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1,031 'Google' stories August 2010 - October 2015
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Opinion: Is Apple getting too greedy, and could that again backfire on the company?

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Oct 19 2015 - 8:25 am PT
241 Comments

In 1995, two years before his return to the company, Steve Jobs gave a characteristically blunt answer when asked why Apple found itself struggling in the early to mid 1990s. The issue, he said, was that Apple had gotten greedy.

What ruined Apple wasn’t growth … They got very greedy. Instead of following the original trajectory of the original vision, which was to make the thing an appliance and get this out there to as many people as possible, they went for profits. They made outlandish profits for about four years… What that cost them was their future. What they should have been doing is making rational profits and going for market share.

Much has changed since then, of course. Apple has a substantial market share in both the personal computer and mobile markets, demonstrating that the two goals – growth and profitability – are not mutually exclusive. This is not an ‘Apple is doomed’ piece, nor anything like it. But I do wonder whether the company is once more putting short-term profits ahead of long-term brand loyalty … ? 
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Waze iOS app gets major design revamp for easier navigation, reporting and sharing [Video]

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Oct 19 2015 - 6:13 am PT
11 Comments

The iOS Waze app has been given a major redesign intended to make it easier to use for navigating, reporting problems and sharing your ETA with others.

Steps to navigate have been minimized. The Waze map, menus and road reporting system are redesigned for higher visibility and clarity, including less clutter on the map, brighter buttons, and color-coded pins per report type. From head to toe, Waze has been revamped with a stronger focus on the driver and the social driving experience.

Interestingly, although Waze is now owned by Google, the iOS app has been updated ahead of the Android version … 
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Google’s app indexing links coming to Safari on iOS by end of month

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Oct 9 2015 - 12:40 pm PT
1 Comment

Google first introduced app indexing for iOS apps in search back in May, allowing in-app content to appear in search results with links that send users directly to an app. The feature was originally only available in the Google app and Chrome browser, but now Google is launching an updated version of the framework that will make the app links also appear in Google search results in Safari.

Getting your app content found on Google just got easier. App Indexing is now compatible with HTTP deep link standards for iOS 9, as it has been on Android from the beginning. That means that you can start getting your app content into the Search results page on Safari in iOS, simply by adding Universal Links to your iOS app, then integrating with our SDK.

Developers simply need to support the Universal Links standard to get their apps to show up in search results. Users will begin to see the app indexing links showing up in Safari on iOS by the end October.

Devs can read more on how to support the feature here.

Google updates iOS search app to show map results, GIFs, allow review posts with photos

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Oct 8 2015 - 5:34 am PT
0 Comments

Google has updated its official search app for iOS to version 9.0, adding three new features.

• Add a photo or review for your favorite local places
• Get map results right in the app when you search for an address
• Tap and play animated GIFs in image search results

The app supports Siri-like spoken search queries, speaking the answer to questions. You can also get Google Now cards through the app, which aim to proactively offer you information you might want based on your location and other clues in a similar way to iOS 9’s proactive assistant feature. The company added always-on “Ok, Google” functionality in August.

Google is a free download from iTunes.

Synaptics announces 3D Touch-like touchscreen controller for Android phones

Avatar for Stephen Hall Oct 6 2015 - 12:16 pm PT
26 Comments

From 9to5Google:

Synaptics has today announced the ClearPad 3700 force-sensing touchscreen controller, which the company hopes will be packed inside many a 2016 flagship Android smartphone. This comes just about a month after Apple’s September 9th event, at which the Cupertino company announced the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, both packing “3D Touch” as a headline feature…
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Porsche approves CarPlay for new 911, rejects Android Auto as Google demands too much data

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Oct 6 2015 - 4:09 am PT
16 Comments

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 approved CarPlay for the 2017 version of its famous 911, but rejected Android Auto because 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 … 


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

Avatar for Zac Hall Oct 5 2015 - 11:06 am PT
16 Comments

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 for iPhone owners? Read on for details…
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Apple tops Interbrand’s list of the world’s most valuable brands for 3rd consecutive year

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Oct 5 2015 - 5:17 am PT
2 Comments

Interbrand has named Apple as the world’s most valuable brand for the third year running, estimating that it increased its total value by 43% in the past year to hit $170B. 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, seeing its value climb by 12% to $120B. 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.

