Google

A loophole in the way Google's business listings service works means some legitimate businesses are falsely being listed as "closed". The search company appears unable to get round the problem without changing the entire basis of the system. Google ... Places is a business directory, allowing users to find a business, store, or restaurant by searching either by name, type or location. The listings include a description written by the owner and a link to the relevant location on Google Maps. However, the New York Times has reported on a major drawback to a feature designed to keep ... (view more)

Here's a new reason to make sure you're covered up when wandering outside your house: Google Street View might just be watching. Recently, a Florida woman was caught naked outside her home and it took some time before the image was finally blurred ... out. Google's Street View was introduced about four years ago. Although originally used for just a few cities in the United States, today it offers a 3D perspective of city streets for a wide range of urban environments around the globe. Handy App or Intrusive Nuisance? Street View is extremely handy when preparing to visit an unknown locale, ... (view more)

Five universities are being sued for their part in scanning millions of copyrighted books. It's an unexpected development in the ongoing legal wrangling over Google's Book Search service. Google began scanning books and first made them available to ... the public in 2004, with the idea of making it possible to search for phrases in printed books in the same way as on web pages. However, this led to legal action from groups representing both authors and publishers who complained that Google had scanned books without permission. Deal Brought Into Question The two sides eventually reached a ... (view more)

Last week Google was fined $500 million for carrying illegal advertising for Canadian pharmaceutical exporters. Now, the lawyer who led the probe has made the shocking claim that Google chief Larry Page explicitly knew about and ignored the ... advertisements. Google's $500 million fine not only covered the profits it made from running the ads, but also the money the advertisers are estimated to have made from selling the drugs to US customers. Those sales are illegal because of Food ... (view more)

For the majority of those who scour the Internet for information, Google's search engine continues to be a favorite tool. But a new report is showing that Google's success rate is slipping, even being surpassed by rivals Yahoo! and Bing. Google ... remained the most popular search engine in July, commanding 66 per cent of all searches for the month. But of those searches, only 68 per cent were deemed successful. In comparison, more than 80 per cent of searches conducted on both Yahoo! and Bing were considered successful. Link Usage Renders Search "Successful" The most obvious question coming out ... (view more)

Google is set to launch a new positive reinforcement strategy: those who frequent the Google News website will be rewarded with a designated rank, turning average people into well-read "masters" according to Google's standards. Rewards take on the ... form of a virtual badge based on the search and reading histories of Google News supporters. If an individual is an avid reader of baseball reports, for example, Google would issue them a baseball badge. Other popular topics range from general news items (like politics, the stock market) to pop culture (like Harry Potter). Google says that over 500 ... (view more)

Google has launched a new service designed to warn users that they are infected with a particular type of Windows malware. However, the move has raised concerns that it could make things easier for scammers. Web Pages Redirected Using Malicious ... Proxy Server The service is actually integrated with Google's search results page, and the warning message will only display when a computer appears to be infected. (Source: thetechherald.com ) The Google strategy involves a specific form of malicious software that affects Windows computers. When users attempt to visit a webpage, their visit is routed ... (view more)

Google plans to make their search platform even faster by running new voice and image recognition programs designed to shave precious seconds off the entire search process. Although it has been rumored for some time, it now appears as if people will ... be able to conduct their searches with a verbal command or by dragging an image into their search box. Dubbed 'Instant Pages,' the feature will also predict and pre-load web pages that users are most likely to click on for faster results. Voice Command Results "Fairly Accurate" While Google has offered voice search on mobile phones for a little ... (view more)

In an effort to stay ahead of the competition, a few airlines have started lending out tech hardware to those who opt to fly with them. One of the first airlines to offer such a service was American Airlines, who continue to provide free in-flight ... Android tablets to patrons aboard a select number of their domestic flights. Now, Virgin America will soon allow their passengers to use a Samsung Chromebook, free of charge. Apps the Focus of Chromebook Service The Chromebook compliments the free WiFi service already offered by the airline, and since the Chrome OS uses the Internet as its interface ... (view more)

With huge annual revenues, Google has the spare cash to try out all sort of different (often high-cost) experimental ventures. That's been demonstrated by the company's decision to dabble in health records and home energy. In both cases Google says ... the problem was a failure to scale: in other words, not getting enough users to make the fixed running costs sustainable. In Google's case, scale isn't just a financial issue though: as its search success has shown, more users means more data and thus more lessons that can be learned. (Source: blogspot.com ) Medical Records Tracked Interactions ... (view more)