Web mapping platform by Google, with global reach and real-time routing.
ZDNet has reported that most people no longer need flagship levels of phone storage or RAM. For storage, 128GB or 256GB will suit most users who stream and use cloud backups; 64GB is now the bare minimum. For RAM, 8GB–12GB will cover most use cases while high-tier RAM is driving device price increases in 2026.
Google has rolled back a new Google Earth feature that used the Nano Banana 2 image model to generate AI images over satellite, aerial and 3D imagery after researchers and journalists created fabricated scenes — from refugee camps to bomb craters — that could be shared as persuasive, falsified evidence.
Google’s Pixel 11 series is expected to launch with price hikes across the lineup, a focus on software advantages, and hardware updates including a Pro Fold variant. The Pixel Watch 5 is also anticipated, with a new LED camera-light on the Pixel 11. Leaks point to a later retail release with preorders opening the same day as the event.
Google announces Gemini has reached 1 billion monthly active users (MAUs) in the Gemini app, with voice input driving most usage. The milestone mirrors OpenAI’s ChatGPT and signals Gemini’s rapid integration across Google products, while OpenAI and others continue to compete in the AI race.
The president has signed an executive order directing US federal agencies to call Lake Ontario "Lake America." Canada has said it will not recognise the change. The order accompanies a wider renaming campaign by the administration and follows escalating tariff disputes between the United States and Canada.
President Donald Trump has ordered the U.S. geographic names database to rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America.” Google has updated Google Maps to show “Lake America” to U.S. users while Canadian users still see Lake Ontario; Apple has not yet changed its maps and MapQuest has refused, triggering a surge in downloads and political backlash.
Canada rebuffs Donald Trump’s Lake America decree as US-Canada tariffs escalate; Reuters and Al Jazeera report tensions flare with broad economic risks and nationalist sentiment rising in Ottawa.
The UN General Assembly has endorsed a non-binding move to shift from the Mercator projection to the Equal Earth map to better reflect continental sizes. The vote saw 164 members in favour with the United States abstaining or opposing; several countries express concerns about disputed territories and implications for regional shading.
The UN General Assembly has voted 164–1 to encourage use of equal-area map projections, led by Togo and backed by the African Union. The non-binding resolution recommends the Equal Earth projection for schools, governments and tech companies. The United States cast the sole vote against; six states abstained.
Joshua Cammidge, 31, has been charged with assisting a foreign intelligence service and preparing an act of sabotage after prosecutors say he gave Google Maps screenshots and addresses for four drone-manufacturing sites in Swindon and volunteered to carry out sabotage while communicating with a suspected GRU Volunteer Corps representative.
The creators of South Park have announced that the show will officially be known as SOUTH AMERICA for its 29th season, a move inspired by Apple and Google renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America. The announcement comes as Donald Trump has pushed for names changes in U.S. maps and fronts a broader political clash with Canada and tech platforms.
Automated vehicles have incorporated features like braking and monitoring, yet critics question whether they enhance safety or erode driver autonomy. Across reports, users describe discomfort with surveillance and the loss of control as robotaxis and autopilot systems become more common.
Starbucks has identified around 250 North American locations that cannot consistently deliver the desired customer or financial performance and will close them. Affected partners will be offered transfers or severance as the company accelerates its Back to Starbucks strategy and completes 1,500 store uplifts.
The Gaza conflict has intensified since Oct. 2023, with widespread destruction across Gaza and the displacement of more than 2.1 million people. Recent satellite imagery and UN assessments show 82% of structures damaged and about two-thirds destroyed, including major landmarks and the port. International bodies have raised alarms over humanitarian crisis while ceasefire conditions remain fragile.