Items tagged with NASDAQ:GOOG
The Google for Education team has announced good news for schools that have embraced Chromebooks or those who are looking to add a bunch of Chromebooks this year. Google routinely sends out security updates and features to Chromebook devices every six weeks, and it says that it works with manufacturers to be sure schools get the most out of the updates. Google says that all new devices for 2020 will now have a longer life and will receive updates through 2028. Along with longer life for machines, the updates will also bring more capabilities, including touchscreens and improved user interfaces along with a new price for the Chrome Education Upgrade program. Google is aiming to simplify IT for...
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Google's Pixel Buds earphones have been popular for Android device users; particularly with owners of Pixel-braned smartphones. A second generation of the Pixel Buds is in the works, and they have recently been spied at Bluetooth SIG to receive the certifications needed before its launch this Spring. Two model numbers were seen at Bluetooth SIG, including G1007 and G1008. It's unknown if there are two separate models of the Buds coming, or if the two different numbers represent the earphones and the charging case. A short description seen at Bluetooth SIG promises rich audio, clear calls, and hands-free Google Assistant. They also promise a customized fit and ambient vent to keep you in touch...
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Google Chrome may be the most popular browser out there, but Windows 10 users know that it can be a resource hog. This lack of regard for efficiency is particularly evident when running Chrome on a Windows 10 notebook that is on battery power. Microsoft may have a solution that will end the power and resource-hogging that Chrome is known for. Last summer, Microsoft noted that it may be possible to reduce Chrome's battery use by eliminating the unnecessary disk caching when watching videos. The caching of video during playback keeps the disk in an active state and consumes power. Microsoft has a second commit that shows it plans to add a check to verify if the device is running on battery. The...
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Anyone in the market for a premium Android smartphone with one of the best cameras on the market will want to check out the deals Amazon has going on the Google Pixel 4 and Google Pixel 4 XL (our full review) this weekend. We've seen more substantial discounts off the MSRP, but right now, there's a discount and a $200 gift card in the mix, making these some of the best deals overall for these devices that we've seen yet. Amazon is offering the Google Pixel 4 with 64GB of internal storage unlocked for $699 currently. Amazon says that is an $80.89 discount. On top of that discount, you also get a $200 gift card to buy whatever you want on Amazon. It's almost like getting a smartphone...
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Good news for Android device owners who are looking to expand their gaming beyond the titles available in the Play Store—they can now test Microsoft's Xbox Console Streaming service and play Xbox titles on their Android phones and tablets. Some Android owners already could, but Microsoft has expanded the preview program globally. "Xbox Console Streaming is our new system feature that enables you to play your owned and installed Xbox One games, including Xbox Game Pass titles, on your Android phone or tablet, streamed from your home console. We view the public preview as an important step in our journey to deliver game streaming to Xbox players around the world! We are learning from Xbox...
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In an announcement seemingly out of left field, Google recently disclosed that it is working to bring the Steam client to its popular Chrome OS platform. This of course would give the millions of Chromebooks access to another popular library of games, as well as possibly game-streaming. This news was revealed in an interview that Android Police conducted with Chrome OS Product Development Director Kan Liu last week at CES. The development will be made possible by the fact that Chrome OS is built using Linux as a foundation, and the Steam of course supports Linux. Running the Steam client in a Linux environment is currently possible with Chromebooks, but it is not an "official" solution...
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Late in December, we got our first glimpse at the Google Pixel 4a, which is scheduled to arrive in the Spring to replace the well-received Pixel 3a. Renders of the device shows a smartphone with a punch hole cut-out for the selfie camera up front, a square pod on the back for a single camera, and a center-mounted optical fingerprint sensor. Today, new information is coming to light regarding the Pixel 4a family, and it will apparently be available in two variants. There seems to be some confusion as to whether there will be an "XL" version of the Pixel 4a made available this year, but some sleuthing by XDA-Developers has discovered references to a 5G variant. According to the report,...
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Google has laid out a roadmap for its nascent Stadia game streaming service, and 2020 is shaping up to be a big one for gamers. Those early adopters that were able to snag a Founder's Edition Bundle have been able to enjoy Stadia for a few months, but here's what you can expect for first quarter of the year: Support for 4k gaming on the Web Add further Assistant functionality when playing on the Web Support additional Android Phones Wireless gameplay on the Web through the Stadia controller If you're have a 4K-capable Chromebook, the updated web streaming options will be right up your alley. Those same gamers will be able to take advantage of the new wireless controller support to remain untethered...
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Security researchers are warning of a rise in "fleeceware" scams, a relatively new term that recently entered into the lexicon of security experts. It is a growing problem in the Play Store, whereby Android users end up being charged "excessive amounts of money for apps" for failing to cancel a subscription before a short trial period expires. On the surface, this sounds like an issue that has more to do with user negligence than anything else, but a closer look reveals that several app publishers are abusing the app subscription business model for financial gain. Part of the problem has to do with what constitutes a cancellation. Simply uninstalling a subscription-based app is not enough in...
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Call recording can be a very useful tool in a variety of situations. Unfortunately, it is currently not a feature available in the Google Phone app. However, keen-eyed developers recently dug into the code of the Google Phone app and uncovered code for call recording. Google removed its own native call recording feature with Android 6 Marshmallow. Developers were able to provide users with an alternative for a little while, but Google got rid of that capability with Android 9 Pie. Pixel and Android One users can record screened calls, but have needed to find ways to record their other phone call conversations. Google has yet to provide an official tool. However, call recording appears to...
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iPhone users now have a new way to securely login to Google services thanks to a new update for the Google Smart Lock app. With the latest update, iPhone users are afforded the same capability that was enabled for Android users back in 2019, which allows them to use their smartphone for two-factor authentication. Once you have set everything up in the Smart Lock app for iOS, you can use either your iPhone or your iPad as a physical security key. This is a big boon for those that want to have additional security measures added to their account, while using a device that you always have by your side (in the case of an iPhone). Physical security keys can be easily lost, but most of us tend to keep...
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Starting next month, Google will tighten the controls on its Chrome browser by limiting cross-site tracking, and within the next two years, it plans on eliminating third-party cookies from the equation. These and other steps are part of a larger initiative Google is calling "Privacy Sandbox," which entails open standards to enhance user privacy when surfing the web. "Our goal for this open source initiative is to make the web more private and secure for users, while also supporting publishers," Google said. On the surface, getting rid of third-party cookies may seem to go against the latter part of that statement, but Google believes there is a better way of satisfying both users and publishers....
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Many smartphone users would agree that bloatware, or pre-installed apps that cannot be deleted, are fairly irritating. However, several organizations are now also arguing that bloatware could potentially violate users’ privacy. An open letter from over fifty groups has requested that Google prevent bloatware from exploiting users’ data. Organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Amnesty International, and Digital Rights Foundation (DRF) addressed an open letter to Alphabet Inc. CEO Sundar Pichai regarding pre-installed apps and privacy. This past year, Pichai stated in a New York Times op-ed that “Privacy cannot be a luxury good offered only to people who...
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Anyone familiar with Google Maps knows that the search giant sends out cars that have weird-looking camera masts on top, to record footage that allows you to look at what a historic destination, homes, or business looks like from the street level. Some images of amusement parks and other historical places are captured using bikes or people walking. However, a new trend for Google Maps has gone viral that started when a woman found images of her deceased grandfather on Google Maps Street View sitting in his yard. The woman, Leslie Barraza, tweeted a 13-second screen capture of Street View images taken as the Google car rolled through her grandfather's farm. Some of the final images show her grandfather...
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