Tag: #google

  • ‘Fans search for my looks, not my work’: Durefishan

    ‘Fans search for my looks, not my work’: Durefishan

    Fans of actress Durefishan Saleem, what is wrong with you?! The star has complained in a recent interview that internet searches for her name are often accompanied by the keyword ‘hot’ rather than her work.
    “Most of the times, people are looking for ‘Durefishan Hot’ on their internet searches, and they are not looking for my work,” she remarked during a recent event.

    “Public figures should expect criticism; it comes with the territory,” said host Ahmed Ali Butt. He emphasized that being in the spotlight means getting attention and criticism, whether it is desired or not.

    Fatima Effendi agreed, saying: “She must have thought that as once you write your name on Google, several suggestions come up, and she must have assumed that people were searching for her ‘hot pictures’.”

  • Apple in talks with OpenAI, Google to integrate AI into iPhones

    Apple in talks with OpenAI, Google to integrate AI into iPhones

    In a move that could reshape the future of iOS, Apple is exploring partnerships with major technology firms to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into its iPhone line, according to reports from Engadget.

    The Cupertino-based company is reportedly in discussions with Sam Altman’s OpenAI to incorporate generative AI technologies into its iOS operating system.

    However, OpenAI isn’t the only player on Apple’s radar. The company is also engaged in talks with Google to potentially license Gemini, the tech giant’s AI model, for use in iOS 18.

    According to Bloomberg, Apple could finalise agreements with both companies, suggesting a comprehensive approach to AI integration in its upcoming products.

    Meanwhile, Apple is also building its own language models to support various features in iOS 18, indicating a multi-faceted strategy towards AI.

    Although Apple has remained largely silent about its AI developments, there have been subtle hints suggesting that the company is preparing for a significant announcement.

    During a company meeting in February, Apple’s chief executive, Tim Cook, mentioned that the company is continuing to invest in artificial intelligence and expressed excitement about sharing more details later in the year.

    He also highlighted that the recently launched MacBook was the “world’s best consumer laptop for AI.” Cook’s remarks further fueled speculation that Apple is gearing up to unveil AI-centric laptops and desktops in the near future.

    As Silicon Valley dives deeper into the AI arms race, Apple’s moves to partner with leading AI developers and build in-house AI capabilities could set the stage for significant advancements in the iPhone’s functionality and user experience.

    Tech enthusiasts and industry watchers are now eagerly awaiting Apple’s official announcements, which could provide more clarity on the company’s AI strategy and the future of its product lineup.

  • Google fires 28 workers protesting contracts with Israel

    Google fires 28 workers protesting contracts with Israel

    New York, United States – Google fired 28 employees following a sit-down protest over the tech giant’s contract with the Israeli government, a Google spokesperson said Thursday.

    The Tuesday demonstration was organized by the group “No Tech for Apartheid,” which has long opposed “Project Nimbus,” Google’s joint $1.2 billion contract with Amazon to provide cloud services to the government of Israel.

    Video of the demonstration showed police arresting Google workers in Sunnyvale, California, in the office of Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian’s, according to a post by the advocacy group on X, formerly Twitter.

    Kurian’s office was occupied for 10 hours, the advocacy group said.

    Workers held signs including “Googlers against Genocide,” a reference to accusations surrounding Israel’s attacks on Gaza.

    “No Tech for Apartheid,” which also held protests in New York and Seattle, pointed to an April 12 Time magazine article reporting a draft contract of Google billing the Israeli Ministry of Defense more than $1 million for consulting services.

    A “small number” of employees “disrupted” a few Google locations, but the protests are “part of a longstanding campaign by a group of organizations and people who largely don’t work at Google,” a Google spokesperson said.

    “After refusing multiple requests to leave the premises, law enforcement was engaged to remove them to ensure office safety,” the Google spokesperson said. “We have so far concluded individual investigations that resulted in the termination of employment for 28 employees, and will continue to investigate and take action as needed.”

