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Insights from Googlers into our products, technology, and the Google culture
Meet Google Duo, a simple 1-to-1 video calling app for everyone
August 15, 2016
Video calling is the next best thing to being with someone in person, but too often it can be a frustrating or complicated experience. You shouldn’t have to worry about whether your call will connect, or if your friend is using the same type of device as you are. It’s no wonder that nearly half of us never make video calls on mobile*.
Today, we’re releasing
Google Duo
— a simple 1-to-1 video calling app available for Android and iOS. Duo takes the complexity out of video calling, so that you can be together in the moment wherever you are.
Google Duo works across Android and iOS — all you need is a phone number
Simple interface
Duo is simple from start to finish. To get started, all you need is your phone number and you’ll be able to reach people in your phone’s contacts list. No separate account is required, so you can sign up in just a few steps. From there, you can instantly begin a video call with a single tap.
Fast and reliable
We all know how it feels when a call fails to connect or when video gets choppy. We’ve built Duo to be fast and reliable, so that video calls connect quickly and work well even on slower networks. Call quality adjusts to changing network conditions to keep you connected — when bandwidth is limited, Duo will gracefully reduce the resolution to keep the call going smoothly. For video calls on the go, Duo will switch between Wi-Fi and cellular data automatically without dropping your call. You can start your call at home, and continue seamlessly even when you head out the door.
Human design
We designed Duo to feel warm and inviting, focused on just you and the person you’re calling. To make calls feel more like an invitation rather than an interruption, we created a feature in Duo called
Knock Knock
which lets you see live video of your caller before you answer, giving you a sense of what they’re up to and why they want to chat. Knock Knock makes video calling more spontaneous and welcoming, helping you connect with the person before you even pick up.
Knock Knock in Duo lets you see who’s calling before you pick up
Finally, we built Duo with an emphasis on privacy and security, and all Duo calls are end-to-end encrypted.
Give your friends a wave with Duo! We’re beginning to roll out Duo for
Android
and
iOS
today, and it will be live worldwide in the next few days.
Posted by Justin Uberti, Principal Software Engineer
*Google YouGov Survey, July 2016, U.S., Among 18+ online population, n=1,058
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Justin Uberti
Principal Software Engineer
Google
Dive (or run, swim, vault…) into the Olympics with Google Trends
August 9, 2016
This year's Olympics in Rio brings together 10,500 athletes from 200+ countries to participate in 306 events, from archery to wrestling. To help you get even more out of the Games, we've created a Google Trends Olympic Hub where you can find fun facts, data insights, feature pages on sports and athletes, and more.
Olympics Trends Hub
Throughout the next few weeks, Google Trends will give you a unique view into the games with a new
Trends Hub just for the Olympics
. There, you’ll be able to see which athletes, events and moments are captivating audiences—and searches—worldwide. For example, which country is searching for beach volleyball the most? Landlocked Switzerland. And the title of most searched grandmother in the world goes to British swimmer Adam Peaty's nan.
Here’s some of what you can expect from Trends over the next few weeks:
Search insights revealing what the world is wondering about the events—from fencing to synchronized swimming (and every moment in between!)
Data interactives like our alternative medal table and top searched sports per country
Trending sports and athletes lists, showing what’s of interest at any given moment
Explore Trends in a new way
As you explore the site, you may notice something else—a new
Google Trends Explore page
. With a fresh design and features like a color-coded map, you can analyze search data in new ways. For example, you can compare interest in previous Olympic Games over the years:
Every four years, the Olympics captivate the world’s attention. We’re excited to be able to help fans get even more out of the Games with insights from Search.
Posted by Lisa Creed, Product Manager
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Lisa Creed
Product Manager
Go bananas for the 2016 Doodle Fruit Games
August 4, 2016
The summer just got sweeter. Today marks the season opener of the
2016 Doodle Fruit Games
. For the next couple of weeks in the latest Google app for
Android
and
iOS
, journey to an otherwise unassuming fruit stand in Rio, where produce from all over the market are ripe to compete for the title of freshest fruit.
The name of today’s featured game is to see who’s the fastest fruit on the track in this berry special race. Don’t be MELONcholy if your sprint turns into more of a smoothie.
If you like the taste of that, be sure to weave your way through
t
he ice cooler to see if you’re the chillest lemon around. Remember: No one likes sour losers!
We hope you find these fruits as apPEELing as we do. And don’t forget to share your cherry impressive results with friends to see who claims the top seed. These two games are just a taste of what's in store, so come back to the Google app throughout the week to catch the featured game of the day.
Posted by Matt Cruickshank, Google Doodler
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xausnUUeFZw/V6OLFnHPhAI/AAAAAAAASwg/7tqruAhwtdsVJhjIBFTqutNRgoYctAH9gCLcB/s1600/peach_autograph.gif
Matt Cruickshank
Google Doodler
Google
Let Google be your guide to Rio de Janeiro
August 1, 2016
The modern Olympic Games have been a defining moment for athletes and fans alike dating back to 1896. Next week, the 2016 cauldron will be lit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where thousands of athletes will come together to represent the strength and pride of their home countries with the world as their audience.
