How quantum computing will change analytics [Q&A]
Google announced in October that after years of theorizing, it had finally achieved the milestone of quantum supremacy -- carrying out a calculation in just three minutes that would take up to 100,000 years for a conventional computer.
Ask any analytics expert what they're excited to see in the future, and you’re likely going to hear quantum computing. That's largely due to the sweeping ways it will transform analytics. We spoke with Prasad Kothari, vice president of analytics and client solutions at The Smart Cube, about what that looks like.
Happy 15th Birthday, Google Maps!
When Google Maps was first released, it changed everything. It transformed the way people navigate the world, ultimately becoming an indispensable tool for those needing directions. It has become so ubiquitous in modern times, that there are likely many young people that never even tried using an old-school paper map (which can be impossible to fold). Stopping at a gas station to ask a clerk for directions? A relic of yesteryear -- your smartphone can get you anywhere.
Today, Google Maps celebrates a 15th birthday (where does the time go?), and believe it or not, it is still the best such service. While Apple Maps has gotten considerably better over the years, Google's offering is still better. Quite frankly, I don't see that changing anytime soon -- if ever. To celebrate this monumental birthday, Google Maps is not only gaining some new features, but getting a nice redesign too -- don't worry, it is nothing too dramatic.
Google may have shared your videos with strangers
If you used Google Takeout to download an archive of your Google Photos content, there's a chance that someone else may have ended up with your videos.
The company has admitted that for a few days in November last year, "some videos in Google Photos were exported to unrelated users' archives". This means that not only could your videos have ended up on a stranger's computer, but also that you may have received random videos belonging to someone else.
Google is shutting down its App Maker tool
Google is in the mood for a cull at the moment. Having announced the end of support for Chrome Apps, the company has now announced that Google App Maker will be closing down in less than a year.
While the ultimate shutdown date isn't until January 2021, App Maker is now no longer being actively developed. Additionally, Google says that as of mid-April it will no longer be possible to create new apps.
Now you can get help from Google on Twitter
Google has announced that it will now be offering customer support via Twitter.
Anyone with a problem with their smartphone is invited to tweet using the hashtag #AndroidHelp, and the company will do its best to help. The official Android Twitter account will be used to respond, and the team says it will be able to help with a range of issues.
Google researchers reveal flaws in Safari that could be exploited to track users
Apple's Safari web browser was found to have multiple security flaws that allowed for user's online activity to be tracked, say Google researchers.
In a yet-to-be-published paper, the researchers reveal issues in a Safari feature which is actually supposed to increase user privacy. The Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP) feature found in the iOS, iPadOS and macOS version of the browser is meant to block tracking, but vulnerabilities mean that third parties could have accessed sensitive information about users' browsing habits.
Chromebooks get 8 years of updates, and Microsoft's Windows 10 is the big loser
Many people publicly deride Chromebooks, but that is largely because of their ignorance. For instance, some will say the computers are nothing more than a "glorified web browser." Actually, Chromebooks run a secure Linux distribution called "Chrome OS." While the operating system does focus heavily on the web, that really isn't a problem nowadays. Since Wi-Fi is ubiquitous these days, doing all of your computing on the web is actually ideal. Who the heck isn't constantly connected to the internet anyway?
But OK, if you have a need for offline computing, that is totally possible too. Not to mention, Chromebooks can now run both Android apps and traditional Linux desktop programs -- there is a huge library of useful software just waiting to be installed.
Google announces end of support dates for Chrome Apps on Windows, Mac, Linux and Chrome OS
The end of support for Chrome apps has been a long time coming -- Google announced more than two years ago that it was going to start winding things down.
The Chrome Web Store has already been stripped of the App section on Windows, macOS and Linux, and now Google has announced that it is to be pulled from Chrome OS too. The company has also revealed the dates on which support will be dropped completely for all platforms.
Now you can use your iPhone as a 2FA key for Google apps
Two-factor authentication is a handy means of securing accounts, and now iPhone users are able to use their handsets as a security key for their Google accounts.
An update to the Google Smart Lock app brings the functionality to Apple fans, several months after the feature was made available to Android users. It's a security method that has been welcomed by many as it does not require the use of any additional hardware, just something you always tend to have with you -- your phone.
With Chrome 80, Google is making website notifications STFU
When Mozilla released Firefox 72 yesterday, users were happy to find that the company had tamed the popup messages that ask whether a website should be allowed to send notifications. Now, with Chrome 80, Google has done the same.
Google notes that while the option to receive notifications from sites can be useful, they are "also a common complaint as many websites request the notification permission on first visit rather than at contextually relevant moments in the user's journey". But rejoice, for there is a solution!
Google's Project Zero is testing new vulnerability disclosure procedures
The vulnerability-finding Project Zero has found Google on the end of both criticism and praise, but there has long been concern about the policy of being very quick to reveal details of vulnerabilities that have been discovered.
Previously Project Zero has given software developers a 90-day window of opportunity to fix bugs before it goes public. Details of vulnerabilities would also be published as soon as a fix was released. For 2020, Google is trying something new. The company will wait a full 90 days before disclosing a vulnerability, regardless of when the bug is fixed.
Samsung Galaxy Chromebook is the elegant and powerful Chrome OS laptop the world has been waiting for
Google's Chrome OS has revolutionized desktop computing by stripping away the nonsense and allowing the user to focus on the task at hand. There is no clunky update system like Windows, nor is there the need for anti-malware software. Chromebooks just work, and they are very secure too. Best of all, they are often super affordable -- unlike Apple's overpriced MacBooks. While many folks can get by with web apps, the operating system also runs both Android apps and traditional desktop programs. If you haven't tried a Chromebook in a while, you will be surprised by just how great they are these days.
Today, Samsung announces a new premium Chrome OS convertible laptop that oozes elegance. The Galaxy Chromebook, as it is called, is just 9.9mm thin and features an aluminum chassis in either Fiesta Red or Mercury Gray colors. It has a built-in active stylus, 4K AMOLED display, and is powered by an Intel Core processor. It can even be configured with up to 16GB of RAM! It has the latest-and-greatest Wi-Fi 6 for connectivity plus two USB-C ports too. It even has a fingerprint reader -- a rarity for Chrome OS devices.
Error codes are coming to Chrome to help get to the bottom of Aw, Snap! messages
When Chrome crashes, a message reading Aw, Snap! appears -- and it's not particularly helpful. Mindful of this, Google is going to introduce error codes to the browser to help users determine what has gone wrong.
The idea is similar to the blue screen of death (BSoD) that will be familiar to many Windows users. It's currently being tested in the Canary build of Chrome 81, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the error codes will appear in the final build of this version number.
Alexa, have you changed your hair?
People tend to anthropomorphize their virtual assistants, assigning them personalities and physical features such as age, facial expressions and hairstyles according to research from Canada's University of Waterloo.
But giving these qualities to virtual assistants could cause people to reveal more personal information to the companies that own them than they otherwise would, says the study.
My favorite tech items of 2019
Another year over and a new one just begun. That’s where we are today, not only a new year, but a new decade. Welcome to the 20s. The last time we had those my grandparents were young kids, Flappers were in style and nobody saw the great depression coming.
To celebrate the passing of time I'm going to look back at my favorite tech of 2019. Not all is new, but some is. The others are just things I still use all the time. I shall begin with the three new items.
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