Monthly Archives: September 2021

Google appears to be internally testing a second foldable Pixel smartphone, according to 9to5Googles sources. The device is said to be under development with the codename Jumbojack, thats referenced in a future version of Android 12 which 9to5Google identifies as Android 12.1. This is the latest foldable codename weve heard about at Google, following reports of another device called Passport.

Not much is known about what form Jumbojack could take, but 9to5Google has a couple of key details. It seems to have two screens, with one that deactivates when the device is folded. That suggests were looking at a similar design to Samsungs foldables, which combine a small external screen with a larger internal folding display. Theres no word on screen sizes or internal specs, however.

Interestingly, theres speculation that the Jumbojack codename could be a reference to Jack in the Boxs Jumbo Jack cheeseburger, an implication that the phone will fold hamburger style like a Z Flip as opposed to hotdog style like a Z Fold. But, much like the foodstuffs, that speculation is best taken with a good pinch of salt.

Unlike Passport, which reliable leaker Evan Blass reported this morning is still scheduled to launch before the end of the year, theres no indication about when or even if Jumbojack will see a commercial release. Theres a possibility it might just be an internal prototype, designed to help build foldable functionality like improved multitasking into Android itself. Regardless, its existence suggests Google is more serious about foldables that it initially appeared as the company gears up to produce its first true flagship competitor with the Pixel 6.

Update September 20th, 7:30AM ET: Added corroboration from Blass that Googles Passport foldable is still expected to launch before the end of the year.

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Google reportedly has a second foldable in the works - The Verge

Google has abused the dominant position of Android in India to illegally hurt competitors in the worlds second largest internet market, a two-year antitrust probe by the nations watchdog has found.

The Android-maker reduced device manufacturing firms ability and incentive to develop and sell devices running alternative versions of Android (more popularly known as forks), the probe found, according to two people have have been briefed on the findings.

Additionally, the report found Googles requirement to make it mandatory for device manufacturers to pre-install its apps to be in violation of Indias competition law.

More than five dozen firms including Amazon and Apple responded to queries from the Indian watchdog the Competition Commission of India during the course of the investigation, the report said.

The Indian watchdog also found issues with the way Google has enforced policies on Play Store, saying those are one-sided, ambiguous, vague, biased and arbitrary.

Google said it looks forward to engage with the CCI to demonstrate how Android has led to more competition and innovation, not less. Indian newspaper Times of India first wrote about the report.

The reports findings which are yet to be formally published by the CCI is the latest setback for Google in India, where it is facingseveral other antitrust probesand daggers from a growing number of domestic startups, founders, and investors.

The Alliance of Digital India Foundation, a group of 350 startups, founders and investors, lauded the CCI reports findings and said the watchdogs step is in line with the Indian digital ecosystems needs.

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Google abused dominant position of Android in India, antitrust probe finds - TechCrunch

Mariella MoonContributor

Chromecasts and other devices powered by Google TV might give users access to free television channels in the future. According to Protocol, Google has been in talks with free, ad-supported streaming television providers about the possibility of adding their channels to its smart TV platform. Those channels typically have a similar feel to traditional TV, and its shows will be interrupted by commercial breaks.

Protocol says Chromecast users might be able to browse live channels available to them through a dedicated menu similar to YouTube TVs. Meanwhile, smart TVs powered by the platform might show the free channels alongside other over-the-air programming that can be accessed with an antenna. The publication says thats similar to how companies like Samsung present free TV offerings on their own platforms. Samsungs free TV service has become so popular, other companies (including Roku and Amazon) started giving their customers access to hundreds of free channels, as well.

The addition of linear programming to Google TV could help make Chromecasts and smart TVs powered by the operating system a more enticing option for cord-cutters. Google could officially launch free streaming channels as soon as this fall, though it could also wait to announce the feature until its smart TV partners are also ready to do so next year. Protocol also says that while its unclear what channels are making their way to the platform at this point, Google will likely strike deals that will give it access to dozens of free channels all at once.

Editors note: This article originally appeared on Engadget.

