Google Cloud Platform News

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  Google hardware. Designed to work better together.
  google assistant google home pixel pixel slate hardware • • sorangutan  

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  This year marks Google’s 20th anniversary—for two decades we’ve been working toward our mission to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful for everybody. Delivering information has always been in our DNA. It’s why we exist. From searching the world, to translating it, to getting a great photo of it, when we see an opportunity to help people, we’ll go the extra mile. We love working on really hard problems that make life easier for people, in big and small ways.

  There’s a clear line from the technology we were working on 20 years ago to the technology we’re developing today—and the big breakthroughs come at the intersection of AI, software and hardware, working together. This approach is what makes the Google hardware experience so unique, and it unlocks all kinds of helpful benefits. When we think about artificial intelligence in the context of consumer hardware, it isn’t artificial at all—it’s helping you get real things done, every day. A shorter route to work. A gorgeous vacation photo. A faster email response. 

  So today, we’re introducing our third-generation family of consumer hardware products, all made by Google:

  • For life on the go, we’re introducing the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL—designed from the inside out to be the smartest, most helpful device in your life. It’s a phone that can answer itself, a camera that won’t miss a shot, and a helpful Assistant even while it’s charging.

  • For life at work and at play, we’re bringing the power and productivity of a desktop to a gorgeous tablet called Pixel Slate. This Chrome OS device is both a powerful workstation at the office, and a home theater you can hold in your hands.

  • And for life at home we designed Google Home Hub, which lets you hear and see the info you need, and manage your connected home from a single screen. With its radically helpful smart display, Google Home Hub lays the foundation for a truly thoughtful home.

  The new Google devices fit perfectly with the rest of our family of products, including Nest, which joined the Google hardware family at the beginning of this year. Together with Nest, we’re pursuing our shared vision of a thoughtful home that isn’t just smart, it’s also helpful and simple enough for everyone to set up and use. It's technology designed for the way you live.
  

  

  Our goal with these new products, as always, is to create something that serves a purpose in people’s lives—products that are so useful they make people wonder how they ever lived without them. The simple yet beautiful design of these new devices continues to bring the smarts of the technology to the forefront, while providing people with a bold piece of hardware.

  Our guiding principle

  Google's guiding principle is the same as it’s been for 20 years—to respect our users and put them first. We feel a deep responsibility to provide you with a helpful, personal Google experience, and that guides the work we do in three very specific ways:

  • First, we want to provide you with an experience that is unique to you. Just like Google is organizing the world’s information, the combination of AI, software and hardware can organize your information—and help out with the things you want to get done. The Google Assistant is the best expression of this, and it’s always available when, where, and however you need it.

  • Second, we’re committed to the security of our users. We need to offer simple, powerful ways to safeguard your devices. We’ve integrated Titan™ Security, the system we built for Google, into our new mobile devices. Titan™ Security protects your most sensitive on-device data by securing your lock screen and strengthening disk encryption.

  • Third, we want to make sure you’re in control of your digital wellbeing. From our research, 72 percent of our users are concerned about the amount of time people spend using tech. We take this very seriously and have developed new tools that make people’s lives easier and cut back on distractions.

  With these Made by Google devices, our goal is to provide radically helpful solutions. While it’s early in the journey, we’re taking an end-to-end approach to consumer technology that merges our most innovative AI with intuitive software and powerful hardware. Ultimately, we want to help you do more with your days while doing less with your tech—so you can focus on what matters most.

  
  
  https://www.blog.google/products/hardware/made-by-google-family-2018/
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  The culture that connects Europe
  google in europe arts and culture • • sorangutan  

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  Oktoberfest, stilettos or tea leaves—do Europeans have a common way to party, dress, or even look into the future? What hobbies, celebrations or beliefs do they share?
  

  
  

  Google Arts & Culture has always been focused on making culture from all over the world accessible to people everywhere. Over the last seven years we’ve partnered with hundreds of European cultural institutions to bring their heritage online. Now we’ve brought together collections from across the continent—from masterpieces to iconic monuments to traditional costumes—all to celebrate the European Year of Cultural Heritage. This year-long initiative from the European Commission highlights European heritage and celebrates cultures across the continent.

  
  

  Together we created “The culture that connects us,” a unique digital experience that lets everyone dive into centuries of European arts and culture, highlighting the stories, masterpieces and places that connect us beyond our national differences.

