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There’s still green in climate robots • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on November 3, 2022Posted in Actuator, AMP Robotics, Climate, Google, Hardware, labrador systems, Robotics & AINo Comments

Kicking things off with a big funding round for AMP Robotics this week for a couple of reasons, but when push comes to shove, it comes down to something really simple: There are a lot of great reasons to be bullish on automation and there are a lot of equally great reasons to be bullish on climate tech. If you can manage to position yourself right in the middle of that Venn diagram, you’re probably sitting pretty right now. There are caveats, of course. There are always caveats. A big, scary bear market is the most immediate. We’ve alluded to current and coming layoffs in recent editions of this newsletter, and the truth is that there are going to be a lot more before we’re on the other side of this. As bright as your category is long-term, no one exists outside these macro trends. I certainly wouldn’t want to be in the position of raising a round to keep the lights on at my startup as the headwinds grow stronger. The days of the nine-digit Series A seem to have mostly drawn to a close for the foreseeable future, and I’m accordingly hearing more reports of decreased headcounts. But if I had to choose a tech startup space to ride this out in, climate and automation would be at or near the top. To steal a paragraph from Connie’s recent interview with Chris Sacca: [Climate investing] is recession proof, even without the IRA. Everything we’re doing is providing a substitute good. That’s what almost feels unfair. You spend years building Twitter and you put it up in the app store and you hope somebody gives a damn. It could be a really well-designed product, but maybe no one cares, whereas everything we’re building right now, we actually know the demand for it. And if we deliver a better, cheaper, faster, cooler, easier-to-use, sexier product, then we’ll even grow the market. So I actually think this is some of the easiest investing we’ve done. From where I sit, “recession proof” seems a little hyperbolic in the near term, but climate disaster isn’t a thing of the future. We’re living with it — and have been for some time. There are going to be plenty of bandwagon jumpers and green washers in the interim, but if you’ve got good vision and better vetting, the right climate-focused technology might be as close to a sure thing as you’re going to get as an investor. Ditto for robotics and automation for reasons we’ve outlined plenty of times over the last couple of years. Find the right solution for the right problem, and you might one day be looking at your own $91 million Series C. I’m far from a technological utopianist, and my feelings on the future of climate change are a lot darker than I’m comfortable discussing here. It certainly doesn’t help to prep for all of this by reading a recent Greenpeace report that notes, “The plastics, packaging, and recycling industries have waged a decades-long misinformation campaign to perpetuate the myth that plastic is recyclable.” Image Credits: AMP Robotics It’s important to be pragmatic to a fault here. We don’t do ourselves any favors by sugarcoating the size and scope of the current crisis. Nor do we have much to gain by going full doomer. Somewhere between the two exists the possibilities of achievable solutions. None will fix the problem, but if we’re lucky, the right one could serve to mitigate things. Recycling robotics firm AMP’s latest raise follows a sizable $55 million Series B raised in January of last year. Congruent Ventures and Wellington Management led this massive $91 million round, which also features participation from Blue Earth Capital, Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners, Tao Capital Partners, XN, Sequoia Capital, GV, Range Ventures, and Valor Equity Partners. “Advancements in robotics and automation are accelerating the transformation of traditional infrastructure, and AMP is seeking to reshape the waste and recycling industries,” said Wellington’s Michael DeLucia. “By bringing digital intelligence to the recycling industry, AMP can sort waste streams and extract additional value beyond what is otherwise possible.” All of this comes with the standard caveat that there are truly no surefire bets in this — or any — industry. There are still a million difficult to quantify factors, from timing to competition to sheer luck, which play a role in a product’s success. The more companies that enter a space, the more more failure we’ll ultimately see. Though, that’s kind of the deal with early stage investment — no one gets it right 100% of the time. But a few perfectly timed investments can make a career. The upshot of facing an impossibly large, seemingly insurmountable problem (if one can say such a thing) is that there’s still a ton of problems that need the right minds to tackle them. There are a million oversaturated categories in automation right now. Filtering out all of the aforementioned greenwashing, the same can’t be said for climate. It “almost feels unfair,” to steal a line from Sacca. Frankly, it’s also a space I’d love to see more of the bigger names operate in. Take Google, for example. The company had a big AI day here in NYC this week, showcasing some of its work in the category. Google has investments in both climate and automation, and it would be great to see these sorts of companies working to solve big problems with big ideas. Gaining advantages to move e-commerce to a same-day delivery model is all well and good, but ordering all of the sunscreen on Amazon isn’t going to do you much good in the face of true climate catastrophe. Image Credits: Google Google for Good did take centerstage at the event, however, with the company demonstrating how advances to ML are being used for the very important work of monitoring wildfires and floods. It’s also worth highlighting some of the company’s efforts in robotic learning. Code as Policies (CaP) is a newly announced

