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Google now owns abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz.com

Avatar for Stephen Hall Oct 8 2015 - 6:59 am PT
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Apparently owning abc.xyz isn’t enough for the newly-formed conglomerate headed up by Google’s co-founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin. Thanks to a recent change in DNS registrant info, we now know that Google has (via DomainInvesting) acquired abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz.com, a site that was first registered all the way back in 1999…

Prior to Google’s new ownership, the domain was privately owned and wasn’t being used for anything. We don’t know yet — and probably won’t ever know — what Google paid for the name, but it’s likely to be a hefty amount if it was acquired after the Alphabet announcement. We also don’t know what Google will use the domain for, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see it redirect to abc.xyz.

Google announced the major restructuring of its entire organization just a couple of months ago, starting with the creation of a brand-new company called Alphabet, Inc., which is now the parent company of Google and many other now-separate divisions of the company. Previous SVP of Android/Chrome/Google Apps Sundar Pichai now serves as CEO of Google.

9to5Toys Lunch Break: Unlocked 32 GB Nexus 6 $300, Bose around-ear headphones $100, more

Avatar for Stephen Hall Oct 7 2015 - 12:31 pm PT
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Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Motorola Nexus 6 Unlocked 32GB: $300 shipped (Orig. $650)

Over-Ear Headphones: Bose SoundTrue $100 (Reg. $120), Sennheiser HD202 $15 (Reg. $25), more

JayBird BlueBuds X Sport Bluetooth Sweat Proof Headphones $90 shipped (Reg. $130), more

HP AirPrint Wireless All-in-One Printers: InkJet $35 (Reg. $60), LaserJet $304 (Reg. $400+)

Amazon Student Days: Fire TV (4K model) $60, free $5 credit w/ Gift Card purchase, SanDisk 64GB Wi-Fi Flash Drive $45, more

Giveaway: Trinity Delta aluminum earbuds feature a unique design and top-notch sound ($135 value), 20% discount

More new gear from today:

Amazon Gold Box – 50% or more off Halloween Costumes: Darth Vader $17, Thor $30, Supergirl $12, more

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/651729413374087168 align=’center’]

More deals still alive:

USB Power Deals: KMASHI 15,000mAh USB $14 (Reg. $20), Aukey 2A Wall Charger $8 (Reg. $16), more

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/651126504156368896 align=’center’]

New products & more:

Logitech’s new Harmony Home Hub Extender lets the pizza man in with your remote

Roku’s new streaming media player supports 4K and finds your remote control for you

Google launches experimental Delhi Public Trasnport Offline app

Avatar for Stephen Hall Oct 7 2015 - 12:19 pm PT
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Google has today released a new app called Delhi Public Transport Offline and, well, most people probably don’t need it. But if you do happen to live in Delhi and would like a very simple app to help you get around town via public transportation, today’s your lucky day — it’s free, and it’s packed with lots of features that might make a quick download worth your time…
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PSA: Google no longer allowing tap and pay through Google Wallet

Avatar for Stephen Hall Oct 7 2015 - 11:20 am PT
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If you’re an Android Pay holdout, you might have found this morning that tap and pay has stopped working with the old Google Wallet app. Google has been warning users since Android Pay first became available three weeks ago that they need to update to the new app to keep using tap and pay, and now the Mountain View company is requiring it…

This is unfortunate for users who prefer to keep their device rooted for a variety of reasons. While rooted devices worked fine with tap and pay through Google Wallet, Android Pay — touting its high levels of security and all — doesn’t play along very well. The new Google Wallet app doesn’t offer tap and pay functionality at all.

If you’re seeing this message and need to update to Android Pay, head over to the Play Store. And if you’re looking for the new Google Wallet (which is available through a completely new listing), you can find that over at Google Play as well.

