The lines between digital, mobile, technology and apps are blurring in today’s world. We at Robosoft are keen followers of developments in this arena. Here’s a quick summary of what’s buzzing:
Allo: Will it survive the clutter?
Source: Android Authority
Just a few days ago, Allo, announced at the I/O developer conference earlier this year, made its debut at the Google Play Store. Less than a week the app has already racked up more than 1 million downloads. Amidst other messaging apps like What’s app, Line, WeChat, Facebook Messenger and Telegram, what might be drawing users to Allo is its integration with Google Assistant and the smart replies. These features can come in real handy when you are on the go helping you reply with just a simple tap, search for events nearby when you are planning to go together as a group or want to give directions to somebody. Based on machine learning, Allo is expected to get better with time. However, there’s an ongoing concern about its privacy, as all non-incognito messages are stored on the Google server by default. This may lead to an access of all your Allo messages in case of any lawful requests by the govt.
Daydream VR SDK launched
Source: Tech Times
With Daydream ready phones supposed to be released soon, it was a perfect time for Google to release its VR SDK to the developers. Last week the company announced that the new Google VR SDK is now out of beta ready for the developers’ attention. The kit allows developers to build VR experiences and apps that users can enjoy on their Daydream ready smartphones. Google has also created a Daydream developer website with full documentation, sample apps and tutorials to help those interested in developing apps for its VR platform.
Oracle joins the chatbot bandwagon
So far this year, companies like Facebook and Microsoft have already launched their services for building chatbots. Last week Oracle co-founder and CTO, Larry Ellison, also launched its chatbot development platform at the annual OpenWorld Conference. Oracle tools can integrate with other bot platforms as well like Facebook Messenger, Kik and Slack. Ellison also added that with the new tool you wouldn’t even need to write in Java, PHP, or even JavaScript. To develop, all you need to do is drag and drop in a graphical user interface.
Watching video gets easier with Spectacles
Source: Spectacles
Social media app, Snapchat, introduced a new hardware called Spectacles that is also capable of recording videos. Following the release of the new product, the company has also changed its name to Snap Inc now. What’s interesting about Snapchat Spectacles is that it can record 10 second long video clips through its 115-degree angle lens in a circular video format. The circular video format solves the problem of watching videos in landscape or portrait mode, as it can play full-screen on any device in any orientation. A lot of things may work in the favor of Snapchat Spectacles like the price, the fun factor and the ability to shoot circular videos. However, we need to wait and see if there is a similar public outcry as there was when Google Glass was launched.
