Futurelawyer

If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Google Maps Improvement Day

Google Maps testing crash and speed trap reporting | Android and Me. The acquisition of crowd sourced Waze, known for its realtime reporting by users of speed traps, traffic slowdowns, and accidents, has started to be integrated into Google Maps, making the app much more useful. Now, users are reporting the addition of a small button which allows them to report real time traffic issues. The button, when it appears, occurs during navigation mode, when most of us are following a disembodied computer voice to our destination. Google never stops improving its products. 

Helping The Disabled Control Technology With Their Brain

Samsung is building software to control your TV with your brain - CNET. There are many stories out there about the danger of tech and the use of technology for nefarious purposes. However, it also needs to be shown that technology can amplify and augment good human functions; and, make available to the disabled all of the marvels of the scientific future. Creating software that will allow the use and control of human brainwaves to do something as simple as control a television is one of those uses. How easily we able bodied humans forget that basic human tasks can be beyond the disabled. The next time someone rails against humans who abuse technology, point out to them that there are wonderful uses of science being developed in the world, and show them this story.

Go Dark - Get Google Dark Mode

Google Dark Mode app roundup: Everything available so far - 9to5Google. If you use a lot of mobile apps, chances are you use traditional white screen with black text pages. It is what we all learned to read on, mimicking white paper with black text. However, on a mobile phone, a white screen uses energy that, over time, can drain a battery faster; so, some developers and users have asked for dark screens with white text. It saves batteries, and Google is now providing "dark mode" options on many of its mobile apps. I find it somewhat disconcerting, however. I have always preferred the look of real print on the page. But, to each his or her own. 

What's In A Name? It's Still About File Management On Android

Files Go becomes Files by Google | Pocketnow. Android has always had a File Manager program for Android devices. However, the application has made many improvements and changes over the years. Changing the name seems to be a pretty common way for developers, including Google, to attempt to differentiate their apps and products; but, it really doesn't matter what you call it, does it? Files By Google, which is what the Android file manager will now be called, is a great way to keep track of, and monitor what is going on in your phone. Deleting and disabling files that clutter up the system memory and the storage is the most important. What's in your phone?

Google Keep Notes Update

Google Keep - Notes and Lists - Apps on Google Play. Minimalist note taking from Google, like all products, keeps getting better. Never forget anything again. Just draw, list, or record it in notes, and it is yours forever. Monday morning is usually list making time for organized people and lawyers; but, for some of us, every day is for keeping organized. Now, Keep Notes allows lined and ruled paper for drawings and lists, and, for those of us who are spatially challenged, it is a welcome addition. Don't use bloated note taking apps that have many features you will never use. Keep is, and always will be, free and will sync across all your devices. I remember the pre Internet days, when manual syncing was a nightmare with the early computers and handheld devices. Enjoy the present. It won't be here tomorrow. 

KardiaMobile EKG Monitor - A Doctor In Your Pocket

KardiaMobile EKG Monitor - Instant EKG on Your Phone | AliveCor %u2013 AliveCor, Inc.. As we grow older, the need for medical monitoring of vital signs becomes more important. As technology advances, the ability to monitor our vitals is becoming portable, and always available. For heart patients, it is very helpful to measure heartrate on the sensors located on modern Smartwatches. Blood pressure is able to be checked with inexpensive cuffs. No Doctor required. Now, more complicated measurements are possible, and a medical grade EKG can now be taken with a $99 device connected wirelessly to a Smartphone. If you are, or know, anyone with a heart problem, buy this now. It could save a life.

Dragon Anywhere - Power To The Smartphone

Dragon Anywhere - Apps on Google Play. I always thought Evernote was way too much application for my meager note taking needs. But, Dragon Anywhere has changed all that. For $15 a month, I can dictate anything to my Smartphone, and it is automatically transcribed and uploaded to my EverNote account in the cloud. Very cool. And, with Dragon's legendary accuracy, I get 99.9% accurate transcriptions, which I can then copy and paste into emails, word processing documents, or wherever. I think I am going to be speaking dictation again, after a 25 year hiatus. The only thing missing is a paralegal or secretary and a dictation machine. Talk on.

Roav Viva - When Google Assistant Isn't Enough

How to Set Up the Roav Viva Alexa Car Charger. I love my 24 year old Analog sports car. I have spent a fortune making it a show room quality ride, and I love driving it. However, recently, I installed a high end sound system with Bluetooth, GPS navigation, and other modern features. I love being able to ask Google Assistant questions, and to make phone calls and send texts with my voice. Call it a mash up of old and new. However, I also have Amazon Echo devices everywhere, and I enjoy talking to Alexa when I need quick and dirty music, or news, or other services in the house. So, since I needed a USB charger in the car anyway, I got a Roav Viva charger that plugs into the cigarette lighter. Connect it to the car radio and smartphone via bluetooth, and, presto, Alexa lives. "Alexa, play my flash briefing."

Futorum Watch Faces - Ask Me Again What You Can Do With A Smartwatch

Everytime someone asks me what a Smartwatch can do, I tell them about getting texts, emails, phone calls, heart rate monitor, step counter, news, weather and sports, and many other functions. However, how about the ability to change and install new watch faces in an infinite array, depending on your mood. Then, there are the watch faces that, with a double tap, tell you the hour, day and time, the weather forecast, act as a flashlight, barometer, sunrise time, sunset time, day duration, moon phase, moon age,current zodiac sign, number of steps, distance moved, GPS coordinates, and more. Now, if they can create a watch face that will speak Stoic affirmations to me, I will be a happy camper.

 

What's In A Name? Google Keep Becomes Keep Notes

Google changes Keep app name to %u2018Keep Notes%u2019 | Android and Me. I thought Keep was a fine name for a note taking app. It wasn't plain vanilla descriptive, using the word "Notes" in the name as so many apps do. But, hey, Google employees need something to do, so adding a word to the name of a product is fine. Henceforth, Keep will be Keep Notes. The app is the same, the code is unchanged; but, let's call it something else. Hey, Google, let's change your name to "Google App and Search". Very descriptive. Very normal. We can "keep" "notes" about it in our "Keep Notes" app. Keep on.