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Shareholders sue Alphabet board for executive payouts despite sexual harassment claims

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Last October, an investigative report detailed how Google shielded top executives like Andy Rubin following accusations of sexual misconduct. Instead of being explicitly fired, their departures included massive compensation packages. Alphabet shareholders today filed suit against the board of directors claiming “breaches of fiduciary duties.”


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Googlers plan ‘women’s walk’ to protest handling of Andy Rubin, other misconduct departures

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Last week, details emerged of how Google shielded Andy Rubin and other prominent executives accused of sexual misconduct. CEO Sundar Pichai and co-founder Larry Page have since responded internally, but Googlers are planning to further voice their discontent at the golden parachutes often given to these ex-Googlers with a women’s walk.


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Essential fires 30% of employees, focussing on ‘game changing consumer product’

The Essential Phone found success only after various fire sales and price cuts that made the device a true bargain. It comes as the company reportedly canceled development of its second phone in May and paused its smart home product. A new report today reveals that the Andy Rubin company is cutting 30% of its staff.


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Essential cancels development on second phone, company potentially up for sale [Update]

Essential, a company created by the co-founder of Android, Andy Rubin, wanted to create not only a phone but also an ecosystem that would best any smartphone manufacturer out there. Unfortunately, likely due to poor sales, a report has emerged that states the second-generation Essential Phone has been canceled and the company might be up for sale.


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Andy Rubin reportedly had an ‘inappropriate relationship’ at Google, is temporarily stepping away from Essential

Andy Rubin, most notably known for being the co-creator of Android, made headlines back in 2013 when he left the mobile OS project as well as when he left Google entirely in 2014. While most have believed he left to start other ventures such as Essential, according to a report from The Information, Rubin departed from the search giant shortly after an internal investigation found evidence of him maintaining an “inappropriate relationship” with a female employee who worked for him…


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Andy Rubin AMA: Oreo coming soon as more features planned for Essential Phone, updates on Europe, Verizon, accessories

Earlier today, Andy Rubin and several executives from Essential hosted an AMA on Reddit to primarily discuss the Essential Phone. Notable highlights from the session include when the Android Oreo update is coming, as well as when the phone will be supported on Verizon, as well as European availability.


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Andy Rubin on AmbientOS, future Essential products and AR [Interview]

This past Wednesday at WIRED’s Business Conference, Andy Rubin took the stage to share more about his new company, Essential. Having begun teasing various products over the previous months, we were eager to hear more.

After his on-stage appearance, 9to5Google got time to sit down with Rubin. We discussed how AmbientOS plans to play well with others, what his vision for the company is, and consumer walled-gardens.


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Our first full look at Andy Rubin’s Essential Phone: $700, near bezel-free, titanium & ceramic, magnetic accessory dock [Gallery]

It’s just over two months since we got our first peek at the Essential Phone – a new smartphone from father-of-Android Andy Rubin – and we how have our first full look at the device and its specs.

Despite the name sounding like something basic, it’s a flagship device, priced at $699, having a near-bezel-free design, constructed from titanium and ceramic materials, and with an impressive spec …


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Andy Rubin gives us our first peek at Essential’s bezel-less smartphone [Updated]

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Update: Eric Schmidt confirms that the Essential phone runs Android.

A report from January told us that the father-of-Android Andy Rubin’s hardware startup “Essential” has been working on a bezel-less smartphone for its first consumer product launch. Today, Rubin took to Twitter to provide our very first look at (just a tiny corner of) the forthcoming phone.


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Alphabet selling Boston Dynamics due to lack of ‘marketable product’ in the next few years

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Before former Android head Andy Rubin left Google, he headed up Google’s robotics efforts. In 2013, Google acquired numerous companies and added 300 robotics engineers. The crown jewel was Boston Dynamics, already known for their animal- and human-like robots. However, Bloomberg is now reporting that Alphabet is selling Boston Dynamics.


