Articles about Google

Google has announced an upcoming change to YouTube that will see it dropping the Trending page that was introduced 10 years ago. The company says that it is shifting to charts for different video genres in response to changes in the way users discover and consume content.

A decade after it first appeared, the Trending page is now far less popular than it used to be. This is partly because of fragmentation, but also because of the sheer volume of content that is uploaded every day.

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Just as it did some years ago for its Chrome browser, Google has announced a new Canary channel for Android. Aimed at developers, the idea behind Android Canary is to provide early access to not only new features but also APIs.

Beta testing software is an exciting way to get to try out the latest features of a products faster, and it gives companies a way to try out new ideas and get feedback. While the availability of a new testing channel for Android is good news for many, there is something of a caveat.

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YouTube has become overrun with mass-produced content generated by artificial intelligence. Known as AI slop, such content has spread cancerously across the video platform as pseudo creators seek to make a quick buck.

Now Google has had enough. Seeking to de-incentivize the creation of such content, it is updating YouTube policies so that it will be much more difficult to make money from AI slop.

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Keeping on top of emails can feel like a full-time job, but Google is making things easier for Gmail users. We learned about the Manage Subscriptions feature earlier in the year, but it is now starting to hit inboxes.

Everyone receives huge volumes of emails these days, and a lot of time can be spent sorting the wheat from the chaff, determining which email need attention and which are junk to be deleted. Google’s new Manage Subscription option provides a way to quicky see a list of the mailing lists you have subscribed to.

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Google Maps is so ubiquitous that it is hard to imagine that there are any unsupported platforms remaining, but there are still a few. This is highlighted by arrival of Google Maps for Garmin smartwatches via the Connect IQ Store.

This free app means that owners of key Garmin devices can now benefit from turn-by-turn navigation on their wrist. The newly released app is targeted primarily at walkers, cyclists and runners, but it can also be used when driving or performing other activities if this feels helpful to users.

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In just a few days, Google is starting the rollout of a mandatory automatic software update to Android 16 for Pixel 6a handsets. While an update would generally be expected to add features or improve performance, this particular, unavoidable update will have an unwanted side effect for some handset owners.

Having determined that some Pixel 6a handsets are a risk of an overheating battery, the update is being used to reduce battery capacity and charging performance on impacted devices. For users who are unhappy with this, there is the option of a battery replacement, but there are eligibility criteria.

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Mobile security enhancements have become an essential part of OS developments. To make mobile security better, Google has announced that Android 16 will include a feature that detects and warns users about fake or insecure cell towers and an often-overlooked threat that can be used to spy on individuals or steal sensitive data.

This new feature is part of strategic efforts by Google to strengthen privacy protections within its mobile ecosystem. As detailed in recent reports from Android Authority, the upcoming version of Android will notify users when their devices connect to suspicious mobile networks, particularly those attempting to gather identifying information or lacking encryption.

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Google-owned YouTube started testing a new “AI-powered search results carousel” to help users find what they are looking for faster. 

The new feature is only available on the mobile apps (iOS and Android) and only in English. Only a small, randomly selected group of YouTube Premium members in the United States who opt in through the YouTube Labs page will have access to this new feature.

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Google’s search experience is evolving and taking the next step with the launch of Search Live, a new great tool that allows people to interact with search and receive answers in real-time using their voice. This tool is now available in the U.S. for iOS and Android users who have joined the AI Mode experiment through Google Labs.

The main point of this new AI feature is to make the searching process more natural for the users. It should be like a real-time voice conversation instead of just a string of typed keywords. It’s designed for users who are often on the go or need quick answers while doing other things.

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The largest password leaks are now recorded. 16 billion login credentials, including usernames and passwords, have been exposed online. The leak impacts Apple, Facebook, Google accounts, and some other platforms that people use daily.

The breach, uncovered by researchers at Cybernews, is believed to be the work of multiple infostealer malware groups operating globally. Their investigation, ongoing since early this year, identified 30 separate datasets, each containing millions of stolen records. Many of these datasets were previously unknown, adding to the severity of this discovery.

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With the fast arrival of artificial intelligence, Google has integrated AI search features directly into the search engine. 

This new strategy brought excitement among users, as well as among website owners and publishers. Many of them fear that Google’s new AI-powered search results may diminish traffic to their sites, impact websites’ revenue, and completely change the way people find information online.

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Google has officially launched Google AI Ultra, a high-end subscription plan that unlocks the company’s most powerful AI tools. It’s being pitched as the best way to experience everything Google AI has to offer. Sure, maybe it is, but at $249.99 per month, it’s hard not to question the timing.

Look, with inflation still hitting wallets and layoffs continuing across industries, launching a $250 monthly plan feels completely disconnected from reality. Google’s positioning it as a VIP pass for filmmakers, researchers, and creatives. But let’s be honest, folks, that’s a very steep price in today’s economy.

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Unless you can count yourself among those who have a premium subscription, using YouTube means having to endure ads. This is annoying, but it could be getting a whole lot worse.

And things are getting worse because of artificial intelligence. Google has announced Peak Points, a Gemini ai-powered feature that gives advertisers way to hit you with ads when you are most engaged with a video.

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The Google logo is iconic -- as, indeed, are its icons. Every so often, though, there is an update, a refresh… normally to great fanfare.

But this time around things are a little different. Google has very quietly rolled out a new icon for its search app and has made no fuss about it at all. All of the familiar design aspects are present, but now there is a rainbow gradient.

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Screenshotting stuff can seem like a great way to remember something for later, but captures soon get lost and forgotten. Google is looking to change this by bringing new Gemini-powered features to Google Maps.

The company thinks that it can help you to make sense of the “travel blogs, news articles or social media posts” you’ve screengrabbed while researching a trip. Turning to AI to make sense of a heap of images is Google’s solution. Here’s how it can help you.

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