Google Glass made its debut in 2013. Back then, Google Glass made headlines everywhere and the idea that everyone in the world will eventually own one or some type of augmented reality (A.R.) headgear was not in any way ridiculous. That conversation died soon after though. The reality (no pun intended) was that an A.R. glasses from Google at the time will set you back US$ 1,500, or if you convert that to local currency at the time, about MYR 5,000 there or thereabouts. That kind of money for a pair of clunky glasses you need to keep charging every few hours is the kind of luxury most in the world cannot afford or does not need. Added to the fact that Google Assistant and A.R. functionalities at the time was in its infancy, crude at best; why would you pay that much money for a pair of glasses?
The original Google Glass stayed on sale for about two years though, until 2015. No sales numbers were quoted within that time frame. In that time, Google also produced a new type of Google Glass. This time, they realized that the A.R. smart glasses market was not something they wanted to sell to end-users. Instead, they saw more potential use cases in the enterprise market. Hence, Google developed, supported, and sold Google Glass Enterprise edition from 2015 onward. Then in 2023, well today, they stopped selling the kit entirely and announce that they will stop supporting them in September 2023.
Through its life, the A.R. project by Google was adopted mostly in the construction and medical field. They updated the Google Glass Enterprise Edition once in 2019. From then on, Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2 replaced the first iteration.
Google has not announced any replacement for Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2. It does not look like Google will be announcing any replacement for the A.R. goggles anytime soon though. That does not mean that Google has given up on the idea of A.R. completely.
In 2020 Google made an acquisition that still confirms Google’s commitment to their A.R. project. They acquired North, a smart glasses maker. Since then the Mountain View giant has been reported to be working on some kind of smart A.R. wearable that resembles ski goggles. The project was code named Project Iris. There has been little update on the project’s progress since then though.
It is also unlikely for Google to scrap the project since their competitors are also working on the same thing. Apple and Meta (formerly known as Facebook) have been working on their own versions of A.R. and Virtual Reality (V.R.) headsets for some time now. Reportedly, they are looking to bring their own versions of the headsets some time in the future. Microsoft is also known to have a mixed reality department of their own and has produced working prototypes for mixed reality, but those hardware has not been sold to end-consumers for good reason.
A.R. is still pretty much something you can look forward to as a normal in the future. For now though, with Google shelving their most promising mixed reality project temporarily, that future looks a little further than we might like to think. You can find out more about Google’s Glass project from their website.
Each year, there are a few events we all look forward to. For Samsung, we are always excited for their two Unpacked events. For Apple, they have their WWDC and annual iPhone launch events. For Google, we are always excited for their I/O event. This year, as expected, it is happening.
The last Google I/O 2022 saw Google announce their latest Tensor 2 integrated mobile processing chip. It also saw their latest Google Pixel smartphone revealed to the world. To the disappointment of many, The Google Pixel did not come with a foldable or flip form that was highly anticipated and rumoured.
For 2023, the date to be saved is 10th of May 2023. Google’s current CEO has tweeted the event date and even posted a link that directs users to the mini page complete with a countdown clock. The website also says that the conference is open to all who wish to attend or watch online. There will be a “limited live audience” present though, according to Google.
As usual, we expect to see the next iteration of Android, Android 14 now to be announced at the event. Android 14 is now available too for developers, so if you want to be the first to know what is going to come, you can sign up as one and preview the build yourself. Alongside Android 14, we expect to see Google announcing new hardware, a new Pixel device perhaps, a new Wear OS device, and maybe a TV box. If we are lucky, maybe they will launch a new Chromebook at the event. There are a few rumours going around that we can expect to see Google’s foldable Pixel devices announced in this year’s Google I/O event. There are also rumours about a tablet device from Google that is to be announced in the upcoming event.
All these are just speculations for the time being though. The event is not happening in another two months, which means there is still plenty of unknown. What we know though is that there will also be various developer sessions and discussions after the keynote event headed by Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google.
Google is bringing a few new features to Android and Chromebooks. Most of the new features will be making their way to Android devices starting today. These new features mainly bring more “Material You” to Android and its personalization features. However, there are a few updates in the list that improve productivity and accessibility.
