Gregarius » éléments par Dilraj Singh

Canaux

108470 éléments (108470 non lus) dans 10 canaux

Actualités (48730 non lus)

• 01net. Actualités (48730 non lus)

Hoax (65 non lus)

• Top dix quotidien Sophos des canulars (65 non lus)

Logiciels (39066 non lus)

• BetaNews.Com (34382 non lus)
• Presence PC - Actualité Logiciels, jeux vidéos (3551 non lus)
• LeMondeInformatique.fr : Actualités Applications (1133 non lus)

Sécurité (1668 non lus)

• Actualités Sécurité Informatique (406 non lus)
• Les Nouvelles.net : sécurité informatique. (1262 non lus)

Referencement (18941 non lus)

• Secrets2moteurs (11793 non lus)
• Referencement Google WebRankInfo (2255 non lus)
• Abondance (4893 non lus)

éléments par Dilraj Singh

BetaNews.Com

• 

  Facebook continues to show it 'gets' mobile with new Groups app

  Publié: novembre 19, 2014, 11:01am CET par Dilraj Singh

  

  If you use Facebook on mobile, you will be familiar with Messenger, Facebook's separate app dedicated for messaging. While some people hated having to download another app, others enjoyed it -- including myself. Mobile is a world meant for apps that do one thing well. With a relatively small screen size, optimized apps have the best experience -- not ones that cram in all the functionality they can. Facebook is continuing to follow this philosophy with its new dedicated app for Facebook Groups.

  The official Facebook app includes everything, however, the only thing it does well is allow you to browse your newsfeed. To view your Groups on the mobile app requires going into the 'more' tab and scrolling down to select a Group. With a new dedicated app, all you have to do is open the app and you have all your Groups laid out in a grid waiting for you. Also, I find using the Groups app a much more pleasant experience. There are nice animations, and easy access to notification and privacy settings, among various other small features.

  Facebook Groups are hugely popular for various users. Some people forget, Facebook got its start, and popularity, with college students. And it continues to provide functionality aimed at these users. At most universities you will see Facebook tabbed on the majority of computers, and Groups as the go-to way to coordinate organizations and projects. For example, there are groups for the University, each major, the residential halls, and to find housing, books, or rides.

  This app doesn’t seem to be aimed at newer users, but towards users that already rely on Groups to share with their organizations, friends, or families. There is nothing new to learn, it merely packages all the features users currently enjoy in a mobile friendly experience. Facebook Groups have been a great way to share your life with select individuals on the desktop, and is now a great on mobile as well.

  If you want to a dedicated app for your Groups, download it here for iOS or Android. Otherwise, the functionality will also remain available inside the official Facebook app.

  
• 

  Google modernizes Bookmarks with redesign, enhanced search, sharing, and more

  Publié: octobre 30, 2014, 12:52am CET par Dilraj Singh

  Bookmarks implementations have remained pretty static over the lifetime of the Internet. Google is changing that with 'Bookmark Manager' (formerly called Stars). An extension available in the Chrome Store, it promises to bring your bookmarks into the future with a new design, better search, smart organization, and sharing.

  The first thing you will notice is the design, and nice, subtle animations. It feels like Google Drive, with a 'New' button on the left with the navigation under it. Each bookmark is given an image and description in a 'card-like' UI. Bookmarking pages is also a nicer experience. Adding the bookmark to a folder is more intuitive, and you can create a new folder easily. One of my favorite features is that you can include a quick note, reminding yourself why you saved the page.

  Since Google is scanning the body of your bookmark, search will encapsulate the contents of the bookmark. No longer will you have to sit there and try to remember either the name or part of the domain. Carrying on with the helpfulness, Google will automatically organize your bookmarks by topic (your folders are still there, don't panic).

  You can now also share folders! The folder will be public and you can share a link with whomever you wish. Just on the top of my head, this is great for school courses, including projects, course materials, etc.

