Buy a Chromecast and get $10 in free Google Play Store credit
As if the low price of Chromecast devices wasn’t enough to get you to purchase one, Google is now holding a deal that just might push you over the fence.
The deal is pretty simple, just buy a Chromecast or Chromecast Audio and Google will hand over $10 in Google Play Store credit. This effectively brings the price down to $25, an offer not many of us can say no to.
For those of you who may be out of the loop on this one, Chromecast is a WiFi-connected dongle that plugs into any TV via HDMI. Users can then use their phones to stream content wirelessly.
The Chromecast Audio works in a similar fashion, but as the name entails, it’s focused on sound. This dongle connects to any speaker via a 3.5 mm headset jack and connects to your WiFi network. One can then easily stream songs, podcast or any audio to this device and control it from a phone.
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Ready to get playing? You can read the full terms and conditions here. The general rules are that you have to be from the USA, be 13 years or older, have internet access and own a Google Payments account. This offer expires on February 24th and the credit must be redeemed by May 31st, so plan accordingly.
Who is signing up?!
Google attempts to defeat deceptive download buttons and ads, and fails
Last year Google made a promise to expand its Safe Browsing system to cover social engineering attacks, the kind where spammers try to trick you into divulging passwords or personal information. Well, today Google is expanding the scope of its social engineering defence even further, by tackling deceptive download ads too.
See also: 10 best Android browsers of 2016
You know the ones, the pop-up ads you frequently encounter on streaming sites, telling you your device is infected with viruses or that your browser is out of date and all you need to do is “click here”. You’ll see them for all kinds of things – updating Flash Player, installing a movie-streaming app, updating Chrome, removing viruses – but the new addition to Safe Browsing aims to protect you from deceptive embedded ads or buttons.
The only problem is, it doesn’t exactly work as advertised. Safe browsing is enabled by default in Chrome, just go to Settings > Privacy > Safe Browsing to check. I thought I’d test this new protection by visiting one of the notoriously spammy movie streaming sites on the web, and every movie I tried to watch produced a new social engineering attack. Theoretically, you’re supposed to see this splash screen:
Now, the majority of these deceptive adds I saw were pop-ups or pop-unders – the kind that launch a new browser window – but there was still plenty of dodgy “Install” and mislabelled “Stream Now” buttons scattered around the sites, along with ads prompting me to update media players and so on. Perhaps it’s early days yet, but I’d advise you to still use utmost caution when visiting sites like these and only install apps from trusted sources.
Have you ever been caught out by a deceptive ad or Download button? How do you manage your browsing security?
Google’s nifty self-driving cars head to Kirkland, Washington
Google has announced that its smart Lexus SUVs will be exploring the roads of North Kirkland, after surpassing 1.4 million ‘driverless’ miles.
Speaking today via Google+, the Google Self-Driving Car page has shared some more information on the project’s progress.
A Google spokesperson writes: “Hello Kirkland, WA! We’ve chosen your beautiful city by Lake Washington as the next location of our self-driving car testing program.”
The new spot of choice will give Google’s cars more experience with new environments, road conditions and unique traffic patterns. A number of self-driving Lexus RX450h SUVs will be taking to the road to gather more data, so if you’re in the North Kirkland area it’s time to keep your eyes peeled.
Click here to view the embedded video.
Discussing the technology and its power over on the Self-Driving Car Project website, Google says:
“The car processes both map and sensor information to determine where it is in the world. Our car knows what street it’s on and which lane it’s in.”
“Sensors help detect objects all around us. The software classifies objects based on their size, shape and movement pattern.”
The software built into Google’s self-driving cars means that the vehicles can predict what all the objects around them might do next. The same tech chooses a safe speed for the car and is able to slow down to give way to pedestrians.
Source: Google Self-Driving Car Project (Google+)
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Google’s VP of artificial intelligence will replace head of search and merging the two divisions
There are about to be some big changes at Google’s core business, as current head of search, Amit Singhal, is going to retire at the end of February. His replacement? Current VP of artificial intelligence and research, John Giannandrea.
