Daily Archives: September 7, 2022

Google announced today it is expanding its options for eco-friendly routing on Google Maps to 40 more countries across Europe. Eco-friendly routes, first introduced to U.S.-based users last year, offer to show more fuel-efficient routes instead of the fastest ones. Users can see the eco-friendly route marked with a leaf label.

To adjust settings for eco-friendly routes, users can tap on their profile picture on Google Maps, head to Settings > Navigation Settings, then scroll down to Route Options. Users can tap on the Prefer fuel-efficient routes option to turn on or turn off fuel-efficient routing.

The company is also launching a new feature for car owners to choose their vehicles engine type to get personalized suggestions for fuel-efficient routes best suited for the engine. In the coming weeks, users will be able to head to the settings mentioned above, and select the engine type petrol or gas, diesel, hybrid or electric vehicle (EV) for navigation.

Engine selector option for eco-friendly routes on Google Maps. Image Credits: Google

This technology is made possible thanks to insights from the U.S. Department of Energys National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and data from the European Environment Agency. By pairing this information with Google Maps driving trends, we were able to develop advanced machine learning models trained on the most popular engine types in a given region, the company said in a blog post.

Google claimed that after introducing eco-friendly routes in the U.S. and Canada it has been able to save carbon emissions equivalent to 100,000 cars.

Over the years, Google has tried to encourage people to take more eco-friendly navigation options by introducing new features in Google Maps. In 2018, the firm first introduced EV charging station information to the app. In July, the company rolled out features for bike navigation with details like the amount of car traffic and types of roads along the route.

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Google Maps is expanding its eco-friendly navigation feature to Europe - TechCrunch

Google Ads is implementing a new policy requiring landing pages to meet the better ads standards, as the Coalition For Better Ads laid out.

A change to Googles destination requirements policy states if an ad leads to a page that doesnt comply with the better ad standards, Google will disapprove the ad.

Google is sending emails to advertisers informing them of the policy change, which leaves roughly a monthto make necessary updates.

The email reads:

In October 2022, the Destination requirements policy will be updated to include a new policy requiring ad experiences on destinations to conform to the Coalition for Better Ads Better Ads Standards. Destinations containing ad experiences that do not conform to the Better Ads Standards will be informed via the Ad Experience Report, and any ads that lead to such destinations will be disapproved.

If youre running Google Ads, this new policy means you must be extra careful about the pages people land on.

Google doesnt want advertisers sending people to pages that contain intrusive or annoying ad experiences.

Your landing pages may be complying with the better ads standards already, especially if theyre optimized for Googles page experience update.

If youre unsure whether your landing pages meet the standards, Google will inform you in the Ad Experience Report.

Ads that do not comply with the better ads standards are as follows:

A good rule of thumb if an ad interrupts a visitors browsing experience, its almost certainly against the better ads standards.

Source: Google Advertising Policies, Coalition For Better Ads

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Google Will Reject Ads Leading To Pages With Intrusive Advertising - Search Engine Journal

Google Cloud technology helps Agrology accomplish its work to bring sustainability-driven business transformation to farming

Alexandria, VA, September 7, 2022 Agrology, a leading Predictive Agriculture company, today announced a partnership with Google Cloud to assist farmers with sustainable and regenerative agriculture practices. Using Agrologys Predictive Agriculture Platform, growers are leveraging Google Cloud and TensorFlow to monitor crops and receive predictions on irrigation, extreme weather, soil carbon respiration and sequestration, pest and disease outbreaks, and more. The two companies kicked off their partnership in June at the 2022 Google Cloud Sustainability Summit.

In the keynote, Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian underscored the importance of sustainability, noting, Were entering a new era of business transformation, driven by sustainability. Companies who embrace sustainability as a core value to their business will likely be the ones that succeed. He featured Agrology as a company that is doing just that, by using technology to transform farming, one of the worlds oldest businesses.

Google Cloud technology has enabled Agrology to quickly develop the software and models that farmers need. As partners, Agrology and Google Cloud are focused on continuing to develop new technology to help farmers face a new era of climate threats and embrace sustainability opportunities.

Also speaking at the Google Cloud Sustainability Summit, Kate Brandt, Chief Sustainability Officer at Google said, Companies like Agrology are proving to be a powerful tool in the fight against climate change.