  Syncing will continue to work across your devices. Besides the big, card-like view of your bookmarks (which requires some getting used to, and will not be for everyone), everything is a clear step forward.

  Some Quick Observations

  If you have a lot of (junk) bookmarks, it is probably in your best interest to organize/delete them before you switch over to the extension, as each bookmark will take a lot more space, and scrolling through them will be a pain.

  By default, you can't bookmark pages in incognito mode (with the extension). Incognito mode turns off extensions, and when I tried to use it to view the classic manager, I found I couldn't access any bookmark manager. You can enable the extension in Incognito mode, which will allow you to bookmark again.

  
• 

  The Kevlar-clad Droid Turbo coming to Verizon on October 30, promises 48 hour battery life

  Publié: octobre 28, 2014, 8:27pm CET par Dilraj Singh

  

  Verizon has always had a love for DROIDs, and that continues today. While other flagships have long relieved the DROID's reputation as the sole Android flagship, the one unique feature Verizon has brought in the last couple of years is battery life.

  The Motorola DROID Turbo, available online and in Verizon stores from October 30th, will last you 48 hours between charges. There are pretty much no other options if that is something you want, even the phablets max out under 20 hours of battery. And when you do need to charge, the phone features turbo charging (and comes with a Motorola turbo power charger). All you need to know about that is 15 minutes will give you a charge that lasts up to eight hours.

  The other characteristic of DROIDs is the Kevlar, and this model comes with all the buzz words -- "Ballistic Nylon or Metalized Glass Fiber reinforced with DuPont Kevlar fiber, scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass 3, and water-repellent nanocoating protecting the inside and out against spills". The Kevlar is usually a hit or miss with customers, but I think its bad-ass. If you are unsure, seeing it in person is highly recommended.

  The last true differentiator of the DROID Turbo is the 21-megapizel camera. While megapixels aren't everything, and Motorola isn't especially good with cameras, it does capture 4K video. Until we see the pictures for ourselves, it is safe to assume Motorola did at least a serviceable job. You will get to see your pictures in good quality, with a 5.2in Quad HD (2560 x 1140 pixels), 565 ppi display.

  Lastly, if you are on this site, you may enjoy software. And if you like software, Verizon has a nasty reputation of taking forever to update, so the Android Lollipop you were planning on enjoying might not be in your immediate future.

  So there you have it. The DROID Turbo has specs that demand careful consideration, and hopefully Verizon won't destroy the software roll Motorola has been on. You can look at the different colors and the storage options that come with each, view other details, and signup for notifications through Verizon.

  Motorola DROID Turbo | FindTheBest
• 

  PS4 v2 update available today -- finally delivers Share Play, YouTube, themes and more

  Publié: octobre 28, 2014, 8:52am CET par Dilraj Singh

  

  Sony is known for its engineering prowess in a lot of consumer goods, such as TVs, Walkmans, cameras, etc. But what it is not known for -- in any good way, at least -- is software. Sony's software is generally the low point of its product, which isn't unexpected, as software was never the firm's focus. So, when you look at the PS4 and Xbox One, you will notice Sony's advantage in pure gaming, while Microsoft brings software features likes apps (e.g. Skype), and multi-window support.

  Sony's update today finally delivers some of the 'next-gen' software features it bragged about a year ago. Share Play is now available and lets your friend join your game, even if they don't own it themselves. There are some limitations without a PlayStation Plus membership, but that was to be expected. YouTube will finally get an app on the PlayStation store. Additionally, you can now use the 'Share' button to upload gameplay highlights directly to YouTube from your PS4.

  You can personalize your home screen using provided backgrounds and colors, which isn't so impressive now that Xbox One is experimenting with letting you use a custom background. Sony is giving away themes for Destiny and Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, but if the only option to get newer and 'cooler' themes is to buy them, it's not looking great.

