Google's week: Android malware, driverless car crash, and VR rumours

Company also introduced machine leaning software language called Parsey McParseface

Google kept itself busy over the past seven days by adding features to its Translate app, introducing a new machine learning language and potentially preparing for the release of a new virtual reality (VR) headset.

However, the company also had to deal with a crash involving one of its driverless cars and the discovery of yet another Android malware threat.

Google adds streamlined features to Translate app for Android and iOS

Google tweaked its Translate app to include several new features that make translation a more streamlined process for users of Android and iOS devices.

The new features include an offline mode for the Translate app on iOS, Chinese language symbol translation for the app's Word Lens feature, and the ability to carry out translations directly within third-party apps.

Google expected to unveil Android VR headset at I/O conference

Google is expected to unveil an Android-based VR headset at the Google I/O conference next week.

The firm currently focuses on pushing the cheap and cheerful Cardboard VR headset, so the move would mark a step up in the firm's VR ambitions.

Google driverless car in another accident but other driver to blame

One of Google driverless cars suffered a crash, but the accident was blamed on a human driving the other vehicle involved.

The crash occurred on 28 April in Sacramento, California, and was caused when Google's autonomous car, in this case a Toyota Prius, was hit in the rear by a human driven car.

Viking Horde malware plunders Android devices via Google Play downloads

A malware threat to Google's Android software has potentially infected hundreds of thousands of Android devices by masquerading as popular apps in Google Play.

The Viking Horde malware was found by Check Point and reported to Google on 5 May. The malware is viewed as particularly dangerous because it can target rooted and non-rooted devices.

Google intros natural language tool called Parsey McParseface

V3 sister site The INQUIRER reported that Google has introduced a natural language tool called Parsey McParseface.

"Parsey McParseface is built on powerful machine learning algorithms that learn to analyse the linguistic structure of language, and that can explain the functional role of each word in a given sentence," said Slav Petrov, Google's senior staff research scientist.