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25 years ago today ... The fall of the Berlin Wall
November 8, 2014
I was seven years old when thousands of East German signature cars arrived in my hometown of Hamburg and filled the air with odd-smelling blue smoke. I saw strangers hugging each other, tears in their eyes, their voices tired from singing. I was too young to understand it all, but I had a very strong sense that life was different now--and that different was better.
A quarter-century later, it is our obligation to tell this story to all those who couldn't be there, who could not feel the spark of the peaceful revolution and, more importantly, who are fortunate enough not to know the feeling of an incarcerated, divided existence, trapped behind concrete walls. It is a story that demands to be told today, and for generations to come.
I’m excited to have been part of making this doodle commemorating such a pivotal moment in history — to learn more about the making-of, check out the doodle team’s post
here
. We should all take the time to celebrate 25 years of unity.
Posted by Nils Frahm, composer
Through the Google lens: search trends October 31 - November 6
November 7, 2014
“Who won Pennsylvania?” “Who’s that guy?” “He’s getting married?” These are just a few of the questions that wracked people’s brains on search this week. Read on to find out what everybody wanted to know.
The call of duty
As Americans went to the polls this past Tuesday, the Internet was abuzz with politics—left and right. Searchers turned to the web for the
election night
play-by-play, trying to get the latest figures on who won hotly contested states like
Florida
and
Colorado
. The results? A nearly full sweep by Republicans as they won control of the Senate and expanded their majority in the House.
Even though Americans remain politically divided, they can still rally together to support our troops. As
Veteran’s Day
approaches, peopled searched for ways they could celebrate the holiday and show support for those who served in the armed forces. (Hint: our homepage loves soldiers too!)
I'm a little bit country
The
Country Music Awards
had everyone talking this week. Nashville power couple Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert took home
five awards
between them, and Lambert scored her first trophy for “Single of the Year” for her song "Automatic." And first-time winner Luke Bryan landed the night’s top honor for “Entertainer of the Year”—not a bad way to start.
YOOOOOOOOOO
One night, a boy named Alex went to sleep. The next morning he woke up famous...and we’re talking screaming-tween-girls, One Direction-famous. Was this a dream come true or a scene from a bizarre Kafka novel? Well, with more than a million tweets,
#AlexfromTarget
has
this photo
and the Internet to thank for his newly acquired stardom. As the story goes, an admirer watched Alex bag her groceries, fell under the spell of his boyish good looks and just had to share a photo with her 14,000 followers. The photo
spread like a wildfire
and next thing you know our red- and khaki-clad Alex is trading jokes with Ellen Degeneres
on her show
. We’re eagerly awaiting Alex’s entrance to the teeny bopper hall of fame.
And the fangirl news just keeps coming. People this week went bananas as actor and heartthrob
Benedict Cumberbatch
announced his engagement to little-known theater director
Sophie Hunter
. Searchers were asking questions like “Who is this girl?” and “Why not me?” Sorry, friends, but this mystery has been solved.
This one’s for the bold
It was a week for the bold and the brave as the Internet reacted to inspiring news stories.
Brittany Maynard
, a young woman diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, ended her life on November 1. After doctors told her she only had six months to live, Maynard and her family moved to Oregon in order to have access to the state’s Death with Dignity Act. Her
decision
garnered national media attention and stirred the debate over the “right to die.”
And American acrobat and tight-rope specialist
Nik Wallenda
made headlines as he performed a high-wire walk across the Chicago skyline. Wallenda walked between three skyscrapers without a harness or safety net and conducted one of the walks blindfolded—and it was all broadcast live. His stunt left viewers in shock and minted Wallenda two new
world records
.
Tip of the week
Feeling a bit homesick? Whenever you’re in need for a little motherly love, just tell the Google app to “Call Mom” (you set who that is). Except for mom’s home cooking, it’s almost like you’re there.
Posted by Jenise Araujo, Communications Associate, who searched for [where is the nearest target] and [rock the vote].
Get ready for Election Day with Google
November 3, 2014
Tomorrow is Election Day in the U.S.—are you ready to vote?
