Élyse Betters

An interesting post appeared on Reddit today about an upcoming movie on two 40-something interns trying to become successful at an Internet company, but, more intriguingly, the film’s plot supposedly has Google ties.

The Reddit poster claimed his college transformed into a “Vince Vaughn/Owen Wilson movie called ‘The Internship’ where they play Google interns.” A quick glimpse at the comments revealed the picture is shooting at Georgia Tech in Atlanta, Ga.

According to the college’s website, set preparations for the movie will begin this week, “with production scheduled to wrap up on Aug. 24.” Adam Carlson of Creative Loafing, an Atlanta-based entertainment blog, reported earlier this month that he also spotted the film crew in town with Google:

• As it turns out, I showed up as the crew was beginning prep on an outdoor sequence across the street from the Studios, which would include both a fire hydrant specially painted red and a Google bus.
• The scenes indoors probably had a Google connection, too, […] a Coke machine had been installed on a top floor with a Google banner across it, covering the logo.
• Maybe Owen and Vince — who play out-of-work salesmen reinventing themselves with a tech firm internship — were meant to be at Google? No one would confirm, but the very humid, very Atlanta weather didn’t feel much like California.

A gallery is below.

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SageTV’s founder just revealed in a Google+ comment that Fiber TV is powered by his former company’s technology.

SageTV essentially provided a television interface for DVR, music, and photographs, with the ability for users to create and control the media center from multiple devices. In June 2011, SageTV CTO and founder Jeffrey Kardatzke announced that Google acquired his company, and SageTV products have no longer been available for purchase since.

Google launched its Gigabit Google Fiber Internet and TV service in Kansas City this afternoon. The Mountain View, Calif.-based Company spent a lot of time demoing its “100 times faster” Internet service, but the majority of the demo was for Fiber TV. The service will give access to YouTube, DVR, on-demand libraries, and Netflix.

While Fiber TV is only available to “Fiberhoods” in Kansas City at the moment, Kardatzke told Google+ folks to “stay tuned” (below).

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The blogosphere recently swelled with speculation as to why Samsung removed Google’s universal search function from its premiere Galaxy SIII smartphone, but a new report today revealed the ousting was simply “inadvertent.”

AndroidCentral first revealed the problem: 

• There’s a new over-the-air update rolling out for the international Samsung Galaxy S III (aka Galaxy S3 GT-i9300) this evening. The OTA message identifies it as a “stability update,” but what it also does is remove local (on-device) search functionality in the phone’s built-in Google Search app. The new version — XXBLG6 — is a relatively recent build, having been cooked just a few days ago on Jul. 20. A new baseband version, XXLG6, is also included, but we haven’t noticed any other changes thus far.
• Following legal action by Apple, which temporarily resulted in the Galaxy Nexus being banned in the U.S., Samsung has taken to pre-emptively disabling the ability to search within on-device data (like contacts and applications) on some U.S. Galaxy S3’s. However, the decision to kill local search on the unlocked international model — which isn’t sold in the U.S. — is a little perplexing, not least because Apple has yet to challenge Sammy over local search in the EU or UK, where the GT-i9300 is sold.

Samsung just confirmed to TechRadar, however, that the removal of search functionality on the U.K. version of the Galaxy S III had nothing to do with a legal action by Apple. The mysterious occurrence, which stopped the ability to search for files, contacts, and apps through the built-in Google Search widget, was apparently unintentional.

According to Samsung:

“The most recent software upgrade for the Galaxy S III in the UK included the inadvertent removal of the universal search function. Samsung will provide the correct software upgrade within the next few days.”

A new update will roll out over the next few days to fix the problem.

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[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uZVqPuq81c]

Google plans to make a “special announcement about Google Fiber and the next chapter of the Internet” at 12 p.m. EST.

The company revealed earlier this week that it would launch the “100 times faster than broadband” Internet service today in Kansas City.

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The world must be ending—because Google, Facebook, Amazon, and eBay just united for a cause.