This move has some pretty big implications for the future of Google Search. For the past several years, we’ve seen the search engine rise to prominence by building out an impressive set of tools that made searches extremely fast, extremely comprehensive, and supported by tons of other apps and services like Gmail and Calendar. Recently, though, Google has slightly shifted focus of its search engine by bringing the results to you before you ask, instead of giving you results after you’ve asked Google.
With Giannandrea’s expertise, this momentum will only keep growing. Google Now is an integral part of Google’s mobile strategy, and artificial intelligence is the backbone of that. We’ve already seen that partly implemented in Inbox’s intelligent Smart Reply feature, and that’s not counting the things still in development, like self-driving cars and image recognition.
Alphabet-owned Google isn’t the only one chasing AI for their core business, either. We’ve seen Facebook and Microsoft both pursue new tech that will make it easier to bring content to users more accurately and with less input.
source: Bloomberg
Come comment on this article: Google’s VP of artificial intelligence will replace head of search and merging the two divisions
Google vows to destroy deceptive download buttons
Google has announced plans to expand its Safe Browsing protection tool to prevent users from clicking annoying fake download buttons online.
Anybody that’s done their fair share of web browsing will know how frustrating it can be clicking on misleading download buttons, which is why Google is taking further steps to solve the problem.
Speaking via the Google blog, the group has said it will be clamping down on ads that are made to look like a ‘trusted entity’, such as popup messages that ask users to update software they don’t technically own or need.
Often, dangerous buttons are made to mimic the appearance of the site they appear on, thus tricking more people into clicking.
Lucas Ballard of the Safe Browsing Team posted:
“Our fight against unwanted software and social engineering is still just beginning. We’ll continue to improve Google’s Safe Browsing protection to help more people stay safe online.”
Ballard added that website owners should troubleshoot with Google’s Search Console if their pages are flagged for containing social engineering content.
Come comment on this article: Google vows to destroy deceptive download buttons
Google pulls Samsung-backed ad blocker from the Play Store
Samsung may have stirred up more trouble than it was expecting when it started blocking ads in its Android web browser. Google has pulled Adblock Fast, the app partner for Samsung’s feature, from the Play Store. Allegedly, the title (made by Rocketship Apps) violates Google Play’s policies by interfering with other apps and services. That’s a bit baffling, since Adblock Fast uses Samsung’s own code and had the Korean firm’s explicit blessing — Adblock Plus is using the same code and hasn’t run into trouble. The concern, as you can imagine, is that Google might be retaliating against Samsung for daring to hurt its bread-and-butter ad business.
Don’t cry “conspiracy!” just yet, though. While Google isn’t directly commenting on the removal, The Next Web hears that the concern may be how Samsung does ad blocking, rather than the fact that it’s blocking ads at all. If so, Samsung could theoretically solve its problems by merging Adblock Fast’s technology into the browser. For now, at least, you’ll have to look at alternatives if you just can’t stand web marketing on your Galaxy S.
Source: The Next Web
Google to give away Fiber to public housing
The internet has become such an essential part of our lives that trying to get by without it is practically impossible. This can be a serious problem for people trying to re-enter the workforce or scrape their lives back together after a serious financial blow. That’s why Google has decided to team up with the Obama Housing Department to bring Google Fiber to public housing residents.
In fairness, this project also seems to be a pretty savvy move on the part of Google to help establish infrastructure for Fiber. The problem is that setting up the famous lightning internet initiative is very expensive. In fact, in their financial announcements Monday, Google revealed that Fiber would be one of their largest expenses in 2016. Working with a government program aiming to bring internet to those who might not have access to it seems like a smart way to offset the costs of laying the groundwork for infrastructure.
See also: Google Fiber sets its sights on Los Angeles and Chicago
The plan seeks to bring gigabit connections to public housing residents free of charge. Included with the package will be pre-wired jacks and free network boxes that will allow smartphones and tablets to connect to the internet even if there are no computers in the home. This project will arrive first in the nine cities where Fiber already exists, starting in Kansas City. There, Fiber has already been installed in nine government housing properties, bringing very high speed internet to 1,300 families. After the program is established in the places where the service already exists, Google wants to expand outward to the 11 other prospective cities it has been eyeing lately.
