Google
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Chrome’s Real-Time Safe Browsing Change

Google has announced the introduction of real-time, privacy-preserving URL protection to Google Safe Browsing for those using Chrome on desktop or iOS (and Android later this month).  Why?  Google says with attacks constantly…

Google Pauses Gemini AI Over ‘Historical Inaccuracies’

Only a month after its launch, Google has paused its text-to-image AI tool following “inaccuracies” in some of the historical depictions of people produced by the model.  Inaccuracies An example of the inaccuracy issue (as highlighted…

Google Waits On Hold For You Until A Human Answers

Google’s new “Talk to a Live Representative” feature will call a business for you, wait on hold for you, and call you when a human representative is available.  Being Tested  Similar to Google Pixel’s existing “Hold…
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Google’s AI Saves Your Conversations For 3 Years

If you’ve ever been concerned about the privacy aspects of AI, you may be very surprised to learn that conversations you have with Google’s new Gemini AI apps are “retained for up to 3 years” by default.  Up To Three Years  With…
Google Robot
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Google Launches Gemini Subscription

Google has rebranded its Bard chatbot as Gemini, the name of its new powerful AI model family, and launched a $20 per month ‘Gemini Advanced’ subscription service.  Gemini Advanced  To compete with the likes of ChatGPT,…
Google maps

Google Maps Gets AI Boost

Google has announced that it is trying out generative AI within Google Maps as a way for users to discover new places based on their questions.  How?  What Google means is that if users, for example, are visiting a town or city,…
Google mail

New Yahoo & Google Guidelines For Bulk Emails

With newly expanded Google and Yahoo guidelines for high-volume emailers coming into force from the 1st of February, we look at what needs to be done to comply.  Why? As Google says about the reason for the new guidelines: “we’ll…
gmail

New Feature To Declutter Your Gmail Inbox

Included in a recent major update to Google’s Gmail on Android (for now), a new feature can help users to declutter and remove annoying spam from their inbox.  Select All Option  The new feature (currently being rolled out) enables…
Data Centre

Work Starts On £790m UK Google Data Centre

Work has started on Google’s first UK data centre which will cost $1 billion (£790m), will add to Google’s 27 data centres worldwide, and will support its move into AI.  Crucial Compute Capacity  The data centre is being built…
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Google Waives Exit Fees for Cloud Data Transfers

Google has announced that Google Cloud customers who want to switch and migrate their network data to another cloud provider and/or on-premises will no longer be charged a transfer fee to do so.  How?  The process for the free transfer…
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Pin Tabs In Chrome To Save Time And Stay Organised

If there are websites that you use regularly, pinning tabs is a way to save time, stay organised, and get right to the websites you need every time you open your Google Chrome browser. Here’s how it works: Open Chrome and type in the…
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Google’s Ultra-Powerful Gemini AI

Google has announced the phased rollout of its new ‘Gemini’ family of large language models with the Ultra version said to rival the abilities of OpenAI’s GPT-4.  What Is Gemini?  Gemini, which Google describes as its “newest…
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Using Chrome As A Drag And Drop File Viewer

If you’d like to save time and conveniently view various types of files like PDFs, images, and text documents directly in the browser, eliminating the need for multiple separate applications, here’s how to use Google Chrome as simple, all-purpose,…
google

Google Files Fiasco

An issue with Google’s cloud that locked some Google Drive for desktop users out of some of their files from the last six months has led to some angry comments being left on Google’s community support site.  Reported Over A Week…
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Use Chrome As A Simple Note-Taking App

If you’re using Google Chrome to browse the internet and want a quick way to jot down notes or ideas without needing a separate app, this trick will turn a Chrome tab into a simple note-taking app. Here’s how it works:  Open a…
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Silence Distracting Website Notifications Using Chrome’s ‘Mute Site’

If you’re often overwhelmed by notifications such as customer service chats or discount alerts when you arrive on a website, Google Chrome has an in-built feature to instantly mute these. Here’s how it works:  When using Chrome…
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Filtering Video Searches In Google

If you need to search Google for a specific video, or for the best version of that video, Google Search lets you filter video results by duration, time, quality, source, and more. Here's how it works: Type the words into Google Search that…
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Use Google Translate To Check For Mistakes In Your Content