  Sony has also upgraded the usability of the PS4. The update adds enhancements to live broadcasting, like filters. The content area and library have better filters and sort functions. You can now plug a USB drive into the PS4 and play music in the background. The activity feed is also seeing upgrades to what it considers relevant information for you.

  Lastly, the PS Vita, PS TV, and PS App (for mobile) have all been updated.

  All in all, Sony is upgrading the PS4 in the little ways that don't always make headlines, but enhance your experience. It remains a video-game focused machine, without the fancy (or gimmicky, to some) voice and software features of its competitor -- but if you bought the PS4, that is probably your preference anyway. You can go over the details at Sony, or watch the video below.

  
• 

  Google's Trojan Horse reaching completion: Open files in Windows with Chrome Apps

  Publié: octobre 27, 2014, 11:27pm CET par Dilraj Singh

  

  For a significant number of users a computer session starts, and ends with Chrome. Google continued to reinforce this with Chrome Apps, which are apps that run on the desktop, outside of the browser and can be pinned to your taskbar.

  You will soon be able to open files from the Windows file explorer directly in Chrome Apps. Chrome apps will be able to specify the file types they handle, and for those file types, you will see the Chrome App listed in 'open with' when you right click a file. If the Chrome App is the only app installed which handles that file type, it will be set to default (so simply double clicking will open the file in the Chrome App). This will essentially remove all distinction of Chrome apps and desktop programs you have installed on Windows.

  This has already been added to the Canary Chrome build for OSX (look in chrome://flags), and it should be hitting Linux soon (based on Google's track record).

  Chrome apps have a number of advantages for Windows users. They are easy to find, as they are found in an app store, and come complete with reviews. They are also lightweight, and available automatically on all your computers (Windows, OSX, and Linux) you have synced to the Google account. The only real disadvantage was that you had to open the app before you could open a file with one, and soon that will no longer be cause for hesitance.

  Lastly, while this feature will be implemented in Chrome, you will have to wait until your favorite apps take advantage of it before you can. Luckily, it doesn’t appear to require much effort, just a change in the app's manifest file.

  Which Chrome apps have replaced desktop variants for you?

  Image Credit: Sadik Gulec / Shutterstock

  
• 

  How to remove devices from your Dropbox account

  Publié: octobre 25, 2014, 10:02am CEST par Dilraj Singh

  

  Dropbox is not especially consumer focused. However, it is still very popular in the cloud market for individuals. The good thing about this combination is that security insights needed for the business aspect of its model seep into the consumer product.

  For example, it has much better security settings than Google Drive or OneDrive, the other two popular cloud services in the consumer space. Only Dropbox allows you to view, and remove connected devices.

  To do this, first sign in. Then go to your name in the top right wrench, click the downward arrow, and then the settings option. Now, click the Security tab. Here you can see every browser session, linked devices, and apps connected to your account. Simply press the 'x' on the right of an entry to unlink it.

  If the unlinked device is a computer, it will stop syncing your files, but the files on the computer will remain. If the unlinked item is a mobile device, all the files (including the favorited ones available offline) will be removed. If you sign up for Pro or Business, you can remotely erase the files from linked computers. As a note, if you have to unlink access to something suspicious, it may be in your best interest to reset your password or set up two-step verification (both options are available in the settings tab at the top).

  The other popular cloud service that allows this functionality is SugarSync -- another business focused cloud solution. However, SugarSync is not nearly as well designed as Dropbox, Drive, or OneDrive.

  What cloud service do you use? What did you compromise on, and what are your must-haves?

  Photo credit: Gil C/Shutterstock

  
• 

  Google Earth for Android gets perhaps its biggest update yet

  Publié: octobre 23, 2014, 8:11am CEST par Dilraj Singh

  

  Google Earth has never been too highly publicized, besides maybe a couple seconds in a Nexus tablet commercial here or there. A lot of the awesome use cases for Earth have also been slowly integrated into Google Maps. Maps is new and stylish where Earth feels antiquated, Maps is light and fast where Earth is slow and laggy. Hence, Earth hasn't had wide appeal, especially when Google showered Maps, its prodigal son, with attention.