Nexus 6 price drops further to $299, but not for long

Avatar for Cam Bunton Oct 7 2015 - 9:21 am PT
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With Google having recently announced the brand new LG and Huawei-made Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P, it could be the perfect time to pick up last year’s “Pure Android” flagship. The Motorola Nexus 6 recently got dropped to just $349 on Amazon, but a third-party reseller on eBay has just undercut that price by a cool $50. You can buy last year’s stock Android flagship for just $299.

As far as specs go, the Nexus 6 still holds up really well. In fact, it’s still my daily driver. That’s mostly to do with how smoothly it runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow which I’ve been running since Dev Preview 2. It has a huge 5.9-inch QuadHD display, stereo front-facing speakers, 3220mAh battery with QuickCharge and Qi charging support along with Snapdragon’s powerful quad-core 805-series processor.

The eBay listing notes that quantities are limited, so if you’re wanting to snag the N6 as cheaply as possible, you should do so before inventory vanishes.

Google launches Accelerated Mobile Pages Project, its plan to speed up the mobile web

Avatar for Stephen Hall Oct 7 2015 - 8:07 am PT
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With the debate over ads and the speed of the mobile web growing every day, many web companies like Apple and Facebook have pushed for publishers to hand over their content in the name of a better experience for users. But content creators — for the most part — don’t want to do that, and Google knows that. So today, the Mountain View company has announced the Accelerated Mobile Pages initiative, a plan it’s leading to make the mobile web faster…
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Google, Apple & Microsoft called out on “pretend” overseas tax arrangements by Citizens for Tax Justice

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Oct 7 2015 - 6:32 am PT
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Lobbying group Citizens for Tax Justice has called out Google, Apple and Microsoft and others for what it described as “accounting tricks” in which companies “pretend” to be based overseas for tax purposes. The claims were made in a report entitled Offshore Shell Games 2015.

Many multinational corporations use accounting tricks to pretend for tax purposes that a substantial portion of their profits are generated in offshore tax havens, countries with minimal or no taxes where a company’s presence may be as little as a mailbox. Multinational corporations’ use of tax havens allows them to avoid an estimated $90 billion in federal income taxes each year.

Google’s overseas tax arrangements came under fire in the UK back in 2013 when it was revealed that the company paid just £6M ($9.4M) on a UK turnover of £395M ($620M), claiming that all its advertising sales were made by staff in Ireland (a claim later challenged) …


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9to5Toys Lunch Break: Moto E 2015 for Verizon $40, Wireless Laser printer $25, more

Avatar for Stephen Hall Oct 6 2015 - 12:48 pm PT
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Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Verizon Wireless Prepaid Moto E 4G w/ 8 GB flash: $40 shipped (Reg. $70) | Fry’s

Daily Deals: Pantum Wireless Mono Laser Printer $25, EnerPlex Solar Case for iPhone 5/5s $15, more

USB Power Deals: KMASHI 15,000mAh USB $14 (Reg. $20), Aukey 2A Wall Charger $8 (Reg. $16), more

PS4 Destiny Taken King Limited Edition Bundle $350, Xbox One Gears of War bundle + 40″ HDTV $470 w/ .EDU, more

Roku’s new streaming media player supports 4K and finds your remote control for you

Giveaway: Trinity Delta aluminum earbuds feature a unique design and top-notch sound ($135 value), 20% discount

More new gear from today:

Beyerdynamic A200p Portable DAC Headphone Amp for iPhone/Android $160 shipped (Reg. $200)

More deals still alive:

Philips hue Lux LED Starter Kit $60 shipped (Orig. $80), 750-Lumen 9W LED Light Bulb $15 (Orig. $35)

JayBird BlueBuds X Sport Bluetooth Sweat Proof Headphones $90 shipped (Reg. $130), more

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/651126504156368896 align=’center’]

New products & more:

Mattel’s retro-rebooted $30 VR View-Master is now available for iOS and Android

Review: Rock Band 4 makes an old favorite come alive with refreshed gameplay, new songs & updated hardware