Google Play Games for PC program expands to the US and seven other countries • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on November 3, 2022Posted in Apps, Gaming, Google, Google Play, Google Play Games, Google Play Games for PCNo Comments

Google is expanding its Google Play for PC program to eight more countries including the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore in open beta. That means all players in these regions with Windows systems that meet the minimum requirements can access Google Play on a desktop computer. The company first launched the program under a limit test in South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand and Australia. Later in August, it expanded it to all players in these countries in open beta. Google added that in the last couple of months it has added popular titles like “1945 Air Force,” “Blade Idle,” “Cookie Run: Kingdom,” and “Evony: The King’s Return” to the program with more games to be added soon. In August, Google also restructured the minimum requirements for systems that can run Google Play for PC. Originally, Google required an eight-core CPU, a “gaming-class GPU” and 20GB of available storage space. With the reduced requirements, users need a four-core CPU, an integrated GPU and 10GB of free storage on the system. Minimum system requirements for running Google Play Games on Windows Image Credits: Google “We’re thrilled to expand our platform to more markets for players to enjoy their favorite games on Google Play. As we move towards a full release, we will continue to add new features and evaluate developer and player feedback,” Arjun Dayal, Director, of Google Play Games said in a blog post. With this program, Google has made it possible for players can use their mouse and keyboard for inputs. Notably, it also started testing support for these inputs for Android games on ChromeOS in September. In a separate project, Microsoft has been working with Amazon to bring Android apps to Windows 11. In August, the company expanded this preview feature to users based in Japan. On the other hand, despite announcing the shutdown of its Stadia cloud gaming service, Google is still concentrating on bringing gaming to more players. In October, it introduced new Chromebooks tuned for cloud gaming with hardware makers like Acer, Asus and Lenovo.

Gmail to add a new package tracking feature ahead of holiday shopping season • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on November 2, 2022Posted in Apps, Commerce, gmail, GoogleNo Comments

Google announced today a small but useful update to Gmail that will allow users to soon be able to track their upcoming package deliveries directly from their inbox. The feature works by looking for emails that include tracking numbers, then using that information to determine the order’s expected delivery date and flagging this for you right in your inbox. That means when you’re scanning through your email list in Gmail, you won’t have to click on your order confirmation emails to see when your package is due to arrive. Instead, this information will be displayed just below the email sender’s name and subject line in the inbox in a small green label. You’ll notice a little truck icon followed by text indicating the order’s status, followed by the delivery date. This label will be updated as the order progresses, with information like “label created,” the arrival date or the delivery date, Google says. Image Credits: Google This feature will save online shoppers a lot of extra steps as typically, consumers have to open their order confirmation emails and then either copy and paste the tracking information into the appropriate carriers’ system, into Google, or click on a provided link to begin tracking the order, for example. Now, all they’ll need to do is look at their Gmail inbox. However, if you do click to open the order confirmation email, it will now include a summary card at the top that offers a bit more detail, including a timeline with checkmarks that shows the current order status — order placed, shipped or delivered — and a link that takes you to the order detail page. Google says the new feature will be available in the U.S. across “most major” shipping carriers in the coming weeks. The expectation is that this feature will arrive ahead of the holiday shopping season when it would be most useful. To enable package tracking, Gmail will first ask users if they want to opt-in to receive tracking updates in a pop-up at the top of the inbox. Users will click “Allow”or “Now now,” depending on their preference. This can also be enabled in Gmail’s settings. Image Credits: Google The system, of course, involves having your email scanned for tracking information, but this is automated — humans aren’t reading your email. Still, some may view this a potential privacy concern, particularly if Gmail chooses to use this data to help inform its various developments in e-commerce and first-party shopping features. The new addition could impact the adoption of popular third-party package tracking apps including Parcel, Route, AfterShip and Shopify’s Shop app — though the latter offers more functionality beyond tracking, like the ability to browse and buy from Shopify merchants. Later, Google says it will expand the package tracking feature to proactively update the label when a package is delayed and bring that email to the top of users’ inboxes to make sure they’re aware.

