Tag Archives: author_name|Jon Fingas

Federal judge narrows scope of antitrust case against Google ahead of trial

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Google just won a partial reprieve in one of the antitrust cases leveled against the company. Federal Judge Amit Mehta has ruled that the Department of Justice (DOJ) and key states can't claim that Google is protecting a monopoly by promoting its own products in search results over alternatives. The plaintiffs haven't proved there's an "anticompetitive effect," according to the decision. Judge Mehta also tossed antitrust allegations regarding Android's compatibility and anti-fragmentation agreements, Google Assistant, internet of things devices and the Android Open Source Project.

The DOJ can still make its remaining arguments, Judge Mehta says. Notably, officials claim Google is abusing its power through deals that require Android manufacturers to both pre-load Google apps and make Google the default search engine in their mobile browsers. The DOJ and states are concerned this prevents rivals like Bing and DuckDuckGo from gaining significant adoption.

In a statement to Engadget, Google President of Global Affairs Kent Walker says the company welcomes the judge's "careful consideration" when dismissing the search issues. He maintains that people choose Google only "because it's helpful," and that the firm would show at trial that its other practices are both competitive and lawful. We've asked the DOJ for comment and will let you know if we hear back.

The DOJ and partner states filed the lawsuit in 2020. They didn't advocate for specific penalties at the time, but punishments could include fines, business restrictions and splitting divisions into separate companies. At the time, Google defended itself by arguing that it still had to negotiate partnerships and had competitions from services like Twitter (now X) and Expedia.

This isn't the only antitrust case against Google, including in the US. An alliance of states sued Google in 2020 over allegedly anticompetitive ad pricing. However, the narrowed scope might make the case more difficult, not to mention limit the potential damages.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/federal-judge-narrows-scope-of-antitrust-case-against-google-ahead-of-trial-202837725.html?src=rss

Federal judge narrows scope of antitrust case against Google ahead of trial

Posted on by

Google just won a partial reprieve in one of the antitrust cases leveled against the company. Federal Judge Amit Mehta has ruled that the Department of Justice (DOJ) and key states can't claim that Google is protecting a monopoly by promoting its own products in search results over alternatives. The plaintiffs haven't proved there's an "anticompetitive effect," according to the decision. Judge Mehta also tossed antitrust allegations regarding Android's compatibility and anti-fragmentation agreements, Google Assistant, internet of things devices and the Android Open Source Project.

The DOJ can still make its remaining arguments, Judge Mehta says. Notably, officials claim Google is abusing its power through deals that require Android manufacturers to both pre-load Google apps and make Google the default search engine in their mobile browsers. The DOJ and states are concerned this prevents rivals like Bing and DuckDuckGo from gaining significant adoption.

In a statement to Engadget, Google President of Global Affairs Kent Walker says the company welcomes the judge's "careful consideration" when dismissing the search issues. He maintains that people choose Google only "because it's helpful," and that the firm would show at trial that its other practices are both competitive and lawful. We've asked the DOJ for comment and will let you know if we hear back.

The DOJ and partner states filed the lawsuit in 2020. They didn't advocate for specific penalties at the time, but punishments could include fines, business restrictions and splitting divisions into separate companies. At the time, Google defended itself by arguing that it still had to negotiate partnerships and had competitions from services like Twitter (now X) and Expedia.

This isn't the only antitrust case against Google, including in the US. An alliance of states sued Google in 2020 over allegedly anticompetitive ad pricing. However, the narrowed scope might make the case more difficult, not to mention limit the potential damages.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/federal-judge-narrows-scope-of-antitrust-case-against-google-ahead-of-trial-202837725.html?src=rss

Google’s latest bid to push hybrid work is a $99 rate at its on-campus hotel

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Google thinks it has a way to get more hybrid workers into the office: eliminate the commute when they do need to leave home. CNBC says it has learned of a summer promotion that lets full-time staff book stays at the Bay View campus' hotel for $99 per night through September 30th. The offer is meant to help employees "transition to the hybrid workplace," according to the offer. Workers can theoretically have the benefits of both the office and home while never having to travel far.

