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Google’s wacky new Cardboard project could help take virtual reality mainstream

Jun26
by on June 26, 2014 at 5:33 am
Posted In: Around the Web, Google, google cardboard

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Amidst Google’s numerous announcements at its I/O developer conference, it was Google’s low-budget but practical take on virtual reality that was perhaps the most notable device, for me at least. Facebook may have dropped $2 billion to buy VR device maker Oculus, but, for Google, using cardboard and an Android device is enough. That comparison isn’t strictly fair, since Oculus does a lot more than make its Oculus VR product, but — in end user terms — Android Cardboard offers the same opportunity to experience virtual reality, albeit on a budget-driven and simple level. “We want everyone to experience virtual reality in a…

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HotelTonight’s newest features will let you check in and unlock your hotel room using only its app

Jun26
by on June 26, 2014 at 3:23 am
Posted In: Apps, Around the Web, hoteltonight, Product Updates

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Curated same-day hotel-booking service HotelTonight unveiled a couple of interesting new features for its Android app at Google I/O earlier today, including “Express Check-In” and “Keyless Entry.” Touted as showcasing the hotel stay of the future, HotelTonight claims it is the first online travel agency to bring mobile check-in and keyless entry to its users. The express check-in feature lets HotelTonight guests bypass the cumbersome check-in process at the hotel reception — they can simply complete the process with two taps on the app, and they will be notified when the room is ready, after which they can go to the front desk…

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Google Play for Education is no longer just for tablets, now available on Chromebooks

Jun26
by on June 26, 2014 at 2:30 am
Posted In: Around the Web, Google

Smartwatches, an Android set-top box and in-car connectivity demos stole the limelight at Google I/O, but the company is also continuing to push its educational offerings after it made its Google Play for Education service available on Chromebooks. Google Play for Education is a hub for teachers in the US to use to help make K-12 lessons more interactive through customized Google services and apps. It was available for tablets only when it launched in November, so its expansion to Chromebooks — the affordable, internet-only laptops that Google has positioned as being ideal for the classroom — is significant. Schools with Chromebooks can visit play.google.com/edu…

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