Rest of the Day: Google Voice Update Coming Soon
Google Voice is finally getting an update. Despite the fact that Google is focused on services like Hangouts and Allo for voice chat, Google Voice still exists and retains a certain long-standing loyalty of many users, despite the fact that it has never been updated. But there is something at work. About this and much more in today’s news.
- Several Google Voice users recently saw the message “New Google Voice is here”. The notification was obviously premature, but Google has already confirmed to The Verge that they are working on an update. Maybe it’s just a fresh coat of paint, but it’s surprising to see Voice getting any update at all – and for fans of the service, it’s a relief as Google loves to unceremoniously kill products . [Droid Life]
- The portion of Yahoo that was not included in Verizon’s $ 4.8 billion acquisition turned into a company called Altaba Inc. Altaba includes Yahoo’s 15 percent stake in the Chinese company Alibaba, as well as Yahoo Japan. The more familiar parts of Yahoo – Yahoo Mail and the news site, for example – are owned by Verizon. It is unclear if Verizon will continue to use the Yahoo name. [TechCrunch]
- For more news on upcoming Windows updates: Microsoft will address some privacy issues around Windows 10 , which has been criticized for sending usage data and telemetry back to Microsoft. The Creators Update will include more specific controls on the data you submit to Microsoft, with specific settings for location, ad settings, diagnostic data, and more. [Windows Blog]
- Apple claims the Safari bug was the reason Consumer Reports rated the MacBook Pro’s unstable battery life. When tested, Consumer Reports showed dramatically different battery life with Safari benchmarks. Apple says they have identified the issue and will release a fix. [The Verge]
- The Wikimedia Foundation just received a $ 3 million grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to make it easier to find and publish 35 million free reusable images on Wikimedia Commons. Currently, the media only rely on causation rather than extensive metadata, making it difficult to find specific images. [Wikimedia Foundation]