We've asked Google for comment. A spokesperson talking to CNBC says the firm routinely offers employee specials for its facilities.

The catch, as you might guess, is that employees have to pay for the hotel stays themselves. While the roughly $3,000 per month needed to take up the offer isn't out of line with apartment rentals and includes full service, it still amounts to paying to live at work without a substantial discount. Google team members have to either forego a home of their own or effectively pay rent for two places. The hotel offer is also only truly useful for people working at Bay View, which primarily houses ad-related teams. Those who still have to work at the older campus can't benefit.

The hotel special comes as Google steps up pressure on remote workers it wants to come back. The tech giant started returning some employees to its offices in 2022, when it mandated three days a week for affected people. Some balked at the prospect, though, arguing that in-person work led to high living costs and reduced productivity. Google wasn't deterred, though, and this June started considering office presences in performance reviews.

The escalating tensions now come with the prospect of regulatory action. YouTube contractors who voted to unionize have accused Google and its contracting firm Cognizant of abusing return-to-office policies to stifle labor organization, and filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/googles-latest-bid-to-push-hybrid-work-is-a-99-rate-at-its-on-campus-hotel-193058151.html?src=rss

Google’s latest bid to push hybrid work is a $99 rate at its on-campus hotel

Posted on by

Google thinks it has a way to get more hybrid workers into the office: eliminate the commute when they do need to leave home. CNBC says it has learned of a summer promotion that lets full-time staff book stays at the Bay View campus' hotel for $99 per night through September 30th. The offer is meant to help employees "transition to the hybrid workplace," according to the offer. Workers can theoretically have the benefits of both the office and home while never having to travel far.

We've asked Google for comment. A spokesperson talking to CNBC says the firm routinely offers employee specials for its facilities.

The catch, as you might guess, is that employees have to pay for the hotel stays themselves. While the roughly $3,000 per month needed to take up the offer isn't out of line with apartment rentals and includes full service, it still amounts to paying to live at work without a substantial discount. Google team members have to either forego a home of their own or effectively pay rent for two places. The hotel offer is also only truly useful for people working at Bay View, which primarily houses ad-related teams. Those who still have to work at the older campus can't benefit.

The hotel special comes as Google steps up pressure on remote workers it wants to come back. The tech giant started returning some employees to its offices in 2022, when it mandated three days a week for affected people. Some balked at the prospect, though, arguing that in-person work led to high living costs and reduced productivity. Google wasn't deterred, though, and this June started considering office presences in performance reviews.

The escalating tensions now come with the prospect of regulatory action. YouTube contractors who voted to unionize have accused Google and its contracting firm Cognizant of abusing return-to-office policies to stifle labor organization, and filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/googles-latest-bid-to-push-hybrid-work-is-a-99-rate-at-its-on-campus-hotel-193058151.html?src=rss

The next Pokémon Presents event takes place August 8th

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There hasn't been a big Pokémon news update since February, but don't worry — you're about to get up to speed. The Pokémon Company has announced its next Pokémon Presents event for August 8th at 9AM Eastern. The creators aren't saying much, but you can expect 35 minutes of info when the presentation streams through the company's YouTube channel.

The event might include plenty of video game news. There's still much to learn about Pokémon Scarlet and Violet's first DLC, The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero. You might also hear more about Detective Pikachu Returns ahead of the adventure's October release. Don't be shocked if you hear more about content updates for Pokémon Go, Pokémon Unite and other titles. We wouldn't rule out surprises like remakes of classic games, and you could see more of streaming shows like Netflix's Pokémon Concierge.

