Articles about Google

For a long time, the words "don't be evil" were associated with Google. While not an official motto as such, the words were heavily ingrained in the company.

Google's method of operating has caused many people over the years to question the phrase, and when the company was re-organized under Alphabet the motto became "do the right thing". Nonetheless, in the Google Code of Conduct which is given to employees, "don't be evil" remained -- until just a few weeks ago when it was quietly relegated.

Continue reading →

Later this year, Chrome will adopt a new approach to indicating site security. Starting in September, the browser will no longer use a security indicator to highlight the fact that you're visiting an HTTPS page.

Instead, Google will simply issue a warning when a website is not secure. As the company puts it, "users should expect that the web is safe by default, and they’ll be warned when there’s an issue". The change is coming in Chrome 69.

Continue reading →

YouTube TV is a really great streaming TV service that I recommend very highly. Google's offering works so well, that I was able to cancel my cable TV without any regrets. For $40 a month you get tons of channels, local sports, an unlimited cloud DVR, and multi-platform support. Never did I think I would be passionate about a television provider, but here I am.

I follow @YouTubeTV on Twitter so I can learn about suggested programming, but also, that is where the service announces channel additions. That's probably my favorite aspect of YouTube TV -- it is often gaining new channels without raising the price. Case in point, today, YouTube TV announced on Twitter the addition of two new channels -- The Young Turks and Tastemade. In addition to the tweets, YouTube TV also emailed customers about the news.

Continue reading →

Google has announced a new music streaming service, YouTube Music, as well as YouTube Premium, both of which launch next week. The two services come as a result of Google splitting up YouTube Red.

YouTube Premium will be available for $11.99 per month, while YouTube Music will have free and paid-for versions. The free edition will be ad-supported, but these can be banished for $9.99 per month.

Continue reading →

Google Wifi solved the problem of patchy Wi-Fi in my home and it’s fair to say I’m a big fan of the company’s mesh solution.

The app for it, which is used to set up and monitor your network, is great and the Network Check feature is essential for testing the speed of your internet, the connection quality between points, and the Wi-Fi strength of your mobile device. The Network Check feature is about to get better though, with the ability to measure how each individual connected device is performing on your wireless network.

Continue reading →

Cloud storage is one of the most significant innovations in tech history. Let's be honest, many people fail to backup their important files. When something bad happens -- like a drive failing or a smartphone breaking -- people always wish that they had remembered to back things up. With the cloud nowadays, data backup is often done automatically to an off-site location, meaning your data is safe and secure no matter what. Long gone is the need to fiddle with external drives -- which can be lost to a disaster, by the way.

Google Drive is one of the best such options, as the search giant provides an easy and affordable way for you to back up your files, including precious family photos. Not to mention, you want to be sure that the cloud storage is being maintained by a company that is well-known and unlikely to go out of business -- Google certainly meets that. Today, the company announces an upgrade to its paid cloud storage. Called "Google One," the biggest goal is simplicity.

Continue reading →

The fragmentation problem that affects Android not only means that there are a tiny number of users running the latest version of Google's mobile operating system, but also that many handsets are not patched with the latest security update. This could be about to change.

At its I/O developer conference this week, Google announced that its security policies will be changing. While its not clear when this could happen, the company will require some smartphone manufacturers to roll out regular security updates to users.

Continue reading →

There's now just two weeks until the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) law comes into force across Europe. Technology companies have been scrabbling to update their privacy policies in order to comply, and today Google reveals the steps it has taken to become compliant.

In addition to this, the company has also published its updated privacy policy. In keeping with GDPR, this time around the terms are presented in a much more accessible and transparent form.

Continue reading →

Google has announced that it is to acquire Israeli firm Velostrata. This startup specializes in enterprise cloud migration technology.

Velostrata was founded in 2014, and its patented technology will help to give Google valuable tools for its customers looking to migrate from in-premises to cloud solutions.

Continue reading →

Following on from the redesign of Gmail, Google has start to roll out a new interface to Google Drive. The new user interface can be found on the web version of the cloud storage service, but it's likely that mobile apps will follow suit.

Google hasn't made much of a fuss about this redesign, but keeping things in line with other G Suite products makes a lot of sense. The redesign sees the arrival of an updated material look.

Continue reading →

Google has a new tool designed to help developers produce Android apps faster than ever. Called Android Jetpack, it builds on the Support Library and has a strong focus on backwards compatibility.

Android Jetpack also builds on Architecture Components, giving developers access to components, tools and architectural guidance split into four categories -- architecture, foundation, UI and behavior. Each component is provided as an "unbundled" library which Google says means you can "adopt each component at your own speed, at your own time".

Continue reading →

Google is a big supporter and user of Linux. Android, for instance, is the most popular Linux-based distribution in the world. Mobile aside, the search giant also leverages the open source kernel for its desktop operating system -- Chrome OS. While some Linux purists decry calling Google's operating systems "Linux," it simply cannot be denied. They are Linux.

I can understand some people suggesting traditional Linux distributions like Ubuntu or Fedora, but Chrome OS -- and the Chromebooks on which it runs -- is arguably more secure while also being easier to use. If I had to choose one operating system for accessing bank websites, for instance, I'd choose Chrome OS over any other. Unfortunately, its limited nature -- which makes it secure and easy to use -- also hinders power users. Sometimes a web or Android app just won't cut it. Well, folks, thankfully the rumors were true -- traditional Linux programs are coming to Chrome OS!

Continue reading →

Today at its I/O developer conference, Google revealed major changes for Google News. The company says that the revamp combines the best of artificial intelligence with the best of human intelligence, and it sees Google try to rebuild the trust people have in online news.

As well as a revamp of the underlying technology, there are also changes in presentation. A "For You" section in the app provides easy access to the most relevant stories that will be of personal interest, and there are also new opportunities for readers to delve deeper into stories via various news outlets, social media, videos and more via a new timeline tool.

Continue reading →

Today at Google I/O, the search giant unveiled a beta version of Android P, the next release of its mobile operating system.

This future OS makes good use of machine learning in a number of ways, including Adaptive Battery, which prioritizes battery power for the apps and services you use the most, and Adaptive Brightness, which learns how you like to set the brightness based on your surroundings.

Continue reading →

Google’s I/O developer conference is underway and there will be plenty of announcements coming from the search giant.

Hot on the heels of the big makeover for Gmail comes news of another powerful new feature for the webmail service. Smart Compose uses machine learning to help you write responses to emails. It’s a step beyond the Smart Reply feature the company introduced last year.

Continue reading →