Apple first knocked Coca-Cola out of Interbrand’s top slot in 2013. It has also topped Fortune’s list of the world’s most admired companies for eight consecutive years.

Via The Verge

Google wants Apple Music to play on Chromecast Audio … but Apple is silent for now

Avatar for Stephen Hall Sep 30 2015 - 8:54 am PT
17 Comments

During the announcement of Google’s Chromecast Audio yesterday, the company made sure to mention that music subscription leader Spotify will soon be one of the many music streaming services supported by the platform. With many Apple Music subscriptions renewing (or not renewing) and Google unveiling a $35 dongle that retrofits our existing home speakers with Wi-Fi, some are rightfully wondering: What about Apple Music?

According to statements from one Googler (via TrustedReviews), Google has no bar on any platform joining in on supporting Chromecast, and the Mountain View company has already directly asked Apple to play along…
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Google takes a jab at iPhone 6s camera as it unveils new Nexus lineup, next-gen Chromecast, Pixel tablet & more

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Sep 29 2015 - 10:14 am PT
68 Comments

Google is hosting its big fall event today with the company officially taking the wraps off a new lineup of Nexus smartphones from various manufacturing partners, its new second-gen Chromecast that we revealed previously, a revamped Google Photos experience, and much, much more.
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iOS 9 passes 21% adoption, one ups last year’s Android 5.0 Lollipop in just 48 hours

Avatar for Stephen Hall Sep 18 2015 - 9:42 am PT
7 Comments

In just 48 hours, Apple has managed to push iOS 9 to more than 21% of iOS devices, according to the latest data from Mixpanel. That just so happens to be the same percentage of phones that Google recently announced are running the latest version of its mobile OS, Android Lollipop. But unlike iOS 9 which was just released on Wednesday, Android Lollipop was released to the public 10 months ago in November 2014…
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Leak: Chromecast continues Apple TV assault w/ new hardware, Spotify, ‘What’s On’ content curation, more

Avatar for Stephen Hall Sep 18 2015 - 9:01 am PT
18 Comments

According to internal Google documents that 9to5Google has obtained, huge updates to the Chromecast platform — in almost every respect — are just around the corner. The long-rumored 2nd generation Chromecast hardware is set to debut at Google’s event later this month with several brand new features, including “Chromecast Audio,” Spotify support (finally!), a brand new Chromecast companion app, and more. Here’s a roundup of everything we’ve learned so far…
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Google AdSense for iOS hits 3.0 w/ iPhone 6 & 6 Plus support, Material Design, more

Avatar for Stephen Hall Sep 14 2015 - 8:12 am PT
1 Comment

Google has this morning pushed an update to AdSense for iOS, bringing many features that other apps in the Mountain View company’s catalog received months ago. While it may not be the most popular app outside of publishing and creative circles, the AdSense app has today been updated with support for Native iPhone 6 and 6 Plus resolution, Material Design, and more.

Rounding out the update is support for Hindi and Malay, a new icon for the Home Screen, more metrics, and a today center widget. The last of these, in case you aren’t aware, is a new widget for the Today section of Notification Center. On it, you’ll find four metrics for quick access: Today so far, Page views, Clicks, and Page RPM. It also tells you when the widget was last updated.

While Google’s apps for iOS have always been known for being well-polished (and sometimes just generally better than their Android counterparts), they usually come at a much slower pace. AdSense 3.0 for Android with many of the same new features was released on Android four weeks ago, and you can read more about that update over at 9to5Google.

Here’s the full change log:

What’s New in Version 3.0

This time we’re bringing you:
– Support for Hindi and Malay;
– Native iPhone 6 and 6+ resolution;
– A today center widget;
– Our lovely new AdSense logo;
– More metrics!
– A little something we like to call Material Design.

Head over to the App Store to grab the latest version for free.

Google’s Eric Schmidt makes thinly-veiled attack on Apple Music as elitist and a decade out of date

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Sep 14 2015 - 3:58 am PT
43 Comments

Eric Schmidt, executive chairman of Google parent company Alphabet, has made a thinly-veiled attack on Apple Music in a BBC op-ed on artificial intelligence. He described human-curated music selections as a decade out of data and an elitist approach.