Google Keep Gets A Widget & Wear OS Complication
For those looking to be more productive on their Android devices, Google Keep has got your back. The note-keeping and to-do list app is being improved with a widget that allows you to pin single notes to your home screen. The new widget is fully actionable; allowing you to check things off your checklist or even update notes. It will display reminders, background colours and images in the Keep notes and also syncs seamlessly with Google Keep and your smartwatch.
Speaking of smartwatches, if you have a Wear OS by Google smartwatch – this includes the new Samsung Galaxy Watch5 series – you’ll be able to use Google Keep on the go. Google is also introducing two new shortcuts for Wear OS that allows you to create notes and to-do lists from your Wear OS watch face.
In addition to this, Google is enabling direct editing and annotating of PDFs with a stylus or by touch in the Google Drive app. You’ll be able to use different strokes, the highlighter or even hide, undo, delete or save a new copy of the annotated document too.
Less Noise on Google Meet, More Seamless Integration with Chromebooks
Google Meet is getting noise cancellation during calls on more Android devices. This means you’ll be able to drown out the noise when you have to take a meeting on the go.
Being on the go means you’ll need your earbuds or headphones to take the call, thankfully, if you’re using a Chromebook, Google is bringing Fast Pair to Chromebooks. This will simplify connecting your Bluetooth audio devices to the Chromebook essentially making it a single click. What’s more, if you’ve paired the device on your Android smartphone before, it will seamlessly connect to your Chromebook as well.
Express Yourself
Android is getting more ways to express yourself as well. New emoji combinations will be able on Emoji Kitchen. You’ll be able to combine two or more emojis to better express yourself in chats with Gboard. In addition to this, you’ll also be able to customise Google Wallet’s pay animations. Google will be bringing things like playful penguins to Google Wallet.
Finally, Google Chrome will allow you to increase the size of the content you’re viewing in the browser with a simple slider. The slider will allow you to change things like the text, images, videos and interactive controls by up to 300% while preserving the page layout. You’ll even be able to save your preferences so you don’t have to keep resetting them every time. The feature is currently in Chrome Beta before it officially rolls out in March.
A known security vulnerability in Mali GPU could affect millions of Android devices as it remains unpatched as reported by Google.
A known Mali GPU security vulnerability remains unpatched and puts your Android device at risk. Image source: Forbes
As reported first by 9to5Google, Google Project Zero has highlighted a security vulnerability known as CVE-2022-33917 affecting only Mali GPUs. The platform is found on non-Snapdragon Android devices most notably Samsung Exynos chipsets, and Google’s Tensor chipsets. Mediatek Dimensity devices from OPPO, Xiaomi. According to developer ARM, this vulnerability allows attackers to gain access to freed memory. Google added that “…by forcing the kernel to reuse these pages as page tables, an attacker with native code execution in an app context could gain full access to the system…”.
ARM has already been informed of the vulnerability by Project Zero as early as July this year. On their official site, ARM has stated that they have already fixed the vulnerability on their end. However, security measures are yet to been taken by smartphone developers like Samsung, Google and the rest. A statement on 27th November by both Android and Pixel teams stated a fix is currently under testing. It was stated that the fix will be available to all “in the coming weeks”. Two weeks on since then, no further updates have been provided.
One of the best features that your streaming apps have added into their interface is the ‘Add to Queue’ function. It is also one of the most underrated and one of those functions you tend to take for granted because the function seems too sensible and natural not to have. You can create your own instantaneous playlist without going through the hassle of curating and naming an entire playlist just for that one moment; why would you not have the button? Your YouTube app on your Android and Apple devices does not have it though.
Do not get us wrong, YouTube has an ‘Add to Queue’ function when you go on YouTube on your PC. If you are accessing YouTube via your smartphones or tablet, you do not get that functionality for reasons we cannot understand. You cannot even access that function if you access YouTube via your smartphone’s web browser unless you switch it to desktop browsing mode. For some time now, we have been quite frustrated with the limitation because, if you think about it, most of your YouTube consumption will be on your smartphone or tablet devices via the app itself. It is probably one of the most quietly demanded functions on the YouTube app too, we think.
As the year is coming to a close, there is some good news from Google. YouTube is now testing the ‘Add to Queue’ function on both Apple and Android devices. At this time, the test looks like it will go on only for a limited time. We can only hope that after the limited time the function will go on as a default feature on the YouTube app on both Android and Apple devices.
