https://www.scmp.com/rss/39807/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Reuters Reuters South Korea will soon no longer be one of the few countries where Google Maps does not work properly, after its security-conscious government reversed a two-decade stance to approve the export of high-precision map data to overseas servers. The approval was made “on the condition that strict security requirements are met”, the ‌Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said in a statement. Those conditions include blurring military and other sensitive security-related facilities, as well as... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3345293/south-korea-finally-get-fully-functioning-google-maps?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3345293/south-korea-finally-get-fully-functioning-google-maps?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 10:44:24 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words As a Yuen Long resident, I regularly travel to Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. Like many in the northwest New Territories, I often face severe congestion on Tuen Mun Highway/New Territories Circular Road, especially during peak hours. For people in Tuen Mun, the situation is even... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3329094/quick-fix-traffic-congestion-hong-kong-smarter-tolls?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3329094/quick-fix-traffic-congestion-hong-kong-smarter-tolls?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Oct 2025 03:30:10 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao More than 40 million Amap users logged on to test its artificial intelligence-powered ranking service, as Alibaba Group Holding’s answer to Google Maps started ranking mainland destinations and providing recommendations for 1.6 million establishments. Amap Street Stars – which uses AI algorithms to rank destinations including restaurants, hotels and tourist attractions – recorded that many users on its launch on Wednesday, as the mapping app positioned itself as a gateway for lifestyle services,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3325225/amap-alibabas-answer-google-maps-sees-over-40-million-users-test-new-ranking-service?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3325225/amap-alibabas-answer-google-maps-sees-over-40-million-users-test-new-ranking-service?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Sep 2025 02:00:15 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Mexico has sued tech giant Google over its labelling of the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, a change made by US President Donald Trump via executive order, Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Friday. Sheinbaum did not provide details of the lawsuit during her daily press briefing, but said that Google had been sued. Mexico’s foreign relations ministry had previously sent letters to Google asking it to not label Mexican territorial waters as the Gulf of America. Google did not... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3309824/mexico-sues-google-over-gulf-america-name-change?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3309824/mexico-sues-google-over-gulf-america-name-change?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 May 2025 20:13:11 +0000 A move by US technology giant Google to label a part of the South China Sea as the “West Philippine Sea” has been hailed by Filipino officials as a sign of growing global recognition of Manila’s sovereignty in the disputed waters amid its long-standing row with Beijing. The update in Google Maps marking the waters that the Philippines considers within its exclusive economic zone, however, has also drawn some scepticism about the extent of international support for Manila’s position. Previously,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3306575/manila-says-googles-west-philippine-sea-label-shows-global-support-its-stance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3306575/manila-says-googles-west-philippine-sea-label-shows-global-support-its-stance?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Apr 2025 07:24:16 +0000 Kylie Knott Kylie Knott Google Maps has joined forces with Cantopop star and actor Nicholas Tse Ting-fung to showcase his favourite places to eat in Hong Kong. The list, available on Google Maps’ newly launched Shared List Feature in Hong Kong, marks the navigation app’s 20th anniversary. Titled “Chef Nic’s Choice”, the collection explores Hong Kong’s culinary landscape through Tse’s palate and includes classic old-style Hong Kong cafes known as cha chaan teng as well as Michelin-star restaurants. Among the actor’s... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3303659/actor-nicholas-tse-names-favourite-places-eat-hong-kong-new-google-maps-feature?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3303659/actor-nicholas-tse-names-favourite-places-eat-hong-kong-new-google-maps-feature?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Mar 2025 10:49:46 +0000 Cannix Yau Cannix Yau The panoramic views of the Peak Tower, “Big Buddha” on Lantau Island and the Avenue of Stars in Tsim Sha Tsui have been ranked as Hong Kong’s top three most-reviewed attractions, according to Google Maps. The list of the city’s most-reviewed spots of all time, unveiled on Monday, also highlighted three famous attractions in Central – the cultural centre Tai Kwun, the nightlife district of Lan Kwai Fong and the Mid-Levels escalators. They were among the city’s top 10 for locals and tourists... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3302722/does-your-favourite-hong-kong-attraction-make-it-googles-top-10?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3302722/does-your-favourite-hong-kong-attraction-make-it-googles-top-10?