If you’ve written content such as blog posts, articles etc that you’d like to check thoroughly for any mistakes and hear more clearly how it sounds being read back, try using Google Translate. Here’s how.  Go to Google Translate.  Copy…
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Google Tests Tool Against IP-Based Tracking

Google is testing ‘IP Protection’, a feature for Chrome that sends third-party traffic for a set of domains through proxies to mask their IP addresses, thereby boosting privacy by fighting IP-based covert tracking.  IP Addresses  An…
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Google Offers Protection From AI-Related Lawsuits

Google Cloud has announced in a blog post that if customers are challenged on copyright grounds through using its generative AI products (Duet AI), Google will offer limited indemnity and assume responsibility for the potential legal risks…
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Google’s Bard Now Manages Your Email

Google has announced that it is embedding its ‘Bard’ chatbot into its apps and services with the launch of ‘Bard Extensions’.  Bard  In a similar way to Microsoft’s Copilot, Google’s own ‘Duet’ (for Google Cloud…
FitBit
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Fitbit Data Transfer Complaints

Vienna-based advocacy group ‘Noyb’ has filed complaints against Google-owned Fitbit, alleging that it has violated the EU’s GDPR over illegal exporting of user data.  Complaints In Three Countries  Noyb, which stands for ‘None…
Google
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Google’s Answer To Copilot

In this article, we take a look at what Google’s ‘Duet’ is, it’s features and potential benefits to businesses, and the price.  Duet  Introduced in May this year, Duet AI in the Google Cloud is essentially Google’s answer…
AI
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Watermark Trial To Spot AI Images

Google’s AI research lab DeepMind has announced that in partnership with Google Cloud, it’s launching a beta version of SynthID, a tool for watermarking and identifying AI-generated images.  The AI Image Challenge  Generative…
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Android Update Glitch Causing Silent 999 Calls

A recent update to Android 13 has led to reports of an increase in the number of false 999 calls / ‘silent’ calls.  Reports By Police  The police have reported that an increase in the number of silent 999 calls in recent months…
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AI Improving Coding & Data Sorting

Google DeepMind’s AlphaDev artificial intelligence (AI) system has produced new algorithms that can write code better than humans and could create better programs.  Discovering Enhanced Algorithms  In a recent research paper,…
google

Google Deletes Dormant Data

In this insight we look at Google’s updated inactive account policy whereby Google accounts not used for 2 years could be deleted, meaning the loss of important emails, photos, data and more. Gmail, YouTube, & Google Photos Accounts The…
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Erasing Yourself From Google

In this insight, we look at the steps you can take to erase any details about yourself from Google to protect your privacy.  Why Might A Person Want To Erase Their Details From Google?  Google collects your personal information…
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Passwordless Future : Google ‘Passkeys’

Google has announced the rollout of ‘Passkeys,’ which it describes as “the easiest and most secure way to sign-in to apps and websites” and a major step toward a “passwordless future.” Working Toward A Passwordless…
gmail

Gmail To Get Blue Checkmarks For Verification

Google has announced that Gmail has introduced blue checkmarks next to select senders’ names to help users identify messages from legitimate senders. Will Work If You’ve Adopted ‘BIMI’ The new checkmark verification symbols work…
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Google To Use Generative AI For Ad Campaigns

A report in the Financial Times (drawing upon an internal Google Presentation) claims that Google plans to use AI to generate new advertisements, drawing upon those already created by humans.  Creates The Ads For You  The use of…
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Tech Tip – Using The Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool

In addition to Windows Defender, Windows 10 has a Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT) that's designed to remove hidden malware from your device, and normally receives regular updates and runs itself in the background. However, if you're…
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Tech Tip – How To Add Emphasis To Your Words In WhatsApp

If you’d like to be able to add a bit more emphasis to some of your messages in WhatsApp, here are some fast and easy manual ways to add bold, italic, or strikethrough. To make word or phrase bold, put asterisks either side of the word…
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Tech Tip – How To Annotate PDF Files In Google Drive On An Android Device

Google has announced that you can now use a stylus or your finger to annotate PDFs in the Google Drive app on your Android device. Here’s how: On the Android Device, open the Google Drive app. To enter preview mode, open the PDF you…
Google

