Google Stadia price reveal and game announcements coming this summer
The Google Stadia cloud gaming platform shook up the industry when it was revealed and the development team behind it has been rolling out technical details ever since. This summer, the team will be revealing games for the platform, the price, and will set the stage for launch later this year.
Google Lens’ new dining and translation features are now rolling out
Google announced a series of new features for Lens at Google I/O 2019, and now some of the coolest of those features are finally rolling out. Notably, Google Lens is gaining the ability to recognize menu items at a restaurant and show reviews and photos of dishes you might find interesting.
Google finally puts the Pixel Slate on sale with a $200 price cut
Three versions of Google’s Pixel Slate have just gotten an $200 price cut. You can now buy a Pixel Slate with either a Core m3 processor, an i5 processor, or an i7 processor. all at prices less than $1,500. However, these new prices do not include a keyboard or a stylus.
As stock Android spreads, is it time for Android manufacturer skins to die?
Stock Android has evolved and improved dramatically over the years, partly thanks to the innovations developed by manufacturer skins. However, manufacturer UIs also spell trouble in terms of slow software updates, bloatware, and performance. Can the two peacefully coexist? It’s complicated.
Google Duplex sounds a lot like a human — and sometimes it is one
Google revealed Google Duplex at Google I/O 2018 as a way to make bookings at restaurants and other locations. At the time, the service was hailed for sounding a whole lot like a human, but according to a new report from the New York Times, the reason for that might be because sometimes it is a human.
Hey Google, let’s order out: Food delivery comes to Search, Maps, and Assistant
It's easier than ever to get your favorite grub delivered to your door or order it for pickup as Google integrates online food ordering into Google Search and Google Maps. You can even ask Google Assistant to order your favorite dish without having to pick up your phone or touch your computer.
Some Pixel 3a owners say their new phone is randomly shutting down
Some owners of Google's new Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL smartphones are complaining that their device is randomly shutting down. It’s not yet clear what’s causing the issue, or how many phones are affected. The midrange handsets hit the market just two weeks ago and cost $399 and $479, respectively.
Google’s new $999 augmented reality smartglasses are ready for business
Google unveiled Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2, a new version of its business-focused augmented reality wearable. The company's latest smartglasses ship with a new and faster Qualcomm processor, an updated 8MP camera, safety frames from Smith Optics, and a $999 price tag.
Digital Trends Live: Google and Huawei, Alphabet’s meatball drones, and more
On Monday's episode of Digital Trends Live, we discuss today’s top trending tech news, including updates on the dissolving relationship between Google and Huawei, Alphabet’s drones deliver meatballs, Facebook’s secret robot division, fines for crossing the street while texting, deepfake Joe Rogan, and more.
Yes, Google tracks and collects your online purchases through Gmail. But why?
Google has been tracking the purchase history of its users via Gmail. The company says that the tracking is an effort to provide users with a single place to view their shopping history, but there are some odd aspects that suggest that Google may have other motives for collecting this data.
Meatballs and pastries offered by Wing’s first European drone delivery service
Having recently launched a limited service in Canberra, Australia, Alphabet's Wing is getting ready to begin testing its drone delivery technology in Helsinki, Finland. Customers will be able to order a variety of food and drinks, with delivery promised within about 10 minutes.
Google Pixel 4 will reportedly ditch physical buttons and display notch
The Google Pixel 4 will reportedly feature massive design changes, including the removal of clickable power and volume keys in favor of capacitive touch areas at the side of the device. The smartphone is also said to be dropping the display notch, and will instead have a hole-punch front-facing camera.
Gmail logs your purchase history, undermining Google’s commitment to privacy
Google has tried to portray itself as privacy-focused, including an op-ed from CEO Sundar Pichai in the New York Times saying privacy should not be a luxury good. But Google tracks many of your online purchases, even if they are bought from a non-Google affiliated store like Amazon.
Google recalls Titan Security Key due to hijack risk
Google's Titan Security Key is flawed -- the Bluetooth Low Energy version, that is -- and the company is offering a free replacement. A misconfiguration was discovered in the device, though hackers will find it difficult to exploit as it will require close proximity to their target and exact timing.
Google’s Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL are official: Here’s everything you need to know
The Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL are considered to be two of the best Android smartphones out there, but it looks like Google could be prepping for two new midrange Pixel devices. Say hello to the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL, which pack a great-looking camera and powerful midrange specs.
Windows on a Chromebook is a dead dream, but something better could replace it
It seems that Google has scrapped its plans to let Chrome OS users dual boot Windows on a Chromebook. Recent code updates posted in Chromium Gerrit indicate that Google has canceled Project Campfire, ending its plans to let Chromebooks dual boot Windows and Chrome OS. But Google has a plan, and Campfire never fit into it.
Google’s new Trips site aims to help with all of your travel planning
Google seeks to ease your travel planning with Trips, a new online site that lets you explore destinations, research airline flights, check out hotels and view current package deals. This is the beginning of Google's plans tighter integration between Google Search, Google Maps. and Trips for the future.
