Google could be teasing arrival of Android 5.0 – maybe

Android 2.0 made its debut in 2009. Both Android 3.0 and 4.0 surfaced in 2011. And ever since, we’ve been wondering when we might see Google move things forward to Android 5.0. But despite rumor after rumor over the years, we’ve been seeing 4.x release after 4.x release. Google I/O’s just a couple weeks away; is there any chance that 5.0 might be on the menu? We’re asking ourselves that question again this afternoon, after checking out what just might be an effort by Google to tease the new release’s launch.

These images up top were posted to Twitter by Google’s official account yesterday afternoon, showing how Google Now can bring users the latest World Cup scores. That’s well and good, but we’re interested in what’s going on with the clock in these pics. As you can clearly see up on the status bar, it’s set precisely to 5:00.

We often look to renders like these to drop clues about upcoming launches – maybe the date in a leaked press shot corresponds with the manufacturer’s plans to introduce a new handset. Google’s made a habit out of using the time in such images to represent Android version numbers: we’ve seen 4:40, 4:30 and so forth on recent Nexus models – the 5, 7, and 10 all currently show 4:40 in their Play Store listings.

If this were 5:03 or something (or the 9:50 used in some other renders Google published yesterday) we might be able to dismiss it as just a random time of no consequence, but precisely 5:00 sure would fit with Google’s pattern of referencing Android builds.

For the moment this is all just a theory, but we’ve got to admit it sounds decently plausible; maybe we are just weeks away from getting the scoop on Android 5.0.

Source: Google (Twitter)
Via: Droid Life

Google said to be interested in acquiring Songza, but why?

Google’s shopping spree is far from over. The Search Giant’s mission seems to be to take the whole industry, and Songza may just be their very next acquisition. New rumors of such a deal have just emerged, with the New York Post citing “two sources”.

These anonymous leaksters swear Google has been talking to Songza, but the latter may not find the offer too appealing. The Mountain View tech company is rumored to be offering only $15 million, an abismal number compared to Spotify and Pandora’s estimated prices. Songza’s competitors are appraised at about $4 and $5 billion, relatively.

It is true Songza’s numbers are much lower than its competitors, but 5.5 million active users is nothing to scoff at. Even when you consider the 77 million Pandora users and 10 million Spotify users, the numbers just don’t add up. But we are not here to talk business, what we really want to know is why Google would be interested in said company.

What does Google want with Songza?

Google Play Music All Access may be a good subscription service if what you seek is a complete collection of songs and albums. You can find nearly all music in there, but the streaming radio service is lacking. To be more specific, Google’s curating software is nowhere close to Songza’s.

This service caters music based not only on similar artists and music genres, but it chooses them based on moods and environments. This means you can enjoy radio stations labeled as “working in an office”, “working out” or “getting fired up”. The service will then stream songs that relate to your desired mood.

This acquisition may very well be more than just about music. It could be about the unexpected joy one finds in discovering one’s favorite song… it’s about music discovery. This is why Pandora became so popular – it’s unpredictable, yet fun. Google Play Music All Access will need this in the future.

SOURCE

NYPOST