Google Bard’s $100 Billion Bungle

$100 billion/£82.7bn is reported to have been wiped off the value shares in Google’s parent company Alphabet following a rather public error made by Bard, Google’s new answer to ChatGPT.  Bard  Originally called ‘Apprentice…
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Google Launching ChatGTP Rival ‘Bard’

Google’s CEO, Sundar Pichia, has announced that Google will be launching its rival to OpenAI’s ChatGPT called ‘Bard’ “in the coming weeks” following its final testing stage.  What Is Bard?  Referred to as ‘Apprentice…
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Tech Tip – Fast Highlighting

If you’d like a fast method of highlighting paragraphs of text (e.g. for copying and pasting) without having to click and drag your mouse to a specific point, here’s how to do it. To quickly highlight a paragraph/several paragraphs of…
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Tech Tip – Disabling Your Laptop’s Touchpad

If you’d like to avoid accidentally moving the cursor around while typing on your Windows 11 laptop, here’s how to disable the touchpad: On the taskbar, right-click the Windows start button and select ‘Settings.’ Left-hand sidebar,…
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Tech Tip – Helpful Hyphens

You can use a hyphen after a search term to exclude words that you don’t want Google to search for. For example, the search may be for a mustang horse rather than a mustang car. Here’s how it works: In the Google search box type mustang…

Google’s New Features For Maps, Search And Shopping

Following the roll-out of a range of new features for Google’s Maps, Search and shopping, we take a look at what they are and what benefits they could bring to users.  Two New Features For Shopping  It’s the ideal time of year…
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Tech Tip – Stop Password Risk From Google’s Enhanced Spellcheck

It’s been reported that if you have Google’s Enhanced Spellcheck enabled, it could be sending everything you type to Google’s servers, including passwords. Here’s how to stop that from happening:  To check if you have enabled…
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Tech Tip – Search Bookmarks And History Too From Chrome ‘Omnibox’

The combined address bar and search box in Google Chrome has been improved to allow you to search your bookmarks, history and tabs, as well as the Web. Here’s how to do it: To activate this new feature in Chrome 105 (released in September): Type…
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Tech Tip – Putting A List In Alphabetical Order By Surname In Microsoft Word

If you’re using Microsoft Word and you need to put a list in alphabetical order based on the second word in each list entry, e.g. by surname in a list of names, here’s how: Highlight the text list.Click on the A-Z button in the top menu…
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Record €4 Billion Fine For Google Upheld

Google has been given the largest ever anti-trust fine of 4.125 billion euros from the EU, following an unsuccessful appeal.  What Was The Anti-Trust Issue?  The European Commission (EC) originally fined Google in 2018 for breaching…
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Tech Tip – Customise Google Chrome

If you’d like to customise and personalise your Chrome browser, including changing the colour, the theme, and the avatar, here’s how: Click on the three dots (top right) and click on ‘Settings.’Click on ‘You and Google.’Pick…
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Tech Tip – Stay Organised In Chrome By Pinning Important Tabs To The Left

If you’re working with lots of tabs open but want to be able to quickly locate essential web pages in your Google Chrome browser, try pinning important tabs to the left-hand side. Here’s how: Right-click on the tab and select ‘Pin’.The…
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Tech Tip – Get Creative And Save Or Share Sketched Ideas Using Google Canvas

If you’d like a really fast way to sketch out your creative ideas on a digital canvas and quickly download or share the image, try Google Canvas. Here’s how it works: Go to https://canvas.apps.chrome/.Choose a pen, pencil, crayon, eraser,…
Google device
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Google To Run Fake News Information Adverts

Following an experiment by Bristol and Cambridge Universities, Google has announced that it plans to run adverts on YouTube, TikTok, Twitter and Facebook, educating users about how to spot disinformation and misinformation.  ‘Pre-Bunking’…
Google device

Google Improves ‘Quoted Search’

Google has made it easier to do quoted searches by adding snippets to search results to help users save time in locating a phrase in a web page.  Quoted Searches  Quoted Searches are searches where the search term is placed within…
Chrome
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Chrome Cookie Removal – Delayed