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Google reportedly plans to add free channels to its smart TV platform - TechCrunch

The internet is answering a question that its been wrestling with for decades, which is: How is the internet going to pay for itself? he said.

The fallout may hurt brands that relied on targeted ads to get people to buy their goods. It may also initially hurt tech giants like Facebook but not for long. Instead, businesses that can no longer track people but still need to advertise are likely to spend more with the largest tech platforms, which still have the most data on consumers.

David Cohen, chief executive of the Interactive Advertising Bureau, a trade group, said the changes would continue to drive money and attention to Google, Facebook, Twitter.

The shifts are complicated by Googles and Apples opposing views on how much ad tracking should be dialed back. Apple wants its customers, who pay a premium for its iPhones, to have the right to block tracking entirely. But Google executives have suggested that Apple has turned privacy into a privilege for those who can afford its products.

For many people, that means the internet may start looking different depending on the products they use. On Apple gadgets, ads may be only somewhat relevant to a persons interests, compared with highly targeted promotions inside Googles web. Website creators may eventually choose sides, so some sites that work well in Googles browser might not even load in Apples browser, said Brendan Eich, a founder of Brave, the private web browser.

It will be a tale of two internets, he said.

Businesses that do not keep up with the changes risk getting run over. Increasingly, media publishers and even apps that show the weather are charging subscription fees, in the same way that Netflix levies a monthly fee for video streaming. Some e-commerce sites are considering raising product prices to keep their revenues up.

Consider Seven Sisters Scones, a mail-order pastry shop in Johns Creek, Ga., which relies on Facebook ads to promote its items. Nate Martin, who leads the bakerys digital marketing, said that after Apple blocked some ad tracking, its digital marketing campaigns on Facebook became less effective. Because Facebook could no longer get as much data on which customers like baked goods, it was harder for the store to find interested buyers online.

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The Battle for Digital Privacy Is Reshaping the Internet - The New York Times

The new Assistant Driving Mode can help you get places without touching the screen while behind the wheel. Photo: Florence Ion / Gizmodo

I live in the California suburbs, known for their relative un-walkability, exacerbated by the presence of rolling hills and sweltering hot days. I rely on my car to get me and my family places, and I want the least distraction possible when Im behind the wheel.

I adopted Android Auto back in 2016 as my aging cars in-dash entertainment system when Google released a phone-only version of Android Auto for vehicles without infotainment systems. Eventually, manufacturers like Anker started making third-party adapters like the Roav Bolt, which plug into a car outlet and broadcast audio through the vehicles speakers via Bluetooth. It was a way for me to cheat out of upgrading my car to get hands-free features.

But Google plans to do away with the Android Auto standalone phone app and is instead pivoting to a more streamlined experience inside the Google Maps app. Its called Assistant Driving Mode, and its started rolling out to select devices, according to 9to5Google. If youre running the Android 12 Beta, you should see it pop up once you shout out, Start driving mode or Lets drive to the Google Assistant. Some have also reported it popping up on Android 11 devices running the Google Assistant beta, which you can flip on through the Play Store, though I couldnt get it to come up myself.

I did manage to get it to work on the Pixel 5 with the latest Android 12 beta update. Theres a support page if you need more help getting it to show up. The new UI is supposed to be available without entering a destination, but I was only able to get the new home screen the first time I asked the Assistant to launch the feature, after which it realized I wasnt driving anywhere and reverted to Google Maps. The bottom right-hand corner of the Maps app displays a little app drawer button like youd see on Android, and pressing that takes you to a driving launcher of sorts.

The new Assistant Driving Mode is a completely reprised Android app launcher for the car. Screenshot: Florence Ion / Gizmodo

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You can choose your apps from here, similar to the way youd browse through apps in the Android Auto launcher on cars that have it embedded in the dash. Each little app has an interface that populates with quick links and playlists if its a media playback app. There are also quick buttons to make a call, send and view messages, or look through media playlists curated for you by the Assistant in apps like YouTube Music and Google Podcaststwo apps I dont use at all. I even marked Spotify as my default music player in the Google Assistant settings, but I dont have access to those playlists unless I specifically tap into the Spotify app.