Google Play revamp to highlight higher-quality apps, offer new promotional capabilities • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on November 2, 2022Posted in Android, Apps, developers, Google, play storeNo Comments

Google today announced it’s making several changes to the Google Play Store that will impact Android apps’ discoverability, how developers can market their apps to consumers, and various trust and safety concerns. Most importantly, Google is now advising developers that the Play Store will begin to prioritize apps that deliver on both technical and in-app quality by promoting them in more places across the Play Store where they can be discovered by consumers. The changes hint at Google’s intent to take a more editorial eye as to how apps are featured and distributed on the Play Store. That’s an area that’s typically been a heavier focus for Apple in prior years — especially following its own App Store revamp in 2017, which saw it separating games and apps into their own tabs and the introduction of editorial content, including articles and tips, on the store’s main page. The Play Store isn’t going quite that far, however. Instead, Google says it will now begin to steer consumers away from lower-quality apps by changing how it determines which apps will be made more visible on the platform. Specifically, it’s implementing new quality thresholds that will exclude apps that exceed certain crash rates and “app not responsive” (ANR) rates, both on an overall and per-phone model basis. Google says the apps that don’t meet these thresholds will be excluded from some areas of the Play Store, including recommendations, while others may even include a warning on their store listing to set appropriate user expectations. Image Credits: Google Beyond technical quality, Play Store editors will also look at a range of factors, like whether or not the app or game has a polished design, if the content keeps users engaged, if the onboarding process is clear, if the ads are well-integrated, if the app is accessible, and if the navigation, controls and menus are easy to use, among other things. They’ll also check to see if the app meets Android’s quality guidelines and best practices, detailed on the Android Developers website. In addition, the company will roll out to developers new promotional content formats and a new type of Custom Store Listing designed to help place apps in front of more users. In the case of the former, developers will be able to leverage LiveOps — the special merchandising units for promoting apps on the Play Store. Today, these are used to promote discounts and offers, major app updates, in-app events, pre-registration announcements, and more. Apple has a similar feature, launched last year. The sorts of marketing units give app stores a more real-time feel as they can market on reasons to download and launch apps now, instead of just serving as a general promotion. Image Credits: Google Google notes that developers using LiveOps have seen a 3.6% increase in revenue and 5.1% increase in 28-day daily active users versus similar titles that don’t take advantage of the offering. Now, it will rename LiveOps to “Promotional Content” to reflect longer-term plans to expand the feature to support new content types — including those which will see the promotional units appearing more deeply integrated within the Play Store across users’ homepages, in search and discovery areas, in title listings, and directly in apps via deeplinks. Developers will also soon be able to create a new type of listing that will allow them to specifically target churned users (people who tried the app or game, then abandoned it). This “Churned-user Custom Store Listings” format, which will roll out closer to year-end, will be able to display a specific message designed to re-acquire prior users. Two other changes are focused on app safety and protecting developers — and the consumers downloading their apps — from coordinated attacks. Google will update the Play Integrity API, which helps protect against risky and fraudulent traffic, with more features. Developers will be able to customize API responses, set up tests in the Play Console, and use new reporting to analyze their API responses. They’ll also be able to debug API responses from the Play Store app’s developer settings on any device. Plus, Google says it’s launching a new program designed to address coordinated attacks on app ratings and reviews. The company didn’t offer much information on how this program would work, but it would give developers a way to fight back if their app was being unfairly targeted with fake reviews either by users or their competitors, presumably. This is an area of concern that recently made the news, in fact, when a top-ranked new social app, Gas, suddenly became the target of a hoax that claimed it was being used for human trafficking, leading users to delete their accounts. The changes follow earlier updates to the Play Store designed to help consumers better discover non-smartphone apps that run on their smartwatches, TV, or tablets. Earlier this year, Google also warned developers it would hide and block downloads for outdated apps. Google alerted developers they must now, as of Nov. 1, 2022, target API level 30 (Android 11) or above if they want their app to be discoverable on the play Store by new users running newer versions of the Android OS.

