Google has lost its ad tech monopoly trial... and Mozilla is scared
In a decision that surprised few, a judge has ruled that Google is guilty of “willfully acquiring and maintaining monopoly power” in advertising technology. Google (or its parent company, Alphabet, at least) is obviously unhappy with the ruling, but it’s not the only one.
Mozilla was one of the first companies to react to the ruling, and CEO Laura Chambers has expressed alarm about what it means for the future of its Firefox web browser. She also voices concerns about the implication of the rules for the open web and online industries.
Google is changing the URL of its search engine for billions of people
Google is making a huge change to the most famous and widely used search engine in the world. And it is the global nature of Google search, and the internet in general, which is at the heart of the change.
For a very long time, Google has used different URLs for its search engine in different countries -- google.co.uk in the UK, google.es in Spain, for instance. But no more. The company has announced that different country code top-level domain names (ccTLD) are no longer needed and will not be used.
Pixel 9a now available -- buy before Trump’s tariffs push the price higher
Google’s Pixel 9a is officially available starting today, and if you’ve been waiting for a solid Android phone that won’t break the bank, now’s your chance. But with President Trump’s tariff policies bouncing between on and off like a light switch, you might want to buy sooner rather than later.
Priced at $499, the Pixel 9a brings a new design and meaningful upgrades to Google’s A-series. It features the brightest display ever in a Pixel A phone and comes in four colors: Iris, Peony, Porcelain, and Obsidian. Photography gets a boost too, thanks to a 48MP main camera paired with a 13MP ultrawide lens. You can read more about it here.
Google brings powerful visual search to AI Mode for Android and iPhone users
Google may be the current king of search, but thanks to competition from artificial intelligence services like ChatGPT and Grok, its continued dominance is becoming less guaranteed. In other words, Google can no longer rest on its laurels with search -- it must either evolve or dissolve.
In an effort to keep up with the times, Google is delivering its AI Mode feature to more users in the U.S. today. This essentially adds new capabilities that combine visual search with the Gemini AI model. Originally limited to Google One AI Premium subscribers, the feature is now available to millions through the Labs program, accessible in the Google app for both Android and iPhone.
Google launches Sec-Gemini v1 AI model to improve cybersecurity defense
Google is once again leaning into its Gemini brand, this time with a focus on cybersecurity. You see, the search giant has announced Sec-Gemini v1, an experimental new AI model. It is designed to help security professionals fight back against cyber threats using real-time data and advanced reasoning. Because AI makes everything better, right?
Look, folks, attackers only need to get lucky once, while defenders have to be right every time. That unfortunate imbalance has made cybersecurity a nightmare for many organizations. Google is hoping AI might change that, giving defenders a slight edge.
Elon Musk merges xAI with X to distract from Twitter debt disaster and Donald Trump backlash
Elon Musk just announced a wild move that might be less about innovation and more about survival. In a surprise announcement, Musk revealed that his AI company xAI has officially merged with X (formerly known as Twitter) in an all-stock transaction.
The Tesla CEO says the deal values xAI at $80 billion and X at $33 billion after subtracting a massive $12 billion in debt. But when you peel back the layers, it starts to look like Musk is scrambling to fix a money pit while trying to dodge growing backlash over his cozy ties to Donald Trump.
Google unveils Gemini 2.5 in a desperate bid to catch up with ChatGPT
Today, Google introduces Gemini 2.5. Initially, it will only be available as the experimental Gemini 2.5 Pro. And yes, as you can predict, the search giant is calling its newest AI model the most advanced version yet.
While the company promises huge improvements in reasoning and coding, the move feels more like Google playing catchup to OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Let’s be honest, folks -- ChatGPT has dominated public attention and enterprise adoption for months.
New ‘Share screen with Live’ option appears in Google Gemini so the AI assistant can view your screen and see through your camera
AI-powered digital assistants are now (almost) ten a penny, and the rate at which they are gaining new capabilities is nausea-inducing. Google Gemini has long been able to make use of screen grabs as a prompt or part of a prompt, but now things are moving up a notch.
