Alphabet, the search outfit formally known as Google, as placed part of its robotics division, up for sale.

Unlocked phones with free shipping, while supplies last

This week, Internet retail giant B&H Photo Video is offering promotional codes on Google’s 2015 flagship smartphones, the LG-branded Google Nexus 5X and the Huawei-branded Huawei-branded Google Nexus 6P, while supplies last. Thanks to a special limited-time sale on twelve different varieties of the devices, customers can now order the Nexus 5X for as low as $299 with free shipping, while the Nexus 6P can be ordered for as low as $399 with free shipping.

Three years

HTC has scored a deal to exclusively manufacture Nexus devices for the next three years.

Geolocation fences will be deployed to avert unwanted local searchers

In 2014, the European Union’s highest court, the European Court of Justice (ECJ), ruled that Internet search engines like Google must be required to erase all webpage links to an individual’s search results in which personally identifiable information is deemed “inadequate” or “irrelevant” to a larger context of search inquiry. At first, the court order was only applicable to Google’s European Union-based search sites (see: Google.co.uk, Google.fr and Google.de, etc).

Unless it surrenders at the last minute

The French government has sent Google a bill for back taxes of 1.6 billion euros.

More virtual vapourware expected

Google is researching into a more virtual realtiy technology which will probably just end up in the beta stage before the search engine gives up on the whole project.

Don't get your hopes up

Google is set to announce that it is working with Qualcomm to design servers based on ARM processors, in a move which could give the British chip designer some street cred in the data centre market.

Times are a changing in the Tame Apple Press 

It seems that key members of the Tame Apple Press are starting to have epiphanies lately about how bad Apple really is and are starting to turn on the cult for failing to meet their expectations and spin.

New job postings suggest keen interest

It was made clear earlier this month at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas that 2016 would be the year that virtual reality (VR) finally becomes available in consumer formats to initial enthusiast public audiences. Some of the major competitors we’ve seen in this space so far include Facebook-owned Oculus with its Rift headset, Sony’s PlayStation VR headset and HTC’s Vive Pre headset, which we explored here.

A much needed interface for virtual environments

Recently, a New York-based startup has emerged from the shadows and promises to give virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) users a much more natural alternative controller interface for their new headset toys than the proprietary ones emerging with each new device.