Yahoo prodigy faces big decision

11 September 2014 Last updated at 16:26

The British teenager who sold his news summary app to Yahoo for millions is facing a major life choice as he weighs education and business opportunities.

Nick D'Aloisio told the BBC he was currently deciding between working full-time for the California-based company or going to university.

The 18-year-old has just released an iPad edition of Yahoo's News Digest, for which he acts as project manager.

He is also developing an Apple Watch version, among other projects.

"For the lightweight news consumption that we have, [News] Digest is absolutely suited for this device," he said.

"Because of the summarisation element to this app, it just inherently makes sense when you have a constrained screen.

"We've been thinking about designing the concept of taking Digest to wearables for a while now, and we're going to jump at the opportunity."

The app's icon briefly features during the Watch promotional video on Apple's site.

Mr D'Aloisio said his team had already begun work on the software before the launch event, but had been kept "in the dark" about how the device functioned.

He added that he also intended to bring the app to Android Wear smartwatches.

News Digest has already been downloaded to about 1.3 million iPhones and 623,000 Android handsets, according to analytics provider Xyo.

Yahoo would not confirm those numbers, but said that it believed:

• 65% of those who download the app became monthly active users
• 40% of those who download the app became daily active users

University dilemma

Mr D'Aloisio was only 16 years old when he secured a $250,000 (£154,000) investment in his software from Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-Shing.

He subsequently launched the app Summly as a standalone news-summarisation product, but it was only a few months before Yahoo acquired the technology and his services, in a deal reported to be worth £20m.

Since then he has headed up a team of about a dozen software engineers and designers to create and run News Digest, at the same time as sitting his A-level exams.

Yahoo's app delivers two daily briefings of eight to nine stories, which are assembled by algorithms using text, images and videos sourced from online providers including:

• Reuters
• Sky News
• Agence France Presse
• Techcrunch

Once the user has clicked through all the material, a graphic tells them they are "done".

"It's been very intense because I'm accountable and in charge of this product," Mr D'Aloisio told the BBC.

"So, for the last year-and-a-half I've been flying back and forth between London and California."

Having achieved high enough grades to qualify for his university offers, he now faces a choice as to whether to start a degree in October or not.

"I'm still undecided - I'm weighing up university and Yahoo," he explained.

"But I think there could be a nice middle ground here, where I think I could potentially... be doing some higher study as well as continuing on with Digest.

"I am still very passionate about continuing my education, that's precisely why I made sure I finished school with everyone else in my age group, But at the same time this is a great product and we're working on some really exciting things."

More stories

For the moment, Mr D'Aloisio is promoting the iPad edition of Yahoo's app, which introduces new features.

These include:

• the ability to customise what time of day the updates should be provided
• a new area called sections, covering entertainment, sports, technology, politics, business, domestic news and world news. These contain additional summarised stories that were not picked for the main selection
• on Sundays, a two to three minute video made by US journalist Katie Couric, in which she briefs viewers on a news story, in a segment called "Now I get it"

Yahoo's app competes against a growing number of other news briefing services including Flipboard, Circa and Feedly. Not everyone is enamoured with the idea of such services piggybacking the work of journalists.

"The big question is, are these apps providing added value for readers and publishers, or are they just another parasitical kind of aggregator," asked Dominic Ponsford, editor of the Press Gazette site.

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WATCH: Rory Cellan-Jones met Nick D'Aloisio when the News Digest app first launched in January

"There's so much aggregation going on online - just listing and lifting other people's stories and content isn't what you need."

But Mr D'Aloisio defends News Digest's model, saying it acts as a "trusted curator", providing bite-sized chunks of news to busy readers, and offering links to the original sources for those with more time.

Time is something he is now short of himself, and while he may be famous for being the "teenage coder who made millions", he acknowledges he does not do much programming himself anymore.

"I do dabble in the iPhone coding for the application, but by and large my role has moved from doing a lot of the coding to becoming more of a product manager - so, I'm in charge of the design, the branding, the strategy, the development of it," he said.

