Starlink Partners with Google to Deliver Data and Cloud Services
SpaceX’s broadband internet company, Starlink is partnering with Google to deliver data, cloud services, and applications to customers at the network edge by leveraging Starlink’s ability to provide high-speed broadband internet around the world and Google Cloud’s infrastructure. In a statement, the companies revealed that SpaceX will begin to “locate Starlink ground stations within Google data centre properties, enabling the secure, low-latency, and reliable delivery of data from more than 1,500 Starlink satellites launched to orbit to date to locations at the network edge via Google Cloud”. Google Cloud’s high-capacity private network will support the delivery of Starlink’s global satellite internet service, bringing businesses and consumers seamless connectivity to the cloud and Interne...
Top 10 Most Imitated Companies in 2021 So Far
In a brand phishing attack, cybercriminals try to imitate the official website of a well-known brand by using a similar domain name or URL and web page design to the genuine site. The link to the fake website can be sent to target individuals by email or text message, a user can be redirected during web browsing, or it may be triggered by a fraudulent mobile application. The fake website often contains a form intended to steal users’ credentials, payment details or other personal information. Check Point’s new Brand Phishing Report reveals the most frequently imitated by criminals. Here are the Top 10 phishing brands in Q1 of 2021: /* custom css */ .tdi_3_657.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_3_657.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } Microsoft (related to 39% of all brand...
Google Celebrates Oliver De Coque 74th Post Humous Birthday with Doodle
Highlife legend, Oliver De Coque is being celebrated on his 74th Post Humous Birthday by Google. The world’s most popular search engine used his artwork for it’s doodle to honor him today which marks his 74th birthday if he were alive. The art work was designed by Nigeria’s Ohab TBJ, a Lagos-based artist. Born Oliver Sunday Akanite in 1947, Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria, Oliver De Coque was a highlife legend who lived the better part of his life almost by the art of music. He was a renowned lead guitarist and singer, who toured the world with his band during the years he was active which was from 1965 to 2008 when death came for him through a protracted diabetes. In the course of his sojourn into music, Oliver De Coque released a staggering 93 albums showing that his well of inspiration ne...
Google Launches Live Caption Feature for Chrome Users
Image sourced from Pymnts Google has rolled out its Live Caption feature for Chrome browser users. The feature was initially only available on the Pixel 2 and then to selected Android devices. But now, XDA has revealed that the feature is finally going live on the stable Chrome 89. Live Caption provides users with real-time captions for audio – like videos, podcasts, phone calls, video calls, and audio messages – even content they record themselves. All captions are processed locally, never stored, and never leave the device. To enable Live Captions, Chrome 89 users should go to Settings > Advanced > Accessibility – users may also need to download speech recognition files. “For now, it only detects and transcribes English-language audio, but hopefully, support for more languages will...
Google Reduces Play Store Fees for Developers by up to 50%
Image sourced from Pymnts Google has revealed that the service fee charged to Play Store developers could be reduced by up to 50%. The tech giant believes this is will help developers build sustainable businesses. “We work with partners every day to understand the challenges they face and help them bring their innovative ideas to life. Getting a new app off the ground and into orbit is not easy!” reads a blog post from Google. This why, starting from 1 July 2021, Google will reduce the service fee Google Play receives when a developer sells digital goods or services to 15% for the first $1M (USD) of revenue every developer earns each year. “With this change, 99% of developers globally that sell digital goods and services with Play will see a 50% reduction in fees. These are funds that can ...
New Google Arts & Culture Exhibit Explores 126 Years of Electronic Music History
A new exhibit from Google and YouTube titled “Music, Makers & Machines,” takes viewers on a walk through the history of electronic music from genesis to present day. Over 50 industry experts, festivals, labels, and power players from the electronic music world were consulted in order to bring the project to fruition. The multimedia endeavor combines photography, video, 360° tours, and augmented interactive objects to create an immersive user experience. The totality of the exhibition aims to cover 126 years of dance music history, highlighting the genre’s icons, landmarks, and watershed moments that took place since the invention of the world’s first electromechanical musical instrument in 1895. One function of the exhibit utilizes Google Street View, putting fa...