In celebration of the next chapter in Olympics history, we’re bringing the best our products have to offer to help people around the world stay up-to-date with the Olympic Games Rio 2016:
Discover the event schedule, medal counts, and athlete information in Search
Get results and view TV schedules in 30+ countries
Watch official broadcasters’ event highlights on YouTube in 60+ countries
Explore Rio and venues in Google Maps
Keep up to date with the latest search Trends from around the world
On Google,
searching for information
about your favorite athletes and sports, the medal race, or your country’s schedule has never been easier. Pro tip: if you search on the Google app on Android and iOS, you’ll also see an option to get automatic updates on top event and medal wins, so you’ll never miss a beat.
To give you a glimpse into the Games, watch official broadcasters’ video highlights on YouTube in more than 60 countries around the world. And as an added bonus, YouTube is sending 15 top creators to Rio, giving you a taste of what it’s like to be there with
mobile live streaming
.
With Street View in Google Maps, everyone can enjoy
the magic of Rio de Janeiro
. Even if you’re a world away, preview the places where the world's most talented athletes will make history and explore the breathtaking beauty of Brazil.
Google Trekker operator captures 360-degree imagery from inside Rio’s Olympic Park
Great triumphs, victories and stunning surprises await us all this summer. This is just a hint of what’s to come—we hope you’ll let Google be your guide.
Posted by Jonathan Livni, Product Manager
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/76qfDkapREe1f6uKxqP8OD2FWwLPpbs7U_sojTc9-VgzDlMoy99BQSVkkGltjrWdERaLjSB-0ZfVjXPkBO8uQJkLeRfLYBmlY1p_zsHpYRZkJfkizjOO87hC-Zpbc_JM0iZgTsLo
Jonathan Livni
Product Manager
Explore Rio from every angle
July 29, 2016
With its beautiful beaches and breathtaking landscape, Rio de Janeiro is a city that appears on every traveler's bucket list. Now, thanks to the wonders of technology, you can now explore the "Marvelous City" and its rich cultural heritage even if you can't make the trip. We partnered with eight of Rio's top cultural institutions to create an
interactive online collection
of some of the city’s most famous art exhibits and landmarks, including some inspiring real-life stories from the city's favelas, all available on
Google Arts & Culture
. Bem-vindos ao Rio!
Arts, monuments and more
The collection includes 360° panoramas with Street View technology, some 3,000 images from photo archives and art exhibits, virtual reality tours with Google Cardboard and videos showcasing a new generation of Cariocas making their mark in the city's cultural landscape. From iconic
monuments
and
spectacular views
, to the history of
Guanabara Bay
and the
majestic Theatro Municipal
, these online exhibits capture Rio from every angle.
Take an interactive tour of Rio's best-known monument—the
Christ the Redeemer
statue perched atop Corcovado mountain—or explore its storied musical history through
album covers designed by Elifas Andreato
.
Left:
Bronze statue of Carlos Drummond de Andrade
Right:
Exploring Elifas' album covers through time
You can also go back in time by taking a peek at
one of the richest collections of archival photographs of Rio
, or tag along on a guided tour of the works of Rio-based artist and author
Ziraldo
, whose comics and children's books have marked the lives of generations of Brazilians.
Take a virtual reality tour with Cardboard
Mapping the whole city
A huge part of Rio’s history and culture resides in the hillside favelas that dot the landscape. In fact, one in five Rio residents live in favelas, but only 0.001 percent of the city's favelas appear on the map. That means 1.4 million people have no addresses to list on job applications or bank accounts, and aren’t able to access many economic opportunities, essential services, even basic rights as citizens. So we teamed up with local NGO Grupo Cultural AfroReggae to map the favelas. Two years later, streets and 10,000+ local businesses in 26 favelas now appear on Google Maps, thanks to "
Tá no Mapa
," our "
On the Map
" project.
The Rocinha favela before and after our mapping project
Beyond the Map
Along the way, we met some amazing people with remarkable stories, so we decided it was time to go "
Beyond the Map
" and shine a spotlight on an often overlooked side of Rio. With AfroReggae's help, we brought Street View and 360° technology to favelas for the first time, creating an immersive experience that lets you go beyond GPS coordinates and get to know the people and culture of communities that many people otherwise wouldn't get the chance to visit. You can even experience what it feels like to zip through the narrow streets of a favela on a motorcycle taxi!
This new online collection opens its virtual doors today at
g.co/riodejaneiro
on Google Arts & Culture. It is available on the web on mobile, tablet and desktop, and on the Google Arts & Culture app on
iOS
and
Android
devices. The Beyond the Map project can also be viewed at
g.co/beyondthemap
.