"That is by and large what I spend my time on.

"But I have also been helping out with a few other efforts that have yet to be announced."

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ICC set for in-match bowling trials

By Alison Mitchell BBC Sport

Technology to monitor bowling actions could be trialled in a match in 2015, says the International Cricket Council.

A project to develop in-match testing by using sensors attached to the body is in its third and final stage.

The ICC will look to use the current testing standard of the degree of elbow extension, according to general manager of cricket Geoff Allardice.

Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal was suspended earlier this week for an illegal bowling action.

Testing revealed that none of Ajmal's deliveries were legal and, as the leading one-day bowler in the world, he is the most high-profile casualty yet of an ICC crack down on suspect bowling actions.

Sri Lanka's Sachitra Senanayake, West Indies' Shane Shillingford and New Zealand's Kane Williamson have also been suspended in the last 12 months, while Zimbabwe's Prosper Utseya and the Bangladesh pair of Sohag Gazi and Al Amin Hossain have all been reported, pending tests.

"A ball is fairly delivered in respect of the arm if, once the bowler's arm has reached the level of the shoulder in the delivery swing, the elbow joint is not straightened partially or completely from that point until the ball has left the hand. This definition shall not debar a bowler from flexing or rotating the wrist in the delivery swing."
Source: MCC Laws Of Cricket

Bowlers are not allowed to straighten their arm by more than 15 degrees.

Allardice told BBC Sport that testing in a match situation would not happen until mid-2015 at the earliest.

He said: "The first stage of the project was just to determine whether the types of sensors can detect an illegal action, which, after a bit of experimentation and number crunching they decided it could.

"The second stage was to package it in a way that we'd be able to use in a net or training environment with some software. We ran some trials in Dubai in February this year, in conjunction with the Under-19 World Cup, where that stage was completed.

"So we're about to embark on the third stage of the process, and the main process is how do we apply that technology in a match environment."

The main challenge facing the developers is how to attach the sensors to the arm so that the calibration is not affected by a player's movement in the field during the course of play.

There is also the question of how quickly the responses from inertial sensors can or should be obtained, for example after every ball, the end of an over, or at the end of a session.

"The progress with the science is really really encouraging," Allardice added. "But there are some challenges in terms of making it practical."

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Facebook tests vanishing posts

11 September 2014 Last updated at 11:46 By Joe Miller Technology reporter

Facebook is following in the footsteps of messaging app Snapchat by testing a feature that allows users to schedule the automatic deletion of their posts.

The social network said the option, which offers expiration settings ranging from one hour to seven days, was "a small pilot" for its iOS app.

Facebook often tests new capabilities.

It faced criticism in June for one experiment that "manipulated" the content of nearly 700,000 users' news feeds, to gauge emotional responses.

The BBC understands that the expiration option was introduced after Facebook users expressed an interest in automatically deleting posts which are only relevant for a limited amount of time.

Posts for which an expiration time is chosen cannot be subsequently shared by other users.

The option is currently limited to users in New Zealand, where Facebook and other tech companies have tested products and services in the past.

Chasing Snapchat

Snapchat, the popular ephemeral messaging app that Facebook reportedly tried to buy for $3bn (£1.8bn), has mushroomed in the three years since its founding in 2011 - a growth rate that has sent its rivals clamouring for similar success.

Time-limited messaging is increasingly popular among teenagers, the very demographic coveted by many large tech firms.

In June, Facebook unveiled Slingshot, a photo-messaging app in which images received from friends must be unlocked by "slinging" a different photo back to the original sender.

All messages are deleted once sent and users can scribble or type over their photos.

One month later, the Facebook-owned Instagram also revealed an app that allows users to send photos which are deleted after being viewed by the recipient.