Google has announced that due to the need for more time to evaluate alternatives, it is delaying (by nine months) its plans to rid Chrome of third-party tracking cookies.  Third-Party Cookies  A cookie is a piece of code (used for…
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Google Sacks Engineer Who Said AI Chatbot Was Sentient

Google has sacked senior software engineer Blake Lemoine, who made the news after saying that Google’s LaMDA chatbot’s responses to questions showed that it was a sentient being.  What Happened?  Back in June, Google engineer…
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Google Workspace vs Microsoft 365

In this article, we take a brief look at the relative merits of Office 365 compared to Google Workspace and how Google’s recent introduction of features and greater integration have been aimed at challenging Microsoft 365’s dominant position.  Google…
Google device
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Google Offers Job Interview ‘Warmup’ Tool

The new AI-based interview Warmup tool from Google uses questions from a series of industry experts to help users prepare for job interviews.  Tech Jobs And Skills Gap  Googe says that this news Interview Warmup tool was developed…
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Google Drive Gets Copy, Cut, And Paste Shortcuts

Google has announced that users of Google Drive can now use the familiar keyboard shortcuts Ctrl + C (or ⌘ + C on Mac), Ctrl + X and Ctrl + V to copy, cut and paste Google Drive files via the Chrome browser.  Timesaving And About…
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More Control To Remove Personal Data From Google Searches

Google has announced that it is changing its policies to allow more types of personally identifiable information removal requests.  Personal Information Showing Up In Google Search  Google acknowledges that personally identifiable…
google laptop
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What Are ‘Toxic’ Backlinks?

In this tech insight, we look at what ‘toxic’ backlinks are, how to identify them, and how to remove them.  Backlinks Backlinks (incoming links) are believed to be one of Google’s top three ranking factors. Trustworthy backlinks…
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Some Unmissable Chrome Extensions

In this tech insight, we look at what Chrome extensions are and how to access them. Then we look at 10 examples of popular and useful Chrome extensions. What Are Chrome Extensions? Extensions for Google’s Chrome browser are software…
google

Tech News : Google Change Stance Over Legacy G Suite Account

Google has offered new alternative options to free Legacy G Suite account holders who it had previously said would have to upgrade to a paid subscription by 1 July. What Is A Legacy G Suite Account? Google’s free edition of G Suite,…
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Google Gives Upgrade Deadline For Legacy G Suite Accounts

Google has announced in an email that users with legacy (old) free G Suite accounts have until 1 July to upgrade to paid subscriptions or lose access to most services. Ten Years Free Google has said that legacy G Suite users i.e., those…
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Laser Broadband Success

Alphabet subsidiary X, the Moonshot Factory’s ‘Project Taara’ is claiming 99.9 per cent uptime within the first 20 days of a light beam/laser broadband project. What Is It? Laser-based broadband uses wireless optical communications…
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Google Risks Lawsuit Over Market Monopoly

It has been reported that the Justice Department (DOJ) may soon issue a second monopoly lawsuit against Alphabet Inc (Google) over its giant’s digital advertising business. Other Lawsuit Back in July, Google was issued with an antitrust…
Google Search
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Google Provides Insights Into Search Rankings

Google has announced that (US first) Google Search users can click into details that show how their search-result matched certain search-terms (context), thereby giving a further tantalising glimpse into how specific rankings/search engine…
Google
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Google Facing Anti-Trust App Store Lawsuit

Google is facing an antitrust lawsuit by 37 US states over allegations relating to how it may be abusing its position of power in relation to Android app distribution and competition. The Lawsuit The lawsuit makes allegations in three…
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AI Designs, er, AI Chips … Better Than Humans, Says Google

AI can now design AI chips hundreds of times faster (and better) than humans. Where will this lead? A recent research paper has described how a deep reinforcement learning approach to chip ‘floorplanning’ has led to AI generating…
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Life After Cookies

With Google recently committing to phasing out third-party cookies as Firefox and Safari have already done, we take a brief look at the possible alternatives and replacements for using cookies to track and understand user behaviour. Cookies Cookies…
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Google Users To Be Auto-Enrolled In Two-step Verification

In a recent blog post, Google has announced that the automatic enrolment of Google account users in Two Step Verification ‘2SV’ is coming soon. Passwords – Single Biggest Threat To Online Security In the blog post on ‘On World…
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Android Stack Scanner Can Organise Your Documents

Google is launching its ‘Stack’ app for Android, an AI-based scanner that also names and categorises the documents it scans. The Technology The Stack app is a result of collaborative work between Area 120, Google’s in-house…
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Tech Insight – What Are Zero-Click SERPs?

