Google

Google-owned programmable thermostat company Nest today published a blog post in which it breaks down exactly how much money using a learning thermostat can save. The post, and the included infographic cite “two independent studies” and claim that using a Nest saves customers approximately 10-12% on heating bills and 15% on cooling bills. In total, that’s an average of $131 to $145 a year.

Nexus 5 reappears on Google Play for $349/$399, ships in 1-2 days

Chance Miller Feb 2 2015 - 12:45 pm PT

Last week during its earnings call, Google acknowledged that it had been having issues keeping the Nexus 6 flagship in stock, and in a totally unexpected move today, the company has put the Nexus 5 back up on the Play Store. The device is listed at its original price of $349 for 16GB at $399 for 32GB.

Lollipop finally makes a blip on the radar, makes up a measly 1.6% of Android install base

Stephen Hall Feb 2 2015 - 11:02 am PT

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Android Lollipop is definitely taking its time rolling out to the myriad of Android devices on the market, and until today it wasn’t even included on Google’s developer dashboards page. Today, though, reflecting the week preceding February 2nd, 2015, the page has been updated to show that Android 5.0 Lollipop now accounts for a tiny 1.6% share of the current Android install base.

Android Lollipop rolling out to Samsung Galaxy S5 on Verizon

Stephen Hall Feb 2 2015 - 10:34 am PT

Verizon has always been one of the slower carriers to update their devices to the latest and greatest firmware, but today it seems that the company is breaking that tradition. The Android 5.0 Lollipop update for the Samsung Galaxy S5 started rolling out in some small international countries in December, but this is the first we’ve heard of an American carrier pushing the update.

Verizon Wireless is pleased to announce an operating system update to Android 5.0 Lollipop. This version brings Android beyond smartphones and tablets, allowing access to apps and Android services on other connected screens like TV’s, cars and wearables. The new material design offers complex animations, 3-D views and improved runtime.

You can find the announcement PDF for the update on Verizon’s website. In-mid-January, it was reported that Samsung was rolling out the update to the Galaxy S5 in the United Kingdom, following its tiered rollout in Poland, Spain, Russia, and Malaysia. This update, notably, is Android 5.0, not Google’s latest official build, which is 5.0.2.

(via Android Police)

Google along with Amazon & Microsoft reportedly paying AdBlock to unblock ads

Jordan Kahn Feb 2 2015 - 10:11 am PT

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[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVYtzF5SemU]

Google along with other tech companies including Amazon, Microsoft, and Taboola, have reportedly reached a deal with AdBlock Plus to prevent the service from blocking ads on their websites. Financial Times reports:
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Google Earth Pro features now free to all

Jordan Kahn Jan 30 2015 - 10:47 am PT

Google announced today that it’s making Google Earth Pro free to all, bringing the ability to do things like “measure 3D buildings, print high-resolution images for presentations or reports, and record HD movies” inside Google Earth.

The previously paid advanced Google Earth features were previously used by mostly businesses, scientists and hobbyists, according to Google.

Starting today, even more people will be able to access Google Earth Pro: we’re making it available for free… Whether you’re planning a new office building or a trip to the mountains, check out Google Earth Pro and see how easy it is to visualize your world.

Google is allowing anyone to get a free key to Google Earth Pro by signing up here. The Google Earth Pro app for PC and Mac is available to download here.

[youtube http://youtu.be/SGTRTHr-BDw]

Google confirms it will continue accepting Glassware as it reevaluates Glass developer experience

Stephen Hall Jan 30 2015 - 8:03 am PT

Google Glass is definitely in limbo right now, but as I talked about earlier this week, it’s far too early to say that the project is dead in the water. Those of us that had consumer interest in the project are curious enough about what the future might hold, but what about those who have been investing in development for the platform for two years now? Google—unsurprisingly—says there’s still value in developing for Glass, but also that some changes to the developer experience are incoming…

Google settles dispute with UK, agrees to change privacy policy by June

Ben Lovejoy Jan 30 2015 - 5:04 am PT

Google has had its fair share of privacy-related run-ins with the authorities in Europe, but will now be able to put one of those disputes behind it. TechCrunch reports that the company has reached an agreement with the UK’s privacy watchdog to change its privacy policy in order to comply with UK law.

The UK’s Information Commissioner didn’t object to the personal data collected by Google, but found that it was not properly explaining to consumers what data was collected and how it would be used. Google has agreed to include illustrative examples to help consumers to understand its policies.

In particular the Commissioner recommended that the data controller should do more to bring users’ attention to processing which would not be within their reasonable expectations. When considering this point it was noted that some users will not have sufficient technical knowledge to fully appreciate the ways in which the data controller can obtain their data from their use of the data controller’s products and services, how the data is combined, and how behavioural advertising on the internet operates. It was suggested that further examples of the processing would assist in this regard.