    Israel is one of “numerous” governments for which Google provides cloud computing services, the Google spokesperson said.

    “This work is not directed at highly sensitive, classified, or military workloads relevant to weapons or intelligence services,” the Google spokesperson said.

    jmb/nro

    © Agence France-Presse

  • What election-related matters are Pakistanis searching on Google?

    What election-related matters are Pakistanis searching on Google?

    As the much-anticipated general elections in 2024 draw near, Google has taken a noteworthy step to provide insight into the search pattern of Pakistanis.

    In preparation for the polls scheduled for February 8, 2024, the technology giant has unveiled the “Google Trends Pakistan General Election” page.

    Search interest of people in Pakistan in the last 14 days indicate that 77 per cent searched for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, 14 per cent searched for Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and only 3 per cent searches were related to Pakistan Peoples Party.

    The innovative platform aims to offer valuable insights into the questions actively being searched by people in Pakistan concerning political parties, election topics, and general interests.

    The most searched questions include, what is the date of the election in Pakistan, will the caretaker minister be changed, and how to get into politics.

    The dedicated trends page not only highlights the top election-related topics but also categorizes them based on regions, providing a comprehensive view of concerns and interests prevalent across the country.

    It is important to note that Google emphasizes that the trends page is not a survey or a reflection of voting behavior. Instead, it serves as a dynamic tool showcasing evolving interests and search queries.

    “While it is a valuable resource for understanding what people are searching for, it’s crucial to clarify that a spike in a particular search query does not indicate the popularity or success of a political party. It is not a measure of voting intentions but rather a reflection of the evolving search interests of the public,” stated Google in its official announcement.

  • Apple Watch import ban goes into effect in US patent clash

    Apple Watch import ban goes into effect in US patent clash

    A US import ban on certain Apple smartwatch models came into effect Tuesday, after the Biden administration opted not to veto a ruling on patent infringements.

    The United States International Trade Commission (ITC) decided in October to ban Apple Watch models over a patented technology for detecting blood-oxygen levels.

    Apple contends that the ITC finding was in error and should be reversed, but last week paused its US sales of Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2.

    The order stemmed from a complaint made to the commission in mid-2021 accusing Apple of infringing on medical device maker company Masimo Corp’s “light-based oximetry functionality.”

    “After careful consultations, Ambassador (Katherine) Tai decided not to reverse the… determination and the ITC’s decision became final on December 26, 2023,” the president’s executive office said in a statement on Tuesday.

    Apple has been steadily ramping up fitness and health features with each generation of its Apple Watch, which dominates the smartwatch category.

    In September, Apple released its Apple Watch Series 9, touting increased performance along with features such as the ability to access and log health data.

    “Our teams work tirelessly to create products and services that empower users with industry-leading health, wellness and safety features,” Apple said when the ITC ban was issued.

    “Masimo has wrongly attempted to use the ITC to keep a potentially lifesaving product from millions of US consumers while making way for their own watch that copies Apple.”

    In May, a trial of Masimo’s allegations ended in a mistrial after jurors failed to reach a unanimous verdict.

    Late last year, Apple filed two patent infringement lawsuits accusing Masimo of copying Apple Watch technology.

  • Samosa recipes, Oppenheimer and Aliza Sahar; Pakistan’s most searched topics on Google in 2023

    Billions of topics are searched on Google every day and at the end of every year, the search engine releases a list of the most popular searches.

    Google has now released a list of the most searched topics in Pakistan during 2023.

    The eight different categories disclosed include cricket matches, events/occasions, how-to, news, recipes, TV shows and movies, technology and personalities.

    So, what has been searched under these categories?

    Cricket games

    Pakistan vs New Zealand was the most searched match in this category followed by the match between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

    Pakistan versus Australia in third, then India versus New Zealand, followed by Pakistan versus Netherlands in fifth place.

    Events/Occasions

    Pakistan Super League is at the top of this category followed by the Cricket World Cup, Asia Cup, Indian Premier League while the Ashes is on the fifth, respectively.

