Google Placed Its Own Ads First, Study Claims

Google search engine is the most widely favored search option for millions of users across the varied devices and platforms. With its immense success over the years Google started offering paid advertisements to the individuals and businesses to rank better in the search engine results and gain more business and clients through diverting users to their websites. It might seem a noble thing to do but Google has been found to plunder top ad slots for its own products. A study conducted by the Wall Street Journal showcases that Google’s own products accounts for 91% of the top results on the search results page.

Google advertisement scheme is fabricated

One of the popular advertising data firms named SemRush has conducted a thorough analysis of Google advertising scheme by carefully analyzing over 25000 pages. It undertook the research in the popular search terms like speakers, laptops, smoke detectors and watches on Google and analyzed 1000 results. It was found that Google own products across the categories found themselves in the top of the results. Google already has a dedicated marketing policies ensures that its products doesn’t interfere with the carefully design online system and this was stated by one of the official spokesperson.

Google does away with the studies

Google has clarified that the studies is baseless as it has a auction system for determining how much price will be paid by the advertisers for featuring in the Google search page results. This system not just governs other advertisers on its platform but it also work on Google’s ads as well. In short Google has tried to away with all the allegations on its popular search engine by ensuring that its ads are on the same page as other advertisers ads but sadly that isn’t the case.

A report as stated earlier released by the Wall Street Journal carefully points out the for the search term ‘laptop’ in more than 1000 searches on its platform has resulted in offering Google ChromeBook as the top choice. In similar fashion Google favored the Android smartwatch as much as 98% in the searches for the search term ‘watches’ thereby fail to mention the popular and expensive Apple Watch. Thirdly searches conducted on the search term ‘smoke detector’ positioned Nest as numerouno as it is a Google’s own alarm product.

Google is wading through rough waters

This isn’t the first time Google has been accused of placing its own ads above the competitors and other advertisers. Last year Google had to deal with an unwanted controversy with its search platform when European Commission accused it of abusing its dominant position in the internet shopping arenas.

It also mentioned that Google was proactively being using its platform for restricted competition by placing its own ads in the top tier. Google has always maintained that the advertising auctions done on its search platform is run by the algorithm which doesn’t indulge in making decision on any particular advertiser or Google’s behalf at all.

700bike Galaxy Smart Folding Bike: Mono-live Review

If you are crazy about folding bikes then this one will make you crazier and pumped up again. Folding bikes are popular for its extreme portability factor which helps in saving space as it can be placed right in the back of the trunk without much hassle. You can place folding bikes in any corner of your home, office or garage and it can zoom past vehicles and narrow passage ways with ease and they are lifesaver in traffic jams. Currently the folding bike segment is filled with innumerable styles at varied price points. 700Bike latest offering Galaxy is set to bring a storm in the market and the most valuable factor this bike going in the market is that it is the winner of the Red Dot Design Award.

The Design

The best about 700bike Galaxy design is that it looks stunning and beautiful from every angle which isn’t s small feat to achieve. The designers of this 700bike Galaxy bicycle has certainly inspiration from the automobile sector as very angle of its bears the smart finish and attention to the details. Like any other foldable bike this one also folds right from the middle of its frame. User can easily fold the handles and pedals to make it a compact version of itself which can be placed in any corner of the room, office or car with ease and grace. Manufacturers have used the latest 3D welding technique which is utilized in building headtube and top tube right from a single mold. 700bike Galaxy has a sleek look and weighs just 12.5 kgs which makes it extremely light to carry around.

Features

It features the CST Kevlar-protected anti-puncture tires and has a Selle Royal Comfort saddle. The aluminum rims are of 20 niches and it has brake from Tektro with 140mm disc along with the SRAM X5 9 speed shifter for enhanced agility. To render a comfortable biking experience on the city roads Galaxy comes with the PG950 cassette which makes driving down the road, cobblestone or any other terrain within the city a splendid experience.

