to the user for information on the fly through their everyday routine.

Google announced the Project Glass project short of two years ago. Now with just a couple of months before all eyes are on Google for a leap into a new market and maybe a new way of connecting technology into everyday life, can Google live up to the hype that is Project Glass? We shall see very soon.

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