    Movies and TV shows

    This year in Pakistan the most searched movie was surprisingly from Hollywood rather than a Pakistani or Indian movie.

    Oppenheimer was the most searched followed by Shahrukh Khan’s Jawan (second) and Pathaan (third).

    Hollywood film Barbie was at the fourth position while Bollywood film Tiger 3 came fifth in the category.

    News

    The Gaza war topped the category in news that Pakistanis searched on Google.

    This was followed by Ehsaas program, Aliza Sahar, Akshay Kumar while Kajol came fifth, respectively.

    Recipes

    Forever-food-lovers, Pakistanis searched for samosa recipes followed by kaleji and then sheer khurma.

    Recipes for namkeen gosht and tomato ketchup recipes came in fourth and fifth respectively.

    Technology

    The top search in this category is not surprising as it has attracted people from all over the world over the past year: ChatGPT — chatbot based on artificial intelligence (AI) technology, which was introduced in November 2022 and went global in 2023.

  • Apple faces competition as Google releases Pixel 8 and AI-powered smartwatch

    Apple faces competition as Google releases Pixel 8 and AI-powered smartwatch

    The Apple iPhone 15 series now faces fresh competition as Google introduced its latest smartphone, the Pixel 8, on Wednesday, alongside a new smartwatch that seamlessly integrates advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technology into its core consumer devices.

    The enhancements made to the Pixel phones, which are particularly popular among photography enthusiasts and those who prefer a pure Android experience, have the potential to make them more appealing to shoppers as they plan their holiday season purchases.

    Google has upgraded the Pixel lineup by equipping it with the Tensor G3 mobile processor, which includes native machine learning and generative AI models. These AI features can assist users in various ways, such as improving photography, summarising web content, and blocking unwanted spam calls. This announcement was made during the Made by Google event held in New York.

    Additionally, the higher-end Pixel 8 Pro now features a temperature sensor, and Google has applied for approval from the Food and Drug Administration to enable a thermometer app for measuring body temperature.

    The Pixel 8 is priced starting at $699, while the Pixel 8 Pro starts at $999, making it $100 more expensive than the previous generation models. Both models will be available for purchase starting on October 12th.

    At the event, Google emphasized its commitment to mobile AI, a direction that IDC analyst Ryan Reith noted could have a significant impact on the industry, especially in the US, if accompanied by strong marketing efforts.

    Notably, in the previous month, Apple launched a new series of iPhones that included improvements in design and performance but did not increase prices, reflecting the ongoing challenges in the global smartphone market.

    According to IDC, Google’s Pixel ranks 12th globally in terms of smartphone shipments, holding a 0.9 per cent market share. The largest market for Pixel devices is the United States, accounting for approximately 39 per cent of global shipments, followed by Japan at 29 per cent and the UK at 9 per cent.

    In addition to the smartphone and smartwatch announcements, Google also revealed plans to integrate generative AI capabilities into its virtual assistant, enabling it to assist users with tasks like trip planning and email management while also asking follow-up questions.

    Furthermore, Google introduced the Google Watch 2, an upgraded version of its first smartwatch released in October of the previous year. It is priced at $349 and comes with a digital crown and advanced health tracking features powered by AI.

  • Google to tighten security against spammers targeting Gmail users

    Google to tighten security against spammers targeting Gmail users

    Google announced on Tuesday that it is implementing stricter measures to combat spam messages targeting Gmail users. Under these new measures, senders who exceed a daily threshold of 5,000 messages to Gmail users will be required to include a one-click unsubscribe button in their emails.

    Additionally, they must undergo email address authentication to confirm ownership of their domain name and prevent IP address spoofing.

    Furthermore, Google has introduced a policy where it may withhold delivery of messages from senders whose emails consistently receive a high spam marking rate, falling below a “clear spam rate threshold” of 0.3 per cent, as assessed by Google’s Postmaster Tools. Google has also enlisted Yahoo to adopt these changes, which are set to take effect in February 2024.

