Google Tests Icon for Smartphone-Optimized Results

A Google experiment shows a special icon next to smartphone-optimized search results. Obviously, the icon is only displayed when searching from smartphones.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb0LtpM9GcVON_DKtRL9UePEcqn1NJExCtHDKV6XbRgazeAfBr1Yn78YLdf7uGW3YNaTy-lt6illcSPHAFInoScSXJbi8MaWpLmsNijRIuHREmloZbx1nVOyjrgHuU4SxZNRSfJ9fAuh7z/s1600/google-mobile-serp-icon.png" /></div><br />Back in 2012, Google ran <a href="https://www.seroundtable.com/google-smartphone-icon-15532.html">a similar experiment</a>, but it never became a regular feature.<br /><br />Google has <a href="https://developers.google.com/webmasters/smartphone-sites/">a few articles</a> about building smartphone-optimized sites. Google supports three different configurations: responsive design (same code, same URL - Google's recommended configuration), dynamic serving (different code, same URL) and separate mobile sites (different code, different URL).<br /><br />{ Thanks, <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/101452691700898909870">Herin Maru</a>. }

Google Tests Icon for Smartphone-Optimized Results

A Google experiment shows a special icon next to smartphone-optimized search results. Obviously, the icon is only displayed when searching f...

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Mobile IE Doesn't Show Google Suggestions

If you've changed the search provider to Google in Internet Explorer for Windows Phone and you're wondering why search suggestions aren't that great, there's an explanation: Internet Explorer shows suggestions from Bing even if you're using Google.<br /><br />Let's say I type in the address bar: "the best way to". Here are the suggestions:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ww7aYG50bP16BKct0UgLX7RUADWuZbkxEkXOBDycI24lCeBjIKF1GXNhujiDEF9MFNVuoat1mjmfVm0bqgwAmX3Fio2fkOvyAt1hTF0sCDdik7azL0owmfdG-i2U0AyolavoI8vKpmnI/s1600/windows-phone-bing-suggestions.jpg" /></div><br />And here are Google's suggestions:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNufGTDmuZs7BxIFFrXz2aew-9D_AFZhKiF8NuV2_KNxqoi2FmxaWFz30Xddh4IInx-XWN-lfocQASg0CKJN_h7DcWXQb9xbXAk-8zpQoRMFAOh5V-v0oyGOi3DixP2mvKLoSem2zcENx9/s1600/windows-phone-google-suggestions.jpg" /></div><br />If you go to IE's advanced settings, you'll notice that you can enable or disable "get suggestions from Bing as I type". To get Google's suggestions, you can go to google.com, install Google's app for Windows Phone or install a different browser.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8eHP7Nb22upX892ZYkYWZHpIi_MSoLPp7MlG0U7DjVYtInq4cioVJlr1P_pYiUek7b_LoWc1lpzgok3poKUlXIb5JAJ-r8p-mDhNcF60TigbrTyCwLi23s0J-8bZRM3Rpb84080Awn8JJ/s1600/windows-phone-ie-settings.jpg" /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0zRQX8q7MQLFaYcn0kVmCiZi7iwxw7WGxJDvD6TKwcVYC-vrLWJAVnGsr4hzKUWfXBWOV1eElUOCD-ofltT_VwirG70_YrZlGuGnZzqBeEZiGv6ZToo0-AEcT61Cwp_2RbpTR-QXuNHhA/s1600/windows-phone-ie-settings-2.jpg" /></div><br />So why would Microsoft show Bing suggestions if you've changed your search provider to Google? Maybe it's an excuse for Microsoft to send all your queries and partial queries to Bing, so that it can improve its search engine.<br /><br /><b>Update</b>. Hadrien Zero-Un has an explanation in the comments: "Internet Explorer for Windows Phone can't have Google as a search engine. BUT Nokia modified the browser to allow the change of the search [engine]."

Mobile IE Doesn't Show Google Suggestions

If you've changed the search provider to Google in Internet Explorer for Windows Phone and you're wondering why search suggestions a...

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Edit Office Files in Docs, Sheets and Slides for iOS

Google released the <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/app/id879478102">Slides app for iOS</a> and added native Office file editing to <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/app/id842842640">Docs</a>, <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/app/id842849113">Sheets</a> and Slides for iOS.<br /><br />"You can truly get stuff done from any device — your iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, laptop or desktop computer. Any change you make on any of these devices is saved automatically, so you can pick up right where you left off any time, anywhere that you can sign in. The Docs, Sheets and Slides apps come with offline editing built right in. Just make the files you want to edit available offline. Any changes you make offline get automatically synced when you reconnect, just like when you make offline edits from your computer. And while converting Office files to Docs, Sheets and Slides is a cinch, the new iPhone/iPad apps also let you edit Office files directly - just like on the Android apps and the web," <a href="http://googledrive.blogspot.com/2014/08/docssheetsslidesios.html">informs Google</a>.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZnVMeko_zBpsE9lmrNrx9UeEl6uBo2qm4R29EvQR1kNtAWAOx1ivGmv1A6-TfzcbznLIts3Qu2wVwrBhHu5q1z76mFMrqGIBRCAp2CMi3f70eK-rED5X__lgThyphenhyphenv60mtPajsOMmceo1y5/s1600/drive-ios.png" /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQuviO5v5VKUlkkkzlzSvzWZT-9qyEaLORXjy0qw6gA9mRwgl4RAIHVwJKGcmHmKqubVf0WvG2EfMdW905zCkhk0iDDXDqI3z6JrnrIxWLzF6ikKgD7cydXObgeCh0I-nR3XjA5E-74c59/s1600/slides-ios.png" /></div><br />Native Office editing using the Office Compatibility Mode is a great feature and now Google's productivity apps for iOS are more powerful and can better compete with Microsoft Office.

