The keynote presentation at this year’s Google I/O conference introduced no new hardware to compete with Apple devices, but it did feature improvements to Google apps and services used by many Apple users, including Gmail, Google Photos, Google Maps, Google News, and Google Assistant.
Gmail, Google’s popular email service, has undergone a revamp that includes visual tweaks and a battery of new features, some focused on usability, others on security.
Fixes a bug that prevented some users from adding Google accounts. ($49.99 new, free update, 15.5 MB)
The domain name system is largely insecure, leaking information and subject to compromise. New services from Cloudflare and Quad9 could provide greater security and integrity than Google Public DNS, currently the best known public DNS service.
Google has added a feature to its Google Chrome Web browser that the company promises will reduce the annoyance of auto-play videos, but there are exceptions that may make it less useful.
Google has announced that no new users will be able to use the goo.gl URL shortening service after 13 April 2018, and existing users will lose access on 30 March 2019. Shortened links will redirect indefinitely.
Adds events and reminders to Spotlight search results in macOS 10.13 High Sierra. ($49.99 new, free update, 15.3 MB)