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Mar 2025 11:26:49 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng China’s antitrust investigation into Google, which does not offer most of its consumer-facing services including search and email in the country, seems to make little sense on the surface, but analysts said the move could be seen as a warning shot to the US and a threat to the Android operating system. The inquiry into Google was unveiled on Tuesday in tandem with China’s fresh tariffs on US imports and new export controls of certain minerals, as well as the addition of two US companies to... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3297518/chinas-antitrust-probe-google-seen-warning-shot-us-android-target?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3297518/chinas-antitrust-probe-google-seen-warning-shot-us-android-target?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Feb 2025 14:40:45 +0000 Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Thursday said Google is wrong to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico on its Google Maps platform after US President Donald Trump ordered the body of water be renamed the “Gulf of America”. Sheinbaum presented a letter addressed to Google in which her government argues the US cannot unilaterally change the name of a body of water which it shares with Cuba and Mexico. The move comes after Google said on Monday that Google Maps will change the name of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3296850/mexico-says-google-was-wrong-accept-trumps-gulf-america-name-change?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3296850/mexico-says-google-was-wrong-accept-trumps-gulf-america-name-change?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Jan 2025 18:17:50 +0000 Everyone can name an operating system from a computer or smartphone – but what about a car? Few of us realise that we’ve technically been driving with them since the first electronic control units (ECUs) in the early 1970s. More comfort and safety functions led to more control units. Since the introduction of the so-called CAN (controller area network) bus system in the early 1990s, control units can be networked with each other. At that time, the Mercedes S-class W140 was the first car with a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3291937/automotive-operating-systems-roll-drivers-seek-smartphone-style-car-features?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3291937/automotive-operating-systems-roll-drivers-seek-smartphone-style-car-features?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Dec 2024 09:15:08 +0000 Google Maps is heading down a new road steered by artificial intelligence. The shift announced this week will bring more of the revolutionary AI technology that Google has already been baking into its dominant search engine to the digital maps service that it launched nearly 20 years ago as part of its efforts to expand into new frontiers. Google Maps recently surpassed 2 billion monthly users worldwide for the first time, a milestone that illustrates how dependent people have become on the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3284785/what-google-maps-new-ai-features-are-and-how-they-will-help-you-get-most-place?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3284785/what-google-maps-new-ai-features-are-and-how-they-will-help-you-get-most-place?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Nov 2024 06:15:07 +0000 Tech company Google has removed many of the fake and offensive names that pranksters gave to Hong Kong schools listed on its Maps service, but some of the disparaging edits remain unchanged, the Post has found. The Hong Kong office of Google said on Friday the company had taken steps to prevent further abuse of the service and was removing edits that violated its content policy. “We are aware that irrelevant content may occasionally be contributed on Google Maps,” it said. “When this happens, we... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3279383/google-removes-some-fake-names-pranksters-gave-hong-kong-schools-maps?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3279383/google-removes-some-fake-names-pranksters-gave-hong-kong-schools-maps?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Sep 2024 12:16:13 +0000 Hong Kong education authorities have expressed worries about pranksters renaming schools on Google Maps, which has led to the incorrect labels appearing on other apps such as Uber. The Education Bureau said on Thursday it had received reports from schools that their names had been altered on the popular map platform. “[We] learned that some schools have already contacted the platform requesting a prompt correction. Some school names have been restored to normal,” a bureau spokesman said. “The... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3279201/nobi-nobita-college-hong-kong-concerned-over-pranksters-renaming-schools-google-maps?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3279201/nobi-nobita-college-hong-kong-concerned-over-pranksters-renaming-schools-google-maps?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Sep 2024 15:19:12 +0000 If you have ever wondered if a boycott could make global conglomerates wince, look no further than Malaysia. Consumers in the Muslim-majority nation have wielded their collective financial muscle for over half a year to punish American brands that are seen to have links with Israel, in protest of the Israel-Gaza war that has killed over 34,000 people to date, mostly civilians including many women and children. Fast food giant KFC was the latest casualty, announcing last week that it had... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3262003/are-malaysian-consumers-missing-target-anti-israel-boycotts-western-brands?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3262003/are-malaysian-consumers-missing-target-anti-israel-boycotts-western-brands?