News

With 1 billion users, Instagram takes on YouTube in video

Julie Charpentrat, Agence France-Presse
Posted at Jun 21 08:38 AM

Instagram is the fourth Facebook platform to hit the billion-user mark, including the namesake social network with more than two billion users, and the messaging applications WhatsApp and Messenger. Read more »

Google to invest $550 million in China e-commerce giant JD.com

Agence France-Presse
Posted at Jun 18 04:02 PM

The firms will marry JD's supply chain and logistics experience with Google technology to create "next generation" personalized retail in regions including Southeast Asia, the US and Europe. Read more »

Filipino dads break stereotypes with Google searches

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Jun 15 10:15 AM

Filipino fathers are searching the internet for food, parenting and home decorating tips, challenging gender stereotypes, a Google analyst said Friday. Read more »

What drives Google's PH boss?

Jan Yumul, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Jun 14 03:47 PM

Google's mission to make information accessible and useful to more people is what drives its country manager for the Philippines, Ken Lingan. Read more »

Google creates doodle for PH Independence Day

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Jun 12 11:34 AM

This is the ninth year that Google has marked the country’s Independence Day with a special doodle. Read more »

US senator queries Alphabet, Twitter on ties with Huawei

Reuters
Posted at Jun 08 09:21 AM

A senior US senator said on Thursday that he has asked Google parent Alphabet Inc and Twitter Inc for information about any data sharing agreements they have with Chinese vendors, after Facebook Inc this week disclosed such partnerships with several Chinese companies. Read more »

Google bars uses of its artificial intelligence tech in weapons

Reuters
Posted at Jun 08 09:08 AM

Google will not allow its artificial intelligence software to be used in weapons or unreasonable surveillance efforts under new standards for its business decisions in the nascent field, the Alphabet Inc unit said on Thursday. Read more »

Tech stocks on a tear as FAANGs and BATTS bite

Reuters
Posted at Jun 05 10:00 PM

World tech stocks hit a record high on Tuesday, spurred on by a new all-time peak for Apple, a 17-year top for European tech firms and news that Twitter and Netflix were set to join Wall Street's flagship S&P 500 index. Read more »

Washington state sues Facebook, Google over election ad disclosure

David Ingram, Reuters
Posted at Jun 05 08:28 AM

The state of Washington said on Monday it had sued Facebook Inc and Alphabet Inc's Google for allegedly violating state campaign finance law by failing to maintain information about who buys election ads. Read more »

Long-soaring smartphone market heading to earth

Glenn Chapman, Agence France-Presse
Updated as of Jun 04 07:29 AM

Surveys show smartphone sales last year shrank slightly for the first time since the 2007 debut of the iPhone, and preliminary data this year suggests further deceleration. Read more »

Google retreating from military AI project: reports

Agence France-Presse
Posted at Jun 03 08:06 AM

An internal petition calling for Google to stay out of "the business of war" garnered thousands of signatures, and some workers reportedly quit to protest a collaboration with the military. Read more »

Google pushes artificial intelligence for upgraded news app

Rob Lever, Agence France-Presse
Updated as of May 20 01:35 PM

For its updated news application, Google is doubling down on the use of artificial intelligence as part of an effort to weed out disinformation and help users get viewpoints beyond their own "filter bubble." Read more »

YouTube revamps streaming music service

Agence France-Presse
Posted at May 18 08:32 AM

YouTube is launching a revamped, standalone streaming music service as part of an effort to step up competition against fast-growing rivals like Spotify and Apple Music. Read more »

Australia probes claim Google harvests data, consumers pay

Colin Packham, Reuters
Posted at May 15 03:02 PM

Google is under investigation in Australia following claims that it collects data from millions of Android smartphones users, who unwittingly pay their telecom service providers for gigabytes consumed during the harvesting, regulators said on Tuesday.   Read more »

Android P steps up AI with iPhone X feel

ABS-CBN News
Posted at May 09 09:10 AM

Google said a beta version of its latest Android software will be available for download starting Wednesday, with deeper artificial intelligence integration and navigation gestures that are similar to the iPhone X. Read more »

Tech stress? Google pitches artificial intelligence to help unplug

Glenn Chapman, Agence France-Presse
Updated as of May 09 08:17 AM

Google unveiled Tuesday an artificial intelligence tool capable of handling routine tasks -- such as making restaurant bookings -- as a way to help people disconnect from their smartphone screens. Read more »

Google's updated virtual assistant can book appointments

Reuters
Posted at May 09 04:42 AM

MOUNTAIN VIEW - Alphabet Inc's Google on Tuesday showed off an updated virtual assistant that can call restaurants, hair salons and other businesses to check hours and make reservations, holding conversations on a user's behalf. Read more »

News Corp leads charge against tech giants in Australia probe

Agence France-Presse
Posted at May 03 08:18 PM

Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation accused Facebook and Google of "anti-competitive practices" in one of dozens of submissions to a probe of the tech giants released Thursday by Australia's competition watchdog. Read more »

Google celebrates Levi Celerio's 108th birthday with a special doodle

ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Apr 30 12:12 PM

Google celebrates one of the Philippines' most prominent composer and lyricist, Levi Celerio, with a special doodle. Read more »

Google ramps up Gmail privacy controls in major update

Agence France-Presse
Posted at Apr 26 06:43 AM

Google on Wednesday ramped up privacy controls in a Gmail overhaul, aiming first at businesses that use its suite of workplace tools hosted in the internet cloud. Read more »