Google announced a flurry of new services and updates to existing services at their I/O Conference in San Francisco. There were a steady stream of new products and enhancements to established services, so much so at times it was like trying to get a drink of water out of a fire hose.

For developers Google announced three new APIs, all of which will supply big improvements in battery usage. The fused location provider will supposedly use only 1 percent of the battery power used by older APIs. Along with that will be the Geofencing API, which tracks user location changes and activity recognition which can tell if a user is driving, walking or biking.

Whatever you’re doing you’ll be able to tap into Google’s new All Access streaming music service. Sign up now and get a free month and only $7.99 a month if sign up before June 30th, after that it will be $9.99 a month. Google says its service will make it easy to find and organize the type of music you like and with everything that Google knows about you that might be more frighteningly accurate than you would imagine.

Google Maps is getting a raft of new features that will make it easier to explore the world around you while keeping track of traffic, mass transit schedules and the fastest route to your favorite places to eat. Map enhancements will include 3D views, integration with Google Earth and…don’t ask me how they’re doing this…real-time rendering of cloud cover around the globe.

Google is touting the cross-platform theme for all their services and gaming APIs, one of the reasons I believe they’ll ultimately survive to take over the world from Apple and Microsoft. Users just don’t care about operating systems anymore, but developers do. Being able to build for all platforms against a single set of APIs is a very big advantage for Google. Cross platform and single sign-on for a variety of services is convenient for users and, if it’s one thing I’ve learned about technology over the years, always bet on convenience.

It remains to be seen if updates to Google+ will make that application any less of a muddled mess, but I’m not hopeful. HangOut keeps getting better and stands to become a serious competitor for Skype, TeamViewer and other group sharing apps, able to support multi-user video conference calls right out of the box.

With a continued emphasis on open development and small, quick apps, Google is like a digital candy store that keeps cranking out the gummy bears. If Apple and Microsoft don’t come up with a competitive strategy to co-opt developers and package services for users, it’s going to be a long, slow slide to obscurity for both of them.

Windows Blue, otherwise known as Windows 8.1, will be a free update for people who have already purchased Windows 8, according to an announcement made by Microsoft at a tech conference in Boston.

There’s still no official release date for Windows 8.1, jokingly called “The Apology” by some in the tech industry, but analysts expect Microsoft to have it fully deployed for the 2013 holiday season. To have Blue loaded on PC makers newest models, it would need an official release date sometime this summer.

Microsoft and PC makers have struggled with a general decline in PC sales and sluggish sales of Windows 8 machines as more users find mobile devices and tablets are adequate for much of their personal technology needs.

Even though Microsoft is touting 100 million Windows 8 sales, calculations based on internet traffic indicate an installed base to be under 60 million. The discrepancy can be accounted by users rolling their Windows 8 installs back to Windows 7. Consumers are not choosing Windows 8 over Windows 7, in most instances they don’t have a choice.

I ran through the configuration of several laptops at Dell, both touch and non-touch models, and there are few options the average consumer could find to get a laptop configured with Windows 7 from the supplier. HP store is still showing some Pavilion models available with Windows 7, but most newer models are all Windows 8. It’s hard to see how sales figures are meaningful when there’s no real option for alternatives other than making changes after the purchase.

The good news is the changes in Blue should address many of the shortcomings that have been annoying users. According to leaked screenshots users will have the ability to resize the startup application tiles and can expect the return of the Start button. There will also be more options for customizing Windows 8.1 without digging around in the internals.

We’ll know after the holiday season whether Windows 8.1 can salvage PC sales or, as we previously speculated, the decline in PC sales are a reflection of the changing market in personal technology. Outside of gaming and specialty applications like CAD, video editing and 3D rendering applications, there are very few applications for the average user that require big hardware.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 – photo courtesy of Samsung

To get a read on the PC market and future of Windows 8 you may not need to do much beyond gauge how often you run across tasks that require a full size laptop or PC. How much of what you used to do on a laptop can now be managed by your smartphone or tablet? The drive for bigger screens and more powerful phones, resulting in models like the Samsung Galaxy Note and HTC Titan, may ultimately be more telling about the future direction of technology than any changes Microsoft could make to Windows 8.

While the Facebook phone is dead, the fate of the Android app is less clear.