The Web’s leading giants apparently formed an “Internet Association” to lobby on Capitol Hill. The Washington Post first detailed the alliance, which former Congressional guru Michael Beckerman leads, while it further noted a full list of parties is not yet known. An anonymous source told the publication, however, that the above four companies are the most notable members.

Beckerman most recently served as deputy staff director to the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee, and he boasts more than 12 years in Washington under his belt.

“The Internet must have a voice in Washington,” explained Beckerman in a press release (PDF). The Internet Association, which officially launches in September, aims to act as the Web’s executive voice.

Google is already copiously betted in various lobbying issues. NewGeekGuide even reported earlier this week that the folks in Mountain View spent over $5 million lobbying in Q2 2012.

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEMqxcfIqp4&feature=player_embedded]

Google just unveiled its “YouTube Creator Space” in London.

The high-tech studio will essentially allow YouTubers to create premium content for Google’s video-sharing platform. They will have access to technical equipment, and other YouTube content producers, which will undoubtedly encourage quality videos based on fresh, collaborative ideas.

“We’re delighted to announce that in the next few weeks we’ll be opening the doors to our new creator space, housed in the offices of Google London’s Soho office,” announced the company on its YouTube Creator Hub channel.

According to the above video’s description:

Our partners from all over Europe, Middle East and Africa will be able to book time in the space to create and collaborate with other creators, learn new techniques, as well as gaining access to state-of-the-art audio visual equipment, to help them generate great new content for their channels. The creator space is complete with the latest equipment such as DSLRs and cinema cameras, two studios including a green screen and fully staffed editing suites.

The YouTube Next Lab, which is a team “focused on accelerating the growth and development of channels and creators on YouTube,” will oversee the London studio.

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Google and the European Commission consented to the “outlines of a settlement” today, according to The Financial Times (via SearchEngineLand), which, if inked, would spare the search engine from official antitrust charges.

Europe’s premier competition watchdog has long accused the Mountain View, Calif.-based Company of abusing its dominance to suppress opponents in the market. Google previously said it would make company-wide changes to avoid a legal battle and expensive fines, and it seems the most recent outcome of those discussions is a new settlement draft of which the details are currently unknown. The rough deal reportedly also extends to a contentious matter that surfaced late in the talks—mobile search.

Joaquin Almunia, the European Union’s vice president of the European commission responsible for competition, sent a letter to Google Executive Chairperson Eric Schmidt in May. The letter detailed the antitrust investigation into Google’s search practices, and it offered the search engine a chance to remedy its “abuses” by settling.

“I have just sent a letter to Eric Schmidt setting out these four points. In this letter, I offer Google the possibility to come up in a matter of weeks with first proposals of remedies to address each of these points,” said Alumnia.

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ezn1ne2Fj6Y&feature=player_embedded]

Google just took to its official Lat Long blog to wish Landsat a “Happy 40th Birthday” and make its surface imagery live for the entire world to enjoy.

The revered satellite program essentially collects continuous images of the Earth to help smart folks, like scientists and researchers, make knowledgeable decisions on the economy and environment. Google Earth Engine has made Landsat’s data available to such experts anywhere in the world, but now it wants to give the public access.

Googler Eric Nguyen explained:

• We’re working with the USGS and Carnegie Mellon University, to make parts of this enormous collection of imagery available to the public in timelapse videos of the Earth’s surface. With them you can travel through time, from 1999-2011, to see the transformation of our planet. Whether it’s deforestation in the Amazon, urban growth in Las Vegas or the difference in snow coverage between the seasons.
• […] In 2008, the USGS opened access to the entire Landsat archive for free. Google Earth Engine makes it possible for this data to be accessed and used by scientists and others no matter where they are in the world.

A highlighted timelapse video is below:

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As BetaBeat first noticed, Google is attempting to peel back the anonymity cloak that surrounds YouTube.

The search engine, which seems to dabble in all things Web, mobile, and tech, now displays a pop-up box to YouTubers who try to leave a video comment. The notice prompts users to start surfing the video-sharing platform with their full name instead of a username or pseudonym.

