ShutterWorx/Getty Images Small banks and credit unions have plenty of advantages. Still, one of the biggest drawbacks of banking with a smaller institution is that you sometimes don’t get to take advantage of all the latest finance-related tech. Google Wallet is out to fix that. Also: Google Wallet will let you digitize your US passport – […] More
Jack Wallen/ZDNETJosh Miller, the cofounder and CEO of The Browser Company has made a name for himself as a pioneer on the web browser front. Arc browser re-invented browsing by creating a beautiful, efficient application that puts most browsers to shame.Especially Google Chrome.Also: 5 ways Arc browser makes browsing the web fun againIn an interview with The Verge, Miller gives some insight into his background, “I was a political appointee in the Obama White House and after the 2016 election, I was personally devastated by the result. I felt like technology and the technology industry had an impact on the things I didn’t like, and I was very motivated to try to do something about it,” Miller explained.His idea behind creating Arc developed from the original purpose of the web browser when the web was more than a publishing platform. That paradigm has obviously changed but most web browsers have not. Miller’s reasoning for that lack of evolution is money. Most users aren’t spending the majority of their time with content as much as they are working via their browser.If you look at the Chrome browser today, it’s not much different than it was in 2010 or 2020. Yes, there are new features and security enhancements, but the fundamental UI and workflows of Chrome have gone (mostly) unchanged.Also: Arc’s ‘Air Traffic Control’ is a great way to keep your browser organizedThat doesn’t mean Miller doesn’t credit Google for making inroads in the tech space. As he says in the interview, “I think if there’s one thing Chrome and the Chromium team specifically has done a fantastic job of is building an operating system or an application platform that developers love, generally speaking, and they make it more and more powerful.” Miller adds, “Figma would not exist if it weren’t for Google, Chrome, and Chromium making the web fantastic for application platforms.”However, what The Browser Company is doing differently is focusing on the individual and giving them tools that can do more than the de facto standard web browser. The company approaches this with the idea of “…what is broken, what is wrong with the way people use their browsers today, and can we invent a way to alleviate that problem?” To that end, The Browser Company created small features and ideas to help make working with the web browser more efficient. Also: Why Arc is my browser of choice for using AI toolsThe Browser Company has a very specific goal… to change the way people use the internet. But why would one take on such a feat? Sure, Arc has the most beautiful UI of any browser on the market, but is that enough? Well, according to Miller, Arc is much more than a pretty face. Arc is far more functional than the likes of Chrome. Miller states a clear example when he mentions how restrictive other browsers are. In Arc, you can hit the Command+T keyboard shortcut and then type “new Notion document.” Hit Enter and Arc creates that new document. With Chrome and Safari, Notion does not enjoy that level of functionality. Because of this, Miller likes to think of Arc as more of an operating system than just a browser. More
Kyle Kucharski/ZDNETIt’s been a big year for advancements in processor technology, and it’s only continuing to ramp up. Intel just announced its next generation of high-efficiency, AI-powered chips with the Core Ultra Series 2, and one of the first laptops it’s loaded on is the Asus Zenbook S 14 More
Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNETWhether you’re looking up the storefront of a specific restaurant or exploring a continent virtually, Google Maps and Google Earth are great tools for viewing a part of the world from your device. Now both applications are getting updates to make what you see even better. Also: 88% of US parents see AI as essential to their children’s educationOn Wednesday, Google announced three new updates for Google Earth and Maps to enrich the user viewing and exploring experience. The first update is the availability of historical imagery on Google Earth, which allows users to explore Google’s satellite and aerial imagery library from as far back as 80 years ago. More
<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds are available now for $179 They’re a reboot of the previous model with an even more comfortable, light fit, improved ANC, and booming, rich sound The app is a little clunky, the touch controls take some getting use to, and the voice commands can be finicky. more […] More
<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus undercut the Pro models by up to $400 while still offering similar features. The configurable Action button and Camera Control offer users more iOS shortcuts than ever, though they come with learning curves. The features that I hoped Apple would improve this year – […] More
<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways Optimized virtual meetings for business professionals Great image quality at 30 frames per second, as well as HDR AI tracking for presentations isn’t perfect, but it’s available –> As much as there’s a push for remote work to move to hybrid, there’s no doubt that virtual meetings will always be the […] More
Matthew Miller/ZDNETStarting today, Google is rolling out a huge patch to the first Pixel Watch and the Pixel Watch 2 via an OTA (over the air) update. Not only will these devices gain Wear OS 5, but they’re also getting a new app and “numerous bug fixes.”The patch notes we received didn’t list every addition, but we have enough info to paint a solid picture. Wear OS 5, for example, introduces a grid-based app launcher similar to the software layout seen on some third-party smartwatches. Also: 5 reasons why I’m glad I upgraded to the Pixel Watch 3Many users prefer a grid as it reduces the amount of scrolling required to find an app. However, if you prefer the list-based launcher, Google says you can revert to the old style through the system settings. More