Just don't count on teasers for next-gen games. Rumors from VGC suggest Nintendo might ship its next console in the second half of 2024. If so, you're unlikely to see previews — neither the hardware nor software is likely to be ready. The event's 35-minute runtime at least suggests The Pokémon Company has plenty to say, even if it's not all major or game-related.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-next-pokemon-presents-event-takes-place-august-8th-152512734.html?src=rss

The next Pokémon Presents event takes place August 8th

Posted on by

There hasn't been a big Pokémon news update since February, but don't worry — you're about to get up to speed. The Pokémon Company has announced its next Pokémon Presents event for August 8th at 9AM Eastern. The creators aren't saying much, but you can expect 35 minutes of info when the presentation streams through the company's YouTube channel.

The event might include plenty of video game news. There's still much to learn about Pokémon Scarlet and Violet's first DLC, The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero. You might also hear more about Detective Pikachu Returns ahead of the adventure's October release. Don't be shocked if you hear more about content updates for Pokémon Go, Pokémon Unite and other titles. We wouldn't rule out surprises like remakes of classic games, and you could see more of streaming shows like Netflix's Pokémon Concierge.

Just don't count on teasers for next-gen games. Rumors from VGC suggest Nintendo might ship its next console in the second half of 2024. If so, you're unlikely to see previews — neither the hardware nor software is likely to be ready. The event's 35-minute runtime at least suggests The Pokémon Company has plenty to say, even if it's not all major or game-related.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-next-pokemon-presents-event-takes-place-august-8th-152512734.html?src=rss

‘Quake II’ remaster might debut at QuakeCon next week

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QuakeCon is returning to an in-person event on August 10th, and id Software might have a re-release to mark the occasion. Historically reliable leaker billbil-kun claims id will unveil a remastered version of Quake II when QuakeCon kicks off next week. Details of the upgrade aren't available, but the classic sequel would make its way to PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and Switch. The title would be available through Microsoft's Game Pass on launch.

An enhanced version of Quake from 2021 might provide some clues as to what to expect. That remaster added support for widescreen resolutions as high as 4K, new character models and upgraded visual effects like dynamic lighting, depth of field and antialiasing. The refresh also bundled every official expansion while adding a new campaign created by Wolfenstein: The New Order developer MachineGames.

This won't be the same as Quake II RTX, provided the rumor is accurate. The 2019 tweak was meant to showcase NVIDIA's newer computer GPUs with ray-traced lighting and improved textures, but didn't include truly new content or hardware-agnostic visual improvements.

Quake II was originally released in 1997 and represented major strides forward in technology and gameplay over its predecessor. It introduced a semi-open world, objective-based gameplay and visual effects upgrades like colored lighting. The very first release was heavily focused on the single-player mode (competitive online play even took place on single-player maps), but it quickly became a go-to game for multiplayer thanks to updates and third-party upgrades like ThreeWave's Capture the Flag.

An introduction won't be surprising.given that a Quake II Remastered game went through South Korea's game rating authority in June. Billbil-kun also saw documents for North American (ESRB) and European (PEGI) ratings. As it stands, id, Bethesda and Microsoft have incentives to keep producing Quake remasters — they keep the first-person shooter in the limelight and make it playable on modern platforms without resorting to unofficial modifications and ports.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/quake-ii-remaster-might-debut-at-quakecon-next-week-141123462.html?src=rss

‘Quake II’ remaster might debut at QuakeCon next week

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QuakeCon is returning to an in-person event on August 10th, and id Software might have a re-release to mark the occasion. Historically reliable leaker billbil-kun claims id will unveil a remastered version of Quake II when QuakeCon kicks off next week. Details of the upgrade aren't available, but the classic sequel would make its way to PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and Switch. The title would be available through Microsoft's Game Pass on launch.

An enhanced version of Quake from 2021 might provide some clues as to what to expect. That remaster added support for widescreen resolutions as high as 4K, new character models and upgraded visual effects like dynamic lighting, depth of field and antialiasing. The refresh also bundled every official expansion while adding a new campaign created by Wolfenstein: The New Order developer MachineGames.