Agrology uses TensorFlow to forecast microclimate conditions on farms and Google Cloud to process the data Agrology gathers in customers fields. Agrology processes data using machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) models. Agrology also uses Google Earth Engine to analyze terrain and determine geographical impacts such as the accumulation of smoke, fog, or carbon dioxide in specific areas.

The synthetic and forecast models that we generate would be impossible without Google Cloud technology, said Tyler Locke, Co-Founder and CTO of Agrology. Using Google Cloud, we help farmers forecast three to four days out. Our customers are empowered to take action when needed and to put ground-truth data behind their sustainability and regenerative practices.

Using Agrology, growers are adjusting farming practices based on real-time data. As part of this announcement, Agrology also launched the first soil carbon respiration monitoring system with Braga Fresh, Emeritus Vineyards, and Silver Oak Vineyards. This system provides critical real-time data, tracking soil microbiome health and changes in soil carbon content.

As a leader in trialing regenerative farming practices for the fresh produce category, Braga Fresh has ambitious plans to enhance soil carbon sequestration and cut carbon emissions using new ag technology such as Agrology.

Agrology has created the best tool Braga Fresh has seen to date that could assist with reducing water use, rising production costs and evaluating the success of our regenerative product trials, said Braga Fresh Vice President of Environmental Science and Resources, Eric Morgan. The data we are already seeing from Agrology makes us extremely optimistic.

Google Cloud featured the work of Agrology in a recent video production, blog, and in the Google Cloud Sustainability Summit keynote speech. Anyone interested in learning more can go to Agrology.ag/sustainability-climatetech.

About Agrology

Agrology is a leading climate tech start-up and Public Benefit Corporation whose mission is to protect the economic viability of farmers in a time of intensifying climate change. Founded in 2019, Agrology is the winner of highly selective National Science Foundation SBIR Awards. The Agrology Platform is the first effective, affordable, and easy-to-use Predictive Agriculture platform to help growers with water, irrigation, pest prevention, spraying, soil, smoke taint, and extreme weather. Agrology is field-testing capabilities for soil carbon sequestration validation and greenhouse gas monitoring, based on its proprietary technology that leverages Machine Learning, IoT, and extensive Ground-Truth data. Current Agrology customers include Braga Fresh, The Duckhorn Portfolio, Boisset Collection, Dana Estates, Emeritus Vineyards, Jordan Vineyards and Winery, Lawrence Vineyards, Renteria Vineyard Management, Signorello Estate, Silver Oak Vineyards, and numerous specialty farms. Agrology has offices in Alexandria, Virginia, and Sonoma, California, and can be found online at Agrology.ag.

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Agrology Partners with Google Cloud to Help Farmers Combat Climate Change and Achieve Sustainability Goals - wineindustryadvisor.com

Google, which started as a simple search engine in 1997, is now a major player in just about every facet of our digital lives. A commensurate increase in scrutiny has followed. From data privacy issues to antitrust claims, the Do No Evil company has been accused of myriad unsavory practices. On top of that, it has been known to somewhat abruptly cancel services and products.

Owing in part to these trials and tribulations, there are several services now seeking to draw customers away from Google. The chief value add in many of them is privacy: limited data collection and retention and improved encryption. This should be music to tax professionals ears, as it is incumbent on us to safeguard not only our own data but also our clients data. We dont keep our hard copy tax return documentation in a storage location where third parties have access, so why would we hold our digital retention to less stringent standards?

In light of this, please consider this short primer on privacy-focused alternatives to the Google offerings frequently used by tax professionals. Most of these services either wont have a free tier or have a free tier only for limited personal use. In many cases, they are substantially more expensive, especially for heavy users. One thing to note is that when youre not paying for a service, the company is monetizing the service somehow. And more often than not, youre a product being packaged and sold to an advertiser.

Googly Eyes on Cracked Sidewalk Making a Smiley Face

Photographer: Stock photo via Getty Images

If Google has one banner product, its the search engine. Truth be told, if youre using a modern browser, your connection is secure, and you arent signed in to a Google account that is keeping track of your search history, you dont have too much to worry about when performing the odd search here or there. All the same, if youre beefing up security at your house, and you install new locks on all the doors and a new alarm system, do you leave a window open just because its mostly out of reach?

The clear alternative to Google Search is DuckDuckGo, which doesnt track searches or tie an individual to a specific search query. And the search results are pretty darn good. DuckDuckGo has been around since 2008 and sees about 3 billion monthly searches. It monetizes by showing ads tied to the individual search that is performed rather than by assembling a dossier on a user and showing ads relevant to the users perceived interests.