Edit Office Files in Docs, Sheets and Slides for iOS

Google released the Slides app for iOS and added native Office file editing to Docs , Sheets and Slides for iOS. "You can truly get s...

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More Directions in Google Search for Mobile

When searching for [directions from A to B] or [distance from A to B] from your mobile device, Google now shows an updated card with multiple tabs for driving directions, public transit, biking directions and walking directions. Until now, Google only displayed driving directions.<br /><br />This isn't Google Maps for Android or the mobile Google Maps site, it's just a Google Search card.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKrnP4znnCLMo9P5106ihkamVVfSAto2HLK8AoC7EdsOhUbB-JzfjYkJSxprj9UPheCiFOeRzyMmndBqL0qnV6cg5xz2UnlYws5TuPHwyyhCf6OyRSqIL82DCaYHt45AD4eyH6h_JayeNJ/s1600/maps-mobile-directions-1.png" /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ltM3-G2gn4hqJu0gIdbb_dDqr3FFHaPBKnsDdxenT6zNCGN44y4lMLFbQLz8-vcMKhVM4aEQQjqpS_rPuvOcSIv80JyTZiIyiChlCv1ponmsuzob6xuHSX7KdbJVHCaYlZKKqx1SakLc/s1600/maps-mobile-directions-4.png" /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOnSwKH3_S9-bhyphenhyphennxoiT_XwP7RpahfW4c_53OUnwerTduNoQ7DrOJ4b20sMlmIRmldgDfgaQ-B4QLA3PvTyqohV2jipyAfZZD1jStmY1mLYRn8-tsXzGc-4k84o0VyXjGfLIs7qsEEyzUa/s1600/maps-mobile-directions-5.png" /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCEH3uQdDYPKhzxqio-rGXB4hfSrshSFuPWVqc2OfAv3eOhyphenhyphenKAmB5XUrH_2zdQzsQCXb8pKoJcuScBLK0cuLTAmDHczitt3MyFud5oLhlpeErxnBLsFBNUwmUlRyxA3jo1EJ8vmWLC0vp8/s1600/maps-mobile-directions-2.png" /></div>

More Directions in Google Search for Mobile

When searching for [directions from A to B] or [distance from A to B] from your mobile device, Google now shows an updated card with multipl...

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Mobile Internet Explorer's New User Agent

I've bought a Nokia Lumia 520 a few months ago to try Windows Phone and it turned out to be a pretty good phone. Windows Phone shines on low-end hardware and Nokia's hardware is great for a phone that costs about $100. There are many issues with Windows Phone and some of them have to do with its late release (2010) and low market share (<a href="http://blogs.computerworld.com/windows-phone/24202/windows-phone-continues-slide-now-under-3-share-worldwide-it-finally-dead">about 3%</a>). Many companies, including Google, continue to ignore Windows Phone, many sites aren't optimized for Mobile IE.<br /><br />If you use Google services and products like Gmail, Google Maps, Google+, Google Drive, Chrome, it's hard to switch to Windows Phone. There are some third-party apps for Google services, but they're far from Google's apps for Android and iOS. Google doesn't want to make Windows Phone more popular, so it doesn't release apps for Windows Phone. Google also serves inferior versions of its mobile apps in Internet Explorer Mobile. Gmail's mobile site for Windows Phone has a lot in common with Gmail's site for feature phones.<br /><br />The entire thing reminds me of Opera's early days. Opera struggled with its low market share and had to <a href="http://tech-beta.slashdot.org/story/05/07/31/1820211/opera-to-stop-spoofing-user-agent-as-ie">spoof its user agent</a> to identify itself as Internet Explorer. The sites that required Internet Explorer worked in Opera, but developers continued to ignore Opera.<br /><br />The latest Windows Phone 8.1 update <a href="http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ie/archive/2014/07/31/the-mobile-web-should-just-work-for-everyone.aspx">changed mobile IE's user agent</a> to mimic mobile Safari. Microsoft added "<i>like iPhone OS 7_0_3 Mac OS X AppleWebKit/537 (KHTML. like Gecko) Mobile Safari/537</i>", but also "<i>Android 4.0</i>". The sites that check the user agent for strings like "iPhone", "Android" or "Mobile Safari" are supposed to work well in the latest Internet Explorer for Mobile. While the browser still has the same Trident rendering engine, Microsoft used some workarounds that improve WebKit compatibility.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Gl08hv_O5u87_XxWILxSkhTfYAbsOEVBr8-E-akYqNkwBL3vJAW0RBbPxyxYdNBJKpkKTsg1AXGiE7YfLpRNeXEQhSUymYP6BfmehxD9dq0p0vUHoUg_CmHq42IY3CeZ4GIZX6MvYYo1/s1600/windows-phone-user-agent.png" /></div><br />WebKit is the most used rendering engine for mobile browsers. Apple used it in Safari for iPhone and iPad, Google used it in the mobile browser for Android and later in Chrome for Android. Google forked WebKit and now uses Blink. Since WebKit dominates the mobile space, many developers optimize their sites for WebKit and use non-standard WebKit features. Firefox and Internet Explorer don't have a lot of mobile users, so developers don't bother optimizing their sites for these browsers.<br /><br />"Unlike the mostly standards-based desktop web, many modern mobile web pages were designed and built for iOS and the iPhone. This results in users of other devices often receiving a degraded experience. Many sites use features via a legacy vendor specific prefix without supporting the un-prefixed standard version or only support vendor prefixes for certain devices. Other sites use non-standard proprietary APIs that only work with Safari or Chrome. Of course there were also bugs or missing features in IE that became particularly apparent on mobile sites designed specifically for our competitors' browsers," <a href="http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ie/archive/2014/07/31/the-mobile-web-should-just-work-for-everyone.aspx">informs the IE blog</a>.<br /><br />It's ironic to see Microsoft complaining that sites use non-standard features and aren't compatible with Internet Explorer. I still remember the sites that required Internet Explorer 6 and didn't work well in other browsers.<br /><br />The good news is that many sites now works properly in Windows Phone's browsers. Microsoft "tested more than 500 of the top mobile web sites and found that the IE11 update improves the experience on more than 40% of them." Here's a screenshots for Gmail in the new IE version:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2udpA4TxIBlGg68LPjEyD98hLXUwNqx1nxGcmOVUI-QB9-l-Sdbly1-tEjRjMX8jRfhLdQk4-Xw0irR2Oe9A46ayAgE0QFOaadOeL-JkTXtlHfDxsr4LHsHp1_Cj_W0MBqtoquagLpZRA/s1600/windows-phone-gmail.png" /></div><br />... and a Gmail screenshot in UC Browser, which still uses the old IE user agent:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKfUWr1eMpNu4pjoUqKjb8708QrruDjbft8O1aUSP4r37Z_Z67b2q0i-fZkNI5ctVIX2CZr3PK1f8FWKn8kIJE8cYyZPYhVT-5yhzIFHO_RMLX0NGRyJyaz7kwNC74lLmvrLn5FQ0OTlbw/s1600/windows-phone-gmail-2.png" /></div><br />User agents are a mess and developers should use feature detection instead of relying on a meaningless string. Chrome's user agent includes "Mozilla", "Gecko", "AppleWebKit" and "Safari" for backward compatibility. Now mobile IE's user agent includes "Android", "iPhone", "AppleWebKit", "Mobile Safari", "Gecko".