    These actions underscore the ongoing battle between major tech companies and spammers who exploit open systems like email for fraudulent purposes, causing annoyance to users. While machine learning has been employed for years to combat spam, it remains a constant struggle as spammers continuously develop new tactics to bypass filters.

    In a blog post, Google’s product manager, Neil Kumaran, likened these changes to a necessary tune-up for the email ecosystem, emphasising that email security, user-friendliness, and spam prevention require ongoing collaboration and vigilance from the entire email community.

    It’s worth noting that Google’s adjustments may also impact legitimate marketers who rely on email for customer engagement, particularly the requirement for a convenient unsubscribe option. In 2022, approximately half of all emails sent were estimated to be spam, according to Kaspersky Anti-Virus.

  • What is the Taylor Swift crossword puzzle on Google all about?

    What is the Taylor Swift crossword puzzle on Google all about?

    Love’s a game- and so is being a Swiftie.

    If you Google the name Taylor Swift, you’ll spot a blue vault on the right side of your screen, and when you click on it, a screen pops up with a series of letters asking you to decode the right answer, which will eventually lead you to the next puzzle.

    Millions of Swifties across the globe have been screaming, crying, perfect storms in attempting to decode the crossword puzzles- so we’ll explain what is happening and really what is the purpose behind these crossword puzzles.

    Taylor Swift has partnered with Google ahead of the release of her re-recorded album 1989 (Taylor’s Version) to design crossword puzzles which will eventually lead to the names of the new tracks included in the vault- previously written songs that weren’t included in the original album. Before the release of her previous rerecorded versions, Taylor teased fans by asking them to decode the names of the song tracks hidden in the puzzles. But it looks like this time she wasn’t kidding when she said “Darling, I’m a nightmare dressed like a daydream!”

    According to Google’s blog, there are 89 puzzles each user can solve, totaling up to 33 million puzzles worldwide- and solving them will uncover new song tracks to be included in the upcoming album. Swifties rose to the challenge on whether it’s gonna be forever or will it go down in flames, because Google tweeted on their X account that the app was jammed due to the overload of responses.

    Taylor had broken the internet when in August she announced 1989 (Taylor’s Version) on the last day of the US leg of the Era’s Tour, and sang the track ‘New Romantics’ for the audience after unveiling the album artwork and release date on the screen.

    “The last time that I was so pleasantly surprised by some stuff that you guys did was when I announced that I was going to be re-recording. That was something that I expected to be just a me thing, just a personal thing. Since I was a teenager, I wanted to own my music. The way to do it was to re-record my albums, and the way that you have embraced … that you have celebrated, that you really decided that it was your fight too, and that you were 100 percent behind me … I will never stop thanking you for that.”

    She continued, “And so now, here we are on the last night of the U.S. leg of the Eras tour in the eighth month of the year on the ninth day. You might have noticed there are some new outfits in the show. There’s something that I’ve been planning for a really, really, really ridiculously, embarrassingly long time, and instead of telling you about it, I think I’ll just sort of show you.”

  • Hum the tune, find the song; YouTube tests new search feature

    Hum the tune, find the song; YouTube tests new search feature

    YouTube is experimenting with a new search feature in which you can hunt for a song by humming into your device. This new trial is being conducted on android gadgets and it is a major upgrade from Apple’s music recognition app, Shazam.

    Users who have access to the feature, which is currently under testing, can try it through YouTube’s voice search by singing, humming, or recording a song for three seconds or more. Once the app identifies the song, it will direct the user to the relevant YouTube video or its official music video or related shorts.

    The feature is currently available to only a limited number of users.

    The same feature was introduced by Google (Google Search widget and Google Assistant) in 2020 however, according to TechChrunch, the difference appears to be that Google’s feature requires users to hum for 10-15 seconds in order to identify the song.

    In a blog by Google posted in 2020, it was explained that this feature is based on ‘learning models that can match your hum, whistle or singing to the right “fingerprint”’. YouTube confirmed to TechCrunch that the new test also uses the same technology as the Google feature.