If you hear a strange knocking sound, that’s just the major internet service providers’ shivering knees knocking together.
[Deal] Google to give out $10 Play Store credit to Chromecast and Chromecast Audio buyers
Google announced yet another Valentine’s Day promotion today, revealing that consumers will get a $10 Play Store credit with the purchase of either a Chromecast or Chromecast Audio.
The search giant began offering a handful of special Valentine’s Day deals on the Nexus 6P, Nexus 5X, and Huawei Watch just last week.
According to Google, the deal starts day and will last through February 24. Unfortunately, this specific promotion only applies to buyers in the US and Canada.
Both the Chromecast and Chromecast Audio are neat gadgets. The updated Chromecast model saw some major improvements from when Google originally introduced the device, The Chromecast Audio, on the other hand, is a fairly new gadget from Google that’s actually really neat and is starting to show its place.
Do you plan on picking up a Chromecast or Chromecast Audio for a loved on this Valentine’s Day? Sound off in the comments!
source: Google (Twitter)
Come comment on this article: [Deal] Google to give out $10 Play Store credit to Chromecast and Chromecast Audio buyers
Samsung’s ad blocking app partner already removed by Google
Samsung had just told everyone that it would be using ad blocking in its mobile browser, and what felt like minutes later, Google had already pulled it from the Play Store.
However, what did they really expect was going to happen? Google is the world’s largest advertising company who just happen to do other things too. Of course they were going to stop at nothing to stop this from happening.
Adblock Fast was the app that was going to partner with Samsung to bring ad blocking to their mobile browsers, but was pulled soon after. It had already skyrocketed to the top of the charts with over 50,000 downloads.
Google sent this letter to Brian Kennish, developer at Rocketship Apps, who make Adblock Fast:
Hi Developers at Rocketship Apps,
I reviewed Adblock Fast, com.rocketshipapps.adblockfast, and found that it violates section 4.4 of the Developer Distribution Agreement. This particular app has been disabled as a policy strike.
Just as a reminder, you’ve agreed to follow the Google Play Developer Program Policies and additional enforcement could occur if there are further policy issues with your apps.
If you’ve reviewed the policies and feel this rejection may have been in error, please reach out to our policy support team. One of my colleagues will get back to you within 2 business days.
I appreciate your support of Google Play!
Best,
[Redacted]
Google Play Review Team
Google says it violates section 4.4, which doesn’t allow apps to interfere with other installed apps. However, it didn’t technically violate it because Samsung was agreeing to let it “interfere” and it was using an official Samsung API. Whatever the reason, we all know the real truth behind the removal.
Source: Thenextweb
Come comment on this article: Samsung’s ad blocking app partner already removed by Google
YouTube’s first original programming will arrive on February 10th
A big part of last fall’s YouTube Red launch was the promise of original content for those subscribers shelling out $10 every month. We still have no idea if YouTube’s first slate of originals will be any good, but at least we know when we can find out. On February 10th, three films and one series will make their debut; all of the content will come from YouTube creators who’ve already racked up millions of subscribers and views.
Perhaps most notable is PewDiePie, whose “reality-adventure” series Scare PewDiePie will surely continue his mastery of YouTube. The three movies will come from Astronauts Wanted and Lilly Singh, AwesomenessTV and Rooster Teeth and run the gamut from the action / buddy / alien comedy Lazer Team to the presumably inspiring documentary A Trip To Unicorn Island, which covers Singh’s 30-city world tour.
Three of these titles were announced back in November, while the fourth (Dance Camp, from AwesomenessTV) was added to the total of 10 projects that YouTube had already announced. That means there are still seven more programs and movies with release dates coming, including a project from CollegeHumor. If you want to keep up with the original content from YouTube Red that’s coming soon, there’s naturally a YouTube channel you should subscribe to — it looks like it’ll feature behind-the-scenes content for all original programming as well as the full shows and films.
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