Currently the tested feature is only available to YouTube Premium users on both platforms. If you are a YouTube Premium user and have not seen the function, you might want to try to get into your Profile settings and turn on ‘Try New Features’ to not only test that one function, but other functions they might bring to the YouTube app in the future. To see if you have the function available to you, you simply have to click on the three dots that appear on the top right of your video and click ‘Add to Queue’. You will have full control over your video playlist with a display menu at the bottom of the screen after enabling the ‘Add to Queue’ function and creating a temporary playlist.
According to sources, the test will only last until the 28th of January 2023. Keep in mind that the function does not extend to adding YouTube Shorts into the playlist. There is no clear indication on whether or not the function will officially be available for YouTube app users in the wider scheme of things, but we are betting that it would be not too long after testing period.
With the FIFA World Cup finally kicking off, Google offers new features in the Search Android app to stay up to date on every kick of the game!
Stay ahead with notifications, statistics and live scores with the Google Search app
Get notifications from your favorite teams and in-depth stats with Google Search
To get started, search “FIFA World Cup” on the Google Search app to find a list of tournament matches for the day. Tap on the bell icon to bring up a list of the 32 participating teams and select your favorite team to receive notifications. If you’re an avid fan, tap on a match to see in depth statistics and even win probabilities of the competing teams. You can even pin the live scores of ongoing matches to your home screen so you do not miss any goals. Simply tap on the match you want to track and drag it anywhere on your home screen.
Pin live scores to your home screen
Relive all the action with recap videos and YouTube
If you’ve missed any of the action live, you can catch up using Search for daily recap videos from FIFA+ and official broadcasters on YouTube. You can even react to your favorite moments from the tournament using the Remix feature in Shorts. Don’t forget to follow #ShortsFIFAWorldCup and use the hashtag to share your content with World Cup fans.
Watch highlights and replays of all the matches on YouTube and FIFA+.
Interact with fans around the world with player ratings
Any players in the tournament caught your eye? You can use Search to learn about their stories and accomplishments. You can also rate players on how you think they will perform and see how other World Cup fans rate them too.
If you want a little more action, join other fans around the world in the Mini Cup game! Once a real-live match is live, pick your team and work together with other fans to score the most virtual goals.
Score virtual goals with other fans for your favorite team
While scoring virtual goals may be fun, nothing beats the atmosphere of a live venue. Search has new labels for businesses to help fans find venues that broadcast the World Cup. Simply search for “Where to watch the world cup near me” to find a spot to meet up with other fans to enjoy the games.
Don’t miss another match with Wear OS Countdown
Never miss another World Cup match if you have a Wear OS watch. You can set match viewing plans on your calendar in the Agenda app. You can also ask Google to set reminders for upcoming matches. Wear OS watches can also channel useful information before matches such as team-lineups and player profiles. If your team scores, you can find a fun little animation to celebrate the goal with you!
Never miss another FIFA World Cup match with Wear OS watches
With the release of Google’s My Ad Center, we had a few questions that we needed to be answered. So, we sat down with a Google Spokesperson who graciously answered them and gave us further insight into the new customizations and how they would impact Google’s products.
Q: We all know by now that Google abides by a certain code when it comes to handling user data. For the benefit of those of us that may not be aware, what are these rules and how does Google implement it in-house?
Google Spokesperson:
We build privacy that works for everyone. Protecting our users’ privacy and security is a responsibility that comes with creating products and services that are free of cost and accessible for all. This is especially important as technology progresses and safety needs evolve. We look to a set of core principles to guide our products, our processes and our people in keeping our users’ data private, safe and secure.
Respect our users, respect their privacy. We believe that these ideas are inseparable. Together, they represent a single, core belief that has influenced everything that we’ve made since day one, and everything that we’ll make moving forward. When people use our products, they trust us with their information, and it’s our job to do right by them. This means always being thoughtful about what data we use, how we use it and how we protect it.
Never sell our users’ personal information to anyone. We use data to make Google products such as Search and Maps as useful as possible. We also use data to serve more relevant ads. While these ads help fund our services and make them free of charge for everyone, it’s important to clarify that our users’ personal information is simply not for sale.