The first Facebook phone, also called the HTC First, may set a speed record for the fastest trip to the technology graveyard.

Reports are mixed about whether AT&T has already committed to dropping the phone but at this point it’s really a decision between now or later. What’s for sure is AT&T dropped the price of the HTC First to just $0.99 after a month of sluggish sales.

BGR first reported that sources inside AT&T confirmed the Facebook phone was facing impending doom, with sales of fewer than 15,000 units nationwide.

The fate of Facebook Home, the Android app, is less clear. After achieving 500,000 downloads in the first ten days, it took an additional three weeks to reach the million download mark; not exactly a breakneck pace for a brand name app. It still remains to be seen if users will really warm up to the idea of using a service like Facebook as a mobile portal or if they’ll be more comfortable with Google’s add-on service model.

For now the HTC First is still in AT&T stores as the space for displays are leased for specific length of time. Perhaps AT&T has decided to drag it out until the store leases expire before consigning the Facebook phone to the scrap heap of gadget history.

Photo courtesy of NASA

The International Space Station is now the first Linux platform in space. The United Space Alliance, the organization running the computers aboard the space station, announced that the Windows XP computers on the space station have been phased out in favor of Debian 6. The reasons for the switch put forward by the agency were stability and reliability.

The agency recently completed training of the ISS crew on the basics of Linux development and a few stray laptops on the space station already running a different version of Linux will also be switched over to Debian.

Tux Innnnnn Spaaaaaaace

Up to now the computers aboard the space station were running a mix of different operating systems, including RedHat, CentOS and Scientific Linux, but the most predominant was Windows XP. With the switch to all Linux both NASA and the United Space Alliance will be able to customize programs and the operating system to fit the mission parameters. If there are security issues that need to be addressed right now, the IT team will be able to address them in-house without waiting for an update from a vendor.

This will also mean that both the space station and their robotic astronaut, which has Linux running on its 38 internal PowerPC processors, will be running on the same software platform.

The switch largely brings an end the threat of virus infection of the ISS computers, as happened in 2008 when a Russian astronaut brought a virus on board with an infected Windows XP laptop.

Linux The Right Choice For NASA, Space Station

Given that most scientific research is being done on Linux, the switch away from Microsoft products was the right choice for NASA and the United Space Alliance. Scientific applications, which can be decades old in some instances and include embeded systems running instrumentation, need stability and long-term consistency to function properly. Engineers and developers can’t be limited to waiting on big software vendors for needed changes and security patches.

With the switch to Linux NASA and the United Space Alliance will be able to take over the modification and customization of the ISS software and move away from dependence on outside vendors.

Google recently rolled out update to Gmail for iOS that will open links to Google services in the native Google app, if they’ve been installed. If you click on a YouTube link or Maps, the update will skip Safair and open the link in the corresponding Google app. The interesting twist is that standard URLs will open in Chrome instead of Safari.

So far both Google and Apple have been mum on the change and it remains to be seen if Apple will roll back some of these features. Apple doesn’t let users pick default applications in the iPhone, so this bold move by Google circumvents the typical user experience. Users can opt to turn the feature off, even at that it seems surprising Apple approved such a sweeping change.

Overall I see this as a good thing and Apple should get props for giving users the option to modify their default applications, even if it comes in the form of a hack by a competitive company. It’s a positive change that will make the iPhone even more attractive as users won’t have to choose between their favorite phone and their favorite online service apps. If Apple pushes users too hard they’ll switch to Android, it seems smarter to cooperate.

The world of technology truly does make some interesting bedfellows sometimes and it’s going to be fascinating to watch this change play out.

One of many apps that will keep you running.

With smartphones increasingly taking on the role of digital assistants, it’s sometimes easy to start wondering who is really running your life. My phone tells me where I am and the best way to get where I’m going. If it’s near mealtime it’s starts showing me nearby restaurants. It rings when I get a call, beeps for text and emails, reminds me of appointments, places calls and now, if I want to take this digital meddling another step, it will count my calories and tell me how much exercise I’m getting.

I’m a firm believer that good data and feedback will make you a better person, though I’m still somewhat leery of my smartphone making me feel like an exercise slacker.  Not that I’m slacking mind you.