Mobile Internet Explorer's New User Agent

I've bought a Nokia Lumia 520 a few months ago to try Windows Phone and it turned out to be a pretty good phone. Windows Phone shines on...

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Flash Warnings in Google Mobile Search

I still remember when Flash support was an important selling point for Android. While you can install Flash and use it even in Android KitKat, <a href="http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2011/11/flash-and-mobile-devices.html">Adobe no longer updates it</a> and Chrome doesn't support it.<br /><br />Now Google decided to <a href="http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com/2014/07/promoting-modern-websites-for-modern.html">show warnings</a> next to search results that use a lot of Flash content, but only for iOS and Android 4.1+ devices. "Starting today, we will indicate to searchers when our algorithms detect pages that may not work on their devices. For example, Adobe Flash is not supported on iOS devices or on Android versions 4.1 and higher, and a page whose contents are mostly Flash may be noted like this:"<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbLzpsA5B2gU62ZmqR_JCtoxPMJpzR8UNgSGJbCysSZBGw4o3GW3By1Ufz6hW-ztNjBQyByXJnm-ctyN0oYhp5RxoU2qUZWGtB8gpTW4LqUU0tV9aesDVD2ZaYaKMr0YBPIZfYFr0uTd_t/s1600/flash-warning.png" /></div><br />The warning says: "Uses Flash. May not work on your device." You can tap "try anyway" or "learn more". The reason? "A common annoyance for web users is when websites require browser technologies that are not supported by their device. When users access such pages, they may see nothing but a blank space or miss out a large portion of the page's contents."<br /><br />Google recommends developers to create <a href="https://developers.google.com/web/fundamentals/">modern multi-device websites</a> using HTML5. For example, Google's <a href="https://developers.google.com/web/starter-kit/">Web Starter Kit</a> is a simple framework that supports the Web Fundamentals best practices out of the box.

Flash Warnings in Google Mobile Search

I still remember when Flash support was an important selling point for Android. While you can install Flash and use it even in Android KitKa...

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Password Lock in Google Drive for iOS

<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/google-drive-free-online-storage/id507874739?mt=8">Google Drive for iOS</a> added a few weeks ago a feature that lets you <a href="https://support.google.com/drive/answer/4574198?hl=en">set a 4-digit passcode code</a> for the app so that others can't access your files while using your iPhone or iPad. Just go to the settings, tap "passcode lock", enable the feature, enter a passcode for Drive and decide if you want to enter the passcode even when you return to the app.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMrP_rptefzkKet7pGS5RRMoAZCHoSyv1IBoLN5prUWWUdCIcOpqsjJfbGGYJNhVNx3qVZN5H7vbMPjhHvaa511XfLkkcLUPfgvMIlHyqyZUhsbqiJsDWtuTxCY4Yolo3wNSB2_IK-SZ_S/s1600/gdrive-password-lock.png" /></div><br />The passcode is only for the phone or tablet you are using and for the account that's currently logged in.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqubEF0GTB0fTo6N60TU2r5dbwbHHYORgzaFeJu_qBXJ54Zit6cKUJG-yqbclfTc326yKPmPn9rFmL_3Zo1H1aSoODN0Fw_3-GnVheBG_nIE4gLOYpigNYJk4wR6Tt29eiyihSJoi407N2/s1600/gdrive-password-lock-2.png" /></div><br />"To always require a passcode when returning to Drive, choose the Always Lock option from the passcode settings screen. Without Always Lock enabled, you will be prompted for the passcode only after 15 minutes or more of inactivity. If you have multiple accounts linked to your Drive app and want to switch between them, you'll only be required to enter passcodes for accounts with codes that have already been created," <a href="https://support.google.com/drive/answer/4574198?hl=en">informs Google</a>.<br /><br />"If you have forgotten the passcode for your Drive app and have entered the wrong code 5 times, a menu will appear allowing you to remove your account from the app without a passcode. You can then re-add the account to the app without a passcode. After entering the wrong passcode 20 times, you will be prompted to remove your account from the app and will no longer have the option of trying again to enter the passcode."

Password Lock in Google Drive for iOS

Google Drive for iOS added a few weeks ago a feature that lets you set a 4-digit passcode code for the app so that others can't access...

