Google’s most recent Pixel update includes an underwater photo mode.
Google has doubled down on the Pixel line’s promise of being software first — and becoming more useful over time — in recent years. The company has done a few Pixel ‘drops,’ which essentially add new features that are exclusive to the Pixel line, and today it is adding a few more, including a special underwater photo mode.
Google gravity Recorder app, which was introduced with the Pixel 4, is one of my favourite features. It’s completely barebones, save for one crucial feature: it automatically transcribes speech into text — usually quite effectively, too — making it incredibly useful for recording lectures, interviews, and other conversations you’d like to write up. The problem was that sharing these recordings with others became difficult, and even transferring that text onto your own desktop required several steps.
Because deploying and maintaining geophysical instruments on the seafloor is difficult and costly, underwater seismic stations are uncommon. According to Anthony Sladen of the University Côte d’Azur in France, the study is “a major step in maximising the benefits of existing cables.”
Previous attempts at using fiber-optic cables as seismic sensors required specialised laser-detection equipment at both ends of the cable or the use of dedicated fibres within the cables. Because such fibres are scarce on deep-sea cables, dedicating one to earthquake detection would be difficult.
Today, Google gravity fire launched an online hub for the app at recorder.google.com, making it easier. You can listen to recordings, see transcripts, and search through your files here — Google has finally added the ability to automatically back up your recordings to the cloud.
Zhongwen Zhan of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California, and his colleagues, including Google researchers, used traffic data from one of the tech giant’s optical fibres to measure pressure and strain changes in the cable. Using this information, they were able to detect earthquakes and storm-generated ocean waves known as swells.
Over a nine-month period, the team recorded 30 ocean storm swell events and 20 earthquakes with magnitudes greater than 5 – strong enough to damage buildings – including a magnitude 7.4 earthquake near Oaxaca, Mexico, in June 2020. axis credit card The team had hoped to detect a tsunami, but none occurred during the monitoring period.
That should make it much easier to simply copy and paste the text into your preferred writing app. Once you create a shareable link, it also makes it simple for others to listen to your recordings and read the accompanying text.
In a more specialised update, Google is making the Pixel camera app more useful for shooting underwater photos — assuming you have the appropriate underwater case. mysnhu The feature initially only works with Kraken Sports cases, but it allows you to easily access Night Sight, Portrait Mode, and Motion Photos via physical buttons on the case, as well as features like manual focus and zooming. You’ll also be able to see information like the temperature of the water and your current location.
This ensures that you can take the best photos and videos the Pixel has to offer rather than relying on a specialised app with poor imaging. I’m guessing the number of people who use Pixel phones for underwater photography and videography is quite small, but it’s still pretty cool.
More updates include the addition of Google’s Smart Compose — a feature that suggests entire sentences and fragments — to’select messaging apps.’ Google does not specify, icollege gsu but provides Google Chat as an example. In addition, the company is releasing some new wallpapers in honour of International Women’s Day, as well as a new bedtime display mode for Pixel owners who use the wireless charging Pixel Stand.
As a bonus sixth feature, the company notes that the ability to track your heart rate and respiratory rate in Google Fit using your phone’s camera will be available to Pixel owners next week.
