Google

1,026 'Google' stories August 2010 - November 2014

Rev. Jesse Jackson urges Tim Cook to take a lead in the treatment of low-paid contractors

Ben Lovejoy Nov 26 2014 - 4:22 am PT

The Rev. Jesse Jackson has written to Apple CEO Tim Cook to urge the company to create “world-class working conditions” for low-paid contractors like security guards, requesting a meeting with Cook to discuss the issue, reports the San Jose Mercury News.

The paper reports a growing debate about the widespread use of contract workers by tech companies for low-paid roles, contract staff having none of the protections or perks afforded to direct employees …
Expand
Expanding
Close

Bing and Yahoo reportedly aiming to become default iOS search engine as Google’s contract runs out

Mike Beasley Nov 25 2014 - 7:14 pm PT

24 Comments

Last week Mozilla announced that its Firefox browser would be dropping Google as the default search engine in favor of Yahoo. While it’s a good move for Yahoo, it won’t gain the company the exposure that comes with being the default search engine on something more widely used, such as Apple’s Safari browser on iOS devices.

That position has been held by Google since the iPhone’s launch in 2007, but the agreement that made the Mountain View-based company the default site for all of Safari’s searches will expire next year, and The Information reports that Yahoo and Microsoft’s Bing are both vying for the spot.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Google reaches agreement to settle patent litigation with Apple-backed consortium Rockstar

Chance Miller Nov 20 2014 - 1:58 pm PT

0 Comments

Google, according to a report out of Reuters, has agreed to settle all of its patent litigation with the Rockstar consortium, which consists of a variety of tech companies including Apple, Sony, BlackBerry and Microsoft. The Rockstar consortium paid $4.5 billion for Nortel Network Corporation’s huge patent portfolio in 2011, outbidding Google at the time. The Rockstar consortium originally sued Google and a handful of Android manufacturers in October of 2013, claiming that the companies infringed on seven Nortel patents.

Expand
Expanding
Close

This $80 mobile app prototyping software for Mac is now free courtesy of Google acquisition

Jordan Kahn Nov 19 2014 - 11:48 am PT

2 Comments

Google just bought RelativeWave, the company behind the mobile app prototyping software Form, and with the purchase it’s making the previously $80 Mac app available for free on the Mac App Store. The company made an announcement on its website noting that it will continue working on the Form app after joining Google:

I speak for the team when I say that we’re incredibly humbled by what the community has created with Form. We’ve seen people create designs that we could have never imagined. It’s one of the best feelings in the world to see people using your work.

The team adds that with new help from Google it will be “focused on improving the state of design and development tools.”

Form is a Mac app with an accompanying Form viewer app for iOS, but the company hints an Android version could be in the works noting to “stay tuned” for other platforms. The Form app for Mac pairs with the viewer on a mobile device and allows users to rapidly prototype native mobile app experiences in real-time using easy-to-use presets that the company says “are as powerful as their coded counterparts.” An example of a finished composition using Form is above.

The announcement also notes that users that previously paid for Form can get a refund by emailing support@relativewave.com.

The Form Mac app is available for free from the Mac App Store now.

Apple getting serious about iAd as it offers automated purchasing of mobile ads

Ben Lovejoy Nov 19 2014 - 5:46 am PT

3 Comments

When Steve Jobs said something was going to happen, it generally did. One notable exception, though, has been Apple’s mobile advertising platform, iAd. Jobs said back in 2010 that it would grab 50% of the mobile ad market; right now, it’s sitting at just 2.6%. That may be about to change after advertising middleman Rubicon announced that automated purchasing of iAds will soon be supported …
Expand
Expanding
Close

Google Chrome for Mac goes 64-bit in latest update, gains new APIs and other enhancements

Mike Beasley Nov 18 2014 - 3:39 pm PT

5 Comments

As promised in September, Google has launched the 64-bit of the Chrome browser for Mac to the public after a few months in beta. According to Google’s original announcement, the update drops support for 32-bit extensions, requiring all developers to update with 64-bit support.

The update also fixes over 40 security flaws and adds many new APIs for extension developers. Chrome uses a silent update mechanism that will automatically download and install the latest update, but if you find that you’re still on version 38 in the “About Chrome” window, you can manually download and install the update from Google.

