Google Genomics Can Store Your Entire Genome Online

 

What Is Google Genomics?

Google Genomics provides an API to store, process, explore, and share DNA sequence reads, reference-based alignments, and variant calls, using Google's cloud infrastructure.

• Store alignments and variant calls for one genome or a million.
• Process genomic data in batch by running principal component analysis or Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, in minutes or hours, by using parallel computing frameworks like MapReduce.
• Explore data by slicing alignments and variants by genomic range across one or multiple samples -- for your own algorithms or for visualization; or interactively process entire cohorts to find transition/transversion ratios, allelic frequency, genome-wide association and more using BigQuery.
• Share genomic data with your research group, collaborators, the broader community, or the public. You decide.

Google Genomics is implementing the API defined by the Global Alliance for Genomics and Health for visualization, analysis and more. Compliant software can access Google Genomics, local servers, or any other implementation.

So...if you would like to store your genome on Google's cloud infrastructure or just want more info, click here.

Also, check out this article from Gizmodo >>>  Why I'd Let Google Put My Genome in the Cloud

Google To Build Monstrous $770 Million Data Center In The Northern Netherlands

h/t -  @osamaelmageid

industry tap - Google recently announced the company is building a huge $773.58 million data center in the northern Netherlands.

This will be the fourth big data center in Europe for Google which already has locations in Finland, Belgium, and Ireland.    Read More

Android Circuit: Samsung's new Galaxy Smartphones, Android Is The Top OS In The US, And The Home Screen On The Front Line

This article in Forbes...

...focuses on Samsung’s new Galaxy handsets; Android tops the US market share; the Android ‘L’ changes; Google Play Services’ update for Android Wear support; Android Wear apps arrive in the Play Store; the battle for the home screen continues with Aviate; and what happens next in the smartphone world. 

Android Circuit is here to remind you of a few of the very many things that have happened around Android over the last seven days.

Samsung Announce Five New Galaxy Handsets

As expected, Samsung has expanded the Galaxy S5 portfolio with the announcement of a number of new handsets. They all fit into the South Korean’s existing portfolio, bumping up the separate handset ranges in the same way that the core S5 handset built on the S4.

First up is the Galaxy S5 Mini, which offers a smaller version of the standard Galaxy S5. Forbes contributor Jay McGregor takes a closer look at the handset, and highlights the robust specifications – a 4.5 inch screen at 720×1280 pixels, a quad-core 1.4 GHz CPU, 1.5 GB of RAM, and 16 GB of storage, as well as the IP67 certification, heart rate sensor, and fingerprint scanner. Last year’s S4 Mini had the power but was lacking the battery life, so it will be interesting to test the S5 Mini. We should have a review on Forbes in the near future.

With the low-end handsets, Samsung has updated the Galaxy Ace, Galaxy Core, Galaxy Young, and Galaxy Star, handsets. While the specifications are not going to hold a candle to the paternal S5, these will be the handsets that will generate a high volume of sales thanks to the promotion of ‘Galaxy’ as a brand name and some smart cross-selling in retail stores around the world.   Read More

What to Expect at Google I/O

 

Mashable - 

 

Google has a lot to do. Since its last developer conference, wearables have taken off, web-driven home automation became a real thing, in-car apps are taking shape, tablets have changed, and a full-on price war for cloud services has begun. 

The company has certainly made some moves in these areas, but it's saved plenty of big announcements for Google I/O, which kicks off at 9 a.m. Pacific on Wednesday with the conference keynote in San Francisco. Mashable will be there, reporting from the conference live.

If it follows a similar script of previous years, we'll hear from most of the consumer-facing services of Google, from Android phones to Maps, but in the past year Google has expanded its products considerably. It acquired Nest Labs, the maker of the popular connected thermostat, and it announced initiatives to bring Android apps to cars and wearables.

And that's just for starters. Google is dabbling into advanced mobile technology with its Ara and Tango projects. It also made its famous (or infamous, depending on who you're asking) smart glasses, Google Glass, available to all, even though the product is still technically in "beta."   Read More

Google Glass Contact Lens? May Also Assist The Blind

The superfast web grows: Google Fiber to expand to 34 new cities

Fox News - Google is bringing ultrafast Internet connections to 34 new cities across the country including San Jose, Calif.; Phoenix, Ariz.; Nashville, Tenn.; and Atlanta, Ga., the tech behemoth announced Wednesday.

Google Fiber connects your house to the Web over fiber at gigabit speeds, more than 100 times faster than the average U.S. broadband connection (8.6 Mbps), and more than double the fastest download speed of Verizon FiOS, the largest fiber optic Internet provider in the country. The service has been limited to three cities -- Provo, Utah; Austin, Texas; and Kansas City, Missouri. That’s all going to change, the company said.