  
  

  Tibor Navracsics, EU Commissioner for Education, Youth and Sport, says of the exhibit: “The European Year of Cultural Heritage in 2018 is a celebration that has already captured the imagination of more than 3.6 million people in 36 countries. I am delighted to see the support, interest and enthusiasm that the Year is generating. Its purpose is to encourage more people to come together to discover and experience Europe's rich cultural heritage. I hope that the launch of this video and project page today will inspire even more people—especially young people—to preserve our cultural heritage and use it as a basis to express their own creativity. After all, the future of our shared heritage is in the hands of the younger generations, as they are the guardians of this exceptional and irreplaceable wealth.”    

  
  

  Online exhibits from more than 800 cultural institutions, 2,700+ pieces of ultra-high resolution artwork, and 1,000 iconic locations captured in Street View offer a window into the diversity and richness of European culture. These exhibits reveal unexpected stories about street art festivals, fortune-telling and food in art history. Discover more Greek gods, the world's most famous kiss from Austria, and the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles.

  
  The exhibit is not only a visual experience. We challenged seven European YouTube creators to hunt for sounds that expressed their culture and their heritage. While Polish Krzysztof Gonciarz went for the typical “beep” of public transport, Jonna Jinton from Sweden performed a mesmerizing traditional herding call. The pop of a wine bottle and the crackle of bread came from French Revues du Monde, while Cane Secco collected the sound of buzzing Italian Piazza di Trevi. We combined this collection of sounds to form a single music track that encapsulates the sound of Europe.

  We’re proud to have worked with the European Commission and our partners to highlight European heritage and celebrate the many cultures that thrive in Europe today.  Find your connections during the European Year of Cultural Heritage at g.co/europeforculture.

  
  
  https://www.blog.google/around-the-globe/google-europe/culture-connects-europe/
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  A breath of fresh air: Measuring air quality in Copenhagen
  google in europe sustainability • • sorangutan  

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  Healthy cities are important to everyone. And from a mother of an asthmatic child looking for the best way to get to the playground, to bike commuters and outdoor athletes finding the healthiest route for their trip, to city planners working to reduce unhealthy emissions, air quality information is crucial to making decisions in our daily lives. More detailed air quality insights are the goal of Project Air View, which kicked off today in Copenhagen, Denmark, in a partnership between the City of Copenhagen and Google.

  Denmark’s National Center for Environment and Energy has estimated that around 550 Copenhageners die prematurely every year from pollution, and an even larger number suffer from related diseases; the yearly societal cost is estimated around 600 million euros.

  Project Air View can help Copenhagen tackle this problem. It uses Google Street View vehicles equipped with scientific instruments that measure air quality at the street level. This creates a dataset which can map hyperlocal, block-by-block emissions and particle pollution. These measurements will be shared with scientists, the City Council, and ultimately, the public via interactive maps, all in an effort to tackle this well-known—and harmful—problem in big cities.

  Today, Copenhagen has three stationary measuring points for air quality. We hope to complement the measurements from these fixed locations with our mobile Street View cars, enabling the City to measure air pollution in the City in significantly more detail. The air quality sensors measure nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, and ultrafine particulate matter.

  We’ve enlisted the help of scientists from the University of Utrecht in The Netherlands to equip the car with the air quality equipment. They will also play an integral part in data validation and analysis. Aarhus University in Denmark will also contribute.

  

  Equipping Street View cars with sensors to measure air quality

  This is the next phase of our efforts to map air quality, after first mapping the City of Oakland and other California cities since 2015. We’ve also mapped high-resolution air quality data in London, and recently announced that we’re expanding to more places around the globe.

  Project Air View is an example of how we can extend Google’s mission to air quality information, helping to reduce pollution and meaningfully impact people’s quality of life. And it’s one of several efforts aimed at applying technology to the world’s most pressing problems. We’re thrilled that Copenhagen is one of the first cities in Europe with a Street View car on the road measuring air quality. It speaks to Copenhagen’s forward-thinking approach to climate and environment, and we’re happy to contribute to that effort.
  