Some Gemini users are starting to notice a new “Share screen with Live” option on their devices. This goes far beyond the ability to analyze and use static screenshots, enabling Gemini to track what is on-screen in real time -- including user activity and what is picked up by the camera.
Google admits accidentally deleting Timeline data of Google Maps users due to a ‘technical issue’
Users of Google Maps have been complaining in growing numbers that their Timeline data has mysteriously vanished. Now Google has confirmed that this was down to a “technical issue” rather than user error, and warned that there will be no way to recover this data for some people.
The Timeline feature of Google Maps stores location history, and is used by many people as a way of keeping track of places they have visited. Now, for those who were unaware of a recent change to the way Timeline data is stored, the technical SNAFU means that these memories are lost forever.
Gmail search gets worse as Google forces AI powered results on users
Google is once again injecting AI where it doesn’t really belong. This time, sadly, it’s Gmail search -- something many of us use often. The search giant has started rolling out a change that sorts email search results by “most relevant” instead of the usual chronological order, and to be honest, it feels more like a nuisance than a helpful upgrade.
According to Google, this new AI-powered system will take things like recency, click behavior, and frequent contacts into account when surfacing results. In theory, that sounds useful. In practice, however, it will probably just bury what you’re actually looking for under a pile of algorithmic guesses.
Google Pixel 9a crushes Apple iPhone 16e with smarter AI and a better price
After many leaks, Google’s Pixel 9a is finally here! For anyone not locked into Apple’s ecosystem, it’s looking like the smarter choice over the iPhone 16e. At just $499, it packs AI-powered features, a pro-level camera system, and the powerful Google Tensor G4 chip -- all at a lower price than Apple’s so-called budget offering.
The Pixel 9a isn’t just another mid-range phone -- it’s got some legit flagship-level perks. Its 6.3-inch Actua display is the brightest ever on an A-series phone, hitting 2700 nits, while the 120Hz refresh rate makes for smoother scrolling than the iPhone 16e’s 60Hz screen. Google’s color choices -- Peony, Iris, Porcelain, and Obsidian -- also bring more fun and variety compared to Apple’s standard options.
Google announces new healthcare tools and features, including advice from people with the same symptoms as you
When illness strikes, many people turn to 'Doctor Google' for health advice. While this can be helpful in many cases, searching for symptoms can also throw up some terrifying potential 'diagnoses', but AI has been used to try to avoid providing either fearmongering suggestions or unhelpful advice.
Google is aware that it is often a first port of call for people trying to work out what condition they may have and how to best approach treatment, and the company has announced numerous improvements and new feature to make its offerings more helpful and trustworthy -- as well as starting to provide suggestions from non-medical experts.
Like it or not, Google Assistant is being replaced by AI-powered Gemini on millions of devices
Google Assistant is being consigned to history. Almost a decade after it first launched, Google’s voice-activated digital assistant will be replaced by Gemini, Google’s updated AI-powered assistant.
If you’re an existing user of Google Assistant, you will no doubt have noticed the offer of switching to Gemini. While this has been, and remains for now, an optional switch, soon there will be no choice -- it will be Gemini all the way.
Forget Google Chrome and Firefox, LibreWolf is the privacy focused browser you've been looking for
Are you frustrated by Mozilla’s recent leanings towards putting revenue ahead of privacy? Fans of Firefox who are looking to take their privacy to the next level (and beyond any potential compromises Mozilla might make going forward) should take a look at LibreWolf, available for Windows, macOS and Linux.
LibreWolf is a direct fork from the latest version of Firefox with a raft of additional privacy measures added to make your browsing experience even more private.
Google makes it easier to find apps with widgets
A well-designed widget can really enhance an app, helping to make it even more useful; equally, a crappy widget (or a lack of widgets) can completely ruin an otherwise perfect app. Widgets are important, and Google is finally recognizing that fact.
The company is making it easier to find Android apps that include widgets. As well as introducing a new badge to highlight widget-wielding apps in Google Play, Google is also adding the option to search specifically for apps with widgets. But it doesn't end there.
Recent Headlines
Most Commented Stories
© 1998-2025 BetaNews, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy - Cookie Policy.