#Google

Google switches on cloud region in Saudi Arabia

The search engine giant has officially activated its newest cloud region in Saudi Arabia, opening a host of new digital opportunities for the country’s economy

Google account holders may have their accounts deleted inactive for too long

Millions of Google accounts to be deleted in December; here’s why

Emails, documents, calendar appointments, photos and videos from Google accounts that have been inactive for at least two years will be permanently deleted

Google looks to India for Pixel phone manufacturing to India Google pixel image: Google (X)

Google looks to India for Pixel smartphone manufacturing

Google counts India as a key growth market, where most smartphones run on its Android ecosystem

Android 14 is now available for Pixel phones

Google releases Android 14, available for Pixel phones

The OS is now available on Pixel phones, with phones from manufacturers including Samsung, Nothing, OnePlus, and more supporting it later this year

amazon

US FTC files antitrust lawsuit against Amazon.com: Why is it significant?

The lawsuit against Amazon is part of a larger effort to address antitrust concerns related to major tech companies

Google

Antitrust trial: Why has the US Justice Dept sued Google?

The antitrust trial is a landmark case and centers on allegations that Google has engaged in monopolistic practices

Alexa google assistant

Amazon’s Alexa, Google’s Assistant will share JBL smart speaker

Amazon.com and Alphabet say these are the first products that will let people use two assistants at once

digital tax

Meta, Google face digital tax in New Zealand beginning in 2025

The proposed tax would be payable by multinational businesses that make over $810m a year from global digital services

Google

Google will expand generative AI tool to select websites

Google said the new feature would generate summaries only for content that is free to read

BCCI to auction cricket broadcast rights for bilateral series

Amazon, Google wooed by India’s BCCI for $750m cricket rights: Report

The reportedly lukewarm response by media firms ahead of BCCI’s auction highlights the struggle to make money from bilateral cricket series

Google Bard AI

Top 10 innovative ways to use Google Bard AI

If you’re new to Google Bard and not sure how to get started, check out these ways to try it out

Google

Google bets on local languages to fuel Android’s growth in India

The company has been developing an artificial intelligence model that would be able to handle more than 100 Indian languages across speech and text

Google

Google teams up with UAE organisations for AI research and sustainability initiatives

The announcement was made during an event at the MBZUAI campus, where Google introduced three significant initiatives

Google

Google to revamp search with generative AI tools

The company is also trying to be thoughtful about how to set expectations with users about the capabilities of generative AI

Pixel Fold

Google enters foldable market with Pixel Fold

The move into the pricier foldables category marks a strategy shift for Google, which has so far focused on undercutting the cost of competitor’s devices

passkey

Goodbye passwords: Google introduces passkey authentication

Passkeys let users sign in to apps and sites with a fingerprint, a face scan or a screen lock PIN

Elon Musk

Elon Musk wants to build own ChatGPT AI

The Tesla chief and owner of Twitter confirmed he intends to get involved in the AI race sparked by OpenAI’s intelligent chatbot

Agility opens data centre sites

Kuwait’s Agility launches data centre sites across Middle East and Africa

The company plans to build additional sites in other rapidly growing data centre markets including Nairobi, Casablanca and Lagos

Google Android

Google announces 9 new features on Android and Wear OS

The announcement was made at Mobile World Congress which kicked off in Barcelona, Spain yesterday

Alphabet

Alphabet falls most in three months on Bard accuracy concerns

The company’s shares declined 9 per cent to $98.40 at 11:26 a.m. New York time

Bard

Google releases ChatGPT competitor AI ‘Bard’ to early testers

The service aims to generate detailed answers when given simple prompts, such as what to make for lunch or how to plan a friend’s baby shower

Apple

Apple to expand smart-home lineup

The brand is working on a slate of devices, including new displays and a faster TV set-top box, after relaunching its larger HomePod speaker

Fitbit

Women in tech: Joanne Savage, director marketing – EMEA, at Fitbit – Google

An advice to aspiring women leaders would be to embrace your true self and be open about your ambitions

Kyndryl

IBM spinoff Kyndryl is betting on Amazon, Microsoft, and Google for growth

The spinoff left Kyndryl with 90,000 employees and a large chunk of the legacy infrastructure services business that had been a drag on growth for IBM before the split

Amazon Meta

Even tech giants like Amazon and Meta can’t escape the slowdown

With many of the biggest tech giants poised to report earnings in the next two weeks, investors are bracing for mostly bad news

AI

What if artificial intelligence ever becomes sentient?

Bloomberg Opinion columnist, Tyler Cowen explores the implications….

Sandbox AQ

Google spinoff Sandbox AQ gets backing from CIA’s venture arm

The CIA’s In-Q-Tel was joined by Paladin Capital Group, which backs innovative tech companies, in Sandbox AQ’s first round of fundraising

Eight simple marketing strategies for small businesses

From listings and reviews to webchat and improving click-through rates, here are simple tips to help boost your business’ visibility

Unsplash images

Google to acquire cybersecurity firm Mandiant for $5.4bn

Google will purchase Mandiant for $23 a share in an all-cash deal, according to a statement

Getty Images

How technology will inevitably play an important role in Saudi Arabia

The kingdom recently announced over $6.4bn of investments in future technologies and entrepreneurship at LEAP, the largest tech event in Saudi Arabia