Category Archives: Google

OSLO, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Telenor (TEL.OL) and Alphabet Inc's Google Cloud (GOOGL.O) have formed a partnership to digitalise the Norwegian telecom company's global operations and are exploring ways to jointly offer services to customers, the two companies said on Monday.

The firms will not only use Google Cloud's services to boost Telenor's own IT and network, but also collaborate to provide Telenor's customers with digital tools, their respective chief executives told Reuters.

Oslo-based Telenor serves 172 million customers with roughly half its revenue generated in Asia and half in the Nordics.

The digitalisation project will mean a big transformation for Telenor, but is also part of its ambition to find new revenue streams, Telenor's CEO Sigve Brekke said.

"I think the future for telcos is to move beyond connectivity, and to create value on top of connecting customers," he said.

With networks increasingly reliant on software, Telenor needs to build a cloud-based business, and Google's abilities in providing data management knowledge, machine learning and artificial intelligence make it a good fit, Brekke added.

"To digitalise our operation is to make it smoother," Brekke said. "You can predict outages before they happen... when you're displacing some of your backend processes, you can smooth out customer experiences and make them better."

Digitalising the core operations of a telecommunications company as large as Telenor is new to Google Cloud and so are the joint customer offerings, said Thomas Kurian, CEO at Google Cloud.

Among the first services the two envisage providing jointly is a platform to help small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) transform to digital operations.

"This not just about optimising data centres and moving data centres to the cloud," Kurian said.

"The work that we're doing with SMEs...we are not just offering as a technology supplier, but building a joint offering to a customer segment."

Editing by Kirsten Donovan

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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Telenor and Google Cloud partner up to digitalise telecom operations - Reuters

Patrick Holland/CNET

Tons ofBlack Friday deals have been hitting retailers across the internet all month long, but fans of Google's Pixel phones have been waiting to see if the recently released Pixel 6 will be included in any special Black Friday events. In the past, Google has been known to discount the newest offerings of its Pixel line, but there have not been any such announcements this year.

Until now: Target's 2021 Black Friday adreveals that the retailer is trimming the price on the unlocked Pixel 6 by $50, bringing the total for the 128GB phone to just $549. It's unlocked, meaning there are no special requirements or a set carrier, making this a great deal if you're looking to upgrade. Target has not released specifics on when this deal will drop, but we do know it will be among the other Black Friday specials running Nov. 21 to Nov. 27. Supplies are limited, but there's a chance Amazon or other retailers will price-match, which could increase your chances of getting your hands on one at a discounted price.

This year's Pixel phone sports Google's own Tensor chip, which delivers fast, smooth performance and all-day battery life. Enhancements to chip security keep your data safe. It's also unlocked to be compatible with all major carriers.

The Pixel 6 has new camera hardware and features wide and ultrawide lenses, as well as the neatMagic Eraser tool in Google Photos that can remove unwanted objects -- and people -- from your pictures. "I can't think of a better phone to recommend" at the price, CNET's Patrick Holland said in his fulsome review.

For now, there's no news about the Pixel 6 Pro being included, but we will post all the latest news about Black Friday deals on the Pixel series here, so keep checking back.And while the Google Store hasn't announced any deals on the Pixel 6, it did reveal savings on the Pixel 5A, various Nest devices and more.

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Target's Pixel 6 Black Friday deal is the one you won't want to miss - CNET

Ned McNally, a temp worker at Googles data center in Council Bluffs, Iowa, received notice in August that he would get a $200 weekly bonus until the end of the year for working a full week. It was a nod to the labor shortages ravaging businesses during the pandemic.

But by October, Mr. McNally and about 250 other data center temps stopped receiving the payments even though they had met the weekly attendance threshold.

According to an email sent to employees of Modis, a unit of Adecco, Googles biggest staffing agency, the payment had raised a red flag with Google managers and the bonus program was put on pause. Then, on Oct. 27, Modis said the extra payments had been terminated and that workers would not receive back pay for the weeks that they had worked the full 40 hours.

What happened next was unusual for the technology industrys many temps and contractors: Google and its staffing agency backtracked.