Google Pixel and Pixel XL owners may receive up to $500 over faulty phones
Owners of Google’s original Pixel or Pixel XL smartphones could receive a payout of up to $500 after the company agreed to settle a class action lawsuit linked to a fault with the handsets. The agreement, which is subject to final approval by the courts, affects Pixel phones sold before January 4, 2017.
Google is bringing new ad formats to its products on mobile devices
Google's core business is advertising, and it's about to make ads a little more prominent on mobile. The company has announced a few new ad formats for mobile, which will show up in Google Discover, on YouTube, and in other Google products. New ad formats should start to show up later this year.
Google’s Street View cars are helping build a giant map of global air pollution
For the past several years, a growing number of Google’s Street View cars have been doing more than just taking photos. They’ve also been measuring air quality. Here's how they've been doing it -- and what this could mean for solving the global problem of air pollution.
Pixel 3, Pixel 3a slowdowns reportedly caused by Google’s Digital Wellbeing
Some Pixel 3 and Pixel 3a owners have reportedly solved the slowdown issues on their devices by deactivating Google's Digital Wellbeing. It remains unconfirmed if the screen management feature, which was introduced in Android 9 Pie, is indeed negatively affecting the smartphones.
Google is ending its Works with Nest system. Here’s what that means for you
Google is ending its Works with Nest program. This means that in a few short months, many smart devices will no longer work with Nest. Google is making this change as part of a broad rebranding strategy for its smart home products and a focus on privacy. Here's everything you need to know about the changes.
Google Play Store feature suggests unused apps to uninstall from Android phones
A new Google Play Store feature informs people through the notification tray that they can free up space by uninstalling unused apps. After tapping on the alert, a list of unused apps on the Android device will be brought up, from which it is easy to select the unused apps to remove.
Looking for podcasts? Google lets you find and play them in its web search
Not content to simply have its own dedicated podcasts app, Google is now letting people find podcasts from within its web search, and play the most recent episodes inside a dedicated web-player. The move comes after the BBC recently decided to pull all of its podcasts from Google's platforms.
Android Q is standardizing navigation controls across all Android phones
Android Pie introduced a new gesture navigation system for using Android, but it also enabled other Android manufacturers to create their own navigation systems, fragmenting the experience. Android Q is standardizing it across all Android phones for a unified experience instead.
Google Assistant 2.0 isn’t just a minor evolution. It’s a game-changing upgrade
A new version of Google Assistant is coming to our smartphones, and it has the potential to change the way we use our devices on a daily basis. Thanks to a significant technical breakthrough, voice control is about to become faster and equally as versatile and accurate as using a touchscreen.
All Chromebooks launched in 2019 will be Linux-ready out of the box
Google revealed at this year’s Google I/O that all of the Chromebooks launched in 2019 will have the ability to run Linux “right out of the box.” This covers all 2019 Chromebooks, including Intel and ARM-based ones. There are also other planned, developer-friendly Chromebook improvements.
Quindim, quiche, or quesito? What will Android Q be called?
We dive into the dessert-themed world of Android naming and try to figure out what Android Q might be called. We have various potential sweets that start with the letter Q and we've given them a likelihood score out of 10 as we try to work out what Google might choose for the next operating system.
Google finally releases an affordable phone worth buying
With the same awesome camera, slick software, and A.I. smarts as its more expensive sibling, the Google Pixel 3a is the bargain you’ve been waiting for. This compelling new phone represents a shift in strategy for Google and could prove to be its first truly mass-market device.
Google’s Stadia plans to make launch woes a relic of gaming history
Launch problems have sunk numerous recent releases including Bioware's Anthem and Bethesda's Fallout 76. Google Stadia is positioning itself as the solution. It combines incredibly reliable Google Cloud servers with refreshingly simple dev tools. But will that sway the world's biggest game developers?
Google I/O: There are big changes coming to Play Store reviews
Google plans an updated approach to its Play Store reviews to focus on more recent and more relevant reviews that provide a more accurate reflection of current apps. Developers seek a rating reflecting current app performance, not ratings from years past. At Google I/O, we learned that it's coming.
Google is making it easier to add streaming video services to Android TV
With competition heating up between smart TV platforms from Amazon, Roku, and Apple, Google has a few tweaks planned to help its Android TV users get more from the platform. The company announced that it's going to reduce the number of steps involved in adding new streaming video services.
Pixel 3a vs. Pixel 3 vs. Pixel 2: Which Google phone is perfect for you?
The Google Pixel 3a has finally arrived, and it's a pretty amazing midrange phone that proves you don't need to shell out almost a thousand dollars to get great Android performance. But is it better than its flagship cousins? We pitted it against the Google Pixel 3 and the Pixel 2 to find out.
Here’s what Google’s Tiles on Wear OS look like, and how they work
Smartwatches are all about convenience and accessing the information you need, when you need it. Google's Wear OS is about to get a whole lot more convenient with a new interface that pulls in your calendar, fitness goals, and more. Called Tiles on Wear OS, it's being shown off at Google I/O 2019.