Is Facebook allowing you to set an expiration date for your posts? If so, tell us what you think by tweeting @BBCTech

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Facebook sorry for 'gory' baby ad ban

By Amelia Butterly Newsbeat reporter

10 September 2014 Last updated at 13:24

This is Hudson Bond - he is almost two months old and he needs a new heart.

His family, from North Carolina, have been raising funds to help cover medical costs, while he waits for an organ transplant.

Like many charity appeals, this one has been using social media to raise awareness and ask for donations.

Hudson's father, Kevin Bond, says Facebook stopped him boosting an advert appealing for help, because it was too "scary" or "gory".

The picture Kevin had used for his Hudson's Heart appeal showed his son attached to various tubes and medical equipment.

The site has now apologised to the media for its actions. Kevin has told Newsbeat that they have yet to contact him directly.

"The ad was time sensitive. Reversing their decision days later fixes nothing," he says.

"Further, the company still hasn't contacted me directly. Had I not read their half-hearted apology on the media I'd have no idea it existed."

Facebook sent a statement to Newsbeat, saying sorry for stopping the advert from being boosted.

"This was a mistake on our part, and the ad has been re-approved. We apologize for any inconvenience this caused the family," a spokesperson said.

Kevin adds: "I read Facebook's response on media outlets last night. They apologized for the inconvenience this caused my family.

"Inconvenience was never an issue. Having my beautiful son compared to dismembered bodies, vampires, zombies, etc hurt me, and my family."

"In an effort to get the word out about Hudson I occasionally pay a small amount to boost posts here on Hudson's Heart," he posted on the fundraising Facebook page.

"Yesterday Facebook refused my $20 (£12.50) boost."

The statement Facebook sent him read: "Your ad wasn't approved because the image or video thumbnail is scary, gory, or sensational and evokes a negative response.

"Images including accidents, car crashes, dead and dismembered bodies, ghosts, zombies, ghouls, and vampires are not allowed."

Kevin said: "Facebook you should be ashamed of yourself.

"Of all the garbage you endlessly pedal over the Internet, a picture of my son is where you draw the line? Disgusting."

Hudson is currently at Duke Children's Hospital, where a device called a Berlin heart has been fitted. It's helping keep him alive while he waits for a donor organ to become available.

He has been diagnosed as having suffered a myocardial infarction - the medical term for a heart attack - which most likely happened before he was born.

Speaking to ABC11 in the US, Kevin said: "I don't like to think of the odds in a negative way - I think he's going to make it."

Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube

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Apple unveils Watch and new iPhones

9 September 2014 Last updated at 19:44 By Leo Kelion Technology desk editor

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WATCH: Richard Taylor tries out the Apple Watch

Apple has unveiled a smartwatch - the Apple Watch - its first new product line since the first iPad and the death of its co-founder Steve Jobs.

The device runs apps, acts as a health and fitness tracker and communicates with the iPhone.

While rival smartwatches already exist, experts said Apple had a history of entering sectors relatively late and then changing their direction.

Apple also unveiled two new handsets that are larger than previous models.

The iPhone 6's screen measures 4.7in (11.9cm) and the iPhone 6 Plus's 5.5in (14.0cm) - a change that analysts said should help prevent users migrating to Android.

It also announced a new service called Apple Pay, which chief executive Tim Cook said he hoped would "replace the wallet" in shops.

Watch apps

The Apple Watch comes in two sizes and is controlled by what Apple calls a "digital crown" - a dial on its side that allows content on its screen to be magnified or scrolled through, and can also be pressed inwards to act as a home button.

The display is a touchscreen that can detect the difference between a light tap and heavier pressure from the user's fingers. In addition, the device runs Siri - Apple's voice-controlled "personal assistant".

It offers a variety of different watch faces, can alert the user to notifications, act as a heart rate monitor and show maps.

Apple said that apps could be processed on an iPhone, but displayed on the watch in order to extend battery life. It did not say how often the device needed to be recharged.

Although some of these features are available from competing products, one observer said the device had the potential to ignite the wearable tech sector.

