Gaza
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Google explains why Palestine isn't labeled in Maps
Services like Google Maps have not just functional but symbolic importance, as a bug on a map of Israel has proved. A Gaza City journalism group spotted a change in the way Google represented Palestine on a map of Israel, causing outrage on both mainstream and social media in the Middle East. "[Our group] condemns the crime carried out by Google in deleting the name of Palestine, and calls for Google to rescind its decision and apologize to the Palestinian people," the Forum of Palestinian Journalists said in a statement.
Recommended Reading: Apple's Jony Ive talks design and the timepiece
Recommended Reading highlights the best long-form writing on technology and more in print and on the web. Some weeks, you'll also find short reviews of books that we think are worth your time. We hope you enjoy the read. A Rare Look at Design Genius Jony Ive: The Man Behind the Apple Watch by Robert Sullivan, Vogue The man behind much of Apple's design doesn't often open up for interviews, but following Cupertino's Watch reveal, much of the focus has been on the fashion-minded. That said, Jony Ive offered Vogue a bit more on the upcoming wrist-worn device and his aesthetic mindset as a whole -- right down to things like the sound a watch band makes as it closes.
The Big Picture: Gaza conflict as seen from space
Earth's view from the International Space Station always makes for interesting imagery, and the latest to come from up there is no exception. Recently shared by European Space Agency astronaut Alexander Gerst, a telling picture shows what Gaza and Israel looked like as the ISS traveled over the troubled region. Gerst wrote in a blog post that, although he could see "explosions occur several times" while this was being snapped, the photo doesn't actually depict any blasts. Originally, previous reports suggested it did, but as PetaPixel pointed out, something like that would be extremely difficult "to capture effectively from space." Either way, Gerst described it as his "saddest photo yet."
Google pulls Gaza-themed Android app from Play Store following outcry
Google regularly screens Android apps in the Play Store, but it's usually focused on blocking malware and scams rather than the substance of the apps themselves. Today, though, it took the rare step of policing content by removing Bomb Gaza, a game that made light of the current conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. A spokesman would only tell Reuters that it pulls apps which "violate [the company's] policies," but the forced exit came not long after outrage from Play Store users who felt that the game trivialized very real casualties. Most likely, Google took the title down due to terms of service that forbid hate speech and abusive material; users can flag apps they find offensive, so it wouldn't have taken much to prompt action. While the move isn't completely surprising as a result, it's a reminder that Google will clamp down when software is virtually tailor-made for antagonizing entire cultures.
'Bomb Gaza' among controversial games found on Google Play store
The Google Play store is under criticism for recently hosting multiple games centered around the Israel-Gaza war. Apps such as Bomb Gaza and Gaza Assault: Code Red recently appeared on the Android marketplace before eventually being removed today. A cached version of Gaza Assault's store listing said players could "take control of an Israeli UAV equipped with powerful weapons in an attempt to secure the region" in the game, which was added to the store on July 21. Likewise, a cached page for Bomb Gaza noted that players in the game "drop bombs and avoid killing civilians." It was added to Google Play on July 29 by PlayFTW, a developer with two other apps on the market, Piano and Space War: New Era.