Make it easy for people to control their privacy. When it comes to privacy, we know that one size doesn’t fit all. Every Google Account is built with on/off data controls, so our users can choose the privacy settings that are right for them. And as technology evolves, our privacy controls evolve as well, ensuring that privacy is always an individual choice that belongs to the user.
Q: With the launch of the My Ad Center, Google is giving a degree of granular control to users when it comes to seeing ads. How will these controls impact user privacy?
Google Spokesperson:
My Ad Center builds on our commitments to privacy by giving you the ability to control what information is used to personalize the ads you see. And if you’re not sure what you’re sharing, it’s easy to quickly see what information we use, and control it based on your preferences.
You can decide what types of your activity are used to make Google products work for you — independent of the ads you’re shown. In the past, if your YouTube History was on, it automatically informed how your ads were personalized. Now, if you don’t want your YouTube History to be used for ads personalization, you can turn it off in My Ad Center, without impacting relevant recommendations in your feed.
You may also see ads meant for certain audiences based on your Google activity – categories such as education, relationship status or the industry you work in. Now you’ll be able to choose and adjust how categories inform your ads, or turn them off completely. This way, you can more easily choose the ad experience that’s right for you.
In addition, users have the ability to see fewer ads in five sensitive categories, including alcohol, dating, gambling, pregnancy and parenting, and weight loss. Before, this feature affected ads shown on YouTube and Display. Now, it expands to ads shown on Search and Discover.
Q: How does Google My Ad Center impact user experience with Google’s other products like Android, Chrome and Workspaces? Considering on Android, ads pushed via Chrome and Workspace e.g. Gmail are also based on user preferences.
Google Spokesperson:
My Ad Center gives you control over the kinds of ads you see across Google’s surfaces including YouTube, Search and Discover – in fact, when you’re signed into Google, you can access My Ad Center directly from ads appearing on these three platforms, allowing you to manage your ad preferences without interrupting what you’re doing online.
(Background: My Ad Center will not affect the user experience of Android, Chrome and Workspace. My Ad Center provides control over the ads that user sees on Google’s properties such as Search display ads and YouTube, but does not alter the user experience of those properties itself)
Q: My Ad Center brings in a new dimension of personalisation when it comes to ads. How will this data be used by Google when it comes to serving ads to individuals who utilize the dashboard? Will it impact the ads being served to those that don’t use My Ad Center?
Google Spokesperson:
My Ad Center starts with an entirely new, friendly and clear experience that offers more granular and flexible controls as well as visibility into which ads and categories are used to serve ads. For the first time, users will be able to tell us what they want in addition to what they don’t want when it comes to ads – in the ads themselves. My Ads Center is the complementary Google content experience, where users tune the ads they see by choosing both what types of ads they want to see and what information is used to power them. We’ve also kept the option to turn off ads personalisation and feature it prominently across the product experience.
Q: In My Ad Center, users are able to select ads they wish to see from brands and companies they like. They are also given the ability to remove ads from those they don’t. These personalisations could possibly create a potent echo chamber that can falsely affirm dangerous ideologies. What has Google done to ensure that these personalisations don’t hinder open discourse or cause the spread of misinformation?
Google Spokesperson:
Google have long since prioritised transparency, choice and control when it comes to the ad experience for users. My Ad Center offers more granular and flexible controls as well as visibility into which ads and categories are used to serve ads.
In this regard, users will be able to choose which topics they want to see more or fewer ads about. Users can only choose to block ads for select sensitive categories such as alcohol, gambling, weight loss, dating and parenting.
All Google ads must abide by our advertising policies.
Q: In countries like the United States and Canada, it’s common to be inundated with political ads. In other parts of the world, we may see ads from organisations like the UN. How is Google addressing the potential bias that personalisations on My Ad Center can influence the outcomes of grassroots initiatives and potentially a nation’s political landscape?
Google Spokesperson:
See response above
Q: Google My Ad Center also brings up concerns with advertisers when it comes to advertising on Google’s platforms – particularly with distribution, CPM and CTRs. What measures is Google taking to make sure that these personalisations don’t negatively impact advertisers?
Google Spokesperson:
The My Ad Center features are to provide users with more transparency, choice and controls. There is no plan to change how advertisers can target their campaigns in our ad products. However, where we see the advantage for advertisers is their ads being seen and engaged with by users who are genuinely interested in their products and their brand topics.
