Google Photo Sphere

Posted on by Zack Chia

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While I have yet tried Google’s latest app release for iOS, i am pretty sure the Google Photo Sphere app is another thrilling innovation. And im right. It allows us to take really wide panoramic view and three-dimensional views through our phone. Frankly, I love how Google’s UI always have that snazzy minimalistic design packed with truck loads of exciting features. Not only does the camera now comes with the positioning tool, a dot that allows you to target frames, it’s objective is to complete the experience for generating a fantastic image. And of course, it allows you to post your picture onto Google Maps! Check out the Photo Sphere app.

Apple acquires HopStop

Posted on by Zack Chia

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Ever since I started using IOS Maps, I have gotten myself lost a couple of times and that stopped me from using the unreliable app. While Google maps remain one of the best navigational apps around, Apple is slowly making efforts to improve their own IOS Maps and tweaks to enhance it’s experience. I guess one of the few imperative measures of a successful navigational app is the reliability and user experience. Apple is reportedly buying HopStop, a transit navigation app. This would likely boost their current Maps app for IOS with an offering that it lacks when compared to Google Maps. As HopStop offerings public transit directions in well over 500 cities around the world, it also have options for both IOS and Android. These days it is essential to have both database and technology to be highly sought after. Apple has confirmed that it will be purchasing HopStop but would not elaborate further. At the same time, it is also reported that Apple will be purchasing Locationary, a crowd-sourced location data company. All these acquisitions shall improve and enhance the capability of it’s app. Sometimes you just got to get the right people for the right job and leave it to them to deliver that result. I must say I am giving Apple respect on their effort to make up for their mistakes and their foresight to make pragmatic business acquisitions  Seems like Tim Cook is well on his way to fulfill his promise after his apology a while ago for the bad Maps experience.