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 May 2024 02:30:46 +0000 It is so difficult for foreigners to make payments in China that the State Council had to create a special policy guideline to address the problem. As the Post reported, Premier Li Qiang put the issue on the agenda in his latest cabinet meeting on Friday, as part of Beijing’s latest efforts to restore investor confidence. The problem can be fixed by technical improvements. In fact, major mobile payment service providers in China, including Ant Group and Tencent Holdings, have already taken steps... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3253237/china-should-beware-cost-creating-digital-gap-rest-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3253237/china-should-beware-cost-creating-digital-gap-rest-world?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Feb 2024 23:00:36 +0000 Alphabet’s Google is changing its Maps tool so that the company no longer has access to users’ individual location histories, cutting off its ability to respond to law enforcement warrants that ask for data on everyone who was in the vicinity of a crime. Google is changing its Location History feature on Google Maps, according to a blog post this week. The feature, which Google says is off by default, helps users remember where they’ve been. The company said Thursday that for users who have it... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3245174/google-hide-user-location-even-itself-preventing-it-giving-data-law-enforcement?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3245174/google-hide-user-location-even-itself-preventing-it-giving-data-law-enforcement?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Dec 2023 05:34:03 +0000 A 16-year-old Hong Kong boy who tried to walk 8.7km (5.4 miles) home through a country park using Google Maps after public transport ground to a halt during a No 9 typhoon warning was rescued by emergency workers after his phone battery started to run out. Police on Monday said an operation involving police, firefighters and ambulance staff swung into action after the teenager became worried he would lose his way in hilly Lion Rock Country Park the previous night and dialled 999 at about 9pm as... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3237333/hong-kong-boy-16-who-tried-walk-almost-9km-home-through-country-park-during-no-9-typhoon-signal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3237333/hong-kong-boy-16-who-tried-walk-almost-9km-home-through-country-park-during-no-9-typhoon-signal?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Oct 2023 10:22:37 +0000 The family of a North Carolina man who died after driving his car off a collapsed bridge while following Google Maps directions is suing the technology giant for negligence, claiming it had been informed of the collapse but failed to update its navigation system. Philip Paxson, a medical device salesman and father of two, drowned September 30, 2022, after his Jeep Gladiator plunged into Snow Creek in Hickory, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Wake County Superior Court. Paxson was driving... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3235248/google-sued-after-us-man-using-maps-app-drives-collapsed-bridge-and-drowns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3235248/google-sued-after-us-man-using-maps-app-drives-collapsed-bridge-and-drowns?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 Sep 2023 21:00:01 +0000 The US Justice Department is investigating Google’s dominance in mapping, reviving a thread of its long-running antitrust investigation into the search giant, according to three people familiar with the probe. Department lawyers have been seeking information and reinterviewing potential witnesses, the people said, speaking anonymously to discuss a pending investigation. The probe is focused on how Alphabet’s Google bundles its services, and could result in a new antitrust complaint, they... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3211183/google-maps-faces-scrutiny-us-department-justice-pursues-two-other-antitrust-suits-against-search?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3211183/google-maps-faces-scrutiny-us-department-justice-pursues-two-other-antitrust-suits-against-search?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Feb 2023 01:54:29 +0000 A group of disgruntled couriers at Hong Kong delivery platform Foodpanda have launched their second strike in two weeks after they accused the company of rigging the payments system to impose cuts of up to 30 per cent in their income. The couriers on Thursday said they organised the two-day strike because their pay cut concerns had not been dealt with by the company, despite similar industrial action over the same grievance last month. But Foodpanda hit back that the strikers had disrupted the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3198345/foodpanda-deliveries-some-areas-hong-kong-grind-halt-after-1200-couriers-go-strike-dispute-leader?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3198345/foodpanda-deliveries-some-areas-hong-kong-grind-halt-after-1200-couriers-go-strike-dispute-leader?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Nov 2022 14:01:55 +0000 Hollywood superhero gadgets could become reality for Hong Kong police officers after the force on Tuesday announced a deal with a major player in technological development to work on Iron Man-style augmented reality glasses. Assistant Commissioner of Police Catherine Kwan Chui-ching, who is in charge of information systems, said the force was exploring whether hi-tech glasses could be adopted to help officers in the fight against crime. “Many of you might have watched the Iron Man movie. He is... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3191581/iron-man-hi-tech-specs-could-be-created-help-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3191581/iron-man-hi-tech-specs-could-be-created-help-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Sep 2022 14:05:11 +0000 The geography quiz game Globle was a product of quarantine boredom, its popularity a happy side effect. While stuck working from home during the Covid-19 pandemic, Abe Train, 26, of Toronto, Canada, decided to study web development, quit his corporate job and try something new. Inspired after the simple web-based word game Wordle gained widespread popularity in January, Train created an imitator just to practise his skills. Globle’s rules are simple: “Every day, there is a new Mystery Country,”... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3174648/how-wordle-alternative-globle-geography-quiz-made-its-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3174648/how-wordle-alternative-globle-geography-quiz-made-its-world?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Apr 2022 10:15:14 +0000 The US Justice Department has breathed new life into an investigation of Google Maps to determine if bundling the service together with other Google software illegally stifles competition, according to two sources familiar with the matter. The probe of the Alphabet unit first came to light in late 2020 and had been quiet until recent months when investigators again began making inquiries, the sources said. Google said it cooperates with regulators and welcomes their questions. The Justice... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3172516/us-antitrust-probe-google-maps-picks-speed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3172516/us-antitrust-probe-google-maps-picks-speed?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 31 Mar 2022 04:01:59 +0000 “Giving up” seems not to be in the vocabulary of Huawei’s management. But you’d think by now they would have done exactly that. Despite massive obstructions due to sanctions imposed by the United States over concerns that Huawei phones could be used by the Chinese government to spy on users, the Shenzhen, China-based company is still trying to sell premium smartphones in Asia, Europe and other places. Check online or at your local electronics store and there’s a good chance you’ll find the new... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3166108/huawei-p50-pro-review-one-best-smartphones-world-if-google-apps?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3166108/huawei-p50-pro-review-one-best-smartphones-world-if-google-apps?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Feb 2022 10:15:21 +0000 Raf Ho Man-fung is a Hong Kong celebrity whose name nobody knows. Whether he is driving down the street in the centre of town, hiking up in the hills or striding round one of the city’s parks, it’s not long before people stop to stare, nudge each other and point, and fumble for their smartphones so they can snap a picture. Such is the price of fame when you are Google’s chief Hong Kong camera carrier – or Street View operator, in official parlance – tasked to patrol the territory’s nooks,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3159898/how-google-maps-street-view-operator-hong-kong-tackles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3159898/how-google-maps-street-view-operator-hong-kong-tackles?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Dec 2021 05:15:17 +0000 Google took down two Google Maps documents on Monday that had listed the names and addresses of hundreds of Thai activists who were accused by royalists of opposing the monarchy, the technology company said. Thai royalist activist Songklod “Pukem” Chuenchoopol said he and a team of 80 volunteers had created the maps and planned to report everyone named on them to police on accusations of insulting the monarchy. Alphabet’s Google said in an emailed statement “the issue is now fixed”, and noted:... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3139104/thai-royalists-dox-hundreds-pro-democracy-activists-using?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3139104/thai-royalists-dox-hundreds-pro-democracy-activists-using?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Jun 2021 02:55:54 +0000 Not so long ago, it was common to see travellers walking along with their heads stuck between the pages of a guidebook, as if it were some kind of bible that had to be stuck to – often at the expense of serendipity. These days, it is mobile devices and Google Maps that lead us to a pre-booked hotel room, which often come rated on TripAdvisor by someone who spent a night there. Although websites may be kept more up to date, a guidebook written by a professional travel writer holds more... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3086943/who-needs-google-maps-go-analogue-next-time-you-travel-get?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3086943/who-needs-google-maps-go-analogue-next-time-you-travel-get?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2020 11:00:06 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Huawei has been riding a tide of Chinese patriotic fervor ever since it was banned by the US last year. But when China woke up Tuesday morning, a deluge of social media comments focused not on the tech giant’s freshly launched foldable phones and laptops, but rather on… a map. One popular post on Weibo, which was liked more than 31,000 times before it was set to private, questioned a world map that appeared in Huawei’s launch event Monday. Richard Yu,... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/culture/article/3052305/beloved-huawei-draws-rare-fury-china-disputed-map?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/culture/article/3052305/beloved-huawei-draws-rare-fury-china-disputed-map?