  Google has finally shown Earth some love with a significant update for Android. You can see the change right from the get-go, as the icon has been redesigned to fit in with the material guidelines (although looks a lot like AT&T now).

  The 3D technology in Earth is getting its first major upgrade since the launch of Earth a decade ago. This will result in sharper views, as well as smoother and faster 'zooms'. Google Earth will now get the same updates as Google Maps, so you will be viewing the newest information and imagery. Further, the roads and labels have been redesigned to better blend into the terrain and make viewing more pleasant. Lastly, if you've made your own Map, you can open them directly from Drive inside the Earth app.

  There is nothing revolutionary, but everything about your experience is being refined. It promises be a pleasure to use, and provide a much easier workflow for the more involved users creating their own maps, thanks to Google Drive support.

  The update (read Google's blog here) will be rolling out in stages, as always -- so practice patience if you don't have it yet, or download an APK from a source you trust.

  
• 

  Proximity Unlock hitting Android L and ChromeOS Preview builds

  Publié: octobre 22, 2014, 9:53am CEST par Dilraj Singh

  

  Google has long been unhappy with traditional passwords. And rightly so, they are a headache. If they are easy to remember, they can become easy to guess. There are problems with reuse, attackers are getting them through compromised third party applications, and there are more problems than I care to list. It is hard enough to follow good practice as an informed and security conscious individual -- imagine the struggle for the "non-techy".

  Google has long been looking into proximity based credentials as alternatives, and placing them in objects like rings. Last Google I/O, the company released an upcoming feature in Chrome OS that uses your authorized, unlocked phone to unlock your computer simply by having them near to each other (unlocking your phone indicates you are near your computer).

  While Android L has not yet been released, some users have reported Proximity Unlock is working for them. If you are running the Android L Preview and Chrome OS Beta/Dev, let us know if it works and how you like the feature so far! But if you are taking advantage of this feature, do remember your phone security is now also a top priority.

  The future could be even more amazing -- imagine watches, rings, and other accessories unlocking your devices and Google services for you...

  
• 

  Skype 7.0 lets you format your IMs

  Publié: octobre 18, 2014, 9:22am CEST par Dilraj Singh

  When you say, "lets Skype", you usually want to have a video call. That is what made Skype popular, and where its strength lies. However, lately Microsoft has also been focusing on written conversation, perhaps in reaction to how successful IM apps have been.

  Microsoft updated Skype last week to 7.0 on Mac and Windows (beta), and one of the features overlooked in the UI redesign was formatting for instant messaging. You can now bold, italicize, or strike-through your messages.

  The commands are very simple, you can bold with *asterisks*, italicize with _underscores_ and strike-through with ~tildes~.

  

  It is usually hard to express your emotions clearly through text, but with animated emoji and now formatting, Skype lends your words more voice than other IM solutions. It will be interesting to watch if Microsoft takes the text formatting further, although that could make chats unnecessarily messy.

  There are still problems with the instant messaging experience of Skype. The biggest one is annoying, space-consuming ads on the desktop, especially since (practically) no other messaging app subjects their users to any. The ads don't affect the video messaging experience, but Microsoft will have to fix up some things if it wants to compete with the likes of Facebook messenger, Google Hangouts, or Apple's iMessage.

  
• 

  Proof that Bing is trying to impersonate Google

  Publié: octobre 16, 2014, 10:59pm CEST par Dilraj Singh

  A couple of days ago, I wrote an article about my impressions of the redesigns of Bing and how it seems to be changing in reaction to Google. It was getting to the point where it seemed as if they were trying to confuse users.