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Google Tests Site Info Cards for Mobile

Google Mobile Search experiments with adding <a href="http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2014/01/googles-info-cards-for-sites.html">the site info feature</a> that shows information about sites from Wikipedia and the Open Directory. Google shows a three dot icon next to the snippet. Tap the icon and you can learn more about a site.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8RsILvm1svmqfpXxdM7tOWNUf6mlY4og7kGwvfqK8855ExZfp2NhuQ6wWIikjZQxMX8r-lYXicXCI_K2xvExXQT8MIR1TMooldqAn4lQvuML478_086rsnZf1ROfUs5Qy3mz6_d6BvI7A/s1600/knowledge-mobile-site-info.png" /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIwH9EtOi9TQG7ahBzoHgHjjplS__MfMUdlpqaHoiDxL7P1AUn-rjzxwi1koQTcoLw-77Gmft8XxTZ_Nj-o-HW5wCtojL02CxREpxgfmtiBt2uy_3afR0ZNs1Rq_Gp5nj__wRwzm3CNiC3/s1600/knowledge-mobile-site-info-2.png" /></div><br />I used Chrome's <a href="https://developer.chrome.com/devtools/docs/mobile-emulation">mobile emulation feature</a> and <a href="https://developer.chrome.com/devtools/docs/mobile-emulation">the cookie values from here</a> to take these screenshots. For some reason, the experimental feature works only if you are not signed in to a Google account.<br /><br />{ Thanks, <a href="http://allgoogletesting.blogspot.com/2014/06/google-for-mobile-tests-knowledge-graph.html">Rubén</a>. }

Google Tests Site Info Cards for Mobile

Google Mobile Search experiments with adding the site info feature that shows information about sites from Wikipedia and the Open Directory...

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Huge Titles in Google Mobile Search

Google's mobile search interface has a new feature that makes titles bigger for search results that have <a href="https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/47334?hl=en">sitelinks</a>. For example, when searching for [amazon prime], the title of the top result is so big that it can't even be fully displayed, even if it doesn't have so many characters: "<i>Amazon.com: Amazon Prime (One Year Membership)</i>".<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-s8XxXQqOEn-ZABWiNI2M3agLUGWIEEiO2UJOGoUlxRO4_Rivz-pgE3hMNamyQaOfjy1UwDmlMABe8Wbg6PlGwrMzYFUsNWJx7QHo9Y8XXsXcLqZPqFtUlkshC-fPug4thV3Vb6IyR1EE/s1600/google-mobile-search-huge-titles.png" /></div><br />Here's the same search result, but for a slightly different query: [amazon prime membership].<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWX50FmP2sFeLfWovRVEjQQg2yWxWgFKumw0Dy3pdzWjy8gHv2iEbvum3Du5Vp_JonLDJQ-b0r2teVUk5-JPpeIAyEFbLNTs68DvaM7Xi7ICdvNYeflUSd4QekfmfCdXnlUGQNfepRSFLJ/s1600/google-mobile-search-titles.png" /></div><br />I tested this for various navigational searches like [microsoft], [htc], [tesla], [stanford] in Google Search for Android, Chrome for Android and iOS and Safari for iOS.<br /><br />{ Thanks, <a href="https://plus.google.com/+LeeJarratt/posts">Lee</a>. }

Huge Titles in Google Mobile Search

Google's mobile search interface has a new feature that makes titles bigger for search results that have sitelinks . For example, when s...