Mr. McNally is one of Googles temp workers who are members of the Alphabet Workers Union-CWA, which was formed this year to protect workers and pressure the company into acting ethically. The union now has more than 800 members which is still less than 1 percent of the companys work force consisting of full-time employees as well as temps and contractors.

After the bonus program was scrapped, the Alphabet union members who work as temps in Google data centers began to organize a coordinated response last week to protest the decision by Modis. But last Friday, the company said it was resuming the program.

The union definitely strengthened peoples resolve to standing up for the fight, said Mr. McNally, 27, who makes $15 an hour as a data center technician and joined the union when he started working at the Google facility in March.

The workers bombarded management with more than 100 messages and emails demanding an explanation why they were not receiving the payment. They also arranged a videoconference for 130 of the workers to discuss what more could be done, including drafting a letter laying out grievances. Some workers even discussed a work stoppage, which would be highly unusual in the technology industry.

Minutes before the scheduled videoconference with the union, the Modis manager who had sent the email announcing the end of the bonus program sent another message. He said the payments would resume the next week, that temp workers would receive back pay, and that the program would continue until Dec. 19.

Its not clear whether the threat of labor action played a role in Modiss announcement to reverse its decision. Modis did not respond to a request for comment.

Modis supplies many of the temps who work in Googles 14 U.S. data centers. Most of the facilities are in states where Google does not have large offices and are in remote locations with access to cheap, renewable energy. When lobbying politicians, Google often holds up these centers as examples of jobs created by the company.

In a written statement, Google said the $200 weekly bonus program was set up by Modis and that it was put on temporary hold because of a billing error and miscommunication. The issue has been resolved and the workers have already started receiving the bonuses, the statement said.

The organized response offered a template for how labor unions of well-paid and well-treated employees at tech companies may be able to use their power to support the workplace rights of the armies of temps and contractors who work beside them. The union told the temp members that it would back whatever action they chose to do, and helped with drafting a potential letter as well as support to help organize the Modis workers.

Parul Koul, chair of the executive council of the Alphabet Workers Union, said what happened demonstrates how Googles two-tiered employment system is designed to exploit workers in order to extract labor from contractors, like Modis workers, who provide essential services to Google and other Alphabet subsidiaries.

For years, Google has relied on a large work force of temporary and contract staff to meet its labor needs. While Googles parent company Alphabet has more than 150,000 full-time employees, the number of temps and contractors exceeds that figure. It depends heavily on companies like Adecco to supply and manage these workers to free the company from the legal obligations of an employer.

This was not the first time Google and its staffing agencies have underpaid temp workers. Earlier this year, Google acknowledged that it had been using outdated pay rates for temps in many countries around the world in possible violation of equal pay laws.

Jade Coleman, 19, said they started working as a temp for Modis at Googles Iowa data center in July. They say their work diagnosing the facilitys computer hardware is exactly the same as what Googles full-time employees do at the facility. They are on a rolling three-month contract and are told three days before it expires whether their contract will be renewed.

I go out on the floor and do the same work as the full-time Googlers, they said. But I am seen as a little more disposable.

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Google Temps Fought Loss of Pandemic Bonus. And Won. - The New York Times

Googles rumored foldable device could release next year with similar camera hardware to what older Pixel phones used prior to this years big Pixel 6 overhaul, 9to5Google reports. Reports about the device first emerged this summer, at which point it was expected to launch before the end of the year. Now the device, whose codename appears to have changed from Passport to Pipit, seems to be on track for a launch in 2022.

These latest details have emerged thanks to code discovered in the Google Camera app. In particular, they suggest that the foldable will use a 12.2-megapixel IMX363 sensor for its main camera. That suggests the foldable wont be equipped with the same 50-megapixel Samsung GN1 camera sensor Google used on this years Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. Instead, the IMX363 is the sensor Google used for the Pixel 3 through 5. Its lower resolution suggests the foldable might struggle to match the excellent camera quality of the Pixel 6 series.

Aside from the main sensor, the code snippets suggest the Pixel foldables other cameras will be more in line with the Pixel 6. Theres a 12-megapixel IMX386 thats expected to handle ultrawide shots and two 8-megapixel IMX355 sensors for its selfie cameras. Two selfie cameras appear to be necessary to allow selfies to be taken while the foldable is both open and closed.