"I'm sure that for many people, waiting to see what Apple did was a first step before going out and buy a wearable technology product, whether or not it's an Apple one they get," said Tim Coulling, senior analyst at research firm Canalys.

Motorola's president, Rick Osterloh, told the BBC last week that he welcomed the idea of Apple "growing" the smartwatch market, even though it would compete with his own product, the Moto 360.

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WATCH: Rory Cellan-Jones asks if Apple Watch can convert a sceptical public to wearable technology

Mr Coulling added that other rivals probably felt likewise.

"The buzz that Apple's entry will generate about wearables is unquestionable," he explained.

"It has a huge marketing budget and uses slick advertisers, so its launch will generate interest around the whole product segment."

The watch - which comes in three different editions - relies on its user owning an iPhone 5 or more recent model.

It will cost $349 (£216) - which is more than recently announced Android Wear watches from Motorola, Sony and others - and will not be available until "early 2015".

Bigger phones

While Apple Watch was the most anticipated product, the company's new handsets are likely to be its biggest earners.

Apple saw its global share of smartphone shipments slip from 13% to 11.7% between the second quarters of 2013 and 2014, according to research firm IDC, while Android's share grew.

"The main benefit for Apple in going to a larger size of screen is not so much to woo people over to its devices, but to prevent its customers defecting, particularly to devices such as Samsung's Galaxy Note," said John Delaney, head of IDC's European mobility team.

"But one should bear in mind that Apple's decline is relative - the smartphone market has expanded, and most of the expansion has taken place in the lower price bracket that Apple doesn't address."

Apple had previously justified the 3.5in and 4in screen sizes of its existing iPhones as being suited to one-handed use. In 2010, the company's co-founder Steve Jobs went so far as to say "no-one's going to buy" a phone that they could not get a single hand around.

But one expert said a market had developed for so-called phablets.

"Watching video is definitely something that appeals on a bigger display, as well as gaming. And for business customers, having more space to do emails properly and look at and edit presentations helps," said Carolina Milanesi, chief of research at Kantar Worldpanel ComTech.

SMARTPHONE SALES BETWEEN JANUARY AND JULY 2014:

	UK	US	China
(Source: Kantar)
iOS	29.7%	33.5%	15.3%
Android	58.9%	60.0%	82.4%
Windows Phone	9.4%	4.7%	0.9%
Other	2%	1.8%	1.4%

Apple said that the A8 chip featured in the new phones would provide 25% faster compute performance than before.

The improved resolutions - dubbed "retina HD" - mean that the iPhone 6 offers 326 pixels per inch and the iPhone 6 Plus 401ppi. While better than before, the resolutions are still beaten in terms of raw numbers by Samsung's flagships - the Galaxy S5 and Galaxy Note 4 - and the HTC One.

New sensors include a barometer, which Apple said would help fitness apps distinguish whether the owner was running up a mountain or along a flatter surface.

The M8 co-processor can now estimate distances as well, which should also help provide more accurate readings.

The handsets will be available for sale on 19 September.

Apple Pay

The Apple Pay service depends on an NFC (near field communication) chip featured in both the new phones and watch.

Apple described the service as being "secure" because it worked without Apple needing to store the credit card details itself, or the user having to share their name and card details with the cashier.

iPhone owners will be able to use it by waving their handset above an NFC reader at a shop's till.

Several other firms have tried to pioneer touchless payments, but they have yet to become popular beyond credit and debit cards that include the feature.

"We've been waiting a long time for Apple to get into contactless payments, and its solution is characteristically straightforward for ordinary people," commented Jason Jenkins, director of content at the news site Cnet.

"But with contactless so common in Britain, I have to wonder if Apple has missed the boat here - waving a credit card at a payment reader is hardly a challenge."

Apple's shares spiked higher during the press conference, but ultimately closed 0.4% down on the day.