Users can adjust the seat as per their comfort level by adjusting the height. Another great thing about its design is that when this bike is folded up the bottom of the seat post acts as the stand for the bike itself. Being a futuristic bike it doesn’t lag behind on the tech front and it comes with a black & white LCD white placed in the handle post. It showcases the time along with the speed and distance covered by the user. The Chinese edition boasts of a special feature wherein SIM cards can be paired with the integrated GPS and can easily show the location right on the screen but this feature is severely missed on the international retail units of this 700bike Galaxy bike. The best thing about this 700bike Galaxy is that user can easily connect and sync it with their Android or IOs device to track their performance.

LG Sends Out Invites for G6 Event on February 26

LG electronics is all set to unveil its G6 in an international event on 26th February. This leading mega tech company has already sent out invites for this much yearned event to take place a day ahead of the Mobile World Congress. LG electronics has sent its invitations for the launch of its flagship phone, G6. The company is confident about the success of this much awaited event. This South Korean tech giant will unveil its new mobile in Barcelona, on 26th February just a day before the mega mobile tradeshow starts.

Invitations sent for launch of this flagship mobile 

The invitation card features the design of fireworks at night above a lake with the heading, ‘See more play more’. The card was smartly designed in the screen ratio of G6 itself. A LG spokesman remarked that the card was specifically designed to highlight the phone’s new UXs. LG display which creates and supplies the displays for all LG models has remarked that the new phone will feature the new QHD+ display. The phone features the technology which capitalizes on the long screen and will have a 564 PPI resolution. Moreover, another interesting facet of the phone is that it will feature a heat pipe which will prevent the phone from overheating. To ensure the safety of its users the model has gone through numerous quality checks prior to the announcement of its launch.

LG considers this new flagship mobile launch to be a major milestone for their company and thus have started sending early invitations for the media for this important press event. The invitation being designed in the outline of the Smartphone itself shows the confidence and faith that the company holds on this new flagship event. The moniker ‘see more play more’, points to the large screen and higher battery capacity of the new phone. On 26th February at around 12:00 after the commencement of this event, the world will get to know about the more exciting and innovative features of G6.

Enhanced features 

Till now, LG has mentioned about few of the interesting features of this new model. Unlike the G5 set, this phone model will not be modular. Instead, the design of LG G6 will comprise of glass and metal and sources confirmed that it will be different from all the earlier LG mobile sets. As per 3D Renders, one common feature will be the standard 3.5 mm jack. A recent LG teaser also hints that the phone will have a larger display and will be waterproof.

This means that the phone is expected to offer us with a larger 5.7 inch display. Due to the underwhelming sales of its earlier G5 model, it is believed that LG G6 will be a bounce back for the company. LG G5 in spite of featuring a host of new accessories and a modular design could not please the mind of its users, and was considered to be a flop model. With this new G6 model the company will hopefully (fingers crossed) will redeem itself.

YouTube Builds Castle to Make Slow Loading Videos Cute

Reuters

For over a decade we have seeing the default spinning circle on YouTube while watching video on a slow connection. YouTube has taken a hint of this monotonous situation and has started to spice up the so called ‘loading’ experience with an innovative and fun castle animation. People who rely on Wi-Fi network or slower mobile networks or simply possess a standard broadband connection which offers satisfactorily internet experience has to deal with loading animations all the time. Opting for faster internet connectivity isn’t a cheaper option so YouTube decided to make their waiting a playful and fun experience by creating a new castle animation. Sadly this innovation doesn’t speeds up the loading process rather gives a respite from the old age spinning circle animation.

Castle animation isn’t new

If you are thinking that this a new feature brought about by the YouTube then you be further shocked to know that it has been present for several weeks. But recently it has started appearing on wider range of videos and networks on the YouTube which has brought it wider audience. There are a millions of users who never get to see this cute animation feature on the YouTube because of their blazing fast network but other relying on slow network will get to see it more often while waiting for their video to buffer.

When would you see the castle animation? 

Sadly YouTube isn’t completely doing away with the staple spinning animation at the moment. YouTube users will get to see the castle animation only at the first load of their video and in between if video buffers again then they will be greeted with the usual spinning circle. YouTube has brought this change in order to bring a visual change for the users on slower network but as stated earlier it wouldn’t wonder for your networks by speeding up the process.

Google set to enhance user experience on slower connections

YouTube is owned by Google and it is a widely known fact worldwide. For past some time Google is actively working on enhancing the user experience across its range of services and offerings. Google has been critical about the slow connection wherein it brought some major changes in its services and platforms capability to ensure smooth transitions and users experience for its users with slow connection.