In the weeks leading up to Election Day, more and more voters turn to Google to get the information they need in order to have a say on the issues they care about. And in the days before Election Day 2012, we saw a huge spike in search traffic around terms related to voting and how to vote. To make it easier for citizens to access information to make a well-informed decision and cast their ballots on Election Day, we’ve built a number of tools to help. From Governor and Senate to City Council and local referenda, and from
what materials you need to bring to vote
to making sure you know
who is on your ballot
, Google has you covered.
Make sure you know how and where to vote—and who’s on your ballot!
For the first time ever, simple searches for [
how do i vote
], [
where to vote
], [
what identification do i need to vote
] and [
who is on my ballot
] will give you all the information you need—tailored by state—to find your polling location, confirm what identification you need to bring, and see who and what is going to be on your ballot on November 4. If you use Google Now, you can also get reminders on where to vote on Election Day.
We also make this important data available for developers, nonprofits, and others to use. From
Rock the Vote
to
League of Women Voters
, organizations of all shapes and sizes are using the
Google Civic Information API
to create civic engagement tools for everyone. We’ve also partnered with The Pew Charitable Trusts and The Internet Association to launch
Get to the Polls
, a get out the vote campaign with Amazon Web Services, AOL, Bing, Facebook, Foursquare, Lyft, Meetup, reddit, SurveyMonkey, Tumblr, and Twitter to make sure registered voters in the United States have the information they need to vote on November 4.
Keep your fingers on the political pulse—and find out who won
People turn to search to find last-minute information not only about where to vote, but also about the candidates. To find out what your fellow voters are interested in, visit
Google.com/+GooglePolitics
to see data from
Google Trends
on what Americans are searching in the final hours of the election.
And after the polls close tomorrow, you can track all the real-time election results by searching [election results]. If you use Google Now, you’ll get updates on your new representatives straight from the app. Or tune in to the latest live news coverage from a wide range of news organizations at
YouTube.com/Elections
. While you’re there, check out this
special video
from some of YouTube’s top creators on the importance of heading to the polls.
Be informed, be prepared, and be ready to vote tomorrow!
Posted by Kate Sokolov, Program Manager, Google Politics & Elections
Through the Google lens: search trends October 23-30
October 31, 2014
Grab some candy corn and a caramel apple and settle in for a look back at another week in search trends:
Time for trick or treating
With today’s Halloween holiday, people are turning to the web to look for
last-minute costumes
and pumpkin-carving tips. Top costume searches
include
Elsa from
Frozen
, Anna from
Frozen
, Olaf from
Frozen
(people can’t just
let it go
, can they?) and Maleficent. Whether you’re trick-or-treating or not, get the most out of the twilight hours tonight—
Daylight Saving Time
comes to an end on Sunday, which means it will be getting darker earlier. At least you get some extra sleep out of the deal.
Sports endings and beginnings
The
World Series
came to a thrilling conclusion on Wednesday night with Game 7 in Kansas City’s Kauffman Stadium, as the San Francisco Giants took home their third victory in just five (even) years. The star of the night—and the series—was undoubtedly
Madison Bumgarner
, the Giants’ 25-year-old ace starting pitcher who came into the game in relief in the fifth inning and more than earned both the save and his MVP trophy, capping off a postseason performance for the history books. He was the top topic in search Wednesday, with more than 1 million searches. Fellow teammates
Buster Posey
and “Panda”
Pablo Sandoval
were also on the list.
As baseball fans put their caps and gloves in storage and look longingly at the calendar for March (pitchers and catchers report in 114 days!), fans of the
NBA
are just getting going. Basketball season started this week and the web was full of searches for the
Cleveland Cavaliers
(who are welcoming hometown hero Lebron James back to the fold),
Miami Heat
(the team LeBron left behind) and
Chicago Bulls
.
Trouble in the skies
There was a spike in searches around
NASA
when an unmanned
rocket
erupted into flames seconds after liftoff on Tuesday. The spacecraft and its cargo were lost, and the launch pad suffered heavy damage. Also this week, there was a breakthrough in the mystery of
Amelia Earhart
’s final flight. A piece of debris located on a tiny island has been identified as a piece of her lost plane.
Movie marvels
Marvel this week revealed a lineup of nine new movies to be released over the coming years, along with some casting details. Alongside familiar faces like Captain America and Iron Man, we’ll soon see a film about the Black Panther, who will be played by
Chadwick Boseman
. Marvel also revealed that Sherlock star (and Internet fave)
Benedict Cumberbatch
will play Doctor Strange in the 2016 movie.