Analysis : Richard Taylor, North America technology correspondent

The highlight of the event was undoubtedly Apple Watch, where the tech giant's signature hallmarks of elegance and simplicity are in evidence.

It is certainly a bold move to overhaul the user interface and use a "digital crown"; in terms of functionality it appears extremely comprehensive, although at $349 for the basic version - around 30%more than its Android rivals - it needs to be.

The nuances of its fitness tracking capabilities elevate it beyond the competition, though some features like "digital touch" to send bespoke messages and gestures to friends feel a bit gimmicky.

The square design may be a little too futuristic-looking for timepiece traditionalists, although making the watch in two sizes is a smart move which will broaden its appeal to women.

It is little surprise that Apple Watch supports Apple Pay, the new payment mechanism. By taking a cut from real-world and non-Apple online transactions, Apple Pay has the potential to be a hugely powerful revenue generator.

It is undoubtedly convenient - especially when used in conjunction with Apple Watch - but after the recent celebrity photo hacks, confidence in Apple's security is dented - and it will take time before many smaller retailers are on board.

Apple has previously waited for others to pioneer new tech before leapfrogging the competition as the graphic below illustrates:

INTERACTIVE

• ×

  The Alto was one of the first computers to use a mouse, and an early pioneer of the "desktop" concept.

• ×

  Apple's first almost-affordable, mass-market computer was launched with a futuristic ad by Ridley Scott.

• ×

  The Rio had just 32MB of memory – enough to store roughly an hour of music.

• ×

  Apple launched the original iPod with the slogan '1,000 songs in your pocket'.

• ×

  Weighing half a kilogram and featuring a rather crude touchscreen, the Simon was able to send and receive emails, as well as take notes.

• ×

  At the iPhone's launch, Steve Jobs told the audience the device was 'five years ahead of any other mobile phone'.

• ×

  Based upon what used to be known as the 'slate form factor', Fujitsu's tablet PC could be operated with a pen or connected to a keyboard for use at a desk.

• ×

  One million iPads were sold in 28 days after its launch in the US.

• ×

  Developed in partnership with Microsoft and Palm, the Fossil could deliver traffic and weather reports, among other things.

• ×

  The Apple Watch features a health tracker, as well as a new user interface.

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Snapchat ends bitter owner dispute

10 September 2014 Last updated at 11:08

Messaging service Snapchat has ended a bitter dispute over the app's beginnings, in a private settlement.

Frank Reginald Brown, known as Reggie, had said he had come up with the original idea of images and videos that "disappear".

Snapchat's chief executive, Evan Spiegel, initially disputed that involvement but has now acknowledged Mr Brown's role.

Recent investments have valued Snapchat at about $10bn (£6.2bn).

'Vigorously defend'

In December last year, Mr Brown had said he should have ownership rights.

"It's definitely over £1bn we're seeking," his lawyer, Luan Tran, had told Forbes magazine.

Mr Brown had said he had shared his original idea with Mr Spiegel and Snapchat's chief technology officer, Bobby Murphy, when they had all been students at Stanford University.

Continue reading the main story

[We] appreciate his work in getting the application off the ground"

End Quote Evan Spiegel Chief executive, Snapchat

But, he had said, he had been then "excluded from all participation, profit and interest" in the partnership.

'Sexual harassment'

Also in 2013, Mr Spiegel said: "We are aware of the allegations, believe them to be utterly devoid of merit, and will vigorously defend ourselves against this frivolous suit."

And later in the same year, Snapchat filed a restraining order against Mr Brown, alleging he had disclosed confidential information about the company to the media.

But on Wednesday Mr Spiegel said: "We acknowledge Reggie's contribution to the creation of Snapchat and appreciate his work in getting the application off the ground."

He added: "We are pleased that we have been able to resolve this matter in a manner that is satisfactory to Mr Brown and the company."

The terms of the settlement have not been made public - but as the statement made no mention of Mr Brown's alleged ownership, a payment as large as the £1bn his lawyer had said they had been seeking is considered unlikely.