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Google Account History

Google's Account Settings page has a new section called "<a href="https://www.google.com/settings/accounthistory">Account History</a>". The section shows some links that let you manage Google search history, Google location history, YouTube search history and watch history (the videos you've watched).<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDt81To-Npho0azwYLNp777Q0x0BY_10Sdnnl53QHaMxlNVMKzN0UfuOiTHGF314XKvjK0rZfdUKyPUyoPsPH6oRFnUXn98hJmzZqEFipw9HgWaPbkngHrHK6M4MV3j9R-v3Mj09hag_9-/s1600/google-account-history.png" /></div><br />Google also includes "pause" buttons for all the 4 data streams. When you click "pause", Google shows black-and-white pictures and tells you what you'll be missing.<br /><br />"Pausing Google Search History may limit or disable features such as Google Now, more accurate search results and predictions, and saved searches on mobile devices. Pausing Google Location History will limit the functionality of some Google products over time, such as Google Maps and Google Now. Pausing YouTube Search History does not delete existing history. To view your history, remove individual items, or clear your entire history, go to your YouTube Search History page."<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaam_HmXBrDm-GLXuCokzC8QzKlB-5CHOHRqDgDrzG15UdCNdJAk-cIh0B4qJZVULFYH1A1g13FmiwsFOm24A3aa1rY2tgzoSxC8eOrlQhit6skfnOfuMLeDdwVzJ_h2KRQh3QkOGSMmH9/s1600/google-account-history-2.png" /></div><br />Here's what happens when you pause Google search history, Google location history, YouTube search history and watch history: the colorful images are converted to black and white.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1l0vN1aaJOEjOweDpZeQZo3Jz-jGRLIgEcZkEtVuuAtBakpfVTsKGSxAebBofAQIdZfg2q1bxz6na7EPUuKyJyA42eOCOB7kj8P-6LdVUTBO9Rs9H9EuoAheSCUaMBMVgEruOlcrFtloT/s1600/google-account-history-3.png" /></div><br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/feed/history">YouTube's watch history</a> is really useful because it shows all the videos you've watched from any device, as long as you are logged in. Unfortunately, YouTube doesn't provide a search feature, so you have scroll until you find the right video. YouTube's watch history is the most important source for YouTube's recommendations, so you should delete some of the videos if you see unpleasant recommendations. Google also uses video history to improve ads, but you can <a href="https://www.google.com/settings/ads">opt out of interest-based Google ads</a>.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_RHm1BXGUKjWHrRfM2mjvg-qqtN120A8XBKha0awxSxPDmvioHEsHXYtuc_u01-vRt_BzhbHdJ6ohSmZoZCLjI8tOk2r00hsSuzN_b6rgER9DYyvPsCKdqYymXaCRchyNhT6nSNsgRwvl/s1600/youtube-watch-history.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_RHm1BXGUKjWHrRfM2mjvg-qqtN120A8XBKha0awxSxPDmvioHEsHXYtuc_u01-vRt_BzhbHdJ6ohSmZoZCLjI8tOk2r00hsSuzN_b6rgER9DYyvPsCKdqYymXaCRchyNhT6nSNsgRwvl/s1600/youtube-watch-history.png" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/my_search_history">YouTube's search history</a> is used to show search suggestions and to improve recommendations. The first two suggestions from the screenshot below are from my search history:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifzS3gpMMb3nKsRRN3r0qTboESXcmVuCwZC7kbYsBlrM7-hE2hIrta7bH4KM6PanYtvqy7l0Uzjykz4ngFA1LcDYSrjcc2qOIgWUM2vfcati7MfcVpqGlApnM9yJmITG0aZYy3vkU-RC3B/s1600/youtube-search-suggestions.png" /></div><br /><a href="http://www.google.com/history">Google search history</a> is used to show search suggestions, to restrict results to pages you've visited, to personalize search results, to improve ads and to provide data for some Google Now cards. There's an important distinction between YouTube search history and Google search history: YouTube only saves your queries and the watch history is saved separately, while Google search history includes both your queries and the search results you've clicked on.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu6vNv17uz76YRgWYjEYZ_h5BQnIMHL44FoknBGsOOGa1T0t5uUnOH_swWPJWGCIifxncIaj5LS6XQdJ0_Fjxl5rgcscUAa3A-XCM-UvCTB7eyRSPcchIn8-BWG_cYiOnltSulNfZL7Ov0/s1600/google-search-personalization.png" /></div><br /><a href="https://maps.google.com/locationhistory/">Location History</a> started as a Google Latitude feature, but it's still available, even if Google Latitude was discontinued. To understand Location History, you need to know <a href="https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/4388034">what Location Reporting is</a>.<br /><br />"Location Reporting allows Google to periodically store and use your device's most recent location data in connection with your Google Account. Location History allows Google to store a history of your location data from all devices where you are logged into your Google Account and have enabled Location Reporting."<br /><br />Both features are related to mobile devices and they're used by Android/iOS apps like Google Maps, Google Search and Google+. Location History requires Location Reporting, but you can use Location Reporting while disabling Location History. Google uses your data to improve Google Maps search results based on the places that you've been, to show some Google Now cards and <a href="https://maps.google.com/locationhistory/">to show your data on a map</a>. <a href="https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/3118687?ref_topic=3100928&hl=en">Here are some ways</a> to disable Location History and Location Reporting from an Android device.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxUfUXEk2tGAN-HqQimukgg1hzZjS48pkagihxtMTHID9SkNVc9h1iaBJLOFRbkF7-471dvaWI7V7iELPVKp-0Pt_zLgrbHlzhRmikOU_snXZ_YCZpyvj6aZpi-1InEK3MV3hEL-_FpizE/s1600/activity-summary-card.png" /></div><br />{ Thanks, Herin Maru. }

Google Account History

Google's Account Settings page has a new section called " Account History ". The section shows some links that let you manage ...

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Google Home IQ

<a href="http://www.christopherbettig.com/">Christopher Bettig</a>, Art Director at Google, posted <a href="http://www.behance.net/gallery/17224989/Google-Home-IQ">some images</a> from a Google mobile app called <a href="http://www.christopherbettig.com/google-home-iq/">Google Home IQ</a>.<br /><br />"These are some illustrations and some screens of exploratory UI for a mobile app for Android and iOS, which is now a deprecated project. The app was to control a smart thermostat and had a very visual UI which needed to account and meet accessibility standards while also illustrating four main states and varying weather conditions outside the home. Each state was given a unique shape and a corresponding unique shaped UI icon for use in the app. Each of the four states (awake, away, home, and sleep) is illustrated with all the variable weather conditions."<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiODp5IeJrlill637qUDtmhyphenhyphenFsQwpLpAG-M_Ep_49z0fhsmvmSvUhIh0dQ0_ccFgwseNnhfKYklot-lMdhYMj4yhOeELF1xUJYeGkX0UNhYeLgSh67JSijSy_1SNXLDJTKBHtly0L8lE6ED/s1600/google-home-iq.png" /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1bnRbgIfKCYdF7o75b6LmXnnKURV_tcd8kRo4xm2HKAICsLb4xO0kqC3WIvBVxkewvkwaS62eMt9Xrd7PncCkfQp1QeJGtXzrjj0fZ3QDgKB3pmaHu3a62w9izJWDeYdATpSGXTF1asP-/s1600/google-home-iq-2.png" /></div><br />Google now owns <a href="http://www.nest.com/">Nest</a>, so that's probably one of the reasons why this app wasn't released. <a href="http://www.androidpolice.com/2013/12/17/exclusive-an-early-glimpse-at-energysense-the-start-of-googles-renewed-bid-for-home-energy-management/">EnergySense</a> was rumored to be the name of a Google service that lets you monitor and adjust energy use.<br /><br />{ Thanks, Francisco Marujo. }

Google Home IQ

Christopher Bettig , Art Director at Google, posted some images from a Google mobile app called Google Home IQ . "These are some illus...