  
  
  https://www.blog.google/around-the-globe/google-europe/breath-fresh-air-measuring-air-quality-copenhagen/
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  Google for Hong Kong: Fostering a smarter digital city
  • sorangutan  

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  Hong Kong has long been an international hub for finance and business. But now new kinds of entrepreneurs who don’t wear power suits or cut deals in boardrooms have emerged in the city. Thirteen-year-old CEO Hillary Yip struggled with learning Mandarin, so she designed a language learning app for children that’s used in more than 20 countries today. Mama Cheung, a home-maker found a second career as a YouTube creator by sharing her family recipes, attracting millions of views. Edward Li started Twitchy Finger four years ago because of his passion for mobile games. Today, games that he made are played by millions of people across the world.
  

  
  

  Hillary, Edward and Mama Cheung are part of a wave of Hong Kong entrepreneurs embracing technological opportunities. In the second annual edition of our Smarter Digital City Whitepaper, 90 percent of business leaders surveyed said they plan to increase investments in digital technology in the next two years. To benefit from digital technology, businesses also need digital talent. However, 70 percent of those leaders said they face difficulties finding the right talent.

  
  

  At our Google for Hong Kong event today, we announced initiatives for Hong Kong businesses, young people and job-seekers to develop digital talent and connect it with businesses looking to hire them.

  
  First, with new Cantonese language courses in Digital Garage, we’re on track to train 10,000 Hong Kongers with digital skills by the end of 2018. For younger tech talent, we’re expanding the reach of CS First in Hong Kong, a free online curriculum of lesson plans, projects and learning tools for kids just getting into computer science. More than 1,000 students in Hong Kong have already benefited from CS First classes, and we’re continuing to train teachers and volunteers, so that they teach students in communities that lack access to coding education. As we make more CS First learning modules available in Cantonese, we hope that more young Hong Kongers get to experience the fun of coding.

  Some young coders graduating from a CS First class.

  To help connect Hong Kongers to jobs in the digital economy, we’re launching a new search experience making it easier for job seekers in Hong Kong to find employment opportunities from popular job listing websites, online classifieds and companies. The new feature is built directly into Google Search to provide a comprehensive listing of jobs across the web, so Hong Kongers can now explore and research thousands of job listings, save promising opportunities and get alerts whenever a new job matching their search comes online.
  

  

  The key to Hong Kong’s success has always been its driven and talented people. We’re excited to partner Hong Kongers in building a smarter digital city.

  
  
  https://www.blog.google/around-the-globe/google-asia/googleforhk/
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  Berlin and Babylon meet on an Island of Museums
  google in europe arts and culture germany • • sorangutan  

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  Nearly 120 years ago, the excavation of Babylon led to the discovery of the 2,600-year-old Ishtar Gate. Today, visitors to Berlin can marvel at a reconstruction of the gate using its original blue bricks, on display in the Pergamon Museum.

  Google Arts & Culture and the Staatliche Museen Berlin, in collaboration with CyArk and World Monuments Fund, have used modern technology to build a virtual bridge between Babylon and Berlin, virtually integrating Ishtar Gate into its original location in Iraq. Now anyone, anywhere can explore the story of its discovery and reconstruction in VR with Google Cardboard.

  The Pergamon Museum is one of several institutions that makes up the unique ensemble of the Berlin Museum Island, and we’ve also worked with four other museums to add their collections to Google Arts & Culture. Their combined online exhibits contain more than 4,000 objects covering more than 6,000 years of art and cultural history—including such masterpieces as the Monk by the Sea by Caspar David Friedrich, the Golden hat and the bust of Nefertiti.

  • 03_Bode-Museum_Nacht_Maximilian_Meisse (1).jpg

    The Bode Museum, one of several museums that makes up Berlin’s “Museum Island”

  • Screen Shot 2018-10-01 at 17.07.52.png

    "Monk by the Sea" by Caspar David Friedrich, from the Alte Nationalgalerie, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin

  • Screen Shot 2018-10-01 at 17.07.45.png

    The Golden hat (1000-800 BCE), on display in the Neues Museum, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin

  • Screen Shot 2018-10-01 at 17.08.01.png

    The bust of Nefertiti, Neues Museum, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin

  • Screen Shot 2018-10-01 at 17.07.56.png

    The reconstruction of the Ishtar Gate, at the Pergamon Museum

  You can also explore Museum Island’s treasures through the lens of themes like wanderlust, vanity and body image, YOLO, modern romance, female empowerment, and rebellion.

  Start your tour of Museum Island with Arts & Culture on the web, or with our free Arts & Culture app on your Android phone or iOS.