In a separate case also resolved this week, dating service Tinder settled with its former vice-president of marketing, Whitney Wolfe.

Ms Wolfe had accused Tinder's founders of sexual harassment.

The terms of that settlement were also confidential - but Tinder said it contained no admission of guilt.

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Most apps 'failing on privacy'

10 September 2014 Last updated at 13:38 By Dave Lee Technology reporter, BBC News

The vast majority of popular apps are guilty of basic failings over user privacy, a report has warned.

The Global Privacy Enforcement Network (Gpen) looked at 1,211 apps and found 85% were not clearly explaining what data was being collected, and for what reason.

Almost one in three apps were requesting an excessive amount of personal information, the report said.

The UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has backed the findings.

"Today's results show that many app developers are still failing to provide this information in a way that is clear and understandable to the average consumer," said the ICO's group manager for technology, Simon Rice.

"The ICO and the other Gpen members will be writing to those developers where there is clear room for improvement.

"We will also be publishing guidance to explain the steps people can take to help protect their information when using mobile apps."

The ICO has previously published guidance for app developers (PDF).

Privacy International told the BBC that users being left in the dark on data collection was "completely unacceptable".

"Sadly this type of smash and grab is now becoming an industry standard, where apps are taking as much information as possible and hoping users don't notice.

"We deserve to be in control over what information is shared and under what circumstances, no matter the applications we use or size of the screen."

'Not surprising'

The ICO examined 50 of the most popular apps released by UK developers - on the Android and iOS mobile platforms.

Other data watchdogs carried out research in 39 countries, with Gpan collecting the results.

The resulting report suggested:

• 85% of the apps surveyed failed to clearly explain how they were collecting, using and disclosing personal information.
• More than half (59%) of the apps left users struggling to find basic privacy information.
• Almost 1 in 3 apps appeared to request an excessive number of permissions to access additional personal information.
• 43% of the apps failed to tailor privacy communications to the small screen, either by providing information in too small a print, or by hiding the information in lengthy privacy policies that required scrolling or clicking through multiple pages

Dr Steven Murdoch, a researcher at University College London, said the findings on data privacy were "sadly not surprising". He argued that often the use of third-party advertising platforms within apps is particularly troubling.

"Often privacy leaks from mobile apps don't come from the app itself, but from the advertisements which are added," he told the BBC.

"Quite frequently the people who are writing the application don't understand themselves what they advertisement code is doing.

"If you couple it with the fact that the money for these apps are made almost purely through ads - developers don't want to ask too many questions."

Gpan researchers did note some instances of good practice.

Regulators were said to be "impressed" by the use of notifications to warn users when certain instances of data collection - such as location information - were about to take place.

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Microsoft is 'set to buy Minecraft'

10 September 2014 Last updated at 14:02 By Leo Kelion Technology desk editor

The video games studio behind Minecraft is in talks to be taken over by Microsoft, according to reports.

It has been suggested that Mojang might sell for more than $2bn (£1.2bn).

In June, the Swedish studio said it had sold about 54 million copies of its hit world-building game. Since then it has also been released for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, further boosting sales.

Mojang's founder, Markus "Notch" Persson has previously publicly criticised Microsoft.

Ahead of the release of the Windows 8 operating system, he had claimed that the company was "trying to ruin the PC as an open platform" because it had wanted to certify third-party titles before their release.

He had also been a vocal supporter of independent studios, saying in 2012 that: "The more studios that can remove themselves from the publisher system, the more games that will be made out of love rather than for profit."

But, according to Bloomberg news agency, it was Mr Persson who "reached out" to Microsoft a few months ago.

It said that a source suggested that if the deal went through, Mr Persson would help with the transition, but was unlikely to stay on afterwards.

The New York Times also reported that a person briefed on the talks had said that Mr Persson was expected to leave within six months, but added that Mojang was keen to hold on to its younger developers.