Google is integrating Lens directly into its search box • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on November 2, 2022Posted in Apps, Google, google lensNo Comments

Google is adding its Lens image search right into its home page, letting users access the advanced image recognition tool directly from the search box. The search giant first announced Lens at I/O 2017 and has since integrated it into several of its services, including Google Photos, Chrome and more. Now, as first noted by 9to5Google, the company is adding the visual search tool to the Google homepage. The change is significant, according to Rajan Patel, a vice president of engineering at Google who’s in charge of Search and Lens. In a tweet, Patel noted that the Google homepage doesn’t change often, but that the company wanted to expand the way users can ask questions. On the surface level, Google’s homepage is pretty similar to what it was many years ago, so any addition is noteworthy. The google homepage doesn’t change often, but today it did. We’re always working to expand the kinds of questions you can ask and improving how we answer them. Now you can ask visual questions easily from your desktop. pic.twitter.com/p9ldYvXnTK — Rajan Patel (@rajanpatel) November 1, 2022 “The google homepage doesn’t change often, but today it did,” Patel wrote. “We’re always working to expand the kinds of questions you can ask and improving how we answer them. Now you can ask visual questions easily from your desktop.” Once you click on the Lens button, the page will prompt you to upload an image or paste the URL of an image. After doing so, you will see a Lens results page. Although Google Images has allowed users to search similar photos, Lens goes a step beyond that by surfacing information about the photo, shopping results and more. Lens can also identify plant or animal species. You can also drag in images of text, after which Lens will digitize it and translate the text if it’s in a foreign language. The results page will be familiar to people who are used to the Lens app. Google has been working to better integrate its visual search tools from Google Lens into its other products, and by adding it directly into its homepage, it’s introducing the tool to people who may have been unaware of it or just haven’t tried it yet.

Google’s wildfire detection is available in US, Mexico, Canada and parts of Australia • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on November 2, 2022Posted in AI, Apps, Climate, Google, WildfireNo Comments

At an AI-focused press event today in New York, Google announced that it’s bringing its AI-powered wildfire detection system to the U.S. Canada, Mexico and parts of Australia. It’s one of several “AI for good” efforts the company detailed this morning, which also included Google’s efforts to expand flood forecasting to more regions around the world. The previously announced system utilizes machine learning models trained on satellite data to track fires in real-time and predict how it will spread. The feature is initially focused on helping first responders determine how best to control the fire. We’ve trained ML models using satellite imagery to identify and track wildfires in real time and predict how they will evolve to support first responders.( We’re announcing our wildfire detection system now works in the US, CAN, MX and parts of AUS.(3/5) pic.twitter.com/TX1BnvUjeN — Google AI (@GoogleAI) November 2, 2022 This time last year, Google announced that the technology was being added as a layer in Google Maps. The company noted at the time, [W]e’re now bringing all of Google’s wildfire information together and launching it globally with a new layer on Google Maps. With the wildfire layer, you can get up-to-date details about multiple fires at once, allowing you to make quick, informed decisions during times of emergency. Just tap on a fire to see available links to resources from local governments, such as emergency websites, phone numbers for help and information, and evacuation details. When available, you can also see important details about the fire, such as its containment, how many acres have burned, and when all this information was last reported. The feature joins a similar ML-based flood forecasting feature announced back in 2018. That feature is now being expanded to an additional 18 countries.

Google puts an end to Google Hangouts once and for all • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on November 1, 2022Posted in Apps, Google, google chat, Google HangoutsNo Comments

Google Hangouts, a text, video and voice chat app built into Gmail, is finally being shut down today. As announced earlier this year, Google is switching Hangouts users over to Google Chat, the company’s Slack-like instant messaging app for businesses. Starting today, November 1, the Google Hangouts web app is no longer available. This was the last Hangouts offering available to users. The Android and iOS apps died in July of this year. Hangouts had an arguably slow death, with Google allowing users to migrate over to Chat in 2021. The company announced in June 2022 that it would prompt Hangout users to move to Chat in Gmail or the app. While most of the messages and contacts will be automatically transferred over, all of the data won’t migrate to Google Chat. The company notes that users should use Google Takeout to download and save a copy of their data. Users have until January 2023 to keep their Hangouts data. Hangouts started out as a feature on Google+ before becoming a standalone app. The messaging service had 5 billion downloads on the Google Play Store. While Chat can never fully replace Hangouts, it provides additional features for group conversations as well as security and collaboration tools like Spaces and editing Docs, Slides or Sheets side-by-side with other users. Chat users can also send GIFs and use @mentions to notify someone in the group. Google has previously said that Chat is a better way for users to connect with others. Back in June, Google Chat Product Manager, Ravi Kanneganti wrote in a official blog, “As we take this final step to bring remaining Hangouts users to Chat, we hope users will appreciate our continued investment in making Chat a powerful place to create and collaborate.”