Google appears to crop names from Google+ profiles, which is likely a byproduct of the Google+ integration from last year that required all YouTubers to login with their Gmail account credentials.

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HTC plans to push Android 4.1 Jelly Bean to its popular line of One smartphones. HTC Global Online Communications Manager Jeff Gordon issued the following statement to The Verge:

“We know HTC fans are excited to get their hands on Google’s latest version of Android. At this point in time, we can confirm that we have plans to upgrade our HTC One X, HTC One XL and HTC One S to Jelly Bean. Please stay tuned for more updates regarding device upgrades, timing and other details about HTC and Jelly Bean.”

It is worth noting the One V is missing from the company’s update list.

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Yes, the Walkman still exists, and right now Samsung Galaxy Player is the only iPod touch-comparable Android MP3 player, but maybe (…maybe?) the latest Walkman series by Sony will finally give Apple and its iconic music player a run for its money.

The F800 Series sports a 3.5-inch multi-touch LCD screen, 4.5-hour battery life for video and 20 hours for audio, and it comes in 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB flavors. The most notable feature, however, is that it runs Android 4.0 with Google Play access. The F800 also touts an S-Master MX Digital Amplifier and five Clear Audio technologies with a built-in xLOUD speaker system.

“Powered by Android 4.0, the web-enabled Walkman F800 Series lets you enjoy a generous range of pre-installed apps, from email to maps and media gallery. Connect wirelessly via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth and download more from an ever-growing choice on Google Play,” announced Sony. “Interacting with your media collection, apps and games is a pleasure, thanks to the large, highly-responsive 8.9cm/3.5” multi-touch screen, plus plenty of processing power for smooth, speedy responses.

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A German court ruled this morning that the Android-powered tablet does not violate the patented look of Apple’s tablet. The Duesseldorf court discarded one claim by the Google-owned manufacturer, however, about the iPad’s design patent being inapplicable.

FoxBusiness explained:

• Apple initially sued Motorola for allegedly infringing three iPad designs with the Xoom. It sought to have the device banned across Europe.
• Although the judges ruled Motorola’s Xoom doesn’t infringe on the iPad, the court rejected a counterclaim brought by Motorola alleging the iPad’s design patent is invalid, a spokesman for the court said.
• As the court ultimately rejected both parties’ claims, it ordered Apple to pay two-thirds of costs and Motorola to pay a third, the spokesman added.
• […] During two hearings prior to the ruling, the presiding judge had indicated the court was leaning in Motorola’s favor. Judge Johanna Brueckner-Hofmann said in March that the court considered the evenly bent back and shaped edges on the front of the Xoom tablet sufficient to give the product individual character.

Apple is also suing Motorola in a Mannheim court for allegedly breaching a patent on multi-touch enabled devices.

Get the full report at FoxBusiness.

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7VzVTNN6DA&feature=player_embedded]

Almost two years after launching Street View imagery of the Antarctic, Google is now adding breathtaking, panoramic views of historic locations.

According to the official Google Blog:

• In the winter of 1913, a British newspaper ran an advertisement to promote the latest imperial expedition to Antarctica, apparently placed by polar explorer Ernest Shackleton. It read, “Men wanted for hazardous journey. Low wages, bitter cold, long hours of complete darkness. Safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in event of success.” While the ad appears apocryphal, the dangerous nature of the journey to the South Pole is certainly not—as explorers like Roald Amundsen, Robert Falcon Scott and Shackleton himself discovered as they tried to become the first men to reach it.

Google joined forces with the Polar Geospatial Center at the University of Minnesota and the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust to capture 360-imagery—including interior, exterior, and landscape shots—of the explorers’ preserved camp sites.

The South Pole Telescope, Shackleton’s hut, Scott’s hut, Cape Royds Adélie Penguin Rookery, and the Ceremonial South Pole are now on Google Maps in stunning, high-resolution photography.

Check out a few screenshots below. 

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