A spokesman for Microsoft said: "We don't comment on rumour and speculation."

Mojang also declined to comment. Mr Persson did not respond to the BBC's questions.

Virtual world

Minecraft was first released in 2011, and has since become the third bestselling game of all time and something of a cultural phenomenon.

The Victoria and Albert Museum in London has hosted an evening that explored its design culture, Lego has made spin-off toys, Ordnance Survey has created a version of mainland Great Britain within the game, and Denmark's government has also built a scale model of its country.

The title is set in a virtual world made of cubes of different materials, including dirt, rock and lava. Most of these can be used as building blocks and/or refined into usable raw materials.

Player use the blocks to build a shelter and to create weapons to defend their character against the game's zombies and other monsters.

They can also engage in huge construction projects to flex their creative skills.

One extreme recent example involved the creation of a working virtual hard drive.

Mojang has worked on other titles, but they have either fallen short of Minecraft's success - such as the role-playing game (RPG) Scrolls - or been shelved before completion - such as 0x10c, a space-themed game that Mr Persson had been working on until last year.

'Worried gamers'

The Wall Street Journal was first to report negotiations between Mojang and Microsoft, saying that the deal could be finalised this week.

It noted that this would be the first multibillion acquisition by Microsoft's chief executive, Satya Nadella, since he took charge of the company.

Harry Bradshaw, who has interviewed Mr Persson on the Twitch video site, said that many gamers would be concerned by the news.

"There have been cases in the past of big corporations taking someone else's game and turning it into a huge money-flip, just to see what they can make out of it," he said.

"Gamers will naturally be worried about this.

"And it does confuse me why Mojang would sell up, bearing in mind it is the bestselling PC game of all time and still sells thousands of copies a day."

One market watcher said that it was unlikely that Microsoft would pull existing Minecraft games from sale for the PlayStation, Mac, Android, Linux and other rival platforms.

However, he added that Microsoft's various systems might be given preference when it came to future products.

"Minecraft is one the leading IPs [intellectual properties] within the games space that is potentially acquirable," said Piers Harding-Rolls, lead games analyst at the consultancy IHS.

"The brand has the potential to continue for the next 10 years,

"So, as an investment - even one at a very high price - it still represents something of value to larger companies that are looking to acquire exclusivity around a highly-engaged franchise."

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Google worker lived a year on campus

10 September 2014 Last updated at 18:57 By Leo Kelion Technology desk editor

An ex-Google worker has revealed how he lived at the firm's campus in Mountain View, California, for 54 weeks between 2005 and 2006, kicking off a trend.

Matthew Weaver told the BBC that he had been dared to spend a year based out of a campervan parked on one of the company's lots.

He added that while he believed he was the first to do so, several others later followed his lead.

Google and other major tech firms are renowned for the perks they give staff.

"They had three meals a day at the cafeteria and there were showers at the gym that were also on campus, so I would shower at the gym, eat at the office," Mr Weaver recalled.

"There was a free laundromat on campus, so I could wash my clothes.

"There were all sorts of rooms with pianos and foosball tables [table football], and all these kinds of things, so I had plenty to do when I was taking a break from work.

"And we had places in the parking structure where I could work on and maintain my bicycle."

Security approved

The former Google staff site ecologist explained that rather than try to hide his presence, he placed a white picket fence and astroturf in front of his vehicle for a time.

"Security didn't mind," he added. "This was all the way back in 2005 and Google was a much smaller company then. A little bit more closely knit.

"Once security figured out it was me, they knew who I was, and they basically kept an eye on the place for me.

"I'm pretty sure I was the first. Towards the end of those 54 weeks and the two or three years that followed people would come and ask me questions.

"They would be like, 'I'm thinking about living on campus, do you have any advice?'"

He added that he had been comfortable with the lifestyle, but eventually moved out because it had become "a bit weird" to explain it to women he was dating.