This won't be the same as Quake II RTX, provided the rumor is accurate. The 2019 tweak was meant to showcase NVIDIA's newer computer GPUs with ray-traced lighting and improved textures, but didn't include truly new content or hardware-agnostic visual improvements.

Quake II was originally released in 1997 and represented major strides forward in technology and gameplay over its predecessor. It introduced a semi-open world, objective-based gameplay and visual effects upgrades like colored lighting. The very first release was heavily focused on the single-player mode (competitive online play even took place on single-player maps), but it quickly became a go-to game for multiplayer thanks to updates and third-party upgrades like ThreeWave's Capture the Flag.

An introduction won't be surprising.given that a Quake II Remastered game went through South Korea's game rating authority in June. Billbil-kun also saw documents for North American (ESRB) and European (PEGI) ratings. As it stands, id, Bethesda and Microsoft have incentives to keep producing Quake remasters — they keep the first-person shooter in the limelight and make it playable on modern platforms without resorting to unofficial modifications and ports.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/quake-ii-remaster-might-debut-at-quakecon-next-week-141123462.html?src=rss

Brave’s privacy-focused search engine can now find images and videos

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Brave's search engine no longer requires that you jump to Bing or Google just to find photos or videos. The company has introduced image and video queries to Brave Search, helping you find media while maintaining the same levels of privacy and freedom of access. You won't have to worry about being profiled through your picture hunts, or risk missing politically sensitive content (if unintentionally) pulled from another engine's index.

You'll still have the option of continuing searches through competitors, at least for a while. Brave notes that some search features, such as filtering by aspect ratio or license, aren't ready yet. The choice helps you get the results you're looking for, so long as you don't mind using a major engine. It's more important to have a "clear alternative" than absolute feature equality, Brave argues.

Brave image search
Brave

Anyone can use Brave's search engine in the web, although it's set as the default in the company's browser. The firm hopes to expand its reach by asking users to contribute to an anoynmous Web Discovrey Project.

The relative newcomer launched its homegrown search in 2021, but has stood out from similarly privacy-oriented challengers like DuckDuckGo by trying to avoid the use of third-party indexes. Brave stopped using Bing's search index in May. That cut seven percent of results, but also gave Brave more control over its results.

This won't necessarily lead to a surge in market share. Brave doesn't even register in StatCtounter's browser market share statistics — it's not in a position to upset heavyweights like Chrome, Edge and Safari. However, this does eliminate a major objection if you're an enthusiast determined to minimize data collection at much as possible.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/braves-privacy-focused-search-engine-can-now-find-images-and-videos-211548516.html?src=rss

Instagram is cracking down on DM spam

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Instagram is making it difficult to flood your DM inbox. The social network is rolling out stricter DM request policies that, among other things, limits senders to a single message if you don't follow them. You'll have to accept the chat request before they can send anything more. DM requests are now limited to text, too. Creeps and spammers can't send photos, videos or voice messages, in other words.

The company started testing the new DM restrictions in late June. The company already has some tools to combat spam, including a "Hidden Words" tool that hides messages with objectionable keywords and emoji. There are now filters for scams and spam. You can also safeguard against surges in DM requests, although that won't stop the occasional spammer from getting through.

Instagram characterizes the move as a safety measure, particularly for women. The firm explains to TechCrunch that women frequently receive unsolicited nudes in their DMs. This effectively halts the practice, although it won't stop harassers from sending crude text.

The addition comes as parent company Meta is facing pressure from politicians and critics to improve its anti-abuse measures, particularly for teens. A Senate bill would require parental consent for teens wanting to use social media apps, for instance, while Arkansas recently enacted a law requiring age verification. That's on top of longstanding concerns that its anti-harassment policies haven't always done enough to protect some demographics. Efforts like this theoretically head off some of the complaints that Meta is letting abuse through.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/instagram-fights-dm-spam-with-limits-on-text-and-photos-165013992.html?src=rss