Google's | Common News Update

Apr122021 by adminNo Comments

NHS Covid-19 app update blocked for breaking Apple and Google’s rules

Technology

PA MediaAn update to England and Wales's contact tracing app has been blocked for breaking the terms of an agreement made with Apple and Google.The plan had been to ask users to upload logs of venue check-ins - carried out via poster barcode scans - if they tested positive for the virus. This could be used to warn others.The update had been timed to coincide with the relaxation of lockdown rules.But the two firms had explicitly banned such a function from the start.Under the terms that all health authorities signed up to in order to use Apple and Google's privacy-centric contact-tracing tech, they had to agree not to collect any location data via the software. As a result, Apple and Google refused to make the update available for download from their app stores last week, and have instead k...

Apr22021 by adminNo Comments

CEO of Google’s self-driving car spinoff steps down from job

Technology

The executive who steered the transformation of Google’s self-driving car project into a separate company worth billions of dollars is stepping down after more than five years on the jobBy MICHAEL LIEDTKE AP Technology WriterApril 2, 2021, 8:30 PM• 3 min readShare to FacebookShare to TwitterEmail this articleSAN RAMON, Calif. -- The executive who steered the transformation of Google's self-driving car project into a separate company worth billions of dollars is stepping down after more than five years on the job.John Krafcik announced his departure as CEO of Waymo, a company spun out from Google, in a Friday blog post that cited his desire to enjoy life as the world emerges from the pandemic.“I'm looking forward to a refresh period, reconnecting with old friends and family, and dis...

Dec172020 by adminNo Comments

EU clears Google’s purchase of Fitbit, with conditions

Technology

EU regulators cleared Google’s plan to buy fitness tracking device maker Fitbit after the company promised to silo off user data and not use it for advertisingBy KELVIN CHAN AP Business WriterDecember 17, 2020, 8:49 PM• 3 min readShare to FacebookShare to TwitterEmail this articleLONDON -- The European Union on Thursday approved Google’s plan to buy fitness gadget maker Fitbit for $ 2.1 billion after it promised to restrict user data and ensure Android phones work with other wearable devices for at least 10 years.Human rights and consumer groups, which had called on authorities to block the deal over privacy and antitrust concerns, were unhappy with the decision. The deal also attracted scrutiny in Australia, where competition regulators are mulling a similar offer from Google.The ...

Jul112019 by adminNo Comments

Google’s DeepMind goes undercover to battle gamers

Technology

Gamers in Europe are being invited to take on a bot developed by some of the world's leading artificial intelligence researchers.But there's a twist: players will not be told when they have been pitted against it.The tests are being carried out by DeepMind, the London-based AI company that previously created a program that defeated the world's top Go players.In this case, the challenge involves the sci-fi video game Starcraft II.It is seen as being a more complex task, since players can only get a partial overview of what their opponent is doing, unlike the Chinese board game Go where all the pieces are on show.In addition, both Starcraft players move their armies about simultaneously rather than by taking turns.DeepMind - which ...

Jun62019 by adminNo Comments

Google’s Chrome plans ‘risk undermining fight against online child abuse’

Technology

By Alexander J Martin, technology reporter A planned change to the Chrome web browser by Google would have a "catastrophic impact on victims of online child sexual abuse" by undermining internet filters in the UK, the government has been warned.Techniques used to prevent images of child abuse being spread online would be made "obsolete" unless the government takes action, according to a parliamentary briefing note obtained by Sky News. The briefing, written by the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) - a charity with the task of finding and removing child abuse images online - says its "crucial service" of filtering URLs is now at risk. Image: The IWF describes the changes as 'catastrophic' The governm...