 

Google reportedly nears investment in secure messaging startup Symphony

Avatar for Stephen Hall Oct 6 2015 - 10:32 am PT
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According to recent reports from both Re/code and The Wall Street Journal, Google is in the later stages of talks to invest in Symphony, a startup building a secure messaging platform. While the exact terms of the investment, including its value, have not been determined, WSJ’s report said that the deal will value Symphony at $650 million…
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Porsche rejects Android Auto for new 911, saying that Google demands access to too much data

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Oct 6 2015 - 4:55 am PT
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Update: While Google has not commented directly on Porsche’s reported rejection of Android Auto, the company made a statement to The Verge in which it denied that it currently collects any of the data mentioned in the original report. It does not go as far as saying that it has not requested access to such data.

“We take privacy very seriously and do not collect the data the Motor Trend article claims such as throttle position, oil temp, and coolant temp,” Google said in a statement to The Verge. “Users opt in to share information with Android Auto that improves their experience, so the system can be hands-free when in drive, and provide more accurate navigation through the car’s GPS.”

Sportscar manufacturer Porsche has rejected Android Auto for the 2017 version of its famous 911, saying that Google demands access to too much data, reports Motor Trend.

As part of the agreement an automaker would have to enter with Google, certain pieces of data must be collected and [sent] back to Mountain View, California. Stuff like vehicle speed, throttle position, coolant and oil temp, engine revs—basically Google wants a complete OBD2 dump whenever someone activates Android Auto.

Porsche has approved Apple’s CarPlay, as this requires access to only a single piece of data: whether or not the car is moving.

Porsche’s parent company Volkswagen is, however, pressing full speed ahead with Google’s in-car infotainment system, stating back in July that almost every 2016 Volkswagen model in almost every trim level will get Android Auto support.

Android Auto got a user-interface refresh back in August.

T-Mobile details its Android 6.0 Marshmallow update strategy for 17 devices

Avatar for Chance Miller Oct 5 2015 - 5:24 pm PT
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On the same day that Google released the factory images for Android 6.0 Marshmallow, T-Mobile has updated its Software Updates support page with details on its plans for the rollout. T-Mobile has listed the 17 devices that it plans to update to the latest version of the Android operating system.

T-Mobile says there are three main stages to its update process. The first is “Manufacturer Development,” which means T-Mobile and the manufacturer have agreed to support a software update. The second stage is “T-Mobile Testing,” during which the carrier itself tests the latest build of the operating system. Finally, the final stage is “Completed” and is when the update starts to rollout to users.

You can view T-Mobile’s Software Updates page here and track the progress of an update to your device. Below are the 17 devices on T-Mobile that will receive Android 6.0 Marshmallow:

  • HTC
    • One M8
    • One M9
  • LG
    • G3
    • G4
    • G Stylo
  • Nexus devices
    • Nexus 5
    • Nexus 6
    • Nexus 7
    • Nexus 9
  • Samsung
    • Galaxy Note 4
    • Galaxy Note 5
    • Galaxy Note Edge
    • Galaxy S5
    • Galaxy S6
    • Galaxy S6 edge
    • Galaxy S6 edge+
    • Galaxy Tab S2

9to5Toys Lunch Break: Mattel’s VR View-Master now available for $30, Bluetooth audio adapter $8, more

Avatar for Stephen Hall Oct 5 2015 - 12:37 pm PT
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Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Mattel’s retro-rebooted $30 VR View-Master is now available for iOS and Android

Add Bluetooth/mic to any Aux speaker or headphones for $8 Prime shipped

Giveaway: Trinity Delta aluminum earbuds feature a unique design and top-notch sound ($135 value), 20% discount

Review: Rock Band 4 makes an old favorite come alive with refreshed gameplay, new songs & updated hardware

More new gear from today:

