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9to5Google: Fiber in KC, Talk outage, handwriting search, 3D maps, and more

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There is a lot of interesting Google news that occurred today—most, of which, has Apple-related ties– and is covered on our sister site 9to5Google.com. [feed] [Twitter]

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Check out the top stories below.

1. Google rolled out a handwriting ability feature for mobile devices, including the iPhone and iPad, today. Google warned it is still in beta, but the feature works on most smartphones and tablets. It essentially allows users to search handwritten queries with just a finger.

Read more: Google search on mobile devices adds handwriting option

2. The Google Earth iOS app updated today, as 9to5Mac previously detailed. Version 7.0.0 boasts 3D imagery and a Tour Guide feature, but, just like iOS 6 Maps, the 3D tech is only compatible with recent hardware like the iPhone 4S and the second- and third-generation iPads.

Read more: Google beats Apple to the punch with 3D update to iOS Google Earth app today

3. Google Talk suffered service interruptions throughout this morning. The outages, which extended to the iOS Google Talk counterpart, affected a majority of the service’s users who saw error messages and “unexpected behavior.” The problem was resolved within a few hours, however.

Read more: Google Talk is down for most users (updated – back up)

4. Google went on stage in Kansas to launch its Gigabit Google Fiber Internet and TV service this afternoon. The company spent a lot of time demoing the “100 times faster” Internet service, but the majority of the demo was for the new Fiber TV service. While this news is not directly related to Apple, Fiber TV is obviously a direct rival to the Apple TV. The service will give access to YouTube, DVR, on-demand libraries, and Netflix. The full list of channels is available at Google Fiber’s Plans & Pricing page.

Read more: Google unveils Gigabit Google Fiber Internet and TV service starting at $120/month [Gallery]

5. Juniper Research claimed today that Samsung shipped over 52 million smartphones in Q2 2012, where as Apple only shipped 26 million iPhones during the same quarter. Juniper Research attributed the success of the Galaxy line to attractive price points and larger screen sizes. It also noted the iPhone needs another feature akin to Siri’s magnitude to stay ahead of the game.

Read more: Samsung says removal of Google’s universal search on UK Galaxy S III was ‘inadvertent’

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