In this article, we look at what a zero-click searches (SERPs) are, how this has impacted SEO, and what measures can be taken to increase the likelihood of your pages achieving featured snippets. Zero-Click SERPs A zero-click search describes…
Google

Live Captions Expanded To Chrome Web Browser

Google’s real-time Live Captions feature is now available to anyone using a Chrome web browser instead of just for Pixel phone users. Live Captions Live Captions is an accessibility feature that uses machine learning to generate (on-device)…
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How Search Engines Are Dealing With Fake News

Fake news has become pernicious and widespread so in this article, we look at how the search engines are facing up to the enormous challenge of separating the real from the fake. Challenges Those trying to combat the spread of fake news…
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Google Tracking Cookies

As Google has announced an end to third-party cookies, we look at the issues that have led to the decision, and at what may replace these cookies. The Difference Between First and Third-Party Cookies A cookie is a piece of code (used…
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Google Alerts Used In Malware Scam

It has been reported that hackers have been able to spread malware using fake news stories via the Google Alerts service. Google Alerts Launched in 2003, Google Alerts is Google’s content change detection and notification service which…
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Google’s Record Advertising and Cloud Sales Due To Pandemic

Alphabet Inc’s (Google’s) quarterly sales for its advertising and cloud businesses exceeded expectations to hit record levels, helped by the pandemic driving retail and clients online. Figures Google’s advertising business, which…
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Google Going In Oz?

Australia’s intention to introduce a new law to make tech companies like Google and Facebook pay publishers for news content has prompted Google to threaten to withdraw its search engine from Australia. What Law? The proposed law is…

Google Mobile Search Re-Design

Google has announced that to make it faster and easier for users to find what they are looking for, a major visual redesign of Google’s mobile search results is to be rolled out shortly. Challenges Some of the challenges that Google…
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Google’s DeepMind AI Makes Dramatic Breakthrough

Google’s DeepMind AI machine learning program has solved a genetic protein challenge, the result will dramatically change biology and could bring many medical benefits. The Challenge Proteins are the building blocks of cells and, for…
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New Competition Rules for Facebook and Google in the UK

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has said that Facebook and Google will face new rules next year to prevent abuse of their market dominance. The Issues For the CMA, the issues that were highlighted back in July and are…
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Google Accused of Stealing Android Data

Google is being sued for (allegedly) secretly using Android users’ cellular data allowances without user consent, to perform “passive” information transfers. Passive Information Transfers The lawsuit was filed by Taylor et al v.…
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‘Hum to Search’ Songfinder

Google has introduced a new feature to its search that enables it to identify a song that a user hums or whistles. What’s This Song? Serving the same basic purpose a the Shazam app, for example, users can now ask the Google app, Google…
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New ‘Breakout Rooms’ For Google Meet Users

Users of the Google Meet, Enterprise for Education video-communication service (formerly part of G Suite) will soon be able to divide meeting participants into Breakout Rooms. Greater Engagement The feature, which started its gradual…
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Buy Products Directly From YouTube

It has been reported that YouTube (owned by Google) is testing a feature that will enable viewers of YouTube videos to directly purchase products that they see featured in the video they are watching. Back in 2015 The idea was originally…
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Google To Pay Publishers $1 Billion

Alphabet Inc.’s CEO, Sundar Pichai has said that Google will pay $1 billion to publishers globally for their news over the next three years. Fight The fight to get Google to pay publishers for content has raged for years and there was…
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The Start of Google and Facebook Paying For News Content?