As 9to5Google notes, its not uncommon to see companies equip foldables with less powerful camera hardware than their flagships. The recent Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3, for example, had a 12-megapixel sensor rather than the 108-megapixel sensor Samsung used in the Galaxy S21 Ultra. But it might be a disappointment for anyone expecting Googles rumored foldable to match the camera quality of its latest flagships.

A release date of next year makes sense for the foldable given what we know about Android 12L, the upcoming Android update thats due to launch early next year and is designed to offer a range of improvements for devices with larger screens, including foldables. The update, which has previously been referred to as Android 12.1, also contains code suggesting Google might have a second foldable device in development under the codename Jumbojack. Its unclear when, or even if, this second foldable may be released.

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Code suggests Googles folding Pixel will return to 12-megapixel camera next year - The Verge

Google is finally allowing Stadia players to join multiplayer games without needing an invite. This basic feature is available on most console platforms and PC launchers, but it has taken Google nearly two years to add it to Stadia. A new support page confirms the feature is live in Far Cry 6 on Stadia, so friends can join you without you having to dig into menus and issue an invite.

Google mentions the feature is only available in select games, and is disabled by default. 9to5Google noticed that the feature is actually enabled by default, and weve confirmed its also been enabled on one of our Stadia accounts. The join without an invite feature is also available in the Stadia app for Android, and is available through the web version that runs on iOS.

Google has been gradually adding features to Stadia over the past two years since its launch, including a new 30-minute game trial for Hello Engineer last month. The future of Stadia still looks more like a whitelabel service for game developers and other companies looking to stream games, and last month AT&T started offering a browser-based version of Batman: Arkham Knight using Stadias technology.

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Google Stadia will finally let you join multiplayer games without an invite - The Verge

Google is preparing to beta test new search filters in Google Drive, which will hopefully make it easier to find the exact file youre looking for. Dubbed search chips, the feature adds a line of filters to the top of the Drive interface, letting you limit your search by things like file type, last modification date, or which other users are associated with a specific file.

Google Drive already has some search filtering options, but theyre relatively basic and hidden in a sub-menu in the search bar. In contrast, the new search chips are presented front and center, and they look set to offer a wider range of filtering options. A similar feature was introduced in Gmail early last year.

If youd like to try out the new Drive search chips beta, Google is directing interested users toward this sign-up form. Search chips will eventually be available to all Google Workspace users, including G Suite Basic and Business customers.

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Google is working on a more user-friendly way to find files in Drive - The Verge

The logo of Google is seen in Davos, Switzerland January 20, 2020. 2020. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo

Nov 4 (Reuters) - Alphabet Inc's (GOOGL.O) Google has invested $1 billion in CME Group (CME.O) and has struck a separate deal to move the futures exchange operator's trading systems to the cloud, the companies said on Thursday.

Under the terms of the 10-year partnership between Google and CME, the Chicago-based exchange operator will begin moving its technology infrastructure to Google Cloud next year.

The deal with CME marks a big win for Google's cloud business, which competes against Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) and Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) for large, lucrative contracts from blue-chip Fortune 500 companies.

The deal also gives Google a foothold in the financial services sector, which is starting to invest big money on cloud computing services.

Google's $1 billion equity investment was in the form of non-voting convertible preferred stock of CME, the companies added.

The partnership with Google would help CME provide easy access for more market participants, optimize costs and streamline IT infrastructure and other operations, the companies said.

Last year, Amazon and two stock exchanges - Singapore Exchange SGX and London-based Aquis Exchange - undertook a pilot program which they said showed moving share trading to cloud computing from costly physical servers could save money and reduce the potential for outages.

Reporting by Manya Saini in Bengaluru, additional reporting by Niket Nishant; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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Google to invest $1 bln in CME Group, agrees cloud computing deal - Reuters

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt sounded skeptical on Tuesday that Meta, formerly known as Facebook, will succeed at building the metaverse.

"I look forward to excellent innovation in the metaverse," Schmidt told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Tuesday, while discussing his new book "The Age of AI: And Our Human Future." "I've been waiting for about thirty years. ... As to whether Facebook will build that, I don't know."

