Google has now been granted permission to sell e-books and audiobooks directly to buyers via its iOS app, Google Play Books. Making the announcement on the company blog post, Google said users will henceforth be able to complete a book purchase by clicking on the 'Get Book' option associated with a book in the Google Play Books iOS app. Users will then be redirected to the … [Read more...] about Google Unveils Direct e-Book Sales on iOS, Bypassing Apple Commission
Should Google do more to prevent textbook piracy?
Major publishers are not sitting idly by, while digital textbook pirates use Google Ads to boost their website traffic and profit from subscription services or individual sales, often at a fraction of the market price. The publishing industry, including physical and digital textbooks, is a massive business in the United States, generating over 8.3 billion annually. The … [Read more...] about Should Google do more to prevent textbook piracy?
Google Sued by Publishers on Copyright Infringement Charges
A bunch of publishers has taken Google to court claiming the latter is promoting pirated copies of their books. As Reuters reported, the case has been filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York where the publishers - Cengage, Macmillan Learning, McGraw Hill, and Elsevier - accused Google of making a profit from the sale of pirated e-books that are … [Read more...] about Google Sued by Publishers on Copyright Infringement Charges
France slaps Google with $270 million fine for misuse of news publishers’ data
Publishers have always found themselves at loggerheads with makers of generative AI data models over their use of often copyrighted material for training of the AI models. Now, in a fresh new twist, the competition authority in France, Autorité de la Concurrence has imposed a fine of €250 million on Google for misusing news publishers’ data without consent of the publishers, … [Read more...] about France slaps Google with $270 million fine for misuse of news publishers’ data
Google introduces NotebookLM AI-powered note-taking app
In a groundbreaking move, Google has officially announced the launch of NotebookLM, an AI note-taking app that leverages the capabilities of its Gemini Pro large language model (LLM). This experimental app, originally known as Project Tailwind, was unveiled at Google I/O 2023 and has undergone substantial development. Now, powered by Gemini Pro, it's ready for users aged 18 and … [Read more...] about Google introduces NotebookLM AI-powered note-taking app
AI-generated Poem Postcards on Google’s Arts & Culture app
Recently, Google launched a tool that allows you to make exclusive AI-generated poem postcards according to your choice of artwork and subject. This new tool is added as Google's redesign initiative of its Arts & Culture app. Additionally, it's also a part of its rollout of generative AI features, including text creation in Docs and code generation with AI on … [Read more...] about AI-generated Poem Postcards on Google’s Arts & Culture app
Spotify gets special treatment from Google, exempted from paying Play Store fees
In a recent revelation during the Epic v. Google trial, it has come to light that music streaming giant Spotify has forged a distinctive and seemingly favorable deal with Google for Android-based payments. Google's head of global partnerships, Don Harrison, testified that Spotify managed to secure a remarkable 0 percent commission when users opted for subscriptions through … [Read more...] about Spotify gets special treatment from Google, exempted from paying Play Store fees
Spotify enhances user experience with Google’s AI integration for podcasts and audiobooks
In a groundbreaking move, Spotify has announced an extended collaboration with Google Cloud to leverage advanced language models for an enhanced user experience. By tapping into large language models (LLMs) such as OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google Bard, Spotify aims to revolutionize personalized recommendations within its podcast and audiobook offerings, The Verge … [Read more...] about Spotify enhances user experience with Google’s AI integration for podcasts and audiobooks
Google’s First ‘Book-Style’ Foldable Phone Launched with an Immersive Ebook Experience
Image credit: cnet After years of rumours, Google has finally launched its first foldable phone – The Pixel Fold – at Google I/O 2023. The phone goes head-to-head with Samsung's flagship foldable phone - the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5. Google commemorated the launch by releasing an immersive crime ebook. The tech giant partnered with Ajay Chowdhury, who is the best-selling … [Read more...] about Google’s First ‘Book-Style’ Foldable Phone Launched with an Immersive Ebook Experience
Google testing new ‘Read Aloud’ feature on Chrome browser
Google Chrome browser is poised to receive an upcoming feature that has been surprisingly lacking until now. It is the ability to read aloud online articles or anything that is on the browser, reported XDA-Developers citing tipster @Leopeva64. That includes even e-books or other pieces of texts that you'd rather listen to than read. This, as XDA-Developers reported, has been … [Read more...] about Google testing new ‘Read Aloud’ feature on Chrome browser