Smart thermostat war heats up as Apple starts selling Nest competitor Ecobee3

9to5 Staff Nov 17 2014 - 2:08 pm PT

17 Comments

Although Apple continues to offer the Nest Learning Thermostat and Nest Protect despite Google’s acquisition of the smart device company, the iPhone maker has added a competing Wi-Fi-connected smart thermostat to the lineup. Apple has recently added the Ecobee3 smart Wi-Fi thermostat to the Connected Home section of its online store. The smart thermostat, which can be controlled with an iPhone or iPad, is available for $249.95.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple, Google, Facebook, other tech companies lobbying to stop NSA spying before new congress takes over in January

Jordan Kahn Nov 14 2014 - 2:08 pm PT

13 Comments

Bloomberg reports that groups representing Apple, Google, Facebook and other high profile tech companies are lobbying to pass a new bill that attempts to limit NSA spying of email and communications of their users. The report says the groups are “pushing the Senate to pass legislation limiting National Security Agency spying before the Republican majority takes control of the chamber.” The news comes ahead of the Senate vote on the new bill scheduled for Nov. 18 and an upcoming Republican controlled Congress taking over in January:
Expand
Expanding
Close

Fortune somehow names Tim Cook #2 Businessperson of the Year behind Google’s Larry Page

Jordan Kahn Nov 13 2014 - 8:50 am PT

60 Comments

Fortune has somehow named Google CEO Larry Page its 2014 Business person of the Year beating out rival Apple CEO Tim Cook who earns the number 2 spot (despite stock prices) on Fortune’s list of 50 executives.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Samsung’s not done with its ‘me too’ act yet: announces Continuity clone, Flow

Ben Lovejoy Nov 13 2014 - 6:40 am PT

59 Comments

Not content with being a ‘fast follower’ of HealthKit and HomeKit with its Digital Health and Smart Home platforms, and iBeacon with its Proximity Service, Samsung has just announced a Continuity clone, Flow.

People today use multiple devices in their daily activities: phones, tablets, laptops, smart watches, TVs, and more. But the way we work is still device-centric. We still use one application, within one device, with data that is tied to that application and device.

Samsung Flow is a platform that enables developers to create seamless transitions across devices, so that people can change devices in the midst of an activity and continue right from where they left off.

Flow is compatible with anything that works with Android’s Share feature: if content can be shared with other apps, Flow can be used to to hand it off to other devices …
Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple job listing hints at new Maps-related web experiences

Jordan Kahn Nov 12 2014 - 11:26 am PT

2 Comments

A new job listing posted by Apple shows that the company is working to bring its in-house Maps app, currently only available as native apps for iOS and Mac OS X, to the web.
Expand
Expanding
Close

YouTube launches Music Key streaming service for $10/mo: no ads, offline playback, full albums & Play Music access

Zac Hall Nov 12 2014 - 10:30 am PT

13 Comments

Google today officially announced its highly rumored YouTube music subscription service and its calling it YouTube Music Key. YouTube’s Music Key service with be available for a monthly subscription of $9.99 and unlock ad-free music, offline playback and video viewing, and the ability to play music in the background when using other apps.

The service is rolling out as a beta next week with a promotional price of $7.99/month, and early adopters will be able to request access from YouTube.com/MusicKey. YouTube’s Music Key beta service will be available through the YouTube apps on Android and iOS and through YouTube.com.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple iPhone 6 Plus vs Google Nexus 6 – Full comparison (Video)

Dom Esposito Nov 12 2014 - 10:01 am PT

27 Comments

It’s not always the easiest task to compare an iOS device with one running Android. Most people choose one platform or another as a personal preference or an investment into the ecosystem that provides what they need. Today we’re comparing the Motorola-made Google Nexus 6 to Apple’s iPhone 6 Plus. There are benefits to each side, but which one is right for you?

We’re going to be comparing the design, specifications, features, and camera performance between these two flagship phablets. If you’re looking for more, check out 9to5Google’s Nexus 6 review and our iPhone 6/Plus review. There may not be a clear winner at the end of the day, but I’ll leave that discussion for the comments section below…

Expand
Expanding
Close

Benefits of Apple Pay over CurrentC to retailers highlighted as Whole Foods transactions hit 1%

Ben Lovejoy Nov 11 2014 - 7:27 am PT

36 Comments

Shortly after retail chain Whole Foods announced that it had processed 150,000 Apple Pay transactions in the three weeks since the service was launched – estimated at around 1% of the company’s sales – a business author and senior Hitachi consultant has spoken about the twin attractions of Apple Pay for retailers.

Jim Maholic, author of Business Cases that Mean Business and vice president in Hitachi Consulting, said major retailers had two main reasons to favor Apple Pay over rival mobile payment service CurrentC …
Expand
Expanding
Close

iPhone 6 & 6 Plus increase iOS enterprise share at the expense of Android

Jordan Kahn Nov 10 2014 - 9:28 am PT

5 Comments

Good Technology is out with its latest report examining share of mobile platforms in the enterprise and in it noted that iOS was able to grow its market share following the introduction of the new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. The increase from 67% last quarter to 69% during Q3 isn’t a huge one, but it’s notable given it comes at the expense of Android OS just over a month into sales of the new Apple devices.
Expand
Expanding
Close

iPad usage in North America rises slightly in September over third quarter

9to5 Staff Nov 6 2014 - 5:07 pm PT

3 Comments

The latest numbers from advertising company Chitika Insights show that iPad web usage in North America rose nearly 2% in September, marking a slight increase over the third quarter. Chitika found the iPad to have a 79.9% share of tablet web traffic in the United States and Canada during the month, compared to a 78.0% share reported in July.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Google Drive for iOS adds Touch ID unlocking, video saving, iPhone 6/Plus support, more

Zac Hall Nov 6 2014 - 11:09 am PT

3 Comments

In addition to updating its Maps app with an overhauled design, Google has released a new version of its Drive app for iPhone and iPad users adding support for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus as well as some new iOS 8 features.