Nonetheless, care should be taken when running searches that contain identifiable information for a client. Thought should be given as to what kind of picture could be painted by an aggregation of all the searches you run that contain a given clients nameyour research might be giving more away than you realize.

If Google has a product that rivals its search in ubiquity, its Gmail. Privacy-focused folks may remember that in 2017, Google had a bit of a scandal when it was revealed the company scanned the content of emails to better target advertisements to customers. For ordinary email users, that is a privacy violation. For professionals who may have other peoples personal and financial information in their inboxes, that might be an ethics problem.

Luckily, there is no shortage of Gmail alternatives, and many have privacy as a top line feature. Among the most oft-recommended services is Tutanota, a service out of Germany that boasts end-to-end encryption. This means, at least in theory, no one can read the contents of your inbox. Similarly, Proton Mail encrypts everything related to your account and signs your emails using PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) keys so recipients can be certain an email from you is indeed an email from you.

When client data is sent by email, the email itself and any attachments that contain personal information should be encrypted and put behind a password, regardless of what email service you use. You dont know who may be listening in on the receiving end.

Google Sheets is a popular tool with folks who spend their days crunching numbers but has many of the same privacy concerns tied to other Google services. Someone who has access to your Gmail account has access to your Sheets and anything else stored in the larger Google Drive service. A spreadsheet that is accessible from any browser can be useful for tracking client data, and there are even templates for doing things like estimating quarterly tax paymentsbut convenience comes with a security tradeoff.

Many privacy-focused users are looking at services such as CryptPadnot just because it claims end-to-end encryption and is open source, but simply because keeping everything in the Google ecosystem seems a bit like that old saw about eggs and baskets. CryptPad allows users to remain completely anonymous, which may reduce ones risk of exposing client data in a targeted attack.

The use of Google Drive grants relatively permissive terms of use to Google for your documents. As free cloud hosts go, that isnt bad, but it may be a nonstarter for folks that need to store private or sensitive information. Additionally, and as mentioned above, the tying together of the various Google services behind one Google account is convenient but creates one point of entry for an attacker to gain access to your entire digital world.

Finding alternative private cloud providers to the big players (such as Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, and Dropbox) is not as simple as with email and spreadsheets. The big players are best in a position to provide storage services for rates that reflect their ability to pay for storage at scale. As such, the privacy-focused answer for using cloud storage is a bit different from the above.

As with all things, inexpensive storage comes with a tradeoff for tax professionals: file retention and destruction issues. The more cloud storage you have, the less motivated by space constraints you will be to periodically prune your client data, and that may be a problem when client data is retained for periods longer than necessary.

In sum, use one of the major players, but encrypt your data prior to uploading it and regularly delete client data you no longer need to retain. Cryptomator offers an open source and free tool that streamlines the process. The result isnt perfectwith enough time, any encryption method can be crackedbut its the best solution that isnt simply not using cloud services.

If the above hasnt convinced you to make a privacy move, at least make sure you are using a secure password for Google that isnt used anywhere else, and turn on two-factor authentication. If possible, do not have your two-factor authentication codes sent by SMS to your cellphone, and use a code-generating application like Google Authenticator or Authy. If you do use SMS to receive your codes, call your cellphone provider and ask for a PIN code on your account for all changes.

Finally, when handling sensitive informationespecially someone elsesbe thoughtful about when, where, and why you add a piece of data to the cloud. Best practices for data backup include local and off-site backups. Your clients wont thank you when their data isnt divulged in a breach, because that would be weird, but you can sleep soundly knowing that you arent going to have to have an uncomfortable conversation with them the next time a big breach makes the news.

This is a regular column from tax and technology attorney Andrew Leahey, principal at Hunter Creek Consulting and a sales suppression expert. Look for Leaheys column on Bloomberg Tax, and follow him on Twitter at @leahey.

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Privacy-Focused Alternatives to Google Services for Tax Pros - Bloomberg Tax

Google has issued a first security patch to fix bugs in Pixel phones running Android 13 to address issues like increased battery drain and disabled wireless charging.

The monthly software update for September 2022 will reach all supported Pixel devices running Android 13, starting from Tuesday.

"The rollout will continue over the next week in phases depending on carrier and device. Pixel 6a devices will receive the update later this month," the company said in an update.

Users will receive a notification once the over-the-air (OTA) update becomes available for their device.