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Mobile Interface for Chrome Web Store

One of the most annoying things about Chrome Web Store was that <a href="http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2013/03/chrome-web-store-and-unsupported.html">it didn't work</a> if you used a mobile phone or a tablet. Google only displayed a message that allowed you to send a reminder to download the app or extension from the desktop Chrome.<br /><br />Chrome Web Store now has a mobile interface, but only for individual apps and extensions. The homepage, category pages and the search feature still aren't available. If you find a link to a Chrome app or extension, you can now open it in your favorite mobile browsers, read the description, check the screenshots and some other details. You can't read or write reviews, install extensions remotely, find related extensions, go to the homepage or to a category.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoH7QwldQxRMGGQLBUucdfe1dJXjmWHzRMxQ4WBAfEpRhbRrE6e8U-mTaQ1IgyQxz4SqxXfEcMnjVbxc5IxLH2nvjTctVj11xc1RDBzlNhKjfGCNSrUYW38g0LGvTct-T10VzCXmJos8GM/s1600/chrome-web-store.png" /></div><br />{ via <a href="https://plus.google.com/+FrancoisBeaufort/posts/45b7BbhuQy6">François Beaufort</a> }

Mobile Interface for Chrome Web Store

One of the most annoying things about Chrome Web Store was that it didn't work if you used a mobile phone or a tablet. Google only disp...

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Google's Voice Command for Playing Music

Google's voice search feature still has a long way to go. If you say "play music" or "play some music" in the Google Search app for Android, Google starts the Play Music app and opens the <a href="http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2013/10/google-musics-feeling-lucky.html">"I'm Feeling Lucky" radio</a>, which is based on your listening history. I think it makes more sense to continue playing your music and use the current queue instead of creating a new playlist.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGFPGcDQ0BVt1LbL5zKmoJnKupbL38BBdaAHnla4MVR3a-zwrwIy4s6hgVlSL2ZusNqvDVb2xk-pz7TR974SMtByo6NioeOUgwXfhyIBFWsN3Fwglr07TETOqRkgPtgtlW6SKY_Jvbmjdr/s1600/play-music-voice-action.png" /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjFMXkSzjsqalCg6qIp49vCcnJIaOOdZNr0V-UvJGLWvNdRUkvpXQOHT_qdDoKAxrI_dJyFuOElr-hu1BF-e7p0OQwW_TiBdO5PsUAxcli1ql7J1_Gjq9XG_BSOqhSVlIMAG2-8bVH8UpL/s1600/play-music-voice-action-2.png" /></div><br />Google still doesn't support basic voice actions like "next song", "skip", "pause" or "stop the music". If you say "next song", Google only shows the search results and a list of songs from Next, an American R&B musical group.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUG8x61yC1LAQ5imhdWtF5gvV6Tk5YwHBPkjzHg14FGt6qJsHaiIVJy6FF-5e2hRZX3_PxG5YOYGWRuxPICePPAdFNU6hNqi_CSQZSXIu2GUlrdx5lVjGXy1h76qhI9VrEgWVMtYeR3MZ6/s1600/next-song-no-voice-action.png" /></div><br />You can say "play Alicia Keys" and Google will shuffle Alicia's songs:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRMe9v8EFsynMJYLREoSJocD1zGflp7wklFkBJ8zPGbi2xCH8GCClWEy16ED1WilJMdSZGSj7-sVL-9usTAoElAIhyphenhyphenGlFdLD6H8jOq8h6-2FNYCtWIKhyAnfgE1w05Lc8wyOO0X5zGYFcR/s1600/play-alicia-keys-1.png" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlxotRb5e2_iWactfRavqqa_xVAHKarLpUWQXR1VCSLKqQBn86KhJyzanYMN5gRhkHjvXCM8bzSNamS6qO5oQOCqwhE9sN1eQ8lpLAi8oygXjNeAqmB7lCE7SlIheXlRms-15pQ8Io4Dik/s1600/play-alicia-keys-2.png" /></div><br />You can also say "play blues" and Google will start the Blues radio. If you say "play hip hop", Google Play Music will show a list of search results for "hip hop".<br /><br />That's what happens if Play Music is the default app that handles music voice actions. You can change it by saying "play Coldplay" or something similar, quickly tapping the icon next to the app's name, picking one of the music apps and tapping the selected app (I could choose between Google Play, Google Play Music, TuneIn Radio and Poweramp, but your list will be different, depending on the apps you've installed). The next time when you use a music-related voice action, the app you've picked will handle it. Most apps will show a list of search results or start playing music.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_JuPHpGDJdZ8SSwx5Xm7CeThs9z99OEOKDkjFwA6DMxh1xhosv_NSJ-TRuvcggTrgj0P-J_egvZm0QGkXSwDsdMMzUq3xF6Es8Vg1pcEDJNG5Hr8bxQlNOLZB28gLTA-lvwSn2JiC4Leh/s1600/music-voice-actions-change-app.png" /></div><br />{ via <a href="https://plus.google.com/116899029375914044550/posts/HEeddSu1GyD">+Google</a> }

Google's Voice Command for Playing Music

Google's voice search feature still has a long way to go. If you say "play music" or "play some music" in the Google...

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YouTube Tests New Mobile Site UI

YouTube tests <a href="https://plus.google.com/+NedasPetravicius/posts/KdrBX7W3gkH?cfem=1">a new interface</a> of the mobile site. It's closer to the mobile app UI, it shows the description and the number of likes and dislikes, a red "subscribe" button and action buttons are placed below the video.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitpZnR6kDaU3B3t1horVcnX33gKXxIgLpCFor5L9wgeJ9aCjtPxZQtK9p_blaQxZaSafc71nb_XW17h1CMF37lmOXlrCntHqPyAHTPWUWP4vlZUarwhAyAh9dlTjv97xBm2H1zkH3zdAfD/s1600/youtube-mobile-experiment-1.png" /></div><br />There are other changes: the new YouTube logo, the "hamburger" menu, bigger thumbnails, new font, gray background.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkn02wB-AZeZov472vJhCGGurREfz7nTV6qWqqK7yhD0irzM-NeJES90oriYillNBTaVC1tqEc03c09dE_m1XklrCpWjNQYTnK-h9uSzdrkD3BAtX15Vp-QsJV6qsWF8Xg1BSVzj-EAGkH/s1600/youtube-mobile-experiment-2.png" /></div><br />{ Thanks, <a href="https://plus.google.com/+NedasPetravicius/posts/KdrBX7W3gkH?cfem=1">Nedas</a>. }

YouTube Tests New Mobile Site UI

YouTube tests a new interface of the mobile site. It's closer to the mobile app UI, it shows the description and the number of likes an...