Tip of the week
Don’t get caught off-guard by the changing of the clocks. With the
Google app
, you can set a reminder to reset the clocks on your microwave, in your car and on your wall as soon as Daylight Saving Time comes to an end on Sunday. Just open the app and say “Ok Google, remind me to change the clocks on Sunday.” Now relax and enjoy that extra hour of sleep!
Posted by Emily Wood, Managing Editor, who searched for [madison affeldt save] and [katniss everdeen costume]
Through the Google lens: search trends October 17-23
October 24, 2014
So what’s the word on the (internet) street these days? Search trends has you covered with the latest news that had everyone talking this past week.
The hard goodbye
This week, searchers paid their respects to legendary clothing designer
Oscar de La Renta
, who he passed away on Monday at the age of 82. Once called “The Sultan of Suave,” De la Renta was known for evening gowns that regularly graced the red carpets of Hollywood–and the closets of the White House. From Jackie Kennedy to Michelle Obama, de la Renta dressed every First Lady since the 1960s.
Speaking of Washington bigwigs, we also said goodbye to
Ben Bradlee
, storied editor of The Washington Post. Bradlee is remembered for his courageous journalism; during his tenure as editor of the Post, the outlet published the “Pentagon Papers” and reported on the Watergate Scandal. Always chasing a good story, Bradlee coined the term “mego” (“my eyes glaze over”) for any reporting that bored him—unknowingly foreshadowing Internet-speak.
Is that you Betty Sue?
Back from a long career hiatus,
Renee Zellweger
stepped back into the spotlight in L.A. and came out with a bang—or shall we say, a new look. People were
shocked
to see Zellweger… looking a bit different from what they remember. The star’s reemergence caused a spike in searches for her hit movie
Bridget Jones’s Diary
(that was her, right? ) But Zellweger is taking the stares and comments in stride, stating she’s happy that she looks different because she’s living a happier and more fulfilling life—no shame in your game, Renee–whatever makes
you feel complete
.
Gone in sixty seconds
If you blinked, you already missed this trend. Toys “R” Us decided to pull a line of
Breaking Bad
action figures after an online petition asking the store to stop selling the toys received more than 9,000 signatures. So what was all the hoopla about? Susan Schrivjer, the Florida mom who started the petition, felt the dolls–which came with a plastic sack of cash and mock drugs—deviated from the company’s family values. Toys “R” Us agreed and put the figures on an “
indefinite sabbatical
”–Walter White-style.
Crime and Punishment
It was a week of crime on the trends charts as people were searching for more information about a gunman who shot and killed Cpl.
Nathan Cirillo
, a soldier of the Canadian army, at Ottawa's National War Memorial. This was the latest assault on a member of the Canadian armed forces in recent times and has stirred debate about
extremism in the West
.
...As the Black Eyed Peas would say
With the
World Series
underway, people were ready to scream and shout for their favorite team.
Searches
for the
San Francisco Giants
and the
Kansas City Royals
hit a high as the two teams began their battle for The Commissioner's Trophy. And that’s not the only party going on these days.
Diwali
, a Hindu holiday also known as the “Festival of Lights,” started this past Tuesday. The celebrations will continue until this Saturday—so you still have time to check out
photos
of the stunning light displays around the world.
Tip of the week
First there was Angry Birds, then there was Candy Crush, which was swiftly followed by Flappy Bird–it’s kind of hard to stay on top of the latest video game trends. Now when you search for video games on Google, a panel will appear with all the info you need to stay in the know.
Posted by Jenise Araujo, Communications Associate, who searched for [designer for the stars] and [play ball].
An inbox that works for you
October 22, 2014
Today, we’re introducing something new. It’s called
Inbox
. Years in the making, Inbox is by the same people who brought you Gmail, but it’s not Gmail: it’s a completely different type of inbox, designed to focus on what really matters.
Email started simply as a way to send digital notes around the office. But fast-forward 30 years and with just the phone in your pocket, you can use email to contact virtually anyone in the world…from your best friend to the owner of that bagel shop you discovered last week.
