Global internet users mapped: Google mulls SpaceX investment to bring developing world online January 20, 2015 Google is considering an investment in Elon Musk’s company SpaceX, as part of a plan to deliver internet by satellite to the developing world and other areas that lack coverage. The deal has not been finalised, but would value SpaceX at around the $10bn (£6.6bn) mark, and would be a significant boost to the aim [...]
Google Glass: Four cool things the explorer programme did (other than create the Glasshole) January 16, 2015 Google Glass' "explorers" did more than just invent the Glasshole. Early adopters testing out Google’s smart glasses may have been given that less-than-kind label, but many of those involved in the programme were actually working on some pretty cool things. Will these beta ideas ever become mainstream? According to reports, Glass in its current form [...]
Google stops selling Glass – but it’s “not dead” January 15, 2015 Google has decided to give up its Google Glass programme, and will stop producing the Glass "in its present form", it has been reported. The company has apparently decided to end its experimental Glass programme, but "is still committed to launching [it] as a consumer product", according to the BBC. After months of testing, Google [...]
Google rents more office space at 6 Pancras Square in King’s Cross after campus delay January 12, 2015 Google has signed a deal to let more space in a building at King’s Cross after deciding to redraw plans for new £650m headquarters at the central London site. The search engine giant has agreed to lease all of 6 Pancras Square, after originally signing up for just under half of the space in [...]
Silicon Valley was right to invest in DNA: Facebook and Google-backed personal genetics business strikes $10m deal with Genentech January 7, 2015 Facebook and Google will be pleased about their decision to invest in personal genetics business 23andMe. The firm, which sells DNA testing kits to individual customers for $99 (£65) each, has secured a major deal with Genentech – a subsidiary of Roche. According to Forbes, 23andMe is receiving an upfront payment from Genentech [...]
Is China blocking Gmail? Chinese Google users reportedly cut off December 29, 2014 The Great Firewall could be blocking Gmail. China is famed for its internet censorship; it limits or prevents access to a range of websites and services, including Facebook and Twitter. Now it seems the new superpower is blocking Google's email service too. On Friday, thousands of Gmail addresses were cut off, according to [...]
Google, Pinterest, Innocent and Microsoft: Who has one of the 10 best office spaces to work worldwide in 2015 December 16, 2014 Do you think your office is top drawer or a bit of a dive? Knight Frank has compiled a list of what it claims to be the 10 best offices in the world – and three of them are in London. But are you in one of them? 10. Google Where: Central St Giles [...]
Google threatened with a €15m fine from Dutch regulators over its privacy policy December 15, 2014 Dutch regulators have threatened to whack Google with a €15m fine, after it failed to overhaul the company's privacy policy despite a Dutch regulator finding to to be illegal last year. Google's use of people's personal data such as browsing history or targeted ads is in breach of the Netherlands' privacy laws according to the Dutch [...]
From Grumpy Cat and falling oil prices to Google blackouts and the weather bomb: Here are 10 things we learned this week December 12, 2014 It's been another busy week… here's our pick of the things we learned. 1. Grumpy Cat may not look too impressed but for once she certainly had something to smile about. Turns out the feline internet celebrity earned £32m last year. That's more than a host of business bosses, including Sir Martin Sorrell, Jamie [...]
Google News shutdown: Google confirms it will turn off its Spanish news service December 11, 2014 Google has confirmed plans to turn off its Google News service in Spain, in anticipation of draconian new copyright rules charging websites which aggregate content. The rules, due to be introduced next year, means news aggregators will be forced to pay publishers an annual fee to link to their content. If they don't pay up, [...]