Google

Google removes cupcake calorie counter from Maps

It follows what the search giant described as "strong user feedback" with many criticizing the feature as patronizing, shaming and a possible trigger for eating disorders.

The pink cupcake calorie counter was also lambasted as being unscientific.

It will be removed by the end of the day, Google has confirmed.

The experimental feature was rolled out on the iOS version of Google Maps, beneath walking directions.

It told people how many calories they would burn if they walked and what that was in terms of cupcakes.

Google 'uncovers Russian ad campaign linked to US election'

     

Sources quoted by the Washington Post say the adverts aimed to spread disinformation across Google's products including YouTube and Gmail.

They say the adverts do not appear to be from the same Kremlin-linked source that bought ads on Facebook.

Google said it was investigating attempts to "abuse" its systems.

US intelligence agencies concluded earlier this year that Russia had tried to sway the election in favour of Donald Trump.

The Russian government strongly denies the claims and President Trump has denied any collusion with the Kremlin.

Amazon and Google clash over YouTube access

On Tuesday, YouTube stopped working on Amazon's Echo Show, a voice-controlled assistant with a screen that can display information and videos.

Both companies issued statements criticising one another. Amazon said Google had blocked YouTube on Echo Show "without explanation".

Google said the Echo Show delivered a "broken user experience".

While the Echo Show could play videos from YouTube, it did not provide all of YouTube's functions such as the ability to subscribe to channels or serve up video recommendations.

Google appeals against huge EU anti-trust fine

The regulator had ruled that positioning its own shopping comparison service at the top of Google search results was an abuse of power.

The fine was the largest penalty ever issued by the regulator, which also said the firm could face more fines if it continued its practices.

Google said it had no further comment.

At the time that the fine was imposed, Margrethe Vestager, the European Union's Competition Commissioner said that Google's activity was "illegal under EU antitrust rules".

A spokesman then said that Google "respectfully disagreed" with the ruling.

Google error disrupts corporate Japan's web traffic

Web traffic intended for Japanese internet service providers was being sent to Google instead.

Online banking, railway payment systems as well as gaming sites were among those affected.

A spokesman said a "network configuration error" only lasted for eight minutes on Friday but it took hours for some services to resume.

Nintendo was among the companies who reported poor connectivity, according to the Japan Times, as well as the East Japan Railway Company.

Sexism in the tech industry 'needs to be called out'

It's after a Google employee criticised the firm's diversity initiatives in an internal memo.

The male software engineer argued the lack of women in top tech jobs was due to biological differences between men and women.

It's led to widespread criticism from women - and men - who work in the industry.

Newsbeat's spoken to four female software engineers to find out their experiences.

'There are so many opportunities'

Google silently adds 'Panic Detection Mode" to Android 7.1 – How it's useful

I believe, several times in a single day because a large number of apps do not have an exit button to directly force-close them instead of going back and back and back until they exit.

Sometimes Android users expect the back button to take them back to the back page, but sometimes they really want to exit the app immediately.

Often this has severe usability implications when a majority of users are already dealing with their low-performance mobile devices and believe that clicking back button multiple times would kill the app and save memory, but it doesn't.

EU slaps Google with record $2.7 billion fine

The European Commission found that the U.S. tech giant denied "consumers a genuine choice" by using its search engine to unfairly steer them to its own shopping platform.

Regulators said that Google must change its behavior within 90 days or face additional penalties.

Gmail to end ad-targeting email scans

The tech firm revealed the change in a blog at the end of last week.

Google promised to make the move before the year's end to bring the consumer version of Gmail in line with its business edition.

The firm had faced much criticism over the years for the scans.

Gmail man

The measure helped justify the cost of offering the public one gigabyte of "free" webmail storage in 2004 - an offer that was so much greater than the competition at the time that many originally believed it to be a joke.

Google to let publishers charge users for ad-blockers

"Funding Choices" will roll out first in North America, UK, Germany, Australia and New Zealand, Google said in a blog.

Google is also working on an ad-blocker of its own, which will function in its Chrome browser.

That will block specific adverts that do not meet Google's standards.

Ad blocking programs are designed to protect consumers from intrusive web ads that slow down browsers and vacuum up personal data.