Europe widens antitrust probe into Google’s ad business
The European Commission is doubling down on its efforts to dig into whether Google has broken rules around restriction of consumer choice with its search and price comparison products. It maintains that the company abused its search position to promote its own products ahead of others’.
That’s not the end of the complaints from Europe, however. Margarethe Vestager, European Commissioner for Competition, said today that Google abused its position by restricting third-parties from displaying search advertisements.
“Today, we have further strengthened our case that Google has unduly favoured its own comparison shopping service in its general search result pages. It means consumers may not see the most relevant results to their search queries. We have also raised concerns that Google has hindered competition by limiting the ability of its competitors to place search adverts on third party websites, which stifles consumer choice and innovation.”
The announcement follows objections lodged earlier in the year, and if upheld by Vestager and the commission could require significant changes to how Google’s AdSense and comparison shopping results work within Europe.
As the commission points out, holding a dominant position within a market isn’t a problem, but abusing that to restrict competition would be. It also notes that, following the Commission’s initial complaints, Google has made some changes to Adsense contracts with partners to give them more freedom to display competing ads.
For Google’s part, it (unsurprisingly) says that it’s not restricting competition with its products:
“We believe that our innovations and product improvements have increased choice for European consumers and promote competition. We’ll examine the Commission’s renewed cases and provide a detailed response in the coming weeks.”
Nonetheless, with 90 percent of general internet searches in Europe, it’s going to need to be pretty convincing. Google and Alphabet have 10 weeks to respond to the objections. Previous claims have suggested that if found guilty of abusing its search position, Google could be fined nearly $3.5 billion.
Via: NY Times
Source: Europa
Nintendo’s Classic Mini is a tiny NES with 30 games
That dusty old NES in your attic might be rife with nostalgic memories, but it’s a pain to drag out of its box whenever you get the hankering for a rousing game of Super Mario Bros. 3. Nintendo totally gets it, as well as the fact that you might want something a little more convenient to enjoy your classic games. Enter the Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition, a mini replica of the original console.
The diminutive version of one of the most influential home video game consoles of all time will launch with over 30 NES titles preloaded, including Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy and Metroid. The mix also includes some surprising choices such as StarTropics, but it’s a well-rounded sampling of the best the system has to offer.
The full list includes Balloon Fight, Bubble Bobble, Castlevania, Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest, Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jr., Double Dragon II: The Revenge, Dr. Mario, Excitebike, Final Fantasy, Galaga, Ghosts’ N Ghoblins, Gradius, Ice Climber, Kid Icarus, Kirby’s Adventure, Mario Bros., Mega Man 2, Metroid, Ninja Gaiden, Pac-Man, Punch-Out!! Featuring Mr. Dream, StarTropics, SUPER C, Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 2, Super Mario Bros. 3, Tecmo Bowl, The Legend of Zelda and Zelda II: The Adventure of Link.
For $59.99, you’ll get the preloaded games, an HDMI cable, an AC adapter and one NES Classic Controller, which obviously looks exactly like the ones you’re used to.
The system launches this November 11th for $59.99 across North America and the UK. However, it is interesting to note that the UK edition will not launch with its own AC adapter, which is included with the North American edition.
Source: Nintendo (BusinessWire
The new Moto E is the largest one yet
Motorola’s entire smartphone lineup is getting a refresh in 2016. Following the new Moto Z and Moto G families, the company has unveiled the Moto E3, an update to its most affordable handset. It sports a 5-inch HD display, up from the 4.5-inch panel in the last model, a quad-core processor and a 2,800 mAh battery, which Motorola claims will last you a full day. The rear-facing camera has been stepped up to eight megapixels, while a 5-megapixel selfie-snapper sits on the front. Internal storage is a mystery (don’t expect much) but it will come with a microSD card slot.
The phone is set to grace the UK in “early September” starting at £99 (roughly $132) in select retailers including Tesco, Amazon and Argos. An international release seems likely; the Moto E is an important phone for the company, given its position at the low-end of the market. With Lenovo in charge, the Moto team has a lot to prove with this year’s phones. The Moto Z and its modular accessories are a grand departure from the Moto X line, and initial reviews of the Moto G4 have been less than positive. Here’s hoping the new Moto E can continue the legacy of its capable predecessors.