The Google Drive file storage app can now be secured using Touch ID so users with supported devices (iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone Plus, iPad Air 2, iPad mini 3) can unlock the app using the fingerprint scanner. The new version of Drive also includes an extension to “open form and save to Drive in other apps” for iOS 8 users, and videos can now be saved from Drive to the Photos app (instructions below). Google says the new version of Drive for iPhone and iPad also includes full iOS 8 compatibility, bug fixes, and performance improvements.

Google Drive 3.3 for iPhone and iPad is available for free on the App Store. Full change log below.
Expand
Expanding
Close

EFF: Apple’s iMessage most secure “mass-market” messaging, lacks complete protection from targeted surveillance

Jordan Kahn Nov 5 2014 - 12:43 pm PT

14 Comments

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) today released a report examining three dozen messaging services and ranking them based on what it deemed are seven “security best practices.” While Apple scored the best among what the EFF called “mass-market options”, it didn’t do as well when compared to all 36 messaging services included in the report. Specifically, EFF noted Apple’s iMessage and FaceTime services failed to offer “complete protection against sophisticated, targeted forms of surveillance.”
Expand
Expanding
Close

Google Maps for iOS updated with a fresh new Material Design layout, integrated OpenTable and Uber

Mark Hearn Nov 5 2014 - 9:49 am PT

26 Comments

Update: The new Google Maps app is now available on the App Store.

Google announced an update for its Google Maps for iOS app today that adds a fresh new Material Design layout focusing on bright colors and real world surfaces and shadows. The software’s refreshed interface is set to roll out over the next few days, with new features like dinner reservations from OpenTable (US only) and enhanced information cards with photos and reviews of popular attractions near your location.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Google Drive now lets you open files in compatible Mac apps w/ new Chrome extension

Jordan Kahn Nov 5 2014 - 9:36 am PT

1 Comment

Google announced today that it’s releasing a new Chrome extension called Application Launcher for Drive that allows users to open files directly from its Google Drive service in compatible apps on a Mac or PC. The extension adds an “Open With” option that will let users launch files in apps like, for example, Mac OS X’s Preview app or third-party editing apps like those from Adobe and Microsoft.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Larry Page talks about his age-old fight with Steve Jobs over ‘doing too much stuff’

Mike Beasley Oct 31 2014 - 2:16 pm PT

11 Comments

In an interview with the Financial Times, Google co-founder and CEO Larry Page talked about an ongoing debate that he had with Apple’s Steve Jobs: whether their companies were doing too much or too little to affect the lives of their customers.

Page, as is evident in Google’s seemingly unending push into new markets and technologies outside of search and even the web, came down on the side of doing as many things as possible to make an impact in peoples’ lives, while Jobs was insistent that a focused approach on a single set of problems was better for the company and its users.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Google Play Music app for iPhone gets iPhone 6 & iPhone 6 Plus support

Jordan Kahn Oct 31 2014 - 11:42 am PT

0 Comments

Following a bigger update earlier this month, Google today updated its Google Play Music app for iPhone with official support for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. That means that the app, which offers access to Google Play Music content and its All Access music streaming service, now takes advantage of the increased real estate on the larger, higher-resolution 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 and 6 Plus displays.

Google also notes that the update brings “Lots of little tweaks and bug fixes.” In addition, the app receives a new icon (pictured right).

Earlier this year we reported on an under development iPad version of the Google Play Music app, but it’s yet to get an official release.

The updated Google Play Music app for iPhone, Version 1.5.3184, is available on the App Store now. The app received a big update earlier this month that introduced new Listen Now features for browsing radio stations and recently played music for All Access users in the US and Canada.

What’s New in Version 1.5.3184

– iPhone 6/6+ support
– Lots of little tweaks and bug fixes

Google Wallet adds recurring bank transfers for automatically adding money, low balance alerts

Jordan Kahn Oct 29 2014 - 1:31 pm PT

3 Comments

Google today announced it’s adding new ways to add money to its Google Wallet service in addition to some new features that will make keeping an eye on your balance easier.

First up, you will now be able to setup automatic bank transfers that will ensure there is always money to spend in your Google Wallet account. The recurring transfers allow you to schedule weekly, bi-weekly or monthly deposits and can be cancelled at any time:
Expand
Expanding
Close

Google updates its official Analytics app with iPad support

Zac Hall Oct 29 2014 - 8:49 am PT

0 Comments

Earlier this year, Google released an official app for its Google Analytics service on iOS allowing users of the popular service to view data and reports on the go, but the dedicated app has only been available for iPhone and iPod touch users. Today that has changed, however, as Google has updated its official Analytics app for full iPad support.
Expand
Expanding
Close