Index Of The Blog
Android Q Gets Focus Mode
Google presented new software at the Google I / O developers conference on Tuesday evening. Among other things, the tech company showed new functions for the search engine and augmented reality (AR). Android Q gets a focus mode where distraction can be filtered out.
In a new version of the Google speech assistant, it will no longer be necessary to have a network connection for speech recognition. That should make it possible to make voice control of smartphones and other devices up to ten times faster.
Google demonstrated the technology on Tuesday at its developer’s conference. It could be seen that a smartphone can very quickly recognize consecutive voting commands, where normally a delay would occur because the commands had to be processed in the ‘cloud’.
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When dictating an e-mail or text message, the text appears on the screen almost immediately after being pronounced. Here and there the assistant still had difficulty recognizing assignments, as a result of which the text ‘send’ appeared in an e-mail, but the mail itself was not sent.
The Google speech model used to require around 100 gigabytes of storage space, but according to director Sundar Pichai, that is now only half a gigabyte. That is why the model can be placed on a smartphone. The feature will first appear on new Google Pixel phones, which will appear later this year.
It also makes it possible for users to see what the Google Voice Assistant knows about them, and to delete that information. The company says it wants to make privacy more central in its product offering, although smart technologies such as the Assistant rely on large amounts of data to work properly.
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Focus mode for Android Q
On Google I / O, the company also gave more information about Android Q, the new version of the mobile operating system that should be released in the fall. According to Google, privacy and security are the main focus, with more extensive and clearer settings to ensure, for example, that apps do not have unnoticed access to the location of a smartphone.
It also becomes easier for Google to roll out security updates. This is possible from Android Q in the background, without having to restart a device, and without the cooperation of the maker of the device.
A new ‘focus mode’ makes it possible to temporarily block certain apps. And for parents, there are more extensive settings to limit which apps children can use, and how long a device can be active one day. A new beta version of Android Q will be released on 21 different Android devices on Tuesday.
Google Maps and YouTube receive a so-called incognito mode, which ensures that activities are not stored in the account history. The Chrome web browser has had such a feature for a long time.
Assistant in the car
The Assistant also receives a special car mode, which makes it possible to control a smartphone completely hands-free while driving.
Google also showed how the Assistant can help book a rental car in the future. The smart assistant can automatically complete the forms required for this, based on information provided in previous lease contracts and available in Gmail.
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Google calls this technology ‘Duplex on the Web’ and says that companies do not have to take action to make their forms suitable. The function will be further tested in the coming months, after which users in the United States will probably be the first to gain access.
Innovations in the search engine
The Google search engine is supplemented with more extensive search results for news. If you search for a subject such as the recently revealed photo of a black hole, you will see more different types of articles. Therefore, it must be easier to understand the context of the news. Google will also show a timeline of events for some news topics.
Furthermore, podcasts will soon be found in the search engine. They can be heard directly from the search results, but it is also possible to save a podcast for later listening via the Google podcast app or via a Google Home speaker.
Finally, the search engine will show 3D models of, for example, a shark. The model can be rotated with finger movements, and can also be placed in the camera image of a smartphone user via augmented reality technology. For example, the size of a shark can be seen and the animal can be viewed up close by ‘walking’ to it.
New options for Google Lens
Google Lens, the technology of Google that makes it possible to search for products or information about plants with camera images, will also have various new functions. If you take a picture of a menu in a restaurant, you can immediately see which dishes are the most popular. By clicking on the name of a dish, photos and reviews from Google Maps appear.
Lens will also make it possible to translate texts on photos in about fifteen different languages. This includes English, German, French and Chinese. Dutch is not yet on the list. The changes will be rolled out in the coming month.
Live subtitling for the hearing impaired
With the Live Caption function, it is also possible to see live subtitling on everything that happens on an Android smartphone. Videos, podcasts and other media with speech are subtitled on the screen. That should make it easier for the deaf and hard of hearing to use their smartphone.
It is also possible for them to make phone calls without sound or speech. Google’s voice assistant can pick up the phone and the caller’s words will be written on the screen. It is then possible to respond by typing. The voice assistant then reads the text again.
Google also demonstrated how the company’s voice recognition can be adjusted for people with an unusual voice, such as people with muscle diseases. In the time it should become possible to train the Google Assistant on the specific voice of a speaker. People with a speech disability can register on the Google site to improve the technology.