Runtastic

Runtastic uses the GPS and mapping capabilities of your phone to keep track of the miles you put in running, jogging, biking or walking. The sky view and 3D mapping are particularly interesting features.

Endomondo

Spring for the $4.99 to get the pro version and you get a wealth of features that will manage almost every facet of your training. With charts and graphs you can mark your progress and even select the option of a customizable voice coach. You can track calories burned and manually enter data from your indoor workouts. Endomondo received an Editor’s Choice award from Google Play.

MyFitnessPal

If weight loss is your goal instead of training for an ultra-ironman marathon then MyFitnesspal is your app. Easy to use and quick to make entries MyFitnessPal has gotten Editor’s Choice awards from both Wired and PC Magazine. With a database of over 2 million foods it’s easy to find out how many calories you just woofed down at the family reunion barbecue, if you really want to know.

RunKeeper

More than 17 million people use RunKeeper to track their mileage, pace, and the number of calories they’ve burned. Add on sensors let you track your heart rate and get notifications when you turn your fastest times. Post your fitness benchmarks online and watch yourself on real-time mapping. The pro version has auto pause if you stop at a red light or talk to a neighbor and supports photo geotagging your workout course.

Nike+Running

Pictured above.  I’m always suspicious of branded apps but Nike+Running has some social features that are interesting, including one that lets you share and compare your stats with friends. I could see that being handy for team sports to see if the other members of your softball team are pulling their weight off the field or for a weight loss club. It also has a guilt widget that shows the last time you ran, just in case your spouse’s disapproving looks as you raid the refrigerator aren’t motivation enough.

At least now you can see how you measure up to your peers and maybe one of these apps will be all the motivation you need to get back on the fitness trail.

Cops routinely take copious notes because they never know when the smallest piece of information could help solve some future case. I take reams of notes in my business as that’s easier than trying to find time to go back through recorded interviews. In creative jobs those stray thoughts and small observations you get throughout the day can become the basis for your next book, a line in a script or notes on a great film location.

I find myself consulting my journals more and more frequently. Over the years faces blend together and names fade from memory and yet just a few notes can bring back details that you thought were forgotten.

Luckily today there are much better options for keeping a journal and now you can attach documents, photos, voice notes and videos to some. Your life in text and multi-media. I still prefer old fashioned text notes, but to each their own in the new world of tech. Here are some suggestions to get you started.

Day One

For those using iOS check out Day One at the iTunes store. Part journal, part organizer Day One lets you keep photos and notes about daily activities, log on the weather that day and even pick highlight emails to save. Keep your journal synced across multiple devices with iCloud or Dropbox, share entries if you wish or export them via PDF.

Step

Currently only available for iOS the Android version is under development and should be available soon. Step is easy to use, intuitive and allows you to easily combine location data, photos and media in a way that is both insightful and private. This is the app for busy people who want a record of the day without the necessity of typing it all out.

Memories: the Diary

Memories uses custom tags to organize entries and automatically pulls in location, weather and data on the phase of the moon for each entry. With nearly unlimited options for sharing on social media, Memories is worth a look for your personal journal app.

Private Diary

Private Diary is not only an easy way to capture and organize life events and intuition, it lets you back them all up your SD card. Set a password if you wish and you won’t need to worry about anyone else browsing your private notes.

Journal-Orange Diary

The pro version is worth the $1.99 price tag just for all the export options and compatibility with Google Drive and the ability to schedule backups. Besides just a journal app, Journal-Orange Diary is also part to-do list and expense manager. Besides text entries you can add almost any kind of multi-media file including voice recordings.

These days anytime you have a few minutes you can make private notes about your day, the people you know and just your general mood. Like I said up above, you may not appreciate having that information until years later but someday you’ll wish you had those notes.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation, known to most people as the EFF, is out with their Who Has Your Back? report on which companies do the best job of keeping your data out of the hands of Big Brother.

There are some surprise winners on the list that include Twitter, Dropbox, LinkedIn, SonicNet and Spideroak. Unfortunately the losers are no real surprise with the usual suspects of Verizon, MySpace, AT&T, Apple and Amazon leading the list of companies willing to hand over your data to Big Brother with little in the way of due process.  It’s particularly disappointing to see Apple with a meager one star rating; you’d think a company with such a loyal following would be more sensitive to the privacy of their customers.