The security update includes bug fixes for issue occasionally causing increased battery drain from certain launcher background activities and the issue preventing wireless charging mode to activate in certain conditions.

The update also offers additional improvements for fingerprint recognition and response in certain conditions and fixes the issue occasionally preventing certain Bluetooth devices or accessories from connecting.

The monthly security update also has a fix for issue occasionally causing notifications to appear truncated on the lock screen.

The fixes are available for Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL, Pixel 5, Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro and Pixel 6a (later this month).

Earlier, some Pixel 6a users had noticed that any fingerprint is able to unlock their new phones in a rather worrying security lapse.

Google Pixel users were also left in a lurch after downloading Android 13 as several of them were not able to use wireless charging after installing the latest operating system (OS).

--IANS

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(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance.We, however, have a request.

As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed.

Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard.

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Google issues Android 13 patch to fix wireless charging, battery issues - Business Standard

A year after introducing its entry-level wireless earbuds, the Pixel Buds A-series (review), Google has forayed into the premium segment in India with the Pixel Buds Pro. These are late arrivals, but good things come to those who wait. On offer is a long list of features, including active noise cancellation and wireless charging, complemented by snug fit, ease of use, and uniformity across Android devices that lift the user experience a notch above other wireless earbuds.

Contributing to the experience is the simple but practical design of the earbuds and charging case. Starting with earbuds, these are oval-shaped units with sloped circular heads on the top side (facing outward) and angled in-ear tips at the bottom on the backside. The earbuds look big, but they fit accurately in ears and do not look like mushrooms coming off ears. Moreover, the earbuds are light in weight and offer a snug and secure fit for comfortable experience even after extended use.

Like the earbuds, the charging-cum-storage case has a simple but functional design. It is a pebble shaped-unit made of plastic with matte texture, which is good for grip and thus aids handling. On the front, the case has an LED that blinks when the buds are in a pairing mode or the case is open. The LED light turns orange if the case is running low on battery. It doubles up as a charging indicator and shows white colour when the case and earbuds are fully charged. Speaking of charging, the case has a USB-C port at the bottom for wired charging. The Pixel Buds Pro supports wireless charging, which takes significantly longer time (about four hours) to charge the case and buds compared to wired charging (about ninety minutes). Nevertheless, it is a meaningful addition to the mix, especially for those who use smartphones with reverse wireless charging feature.

ALSO READ: Google Pixel 6a review: Smooth experience makes up for tiny imperfections

The design is good, but it is the audio performance and ease of use that the Google Pixel Buds Pro has going for it. Starting with audio performance, the earbuds default sound signature is balanced with deep bass, clear vocals, and fine treble. Importantly, the audio signature does not change with active noise cancellation enabled or disabled. Speaking of ANC, it is good but not the best. Complementing the earbuds, however, is the transparency mode--the ambient noise does not get unnecessarily amplified or filtered. Instead, it sounds clear and natural, thus, delivering a novel experience.

The Pixel Buds Pro are good for listening to music, and so for attending voice calls. With ANC, the voice call experience is top-notch even in noisy ambient environments. Irrespective of the ambient noise conditions, the microphones pick voice with clarity and on no occasion struggle to deliver quality experience.

Coming to ease of use, it is enabled by Google Assistant. Just say Ok, Google and the earbuds are ready to take voice command. The earbuds even read back notifications. This is something that makes life easy, especially if you are part of the Google product ecosystem. Besides Google Assistant, it is the intuitive touch and gesture controls on the earbuds that add to the convenience. Tap your earbud once to play/pause audio or to answer calls, twice to move to the next audio track or to reject call, or thrice to go back to the previous audio track. Along with tap, there is tap and hold touch control which is customisable toggle ANC or talk to assistant. Besides these, there are gesture controls for volume swipe forward and backward to raise and lower the volume, respectively.

Rounding up the package is a modest on-battery time of about five hours with ANC enabled and nine hours with ANC disabled. Not exceptional, but it is on par with the best ANC wireless earbuds in its segment.

Verdict

Priced at Rs 19,990, the Google Pixel Buds Pro is a well-rounded package with most of the features one expects in a premium active noise cancelling wireless earbuds. However, the earbuds get nothing novel from Google to innovate the segment. Moreover, their arrival seems late with competition from established brands such as Samsung, Sony, OnePlus, OPPO, et al, already pushing the boundaries beyond fundamentals with features like adaptive ANC, customisable sound profiles, and Dolby Atmos. What works for the Google Pixel Buds Pro, however, is the smooth experience and ease of use. Besides, these are among the few wireless earbuds that deliver uniform experience across Android devices. Smooth experience and ease of use are two factors to consider the Pixel Buds Pro. Otherwise, the segment has better propositions on offer for the price.

Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance.We, however, have a request.

As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed.

Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard.

Digital Editor

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Google Pixel Buds Pro review: Late, but good things come to those who wait - Business Standard

We have seen drastic changes in the media industry over the last two decades. Between 2008 and 2021, more than 450 news outlets closed across Canada and at least one-third of journalism jobs disappeared.

The digital platform giants notably Google and Facebook are very much part of this media ecosystem, but are they positive contributors?

By reproducing or linking to articles they dont create, but earn ad revenue from they claimed 80 per cent of online ad revenues, or almost $10 billion, in 2020 these big tech companies seem to deprive news publishers their rightful due. So should publishers be compensated for the use of their content?

Many countries have debated this question; few have acted. In 2019, the European Union instituted a so-called link tax essentially a licensing fee that search engines and news aggregators have to pay publishers for using their content. In 2021, Australia brought in a law that compels Google and Facebook to negotiate deals with the countrys news publishers.

Now, Canada is weighing in. In April, the federal government tabled legislation that channels Australias approach. Bill C-18, the Online News Act, is a sharp-elbowed nudge to get the dominant digital platforms to negotiate mutually-acceptable agreements with Canadas online newspapers, magazines and TV and radio broadcasters.

If they cannot come to terms, the parties would have to enter a binding arbitration overseen by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), the arms-length regulator. If enacted, would Bill C-18 contribute to the sustainability of the news market, as the government promises?

Read more: A paltry number of Canadians are paying for online news

Its true that news outlets have struggled to make money ever since the internet upended their gravy train classified ads and print subscriptions. But its also true that search engines and aggregators have expanded the online news market. They direct substantial traffic to the publishers websites, particularly traffic from casual readers that otherwise would not take place.

There is no evidence that shows news outlets are worse off because of Google, Facebook and other aggregators. If anything, evidence (and lots of it) shows that, overall, news outlets would be in worse shape without these digital platforms.

Thats what I found in a study I undertook with economist Joan Calzada of the link tax imposed by Spain (before the EU-wide directive was instituted in 2019).

In 2014, Spain began forcing aggregators such as Google News to pay a link fee to original publishers. Google responded by shutting down its Spanish edition. We found that after the shutdown, Spanish news outlets experienced a reduction in the number of daily visits of between eight and 14 per cent.

To add insult to injury, advertisers stopped placing ads on their sites, causing a collapse in ad revenues. Particularly hard hit were smaller news publishers lower-ranked sites with a larger share of casual readers.

During the same period, Germany instituted a link fee as well. In this case, Google News required German publishers to waive the linking fee. A study from the University of Munich found that publishers deciding to opt out from Google indexing faced disastrous consequences: daily visits to their sites significantly dropped and traffic was diverted to competing sites that opted into indexing.

These and other studies show news publishers benefit from the Googles of the world. So would Bill C-18, as it currently stands, really change anything for the better?

The current debate is based on a false premise, that news outlets are not already being compensated, instead of focusing on the rightful split of joint revenues between the platform and the content creator.

If Bill C-18 passes, we can expect big publishers to receive most of the funds thats what happened in Europe and Australia. Smaller media outlets with low brand awareness will suffer unless they band together and bargain collectively with the digital giants.

We can expect Google, Facebook and their ilk to adjust their market behaviour. What would stop them, for example, from tweaking their algorithms to benefit news publishers offering the most favourable arrangements?

Recent evidence shows Google Australia started recommending less expensive content after the law was passed in Australia.

Alternative policy responses must be considered. In the past, when Google faced similar legal trouble, France and Belgium set up lump sum funds that were shared by news publishers based on a predetermined formula. Such an approach ensures a fair distribution of funds across content creators and doesnt distort market behaviour of the platforms involved.

Bill C-18 is just one of three pieces of legislation now being considered by the House of Commons. There is also a proposed bill that addresses hate speech and other online abuses and another that brings online streaming services under the Broadcasting Act.

Its clear Canadians approve; polling shows a majority support greater government regulation on the internet. While its good to be on the right side of public opinion, its better to be on the right side of policy.

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Why Ottawas efforts to get Google and Facebook to pay for news content misses the mark - The Conversation