Tech News » Some Google services hit by partial outage

REUTERS - Google Inc (GOOG.O) is experiencing a small outage of some of its popular applications such as Gmail and Google Drive, the search engine said on Wednesday.


The company disclosed on its website that six of its 13 applications were having partial status disruptions.
The issue with Gmail, for example, is affecting less than 0.007 percent of Google Mail users, who cannot access their accounts.
Google said in a response to a request for comment that it is currently investigating the issue and will post the cause once the investigation is complete.
"For everyone who is affected, we apologize - we know you count on Google to work for you and we're working hard to restore normal operation for you," Google said.

Source : http://in.reuters.com

News » Google reportedly offers search results changes in EU probe

Package of concessions includes clear labeling of its own products in search results, as well as prominent placement of rivals' services, sources tell The Wall Street Journal

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Google has proposed an overhaul of how it displays search results in Europe to allay concerns that the Web giant is abusing its dominant position in the market.
The search behemoth, which was put under the European antitrust spotlight in 2010 after rivals lodged allegations of anticompetitive behavior, submitted a package of concessions with the European Union last week but its details remain under wraps. Critics and competitors have accused Google of anticompetitive behavior, promoting its own services in search results over those of its competitors.
In its proposed remedy, Google has offered to "make users clearly aware" when the search giant was promoting its own specialized products through special labels, a person familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal, which first reported the deal. When it does promote one of its own services, such as Google+, the Web giant has also promised prominent display of at least three relevant links to rivals' services, such as Yelp or TripAdvisor, the Journal reported.


However, that provision would not apply to some of Google's specialized-search sites, such as Google Shopper and Google Flight, in which participants pay for listings, the Journal reported. Although in those cases, rival specialized search sites can pay for placement.
As with its recent settlement with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, Google would allow other sites to remove their content from specialized, or "vertical," search sites. Also, as with Google's FTC settlement, the search giant's prized search algorithm would be unaffected.
A person familiar with the matter told CNET that Google's proposal had been accepted and that market testing of the concessions would begin soon.
Google declined to address the Journal's report, stating, "We continue to work cooperatively with the European Commission."
EU competition chief Joaquin Almunia told the New York Times last week that Google had submitted proposals he hoped would help consumers better identify when Google was promoting its own products over those of competitors. The package of concessions was reportedly submitted as Google faced a new round of antitrust scrutiny from the EU, this time for Android.
A new complaint was filed by Fairsearch Europe, a group of companies that includes Microsoft, Nokia, and Oracle, accuses Google of using Android "as a deceptive way to build advantages for key Google apps in 70 percent of the smartphones shipped today."

Source : CNET