Dish’s new TV remote listens to your voice commands
Nowadays, you can save energy by talking to your gadgets and letting them do the work for you. So it’s no surprise that Dish wants to help you with that, too. The satellite provider has introduced its aptly named Voice Remote, which lets Hopper 3 and 4K Joey customers search for content with spoken commands. Results populate based on movie or TV titles, genre as well as actor names. Additionally, the new remote features a clickable touchpad for easier navigation, backlit keys and support for two IR devices.
If you’re a Dish subscriber with one of the aforementioned boxes, you can get the Voice Remote starting today for $30.
Cooking in the great outdoors
Camping is a wonderful way to get away from the hustle and bustle of the overly stimulating modern world. If you’re fortunate, you’ll venture beyond cell coverage for a distraction-free trip into the wild. It’s wonderful… until you realize you can’t get a pizza delivered.
Fortunately for hungry campers, there are plenty options for preparing meals while being swarmed by bugs. To keep ourselves from starving we tried out four different stoves to see which would get food in our stomachs the quickest. For car campers we lit up the impressive — but pricey — Jetboil Genesis Base Camp System and old standby, Coleman Triton Stove. For backpackers that need to travel light, the smartphone charging BioLight Campstove was pitted against the Snowpeak Gigapower Stove Auto Ignition.
We decided to do a timed-water boil on each to establish a baseline. Just like you’d expect, the Jetboil (it’s in the name!) did the best in our trial but, you need to watch the video to see how everything stacked up.
Once we got the fires all lit it was time to get down to some actual cooking. We opted to use a prepackaged food service called Fireside Provisions. While the quality of the meals swung wildly between tasteless mush with cashews on top, to succulent, fire-charred pork chops, we were able to replace all the calories we burned up while pitching our tents.
One issue we did have with the ready-to-cook system was the amount of waste generated by all the tiny packets Fireside Provisions gives you to prepare your meal. Getting closer to nature shouldn’t involve creating more trash than usual.
But, like Lewis and Clarke, we survived the ordeal and can’t wait to venture into the great outdoors in the future. Well maybe after having a few slices first.
ICYMI: Better walking bot and an anti-aging breakthrough
Today on In Case You Missed It: Georgia Tech overhauled its DURUS robot to walk with a human-like gait that makes it the most efficient bipedal robot. Scientists at the EPFL did some solid research into the pomegranate fruit that shows it can counteract disease and extend the life of worms by 50 percent and endurance in rodents by 40 percent. Human trials are happening now.
You can see the latest 3D bone printer here and what the FBI has been doing with iris scans, here. As always, please share any interesting tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.
iPhone 7 Case Molds Lack Rumored ‘Dark Space Gray’ Option in New Photo
Alleged photographs of the upcoming iPhone 7 have been popping up online for a few months now, and today Apple news and reviews site Macitynet [Google Translate] has shared one, showing off what the handset will look like in Rose Gold, Space Gray, Gold, and Silver. Following in the footsteps of previous images, the new photo doesn’t contribute anything new to the iPhone 7 rumor mill, but it does fall in line with a few design expectations of previous reports.
The picture is said to be of a mold for the iPhone 7, used by case manufacturers ahead of the smartphone’s launch to prepare exact measurements for third-party accessories, so it’s hard to use today’s image as definitive proof of color options for Apple’s new iPhone line.
Still, the rumored Dark Space Gray version of the iPhone — which many believed would help drum up interest in an otherwise fairly slight update year — isn’t included in the new picture, suggesting Apple could keep on with the traditional four colorways, similar to the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus. However, it is also possible that Dark Space Gray could be exclusive to the iPhone 7 Plus or “Pro” (presumably not shown in today’s images).
Hardware wise, the iPhone 7’s larger camera is again included in the new design molds, appearing nearly identical to a clear shot of the new iPhone posted by French site Nowhereelse.fr earlier in the week. The more substantial, sloping camera is expected to be a major selling point of the iPhone 7, while its 5.5-inch alternative is expected to get an even more beefed-up dual-lens camera with a pill-shaped enclosure, which could put it on the level of some DSLR cameras.
The iPhone 7’s antenna bands are also moved in the image, yet again adding confirmation to one of the new iPhone line’s longest-running rumors that Apple will redesign the bands so they no longer cut across the top and bottom of the device’s backside. As in most other renderings and image leaks, the bands are now lying along the edges of the rear of the iPhone 7.