At a time when smaller news outlets have been forced to close and big tech companies dominate distribution, the Australian Government may make the likes of Google and Facebook pay for their news content. What’s The Problem? The pandemic…
Black Lives Matter

Big Tech Supporting Black-Owned Businesses

Big companies such as Google, Facebook and Netflix have committed to considerable financial support for black-owned businesses as Black Lives Matter gains momentum. Google In the wake of the killing of George Floyd by U.S. police, followed…
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COVID Alerts From Google Maps

Google Maps is now issuing COVID-19 related alerts to those looking for public transport directions in cities, looking for medical facilities and testing centres, and for those crossing borders. New Alerts Google has announced on its…
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Google Store Takes Down App That Removes Chinese Software

Google has removed an app from its Play Store that was designed to help users to detect and delete apps that were made in China. More Than 1 Million Downloads The Remove China Apps, which is reported to have been downloaded by more than…
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Google Meet ‘Free For Everyone’

Google has entered the video conferencing market fight with the likes of Zoom and Facebook Messenger as it announces that its ‘Google Meet’ premium video conferencing service will soon be free for everyone. Google Meet Google Meet…
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Google Blocks 18 Million Coronavirus Scam Emails Per Day

Google is reported to have been blocking 100 million phishing emails per day and 18 million email scams relating specifically to coronavirus. Millions of Scams and Spam Messages Daily On its Cloud blog on 16th April, Google reported that…
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Google’s Drone-Deliveries Boosted By Pandemic

The value of drone delivery services appears to have been realised now that the world’s population centres are in lockdown, with Alphabet’s (Google’s) drone deliveries doubling in test areas in the U.S. and Australia. What Drone Delivery…
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Google Warns Against Disabling Websites During Lockdown

Google has warned businesses that are tempted to disable or temporarily close their online business website during the coronavirus outbreak not to do so, as this could have a lasting, detrimental effect on its (SEO) search engine rankings. Why…
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How Much Does Google Know About You?

To have access to Google’s many features and services, as with other platforms, we need to give some personal information and then sign-in, but have you ever wondered just how much information Google keeps about you and your activities? Google This…
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Dentist’s Legal Challenges To Anonymity of Negative Google Reviewer

ABC News in Australia has reported how a Melbourne dentist has convinced a Federal Court Judge to order tech giant Google to produce identifying information about a person who posted a damaging negative review about the dentist on Google’s…
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Google Indexing Makes WhatsApp Group Links Visible

A journalist has reported on Twitter that WhatsApp groups may not be as secure as users think because the "Invite to Group via Link" feature allows groups to be indexed by Google, thereby making them available across the Internet. Links…
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Worries About Huawei Persist

Security fears about Huawei products being used in the new 5G networks are still being expressed by the Trump administration, while Google has clarified its position on the matter. What’s So Bad About Huawei? Back in July 2018, …
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Google In Talks About Paying Publishers For News Content

It has been reported that Google is in talks with publishers with a view to buying in premium news content for its own news services to improve its relationship with EU publishers, and to combat fake news. Expanding The Google News Initiative Reports…
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Tracking For People Who Lose Things

Google Assistant is now supporting Tile’s Bluetooth tracker which means that Tile customers can use a simple voice command to enlist the help of Google Assistant in finding their lost keys, wallet, TV remote control and more. What Is Tile? Tile…
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Real-time Phishing Protection Now Available in Chrome

Google has announced real-time phishing protection with the help of improvements to 'Safe Browsing' which allow Chrome to check each new site you visit against a safe list stored on your computer and with Google, so that Chrome can issue an…
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New Google ‘Interpreter’ : Real-Time Translator For Your Mobile

Google has announced the roll out of its "interpreter mode" real-time translator on Assistant-enabled Android and iOS phones worldwide. A Back and Forth Conversation Google says that interpreter mode means that you can now use your mobile…
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Google Or Samsung Android Cameras Could Be Spying On You

Researchers at Checkmarx say they have discovered vulnerabilities in Google and Samsung smartphone apps that could allow hackers to remotely spy on users, using their phone’s camera and speakers. Study The proof-of-concept (PoC) study…
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Google To Offer Bank Accounts

Tech giant Google is crossing over into the banking world by partnering with Citigroup to offer 'smart checking' accounts (bank current accounts) next year as part of its ‘Cache’ project. Partnering, Not Self-Branding Google is reported…
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Google Announces New ‘Teachable Machine 2.0’ No-Code Machine Learning Model Generator

