Hashtag Trending – Google releases ‘Speed Update’; Amazon opens Ottawa fulfillment centre; Musk’s ‘impractical’ contribution to the Thai soccer team rescue

A new update incorporates loading speed into Google’s search rankings. Amazon’s planning a new Ottawa fulfillment centre that it says will create 600 jobs. And we tell you why Elon Musk ultimately didn’t contribute to this week’s dramatic rescue of a trapped soccer team.

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First, trending on – where else? – Google, the tech giant has officially released what it calls the “Speed Update” for its flagship search engine. Aimed at mobile users, the update incorporates loading speed into the algorithm that determines the order sites appear in when you type in a search. According to Google, the update will only affect a small percentage of queries, and since the query itself is still paramount, a slow page can still rank highly if it has especially high-quality, relevant content.

Next, trending on Twitter: Amazon has announced plans to open a fulfilment centre in Ottawa that will create 600 full-time jobs. The facility, which will span around 93,000 square metres, will be the company’s eighth warehouse in Canada, joining others in Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta. In a statement given to the Canadian Press, Amazon’s director of Canadian operations called Ontario “a great place for Amazon to do business.” The company presently employs 6000 workers across Canada, including 2000 in Ontario.

Finally, if you turned on the news yesterday chances are you learned that all 12 members of a Thai boys soccer team, along with their coach, were successfully rescued after more than two weeks trapped in a cave. And if you follow the tech industry you know that Tesla founder Elon Musk volunteered to help them. Did he? Reddit has the answer. And it’s no.

Turns out Musk flew to the rescue site in the Thai city of Chiang Rai on Monday night with a child-sized submarine that rescuers deemed impractical. A source quoted by Thai news website Khaosod English said that while Musk’s efforts and advice were appreciated, the sub could not have been used to actually enter the cave.

According to Musk’s Twitter feed, he left the sub behind for potential use in future operations.

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Jim Love, Chief Content Officer, IT World Canada

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Eric Emin Wood
Eric Emin Wood
Former IT World Canada associate editor turned consultant with public relations firm Porter Novelli. When not writing for the tech industry enjoys photography, movies, travelling, the Oxford comma, and will talk your ear off about animation if you give him an opening.

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