9 great reads from CNET this week: Google, Venmo, iMac and more

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Over the past year, Google has weathered a whole host of controversies — from antitrust scrutiny to discord in its AI ranks — amid the wide-ranging challenges of the pandemic. So it must have been a relief for the company to spend a couple of hours focused exclusively on the marvels of tech it’s been cooking up.

That’s what we got in its Google I/O keynote on Tuesday: everything from new features in Android 12 and updates for Google Maps and Search to forward-looking efforts on quantum computing and the video conferencing “magic window” of Project Starline. It was an impressive showing.

You can read all about that here, among the other in-depth features and thought-provoking commentaries that appeared on CNET this week. So here you go. These are the stories you don’t want to miss.

Google unveils Android, AI and chat features as it tries to move past chaotic year

Exclusive: The search giant touts the updates at its I/O developers conference.

Google AI chief says reputation hit to unit is ‘real’ after turmoil

Exclusive: In his first interview since the ouster of high-profile researchers, Jeff Dean acknowledges the toll of the controversy.

Venmo can reveal too much about you. People like it anyway

Joe Biden’s Venmo friends list got outed — that’s how the app is designed, keeping personal connections central.

Apple 24-inch iMac review: A colorful new M1 Mac for the post-quarantine world

Orange you glad the new 24-inch iMac comes in seven different colors?

AT&T to refocus on 5G as it unloads WarnerMedia

The telecom giant is shifting gears back to what it probably should have been concentrating on in the first place.

2022 Ford F-150 Lightning first ride review: Electric brawn, bright future

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COVID-19 showed digital accessibility is critical. Advocates don’t want you to forget

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Pornhub restores, colorizes and posts century-old erotic films

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Roku is streaming Quibi shows now, free. Here are 6 that aren’t garbage

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Google I/O launches Android 12, ‘Project Starline’ and…

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