Google also came under fire in the UK last year for continuing to drop cookies in Safari even when users had switched off this option.

Its far bigger fight against Europe’s ‘right to be forgotten‘ legislation is likely to continue to run for some considerable time.

Nexus Player coming to Japan by end of February, its first market out of North America

Chance Miller Jan 29 2015 - 7:55 pm PT

Earlier this month, Google’s Nexus Player became available from a variety of new online retailers and big-box stores, and now the company revealed the first market outside of North America in which the device will be available. In a post on its Asia Pacific Blog, Google has revealed that the Nexus Player will be available in Japan by the end of February.

Google: Users have casted content 1 billion times, Chromecast most popular streaming device in U.S.

Chance Miller Jan 29 2015 - 2:28 pm PT

Google’s Chief Business Officer Omid Kordenstani gave several updates on the status of the company’s $35 Chromecast streaming device during the this evening’s Q4 2014 earnings call. Kordenstani first stated that users have “casted” content to their television more than one billion times. The company says that this is a huge milestone for the streaming stick and the implementation of the Cast functionality in a variety of different apps.

Google CFO admits the company has been unable to keep up with Nexus 6 demand

Chance Miller Jan 29 2015 - 2:10 pm PT

During the company’s Q4 2014 earnings call, Google Chief Financial Officer Patrick Pichette addressed a few of the reasons for the company’s slower than expected quarter. Pichette said that one issue Google had was keeping up with demand the demand for the Nexus 6. Pichette noted that while the device was well received, the company simply couldn’t get the inventory to keep up with consumer demand.

VMware to offer four Google Cloud Platform services later this year

Stephen Hall Jan 29 2015 - 1:21 pm PT

Google has announced on its Google Cloud Platform Blog that it is planning to make four Google Cloud Platform services available to VMware customers later this year:

Many businesses around the world rely on VMware datacenter virtualization solutions to virtualize their infrastructure and optimize the agility and efficiency of their data centers. Today we’re excited to announce that we are teaming up with VMware to make select Google Cloud Platform services available to VMware customers via vCloud Air, VMware’s hybrid cloud platform. We know how valuable flexibility is to a business when determining its total infrastructure solution, and with today’s announcement, enterprise businesses leveraging VMware’s datacenter virtualization solutions gain the flexibility to easily integrate Google Cloud Platform.

Google announces Q4 2014 earnings: $18.1B revenue, $6.88 EPS, $4.76B net income

Zac Hall Jan 29 2015 - 1:12 pm PT

[youtube http://youtu.be/0DPgWaxOcNw]

Google is out today with its Q4 2014 earnings results from the holiday quarter. The company reports revenue of $18.1 billion, earnings per share of $6.88, with net income of $4.76 billion.

“Google’s full year revenue for 2014 was $66 billion, up 19% year on year,” said Patrick Pichette, CFO of Google, “and this quarter, our revenue was $18.1 billion, despite strong currency headwinds.”

Google will host a live earnings call (embed above) with investors and analysts to discuss its earnings report at 1:30 PM (PT) / 4:30 PM (ET) today.

OnePlus teases ‘Back to Basics’ announcement following removal of Cyanogen branding from the One

Stephen Hall Jan 29 2015 - 10:30 am PT

OnePlus is today teasing an announcement for tomorrow with the tagline “Back to Basics,” but no one really has any idea what the company plans to tell us about. Interestingly, the teaser image that OnePlus posted across its social media profiles (seen above) definitely makes reference to the Breaking Bad title screen, but it’s not clear yet what it might mean.

Also, updated models of the OnePlus One without Cyanogen branding on their back covers have begun shipping…

Google shares stats on Inbox adoption, opens invites for 24 hrs

Jordan Kahn Jan 29 2015 - 9:30 am PT

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Google today shared some stats on its recently released Inbox email app experience, an alternative to Gmail that provides a unique Gmail meets Google Now take on email for both desktop and mobile users. It’s also opening up invites to all for a 24 hour period starting today.
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Rolling Stone magazine archives coming to Google Play Newsstand tomorrow, initially free

Ben Lovejoy Jan 29 2015 - 6:19 am PT

Rolling Stone magazine is making some of its archived issues available in the Google Play Newsstand app, with three or four major stories from each issue available for free. The move is being made in partnership with Google as a means of promoting the app, reports Fast Company.

Google Play’s global head of marketing Brian Irving says he views the Rolling Stone partnership as a way to demonstrate the possibilities of Google Play’s Newsstand, which he argues is better suited for content discovery than Apple’s Newsstand, due to features like customizable themes and key word searches.

