Tag Archives: Google

Books & Reading, Libraries, Times They Are A-Changing, Web & Technology

Event Recap: Why Trust a Corporation to Do a Library’s Job? – Internet Archive Blogs

Posted on April 30, 2021 by Caralee Adams

Event image from blog…

Although people are increasingly turning to Google to search for information, a corporate search engine is not the same as a trusted librarian.

And while libraries are used to buying and preserving books, they are now often unable to buy and own digital materials because of publisher licensing restrictions.

The tension between the interests of business and the public was the focus of a conversation hosted by the Internet Archive and Library Futures on April 28.

Wendy Hanamura moderated the event with guest panelists Joanne McNeil, author of Lurking: How a Person Became a User; Darius Kazemi, an internet artist and cofounder of Feel Train, a creative technology cooperative in Portland, Oregon; and Jennie Rose Halperin, executive director of Library Futures.

A recording of the event is now available.

Source: Event Recap: Why Trust a Corporation to Do a Library’s Job? – Internet Archive Blogs

Web & Technology

Snapshot: The Android feature you didn’t know you needed – TechRepublic

Jack Wallen introduces you to a Google Assistant feature that will help kick off your day with efficiency and ease.

Photo by Vlada Karpovich on Pexels.com

by Jack Wallen in Mobility on May 4, 2021, 11:43 AM PST

The Android developers are always sneaking in new features to the mobile platform.

Some of these features make the tiniest ripple in an already vast ocean, while others make waves. However, sometimes those ripples have a cumulative effect and can make a big difference in how people use their devices.

More important, some of those tiny ripples help to make Android easier to use and more efficient.

Such is the case with Snapshot, a feature you had no idea about and didn’t realize you needed. This feature is a part of Google Assistant and gives you (as the name suggests) a snapshot of your day.

Source: Snapshot: The Android feature you didn’t know you needed – TechRepublic

Film & Movies, Science & Health, Web & Technology

Time flies in Google Earth’s biggest update in years

Rebecca Moore, Director, Google Earth, Earth Engine & Outreach, Published Apr 15, 2021

From article.. Google

Read this post in Spanish. // Blog en español aquí.

For the past 15 years, billions of people have turned to Google Earth to explore our planet from endless vantage points. You might have peeked at Mount Everest or flown through your hometown. Since launching Google Earth, we’ve focused on creating a 3D replica of the world that reflects our planet in magnificent detail with features that both entertain and empower everyone to create positive change.

In the biggest update to Google Earth since 2017, you can now see our planet in an entirely new dimension — time.

–from article

With Timelapse in Google Earth, 24 million satellite photos from the past 37 years have been compiled into an interactive 4D experience. Now anyone can watch time unfold and witness nearly four decades of planetary change. 

Source: Time flies in Google Earth’s biggest update in years

Web & Technology

Google Meet gets a refreshed UI, multipinning, autozoom and more | TechCrunch

Frederic Lardinois@fredericl / 9:00 AM PDT•April 21, 2021

Image Credits: Google

Google today announced a major update to Meet, its video-meeting service, which brings several user interface tweaks for desktop users, as well as quite a bit of new functionality, including multipinning so that you can highlight multiple feeds instead of just one, as well as new AI-driven video capabilities for light adjustments, autozoom and a new Data Saver feature that limits data usage on slower mobile networks.

If you’re anything like me, you’re increasingly tired of video meetings (to the point where I often just keep the camera off). But the reality is that this style of meeting will be with us for the foreseeable future, whether we like them or not.

Source: Google Meet gets a refreshed UI, multipinning, autozoom and more | TechCrunch

Memories & History, Politics, Science & Health, Web & Technology

Supreme Court rules for Google in Oracle copyright fight over Android

Published Mon, Apr 5 202110:06 AM EDT, Updated Mon, Apr 5 202111:25 AM EDT

By Tucker Higgins

Larry Page, chief executive officer of Google Inc., right, speaks to the media while arriving at court in San Jose, California, U.S., on Monday, Sept. 19, 2011.
Ryan Anson | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Oracle had claimed to be owed as much as $9 billion, while Google claimed that its use of the code was covered under the doctrine of fair use.

Source: Supreme Court rules for Google in Oracle copyright fight over Android

Web & Technology

Google is making some big upgrades to directions in Google Maps – The Verge

Indoor AR directions, a new directions interface, and more

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

By Jay Peters@jaypeters, Mar 30, 2021, 6:00am EDT

Google is announcing a bunch of new features planned for Google Maps, including a new tool to help with indoor navigation and suggestions for eco-friendly driving routes.

The features announced today aren’t rolling out all at once, though; many aren’t available just yet, and it’s unclear when some will be available in some parts of the world.

One of the biggest announcements is that Google is bringing its Live View augmented reality directions to airports, transit stations, and malls. Live View directions let you hold your phone up, point your camera at the world around you, and see arrows and icons pointing you where you need to go, and previously, they only worked outdoors.

Source: Google is making some big upgrades to directions in Google Maps – The Verge