Add a TiVO Roamio OTA HD DVR w/ Lifetime service to your Cord Cutter setup for a one-time $300 fee

More deals still alive:

First-gen LG Watch Urbane smartwatch: $225 shipped (Reg. $280)

New products & more:

The Sondors eBike is loaded with features and surprisingly affordable

 

Review: Chromecast Audio brings new life to dated speakers for just $35

Avatar for Zac Hall Oct 5 2015 - 11:17 am PT
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I’m an Apple guy. I have enough Apple hardware around my house to serve as a mini-museum and I use Apple’s software and services every single day. But when Google makes something interesting like Chromecast Audio, I can’t help but want to try out the new toy.

Sold for just $35 (Google Store, Best Buy), Chromecast Audio lets you stream audio over the Internet from services like Spotify and NPR to old speakers. This varies from Apple’s AirPlay in that audio streams directly to the Chromecast Audio rather than from device to device, using your iPhone or iPad only as the remote. In practice, Chromecast Audio is most similar to Sonos, but with Google’s accessory selling at a much lower, irresistible price as it relies on your existing speakers rather than all-in-one units.

So what exactly is Chromecast Audio and what can it do? Read on for details…
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Nat & Lo tease Marshmallow’s Easter egg in today’s episode [Video]

Avatar for Stephen Hall Oct 5 2015 - 8:52 am PT
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Update: Just as this article was being published, Google released the Android Marshmallow factory images.

Nat & Lo make videos about Google for their 20% project at Google, and today they’ve released episode 8. And with Google likely planning to push Android Marshmallow today (or very soon if not today),  it would make sense for the pair to release a video covering the brief history of Easter eggs in Android…
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Google accidentally mentions Droid Maxx 2 in Chromecast support document

Avatar for Stephen Hall Oct 5 2015 - 8:15 am PT
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Update: It’s gone.

It’s not really a matter that’s up in the air, but now the confirmation is coming straight from Google. At the time of this writing, the “Optimized devices for Android Screen casting” Chromecast support page lists the “Droid Maxx 2,” a phone that hasn’t yet been announced in any official capacity…
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Interbrand again names Google world’s 2nd most valuable brand, behind Apple

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Oct 5 2015 - 5:18 am PT
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Interbrand has named Google as the world’s second most valuable brand for the third year running, estimating that it increased its total value by 12% to $120B. The company bases its estimates on a mix of the financial performance of the company, its ability to influence purchase decisions and the degree of brand loyalty it enjoys.

Google again took second place to Apple, wich saw its value climb by 43% in the past year to hit $170B.

Tech companies made up half of the top 10, Microsoft at #4, IBM at #5 and Samsung retaining 7th place. A similar brand equity ranking by Millward Brand back in May also gave Apple and Google the top two slots.

Google was first overtaken by Apple in 2013 after previously holding a 4-place lead. Google did, however, retain its place as the best company to work for, Fortune giving it the slot for its fourth consecutive year.

Via The Verge

Alphabet drops Google’s ‘don’t be evil’ in favor of ‘do the right thing’ in new code of conduct

Avatar for Cam Bunton Oct 3 2015 - 1:06 pm PT
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Google has somewhat famously adopted the the phrase ‘don’t be evil’ as a business-wide mantra in the past. In fact, it was written in the company’s code of conduct for employees. With the company adopting an entirely new structure, the time has finally come for the mantra to change. Alphabet, the new holding company’s message to employees: Do the right thing.