“People are hungrier than ever for faster Internet,” wrote Milo Medin, vice president of access services for Google, in a blog post announcing the expansion. “Hundreds of mayors from across the U.S. have stated that abundant high-speed Internet access is essential for sparking innovation, driving economic growth and improving education.”    Read More

Acer Chromebook C720P review: King of the budget Chromebooks

 

CNET Editors' Rating

3.5 stars - Very good

The good: The Acer Chromebook C720P has a good keyboard, an SD expansion slot, USB 2 and 3 ports, and HDMI, plus a touch screen. It also has more onboard storage (32GB) than most entry-level Chromebooks, and better battery life than most previous Chromebooks.

The bad: Low-end price is matched by its low-end feel. Chrome OS has natural limitations. Touch isn't always that useful in Chrome.

The bottom line: The Acer Chromebook C720P manages to get better at all the key things, adding up to a little laptop alternative that's better than any budget Chromebook we've seen before.

Read the Full Review

Google Glass is being used in operating rooms

AsiaNews.it - A gastroenterologist performs laparoscopic gastrointestinal surgery and hernia repair in Chennai. The glass could prove useful in India's remote areas so that rural doctors can be 'monitored and tech-assisted'.


Chennai (AsiaNews/Agencies) - Dr J S Rajkumar became the third doctor in the world to use Google Glass in two surgeries. A gastroenterologist and chief surgeon at Lifeline Rigid Hospital, Dr Rajkumar used the augmented reality glass in an upper gastro-intestinal laparoscopy procedure on a 45-year-old man and a hernia repair on a 42-year-old woman. Google glass was used only twice before, in the United States.

Google Glass is a wearable computer that works like a hands-free smartphone, moving with commands from the users eyes and head movements.

The glass has proved useful in the operating room for its ability to capture and transmit in real time what surgeons are doing, giving medical students an opportunity to learn "through" the eyes of their teacher.   More

Motorola Droid Ultra - Motorola's thinnest Droid ever

Google brings touch features to Chrome Canary

CNET - The browser update includes the ability for users to slide their hands across the browser go backward or forward.

Google's Chrome Canary, the version of its browser currently under development, is hinting that more touch-friendly features are coming to the software.

Google's latest Chrome Canary build has added touch features, according to The Verge. The browser now includes a slide-to-navigate option that will allow users to swipe across the display to either go forward or back.   More

Our Driverless Car Future: Utopia or Wasteland?

TechNewsWorld - We may be able to peel the pavement off Paradise and get rid of a lot of parking lots if driverless cars catch on. In one futuristic scenario, you'd log onto the Web, summon your ride, and it would provide door-to-door service, no tip required. True, you'd lose the spontaneity of just jumping into the car and taking off -- but you likely wouldn't miss driving in circles looking for a parking spot.

Google's so-called driverless car has sparked speculation that it will bring about drastic changes in our cities.

Some prognosticators foresee new cities with narrower streets, fewer parking spaces, and hidden sensors instead of traffic lights, while others fear there might be a new flight to the suburbs like the 1960s exodus. It's a battle between scenarios from The Jetsons and Mad Max.

However, that's likely oversimplifying the issue.

"For the foreseeable future, it will be necessary to have a driver in the driver's seat," Roger Lanctot, an associate director at Strategy Analytics, told TechNewsWorld. "Google's car is a self-driving car ... driverless cars will only arrive if and when all cars are connected to one another and the infrastructure."

That may well be more than 20 years away, because "there are too many questions marks involved -- questions around liability, insurance, regulatory models," suggested Praveen Chandrasekar, a research manager at Frost & Sullivan.   More

Chrome packaged apps power up, snag enhanced iTunes and Bluetooth 4.0 capabilities

PCWorld - Who needs Windows? Soon, you'll be able to use Chrome-based standalone apps to communicate with a Fitbit, sort through an iTunes music library, and pay for in-app purchases via Google Wallet. Google recently announced a slew of updates and additions to the APIs (application programming interfaces) available to developers making packaged apps for Google’s browser.

You may not have heard of packaged apps, as they're currently still in the development stages. Packaged apps are built on top of Chrome using Web technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. The big difference between packaged apps and regular Chrome apps is that packaged apps are standalone programs that operate in a separate window and can—crucially—run offline. 

They are also stripped of all the typical browser “chrome” such as the URL address bar and tabs, to more closely resemble a typical PC application. 

The developer preview of Chrome's packaged app launcher 

running in Windows.