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Chrome's Data Compression, Now For Everyone

Chrome's data compression feature is now available for all Android and iOS users. The latest releases of Chrome for Android and iOS add this feature, which was previously limited to <a href="http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2013/04/reduce-data-usage-in-chrome-for-android.html">Chrome Beta for Android</a> and some <a href="http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2013/09/chromes-data-compression-feature-in-ios.html">randomly picked users</a>.<br /><br />"When enabled, Chrome's data compression and bandwidth management can reduce data usage by up to 50% while browsing the web on Chrome for Android and iOS. This feature also enables Chrome's Safe Browsing technology which helps protect you from malicious webpages," <a href="http://chrome.blogspot.com/2014/01/more-web-more-savings-with-chrome-for.html">informs Google</a>.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUpwvM5R6CskVIBd8q4Um_Ivd-yxyh4g-vC1vMpXouW1Rlh9J7k82JFqvDUwBpWmGnE3umR9eN1dReCPyq-BX7NoWQrvcrpF8wYL3RFQqxXIXfICfRx_hmzi8gG-uE4_Q9iPSLiAw8JQX_/s1600/chrome-compression-ios.png" /></div><br />This feature uses a Google proxy to compress all the pages you visit, except for HTTPS pages and the sites you visit in Chrome's incognito mode.<br /><br />"When the Data Compression Proxy feature is enabled, Chrome Mobile opens a connection between your phone and one of the optimization servers running in Google's datacenters and relays all non-encrypted HTTP requests over this connection. (...) The browser-to-proxy connection runs over SSL, meaning that your browsing session is encrypted between your device and Google's servers. The proxy also performs intelligent compression and minification of HTML, JavaScript and CSS resources, which removes unnecessary whitespace, comments, and other metadata which are not essential to render the page. These optimizations, combined with mandatory gzip compression for all resources, can result in substantial bandwidth savings," <a href="https://developers.google.com/chrome/mobile/docs/data-compression">informs Google</a>. DNS lookups are performed by the proxy, while the images are converted to WebP and the resulting images are up to 80% smaller.<br /><br />Chrome for iOS also adds <a href="http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2013/07/chrome-for-android-adds-page-translation.html">the page translation feature</a>, which was previously limited to Chrome for Android and desktop, while Chrome for Android lets you <a href="http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2013/10/add-shortcuts-to-web-apps-in-chrome-for.html">add to the homescreen shortcuts to any page or web app</a>.<br /><br />As usually, "these updates will be rolling out over the next few days", so don't expect to get the latest version of Mobile Chrome right away.

Chrome's Data Compression, Now For Everyone

Chrome's data compression feature is now available for all Android and iOS users. The latest releases of Chrome for Android and iOS add ...

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More Holiday Decorations in Google Search

Google's mobile search interface shows some special decorations when you search for [<a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=christmas">Christmas</a>], [<a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=kwanzaa">Kwanzaa</a>] or some queries that include them.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGome-hzORL7Wane87BCXdttXu_O_8Qtws73ydDJDlYnJre_jxIadrCemKIFa-HpP3lGag6G7_vOslMQOHTJRo18ETUhb96OjDI9prQG62YoeiTyzBvrCcyGbwaU10rj5EXIChZhC9LZJK/s1600/google-mobile-christmas-1.png" /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_HWRn-2FglSL9oIKRcC3NkjtbzszSONCoDyKoG8Ae0pCt3jk-DvsSlMGiDlScaBLvATwyrrF0kJq9oymXFTA5nILI7KvGgc2hf9WFuOSAlO5haaVNEHDtzfqhGIFblg7InP8wyiziONPf/s1600/google-mobile-christmas-2.png" /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBI-mE_G7WnjWc8KkPlSKWLHFxjN5g2ki5K0AOeXUACcIgPi1rbu3dok1lBOd1eXm8PUl1CYzmQuh1MbiHc8CkvDMaaQOnm0kP-Ul8rckuZ7LnvBBH2c_03AngR773wblU0jBAbdRBz1r_/s1600/google-mobile-kwanzaa-1.png" /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp86S8ZqEVBX0cQv7GE3_-Z_hyphenhyphenh7Z5VQDL4yB8i8Ends5CK-rix18sGvPTmgmSL6gDTXHZJNf6Zv3xJOjvYiaLtQIqFKltrBtL4TfnWRfu2VOU-Sq-_TBN6tIIO5TA3B44ap4pFBeyQu-1/s1600/google-mobile-kwanzaa-2.png" /></div><br />They're not animated like the desktop decorations, but they fill the entire search results page.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh11P-xHk4SgBYgOEWmwqFFhjoeGH_wJVQ6Dsc9wxoT7a7lNbsL2GIcJjz3fVziCsbxXRu8vtj_ncGFWdxR-vHy_O5VJ3gCslPUTH0mJIb9j_ssfkTr2lEv5_IWRzcQsNKGPYiSvxUyi0UO/s1600/google-desktop-christmas.png" /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKp4FYvU2DPHhTbuIR_7Wtw9zY4aGMusLmesDy-YNqhX-WkLClYGM0YsUMWgnCaJtnpRTNiVt9tuwM9OOKbIdS3yqJvPAPG1W6nZlqf94ydY4pYtO3_NPwRq_JjIHI5uHu6XXjRQ3ZOShy/s1600/c3-gimp.gif" /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq9Y3i4b1Zce7rCp77O1jQbeXu_w39bnahJU-KG9ujh_0qcwADKCYmeoAHyL-pk5sesYuktbSqZpo_QDWAmSc13N-KHVfxrAffrkqjbI7IDydSclYc8G8_qZUj8AjPHgHUiUdxm1eKOM-b/s1600/google-desktop-kwanzaa.png" /></div><br />Google had a lot of festive decorations and Easter Eggs this holiday seasons: <a href="http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2013/11/googles-festive-decorations.html">Hanukkah and Festivus</a>, <a href="http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2013/12/googles-animated-decorations-christmas.html">Christmas</a>, <a href="http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2013/12/googles-christmas-carols-easter-egg.html">Karaoke player for carols</a>, <a href="http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2013/12/googles-christmas-carols-easter-egg.html">Google Maps costume</a>.<br /><br />{ Thanks, Sterling. }

More Holiday Decorations in Google Search

Google's mobile search interface shows some special decorations when you search for [ Christmas ], [ Kwanzaa ] or some queries that incl...