A decade ago, to launch a digital music service, you probably would have enlisted a handful of elite tastemakers to pick the hottest new music.

Today, you’re much better off building a smart system that can learn from the real world – what actual listeners are most likely to like next – and help you predict who and where the next Adele might be … 


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Google Drive for iOS update brings multiple file select, quick sharing, and more

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Sep 3 2015 - 1:43 pm PT
0 Comments

A new update to Google Drive for iOS brings a couple notable, highly-requested features to the app. Included in the update, users will now be able to select multiple files at once in order to perform an action like saving for offline, adding a star to important files, or rearranging and organizing. The new feature is something that has long been requested by users and makes managing and sharing multiple files at once much easier than in the past.

In addition, the update includes the ability to share, rename or view file details much quicker with new quick share buttons when tapping on a file.

And lastly, Google says the updated app will include the usual performance improvements.

The updated Google Drive app for iOS is available on the App Store now.

Lawsuit against Apple, Google & others for ‘Do not hire’ agreements ends as settlement deal finalized

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Sep 3 2015 - 4:00 am PT
5 Comments

A class action lawsuit against Apple, Google and other tech companies for agreeing not to poach each other’s employees has finally been settled. Steve Jobs, Google’s Eric Schmidt and others had agreed in emails not to offer higher salaries to each other’s employees in order to reduce the risk of losing valuable employees. When the emails came to light, the 64,000 employees affected successfully argued that this had limited their earning potential.

After Apple’s originally settlement offers were rejected by Judge Lucy Koh as inadequate, the company increased its offer to $415M, which the judge agreed was fair. Reuters reports that Koh has now granted final approval of this sum.

Koh did, however, reject the $81M cut the lawyers in the case had demanded … 
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Android Wear on iOS: Setup and first impressions [Video]

Avatar for Cam Bunton Aug 31 2015 - 3:08 pm PT
27 Comments

Android Wear finally has iOS support after Google pushed its iPhone-compatible software to the App Store. This means that Android has beaten Apple Watch to the cross-platform game. Or, at least it would, if iOS didn’t restrict it to a state of almost uselessness. The only device officially supported is the LG Watch Urbane although — as we previously revealed — the older generation Android Wear watches do work. I got it set up with my Moto 360, and have been mostly disappointed by my experience so far.


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Google+ for iOS updated with ‘Collections’ feature

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Aug 31 2015 - 11:55 am PT
0 Comments

Google+ Collections, a feature that lets like-minded Google+ users connect in forums organized by topic, today comes to iOS devices after first rolling out for Android and web users a few months back.

Users can create Collections for topics they’re interested in and follow Collections created by other users to keep track of posts related to their interests. Google shared a few examples of popular Collections including Homebrewing, Climbing Junkie Photos, Magical, Mystical Mountains and Marine Life. It also features select Collections on a webpage here for easy searching.

When you post a Collection, Google notes that you’ll be able to customize who sees it thanks to recent improvements to the feature on Android that also come to iOS today. It also recently added the ability to add taglines to Collections and search for them on mobile devices. 

The Collections feature is available now in the updated Google+ iOS app with version 4.8.5.

Google rolling out Android Wear smartwatch support to iPhone

Avatar for Zac Hall Aug 31 2015 - 9:06 am PT
16 Comments

Google has good news for iPhone users curious about Android Wear and the diverse design selection of smartwatches running the OS. Starting today Android Wear watches will work with the iPhone for the first time. Just like Apple Watch, Android Wear watches is compatible with iPhone 5 or higher with iOS 8.2 or higher required. The slight catch is that not all current Android Wear watches will be compatible with iOS…
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Google gives developers code to disable iOS 9 app security to continue to serve ads

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Aug 28 2015 - 4:07 am PT
41 Comments

One of the backend improvements in iOS 9 is a strengthening of app security when accessing data from webservers. The new App Transport Security (ATS) feature ensures that only connections encrypted using HTTPS are permitted. There’s just one problem with that: not all advertisers use HTTPS, so ATS will stop some ads appearing in apps.

Google has responded by providing developers with five lines of code that allow them to disable ATS … 
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