Google adds search to Play Store reviews to improve app discovery
Android's app reviews just got an upgrade
Samsung Messages is officially on the way out, pushing users to Google Messages
One of Samsung's most familiar mobile apps is coming to an end
Google's Gemma 4 AI can run on smartphones, no Internet required
New open-weight models scale from mobile to 30B-class systems with an Apache 2.0 license
Quantum computers might crack today's encryption far sooner than we thought
Encrypted banking information, cryptocurrency wallets, and other sensitive data may be in danger
Google offers researchers early access to Willow quantum processor
Google is inviting proposals for hands-on experiments to push Willow beyond simulations
You can finally change your Gmail address without losing everything
TL;DR: Many Gmail users stuck with outdated or embarrassing usernames have spent years or decades hoping Google would add the ability to change them without losing past emails or other data. The company quietly teased the functionality late last year and has now enabled it for all US users.
New RCS standard could enable cross-platform video calls, if Apple and Google play along
Turning texts into a full-fledged video platform
Google sets 2029 deadline for quantum-safe encryption, years ahead of government targets
New post-quantum cryptography roadmap signals Q Day could arrive sooner than expected
Google's TurboQuant compression tech cuts LLM memory use by 6x with no accuracy loss
Breakthrough AI technique could end the global memory shortage
Google isn't backing away from Pentagon AI work, it's doubling down
Executives say supporting national security work makes sense
Android isn't killing sideloading, but it's making it a lot harder
Android sideloading remains, but Google introduces stricter "advanced flow" process
PSA: Chrome patches 26 vulnerabilities, including three critical flaws
Google Chrome 146 fixes 26 security vulnerabilities but with no evidence of active exploitation so far. The update addresses three critical memory-related flaws, along with several high-risk issues impacting components like WebGL and the V8 JavaScript engine.
Alphabet spins out GFiber as it merges with Astound in major broadband deal
The new company will span 26 states and challenge regional incumbents with a mix of cable and fiber infrastructure
Google quietly pulls AI "health tool" that summarized Reddit advice
Google insists the removal had nothing to do with safety concerns
Google's Genie 3 AI can generate playable worlds, but they still fall apart after a minute
AI-generated game worlds are still highly experimental
Gaming Slop: Google recently showcased updates to its Genie 3 platform, offering another glimpse at how AI might one day generate interactive worlds on the fly. The technology is advancing, but a key challenge remains: maintaining world consistency. For now, the model can only sustain coherent environments for short bursts before scenes begin to unravel, keeping the technology far from reliable enough for use in a professional game development workflow.
Google Maps gets conversational with Gemini-powered "Ask Maps"
Maps overhaul can interpret user queries about timing, preferences, and location - introduces immersive 3D navigation
YouTube expands unskippable 30-second ads to TVs after $40 billion revenue year
Connected TVs become YouTube's next major ad battleground
Google brings new PC-focused features to the Play Store, including "play anywhere"
Cross-buy, PC game sales, and trials headline the update
Epic beat Google in court, but Tim Sweeney can't criticize Play Store policies until 2032
Epic's broader campaign against the mobile app duopoly enters a quieter phase
Google cuts Play Store fee to 20% and opens the door to third-party app stores
Major policy overhaul lowers fees, backs alternative billing, and formalizes new app store pathways
Google will start shipping a new Chrome version every two weeks
Faster two-week Chrome release cycle could ripple across the entire browser ecosystem
Google Pixel 10a reviewed: familiar formula delivers strong value
Reviews of the Pixel 10a describe it as a minor update over last year's model, with mostly cosmetic changes and similar hardware. Despite the limited changes, critics say it remains one of the best budget Android phones thanks to its reliable performance, strong cameras, and competitive $500 price point.
A stolen Gemini API key turned a $180 bill into $82,000 in two days
API key compromise exposes the financial risks of usage-based AI services
Google is rolling out quantum-resistant HTTPS certificates in Chrome to future-proof the web
Why it matters: One of the greatest risks of quantum computing is its potential to break many of the cryptographic protocols that keeps the internet safe today. Thankfully, quantum is still fairly distant from being that great a risk – at this stage, it can't break internet encryption. But Google isn't exactly waiting around for that to happen. On Friday, the company announced that Chrome is rolling out a new type of web certificate that's essentially designed to be quantum-proof from the ground up.
Google is building a Minnesota data center powered by wind, solar, and rust
The 1.9 GW facility will rely on iron-air batteries instead of lithium-ion cells