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Android and Google's Shifting Priorities

I've been reading Fred Vogelstein's book "<i>Dogfight: How Apple and Google Went to War and Started a Revolution</i>" (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BIV1R98/">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Fred_Vogelstein_Dogfight_How_Apple_and_Google_Went?id=qDOdHNAb3aMC">Google Play</a>) and realized that Android wasn't that important for Google until 2009-2010, when Motorola Droid and Nexus One were launched. It was an operating system designed to <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/12/the-day-google-had-to-start-over-on-android/282479/">compete with Microsoft's Windows Mobile</a> that ended up competing with Apple's iOS. Back in 2007 and 2008, Google's partnership with Apple was more important than Android, a project that was understaffed. Android only became important when Google realized that Apple's dominance in the mobile space could spell trouble for Google.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSVcxZ_65rFsjWHgNUZeKoL-Y6ps-Q0jsDQyYCmjHp24JTpYXF1ZNN_kjoryzE1orjNgU4xRNWq_C8uUohPzFk36VTQcXUM6oRgbdcxYizzrudmSzwFM0kXSJWoB9LD96YS4oYm3_28APP/s1600/android-old-screenshot.png" /></div><br />Here are some quotes:<br /><br />1. "Gundotra was putting the Android team on the spot. “I said, 'Convince me that this [Android] is something we [Google] should believe in,' and I know they had never had anyone ask those questions, and it was tough for them. 'Who are you to ask these questions again?' they wondered.” A former senior member of the Android team echoed this feeling: “In the early days, Google Mobile [the team working with Apple on the iPhone] hated us. I mean, they thought we were the biggest pain in the ass in the world. I know Vic Gundotra [who now runs Google's competitor to Facebook, Google Plus] has come around and been a great advocate of Android, but he really hated it at first. He thought [Android] would be a distraction that would upset his relationship with Steve Jobs. There was a lot of butting of heads and arguments internally about strategy and things like that."<br /><br />2. "The Jobs meeting was particularly difficult for Rubin, friends say. He was indeed as furious as Jobs described, and he almost quit Google over it. He understood what his bosses were saying intellectually. But Jobs had bullied him in front of his bosses, and they hadn't backed him up. For a while thereafter he had a sign on his office whiteboard that read STEVE JOBS STOLE MY LUNCH MONEY."<br /><br />3. "Schmidt says today that not only had he and Jobs talked about Android, he'd made it clear to Jobs that in terms of Google priorities, iPhone came first. 'I think maybe Andy [Rubin] understood the importance of Android back then, but certainly the rest of Google did not. We were busy doing other things,' Schmidt said to me in 2011."<br /><br />4. Eric Schmidt in 2011: "Larry and Sergey and I understood the strategic value of Android, but none of us I think foresaw how strategic it would become. Every once in a while a perfect storm occurs. Your competitors make some mistakes. You end up with the right product at the right time. There are really no other good choices of products. It all sort of happens in a moment. That's what happened with Android."

Android and Google's Shifting Priorities

I've been reading Fred Vogelstein's book " Dogfight: How Apple and Google Went to War and Started a Revolution " ( Amazon ...

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Google's Christmas Carols Easter Egg

Google has a new Easter Egg for Christmas, but this time it's only for mobile devices. Search for [<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=let's+go+caroling">let's go caroling</a>] using an Android or iOS device or use voice search and say "let's go caroling" and you'll see a list of 5 carols you can play: "Jingle Bells", "Up on the House Top", "Deck the Halls", "O Christmas Tree" and "We Wish You a Merry Christmas". Tap one of the carols and Google will start playing the karaoke version of the carol, while also displaying the lyrics.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBs7YQL1zo6XJcIqSgL2C-ceYMTKZ4seGUlRzD5RR9IBB5_iRdeOA62oCMoC1yr8-nhmHYBlAseCkakVTPwA52GidkIqihg1Dw4pdINg0Y9d_8qFIwEmZTRSVyivii8qmRYjn76cBn3snG/s1600/google-carol-easter-egg-1.png" /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL_FqwMujOKOKYgw3RLQbK6tSBxn6UadCf5BBI0RlbU3bhoxGBHEw9t6W5iXYTVmsZi6uqTp_xA-bgINNoM9BVl5FZE080eH-t-7xlB62u2uz5JCKh76ytakLOq9qGF9r9t_ij8QsWizlT/s1600/google-carol-easter-egg-2.png" /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw8LCssTyS_9lu0QLadQ_9k_9x6C7RyU221mVmBW74UeB0Qf-PryUgmVVZAWhy9Y0DRpVnyd0DiEQWNszdmjap_WMYvgIJyOj6TzSbYeGZefyj2t_KK1CysnwaWpPwJ3M8dquYM4epi_XF/s1600/google-carol-easter-egg-3.png" /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/bVsh6uu9JPg" width="560"></iframe></div><br />Maybe this Easter Egg will actually be useful.

Google's Christmas Carols Easter Egg

Google has a new Easter Egg for Christmas, but this time it's only for mobile devices. Search for [ let's go caroling ] using an And...

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