Surprisingly Microsoft came out in the middle of the pack with four stars and Google got five out of six stars to rank near the top, getting dinged only for not informing users of government data requests.

Full report can be found here (pdf).

It’s their word against my dash cam.

Statistically younger people are driving fewer miles and more are opting to go without owning a car altogether, preferring instead to rent closer to where they work.  Ditching your car is a wise financial move; according to Consumer Reports it’s a change that will save you thousands in the long haul.

Those of us stuck behind the wheel find the driving world to be an increasingly random place. When accidents do happen it’s often your word against the other driver. In light of the ever-escalating consequences of a traffic ticket or accident on your record, it may be time to consider getting a dash cam. They are inexpensive, convenient and having the proof of what happened can save you from a costly lawsuit or traffic citation.

Turn Your Android Phone Into a Dash Cam

The smart phone applications give you more functionality than most attachable dash cams, although your phone won’t be as available for other uses. Dashboard Cam will record video plus GPS data with map overlays that include your speed.

HDVR-150 Dash Cam With G Sensor

The dash cam showed clearly the road was unobstructed but the tire explosion nearly gave the person driving that black car a heart attack.

Pictured above, this unit settled a recent dispute with my insurance company that insisted that I must have run over some obstruction to make one of my truck tires explode. The dash cam footage showed clearly that the road was unobstructed and that I wasn’t speeding or doing anything dangerous. The G sensor triggers the unit to start taking pictures or video if someone hits your car in the parking lot or when you jam on the brakes.

The unit is nearly impossible to see from outside your vehicle, so you don’t have to tell anyone you have it until you need the footage. The video quality is not great but adequate.

The one thing to watch with this unit is the Reset All menu option, which returns the camera menus to Chinese. If you don’t happen to read Mandarin that’s a bit inconvenient.

Itronics ITB-70G Car Black Box Dash Camera With GPS

The only downside to this black box style unit is it lacks a built-in screen in case you ever needed to prove your innocence on the spot. Otherwise it has some compelling features including map overlays, speed data, and data save when the G sensor detects impact or sudden braking.

COWON AC1 Vehicle Car Black Box HD DVR Road Dash

Sporting a 150 degree wide angle lens that can be turned in any direction, this unobtrusive dash cam records 720p video at 30 fps from a 2-megapixel CMOS sensor. Some reviewers report issues if the unit gets overheated but otherwise a very functional dash cam.

BlackVue DR400G-HD Car Black Box

Another unobtrusive little dash cam that also features event recording triggered by the G sensor with the added advantage of being able to playback the video or watch it live on a number of external devices via a dedicated app.

As the consequences of traffic citations and insurance claims increase, being able to show conclusively exactly what happened in an accident becomes more important. Spending a couple hundred dollars on a dash cam is cheap insurance.

Phoning Home

Skype Mobile
http://www.skype.com/en/download-skype/skype-for-mobile/

• Platform: iOS, Android, Windows Mobile
• Cost: free

With a user-friendly interface and excellent Wi-Fi call quality, Skype Mobile’s video calling service can keep you connected with all of your friends and family. Skype to Skype calls are always free, but audio calls to landlines and cell phones are pay per call. Crystal clear audio and easy connections make this app a must have.

Locating Wifi on the Go

Wi-Fi Finder
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jiwire.android.finder&hl=en
https://itunes.apple.com/en/app/wi-fi-finder/id300708497?mt=8

• Platform: iOS, Android
• Cost: free

This directory of a half-million Wi-Fi hotspots in 144 countries depends on user-submitted information, so you can bet it’s authentic since the people supplying the information are the same people using the app. Wi-Fi Finder maps out locations, signal strengths and signal availability. This apps works both online and offline, so you can find hotspots on the go! If you are using the app offline, the app can use your phone to make a call and then send you information on hotspots at your location.

Translating on the Go

Google Translate Mobile
http://www.google.com/mobile/translate/

• Platform: iOS, Android, Windows Mobile
• Cost: free

We are all familiar with Google Translate, but the mobile version can really be a lifesaver. It can be used in multiple ways: the screen can be shown to someone else to read/translate, attempts can be made to sound out specific words, and the app (in certain languages) can speak the translation for you.

