Tag: connections

Android Oreo now shows WiFi network speeds before you connect

Ever hop on a WiFi hotspot to save mobile data or boost speed, only to find out that it’s so slow that you might as well have stayed on cellular access? If you’re using Android 8.1 Oreo, that shouldn’t be a problem going forward. After several weeks of teasing , Google is rolling out a feature that gauges the speed of WiFi networks before you connect. It’s not giving you exact bandwidth readings — instead, it’s lumping the overall performance into categories that give you an idea of what to expect. You may want to avoid a “slow” (under 1Mbps) or “OK” (1-5Mbps) network unless you have no choice, but “fast” (5-20Mbps) and “very fast” (20Mbps and above) should do the job if you’re catching up on YouTube. The ratings are a bit conservative, and might not help much if you’re hoping to stream 4K or download a multi-gigabyte app. However, it should help you make more informed decisions. You might skip that overloaded airport connection instead of wasting minutes trying to visit a basic page. Now if only this prompted hotspot owners to improve the quality of their connections… Public Wi-Fi can be spotty. For the first time, #AndroidOreo 8.1 lets you take out the guesswork & see the speed of networks before you hit connect. Rolling out now: https://t.co/lSzvCFgNk7 pic.twitter.com/60EmoPxUX4 — Android (@Android) January 22, 2018 Source: Google Support , Android (Twitter)

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Android Oreo now shows WiFi network speeds before you connect

Uber exec accused of stealing from Google made $120M while working on the side

Anthony Levandowski giving a presentation in Japan in 2011, when he worked for Google. (credit: shinnygogo ) New legal filings in the Waymo v. Uber litigation lay out more of Google’s allegations against ex-Googler Anthony Levandowski, who now heads up Uber’s self-driving car unit. According to a Google document filed in court yesterday, Levandowski created “competing side businesses” as early as 2012 while he was still working for Google. That’s when Levandowski is said to have incorporated a company called Odin Wave LLC, with a physical address at a building he owned in Berkeley, California. Odin Wave submitted an order to a hardware maker asking for a “customer-fabricated part” similar to what Google used in its self-driving cars. Google employees investigated Odin Wave, noted the connections to Levandowski, and questioned the engineer about it, but Levandowski denied having any ownership, according to Google lawyers. Read 7 remaining paragraphs | Comments

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Uber exec accused of stealing from Google made $120M while working on the side