Articles about Google

The US Department of Justice has put forward proposals designed to break Google’s monopoly over online searches. Included in the DOJ’s proposals is the recommendation that Google sell off its Chrome web browser.

Other proposals include putting blocks in place that would stop the tech giant from entering into contracts with companies that result in Google being the default search engine on various platforms. Google has lashed out at the proposals saying that they go too far and would cause harm to customers and innovation.

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The nature of modern-day politics means that parties of all colors, all leanings, spend millions on advertising -- it is something that was painfully apparent during the run-up to the US presidential election. Technology firms and social media platforms are under a lot of pressure to take steps to prevent election interference, and to increase transparency.

This is something that has been playing out in Europe with regulation on Transparency and Targeting of Political Advertising (TTPA) due to come into force in the EU. With concerns about the, “operational challenges and legal uncertainties” this could lead to, Google has announced that it will not only will stop serving political advertising in the European Union, but will do so before the TTPA comes into force.

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There are few web browsers that could be described as lightweight and speedy, and Chrome certainly has a lot to do to earn these labels. However, having already done quite a bit to improve the experience in its browser, Google has now further enhanced Chrome’s performance Controls.

Two key features -- Performance Detection and Memory Saver -- have been improved to reduce memory usage, accelerate browsing, and generally make Chrome feel less sluggish.

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Google has announced sweeping changes to the look and feel of the web-based version of Google Calendar.

The headline change is the introduction of a much-requested dark mode option, but there is much more. Google Calendar on the web is being given an interface refresh to bring it in line with Google Material Design 3 and there is a focus on accessibility.

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Google has signed an agreement to purchase nuclear energy from small modular reactors (SMRs) developed by Kairos Power. This deal aims to support the growing energy demands in the U.S., particularly as AI technology continues to expand. Kairos Power plans to bring its first reactor online by 2030, with additional reactors deployed by 2035. The goal is to provide up to 500 megawatts of carbon-free electricity to U.S. grids.

The agreement focuses on the need for reliable, round-the-clock power to complement renewable sources like wind and solar. Google sees SMRs as a valuable addition to its clean energy portfolio, which is critical for powering its global operations and data centers. These modular reactors have been designed to be smaller, more efficient, and faster to deploy than traditional nuclear plants, with simplified designs that aim to improve safety and reduce construction timelines.

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Google is pushing back against a court decision that forces it to make changes to Android and Google Play, based on Epic Games’ demands. The tech giant argues that these changes could mess with user privacy, make it harder for developers to get their apps noticed, and ultimately hurt competition. While these adjustments might seem like a win for Epic, Google says they could have some serious consequences for American consumers, developers, and smartphone makers.

Google points out that this whole situation doesn’t make sense when compared with another court’s ruling that shot down similar claims Epic made against Apple. The company highlights that, unlike iOS, Android has always been an open platform, letting users pick from multiple app stores and even sideload apps. Google says it’s going to appeal this decision and ask the courts to pause these Epic-led changes while the appeal is in progress.

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Google has unceremoniously evicted Kaspersky’s apps from the Play Store. While the Russian security firm insists that the removal is temporary, it comes after the company’s software was banded from being sold in the US.

The move not only means that it is no longer possible to download Kaspersky apps from Google store, but also that existing users are unable to obtain updates. Google did announce the removals ahead of time.

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The “summary cards” feature of Gmail is not new; it is Google’s way of helping to make your emails easier to manage, consolidating information about, for instance, purchases you’ve made. Now things are being updated with live updates and “action buttons”.

Across four categories -- purchases, events, bills and travel -- summary cards provide at-a-glance information at the top of your emails. The new actions buttons make it possible to quickly add entries to Google Calendar or Google Tasks so you don’t forget important events, but there is much more to the update, including a Happening Soon section.

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You may remember that earlier this year Google took the decision to retire cache links from its search results. At the time this caused annoyance and frustration, but these feelings were tempered by the possibility of some form of future resurrection of the feature.

And now that time has come. Teaming up with the Internet Archive, Google search results now link back to cached Wayback Machine versions of pages in addition to the one that is currently live. The Internet Archive sees it as a continuation of its “commitment to preservation”.

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Google has introduced the Pixel Watch 3, an updated version of its smartwatch that features a new Loss of Pulse Detection capability. This safety feature is designed to automatically contact emergency services if it detects that the wearer’s heart has stopped.

The Pixel Watch 3 enhances its previous models with several improved features. It is available in two sizes, 41mm and a new 45mm option, with displays that achieve a maximum brightness of 2,000 nits. This improvement ensures visibility in bright light conditions and adjusts to lower brightness in darker settings.

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Google has announced a series of updates for both Maps and Waze which will help to keep drivers better informed on their journeys. One of the most pleasing updates for Google Maps is an easier way to report when you've seen cops in the area so other drivers can be alerted -- and you can benefit from other drivers' reports.

Another helpful addition to Maps means that when you navigate to an address, the building you are looking for and, importantly, the entrance, will be highlighted for you. New features and options are not limited to Google Maps; Waze also has a number of handy additions.

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Google has apologized for a Chrome problem that resulted in millions of users being unable to use the browser's password manger.

The issue meant that affected users were not able to access saved passwords for the majority of a day. In issuing its apology, Google explains that a faulty update for the M127 version of Chrome for Windows was to blame, noting that the problem hit users globally.

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A new survey of 800 security decision-makers across the US, UK, Germany and France reveals that 76 percent of security leaders recognize the pressing need to move to shorter certificate lifespans to improve security.

However, the study from machine identity specialist Venafi, also shows many feel unprepared to take action, with 77 percent saying the shift to 90-day certificates will mean more outages are inevitable.

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As OpenAI rolls out its SearchGPT prototype, a question looms large: Should Google feel threatened by this new entrant in the search engine landscape? SearchGPT promises a revolutionary approach to online search by integrating AI capabilities with real-time web information, potentially changing how users interact with search engines.

SearchGPT is designed to streamline the search experience, providing direct answers with clear sourcing, which could make searches faster and more relevant. This AI-enhanced tool also emphasizes a strong partnership with publishers and creators, aiming to boost the discoverability of high-quality content. Such features might appeal to users who are increasingly looking for efficient and reliable information retrieval methods.

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Google has taken a proactive step to bolster Linux security with the introduction of the counted_by attribute for flexible array members. This enhancement addresses a critical vulnerability in C programming related to buffer overflows, particularly those involving flexible array members whose sizes are determined at runtime.

Buffer overflows have long been a notorious source of security issues in software development. While sanitizers have mitigated some of these vulnerabilities by automatically inserting bounds checking, flexible array members have remained a challenging exception. The size of these arrays is typically opaque to the compiler, making it difficult to perform bounds checking outside the allocation function.

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