Google expands Shanghai hardware team tasked with overseeing manufacturing

-

In 2017, Google’s hardware division launched its second-generation family of products, while expanding the group with the acquisition of several thousand HTC engineers working on the Pixel line and a rumored Nest merger. A new report reveals that Google is bolstering its hardware presence in China with a growing team of engineers based out of Shanghai.

Nintendo Switch

According to The Information (via Android Authority), this Shanghai team has grown from 20 employees a year ago to 150 today. Their primary job is to oversee contractors manufacturing products like the Pixel and Google Home, with the team reporting directly to Mountain View.

Besides those marquee products, this group is also working on the Pixelbook, virtual reality headsets, and wearable devices.

The team consists of former Apple and Amazon employees who are well versed in hardware and the supply chain. Given Google’s production troubles — namely not being able to manufacture enough of the original Pixel and screen issues on the Pixel 2 XL — this is a wise move.

However, of note, the Shanghai team has also hired employees from Jide Technology, who were known for the desktop-based Remix OS that was built on Android.

The focus for this team is partnering with local brands to increase worldwide production, as well as possibly reducing costs by taking advantage of the region’s low-cost manufacturing.

Check out 9to5Google on YouTube for more news:

Popular Posts:

Apple is postponing new iOS features in favor of reliability and performance

-
Image
Apple has decided to postpone new features in iOS in favor of improving the reliability and performance of the operating system, as according to a report by Axios. According to the report, Craig Federighi, Senior Vice President, Software Engineering, announced the revised plan to employees at a meeting earlier this month. This pushes features like refresh of the homescreen and in-car user interface, improvements to core apps like Mail and camera experience to 2019. What we will get this year is improvements to AR, digital health and parental controls. Apart from that, the OS will largely feature improvements to performance and user experience. We have seen Apple do this with macOS in the past, where they dedicate one entire update cycle to just refining the OS and make existing features work better. However, we have never quite seen Apple do that on iOS. This is largely due to the hyper competitive nature of the mobile market where competition and customer demands push companies t
Continue Reading....

Google’s December 2018 security patch includes much-needed RAM management fix

-
Image
Every first Monday of the month, we're used to seeing Google launch security patches for its supported devices. This month is no different, as Google has released the December 2018 security patch. The patch not only fixes a bunch of security bugs, but also features the long awaited memory performance fixes. Android Pie has long been killing apps in the background (even if you were using them a second ago) and it's even affected devices other than Pixel /Nexus devices and we hope this fix will help. There are also some camera fixes for Pixel users included as well. Surprisingly, we're seeing the updates hit the Nexus 5X and 6P, both of which have reached their end of life. It's good to see Google support these old devices even when their three years are up and the company has no obligation to update them. December's software release is here. Check your Essential Phone for the update. pic.twitter.com/tTaeQZ0kzl — Essential (@essential) December 3, 2018
Continue Reading....

Do more from your inbox with Gmail Add-ons

-
Image
For many of us, email is mission control—the prompt to generate an invoice, prepare a presentation or follow up on a sales opportunity. With so many to-dos, imagine if you could complete these tasks directly from your inbox without interrupting your workflow. We believe email can do more, which is why we're launching Gmail Add-ons, a new way to work with your favorite business apps directly in Gmail. Gmail Add-ons, built for your workflows Rather than toggling between your inbox and other apps, use add-ons to complete actions right from Gmail. With Gmail Add-ons, your inbox can contextually surface your go-to app based on messages you receive to help you get things done faster. And because add-ons work the same across web and Android, you only need to install them once to access them on all of your devices. Click the settings wheel on the top right of your inbox and then "Get add-ons" to get started. We made Gmail Add-ons available in developer p
Continue Reading....

DJI Mavic Air: could this be the definitive drone?

-
Image
DJI showcased its new Mavic Air drone in New York. The third quadcopter in this series is of similar quality to its predecessors and can also fold its arms for better portability. For its size, no competitor offers so much in terms of photo quality. Release date and price The DJI Mavic Air can be ordered through the official DJI website  and is also available from other retailers. The drone is available in three colors: marengo grey, white and red. We can buy the Mavic Air in a basic pack with remote control, protections, charger, cover, propeller replacement and a battery from US$799 (£769 in the UK). Often, one battery is not enough so there is a more complete pack available with three batteries, charger for four batteries and two propeller replacements from $999 (£949 in the UK). The red model reminds me of a Porsche. / © AndroidPIT Design and build quality In essence, it is th
Continue Reading....

[Bonus Round] Meteorfall: Journeys, Out There Chronicles - Ep. 2, Four Last Things, Rocket Sling, Slime Pizza, Nindash: Skull Valley, and Ragnarok Rush

-
Image
Welcome to the latest entry in our Bonus Round series, wherein we tell you all about the new Android games of the day that we couldn't get to during our regular news rounds. Consider this a quick update for the dedicated gamers who can't wait for our bi-weekly roundups, and don't want to wade through a whole day's worth of news just to get their pixelated fix. Today we've got a card-based roguelike, the next chapter in Out There Chronicles, a renaissance-era point and click adventure game, a space-themed indie arcade game, a unique puzzle platformer, a ninja-themed defense game, and a Ragnarok licensed hero collector. Without further ado: Meteorfall: Journeys Meteorfall: Journeys is a card-based roguelike with an easy to understand deck-building combat system. As you would expect of any roguelike, each game is procedurally generated. This means every round you play is unique. And best of all, this is a premium game with a singular upfront price. That way you
Continue Reading....