With the world’s eyes on Rio, we’re excited to give you a glimpse of all the splendor and creativity the city has to offer!
Posted by Alessandro Germano, Global Product Partnerships
Alessandro Germano
Global Product Partnerships
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Update
Aug 1:
Added information about the "Beyond the Map" experience.
Google Play Family Library: Share what you love with the ones you love
July 27, 2016
Friday night is movie night at our home, and my wife and I look forward to our weekly ritual of putting the kids to bed, getting some takeout, and catching up on our movie wishlist. Whether it’s making the BLUE STEEL face from
Zoolander
, swapping tips on playing
Monument Valley
, or reading
Dragons Love Tacos
to the kids at bedtime, these shared moments bring us closer together.
For families like mine, who bond over shared entertainment, we’re introducing
Family Library
, a way for up to six family members to share purchases on
Google Play
. When you buy an eligible app, game, movie, TV show, or book in the Play Store, you can now share it with your family—across devices—with no additional sign-up fee.
Share across your family’s devices
Today’s families have a lot of devices, and it should be easy to share content no matter where we are or what we’re doing. Everyone in my family loves the
Star Wars
movies and we all want to be able to watch them, on our phones, tablets, laptops, or TV. All purchases added to Family Library are available across Android devices, and movies, TV shows, and books can be enjoyed on iOS devices and the web.
Easily manage sharing and family purchases
As with most family matters, flexibility and choice is important. With Family Library, you can choose which items you want to share and which to keep to yourself—for example, I’ll probably keep my collection of comic books in my personal library. Flexibility is also built into your purchasing options. When you sign up, you’ll select a credit card to share as your family payment method, but your family members will always have the option of buying stuff with their personal credit cards or gift cards. And for your younger family members, you’ll have the option to approve each of their purchases.
Share a Music subscription with your family
Finally, if your family loves music, you can also subscribe to the
Google Play Music family plan
. On this plan, up to six family members can stream millions of songs on demand for $14.99 a month. We
launched
the family plan late last year, and today we’re expanding it to Ireland, Italy, Mexico, and New Zealand. And you can now sign up on the web, in addition to your Android device.
Starting today, Family Library will be rolling out over the next few days and will be available in Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. To get started,
sign up
in Google Play, invite your family members, and start sharing what you love!
Posted by Raj Iyengar, Product Manager, Google Play
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Raj Iyengar
Product Manager
Google Play
The art of collaboration: from Sheets to the streets
July 19, 2016
Warhol & Basquiat. Buñuel & Dalí. Rauschenberg & Johns. There are countless examples of artists collaborating to bring a shared creative vision to life. So we wondered: Could technology help bring together two artists who might not otherwise meet? What would they create…if their canvas were a spreadsheet? And how could we celebrate and share their work of art with the world?
In partnership with
Refinery29
, a lifestyle digital media company, we linked up with renowned illustrators
Marina Esmeraldo
in Barcelona, and
Mallory Heyer
in NYC. We gave them a simple creative assignment—to “break the grid”—which literally can mean pushing the “grid” of
Google Sheets
to its limits, but also taps into the idea of supporting and celebrating women globally who break free of confined roles and ways of thinking, which is core to Refinery29's mission.
Marina and Mallory connected a handful of times on Google Hangouts to plan and sketch out ideas, and creatively “hack” Sheets in order to make art: resizing cells into thousands of pixel-like squares, merging cells to create color blocks, creating vibrant color gradients with
conditional formatting
and cell values, and other cool things we had no idea you could do with Sheets.
The
result
was a bright, beautiful design that celebrates the diversity and strength of women, and we wanted to share their finished project in a BIG way.
The final step was to convert Marina and Mallory’s final piece from the cells of a spreadsheet to the bricks of a giant wall—to go from Sheets to the streets. So, we turned to
Colossal Media
, a Brooklyn-based company that hand-paints murals all over the world.
After hand-mixing each of the colors and prepping the artwork for large-scale painting, Colossal spent five days painting each cell, letter, and gradient by hand, to create a 13’ x 34’ mural of the
spreadsheet
.
And that’s how art was #madewithGoogleSheets.
To see it for yourself, check out Marina & Mallory’s spreadsheet or head to
Bogart & Thames
in Brooklyn to visit the wall in person (until August 14). We're delighted by the creativity and imagination brought about by artistic collaboration, and proud to be associated with the work’s inspirational message supporting strong women everywhere.
Posted by Michael Bolognino, Product Marketing Manager
https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vRe-ft-r0iY/V46Ozzy8odI/AAAAAAAAStQ/DPYSe13mMeEQ5mT0YbTqiGHl9st864NowCLcB/s200/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-07-19%2Bat%2B1.33.29%2BPM.png
Michael Bolognino
Product Marketing Manager
Google
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