Q: What should advertisers be aware of in the first few months after the rollout of My Ad Center? How can they factor this major change into their advertising plans?
Google Spokesperson:
The choices users make will be automatically incorporated into the signals we use to personalise ads. There is no action needed from advertisers that want to serve ads to users who are interested in their brand or topic.
Our online experience has largely been determined by our preferences and interests. However, since the introduction of online advertising, we’ve been inundated with advertising on every page. Since then, we’ve been exposed to more ads in a more personal way. Many a time we’ve been faced with ads which have taken cues from our browsing, conversations and even social media – whether we like it or not.
That’s about to change as Google’s recently announced My Ad Center. The new dashboard empowers users – like you and me – to take charge of our online experiences by customizing what and how we see in online ads. It even gives us the option to turn off ad personalization altogether. However, when it came to the announcement, a few questions emerged when it came to how this would work. So, we’re doing a deep dive with Google to explore how My Ad Center affects the big picture.
Putting User Privacy in the Forefront
When it comes down to it, Google’s simple-to-use interface is driven by a philosophy that puts privacy first with accessibility in mind. In the words of the Google Spokesperson, “ We built privacy that works for everyone”. While we were sceptical as Google is a big data and search company, what we learnt from their explanations let us realize the complexity that comes with the business of data.
That said, Google works by a set of core principles when it comes to handling user data in its processes, product development and services. First and foremost is respect for the user and privacy. Two ideas that the spokesperson calls “inseparable”. It’s lauded as a core principle that has guided the company since day one. In fact, Google takes ownership of the need to respect and protect the data they collect from users.
The second principle would surprise anyone – Never sell our users’ personal information to anyone. It’s a long-held conception that Google, like other data companies, uses user data and personal information to generate revenue. However, the company affirms that it uses the data only to inform the personalization and develop products internally. They also use the data to push personalized ads to users which is where they make the bulk of their revenue.
The third principle is the inherent need to make controls and personalization simple and accessible. They are wholly aware of the nuances that come with designing products and features including controls for that privacy. This nuance informs the development of products and options that are becoming increasingly accessible and simple to understand. In fact, My Ad Center embodies this with its approach.
An Easy-to-Use Experience to Take Charge of Your Ads Experience
My Ad Center is the epitome of the simplicity and accessibility that comes with the third principle. Google’s approach when it comes to taking charge of ads and personalization on My Ad Center is very “what you see is what you get”. The interface is simple and, most importantly, easy to navigate and understand. It’s one of the simplest interfaces with all available options front and centre. You don’t have to dig into menus to get to your settings. In fact, Google has put the option to turn off personalization as the first option you see on the top right. Within the interface, Google has used simple, easy-to-understand prompts and choices to allow everyone the ease of customizing their experience
However, design is only the first step. Google isn’t just allowing users to control how they experience ads. We’re also empowered to choose whether data collected from platforms like YouTube, maps and web activity influence our experience on ads. With a simple click of a button, we can enable or disable these data sources. This would mean that young parents who have Coco melon and other kid-centric content on their YouTube accounts can emancipate their ads experience from their YouTube recommendations.
In addition, users are also given options to prioritize, deprioritize and remove brands and topics according to their preferences. Google has also outlined some sensitive topics including dating, gambling and weight loss that users can remove altogether. These customizations not only allow users to complement and control their experiences across Google’s platforms. It also allows us to avoid triggers online and also stay true to our stances when it comes to supporting brand advertising on Google.
While it may seem like we will eventually create an echo chamber of our own ideas and ideologies. The approach to giving granular controls remains true to Google’s priorities in providing a transparent and user-centric ad experience for users. However, even with the control, these controls and the ads served on the platforms are governed by Google’s advertising policies.
Of course, when it comes to advertising – the biggest question that comes to mind is how it will affect YouTube creator revenue and advertising investments. The long and short of it is that nothing is going to change. The freedom to customize and personalize the ads experience will not have a foreseeable impact on advertising or creator revenue. Google hasn’t officially stated anything in this regard, but their spokesperson has reassured us that revenue-wise, creators can rest at ease. However, it is worth noting that it is still early with My Ad Center only being around for a month.
On the flip side, for advertisers, with the increased personalization, advertisers can expect to see more users engaging with their ads. While this may seem counterintuitive, the increased personalization and control will also mean that targeting for ads will be more effective. With more and more users opting to see and engage with ads from certain brands even with the drop off from those who opt to blacklist brands and topics.
