Year: 2018

Google Rebrands Cloud Storage with New Name, and Extra Benefits

CompuScoop Staff August 16, 2018 1

Google's rebranding of its cloud storage service from Google Drive to Google One has taken a major leap forward, with the tech giant now allowing anyone in the United States to sign up for the plan, not just users already paying for online storage capacity.

Google One is effectively a renaming of its cloud storage service, one that encompasses many other Google services that have online storage components. Users can pay a monthly fee to Google One for storage, which can be used with Google Drive, Gmail, and Google Photos, expanding free allocations and providing more space for files.

Since its announcement, Google has been slowly converting its consumer cloud storage customers over to Google One, but now it has been opened up to anyone in the United States. It is unclear when it will be available to users in other countries, but Google is offering to notify potential users when it opens up in their market.

The Google One plans start with 100 gigabytes of storage for $1.99, rising to $2.99 for 200 gigabytes and $9.99 for 2 terabytes, while higher capacities will still be available, but under previous pricing. The new options may be seen as better value to consumers wanting more storage, as 1 terabyte previously cost $9.99 per month, but the 100 gigabyte option could also be acquired for $11.99 per year before the rebranding effort.

Google is also attempting to make the subscription more useful for families, with customers able to share their plan with up to five other people under one bill. A number of other benefits are also offered, including Google Play credits and hotel deals found on Google Search, with offers from Google Express and Google Store expected in the coming months.

Support is also touted as a big feature of Google One, with users being offered access to a "team of Google experts" to answer their queries.

The rebranding to Google One and the refinement of the pricing brings Google's service close to Apple's iCloud in terms of value. While iCloud has the same prices for the 200 gigabyte and 2 terabyte options, it offers a lower 50 gigabyte tier for $0.99 per month.

Google does still have Apple beat in how much it provides to users for free, offering 15 gigabytes compared to iCloud's 5 gigabyte allocation. Apple also doesn't offer extra bonuses for iCloud subscribers, which could make Google One more attractive to those not embedded in the Apple ecosystem.

Via: AppleInsider.com

Report: 2nd Generation iPhone X to be able to work with Apple Pencil

Dan Uff August 16, 2018 1

Remember this:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YY3MSaUqMg]

Well, various reports from Chinese iPhone makers say that the 2nd generation iPhone X will be able to work with the Apple Pencil.

If these rumors prove to be true, this would be the first time Apple releases its own stylus for the iPhone in the device's 11-year history.

When introducing the original iPhone in 2007, Apple's late co-founder Steve Jobs quipped that "nobody wants a stylus" with a smartphone, but Apple has played the semantics game in insisting that the Apple Pencil is a drawing tool. It's also been over a decade since Jobs made that comment—things change.

Only time will tell, and of course, we'll keep you informed.

Apple Maps can now show layouts of malls in Canada

Dan Uff August 15, 2018 1

Apple Maps has been updated with indoor maps of at least 18 shopping malls in several Canadian cities and suburbs, including Toronto, Mississauga, Hamilton, Montréal, Calgary, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Vancouver, and Dieppe, New Brunswick.

Nearly all of the shopping malls are Cadillac Fairview properties, with the sole exception being Square One in Mississauga:

Galeries D'Anjou in Montréal
Carrefour Laval in Laval
Promenades St-Bruno in Saint-Bruno
Fairview Pointe Claire in Pointe-Claire
Rideau Centre in Ottawa
Markville in Markham
Shops at Don Mills in Toronto
Fairview Mall in Toronto
Sherway Gardens in Toronto
Square One in Mississauga
Lime Ridge in Hamilton
Fairview Park in Kitchener
Masonville Place in London
Polo Park in Winnipeg
Chinook Centre in Calgary
Market Mall in Calgary
Richmond Centre in Richmond
Champlain Place in Dieppe, New Brunswick

Apple has yet to add indoor maps for the Eaton Centre in Toronto and the Pacific Centre in Vancouver, two of the biggest Cadillac Fairview malls. Two other notable exclusions are Yorkdale in Toronto and the Centre Eaton de Montréal.

Apple launched indoor mapsat select airports and shopping malls in 2017, with a list of locations available on its iOS Feature Availability page. To view an indoor map, open the Apple Maps app on an iPhone or iPad running iOS 11 or later, search for a supported location, zoom in, and tap on "Look Inside" if necessary.

Indoor maps at shopping malls make it easier to find the exact location of stores, restaurants, and restrooms on each floor, in addition to guest services, parking, escalators, stairs, and so forth. Or, swipe up on the place card to browse by category, such as clothes, shoes, accessories, beauty, food, and drinks.

Likewise, at airports, Apple Maps users can zoom in to view terminals, boarding gates, security checkpoints, airline check-in desks, baggage claim carousels, information kiosks, restrooms, stores, restaurants, parking, and more.

Via: MacRumors.com

Star Trek: Discovery selects its Spock for Season 2

Dan Uff August 14, 2018 0

Ethan Peck has been cast as Spock -- the half-human, half-Vulcan Science Officer of the U.S.S. Enterprise, and foster brother of Michael Burnham -- in the upcoming second season of Star Trek: Discovery. Peck is the grandson of legendary actor Gregory Peck, who counted among his final projects the 1998 TV miniseries Moby Dick, which starred Patrick Stewart as Captain Ahab, the role Gregory Peck famously played in the 1956 movie of the same name.

Ethan Peck, Star Trek: Discovery's Spock

Peck grew up in Los Angeles and attended college at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. As an actor, his film and television credits include Passport to Paris, That '70s Show, The Sorcerer's Apprentice, 10 Things I Hate About You, In Time, Madam Secretary and The Curse of Sleeping Beauty.

Zachary Quinto and Leonard Nimoy as Spock

"Through 52 years of television and film, a parallel universe and a mirror universe, Mr. Spock remains the only member of the original bridge crew to span every era of Star Trek," Discovery executive producer Alex Kurtzman said in a statement. "The great Leonard Nimoy, then the brilliant Zachary Quinto, brought incomparable humanity to a character forever torn between logic and emotion. We searched for months for an actor who would, like them, bring his own interpretation to the role. An actor who would, like them, effortlessly embody Spock’s greatest qualities, beyond obvious logic: empathy, intuition, compassion, confusion, and yearning. Ethan Peck walked into the room inhabiting all of these qualities, aware of his daunting responsibility to Leonard, Zack, and the fans, and ready to confront the challenge in the service of protecting and expanding on Spock’s legacy. In that spirit, we’re thrilled to welcome him to the family.”

Nimoy family celebrating Ethan's casting as Spock

Among those celebrating the news was the family of Star Trek's original Spock, Leonard Nimoy: daughter Julie and son Adam, along with their respective spouses, David Knight and Terry Farrell.

Star Trek: Discovery's first season is available on CBS All Access in the U.S. and Space Channel in Canada. It's available on Netflix in the rest of the world.