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Feb 2020 12:01:47 +0000 Huawei has been riding a tide of Chinese patriotic fervor ever since it was banned by the US last year. But when China woke up Tuesday morning, a deluge of social media comments focused not on the tech giant’s freshly launched foldable phones and laptops, but rather on… a map. One popular post on Weibo, which was liked more than 31,000 times before it was set to private, questioned a world map that appeared in Huawei’s launch event Monday. Richard Yu, Huawei’s consumer business chief, was... https://www.scmp.com/culture/beloved-huawei-draws-rare-fury-china-disputed-map/article/3052249?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/beloved-huawei-draws-rare-fury-china-disputed-map/article/3052249?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Feb 2020 12:01:46 +0000 Google Maps marked 15 years on the road this week with the roll out of new features for the popular mobile app that has helped move navigation into the digital age. The tech giant is marking the occasion with a new look and product updates, vice-president of product Dane Glasgow said in a blog post. Google has dominated the market for navigation apps in recent years but the latest updates appear aimed at staying ahead of challengers including Apple, which recently revamped its own maps... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3049965/google-maps-new-features-commuting-routes-whether-trains-buses?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3049965/google-maps-new-features-commuting-routes-whether-trains-buses?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Feb 2020 21:00:05 +0000 Dutch navigation and digital mapping company TomTom said on Friday it had closed a deal with China’s Huawei Technologies for the use of its maps and services in smartphone apps. The deal with TomTom means that the Chinese telecoms and technology giant can now use the Dutch company’s maps, traffic information and navigation software to develop apps for its smartphones, according to a Reuters report. A TomTom spokesman said the deal had been closed some time ago but had not been made public by the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/huawei-turns-tomtom-replace-google-maps/article/3046838?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/huawei-turns-tomtom-replace-google-maps/article/3046838?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Jan 2020 09:11:40 +0000 Travelling by yourself comes with its highs and lows. Sure, if something goes wrong, you don’t have anyone with you to get you through it, but also, you don’t have to worry about stressing out your travel buddy because you can’t find your Airbnb address when you’re at the immigration desk. Japan is one of the best places to visit alone: you can nestle into a solitary routine without judgment. In the morning, you’re not some person sitting by yourself at breakfast. You’re one of eight sitting by... https://www.scmp.com/better-life/travel/article/3032040/7-tips-solo-travel-inspired-trip-tokyo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/better-life/travel/article/3032040/7-tips-solo-travel-inspired-trip-tokyo?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Oct 2019 00:00:15 +0000 Huawei Technologies, the world’s second largest smartphone vendor, may delay overseas sales of its upcoming 5G Mate 30 series smartphones for lack of access to Google services under the US trade ban, according to people familiar with the matter.   While the new handsets will continue to run on the Android operating system, the US trade ban on Huawei will prevent the Chinese telecommunications equipment giant from selling these high-end devices with popular Google mobile services, such as Google... https://www.scmp.com/big-guns/without-google-apps-huawei-looks-delaying-mate-30-overseas-sales/article/3024962?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/big-guns/without-google-apps-huawei-looks-delaying-mate-30-overseas-sales/article/3024962?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Aug 2019 14:24:38 +0000 Australia’s competition watchdog is poised to call for far-reaching new regulations on Facebook, Google and other tech giants, which could have global ramifications for how they make money and choose the content people consume. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s recommendations, if confirmed, would be among the strongest yet in a drive to rein in the power of digital behemoths amid a host of worldwide concerns including antitrust issues, privacy abuse and their role in... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3015708/australia-watchdog-prepares-clampdown-opaque-internet-giants?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3015708/australia-watchdog-prepares-clampdown-opaque-internet-giants?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Jun 2019 07:06:33 +0000 An Amazon.com team auditing Alexa users’ commands has access to location data and can, in some cases, easily find a customer’s home address, according to five employees familiar with the programme. The team, spread across three continents, transcribes, annotates and analyses a portion of the voice recordings picked up by Alexa. The programme, whose existence Bloomberg revealed earlier this month, was set up to help Amazon’s digital voice assistant get better at understanding and responding to... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3007559/they-know-where-you-live-amazons-alexa-reviewers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3007559/they-know-where-you-live-amazons-alexa-reviewers?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Apr 2019 17:15:50 +0000 Anyone visiting a new city knows the confusion of emerging from a subway station and trying to figure out in which direction to turn. Even with your maps app open, orienting yourself in an unfamiliar place can be difficult and lead to some missteps. However, Google believes it has solved the problem using augmented reality (AR) technology. Last week the Google Maps team gave Business Insider the chance to try out its new AR feature for pedestrian maps, which the company first teased at its... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/tech-design/article/2186736/will-googles-new-augmented-reality-maps-save-us-ever?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/tech-design/article/2186736/will-googles-new-augmented-reality-maps-save-us-ever?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Feb 2019 18:04:41 +0000 Google’s new 3D maps may have inadvertently exposed some of Taiwan’s most sensitive military sites, but the risk it poses to the self-ruled island is low, according to a security expert. That is because Beijing already has advanced surveillance systems at its disposal to gather intelligence on Taiwan, Chieh Chung, senior national security research fellow at the National Policy Foundation, a think tank affiliated with the Kuomintang, said on Tuesday. He said the island would also be able to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/2186795/google-maps-military-security-breach-not-big-risk-taiwan-expert?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/2186795/google-maps-military-security-breach-not-big-risk-taiwan-expert?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Feb 2019 09:42:55 +0000 France’s data watchdog on Monday announced a fine of €50 million (US$57 million) for US search giant Google, using the EU’s strict General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for the first time. Google was handed the record fine from the CNIL regulator for failing to provide transparent and easily accessible information on its data consent policies, a statement said. The CNIL said Google made it too difficult for users to understand and manage preferences on how their personal information is used,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/2183068/france-fines-google-us57-million-breaking-data-privacy-rules?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/2183068/france-fines-google-us57-million-breaking-data-privacy-rules?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Jan 2019 15:33:32 +0000 The Hamptons, a series of beach towns along eastern Long Island off the East Coast of the United States, is well-known as a summer retreat for the wealthy and famous of New York. Within these affluent communities, a tiny village of 491 people stands out as the priciest zip code, and by some calculations, the most expensive in the entire country. Sagaponack, a village in the town of Southampton in the 11962 zip code, has been called home by CEOs, musicians, authors and celebrities. In Sagaponack,... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/2172767/average-home-price-us71-million-whats-it-live-hamptons?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/2172767/average-home-price-us71-million-whats-it-live-hamptons?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Nov 2018 02:00:42 +0000 Suri Nurani has had it with Google Maps. A scooter driver in Jakarta with Indonesia’s ride-hailing company Go-Jek, she earns a living by getting from points A to B in the quickest, most efficient way possible. While you might think the launch of digital map services like Google Maps and Waze would be a godsend for her, Nurani prefers to ask directions from people on the street. She’s been burned one too many times by the smartphone apps, both owned by US tech giant Alphabet. Uber: a no-Goa at... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/society/article/2139712/you-have-not-arrived-why-google-maps-lost-cause-indonesian-drivers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/society/article/2139712/you-have-not-arrived-why-google-maps-lost-cause-indonesian-drivers?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Apr 2018 11:00:00 +0000 Google has denied bringing back its mapping service to China, following a report on Tuesday that the US internet search giant is making it available again in the world’s second-largest economy. “There have been no changes to Google Maps in China,” a Google representative said in an emailed statement. Japan’s Nikkei earlier reported that Google had set up a China-specific version of the Google Maps website for the first time in eight years and introduced a map application for Chinese iPhone... https://www.scmp.com/tech/enterprises/article/2128452/dont-call-it-comeback-google-says-no-changes-mapping-service-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/enterprises/article/2128452/dont-call-it-comeback-google-says-no-changes-mapping-service-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Jan 2018 06:45:27 +0000 Nearly 400 mysterious ancient stone structures have been identified in the Saudi Arabian desert by an Australian researcher using Google Earth. David Kennedy, whose team has spent decades recording thousands of archaeological sites in the Middle East, said the man-made edifices, known as “gates”, are thought to have been constructed between 2,000 to 9,000 years ago. But their purpose and function are a mystery. “You can’t see them in any intelligible way at the ground level but once you get up a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/2116898/archaeologist-spots-ancient-stone-structures-saudi-arabian?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/2116898/archaeologist-spots-ancient-stone-structures-saudi-arabian?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Oct 2017 04:55:35 +0000 Google has launched an updated version of its free Earth mapping service, weaving in storytelling and artificial intelligence, and freeing it from apps. “This is our gift to the world,” says Google Earth director Rebecca Moore. “It’s a product that speaks to our deepest values around education and making information available to people.” A new “Voyager” feature enables people digitally exploring the planet to be guided on interactive stories told by experts, with partners that include BBC... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/2089180/google-earth-reinvented-new-era-storytelling-and-ai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/2089180/google-earth-reinvented-new-era-storytelling-and-ai?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Apr 2017 12:00:51 +0000 By Nick Vega If you’re the type of person who texts your friends “I just left, I’ll be there soon” when you’re really about to step into the shower, you’re not going to like this news: Google is updating its popular Maps app with new features to let friends view each other’s location in real-time. The location-sharing feature only works if you decide to share your current location with a specific person, and you can limit how long a friend sees your location. Ideally, this will provide Google... https://www.scmp.com/tech/innovation/article/2081492/google-maps-will-soon-let-you-share-your-real-time-location-heres?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/innovation/article/2081492/google-maps-will-soon-let-you-share-your-real-time-location-heres?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Mar 2017 05:00:00 +0000 Google Maps users will soon be able to broadcast their movements to friends and family — the latest test of how much privacy people are willing to sacrifice in an era of rampant sharing. The location-monitoring feature will begin rolling out Wednesday in an update to the Google Maps mobile app, which is already installed on most of the world’s smartphones. It will also be available on personal computers. Google believes the new tool will be a more convenient way for people to let someone know... https://www.scmp.com/tech/enterprises/article/2081308/big-brother-watching-google-maps-will-allow-other-people-track-you?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/enterprises/article/2081308/big-brother-watching-google-maps-will-allow-other-people-track-you?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Mar 2017 17:28:46 +0000 You never know what you'll see when you're driving around San Francisco. And during a drive over the Golden Gate Bridge on Saturday, we spied this curious-looking vehicle. The high-tech setup on the roof makes it obvious that this van has a special mission. Anyone who has seen one of Google's self-driving car prototypes will recognise some of the hardware. Let's get a little closer. Among the collection of gadgets on the roof are the spinning Lidar laser sensors often used for self-driving... https://www.scmp.com/tech/leaders-founders/article/1982445/unmarked-van-us-streets-could-be-apples-self-driving-car-or?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/leaders-founders/article/1982445/unmarked-van-us-streets-could-be-apples-self-driving-car-or?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Jun 2016 23:45:30 +0000 The Google.com search engine could be accessed briefly in mainland China on Sunday night after years of disruption by the authorities that has almost completely blocked the use of the website. At about 11.30pm, a growing number of Chinese internet users put posts online saying they were able to access Google’s search engine through Google.com, Google.com.hk, Google.com.vn, Google.com.sg. Google ‘never left’ China, Alphabet’s Eric Schmidt says at tech conference in Beijing Yet Gmail and other... https://www.scmp.com/tech/china-tech/article/1931301/google-breaks-through-chinas-great-firewall-only-just-over-hour?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/china-tech/article/1931301/google-breaks-through-chinas-great-firewall-only-just-over-hour?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Mar 2016 06:15:00 +0000 A Sichuan man, abducted and taken to Fujian province at the age of five, has finally found his way home after spending years trying to work out where he came from. And he says he could not have done it without the help of Google Maps, Fujian's news portal nhaidu.com reports. Luo Gang, who was born in a small town in Guangan city, disappeared on his way to kindergarten 23 years ago, said his parents. Heartbroken, they did everything they could to find him, but to no avail. What they did not know... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1240192/kidnapped-child-returns-home-after-23-years-aid-google-maps?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1240192/kidnapped-child-returns-home-after-23-years-aid-google-maps?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 May 2013 16:00:00 +0000 A Sichuan man, abducted and taken to Fujian province at the age of five, has finally found his way home after spending years trying to work out where he came from. And he says he could not have done it without the help of Google Maps, Fujian’s news portal nhaidu.com reports.  Luo Gang, who was born in a small town in Guangan city, southwestern Sichuan province, disappeared on his way to kindergarten 23 years ago, said his parents. Heartbroken, they did everything they could to find their... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1239648/google-maps-leads-abducted-man-home-23-years-later?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1239648/google-maps-leads-abducted-man-home-23-years-later?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 May 2013 03:16:23 +0000 Ever wondered how much Hong Kong has changed since 1984? Google has teamed up with Time magazine, Nasa and the US Geological Survey to create time-lapse videos from satellite images of what's happened to the earth over the past 29 years. In Hong Kong, Victoria Harbour shrinks from the reclamation work, while the Lamma power station changes the shape of that island. Islands form where there once were none as Chek Lap Kok takes over from Kai Tak as the city's international airport. The project... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1234860/google-map-shows-29-years-change?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1234860/google-map-shows-29-years-change?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 May 2013 16:00:00 +0000