Tag Archives: alphabet-inc

Google takes on Amazon with free retail listings in search results

Google on Monday said it will be free for businesses to list products in the company’s search results, a change that escalates Google’s already fierce rivalry with Amazon. Previously, Google showed shopping listings as a panel of sponsored links from advertisers bidding on specific search terms, like air fryers or home gyms. Now listings in …

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Relying on Silicon Valley to organize makes some protesters uneasy

For Erin Feher, protesting systemic racism after the death of George Floyd meant relying heavily on one app: Google Maps.  Feher, a magazine editor in San Francisco, organized a caravan of automobiles to drive through some of the city’s sleepier neighborhoods earlier this month, in order to bring the protest to places other than downtown centers. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, …

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Google releases Android 11 beta, cancels launch event amid protests

Google on Wednesday launched the latest version of its Android mobile operating system, a release that was previously set to occur at a virtual launch event. The search giant, though, has canceled the event as people around the world hold protests over police brutality and systemic racism. (Here’s how to download Android 11 beta on your phone.) “We have cancelled …

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Google postpones Android 11 beta event amid protests in the US

Google said late Friday that it’s postponing a virtual event that had been planned for next week, where the search giant was set to unveil the newest version of its Android mobile operating system.  The company didn’t give a specific reason for the delay but suggested the postponement may be due to protests taking place across the country. People have …

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Google Maps adds tools for donations and online classes amid coronavirus

Google on Wednesday said it’s revamping its Maps app with new features aimed at helping consumers connect with local businesses during the coronavirus pandemic. One new tool lets people book virtual appointments, like online yoga or cooking classes, along with giving price estimates for the services. Another update lets shops list special hours, like windows specifically designated for seniors or …

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Google removes QAnon apps from Play Store for violating terms

Google said on Thursday it had removed three apps related to the QAnon conspiracy theory from its Play Store digital marketplace.  The apps — called QMAP, Q Alerts! and Q Alerts LITE — were taken down for violating Google’s policies against “harmful information,” the company said. The removal was earlier reported by Media Matters for America, a progressive not-for-profit. The QAnon …

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Android 11 beta is launching June 3, and it’ll help you fight robocalls

Google on Wednesday said it’s holding an online event next month to unveil the beta version of Android 11, the next generation of the search giant’s mobile operating system. The event, scheduled for June 3 at 8 a.m. PT, will feature keynote addresses from Google executives including Android’s vice president of engineering, Dave Burke, and senior director of product management …

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Google’s Zoom rival, called Meet, is now free to consumers

For the most up-to-date news and information about the coronavirus pandemic, visit the WHO and CDC websites. Google on Wednesday said it’s making its teleconferencing service, called Google Meet, free to consumers. The move takes aim at Zoom, the rival video chat service that’s become a household name during the stay-at-home era spurred by the novel coronavirus. Previously, Meet was …

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Why Apple and Google are moving away from the term ‘contact tracing’

For the most up-to-date news and information about the coronavirus pandemic, visit the WHO and CDC websites. Two weeks ago, Apple and Google announced a major joint project to fight the spread of the novel coronavirus. Health authorities would build contact tracing apps for the tech giants’ mobile platforms, which would use signals from people’s phones to alert them if …

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YouTube says ‘authoritative’ news viewership has jumped amid COVID

For the most up-to-date news and information about the coronavirus pandemic, visit the WHO and CDC websites. YouTube, the most popular video platform in the world, has only become more popular during the coronavirus pandemic. As people around the world shelter in place, the Google-owned site has attracted parents on the hunt for children’s content, consumers looking for news, and …

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