Tag: Google

Today Google has announced that they will start using images from the Landsat 8 satellite for Google Earth and Google Maps, bringing far superior images for both apps when you view the earth in satellite mode.  The change moves the primary imaging source of Google from Landsat 7 and both of the satellites are operated by the USGS/NASA Landsat Program.  What this means for you is far more detailed and clearer images when you use either of the apps.

Today we’re rolling out an even more beautiful and seamless version, with fresh imagery from Landsat 8 satellite and new processing techniques for sharper images than ever before. Satellite images are often cloudy, but not always over the same place, so we looked at millions of images and took the clearest pixels to stitch together this cloud-free and seamless image.

There is nothing we as users have to do.  This is a back end update from Google and you should start seeing higher quality images in both apps today.

So first, let me be clear.  This update to the Project Fi app that is rolling out to the Google Play Store does not enable U.S. Cellular support.  Yet.  If you are a Fi users then you will be seeing the update come to your Nexus 5X, Nexus 6 or Nexus 6P over the course of the next few days and it is part of the puzzle for U.S. Cellular support with Google’s MVNO.

As readers will know, U.S. Cellular was announced as the 3rd carrier that makes up the service, joining T-Mobile and Sprint.  That announcement was last month and the expectation has been that an update to the Fi app would be required to make all of it work on the back end.  That, effectively, is this update.

Google has made a small but nice improvement to their authorization process of account access for those with 2-factor authentication enabled.  Previously, in order to approve a device accessing your account, you had to either get a text message to your phone or use the Google Authenticator app.  Now you can get a simple, full screen notification on your Android phone to approve access to your account.  It’s simple and effective and far faster than waiting on that text or opening the Authenticator app.

Chrome OS users on the Stable channel have a new platform update out today.  The updated build, version 51.0.2704.103 (Platform version: 8172.56.0/8172.57.0) for those keeping score at home, is primarily a security and bug fix release so don’t look for a lot of new features.  No, in case you are curious, this is not the build that brings Android apps to the platform on some devices.  That’s the Developer channel.

The Google Photos app and service got a small tweak yesterday behind-the-scenes that will make heavy users of the app rejoice.  Now when you are viewing your albums in either the app or on the web, there is a new Slideshow feature on the overflow menu.  That feature allows you to start a slide show on your devices or, if you have a Chromecast, cast them to your TV.  It is a small addition but an important one as it is an often requested feature.

Full disclosure:  I’m a Google Top Contributor for Google Photos in the Product Forums.

The nice thing about this update is there is not app update required.  The most current version of the app on your phone or tablet will simply have the feature pushed to it.

The Google Apps team have announced some new editing features for both Google Docs and Google Sheets.  These new features are coming to the apps on both Android and iOS and should be rolling out to devices over the course of the next few days via an OTA update.  Both features are aimed at bringing more desktop-like editing features to the mobile device so you don’t necessarily have to be at a Chromebook, PC or Mac.

For Google Docs, you can now edit documents while you are in Print Layout view within the app.  To edit the doc, just tap on the edit pencil icon and you can make your edits without having to leave Print Layout view.