  Some of the commentators disagreed vehemently. Some denied the changes, and said Google was copying Bing (what?!). Some said that this was the natural progression of design to a more minimalist view. While that second point does hold some merit, it doesn't explain the discrepancies between the Bing web search versus the larger Bing theme, especially the navigation bar underneath the search box and why these discrepancies happen to mimic Google.

  Today, I have undeniable proof that Microsoft is trying to make Bing indistinguishable from Google. Take a look at these pictures below, chronologically (they show Bing before, Bing after, and then Google)

  The first picture is similar to the screenshots in my old story. Now compare the first two (both Bing) pictures. Notice the grey bar at the top. Notice the navigation bar (web, image, videos, etc.) and the color change it has partaken. Now take a look at the last (Google) screenshot.

  The navigation bar of Bing now looks almost exactly like that of Google. And this makes no sense! Orange/red is a Google theme, Bing should be using yellow (as they were). Further, the grey bar at the top is also a direct duplicate of Google's design.

  -

  

  Bing before

   

  

  Bing after

   

  

  Google

  The only explanation is that they are imitating Google. Why? I am not quite sure. Normally, if you think you have a good product, you build a unique brand around it. Microsoft seems to be trying to dismantle Bing's brand. They renamed Bing apps to MSN, and now seem to be trying to steal traffic from Google in a slippery scheme. These changes can only be useful for tricking users that have been previously tricked into defaulting Bing as their search engine, and now don't even realize that they are using Bing -- not Google.

  Do you have a better reason why Bing is trying out UI changes that imitate Google so closely?

  
• 

  Why Google needs a bigger Nexus phone and phablet-optimized Android L

  Publié: octobre 15, 2014, 12:34pm CEST par Dilraj Singh

  

  The point of the Nexus line is ambiguous now. Is it a developer line? Does it showcase what Google wants in an Android phone? Does it showcase the cutting edge of Android? Maybe in the beginning the purpose was clear, but now I don’t think even Google knows. The one thing I am certain of is that the forthcoming Nexus phone will not be just another phone.

  The Nexus line so far has helped to give developers a pure experience of Android to work on. One where the OS followed and fostered an environment that placed emphasis on the guidelines set forth by Google, such as on-screen buttons and leveraging full screen mode. A developer using a Nexus would get a very different impression of Android than one using Samsung's TouchWiz on a Galaxy phone -- which would reflect in the app produced.

  Now, bigger phones are becoming increasingly popular, and more accepted. So if a developer wants to test an application for these new phablets the most obvious choice is the Samsung Note series. And Samsung has its own software additions to Android on its phones. The ideal app for phablets on Android would include S Pen and Samsung Multi-Window support, and be optimized for Samsung -- not Android at large.

  So why is this a problem for Google?

  Without optimizations such as multi-window and pen support, 6+ inch stock Android phones are inherently inferior to Samsung Note devices. Couple that with marketing and mind share and you have a future where Samsung will dominate the Android phablet market with a tweaked version of Android. To compete, other OEMs like LG will have to include their own implementations of multi-window and pen support.

  Google lost the chance to optimize Android for larger phones before Samsung, but if it does not act now, each OEM could have their own optimizations and their own device-specific APIs. The fragmentation situation everyone likes to talk about could become a very real problem.

  The alternatives of a phablet optimized Android are 6+inch phones running specific OEM-flavored versions of Android or an iOS-like Android which lacks optimization on bigger phones. The worry is a Nexus phone without multi-window or pen support that is inferior to Samsung's Note, and hence, useless as a consumer or developer device.

  With all that said, the ideal situation would be two Nexus devices: one optimized phablet phone and a Nexus 5 sized phone. We will know the choices Google made soon enough.

  
• 

  Is Microsoft trying to confuse users by having Bing look like Google?