Gus Wenner, son of Rolling Stone founder Jann Wenner, said there was enormous interest in archived stories when properly promoted …
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Chrome Beta for Android updated w/ pull-to-refresh, performance improvements

Chance Miller Jan 28 2015 - 6:19 pm PT

Google announced this evening in a blog post that Chrome 41 Beta for Android is now available. The update is rolling out to users via the Play Store now, according to the company, and bumps the app to version 41.0.2272.34.

While relatively minor, the update does add the ability to pull-to-refresh “most” webpages, a feature that will make the web browsing experience a bit more seamless and similar what users are used to in other apps.

Google defends itself, says it fought WikiLeaks gag orders

Stephen Hall Jan 28 2015 - 12:29 pm PT

We told you earlier this week about a letter sent from WikiLeaks to Google, asking why it took so long for the Mountain View company to notify them of federal warrants for their personal data. Google apparently stood up against the gag orders preventing them from doing so (via The Washington Post), saying it “challenged the secrecy from the beginning.”

Google Play Store saw 60% more downloads than iOS App Store, though Apple made more money

Ben Lovejoy Jan 28 2015 - 7:34 am PT

Android apps from the Google Play Store were 60% higher than those from the iOS App Store, reports mobile analytics firm App Annie in its 2014 retrospective. Total Android downloads will be higher when other app stores are figured in.

Recent data from AppFigures also showed that the Play Store now has more apps and more developers than iOS. iOS apps did, though, make more money, the data showing that Apple’s app downloads generated around 70% more revenue.

App Annie’s data, which is generated by analytics from more than 700,000 apps, showed that just three countries generated more app revenue than the rest of the world combined–the USA, Japan and Korea–while the so-called BRIC nations (Brazil, Russia, China and India) were not surprisingly the fastest-growing regions.

Google adds new Street View imagery of Rideau Canal Skateway in Ottawa

Chance Miller Jan 27 2015 - 7:06 pm PT

[googlemaps https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m0!3m2!1sen!2sus!4v1422413696276!6m8!1m7!1sS6MvpZwWN03vSEO4uV8KzA!2m2!1d45.394028!2d-75.691904!3f88.79!4f11.010000000000005!5f0.7820865974627469&w=704&h=400]

Google is always expanding the imagery available in its Street View feature in Maps, and this evening the company has announced in a blog post that it has added new data from the Rideau Canal Skateway in Ottawa. The city is set to kick off its annular Winterlude Festival next week, which is a three-week long event that hosts a variety of games, shows, and activities.

Google exec chairman Eric Schmidt says can easily name his hero: Steve Jobs

Ben Lovejoy Jan 27 2015 - 6:17 am PT

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[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFBXT9D00kM&start=2224]

Asked at a tech conference to name his hero, Google exec chairman Eric Schmidt told interviewer Sal Khan (of Khan Academy) that the answer came immediately to mind.

For me, it’s easy: Steve Jobs […] When I look at what he achieved in terms of impact on society, we could all aspire to be a small percentage of Steve.

Speaking at the Commonwealth Club of California’s Silicon Valley event , Schmidt said that while the competition between Google and Apple had not always made things easy, it worked out because they shared a mutual respect. Jobs was, he said, an exceptional person, and they are always worth spending time with “because there’s a good chance they’ll change the world.”

Schmidt served on Apple’s board from 2006 to 2009, at which point he resigned due to increasing competition between the two companies.

Why a Google MVNO is exactly what the US wireless industry needs

Chance Miller Jan 26 2015 - 3:40 pm PT

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Earlier this month, reports emerged claiming that Google was planning to launch its own wireless network called, at least in its developmental stage, Nova. The reports claimed that Google would partner with Sprint and T-Mobile for the network, notably without any contribution from the two biggest United State carriers, AT&T and Verizon.

Google opens up Crisis Response Map for Blizzard of 2015

Seth Weintraub Jan 26 2015 - 2:20 pm PT

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As it does for other Global emergencies, Google has opened up its Crises Map to consolidate all kinds of geo-info for folks in the Northeast and their loved-ones to get the latest info on the Blizzard of 2015.

When a disaster strikes, the Google Crisis Response team assesses the severity and scope of the disaster, and the relevance of our tools for the situation to determine whether and how to respond.

Stay safe out there!

[tweet https://twitter.com/googlecr/status/559829052648079360]

[tweet https://twitter.com/google/status/559864986269646848]

Five teams awarded $5.25 million for Google Lunar Xprize milestone accomplishments

Stephen Hall Jan 26 2015 - 11:38 am PT

The Google Lunar Xprize contest has the final goal of taking a robot to the moon, but it’s not just going to lay out the entire $30 million in prizes on one day. Today, Google and Xprize announced five companies that are sharing a total of $5.25 million for reaching milestones in three categories of achievement.