Australia’s competition chief claims victory after Facebook standoff
The architect of Australian media reforms being watched around the world claimed victory on Wednesday, even as critics said concessions to the laws forcing Big Tech to pay for news content have given Facebook and Google a get-out clause. The Australian government made late changes to the laws after Facebook last week blocked news content in Australia, escalating a dispute over the proposed legislation and catching international attention. The amended legislation is expected to pass the Senate this week, despite opposition from some minor opposition parties and independent politicians who argue it disadvantages smaller news companies. Rod Sims, the chairman of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), told Reuters the bargaining power imbalance he was tasked with correcting...
Google News Initiative Launches in Africa
Image sourced from Pymnts Google has announced the second Google News Initiative Innovation Challenge in Africa, with an “open call for projects that increase reader engagement and explore new business models for media”. The first GNI Innovation Challenge saw 21 projects in 13 countries receive funding last year. Awardees were from Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Turkey, and the UAE. In Nigeria, Ringier Africa Digital Publishing was awarded funding to increase personalisation across its platform using a blend of prediction, recommendation and local information pages to increase user engagement. Kenyan awardee Africa Uncensored is aggregating news from members of the public to produce at scale. Applications open today ...
Apple’s App Store hosting multi-million dollar scams – developer
Mobile app developer Kosta Eleftheriou has a new calling that goes beyond software development: taking on what he sees as a rampant scam problem ruining the integrity of Apple’s App Store. Eleftheriou, who created the successful Apple Watch keyboard app FlickType, has for the last two weeks been publicly criticizing Apple for lax enforcement of its App Store rules that have allowed scam apps, as well as apps that clone popular software from other developers, to run rampant. These apps enjoy top billing in the iPhone marketplace, all thanks to glowing reviews and sterling five-star ratings that are largely fabricated, he says. Up to now, I’ve been in the “Apple *wants* to do the right thing” camp. My viewpoint is starting to change. How to spot a $5M/year scam on the @AppS...
Google Play Introduces Rewards Programme in South Africa
Google Play’s free rewards programme has just launched in South Africa. The programme allows users to earn points and redeem them for in-app purchases or credit. According to Gadgets, the reward points can also be earned by “downloading free apps and games that are featured, alongside weekly points that can boost the earning rate of points for users on select games and movies”. The Google Play Points programme has four levels, ranging from Bronze to Platinum, that are dependant on how many points collected. “More than 2 billion people in 190 countries use Google Play to discover blockbuster movies, apps that help you be more productive, and books that inspire imagination,” says Mariam Abdulahi, Director of Africa Platform Partnerships for Android and Google Play. /* custom css */ .tdi_3_69...
Google Plans to Help Speed Up Delivery of Vaccines
Image sourced from Pymnts Google revealed that it will be giving $150 million to promote vaccine education and making it easier to find locally relevant COVID-19 information. The company is also going to use its technology to improve vaccine distribution. “The pandemic has taken a devastating toll on communities worldwide. While there is much uncertainty still ahead, the development of multiple safe vaccines in such a short time gives us reason for hope. Now the work begins to ensure that everyone can benefit from this triumph of scientific achievement, and quickly,” says Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet. To aid in the distribution, Google Cloud will help healthcare organizations, retail pharmacies, logistics companies, and public sector institutions make use of innovative technol...
Top 10 Most Imitated Brands for Phishing Attempts
In a brand phishing attack, cybercriminals try to imitate the official website of a well-known brand by using a similar domain name or URL and web-page design to the genuine site. The link to the fake website can be sent to targeted individuals by email or text message, a user can be redirected during web browsing, or it may be triggered from a fraudulent mobile application. The fake website often contains a form intended to steal users’ credentials, payment details or other personal information. According to Check Point Research, Microsoft was the brand most frequently targeted by cybercriminals. The most likely industry to be targeted by brand phishing was technology, followed by shipping and retail, showing how threat actors are using well-known brands in these sectors to tric...