  Publié: octobre 15, 2014, 1:52am CEST par Dilraj Singh

  

  Microsoft has been tweaking Bing's design for a while now. The latest design makes it seem that it wants Bing to be indistinguishable from Google. If you have Bing as the default on your browser (or accidentally clicked a Microsoft prompt to do so), and are not very tech-savvy, you may not even realize that you're using Bing -- especially if you think any type of internet search is "Googling."

  Notice how each have a minimalist search bar at the top with options for different searches at the bottom with "Web" highlighted with a colored bar.

  And while this may be a bit extreme of an accusation, I can't find a better explanation. If you click on any of the other Bing searches (images, maps), you will find a completely new black bar at the top and not the "Google-esque" options under the search bar. It does not make any sense as to why the web search would get a style different than the rest of the Bing experience, and why that style is so similar to Google's own.

  Further, Bing even recently released "Now Playing" movie features, which are a direct copy of Google's. And worse, it's an inferior copy.

  

  Notice how Google provides more functionality (you can flip through the week or times of the day) and a cleaner design.

  A lot of people like to quote Steve Jobs quoting Picasso with "Good artists copy, great artists steal", and that is actually good advice. A good artist will imitate a source of inspiration to create something successful, a better one will create something that will make you forget the source; Bing is a horrible artist in this analogy. Microsoft could have created something that reminds me of how good the source is, but instead makes it clear that its search engine is a copy.

  Bing does do some things better, such as how it now shows the full lyrics of a song in a search. These are the type of features I want to see, but unfortunately, most of what it does seems very reactionary to Google.

  
• 

  Google's new Hangouts Chrome app delivers the chat experience we've been waiting for

  Publié: octobre 10, 2014, 2:06am CEST par Dilraj Singh

  

  I recently vented my frustration at Hangouts and Google, but today I am extremely elated. Google has released a true Chrome desktop application for Chrome. It runs outside your browser, and you get a pin-able icon in your app drawer so you are not forced to open up Chrome.

  But most of this could be handled by the Hangouts extension they had previously, so what's the difference? This one doesn't suck. It actually takes advantage of being outside of the browser and has a great workflow.

  The new desktop app is based on the experience of circles, not unlike Facebook's chat heads on mobile. If you start a new chat or receive a message, a new circle appears to house the conversation, complete with an indicator for number of unread messages. Check out Google's video below to see a run through.

  Google got the little things right this time. The circles occupy very little space, which is important as they stay above all your other windows -- but are still easily accessible. A chat bubble that appears next to the circle when you receive a message, giving you an opportunity to view the message for a moment. Hovering over a circle also gives you a preview of the last message. The actual Hangouts chat window that opens up when you click a circle goes away right when you click on anything else on your desktop. The new Google Hangouts Chrome app is there when you want it, but blends into the background for when you don’t.

  There are little annoyances. For example, the message indicator stops at '2+.' I have no idea if I got three messages to read, or 35. I can't put the chat bubble in the top right corner. The chat window 'action buttons' to minimize, close, or pop out don’t make much sense now that is part of a new interface. But little things like these are forgiven on the first version of a project -- I do expect them to get fixed eventually so hopefully Google does not set its sights on a brand new Hangouts project in the meantime.

  You can download it here.

  
• 

  Inserting images into Gmail could be so much better

  Publié: octobre 9, 2014, 11:44am CEST par Dilraj Singh

  

  When Google first launched the new compact compose window in Gmail, many of you might have noticed something annoying about inserting images.

  One of the greatest Gmail features has been drag and drop. But if you drag an image into the compose window it is inserted inline. This is less than optimal for two reasons. One, if you want to write an email and insert many images, you probably don't want them inline as it ruins the reading experience. Two, inline images are very static and you can't manipulate them: you can't zoom in or see the pictures in a full window view, and you also can't easily save them to either Google Drive or your computer as you can with attachments.

  Google recently fixed the second problem. Inline images now also have the Google Drive viewer. To trigger the view, just click on the image. Also, there are convenient buttons to download or save to Google Drive that pop-up once you place your mouse cursor on the image. But not everyone you send a message to has Gmail, so an inferior experience with inline images may still surface.

