Facebook crashed for at least 10 minutes today and then struggled to fully come back online.When users tried to open or refresh their Facebook pages a little after 12:30 p.m. ET today, they were greeted not with their news feed but with a largely blank screen that simply said, "Sorry, something went wrong. We're working on it and we'll get it fixed as soon as we can."The site began to come back online around 12:50 p.m., though some users reported still having trouble loading the site until about 1 p.m.MORE ON NETWORK WORLD: 26 crazy and scary things the TSA has found on travelers
Facebook did not return a request for information on what caused the problem.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
With Google restructuring its business and moving under the umbrella of new parent company Alphabet, executives may be trying to get back some of their old start-up swagger.The restructuring will bring a lot of changes to what is easily one of the world's most well-known companies. But company officials haven't offered any information about the move since co-founder Larry Page offered up a blog post Monday.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Google's restructuring could finally deliver to Wall Street something it's been after for years: more insight into what the company is spending on things like Nest, drones and health research.If that happens, it could boost the company's flat stock and entice the best engineers and tech workers to bypass the likes of Netflix and Facebook to sign up with the new Alphabet.+ ALSO ON NETWORK WORLD Meet Sundar Pichai, Google's new CEO +"Overall, we view the new structure as an elegant way for Google to continue to pursue long-term, life-changing initiatives, while simultaneously increasing transparency and management focus in the core business," wrote Doug Anmuth, an analyst with J.P. Morgan, in a report released Monday. "From a financial perspective, we believe the Street will soon be better able to evaluate the true performance of core Google, and may also become more accepting of Google's ongoing investment in emerging businesses such as Nest, Fiber, and driverless cars."To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Google executives have a vision that one day soon your jacket, shirt, pants -- even your socks -- might control your phone, tablet or even the lights in your house.Ivan Poupyrev, Google's technical program lead, received wild applause at a morning session at Google I/O today when he talked about Project Jacquard.The project isn't about a new smartphone or tablet or even a giant humanoid robot. It's about smart textiles that could change the way we connect and communicate with our environment and devices. They can also track health and physical activity. (Yes, your pants will know if you're sitting on the couch instead of doing power squats.)To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Google is moving deeper into the world of the Internet of Things (IoT), announcing a new operating system -- Brillo -- as well as a communications layer at its Google I/O developer conference today.Sundar Pichai, a senior vice president at Google, took the stage at the company's annual conference to talk about updates to the Android platform, like Android Auto and Android Wear. He then turned his attention to IoT and how Google plans to help users build their own smart homes.MORE ON NETWORK WORLD: 12 most powerful Internet of Things companies
"People are making connected devices like smart light bulbs," said Pichai. "But developers don't know how to target these experiences. And for users, it's really confusing to make it all work together."To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
With reports that Google is developing a new version of its troubled wearable, Glass, industry watchers weighed in on what changes are needed to turn the product from being the butt of jokes to a computer that people would want to wear.After pulling Google Glass out of the public's critical gaze this past January, the Wall Street Journal reported that the company may be close to unveiling an updated version of Glass.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Google botched its wearable, Google Glass, and now the director of GoogleX labs is openly talking about it.Astro Teller, Google's director of its research arm, GoogleX, was speaking to an audience at the South by Southwest conference in Austin on Tuesday when he said the company made mistakes with Glass.MORE ON NETWORK WORLD: 12 most powerful Internet of Things companies
Google, according to Teller, needs to work out its wearable's battery and privacy issues, and address miscommunications about the state of the project.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Using Hangouts, Google is testing a search feature that enables users to conduct live chats with businesses directly from their search results.
Google confirmed to Computerworld that it is running a test on the technology, but declined to offer any specific details about the size of the test or which businesses are participating.
Matt Gibstein seems to be the first one who spotted the test, tweeting, "Super interesting: @Google search now offering the ability to chat with local businesses (a la @Path Talk)."
The feature has a live chat, or Hangout, feature pop up in the search results if a business has someone available to communicate with the user. The Hangout can be launched on a desktop system or mobile device.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Google will submit plans this week to build a new headquarters in Mountain View, Calif.The company, which already has a large multi-building campus in Mountain View, confirmed to Computerworld that it plans to lay out its plans for a new development Friday. At that point, Google is expected to release information about the size, design and specific location of the new development.Earlier today, The New York Times reported that Google representatives have discussed the plan with the Mountain View city council.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Enterprise IT shops are finding that artificial intelligence isn't just for robotics anymore.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here(Insider Story)
Google is working to push more Android-based devices into the enterprise.The company today announced a new program called Android for Work, which is designed to encourage and enable businesses to bring more devices onboard by adding security and more manageability to the Android platform."For many, these phones have become essential tools to help us complete important work tasks like checking email, editing documents, reviewing sales pipelines and approving deals," wrote Rajen Sheth, Google's director of product management for Android and Chrome for Work, in a blog post . "But for the majority of workers, smartphones and tablets are underutilized in the workplace. Their business and innovation potential remain largely untapped."To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
While Google has put the prototypes of its Glass wearable back under wraps, the market is getting a bit more crowded.Japanese electronics manufacturer Sony announced Tuesday that it is developing an Android-compatible pair of computerized eyeglasses designed to show users low-resolution imagery, as well as text. The device is also equipped with a camera.At least one industry analyst said he doubts the new competition will put any added heat on Google, since every company trying to pursue computerized eyeglasses is facing the same challenges.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Sharon Gaudin