Two years on from its first incarnation, Google has announced the introduction of its ‘Teachable Machine 2.0’, a no-code custom machine learning model generating platform that can be used by anyone and requires no coding experience. First…
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Google Leadership Accused Of Developing Internal Surveillance Tool

Some Google employees have accused the company’s leadership of developing a browser-based file extension for all of Google’s in-house computers that could flag-up signs of workers trying to organise meetings and protests. Google Employees The…
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Ex-Employee Claims Your G Suite Data Is Not Encrypted

A report by a former Google employee on the ‘Freedom of the Press Foundation’ website warns organisations that any data stored on Google’s G Suite is not encrypted, can be accessed by administrators and can be shared with law enforcement…
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Google’s Chrome To Block Mixed Content Pages Without HTTPS

Google has announced that in a series of steps starting in Chrome 79, all mixed content will gradually be blocked by default. What Is Mixed Content? Mixed content refers to the insecure http:// sub-resources that load into https://…
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Joker Malware Found In 24 Apps In Google Play Store

Security researcher Aleksejs Kuprins of CSIS cybersecurity services company has discovered 24 apps which have been available for download in the Google Play Store that contain ‘Joker’ malware. What Is Joker Malware? Joker malware…
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Video Labelling Causes Problems

Google has already been criticised by some for not calling out China over disinformation about Hong Kong, but despite disabling 210 YouTube channels with suspected Chinese state links, Google’s new move to label Hong Kong YouTube videos hasn’t…
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Grammar Correction Capabilities For Gmail and G Suite

Google has announced that it is rolling out new real-time, AI-powered spelling and grammar correction capabilities for G Suite users and personal Gmail accounts. Real-Time, As-You-Type The real-time, as-you-type spelling autocorrection…
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Fingerprints Replacing Passwords for Some Google Services

Google has announced that users can verify their identity by using their fingerprint or screen lock instead of a password when visiting certain Google services, starting with Pixel devices and coming to all Android 7+ devices in the next few…
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Google Plugs Incognito Mode Detection Loophole With Chrome 76

Google has announced that with the introduction of Chrome 76 (at the end of July), it has plugged a loophole that enabled websites to tell when you were browsing in Incognito mode. Incognito Incognito mode in Chrome (private browsing)…
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Googlemail’s Tracking of Your Purchase History

CNBC research has highlighted how Googlemail creates a (difficult to delete) page of your purchase history by tracking your purchase receipt emails, and perhaps details stored in locations other than the inbox. Not Obvious Back in May,…
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Google AR Glasses Enterprise Edition For Workers

Six years on from the launch of the first Google glasses, Google has announced the introduction of Google Glass 2 Enterprise Edition, glasses incorporating a wraparound camera and AR and designed to help workers by providing instant hands-free…
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3D Shopping Via Google Search

Later this month, Google will be rolling out 3D Augmented Reality (AR) in its search results, a change which could allow retailers to show their products online in a way that enables customers to a virtually ‘try’ those products and see…
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Google Offers Auto-Delete of History After Three Months

Google is joining tech giants Facebook and Microsoft by offering users greater privacy of their data which for Google will give its users the option to automatically delete their search and location history after three or eighteen months. What’s…
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Emails To Become More Dynamic With Google’s AMP For Email

Google has launched ‘AMP For Email’ which will make emails more dynamic and more like web page experiences as interaction can take place within the email itself rather than including links that send recipients to a web page for the interaction. Announced…
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Discovery of Microphone in Google’s Nest Guard Prompts Backlash

The discovery of a microphone in Google’s Nest Guard product that was not listed in tech spec has been put down to an erroneous omission by Google, but it has also caused a backlash that escalated to the US Congress. What Happened? One…
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Google Chrome’s ‘Incognito’ Mode Not So Incognito

Research by Internet Privacy Company DuckDuckGo is reported to have produced evidence that could show that even in Incognito mode, users of Google Chrome can still be tracked, and searches are still personalised accordingly. Incognito Mode Going…
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New Chrome 69 Creates Better Passwords, Among Other Features

Chrome 69, the latest version of the Google browser which is now 10 years old, has a number of value-adding new features, including the ability to automatically generate strong passwords. Improved Password Manager This latest version of Chrome…