No Smart Connector is visible on the rear of the top-most Rose Gold iPhone 7 mold, but the image doesn’t provide a bottom edge view to corroborate the most popular rumor surrounding the iPhone 7: its potential lack of a 3.5mm headphone jack. Apple is expected to finally divulge information about the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus during a keynote in September, the traditional iPhone announcement month, so it won’t be too long before we know even more about the handsets leading up to their launch.
Related Roundup: iPhone 7
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Pokémon Go is now officially available in the UK!
Pokémon Go has taken the U.S. and other select markets where it’s available by storm, but now the popular title is finally available in the UK. There’s no longer a requirement for you to risk your handset’s security by downloading some potentially malicious app. Simply head into Google Play, view the Pokémon Go listing and hit that download button.
Note: If you’re not seeing Pokémon Go as available in the Play Store app on your phone, try installing it via the web store on a computer instead.
As has been the case in a number of reports, we urge you fellow British citizens to remain calm and throw some balls, but always be aware of your surroundings. And please, don’t Pokémon and drive. You can grab Pokémon Go from the Play Store using the link below. Sound out in the comments if you’re already out and about this morning!
- Download Pokémon Go
Pokémon Go
- Join our Pokémon Go forums!
- How to deal with GPS errors in-game
- Which team should you choose?
- How to play without killing your battery
- The Ultimate Pokémon Go Game Guide!
EU antitrust regulators are now going after Google’s ad business
European Union antitrust regulators have sent two “statements of objections” to Google over its Adsense for Search platform, accusing the search giant of abusing its position by preventing third-party websites from showing ads from its competitors.
With Adsense for Search, Google gives third-party sites access to a custom search bar powered by Google Search, and in return shows ads next to the search results. Revenue from ads clicked on the site is shared between Google and the third-party site, and the caveat is that competing search ads cannot be placed next to or above the custom search bar. The EU’s regulators state that in doing so, Google is stifling competition.
The EU commission also mentioned that it has “reinforced” its earlier case against Google wherein it accused the search giant of giving an unfair advantage to its own comparison shopping service in search results.
From the official press release:
The Commission has sent two Statements of Objections to Google. The Commission has reinforced, in a supplementary Statement of Objections, its preliminary conclusion that Google has abused its dominant position by systematically favouring its comparison shopping service in its search result pages.
Separately, the Commission has also informed Google in a Statement of Objections of its preliminary view that the company has abused its dominant position by artificially restricting the possibility of third party websites to display search advertisements from Google’s competitors.
Google places search ads directly on the Google search website but also as an intermediary on third party websites through its “AdSense for Search” platform (“search advertising intermediation”). These include websites of online retailers, telecoms operators and newspapers. The websites offer a search box that allows users to search for information. Whenever a user enters a search query, in addition to the search results, also search ads are displayed. If the user clicks on the search ad, both Google and the third party receive a commission.
Specifically, the EU’s regulators have raised issues with the following policies followed by Google for its Adsense for Search platform:
- Exclusivity: requiring third parties not to source search ads from Google’s competitors.
- Premium placement of a minimum number of Google search ads: requiring third parties to take a minimum number of search ads from Google and reserve the most prominent space on their search results pages to Google search ads. In addition, competing search ads cannot be placed above or next to Google search ads.
- Right to authorise competing ads: requiring third parties to obtain Google’s approval before making any change to the display of competing search ads.
The commission is giving Google and its parent company Alphabet ten weeks to respond to the latest round of charges. In addition to these objections, the commission is going after Google for abusing its dominant position in the mobile space by requiring manufacturers pre-install its services like Google Search and Chrome on all Android phones.
Sony Xperia E5 now available at Vodafone for just £100
The Sony Xperia E5 is now available from Vodafone UK for just £100 on a pay as you go plan. If you’d rather pay over time, you can pick one up for £16 which includes unlimited texts, 250 minutes and 250MB of data per month. As a refresher, the Xperia E5 sports a 5-inch 720P display, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage and runs Marshmallow out of the box.
You’ve also got a 13MP camera on the front, with a 5MP shooter on the front for capturing those stunning selfies. Will you be picking up one of these, or do you have something else in mind? Be sure to let us know in the comments.
See at Vodafone