Google Search is getting new shopping features to help you get a better deal • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on November 1, 2022Posted in Apps, Commerce, Google, google search, shoppingNo Comments

Google is rolling out new shopping features that are designed to help you get a better deal on products directly from Search. The search giant is making it easier to find promos and coupons by introducing a new promotion badge in Search that will be displayed when a coupon is available for a specific product. For example, you may see a label that says “15% off with coupon code HOLIDAYS.” The company notes that although it already shows when items are on sale or if the price for a specific product has dropped, the goal of this new feature is to show users specific promotions and allow them to compare them to others right in Search. Image Credits: Google Google is also adding a new coupon clipping feature that allows you to copy promo codes when you’re ready to make a purchase. These two new features will roll out in the coming weeks, Google says. The company is also launching a new feature that lets you compare deals side by side. For example, if you search for a women’s puffer jacket, Search will show you a side-by-side comparison of available puffer jackets on sale. The new feature will roll out in the U.S. this month. In addition, Google is bringing its price insights feature, which is currently available in the Shopping tab, to Search to help shoppers understand the prices they see and make better buying decisions. Now, users will be able to quickly see how one brand’s price compares to others’ and whether it’s low, typical or high for specific products. Google’s decision to bring features from its Shopping tab over to Search results is a welcome one, especially for people who don’t want to click over to another tab and would prefer to look for products directly through Search. Image Credits: Google The launch of the new features comes as Google says 43% of Americans are planning to look for deals and sales more than last year this holiday shopping season, which isn’t exactly surprising, due to inflation and a potential recession. At its Search On event a few weeks ago, Google announced a slew of new shopping-related changes and new features across areas that include visual shopping, personalization and buying with the help of trusted reviews. One of the biggest changes coming to Google Shopping is the addition of opt-in personalization, arriving in the U.S. later this year. With this, consumers will be able to tap buttons to direct Google to remember the types of categories they want to shop, such as “Women’s Department” instead of the “Men’s Department.” Users will also be able to choose favorite brands to ensure those are highlighted in their future Google Shopping search results.

Google pauses enforcement of Play Store billing requirement in India following antitrust order • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on November 1, 2022Posted in Android, Apps, Gaming, Google, Google Play, indiaNo Comments

Google is indefinitely pausing the enforcement of its policy requiring developers to use Play Store’s billing system for user transactions in India following an order by the country’s antitrust body. The Android maker on Tuesday updated a support page to disclose the move and said that the requirement to use Google Play’s billing system still applies for in-app purchases outside of India. Last week, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) ordered Google not to restrict app developers from using third-party payment processing services for in-app purchases and purchasing apps through the Play Store. The antitrust watchdog also fined the company $113 million for abusing the dominant position of its Play Store in the country. “Following the CCI’s recent ruling, we are pausing enforcement of the requirement for developers to use Google Play’s billing system for the purchase of digital goods and services for transactions by users in India,” the company said, adding that it is reviewing its legal options in the country, suggesting it may challenge the competition regulator’s decision. Google had previously extended the deadline for following its Play Store billing requirement in the South Asian market until October 31. The regulator announced its decision after interviewing a number of industry players and smartphone makers, including Samsung, Xiaomi and Microsoft. It had also slapped another $162 million fine on Google for anti-competitive practices related to Android.

Google gets into the Halloween spirit with a ghostly multiplayer interactive Doodle • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on October 31, 2022Posted in Gaming, Google, google doodle, Media & EntertainmentNo Comments

If you want to take a break from work or the never-ending news cycle, Google is here to give you an escape. The search giant has launched a new Halloween-themed playable Doodle that opens up to a Snake-like game that you can play with your friends or random players from around the world. The goal of the game is to collect as many wandering spirit flames as you can in two minutes and return them to their homebase. After time’s up, the team that has collected the most spirit flames wins. Here’s the catch: opponents can intercept spirits from one another as they bring them back to homebase. Ghosts that collect the most spirit flames will also unlock special powers, such as speed boosts and night vision. You can host a game and invite up to seven friends to play with you via a custom invitation link or choose to play with randomized players. Google says the team that developed the Doodle build several systems to enable this multiplayer gaming, all running on the Google Cloud Platform. The team utilized Open Match, which is an open source matchmaking framework cofounded by Google Cloud and Unity. Google often uses its Doodles to commemorate historical dates and figures, but sometimes uses the feature to add a bit of fun when it comes to holidays. The new multiplayer Doodle is the sequel to Google’s “Great Ghoul Duel Doodle” from 2018. The 2022 version includes new characters, game maps, special power-ups and more.