Articles about Google

Google Chrome address bar – are you a top or a bottom?

Google Chrome address bar – are you a top or a bottom? Across all platforms, Google Chrome remains one of the most popular – if not the most popular – web browser. But while the desktop version of the software is versatile, customizable and flexible, the same cannot be said of the mobile apps. And this is why an announcement made by Google several weeks ago caused a flurry of excitement. On the face of things, the news that it would be possible to move the address bar from its familiar position at the top of the browser may not seem huge, but now that it is rolling out, it is becoming clear that it is actually pretty significant for Android users. You’d be forgiven for having forgotten about the announcement. Google said last month that the address bar was being made movable, but it is only now that the vast majority of people are starting to see this hitting their device At the time of the announcement last month, Google said: It's now possible to customize Chrome on Android by moving your address bar to the bottom of the screen. Depending on the size of your hand and your device, one address bar position may feel more comfortable than the other. We designed this update to give you the flexibility to choose your preferred location — so you can browse with more ease. If you’d like to move your address bar, long-press on it and select the "Move address bar to bottom" option. Or just navigate to the Settings menu and select “address bar” to choose your preferred spot. This feature will begin to appear on devices today and will be available to everyone in the coming weeks. Being able to have the address bar at the bottom of Chrome only really makes sense when using the browser in portrait mode, but some users may disagree. Whether or not you find this feature to be useful depends on a number of things. If you have a device with a very large screen, moving the address bar to the bottom of the screen is useful. The same is true for anyone with small hands. But how you use Chrome and how you browse the web need to be considered too. You might not make use of the address bar very often, so it may not really matter where it is located. If, however, you are someone who is constantly flicking between tabs or needs to type URLs frequently, having it within easier reach at the bottom is great. There are, of course, many other factors that may influence your decision about address bar placement. As it is so easy to move – just long-press and select Move address bar to the bottom/top – you can just experiment with positions to see what works best for you. So, the question remains: are you a top or a bottom?

Across all platforms, Google Chrome remains one of the most popular – if not the most popular – web browser. But while the desktop version of the software is versatile, customizable and flexible, the same cannot be said of the mobile apps.

And this is why an announcement made by Google several weeks ago caused a flurry of excitement. On the face of things, the news that it would be possible to move the address bar from its familiar position at the top of the browser may not seem huge, but now that it is rolling out, it is becoming clear that it is actually pretty significant for Android users.

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Google launches new AI security initiatives

Ahead of the summer’s round of cybersecurity conferences Google is announcing a range of new initiatives aimed at bolstering cyber defenses with the use of AI.

Last year the company launched Big Sleep, an AI agent developed by Google DeepMind and Google Project Zero, that actively searches and finds unknown security vulnerabilities in software.

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YouTube is dropping the Trending page as it shakes up content discovery

YouTube charts

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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Google launches Android Canary channel for beta testing early builds

Android logo

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 is fighting AI slop with new monetization guidelines

YouTube logo blocks

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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Google launches Manage Subscriptions for Gmail to kill unwanted email

Gmail Manage Subscriptions

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 finally lands on Garmin devices for on-wrist navigation

Google Maps Garmin

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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Google reduces Pixel 6a battery life with mandatory Android 16 update

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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Forget about Fake Cell Towers and Spying Threats: Android 16 Introduces New Security Features

Phone screen with Android logo

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 Expands its AI Overviews to YouTube App, Starting with U.S. Premium

Phone screen with YouTube logo

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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Talking to Google Just Got Real: Real-Time Voice Conversations Launched with AI Mode

Google Real Time Conversations

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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16 Billion Passwords Exposed: Major Leak Hits Apple, Facebook and Google Users 

16 Billion Passwords Exposed: Major Leak Hits Apple, Facebook and Google Users 

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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Website owners fear Google’s AI search, but is this concern reasonable?

Tablet screen showing Google homepage

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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Is Google AI Ultra worth $250 a month or is the price completely tone deaf?

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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YouTube is turning to AI to hit you with ads at the most annoying times

YouTube logo blocks

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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