No Roaming Charges

Fring
http://www.fring.com/

• Platform: iOS, Android
• Cost: free

Make voice over internet (VoIP) calls via Wi-Fi. Fring lets you use other VoIP providers on your smartphone or iPod Touch. Fring is known for its group chats/conference calling and is less prone to the crashing that sometimes occurs on Skype. Up to four people can sit in on a call at one time.

Dude, Where’s My Phone?

FindMyiPhone
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/find-my-iphone/id376101648?mt=8

• Platform: iOS
• Cost: free

Apple has skipped the chip-in-your-keychain idea and gone straight to the smartphone. With this app, you can go to the nearest internet café and locate your phone by accessing your iTunes account. Then, from that remote location, you can either play a beacon sound, lock the phone or clear your data depending on the situation.

Where’s My Droid
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.alienmanfc6.wheresmyandroid&hl=en

• Platform: Android
• Cost: free

This 4.6 star app for finding your lost Android phone is the original “Find Your Phone” app for Androids. You can track your lost phone from anywhere by texting a magic word to it. Turn up your phone’s volume to hear the phone ringing, or if you’re too far away to hear it, you can locate your phone with GPS coordinates on Google Maps. To avoid unauthorized use of the app, you can create a white/blacklist of who can text the magic word, activate stealth mode so your incoming ‘magic word’ text isn’t visible and password protect your app.

The Change-Up

Hotelsbyme
http://www.hotelsbyme.com/

• Platform: iOS, Android
• Cost: free

Just in case your reservation falls through and you find out that the other rooms in your hotel are available on an hourly basis, this app allows you to book a room at the last minute based on location. It’s easy to use and provides great filters to sift through options by price, location, rating, etc.

The Add-On

Kayak’s app
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/kayak-flight-hotel-search/id305204535?mt=8

• Platform: iOS, Android, Windows Mobile
• Cost: free

What if you need more than just a change in accommodations? What if you want to add another leg to your trip or quit your job and just wander around Europe for a month? Kayak can help you book flights, ferries, rental cars and any other means of transportation. It also stores the invoices to avoid the hassle of a printout.

Grease the Locals

Tipping Tips
http://www.snappapp.com/TippingTips/overview_en.html

• Platform: iOS
• Cost: $.99

What do you tip a concierge in Bermuda? A waitress in Japan? (Hint: you don’t tip in Japan!) This app can suggest, in detail, tips for over 100 localities around the world. It also features a built-in calculator that divides tabs into separate checks and a service rating system upon which to base your generosity.

Know Your Money Roll

Currency Banknotes
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/currency-banknotes/id460777167?mt=8
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.currencyBanknote&hl=en

• Platform: iOS, Android
• Cost: $.99

This user-friendly currency converter can calculate more than 150 world currencies and provide images of the bills for easy spending – and to avoiding using a £50 bill to pay for a £20 item. There is a free version available for iOS and Android without the bill images.

XE Currency App
http://www.xe.com/apps/

• Platform: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Windows 7, Windows 8
• Cost: free

This app provides an instant currency calculator and currency chart. The app tracks all world currencies and precious metals, providing you with live conversion rates. The app stores the last updated rates, so you can use the app when you’re offline. The currency calculator doesn’t require Wifi connectivity.

The Lifesaver

Find-ER
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/find-er-by-air-ambulance-card/id379300376?mt=8

• Platform: iOS
• Cost: free

Wherever you are in the world, Find-ER maps the route to the nearest hospital – via vehicle, foot or bicycle. The app can store emergency contacts, medical information and your doctor’s contact information that may be necessary to the hospital staff. Your insurance company back home and/or your doctor will want you to approve any medical care received overseas for your insurance to pay for it.

Hospital Finder
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.uknowapps.android.hospitalfinder&hl=en

• Platform: Android
• Cost: free

Use this app to search for hospitals in your local area all around the world. You can also store hospital information in the app before traveling. Should your phone be offline, you can find a hospital quickly regardless.

About The Author:
Chris Turberville-Tully works with ESA-ServicedApartments.co.uk. ESA provides vacationing families, businessmen and other travelers budget-friendly accommodations that include more spacious rooms than hotels, wifi, kitchentte and private laundry.

Image source: Mr. T in D.C. via Flickr Creative Commons