Google

There are literally billions of searches on Google every single day, so understandably, the company spends a lot of time refining the search UI for the better. Right now, there’s a test ongoing which trades out the current paginated search results for a simple “more results” button.

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Shortly after word broke that Google was working with the Department of Defense on open-source software to help analyze drone footage, employees began forwarding along a petition internally asking Sundar Pichai to end participation in the project. Additionally, the letter asks that Google bans all future “warfare technology.”

Do you think Google should avoid working with the military or providing open-source software for the government?

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Last month, a report revealed that Google was partnering with the Department of Defense on machine learning to analyze drone footage. This project caused an uproar within the company, with Googlers circulating a letter asking Sundar Pichai to drop the project and ban future “warfare technology.”

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Our favorite phones for the past couple of years have been Google’s Pixel devices. The originals were an impressive start, and round two refined the formula. The biggest problem, though, has been the cost. Now, however, it seems that Google is developing a more affordable version of the device for emerging markets.

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Wireless spectrum in the U.S. is always in demand, especially as carriers prepare for the impending launch of 5G networks. However, a significant chunk of airwaves are becoming available this year, with the potential to open up the industry. Google is leading the push and positioning itself to take advantage, possibly becoming a big player in the process.

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Back in 2016, it seemed that the long-running Oracle vs. Google trial over the use of Java in Android was coming to a close. Google won a resounding victory with jurors ruling that the Android usage was fair use. Unsurprisingly, Oracle appealed and today won that decision, with wide-ranging applications for the tech industry.

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This morning, Google officially took the wraps off of Chromebook tablets with the unveiling of the Acer Chromebook Tab 10. Now customers can enjoy the ease-of-use found in Chrome OS while also using Android apps in a tablet form factor.

Do you see a benefit of buying a tablet running Chrome OS over something running software from Apple or Microsoft?

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Google’s packaging changes year-by-year on its various products, but with the company’s Chromecast family, we haven’t seen a revamp in a fair bit. However, to line up with the Pixel 2 family and Pixelbook laptop, Google seems to have quietly revamped the packaging on its popular streamers.

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Android is a powerful mobile OS, but what really makes it what it is today is Google’s suite of applications. “GApps” as they’re commonly referred to, are a collection of apps that live at the core of Android to make it better. Users know the value of Google’s apps on Android, and that’s why the company has requirements on which devices can pre-load that suite. Now, though, Google is making those restrictions a bit tighter…

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After debuting a lot of new features in its apps last year, it seems that YouTube is working on the next round. Just last week we discovered a new picture-in-picture mode coming to the platform, and now it seems YouTube is also working on a new “miniplayer.”

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Whenever it has new tech, Google generally comes up with some crazy experiments to go along with it. This week we’ve seen a ton of new development in ARCore, and that includes a fun new app directly from Google itself…

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Over the weekend, Google was found to be giving the police in Raleigh, NC  private user location data when served with a search warrant. While this has been done in the hope to catch a criminal, it also ends up giving law enforcement innocent people’s private data just for being in the area.

How do you feel about Google potentially handing over your private location history to the police?

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Google is offering a new service called Shopping Actions which will allow consumers to spot something they want in a Google search and then buy it through sponsored results alongside the organic results. The service is initially being piloted with Target, Walmart, Home Depot, Costco and other large chains, but will be open to smaller retailers too …

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