Gboard: search for information, GIFs and emojis straight form your keypad

Google today released an app for iOS devices called "GBoard" that allows you to perform Google searches directly from your keypad. It allows users to send information like weather forecasts, business listings, locations, and more, as well as GIFs, and of course emojis straight from your keypad saving you the trouble of exiting your screen to open a browser or the google app before performing the same operations.

source: Techcrunch

It even allows you to search for emojis rather than scrolling through the sea of available ones to find the one you're looking for. It also has glide typing, which allows you to type by sliding your finger from letter to letter.

source: google blog

The functionalities of this app definitely come in handy, considering stats from eMarketer that states that mobile device users this year will spend 3 hours 15 minutes per day using apps and just 51 minutes using browsers.

This app is currently available for download at the App store but is only available in English 

Apple considering new music streaming service and Apple Android App

credits:james martin|cnet

According to a report by billboard, Apple inc. has been negotiating with senior executives at record labels about launching a supposedly on-demand music streaming service to compete with Spotify, Beats music, and Pandora. This "exploratory talks" have been said to be in an early stage.

Also, apple is said to be thinking of adding an iTunes app for Android phones, a move that can be simply defined as taking the battle to the enemy.

These considerations are said to be part of a strategy by Apple to take care of some loop holes in Apples major music retailer. According to Nielsen, downloads on the platform have been down by 13% since the week of March 9th and digital track sales have been down by 11% since last year. Streaming services like Spotify, Pandora, and Youtube have had stable footings.

Apple inc. already has a streaming radio service, iTunes Radio, which may become its own standalone app when the company revamps its mobile operating system with iOS 8. Currently, the service is a part of the iTunes app.

by Ezekiel.T.Ogidan