There is no back button on Assistant Driving Mode, so if you want to move on to another task or another app, youll have to tap the launcher and select the option that suits you. Or you can utter the, Hey Google command, which is what this feature is supposed to inspire you to do, anyway. Its why youd buy an accessory like the Roav Bolt, which adds a microphone to your car so it can hear you say it, and why Google is shifting away from the original look of Android Auto on the phone.

The Pocket Casts app on the Assistant Driving Mode (right) has fewer menus to dig through than the original Android Auto app (left) for the smartphone.Screenshot: Florence Ion / Gizmodo

The new Assistant Driving Mode isnt perfect, but it feels like a step in the right direction. Its much better than the initial preview I saw at Google I/O in 2019, where I saw a demonstration of a full-page interface that long-scrolled through each of the feature options available while driving. The interface is also much easier to tap through with one finger, and there are fewer menus to deal with, probably why theres no longer a back button to drag you through menu structures. The key to a safe in-car interface is that you can glance at it to get the information you need without taking your focus off the road (which is why I try to avoid driving on beta software!).

I hope it will become a little easier to get to the curated home screen without entering navigation mode or the car having to recognize motion. After all, what if Im driving nowhere in particular, but I still want to shuffle through my music? I can access the Assistant Driving Mode to start the song, but only if I set up a destination, which I dont always need to do.

With the Android Auto phone app heading to the Google Graveyard soon, its nice to see that Google is trying to improve the Assistant Driving Mode. It makes it easier for those of us without Android Auto-compatible cars to have features and apps that are optimized for safer driving.

Update, Sept. 15 at 4:45 pm ET: Google provided the following statement about the future of Android Auto:

Google Assistant driving mode is our next evolution of the mobile driving experience. For the people who use Android Auto in supported vehicles, that experience isnt going away. For those who use the on phone experience (Android Auto mobile app), they will be transitioned to Google Assistant driving mode. Starting with Android 12, Google Assistant driving mode will be the built-in mobile driving experience. We have no further details to share at this time.

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Google Is Phasing Out the Android Auto App, but the Alternative Is Pretty Good - Gizmodo

Google must explain what steps it has taken to ensure the companys platforms and advertising capabilities are not exploited for misinformation in the run-up to the next federal election, Labors national secretary, Paul Erickson, has demanded.

In a letter to Google Australias managing director, Mel Silva, seen by Guardian Australia, Erickson raises a number of objections to recent interventions by Clive Palmer and Craig Kelly activity he says undermines confidence in Australias public health response to Covid-19.

Erickson cites multiple videos on Kellys personal YouTube page in which Mr Kelly promotes ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine as effective treatments for Covid-19 or claims that Covid-19 vaccines are unsafe.

Guardian Australia understands Google has now flagged some of the videos identified by Erickson, and the contents are under review.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration also on Wednesday issued a cease and desist letter to Kelly as leader of the United Australian party (UAP), demanding that the party stop distributing incomplete extracts of adverse event reports relating to Covid-19 vaccines which the regulator believes could be seriously misleading.

Erickson notes in his appeal to Silva the UAP is already spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on political advertising, including on Googles platforms.

Labors national secretary says it is important that Googles platforms not be misused in the middle of a pandemic, including by those with a track record of spreading politically motivated misinformation in the lead-up to the next federal election.

During the last federal election, Labor was locked in an ultimately fruitless battle with the digital behemoths about death tax misinformation proliferating on social media.

Erickson notes in his correspondence to Silva the digital platforms were not sufficiently responsive during the last federal election to legitimate complaints of political misinformation. Regrettably, the response of digital platforms was wholly inadequate, he says. These mistakes should not be repeated.

Erickson notes the spread of misinformation about Covid-19 and the US electoral process during the 2020 US presidential election contest in 2020 ultimately cost lives.

Kelly, who has left the Liberal party and is now the federal leader of the UAP, flatly rejected Ericksons warning. It is a disgrace and a new low that a political party would ask a foreign oligarch to censor freedom of speech in Australian politics, the MP told Guardian Australia.

