Category: COVID-19

Coronavirus helped Google Classroom surpass 50 million downloads

Posted on by admin

Teachers and students are turning to Google's online learning platform to maintain classes while quarantined

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, most schools and universities around the world have had to close. Institutions have turned to services such as Zoom and Google Classroom, which have skyrocketed to being the most popular ones on the Play Store. Google’s service has become so famous that it just passed 50 million downloads.
AppBrain’s data shows the app was not even in the top 100 most popular at the beginning of the month but has rapidly spiked starting March 10 to reach the top 5 most popular ones in the US last week. Read MoreCoronavirus helped Google Classroom surpass 50 million downloads was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

Here’s how Google is helping with coronavirus information and education

Posted on by admin

Google is trying its best to combat online misinformation

Google’s apps and services are among the most-used in the world, so it’s no wonder that people turn to the company when they want to find out more about the coronavirus pandemic. In order to suppress misinformation and help its users find trustworthy sources, Google took a lot of measures, including a COVID-19 website created in cooperation with the WHO and the CDC and many editorialized search results in all products. Read MoreHere’s how Google is helping with coronavirus information and education was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

All the new movies, including early theater releases, you can watch at home right now (Updated)

Posted on by admin

Coronavirus may be closing theaters, but home streaming is open for business

Update 1: 2020/03/27 2:55PM PDT

Added March 27th

No matter where you look, almost every industry is feeling some kind of impact from the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. Theaters were among the first to close their doors to hinder spread of disease, but this left many current and upcoming movies without a proper theatrical release. Some studios are opting to delay major films, but many of the flicks are still coming out as scheduled, but in the form of early releases through streaming services. Read MoreAll the new movies, including early theater releases, you can watch at home right now (Updated) was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

Alex Jones's Infowars app has been kicked out of the Play Store for spreading coronavirus misinformation

Posted on by admin

The Infowars app has been removed from the Play Store. Originally booted from the iOS App Store back in 2018, the Android version had remained available through Google’s app venue until today. It was removed to combat the spread of harmful misinformation included in the app which pertained to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic (popularized as “coronavirus”), which is against Google’s developer policies.

A recently-published video in the Infowars app claimed that efforts to diminish the spread of coronavirus, including practices such as social distancing, shelter in place, and quarantining, were ineffective, and that “natural” remedies to treat the disease existed. Read MoreAlex Jones’s Infowars app has been kicked out of the Play Store for spreading coronavirus misinformation was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

Google is probably cancelling its annual April Fools jokes this year

Posted on by admin

Now is not the time

April Fools has always been intertwined with the internet, and no company has embraced it like Google. It has long created fun, wacky gags each April, but it won’t do that this year, according to a new report. An internal email from Google marketing boss Lorraine Twohill allegedly says Google is playing it straight on April 1st, 2020 out of respect for those fighting the coronavirus.

In the early to mid-2000s, Google would have one or two April Fools jokes, but now there might be a dozen or more from various teams inside the company. Read MoreGoogle is probably cancelling its annual April Fools jokes this year was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

Google pledges $800 million to coronavirus causes

Posted on by admin

That includes $340 million in Google Ads credits for small businesses

The US Government may be paying out $2.2 trillion as part of the recently-approved relief bill, but Google is also stepping up to the plate to help — admittedly, in a smaller way. The company is pledging to hand out over $800 million to help support organizations and businesses affected by coronavirus, including $250 million to the WHO and other government agencies, $200 million for NGOs and financial institutions, and a substantial $340 million Google Ads credit for small and mid-size businesses. Read MoreGoogle pledges $800 million to coronavirus causes was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

OnePlus extends warranty and return periods due to coronavirus (Update: Loaner device program details)

Posted on by admin

New 'back-up device program' also planned

Update 1:

OnePlus has provided us with a few more details regarding both the “back-up device program” and warranty status details. We’ve updated our coverage with this information.

Most companies have been putting out statements to assure customers during the coronavirus pandemic, and OnePlus is no exception. Following up on a post published last week, the company has just announced that it is extending warranty coverage and return periods to make things a little easier for customers. Read MoreOnePlus extends warranty and return periods due to coronavirus (Update: Loaner device program details) was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

US carriers will forgive late payments and keep customers connected during coronavirus fallout

Posted on by admin

Keep Americans Connected Pledge carries 60 days of no late fees or terminations

Cellular carriers have earned many negative impressions over the years for poor billing practices, unfair contracts, and some dubious attempts to insert themselves where they might not belong; but there’s no denying that they have a good track record for giving a little back in times of crisis. In light of the spread of COVID-19, which has now been upgraded to a global pandemic, carriers in the US are committing to give more data to subscribers and relax their billing practices so people can focus on more important things. Read MoreUS carriers will forgive late payments and keep customers connected during coronavirus fallout was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

BYO beer and webcam: COVID-19 driving people to online drinking parties

Posted on by admin

We definitely need happier hours during this outbreak

It’s been a bedraggling week of news about a global infectious disease and it looks like there’ll be more of it to come soon. So, while we’re still together on this overloaded crowd of circuitry called the internet and while I still have my job, let’s talk about some people who have come together in a Zoom conference room to drink and commiserate.

One of the countries that has struggled with containment of the novel coronavirus is Japan. Read MoreBYO beer and webcam: COVID-19 driving people to online drinking parties was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

Pokemon Go tweaks rules to reduce travel requirements in wake of COVID-19

Posted on by admin

Gotta catch 'em all (but not catch coronavirus)

Pokémon Go might never reach the insane heights of popularity it enjoyed shortly after release, but a lot of people still go out into the world and play it. That’s perhaps a bit of a problem in the era of COVID-19. Niantic has rolled out some unexpected changes to the game, and they’re probably aimed at making it more playable for people who want to stay home to avoid coronavirus.

Players will be disappointed to hear Niantic has axed the upcoming Abra community day on March 15th. Read MorePokemon Go tweaks rules to reduce travel requirements in wake of COVID-19 was written by the awesome team at Android Police.