Google won’t autocomplete the word ‘Kodi’ for you in relation to anti-piracy effort

You may or may not know Kodi. It’s software that can be used on set-top boxes or other devices to stream media. It supports many third-party add-ons with some giving users access to pirated content. And that is what Google is trying to put a stop to as part of its anti-piracy efforts. How are they doing this? For the term “Kodi,” Google won’t autocomplete it for you. Some of the other things Google has done in the past is change its search algorithms to demote copyright-infringing material. Now when you type “kod” into Google, suggestions would include “kodiak” and “kodak black” but no “kodi.” However, once you’ve typed out “kodi,” search options like “kodi addons” and “kodi download” appear.

Nathan Betzen, the president of XMBC Foundation which operates of Kodi, expressed his disappointment over the decision, “We are surprised and disappointed to discover Kodi has been removed from autocomplete as Kodi is perfectly legal open source software.” And while that is true, its platform is a space that allows for piracy to exist and that is what Google argues is what they’ve been doing. A Google spokesperson told TorrentFreak that “Since 2011, we have been filtering certain terms closely associated with copyright infringement from Google Autocomplete. This action is consistent with that long-standing strategy.”

Google Lens featuring visual search and assistance coming to iOS via Google Photos app

iOS users will soon have the visual search functionality of Google Lens with visual search and assistance which will be added on to the Google Photos app. Previously an exclusive feature to Google Pixel handsets, Google Lens has rolled out to other Android devices and now works with iOS.

Google Lens, like Assistant, is an extension of Google Search. It can analyze what’s in an image and provide relevant actions and search results. For example, when analyzing a picture with a phone number or address, it will provide suggestions to call and get directions.

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‘Hey Google’ hotword is rolling out to more smartphones

You’ve probably gotten used to saying “Ok Google” to wake Google Assistant on your device but that doesn’t mean it gets any less awkward to say. Google has been testing out the hotword “Hey Google” on phones since October on a handful of devices. Now, Google seems to be bringing this to more devices. A notification has been showing up for more people prompting them to re-setup the voice part of Google Assistant so your phone can recognize your voice when you say “Hey Google.” Once you do this, your device will respond to either Ok Google or Hey Google when you want to launch Google Assistant or Google Search. You can also head to Settings > Phone > Voice model within the Google app to check if you have access to the feature already.

Source: Android Police

Google hopes to help you out with your travel plans with new app updates

Google is making it easier for you to work out your last-minute travel plans this holiday season with an update coming to its suite of travel-related apps and services. First up is Google Flights. It makes use of its machine learning capabilities to let you know when is the best time to book a flight. When you select where you want to go, you can opt to have the apt let you know things like “price won’t drop further” or “prices are less than normal.” Now, if you want to search hotels, you can get similar information. Google will let you know if a room costs higher or if the surrounding area is busy because of a local event. You can even get the option to receive email alerts for when price fluctuates. Lastly, the Google Trips app, now has a new Discounts section. This’ll show you deals on everything from tickets, attractions, tours, and activities in the areas you plan to visit. The flight and hotel price tracking is rolling out worldwide, while the Discounts tab is coming to Trips app in English, French, Italian, Portuguese, German, and Spanish.

Source: Android Authority