The idea that an alternate opinion of an expert is misinformation is a claim I categorically reject, Kelly said. He said Ericksons appeal to Google amounted to silencing of genuine debate, and that will leave the public misinformed.

Guardian Australia also contacted Palmer through a spokesperson for comment. No response was received prior to publication.

Data tracking voting intention in the Guardian Essential poll information that is now only published quarterly indicates there has been an uptick of support for the UAP as Palmer and Kelly have, controversially, sent text messages to millions of Australians during recent weeks.

It is possible the recent increase in support could be noise within the polls margin of error, or it could suggest the communications strategy is bearing fruit.

In his letter to Silva, Erickson asks whether Google has put additional oversight mechanisms in place since the 2019 election to ensure its platforms and advertising capabilities are not exploited for misinformation, including by the UAP?

He asks how the platform intends to manage the elevated risk of misinformation in the context of the upcoming federal election, including in relation to content uploaded by the UAP?

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Erickson asks whether Google has considered additional resourcing to enable the swift resolution of complaints by political parties or users, and for clarity about timeframes for approving political advertisements in the lead-up to and during the federal election.

He has also asked how YouTube will ensure the approval timelines for political parties are applied consistently across political parties.

A spokesman for Google confirmed the platform had received Ericksons letter and intended to respond in due course.

He also pointed to the platforms existing policies on political advertising and on misinformation. The platform says it was one of the first signatories to commit to the Australian code of practice on disinformation and misinformation earlier this year.

YouTube says is doesnt allow medical misinformation about Covid-19 that poses a serious risk of egregious harm or contradicts public health advice from local or global authorities.

Originally posted here:

Labor appeals to Google over misinformation fears before Australian election - The Guardian Australia

In January, Googles parent company, Alphabet, shut down Project Loon, an initiative exploring using stratospheric helium balloons to distribute wireless internet (an attempt to use solar-powered drones folded in 2017). However, some technology developed as a part of the Loon project remained in development, specifically the Free Space Optical Communications (FSOC) links that were originally meant to connect the high flying balloons and now that technology is actively in use providing a high-speed broadband link for people in Africa.

Sort of like fiber optic cables without the cable, FSOC can create a 20Gbps+ broadband link from two points that have a clear line of sight, and Alphabets moonshot lab X has built up Project Taara to give it a shot. They started by setting up links in India a few years ago as well as a few pilots in Kenya, and today X revealed what it has achieved by using its wireless optical link to connect service across the Congo River from Brazzaville in the Republic of Congo and Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In 20 days, Project Taara lead Baris Erkmen says the link transmitted nearly 700TB of data, augmenting fiber connections used by local telecom partner Econet and its subsidiaries. The reason for testing the technology in this location is not only the climate, which the team admits is better suited to wireless optical communications than a foggy city like San Francisco but the obstacle created by the deep and fast-flowing river. The cities are only a few miles apart as the crow flies, but Taara says a fiber link to Kinshasa has to run nearly 250 miles (400 kilometers), making it five times as expensive to get online.

Despite sending its communications without the protection of a physical fiber, Taara says that during the test period, its link had 99.9 percent availability. The team tells The Verge that end users dont know when their communications are using FSOC instead of fiber and that it aims to provide an indistinguishable experience. They also said that they hadnt experienced any weather conditions in the Congo that affected the connection on this link so far. They credit its resilience in the face of haze, light rain, birds, and other obstacles to the ability to adjust laser power on the fly, as well as improved pointing and tracking.

Project Taara links are placed high up, naturally, since they need to be able to see each other, and as you can see in the GIF above, theyre capable of automatically adjusting their mirrors to connect a light beam the width of a chopstick accurately enough to hit a 5-centimeter target thats 10 kilometers away. The system can adjust itself within +/-5 degree cone, and the team says that if that fails for some reason, they can attempt to remote control them into a connection before sending technicians out.

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Alphabets Project Taara laser tech beamed 700TB of data across nearly 5km - The Verge