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9to5Toys Lunch Break: Jawbone BIG JAMBOX $120, New LG G3 (unlocked) $250, more

Avatar for Stephen Hall Oct 2 2015 - 1:18 pm PT
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Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Jawbone BIG JAMBOX Wireless Bluetooth Speaker (dented box) $120 shipped (Reg. $180)

UE ROLL 360 Bluetooth Speaker (all colors): $90 shipped (Reg. $100)

Inateck MercuryBox Aluminum Bluetooth 4.0 Ultra-Portable Speaker: $37 shipped (Reg. $46)

Omaker M4 Splashproof Bluetooth Speaker: $19 Prime shipped (Reg. $35)

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/649965417776160768 align=’center’]

LG G3 D850 32 GB unlocked new 32 GB: $250 shipped (Reg. $450) | eBay

First-gen LG Watch Urbane smartwatch: $225 shipped (Reg. $280)

Chromecast, Chromecast Audio, Nexus 5X & 6P pre-orders now live on the Google Store

Staples $100 Gift Card w/ email delivery for $85 from PayPal (15% off): save on Apple gear, Beats, office supplies, more

The best-selling Klipsch SB 120 Bluetooth TV Sound System is on sale for $159 shipped (Reg. $260+)

More new gear from today:

Daily Deals: LG WXGA LED Minibeam Projector $300, Westinghouse 24-inch LED 1080p HDTV $100, more

More deals still alive:

GoPro HERO3+ Silver Edition Camera (Refurb): $169 shipped (Orig. $240)

New products & more:

These Bluetooth earbuds use your iPhone’s Lightning port to charge

BRO Ball combines Bluetooth audio and pigskin for the ultimate tailgate companion

Under Alphabet, Google’s startup companies will have more freedom and autonomy than before

Avatar for Chance Miller Oct 1 2015 - 5:28 pm PT
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Google’s recent reorganization under its parent company Alphabet Inc. will bring about several changes for its smaller startup companies, the Wall Street Journal reports. Those smaller companies, such as Nest, are known as “bets” in Alphabet and will have a significantly higher amount of freedom than before.


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Hands-on with the LG V10 and the LG Watch Urbane 2nd Edition [Video + Gallery]

Avatar for Stephen Hall Oct 1 2015 - 10:07 am PT
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LG last night announced its LG V10 smartphone alongside the forthcoming LG Watch Urbane 2nd Edition, but today the company held an event in New York City to show off the new products. We were on the ground at the event to take a look at the goodies, and below you’ll find a photo gallery and a hands-on video with the new Watch Urbane…
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Former Google employee was able to buy the google.com domain … for one minute

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Oct 1 2015 - 5:11 am PT
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There have been other cases of huge companies forgetting to renew their domains, and inadvertantly making them available to others to purchase, but one domain you might have thought would be well-protected from such mistakes is google.com. Not so, it appears: a former Google employee noticed that the domain was available for purchase via Google’s own domain name service – and successfully bought it.

Sanmay Ved, former ad sales lead for the company in Australia and NZ, said that he was just exploring the Google Domains interface and entered google.com to see what domains it would suggest.

To my surprise, Google.com was showing as available! I clicked the add to cart icon beside the domain (which should not appear if the domain is not available for sale). The domain actually got added to my cart as seen by the green check-box, and the domain appeared in my cart.

The transaction successfully completed and he started receiving emails intended for Google’s webmaster.

The company didn’t take long to notice, however: Ved reports that Google cancelled the transaction one minute later, something it was able to do immediately only because the domain had been bought using Google’s own service. If he had bought it elsewhere, getting it back again would have taken rather longer.

Oh, and the cost of owning one of the world’s most valuable domains? $12. Refunded when Google took it back. Would have been totally worth it for the bragging rights (“Oh yeah, I used to own google.com”) even without the refund …

You can read the full story, complete with screengrabs, at Ved’s LinkedIn blog.

Via Business Insider

Microsoft and Google officially end their phone and gaming patent battles

Avatar for Cam Bunton Oct 1 2015 - 3:43 am PT
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Microsoft and Google have announced that they’re dropping their long-running smartphone and video game console patent disputes. This announcement brings an end to some 20 lawsuits in the States and in Europe. Neither company revealed the exact financial terms, but did announce that instead of fighting each other over technology, that they envisage a future where the work together for the benefit of their customers…


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