Packaged apps will give Google the ability to invade the traditional desktop with its own selection of Chrome-based apps that aren’t dependent specifically on Linux, OS X, or Windows.  More

Androidly smartwatch can run any app from Google Play

The Android watch is now available for preorder for $229.

CNET - Those of you'd like to run Android apps on your wrist may be intrigued by a smartwatch from a company called Androidly.

Developed by a four-person team in the U.K., the Androidly smartwatch lets you install and use hundreds of thousands of apps from Google Play. So, you can access a variety of mobile apps, including Facebook, Twitter, Gmail, Google Maps, Cut the Rope, and Angry Birds.   More

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 gets new 8- and 10.1-inch models

CNET - The added models should give Samsung entry points into a wider range of the tablet market. They'll be available early this month.

Samsung has released the details for an 8-inch and a 10.1-inch tablet joining the popular Galaxy Tab series, along with the 7-inch model currently available.

In an announcement Monday, the South Korean firm unveiled the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 models in the new sizes.

The 8-inch Galaxy Tab 3 is possibly a response to the popular iPad Mini and Google Nexus 7. The tablet is powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core processor and a 1280x800-pixel HD screen, and runs on Android 4.2, otherwise known as Jelly Bean. The 8-inch model also sports two cameras, the front shooting at 1.3 megapixels and the rear reaching 5 megapixels.   More

The New Google Maps: Smarter, Better-Looking & More Social

 

SIM Partners - Two weeks ago, Google introduced its new Maps at its I/O conference. The new interface includes a sharper design and improved user experience with the results and rankings of listings being determined by a variety of new factors.

As seen above, the redesign of the interface includes a fullscreen map display and removes the list view of results that was previously displayed on the left. The teardrop pins have been replaced by red dots – complemented by business names to show top-ranked listings. Whereas the previous interface limited the number of pins marking top-ranked listings to 10 or less, the new interface appears to have between 15 to 20 top listings, depending on the vertical and geo. If you wish to view your results in a list display similar to the old Google Maps, you can simply click on “Go to list of Top Results,” which will take you to a new page similar to the old Google Places ranking page.   More

Coverage of Google I/O - Google Integration Into Mercedes, Streaming Music, G+ Additions, Google Play Game Services & More

 

Google Play game services aims to integrate gaming across Android, iOS and the web

Google Play game developers and players alike are getting a quartet of game-changing additions today: real-time multiplayer, leaderboards, cloud saves and achievements. And that's not all -- the latter three services will function cross-platform between Android, iOS and the web. The whole initiative is called -- unsurprisingly -- "Google Play Game Services," and it's available today in a smattering of games. Unlike Apple's Game Center application, what Google's offering is backend support for developers rather than a standalone application. Think of it more like OpenFeint than Game Center -- you can sign in using your Google+ login in-game, and that login will track your identity (including leaderboard scores, achievements and saves) across various games and devices.

Read More

Google beats Apple to it with streaming music service

With its $9.99/month service, the tech powerhouse makes its first move into a space already occupied by the likes of Pandora, Spotify, and possibly, Apple.

Google launched a music streaming service Wednesday, taking its first stab at the growing industry with a new service linked to Google Play for Android.    

Read More

Google announces Google Play for Education launching this fall

Google today announced a new service called Google Play for Education that allows schools to easier find and distribute Google Play content to Android devices in schools.

The Google Play Education store will allow schools to search for content by subject matter and grade level and provide content that has been recommended by other educators.

Read More

Google I/O event previews Mercedes' integration of Google services


The annual Google I/O developers conference is going on this week in San Francisco, California, featuring in-depth sessions that showcase the latest and greatest from Google in the way of products and technology. One of the things being highlighted this year is Mercedes-Benz's integration of Google's services.

Using a current SL model, Mercedes-Benz will show a Drive Kit Plus system which uses a smartphone and custom app which enables seamless integration of the smartphone with the car's infotainment system. Essentially, this makes it easier to use your smartphone with your vehicle's on-board features such as navigation and streaming music.

 

Read More

Google adds photo and other enhancements to Google Plus in effort to rival Facebook

SAN FRANCISCO - Google is digging deeper into its technology toolkit to turn its social networking service into a more formidable threat to Facebook, sprucing up its photo features at a time when sharing snapshots online and on mobile gadgets is growing more popular.

Many of the 41 new features being added to Google Plus beginning Wednesday will draw upon the computing power, machine learning, algorithms, semantics analysis and other innovations that established Google's search engine as the most influential force on the Internet.

