Articles about Google

Design and use generative AI prompts that get helpful and practical results in this concise and quick start guide.

In The Quick Guide to Prompt Engineering, renowned technology futurist and AI thought leader Ian Khan delivers a practical and insightful resource for taking the first steps in understanding and learning how to use generative AI. You will learn how to design and use prompts to get the most out of Large Language Model generative AI applications like ChatGPT, DALL-E, and Google’s Bard, and explore how to understand generative artificial intelligence and how to engineer prompts in a wide variety of industry use cases.

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If you have an Android phone you'll no doubt be aware of the risk that unwanted trackers can access your data while you're using third-party apps or browsing the web.

If you're worried about being tracked though there is an alternative in the form of /e/OS which has a focus on privacy and can be can be flashed on numerous Android devices to replace Google's ubiquitous OS. Today sees the release of V2 of /e/OS which offers further privacy controls, tools and improved user interface.

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It's not often that Google makes a change to its search engine that proves almost universally popular, but with the introduction of a new Web filter, the company seems to have achieved just that.

Eliciting reactions such as "Holy shit are they making the search engine useful again", the Web filter joins existing filters such as Videos, Images and Shopping that are already found at the top of search results. Rolling out right now, the only complaint so far appears to be that there is (currently) no way to set this as the default view.

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The goal of Google Search's Core Updates is to enhance user experience and optimize its algorithms; nonetheless, many sites may face major changes in search ranks as a result. Any website owner must be aware of these adjustments as they have a direct impact on their capacity to preserve or improve their search engine rankings. Today, we'll explore the reasons for these rankings dropping, how to identify the changes, and practical actions you can take in this situation.

A Google Core Update refers to broad changes made to the overall ranking algorithms and systems that affect how websites are evaluated and ranked in search results. These updates aim to enhance the quality of search results by better assessing page content and its relevance to user queries. While Google continuously updates its algorithms, core updates are less frequent and more impactful, typically announced publicly by Google due to their significant effects on the search landscape.

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Google has released an emergency security update for the Chrome browser for Windows, Mac, and Linux, and is urging all users of the browser to install it immediately.

The update is to fix CVE-2024-4671 which could allow remote access to data and Google confirms in Chrome's update notes that it is actively being exploited and therefore represents threat to your online security.

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Google and Apple have developed a new industry specification aimed at enhancing user privacy and safety across mobile platforms. The specification, named "Detecting Unwanted Location Trackers," is designed to alert users on both Android and iOS devices if a Bluetooth tracking device is potentially being used to track them without their knowledge.

This initiative is a response to the growing concern over the misuse of Bluetooth tracking devices, which are primarily intended for locating personal belongings. With the new specification, Google has rolled out this feature to Android devices running version 6.0 and above, while Apple has incorporated it into iOS 17.5.

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Google's proposal to cut TLS certificate lifespans to 90 days -- down from the current 398 -- was aired last year and has caused something of a stir in security circles.

According to a recent Venafi study, 83 percent of organizations have been hit by certificate-related outages in the past 12 months, and 57 percent of organizations have experienced security incidents involving compromised TLS certificates. Shortening certificate lifespans will therefore help businesses reduce the risk of compromise.

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Yesterday's coverage of World Password Day sparked some discussion among the BetaNews team about passkeys and how they work.

We figured that if we're confused about them then some of you probably are too, so here's a FAQ look at passkeys, how they work and why you should consider using them.

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Google launched its passkeys initiative on 2022's World Password Day and this year it's marking the day with some new updates.

It’s expanding Cross-Account Protection, an initiative where Google will share security notifications about suspicious events on your Google Account with the non-Google apps and services you use. Doing this will allow the other apps and services connected to your Google Account to use the security information to better protect your other accounts.

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It has been an extraordinarily long time coming, but Google has finally decided to flip the switch on dark mode for Drive on the web.

Much like AI is at the moment, the spread of a dark mode option for apps and websites was something of a cultural and technological phenomenon a few years ago. Quite why it has taken Google such a long time to jump back on this particular bandwagon is anybody's guess, but dark mode will be welcomed by Google Drive users none the less. Here's what you need to know.

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Anyone using a third-party app to block ads on YouTube is likely to find that their viewing is interrupted. Google has announced that it is further clamping down on ad-blocking tools which are seen by many people as a handy way to avoid paying for YouTube Premium.

The company says that by blocking ads with apps that violate its terms of service, users are starving creators of an income stream and, of course, failing to line Google's pockets.

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As anticipated just last week, Google had started to properly roll out the updated version of Find My Device to Android users in the US and Canada.

Described as a "new, crowdsourced network of over a billion Android devices", Find My Device is comparable to the Find My device-locating system from Apple. Initially, there is support for locating phones and tablets -- including, in some instances, when they have no power or are offline -- but starting next month, third-party Bluetooth tracker tags will be made available as well.

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Aa a company synonymous with search and a love of AI, it is little surprise that Google is combining the two. But people familiar with the company’s plans suggest that AI-powered search features could have a price tag attached to them.

The move would be a first for Google as the company has never charged for any search product, and it could be a sign that ads are simply not bringing in enough money. It is something that has been described as a big change to its business model, but it is not clear if this is a sign of further search-related charges to come.

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Almost a year after it was first announced, Google is finally rolling out its offline Find My Device service for Android devices.

All but identical to Apple's Find My network, Google's offering not only makes it possible to track the location of Android handsets, but also includes support for third-party AirTag-style trackers. While the rollout appears to have started, for now it is only a beta; a full launch is imminent, however.

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It has been known for some time that Chrome's Incognito Mode is nowhere near as private as many people still believe it to be. Despite assumptions made -- largely due to strong suggestions -- Google was able to collect private browsing data and has faced lawsuits as a result.

As part of a class action settlement, the company has agreed to delete "billions of data points" despite having previously said that this was not possible. The change of heart means that Google should be able to avoid a damages payout in the billions of dollars.

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