Schmidt reacted to the news that Meta would shift its focus to build the metaverse, a virtual world where you can socialize, work and play. Google, Microsoft and Apple are working on technology that can help build the metaverse as well. But the vision could take a decade or more to come to fruition.

Schmidt said he will continue to call the company Facebook, just as others call Alphabet "Google," which he said is "how it really works." The promise of the metaverse, he added, is powerful but could pose problems when people forgo real life for the virtual world.

The rise of the metaverse does pose questions for regulators already fighting to regulate social media, the internet and misinformation. Facebook is facing increased scrutiny from Congress and the media after former Facebook employee Frances Haugen leaked documents that ignited a series of Wall Street Journal stories that revealed the company is aware of many problems but chooses to ignore or not resolve them.

"We're going to have to figure it out," he said about regulating the metaverse. "I don't think we know. I don't think regulators today have the right formulation or even how to discuss this."

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Former Google CEO sounds skeptical that Facebook will build the metaverse - CNBC

As the holiday shopping season gets under way early this year due to supply concerns, Google today announced its latest tools for local shops, including a renamed Business Profile.

Google My Business is now Google Business Profile. The dedicated My Business Android and iOS app will be replaced in 2022 in favor of Google recommending small businesses manage their profiles directly on Search or Maps, apps that SMB owners as consumers will undoubtedly already have installed. Meanwhile:

The existing Google My Business web experience will transition to primarily support larger businesses with multiple locations, and will be renamed Business Profile Manager. Well share more details on these changes in the months ahead.

Besides the name change, its now easier to claim and verify your profile through those two apps. Start this week, those eligible can:

Search for your business by name and youll see an option to claim and verify the associated Business Profile. Once your business is verified, you can edit your business information, including the address, store hours, photos and more.

Customer messaging is also coming directly to Search (previously only available in Maps) with read receipts for both parties.

As of late last year, businesses have been able to reply to messages directly from the Google Maps mobile apps in the Updates tab. This upcoming Search option brings the capability to desktop web after tapping on the Customers menu (as seen above).

Lastly, a call history feature will show which inbound customer calls came from their Business Profile on Google. Available in the US and Canada for verified profiles, it will note total answer and missed call count, performance, and history.

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Google renames My Business to Business Profile, dedicated app will be replaced by Search/Maps - 9to5Google

True Oregonians are devoted to two things: inadequate raingear and The Simpsons.

And while there are no available studies that prove the first one, beyond my entire life being an Oregonian and witnessing first-hand the widespread dismissal of the umbrella, there is now confirmation that Oregonians cant stop Googling The Simpsons.

And what do these slack-jawed yokels do with their newfound knowledge of the longest-running animated sitcom in history? We dont know. Frankly, we dont want to know.

According to Google Trends research done by CenturyLinkQuote, Oregonians with their Eye on Springfield, searched for The Simpsons more than any other family sitcom in the past 12 months.

Most searched for family sitcom, via CenturyLinkQuoted

Dont have a cow, man. This shouldnt be a surprise. Oregonians are already well-known Simpsonophiles.

In September, for example, Portland named a new car-free bridge Ned Flanders Crossing, after a character on the show, which was, of course, created by Matt Groening, an Oregonian.

But the city gives and the city takes away. In October, a Merge Simpson sign that had mysteriously appeared in Northwest Portland was removed.

Oh well. At least we can rest easy knowing that, according to the CenturyLinkQuoted research, The Simpsons is actually the most-searched-for family sitcom in the entire country.

So make that three things Oregonians are devoted to: inadequate raingear, The Simpsons and national domination.

Now if youll excuse us, were about to embiggen our day with a Simpsons binge-a-thon.

Actual Simpsons knowledge provided by Oregonian/OregonLive reporter Eder Campuzano. I am fully responsible for the Dont have a cow, man, reference.

-- Lizzy Acker

503-221-8052, lacker@oregonian.com, @lizzzyacker

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Youll never guess which family sitcom Oregonians Google most (Hint: its perfectly cromulent) - OregonLive