Quite recently Google has brought an update to its Google Search for Android functionality which allows it to save user’s queries during bad signal reception and it quickly produces the results when connection resumed. Google has named this feature Offline Search wherein it makes use of its Accelerated Mobile Pages or AMP technique which allows users on slower internet connection to access page by consuming minimum amount of data. This feature isn’t new as Opera already has similar kind of feature in store. But Google is widely favored by the users all around the world for searching tasks and this move will be beneficial for millions of users in the long run.

Five reasons why your next accessory should be a smartwatch

Unlike other revolutionary pieces of technology, the release of the first smartwatch a few years ago wasn’t met with a viral trend on Twitter or any other form of acclaim for that matter. Not only was it too expensive by watch standards, customers simply didn’t see the need to have a second smartphone-like device on the hand.

Fast-forward to the present, and the situation is the same, if not worse. Smartwatch sales from leading manufacturers are either stagnant or plummeting. A technology that had great promise has now become the subject of many critical blogs, and even fans of the gadgets are now reconsidering their position. Nevertheless, smartwatches still have a place in the world. Here are five reasons why you should consider getting one today.

1. Notifications

Gone are the days where a landline phone on your desk was the only means of communication you needed in the office. Smartphones have enhanced the way we pass on information in a great way. However, having a phone can be an unpleasant distraction as much as it can be a benefit.

Every day, we receive countless notifications, and wherever we may be, we always feel compelled to check the phone everytime it beeps or vibrates. But with a smartphone, instead of reaching for your phone when a notification comes in, you can quickly glance at your wrist and decide whether it’s important or not, before opting to take action.

Moreover, instant notifications through smartwatches eliminate the need of always moving with your phone to avoid missing important phone calls, texts or emails.

2. Fitness

We all want to live a healthier life, but staying fit requires quite the effort. With a smartwatch, however, you can make your journey towards a more active life a lot easier.

Many modern-day smartwatches come with apps that help track our daily fitness progress. They will help you monitor your pulse rate, exercise routines, and the rate of calorie burn. Some watches even offer
 tracking solutions for joggers and runners. They use GPS to determine how far to run or which routes to take to achieve the desired goals.

3. Making purchases

If you’ve ever experienced the hassle of having to pay for something when your hands are too full to reach for the wallet or phone, you will undoubtedly appreciate the smartwatch.

Both Samsung and Apple watches have “Pay” applications, which enable a customer to pay for goods or services by just clicking on a button and bringing the watch close to the payment terminal.

4. Easy navigation

Navigation has come a long way. It is almost ludicrous to imagine a time when we used paper maps to know the direction to take. Google Maps was the first major leap towards the success of electronic navigation, but just like a paper sheet, there was the inconvenience of always having to pull out your phone for directions.

Voice navigation came in soon after, and although an outstanding innovation, some still viewed it a distraction to walk around while listening to audio navigation tool.

With smartwatches comes the latest in navigation technology. Samsung has won the hearts of many by incorporating the overly useful HERE WeGo app on the Gear S, Gear S2 and the recently launched Gear S3. HERE WeGo is a stand-alone app that offers navigation features without the need to be synced to your smartphone.

Even more impressive is the Apple Watch, which in addition to looking at the screen, provides directions using its taptic engine. Admittedly, it’s not perfect, and you do have to learn what each haptic feedback means. But with only subtle taps on your wrist to tell you which turn to make, you can get around without even having to look at your watch.

5. Customization

Regardless of their complexities, at the end of the day, a smartwatch is essentially a watch. And in addition to telling the time, a watch is meant to compliment the wearer’s physical look.

Unlike buying a traditional watch which gets you stuck with one design, smartwatches are available in different colors and bands. For further customization, you could also personalize your watch by reorganizing the widgets and tweaking some settings.

Final words

Contrary to what you may have read online, smartwatches are very handy gadgets to have. This is why, despite disappointing sales, leading brands are still unveiling new devices. Even more gratifying is the recent influx of cheap smartwatches, which albeit lowly priced still have a lot to offer.

Smartwatches have an important part to play in the future of communication and modern electronics as a whole.