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Android co-founder Andy Rubin talks new company’s open AI platform, free dashcam

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Wired has an excellent profile on Andy Rubin and his latest ventures post-Google. As creator of the original Android operating system that Google would eventually acquire and later a long-time Google employee on various Internet efforts at the company, a lot of people are waiting to see what Rubin does next since leaving Google over a year ago. 

In 2013, Rubin discussed his restlessness with Larry Page, and—as Rubin recounts it—the two men agreed it was time for a change. That March, Rubin stepped down from Android… For a year, Rubin spun up Google’s new robotics division, but he quickly realized that Google’s goals, which reportedly involve creating humanoid assistants, would take a decade of basic research.

We already knew that Rubin’s new company, Playground Global, would provide support and hands-on engineering assistance to hardware tech startups it’s investing in, but Rubin elaborated on the company’s plans, including describing what he hopes will eventually become an open platform for all companies building AI into their products:


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Android father Andy Rubin says AI is the next computing platform, but it’s at least 10-20 years away

Video | Technology | Re:code 2015-10-08 10-52-14

Largely heralded as the creator of Android (and as of last year, no longer at Google), Andy Rubin yesterday took to the hotseat at the Code/Mobile conference to talk the future of computing. Now founder and CEO of tech startup incubator Playground Global, his job is to know what’s coming in tech “after mobile” — and he had some very insightful comments indeed…
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Android co-founder Andy Rubin announces Playground Global, a tech hardware incubator

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It was announced last year that Android co-founder Andy Rubin was leaving Google to pursue his interest in starting an incubator for startups interested in building technology hardware products. The Wall Street Journal reports today that Rubin is launching a tech incubator called Playground Global LLC. Rubin’s company hopes to provide support and advice to tech startups in search of a helping hand.


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Android co-founder Andy Rubin is leaving Google, robotics division now under new leadership

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Android co-founder Andy Rubin is leaving Google, according to the Wall Street Journal. Rubin joined Google when the company bought Android and most recently headed up the new robotics division. That division will reportedly remain intact under the leadership of James Kuffner, who is currently a member of that team.

The change was confirmed by CEO Larry Page. The Wall Street Journal reports that Rubin is planning to launch an incubator for startups that focus on creating high-tech hardware.


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Is Android the real target of latest Apple vs Samsung patent battle that starts today?

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Photo: Reuters

Photo: Reuters

Pieces in the NY Times and the WSJ suggest that the real target of Apple’s second courtroom patent battle with Samsung may be Android.

Some features in Samsung devices that Apple objects to are part of Google’s Android operating system, by far the most popular mobile operating system worldwide, running on more than a billion devices made by many manufacturers. That means that if Apple wins, Google could have to make changes to critical Android features, and Samsung and other Android phone makers might have to modify the software on their phones …


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Future iPhones could be built by Google robots on Foxconn production lines

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In what would be a rather amusing twist, future iPhones could be built by Google robots as Google’s robotics division assists Foxconn to “speed up robot deployment” at its factories.

The WSJ reports that Foxconn was looking for assistance in automating its production lines, while Google is aiming to introduce robots to manufacturing processes that have so far been largely manual – electronics assembly being a key example. It takes around 600 people to make each iPhone.

Foxconn has been working with former Android executive Andy Rubin since last year to carry out the U.S. company’s vision for robotics.

To speed up robot deployment at its own factories, Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou met with Rubin in Taipei recently and they discussed new robotic technologies, they said.

At the meeting, Gou expressed excitement over new automation technologies demonstrated by Rubin, they said. Rubin also asked Gou to help integrate a technology company that Google is acquiring as Foxconn’s strength lies in mechanical engineering.

Google has acquired eight robotics companies over the course of the past year, and is believed to have ambitions to create a robotic operating system that would be to manufacturing what Android is to smartphones. Foxconn is looking to reduce operating costs and boost efficiency.

“Foxconn needs Google’s help to step up automation at its factories as the company has the lowest sales per employee among the contract makers, given its large workforce,” said Wanli Wang, an analyst at CIMB Securities.