Mr Weaver's unusual residency came to prominence after he wrote about his time at the firm on a forum on discussion site Quora.

Snack stations

Another ex-worker at the search giant also posted about living on campus for what was a briefer but more recent stay, and also agreed to speak to the BBC.

Brandon Oxendine - who helped design the way Google Profiles work - said that when he lived on site between June and September 2012, he had to do surreptitiously.

"A friend who had been at Google for five or six years told me there's actually a thing in the Google handbook that says you're not allowed to be on campus for more than 72 hours, or something like that," he said.

Mr Oxendine slept on a twin mattress kept in a station wagon parked in the garage below the building he worked in.

"I had told everyone I had moved into San Francisco, but I was always coming up in the same outfit from the parking garage," he recalls.

Like his predecessor, he said that there was never a need to go hungry.

"I think there's some sort of policy that Google has that no employee can be too far from a snack station.

"I worked a tonne, so I didn't really get bored... I loved it. I'd like to do it again."

Sleeping pods

But the person who may hold the record for the longest stint living at work is Ben Discoe, who was based in a van parked on campus for just over 60 weeks across much of 2011 and 2012.

"I did cheat slightly," he acknowledged. "I got a girlfriend who had an apartment in Mountain View, so I'd go there sometimes."

He recalled that by the time he joined the firm, an internal wiki website called Living At Google had been created by another employee.

"He enumerated the many perks they give you - free access to washing machines and this and that," he told the BBC.

"The only thing they don't give you was shampoo. He said, 'Maybe they'll give you shampoo if the stock price hits $300.' And then that was crossed out and it said, '$400', and that was crossed out and it said, '$500'."

"I believe it's the equivalent of about $1,200 now, and there's still no shampoo."

Mr Discoe added that Google had provided its own rest facilities for workers, but they had proved impractical for deep sleep.

"I did not care for the sleeping pods. They were are much hyped... but I found they were just as noisy as trying to sleep at your desk.

"And they were kind of mocked."

Google declined to comment.

The BBC understands that the company does not encourage living at work, but it is not something it actively polices against.

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Google buys hi-tech spoon firm

11 September 2014 Last updated at 13:06

Google has bought a biotech company that has developed a spoon designed to make life easier for people with diseases such as Parkinson's.

It is part of its ambitious foray into health technology, spurred in part by the personal interest of co-founder Sergey Brin.

Last year, Google became the main investor in Calico, a firm dedicated to developing medicines to extend life.

Latest acquisition Lift Labs will join Google's research division Google X.

The spoon developed by Lift Labs is equipped with sensors that detect tremors and cancels them out by as much as 70%, according to the firm.

The technology it uses is similar to image stabilisation features in cameras that compensate for shaky hands when taking a photo.

The firms announced the deal on the search giant's social network Google+ but did not reveal the financial terms.

"Today we're welcoming the Lift Labs team into Google X. Their tremor-cancelling device could improve quality of life for millions of people," said Google.

For its part, Lift Labs wrote: "Google will enable us to reach even more people living with Parkinson's or essential tremor who could benefit from using tremor-cancelling devices every day."

Google is gradually increasing its health portfolio. In January it unveiled its smart contact lenses that measure glucose levels in tears to help monitor people with conditions such as diabetes.

And in July it announced an ambitious science project - Basline Study - to collect anonymous genetic and molecular information to create a picture of what a healthy human should be like.

For co-founder Sergey Brin the move into healthcare is a personal one. His mother developed Parkinson's and, after gene testing, he found that he has a higher than average chance of getting the disease.

Meanwhile his fellow co-founder Larry Page, who suffers from a rare vocal cords problem, is interested in how big data can help solve some of the world's most problematic diseases. He has made public his hope that people would overcome privacy fears to make their medical records available to researchers.

Google's semi-secret research facility Google X was set up to work on cutting-edge technology. Other projects include Google's driverless car, balloons to deliver broadband and Google Glass.

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