The acquisition was reportedly completed about two months ago, but both sides decided to announce it to the public just now. Some of Alter’s top executives changed their LinkedIn bios a few months ago and announced that they had joined Google without giving any clue about the acquisition of the company by Google. The deal is made at $100 million, but a Google spokesperson refused to disclose the financial terms....

Now, the Advanced Web Apps in question aren’t explicitly tied into previous efforts from the company on PWAs. Progressive web apps are essentially websites that function like apps. They also work both online and off, to a large extent. The Advanced Web Apps Fund does seem to push things further in that direction, regardless. Namely, in terms of Google’s bid to help sponsor web projects that have an “app-like interface” and “significant client-side functionality....

The all-hands meeting between Alphabet employees and top executives was held last Wednesday. Based on the attendees and related internal documentation viewed by CNBC, Pichai tried to address employees’ concerns over layoffs. He also asked them to give their input. Pichai addressed the company’s productivity situation, saying, “Google’s productivity as a company isn’t where it needs to be even with the head count it has”. Google currently has over 170,000 full-time employees....

Google however is not using Qualcomm chips in its two upcoming devices. Instead, both phones are powered by the company’s in-house computing hardware. Tensor. While this timing doesn’t really extend to all Android phones, it does at least a couple of things. One, it means Google has what could be considered a pretty big advantage over other devices on the Android platform. And two, it could force things to change for the ecosystem....

For professional grocers, their daily work environment is challenging at best, and often traumatic. There’s the physical stress of manual labor: stocking, shelving, cleaning, ringing up groceries, and moving eight hours a day, five days a week, week after week after week. Then there are the emotional burdens: the racism in the parking lot, the sexism in the aisles, the homophobia at the register, eight hours a day, five days a week, week after week after week: a work environment that fosters constant employee turnover....