More Control, More You
All in all, the personalization and customizations that My Ad Center provides allow users to control their ads experience in a more granular way. They will allow more effective control of privacy but they also have the potential to become a double-edged sword. Users who chose to turn off personalizations completely will experience more general, non-specific ads while those who fine-tune their options will have better, more relevant ones.
That said, this granular control will not affect all of Google’s products. Experiences on Chrome, Android, Android TV and Google TV will remain the same. We will continue to see ads in spaces like Gmail and YouTube but they will be ads that you want from brands and topics that you have chosen to see. Essentially, you are creating an experience that is uniquely yours which is hoped to be a safer space overall.
Malaysian youth movement Undi18, in collaboration with Google, has launched the Undi Negaraku website just in time for GE15. The website aims to be a one-stop resource center to help prepare first time voters and to combat misinformation.
Undi Negaraku has resources for first-time voters and seasoned voters alike.
Undi Negaraku aims to prepare both first-time and seasoned voters alike come General Election 15 (GE15) on November 19th. The website is poignant since GE15 is the first election where the youth will make up more than 50% of the electorate.
As GE15 is expected to have 5.8 million first-time voters, the website will have a guide for first-time voters. It includes a summary on key information such as how to cast your vote and polling day practices. There are also detailed information on the election process as a whole and the various parties and coalitions involved.
Undi Negaraku educates voters to discern misinformation
Undi Negaraku also provides resources on tackling misinformation, a big detriment to the election process. There are resources to help voters identify misinformation and what to do when encountering them. To help with this, the website also provides material on fact checking methods and links to useful tools such as Google Fact Check Explorer.
Going forward, the website will continue to serve as a repository for voter education material. It also provides links to initiatives for those who want a more active role in the democratic process of voting. The first, Undi Negaraku, is a non-partisan youth movement comprising of local youth movements, aiming to produce future leaders and changemakers. The second is PACA, which actively recruits volunteers to be polling or counting agents during elections.
eWallets and digital payments have become a norm nowadays. We’re paying for things using apps and smartphones with increasing frequency; even things like boarding passes and tickets are increasingly digital. Wouldn’t it be nice if all these items were stored in a single app or platform? That’s exactly what Google is offering with their Google Wallet app.
Google Wallet was announced at Google I/O 2022 back in May. While you may be wondering – didn’t Google Wallet already exist? The simple answer is yes. However,, Google has reworked the platform from the ground up to support more than digital wallets. The app now houses not only your credit and debit cards, it can support loyalty cards and even your boarding passes for travel.
The best part? Google Wallet is now available in Malaysia. Users in Malaysia will be able to add their credit cards from CIMB, Hong Leong Bank, Hong Leong Islamic Bank, and Public Bank o Google Wallet. HSBC and HSBC Amanah will be joining the fray soon with their credit card offerings. The same can be done with a majority of debit cards as well. These cards can then be used to pay for online purchases on platforms like Shopee with a single click. In addition, users will be able to add their boarding passes for AirAsia flights at launch with Malaysia Airlines to follow suit.
Adding items like credit cards and debit cards to Google Wallet is simple. If you already have eligible cards attached to your Google account, these cards will be automatically imported to Google Wallet. Users will just need to enable contactless payment for these card on the app. Otherwise, all you have to do is click the “add card” option and follow the steps on screen after which the card will be added and tokenized for use. Cards attached to Google Wallet will be verified by the issuing bank before it can be used on the app.
Adding your flight boarding passes is equally as easy. With the airasia SuperApp, it’s as simple as clicking the “add to Google Wallet” option when you book tickets on the app. When you do, you’ll be able to see your ticket in Google Wallet.
Transactions done on Google Wallet are secured using industry standard tokenization. This means that every transaction done with a card on Google Wallet will be completed by a unique, device specific alternate card number which is associated with a dynamic security code that changes with each transaction.
This works on top of Android’s native security features such as its lock screen passcode and biometric verification. Using these features, you will be able to prevent unauthorised access. If you lose or misplace your android phone, you will be able to remotely lock or wipe it from Find My Device.
Users in Malaysia can download Google Wallet from the Google Play Store today.
