Google acquires innovative VR gaming company Owlchemy Labs Google acquired popular virtual reality gaming companyOwlchemy Labsfor an undisclosed sum. CEO Alex Schwartz co-founded the Austin-based game studio in 2010. The company's popular titles include "Job Simulator" and "Snuggle Truck." The company, noted for games that mimic using real hands, reassured fans that it will continue to focus on that.(Silicon Valley Business Journal)
I noticed this trend a couple of years ago. Seems like the adsense algo is too intrusive and just spams the 1st page. The chinese have gotten clever to it and I tend to get a bunch of nonsense web hits when searching google images. It still does the job, but was recommended duckduckgo.com a while back as an alternative.
Google's 4K digital whiteboard goes on sale It onlytook half a year, but Google's first take on a digital whiteboard is finally available. Google has started selling the Jamboard in the U.S. for $4,999 plus $600 per year for management and support ($300 if you buy one by the end of September). As before, it's ultimately a 55-inch 4K display with collaborative cloud features at its heart.(Engadget)
Rivals Sky, Virgin join forces to take on Facebook, Google Rupert Murdoch's Sky TV and Richard Branson's Virgin Media are setting aside their long-standing rivalry to join together andoffer more powerful targetingto U.K. TV advertisers. With 30 million viewers between them, the pay TV partners are claiming that the alliance puts them on a par with Google and Facebook in terms of U.K. reach but in a safer brand environment.(Ad Age)
Google to stop reading Gmail posts SAN FRANCISCO —Googleis going to stop reading Gmail messages in search of opportunities to sell ads. The change announced Friday will end a practice thatGooglehas embraced since the company introduced Gmail in 2004. The practice has raised concerns among privacy watchdogs and creeped out some users. To help finance the free service,Googlehas been scanning through what Gmail users were discussing and then showing ads connected to some of the topics. Someone writing about running, for instance, might see ads for Nike shoes. Googlestill plans to show ads within Gmail. But instead of scanning through email content, its software will rely on other signals to determine which ads are most likely to appeal to each of its 1.2 billion Gmail users. The company said it would stop the ad-driven scanning of Gmail later this year. Gmail now ranks as the world's largest email service, an indication that most people didn't care about Google's scanning methods. http://www.postandcourier.com/busin...cle_2001c52a-5853-11e7-a38a-0bca01d6df0d.html
Alphabet spins off geothermal energy unit as ‘Dandelion’ One of Alphabet Inc.’s X-Lab moonshot efforts that is seeking to deliver cutting edge geothermal energy technology is following in the path of Waymo before it and spinning off as its own company. Called Dandelion Inc., the company says it can affordably drill and install geothermal systems to heat and cool individual homes, a radical departure from existing geothermal energy technology.(SiliconANGLE)
I recall the thread in which posters were claiming Amazon was a short, because it was way too high based on earnings! That was just before Amazon headed for new highs! Never short a stock just because you think it is too high!!! Remember, Google is way more than the world's most capable search provider. (Remember when it was revealed that Bing was using Google ) _________________________________ I own both Google and Amazon and in my opinion these two equities should be a part of the backbone of any long range retirement portfolio, unless there arises a fundamental reason why these stocks should no longer be owned. When you stop using Google mail and search and Google owned companies' products, or stop buying things from Amazon or Amazon owned companies, it it will be time to reconsider.