  For the first problem there has always been a partial fix, which has never been widely publicized. If you drop an image on to the gray bar on the bottom of the compose window, it will attach it, rather than inserting it inline. The gray bar does say "Drop to Attach", but that is less obvious than the much larger "Drop Files Here" message that shows up in your compose window.

  

  A dialog pop-up when you try to drop an image asking you if you  would prefer it attached would be much appreciated; or Google could just design a more obvious workflow. The easiest fix would be to simply let users treat images as normal files and to default to attach.

  Do you have to send a lot of pictures through email? Do you like the current workflow, or do you want to see change?

  Image Credit: racorn / Shutterstock

  
• 

  Google Hangouts is great, but will it ever be finished?

  Publié: octobre 8, 2014, 9:35pm CEST par Dilraj Singh

  

  A year ago Google released project Babel. The search giant shared with us a grand vision of a unified and improved messaging and video platform. This vision started becoming reality with Google Hangouts. But in classic Google fashion, it was never finished.

  Before Hangouts, there was Google Talk. And it was great. It was simple, and to the point. You could use it in third-party applications, it worked in your Gmail, and complaints were hard to come by. However, Google had been working on Google+ and that also had a chat -- one that was not compatible with Talk. So, Google promised unification; and when the users of Talk looked at their perfectly working service, and then back at Google skeptically, Google promised an unrivaled experience across platforms.

  And that is when Hangouts was released. It was there (optionally) in your Gmail, it was in your  Google+ (well, for a significantly smaller population), and it was on your phone. It was also in your Chrome. And this is where the head-scratching starts. Google released a Hangouts extension for the Chrome store that put Hangouts on your desktop, and outside of Chrome. But Google also announced Chrome apps "for your Desktop". These apps run in a window outside of the browser, and Google nudged developers toward them. Google itself even made a Keep desktop app, but not one for Hangouts.

  Unification was the theme of Babel, and was specifically aimed at Google+. If you have used the video call in Gmail or Google+ you will be familiar with the popup window that houses the call. There is an option in that window to chat with the members of the call. But this option doesn’t open a Hangouts dialog, it opens a blank, antique looking chat interface.

  Imagine this: I am chatting with my friend in Hangouts in Gmail. She types, "Hey, I want to show you something real quick", so I click on the video button and we start a video hangout. Now, imagine she wants to send me a link, or just write something while we talk. Would we want a completely new chat window, or would we want to see the conversation we were just having? Google seems to say we would want a new, blank chat window.

  Google seems like it just doesn’t care about these seemingly little things. For example the bazillion emoticons Google paraded so proudly aren't even bug free; the recent tab doesn't remember the ones I use most, doesn't sync across devices, and is sometimes just blank. Oh, and the new emoticons are obviously not present in the weird chat dialog that accompanies Hangout video calls.

  Google did a lot of things right with Hangouts, but some things just seem like easily fixed oversights. Here's a bonus bug: in Google+ you can expand the Hangouts window so far up that you can't see the controls anymore. Resizing the chat window is a great, and relatively-unique, feature, Google just can't get it to be perfect.

  You ever get a disappointed feeling, when watching team like the New York Jets, and think to yourself, I could run this better? Well, that’s how I feel looking at Hangouts. I certainly couldn't make it worse.

  I am using this as just an example of a Google-wide problem. Googlers are so focused on 'the next big thing,' that they can't seem to get themselves to finish what they have already started. Even the Google redesign that spanned Gmail, Drive, Search, and more hasn't been finished. For example go create a new label in Gmail, you won't find a nice button like the UI would suggest, but a bland link. Developers can attest to many services, such as the App Engine, still stuck in the old UI. I could go on and on, but I think you get the point.

  

  Google nurtures wonderful ideas, I wish it would just see them through all the way to the end.