Author: Clinton

In a bit of a surprise, Google has released the Chrome 64 based update to Chrome for Android.  The update is rolling out now and brings a significant number of security improvements to the browser.  The new build is version 64.0.3282.116 for those keeping score at home.  The surprise is that the Android version of the browser was released before the update to the Windows, Mac and Linux version.  Usually Chrome for Android and Chrome OS are the last two to be updated in the monthly flow of updates from Google.

There are a number of security updates in this release but three in particular stand out.  First is a crack down on auto-redirects.  After this update, Chrome 64will block 3rd party iframes unless the users has to interact with it.  There is also a new infobar that appears when new tabs or windows are attempted to open by the site you are browsing.

In an unannounced updated, Google and Netflix have been partnering to give Voice Match support to the streaming service when using Google Assistant.  With Voice Match you can now have your Netflix profile linked to your voice for your personalized content on the service when you invoke it from Assistant.

Voice Match is aimed at personalizing information for you when you interact with Google Assistant.  For example, if I speak to Assistant through my Google Home, I will get my personal information (like my calendar) while if my wife speaks to it, she gets her personalized information.  Think of this addition to Netflix as an extension of that same service.

After accidentally leaking the news over the weekend, Google has officially announced that audiobooks have come to Google Play Books.  The update requires that you have the latest version of the Play Books app for both Android and iOS, which is version 4.0 for those on Android.  Once you have it, you will be able to listen to your books on your phone or tablet.

Even better, Google has fully integrated the experience with Google Assistant and Google Home, meaning you can tell Assistant to read a book to you and it will read it on your Home.

Spotify has announced a new Spotlight feature that is rolling out to US subscribers.  The new feature is aimed to bring visual content to podcasts, audiobooks and news that you are listening to through the streaming service.

Spotlight gives fans a deeper insight to their favorite artists, playlists, books, publishers and more by offering contextual visual elements, such as photos, video and text, that appear as users move through each episode.

Spotlight will launch with content from the following Spotify partners including BuzzFeed News, Cheddar, Crooked Media, Lenny Letter, Gimlet Media, Genius, The Minefield Girl, Refinery29 and Uninterrupted. Additionally, Spotlight will feature content from some of Spotify’s own original series such as RISE, Secret Genius, Spotify Singles and the new Viva Latino podcast.

The aim of Spotlight is to give Spotify users streaming this content more information on the topic being covered in the audio media itself.

Good news for those of you who have the ZTE Axon 7, Android Oreo is now in beta for your phone.  The Chinese manufacture quietly began rolling out a beta program for the latest version of Oreo over the weekend, with select users being able to opt into the program.  While no official timeline was given on when an official Oreo build will come out for the 2016 flagship phone, which actually launched with Marshmallow at the time.

In the ZTE forums, there is a screenshot of the Axon 7 running Oreo with the notice that it is in the first round of beta testing.  Again, how many cycles there will be on the beta test is unclear.

If you have seen the articles flying by about Fuchsia OS, especially the detailed breakdown by Ars Technica, you might be wanting to get your hands on that pretty nice default wallpaper for the OS.  Now you can as I’ve attached to this post after the break.

If you aren’t familiar with Fuchsia, it is a yet-to-be confirmed new Operating System that Google is developing.  Some are suggesting it is a replacement for Android but currently you are able to run it on a Google Pixelbook to test it.  But it is rough, really rough.  In fact, it would be safe to refer to it as pre-alpha at this point.