Google defends failing AI search, while promising improvements
AI Overviews struggle with satire, lack of information, and confusing queries
Google set to phase out Manifest V2 in a few days, breaking many ad blockers
The Year of Firefox: Google initially announced the Manifest V3 API in 2018, but the new extension technology was delayed several times because of the intrinsic limitations it imposed on ad blockers and security add-ons. Now that it is ready for release, Mountain View will begin phasing out Manifest V2 extensions in Chrome next month.
Google discloses how they mistakenly erased $135 billion cloud customer account
Facepalm: One of Google Cloud's worst nightmares came true in early May, when an embarrassing snafu completely erased a customer's account and data backups. The unlucky victim was Australian pension fund UniSuper, which manages a staggering $135 billion in assets for over 600,000 members. The pension fund was essentially frozen for two weeks, unable to fully operate while it scrambled to recover from third-party backups.
Leaked documentation uncovers some of Google's secret recipe for website ranking in search results
No actual source code is included, but SEO specialists are going crazy nonetheless
Google is building the first fiber optic cable connecting Africa and Australia
Called the Umoja cable route, it includes access points that give other countries entry to the network
Google search AI Overviews uses terrible information sourcing to give you terrible answers
Google downplays the bad answers, saying they "aren't representative of most people's experiences"
AI companies sign new voluntary commitments pledging AI safety
"The AI world is safe, please trust us with your future"
Google is now the world's third-largest data center processor designer
Custom TPUs have driven past growth, and will accelerate the future as well
Six ways to eliminate the unhelpful "AI Overviews" in Google search results
"Instead of results, give me an AI summary that plagiarizes articles," said nobody ever
Pushy Microsoft app wants you to "repair" your PC by switching to Bing
Another day, another new tactic from Microsoft
Google's Trillium TPU achieves unprecedented performance increase for AI workloads
Google keeps building its "AI Hypercomputer" platform with custom hardware accelerators
Android 15 new privacy push includes theft detection and secret app locker
Google can now tell when your phone gets snatched, and lock it down
In a nutshell: The second beta of Android 15 is here, bringing along a handful of useful features to enhance the operating system's security. Google now allows Android users to have a tighter grip over their phones thanks in part to a new trick that could become a nightmare for a grab-and-run thieves.
Google search "Web" filter takes users back to 10 blue links – no AI, no BS
In context: Google has drawn rising criticism over the added features of its search engine in recent years. As the company introduces fully AI-generated summaries of search results, it has also added a mode that strips those results down to simple web links. Some users might appreciate the gesture, but others complain that obtaining straightforward text results, like in the early days of Google, now requires extra clicks.
GenAI improvements bring back the promise of truly useful digital assistants
Call it Siri's revenge, but any AI assistant that Apple announces next will have an outsized influence in the mainstream market
With Project Gameface, Google lets you control Android games with your gestures and head movement
Developers can now add the tech to their apps and games
Google Search will soon incorporate AI-generated summaries everywhere, but flaws to that plan immediately emerge
"AI Overviews" means to offer detailed search results with context, despite hallucinations and stolen content
Google Photos is getting a major Gemini AI feature called 'Ask Photos'
Google Photos just got a lot more useful
Google issues yet another Chrome update to fix a high-severity, zero-day vulnerability
The world's leading web browser is also popular among cybercriminals
Google is working to add ChromeOS support to Android devices
With a bit of virtualization magic, an Android phone can run ChromeOS
Google and Apple establish new standard to alert users of suspicious Bluetooth trackers
Hopefully addressing the stalking problem
What Ever Happened to MapQuest?
Today, you can simply type the name of a destination and instantly get a map with turn-by-turn directions to get there. These advancements predated the smartphone, thanks to a service called MapQuest.
Even big tech is fighting for AI talent, here's what it means for job seekers
Demand for software roles was at an all-time high mid-pandemic
Surprisingly, Google Pixel 8a launches at $499 with seven years of updates
The new Pixel 8a features Google's Gemini AI at its core. With seven years of OS updates and powerful hardware, the 8a emerges as a highly desirable mid-ranger.
The big three cloud providers, Amazon, Microsoft and Google currently make up 67% of the market
AI services and enterprise spending are pushing strongest growth since 2022
DOJ alleges Google destroyed hundreds of thousands of chats as antitrust case winds down
The search giant's antitrust troubles are anything but over