Versatile Bug Labs Embraces Android

It's been no secret that the Android operating system will wind up on all sorts of devices; last year, for example, we talked about home phones and set-top boxes that were in development.  Now, however, it may almost literally wind up on "all sorts of devices," as the BUG 2.0 platform has introduced support for Android.

Bug Labs is an interesting little company specializing in modular, open source gear.  The pieces - which may be cameras, LCDs, GPS units, accelerometers, or lots of other things - can then be snapped together to form custom gadgets.  And programming the gadgets is supposed to be painless.  So it's rather exciting to see Bug Labs and Google linked.

Bug Labs said in a statement, "This is a leap forward for both Bug Labs and Android, as it brings a wide developer community into the open hardware movement.  Current Android applications can be ported directly to the BUG hardware, giving developers a new platform to expand on these apps and add significant functionality through open hardware."

The statement then continued, "Further, Android developers can now build devices that span far beyond typical consumer-focused needs, such as in the healthcare, M2M and telematics industries."

Unfortunately, Bug Labs and Google haven't seen fit to talk about prices and release dates, so it remains unknown when the BUG 2.0 platform will hit the market, and how accessible it will be to the average developer or tinkerer at that time.

Google Introduces Multi-Touch To Nexus One

When the Nexus One was released, comparisons to the iPhone were unavoidable, and a respect in which the Android device came up short was multi-touch.  Now, though, an over-the-air software update should allow Nexus One users to pinch and zoom to their hearts' content.

Pinch-to-zoom functionality's will work when people are fiddling with the phone's browser, its gallery, or the Google Maps application.  That's bound to come as a pretty huge bonus to folks who thought they would be permanently without the feature.  It's possible this update will spur a few additional purchases, too.

And the pinch-to-zoom addition doesn't represent the end of the update, either.  "[W]e will provide a general fix to help improve 3G connectivity on some Nexus One phones," promised an official blog post.  Which is important.

What's more, Google Goggles "will now be available directly on your device by launching it from your All Apps menu.  Just use your Nexus One camera to start searching the web."

This should all act to make the Nexus One quite a bit more competitive.  It'll be interesting to see if sales enjoy a boost in the weeks ahead.

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Old Version of AdWords API Nears Expiration Date

Update: Google is reminding users of the AdWords API that on April 22, most of the services related to v13 will be turned off.

Google is telling users to switch to v200909 as soon as possible to avoid any complications.

Original Article: Google has launched the newest version of the AdWords API v2009 beta. That would be version 200909. Google cites the following as the highlights of the new API:

- Asynchronous calls - Asynchronous calls allow you to work with large sets of data faster and more easily. Instead of having to wait for our system to fully complete your request before you can make another one, you’re now able to make another call as soon as the API service confirms that it has received your previous call. No more waiting for the server to complete large requests. V200909 will continue to support Synchronous methods as well.

- Keyword and placement ideas - With the new TargetingIdeaService, you'll be able to get keyword and placement ideas through the API, leveraging the functionality of the search-based keyword tool.

- Location Extensions preview - Limited location extensions functionality is now available as a preview of the full functionality in development.

These are just the highlights. Google has a complete list of all of the new features in its release notes.

The company says that over the next few months, it will continue to introduce new features and additional AdWords functionality. New features will include ReportService, AccountService and the ability to pre-check for errors.

"Given that v2009 introduces new concepts and features, we have extended the sunset period for deprecated services to 6 months," Google says. "If you haven't already begun migrating your systems to the v2009 API, we strongly encourage you to start right away."

v13 services CampaignService, AdGroupService, CriterionService, AdService, InfoService, KeywordToolService, and SiteSuggestionService will sunset on April 22, 2010. Other v13 service sunset dates will be announced in due time.

Bing Now Offering More Finance Information

Bing said today it has added new features to make it easier for users to search for and find financial information.

Bing says it has developed a "stock and funds pages" which covers most U.S. stocks and funds.

The Bing Search Blog offers more details. "To see the stocks and funds you are interested in simply enter a ticker in the search box e.g MSFT. Note our 'Instant Answer' on top which provides basic data about the firm. If you click on the "Investor Data" tab on the left you go into our finance page."

"The finance page gives you detailed information about key finance metrics of the firm. It also shows an easy to digest summary of the main analyst covering the stock.  A personal favorite of mine are the lists on the left, which allow you to easily navigate to similar stocks or other leading stocks in the industry."

Bing says it plans to add new information and functionality to its stocks and found pages in the future.
 

 

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