Read More

Google I/O 2013 - Live Blog, Live Video, Info & More

 

General Information

Meet Googlers and developers building great products with Google technologies

Live Blog (Including Keynote Video)

Where to watch Google I/O 2013 live online

GigaOM - Live streaming starts on Wednesday at 9:00 am PT with the keynote, and will continue throughout the day with up to five simultaneous live streams of key technical sessions as well as “exclusive interviews, product unboxings, and demos from the I/O floor,” as the I/O site puts it. Live streams will also be available on Thursday starting at 10:00 am. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like Google will stream any of Friday’s sessions online.

All live streams can be accessed directly on the I/O site, where you can also find a detailed schedule of the conference.

What to expect at Google I/O 2013

Google rumors and leaks pick up speed as Google I/O 2013 arrives this week. Here are some of our predictions for the annual Google developers confab. Read More

 

• Google's Nexus Q revival said to be a no-show at I/O

  

  Google reportedly won't show off a revamped version of its defunct Nexus Q media streamer at its annual developers conference. more

  News - By Josh Lowensohn |
   

• CNET to talk Google I/O in a Hangout on Tuesday

  

  Is there more to the annual Google shindig than swag? Have some predictions of your own? Ask CNET your Google I/O questions in a Google+ Hangout. Hint: Extreme sports demos are extremely unlikely. more

  News - By Seth Rosenblatt | 
   

• Microsoft touts Office 365 buyers that dumped Google Apps

  

  On the eve of the Google I/O conference, Microsoft picks a loud fight with Google over online office suites. more

  News - By Stephen Shankland | 
   

• One more Google I/O rumor: A new smartwatch?

  

  Does it make any sense for Google to unveil a new piece of wearable tech this week? Does it have to make sense? more

  News - By Eric Mack | 
   

• Expect games, social, and Now at Google I/O 2013

  

  Google rumors and leaks pick up speed as Google I/O 2013 arrives this week. Here are some of our predictions for the annual Google developers confab. more

  News - By Seth Rosenblatt | 
   

• Google I/O keeps browser focus despite fancy phones, eyewear

  

  Android and Glass get a lot of attention at Google I/O, but Chrome and Web programming sessions are core to Google's conference for developers. more

  News - By Stephen Shankland | 
   

• What Google I/O should bring for Android hardware lovers

  

  CNET's Marguerite Reardon takes a look at the possible new Android products Google might show off at its annual developer conference this week in San Francisco. more

  News - By Marguerite Reardon | 
   

• Friday Poll: Can Google I/O possibly top last year's?

  

  Google set a high bar with its skydiving introduction of Glass last year. Could this year's conference contain more "wow-ness?" more

  News - By Eric Mack | 
   

• What to expect from Android Key Lime Pie

  

  Google should unveil a new version of its mobile OS next week. Here's some of what we may see this time around, and also down the line. more

  News - By Scott Webster | 

As Google I/O nears, 15 killer apps show best of Chrome

 

Chrome's killer apps

Anyone who says you can’t get real work done on a Web browser—or in a browser-based operating system, for that matter—hasn't seen some of the latest Chrome apps.

Rising above glorified bookmarks, the cream of Google’s Chrome Web Store can stand toe-to-toe with desktop software. More are offering offline functionality, too. Coming soon: 'packaged apps' that look and act more like traditional software.

Finding Chrome gems can be tricky. The store's layout is chaotic and provides no easy way to distinguish good from bad. These 15 Chrome apps rock, whether you’re working on a Windows PC, a Mac, or a Chromebook.

Gmail Offline

The app version of Gmail, Gmail Offline is available from the Chrome Web Store. It has improved dramatically since its 2011 debut. The app now supports Rich Text Format and attachments, and it can download your email messages from the past week or from the past month. You might even prefer Gmail Offline’s clean, tablet-like interface over the desktop version.

Pixlr Editor

Photoshop diehards might scoff at Pixlr Editor, but it gets the job done for basic to intermediate drawing and image editing. Pixlr comes with various brushes and effects, and it supports layers and layer masks. You can even save and load .PSD files, if you’re coming from Photoshop. Though Pixlr doesn’t work completely offline, once you’ve opened it in your browser, the app becomes fully functional without a connection. In Chrome, consider installing the Edit in Pixlr extension, which lets you right-click and send images directly to the app.

View the Slideshow!

Android Key Lime Pie: Most Wanted Features - What CNET Would Like to See in the Next Version of Android

 

CNET takes you through the new tricks and software tweaks we want to see in the next major version of Android.

Right now, deep beneath the Earth's crust, Google engineers are working in secret to develop the next major version of Android.

Rumored to be called Key Lime Pie (though some reports suggest the next version may stick with the Jelly Bean moniker), little is known about what new software treats this update has in store. That said, we at CNET certainly have an idea of what we want to see -- hit play on the video above to hear the apps and tweaks we're desperate for Google to bake into the heart of its next big refresh.

More