With this evolution comes new challenges: we get more email now than ever, important information is buried inside messages, and our most important tasks can slip through the cracks—especially when we’re working on our phones. For many of us, dealing with email has become a daily chore that distracts from what we really need to do—rather than helping us get those things done.
If this all sounds familiar, then Inbox is for you. Or more accurately, Inbox works for you. Here are some of the ways Inbox is at your service:
Bundles: stay organized automatically
Inbox expands upon the categories we introduced in Gmail last year, making it easy to deal with similar types of mail all at once. For example, all your purchase receipts or bank statements are neatly grouped together so that you can quickly review and then swipe them out of the way. You can even teach Inbox to adapt to the way you work by choosing which emails you’d like to see grouped together.
Highlights: the important info at a glance
Inbox highlights the key information from important messages, such as flight itineraries, event information, and photos and documents emailed to you by friends and family. Inbox will even display useful information from the web that wasn’t in the original email, such as the real-time status of your flights and package deliveries. Highlights and Bundles work together to give you just the information you need at a glance.
Reminders, Assists, and Snooze: your to-do’s on your own terms
Inbox makes it easy to focus on your priorities by letting you add your own Reminders, from picking up the dry cleaning to giving your parents a call. No matter what you need to remember, your inbox becomes a centralized place to keep track of the things you need to get back to.
A sampling of Assists
And speaking of to-do’s, Inbox helps you cross those off your list by providing Assists—handy pieces of information you may need to get the job done. For example, if you write a Reminder to call the hardware store, Inbox will supply the store’s phone number and tell you if it's open. Assists work for your email, too. If you make a restaurant reservation online, Inbox adds a map to your confirmation email. Book a flight online, and Inbox gives a link to check-in.
Of course, not everything needs to be done right now. Whether you’re in an inconvenient place or simply need to focus on something else first, Inbox lets you Snooze away emails and Reminders. You can set them to come back at another time or when you get to a specific location, like your home or your office.
Get started with Inbox
Starting today, we’re sending out the first round of invitations to give Inbox a try, and each new user will be able to invite their friends. If Inbox can’t arrive soon enough for you, you can email us at
inbox@google.com
to get an invitation as soon as more become available.
When you start using Inbox, you’ll quickly see that it doesn’t feel the same as Gmail—and that’s the point. Gmail’s still there for you, but
Inbox is something new
. It’s a better way to get back to what matters, and we can’t wait to share it with you.
Posted by Sundar Pichai, SVP, Android, Chrome & Apps
Cross-posted from the
Official Gmail Blog
DISTRICT VOICES: Inside Panem with our finest citizens
October 20, 2014
Meet District Voices, the latest campaign in our
Art, Copy & Code
project—where we explore new ways for brands to connect with consumers through experiences that people love, remember and share. District Voices was created in partnership with Lionsgate to promote the upcoming release of
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1. -Ed.
Greetings, Citizens of Panem!
The Capitol has joined forces with Google and YouTube to celebrate the proud achievements of our strong, lively districts. Premiering today on YouTube, a new miniseries called DISTRICT VOICES will take you behind the scenes to meet some of Panem’s most creative—and loyal—citizens.
At 4 p.m. EDT/ 1 p.m. PDT every day this week, one of your favorite Citizen creators from YouTube will give you a never-before-seen tour of their districts. First, the
Threadbanger
textile experts
of District 8 will show how utility meets beauty in this season’s fashion—plus, you’ll get a look at a new way to wear your Capitol pride. Tomorrow,
District 2's Shane Fazen
will provide a riveting demonstration of how we keep our noble peacekeepers in tip-top shape. On Wednesday,
Derek Muller
from District 5—Panem’s center of power generation—will give you a peek at a revolutionary new way to generate electricity. Thursday
The Grain District
’s own
Feast of Fiction
will show you how to bake one of beloved victor Peeta Mellark’s most special treats. And finally, iJustine,
District 6’s liaison
to the Capitol, will give you an exclusive glimpse at the majestic and powerful peacekeeper vehicles in action.
Tune in at
CAPITOL TV
. And remember—Love your labor. Take pride in your task. Our future is in your hands.
Posted by Vikram Tank of The Capitol, devoted to excellence, progress & unity
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