  
  
  https://www.blog.google/outreach-initiatives/arts-culture/berlin-and-babylon-meet-island-museums/
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  Project Strobe: Protecting your data, improving our third-party APIs, and sunsetting consumer Google+
  • sorangutan  

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  Many third-party apps, services and websites build on top of our various services to improve everyone’s phones, working life, and online experience. We strongly support this active ecosystem. But increasingly, its success depends on users knowing that their data is secure, and on developers having clear rules of the road.

  Over the years we’ve continually strengthened our controls and policies in response to regular internal reviews, user feedback and evolving expectations about data privacy and security.

  At the beginning of this year, we started an effort called Project Strobe—a root-and-branch review of third-party developer access to Google account and Android device data and of our philosophy around apps’ data access. This project looked at the operation of our privacy controls, platforms where users were not engaging with our APIs because of concerns around data privacy, areas where developers may have been granted overly broad access, and other areas in which our policies should be tightened.  

  We’re announcing the first four findings and actions from this review today.

  Finding 1: There are significant challenges in creating and maintaining a successful Google+ product that meets consumers’ expectations.
  

  Action 1: We are shutting down Google+ for consumers.
  

  Over the years we’ve received feedback that people want to better understand how to control the data they choose to share with apps on Google+. So as part of Project Strobe, one of our first priorities was to closely review all the APIs associated with Google+.  

  This review crystallized what we’ve known for a while: that while our engineering teams have put a lot of effort and dedication into building Google+ over the years, it has not achieved broad consumer or developer adoption, and has seen limited user interaction with apps. The consumer version of Google+ currently has low usage and engagement: 90 percent of Google+ user sessions are less than five seconds.

  Our review showed that our Google+ APIs, and the associated controls for consumers, are challenging to develop and maintain. Underlining this, as part of our Project Strobe audit, we discovered a bug in one of the Google+ People APIs:
  
  

  • Users can grant access to their Profile data, and the public Profile information of their friends, to Google+ apps, via the API.

  • The bug meant that apps also had access to Profile fields that were shared with the user, but not marked as public.  

  • This data is limited to static, optional Google+ Profile fields including name, email address, occupation, gender and age. (See the full list on our developer site.) It does not include any other data you may have posted or connected to Google+ or any other service, like Google+ posts, messages, Google account data, phone numbers or G Suite content.

  • We discovered and immediately patched this bug in March 2018. We believe it occurred after launch as a result of the API’s interaction with a subsequent Google+ code change.

  • We made Google+ with privacy in mind and therefore keep this API’s log data for only two weeks. That means we cannot confirm which users were impacted by this bug. However, we ran a detailed analysis over the two weeks prior to patching the bug, and from that analysis, the Profiles of up to 500,000 Google+ accounts were potentially affected. Our analysis showed that up to 438 applications may have used this API.

  • We found no evidence that any developer was aware of this bug, or abusing the API, and we found no evidence that any Profile data was misused.

  Every year, we send millions of notifications to users about privacy and security bugs and issues. Whenever user data may have been affected, we go beyond our legal requirements and apply several criteria focused on our users in determining whether to provide notice.

  Our Privacy & Data Protection Office reviewed this issue, looking at the type of data involved, whether we could accurately identify the users to inform, whether there was any evidence of misuse, and whether there were any actions a developer or user could take in response. None of these thresholds were met in this instance.

  The review did highlight the significant challenges in creating and maintaining a successful Google+ that meets consumers’ expectations. Given these challenges and the very low usage of the consumer version of Google+, we decided to sunset the consumer version of Google+.

  To give people a full opportunity to transition, we will implement this wind-down over a 10-month period, slated for completion by the end of next August. Over the coming months, we will provide consumers with additional information, including ways they can download and migrate their data.

  At the same time, we have many enterprise customers who are finding great value in using Google+ within their companies. Our review showed that Google+ is better suited as an enterprise product where co-workers can engage in internal discussions on a secure corporate social network. Enterprise customers can set common access rules, and use central controls, for their entire organization. We’ve decided to focus on our enterprise efforts and will be launching new features purpose-built for businesses. We will share more information in the coming days.  

  Finding 2: People want fine-grained controls over the data they share with apps.
  

  Action 2: We are launching more granular Google Account permissions that will show in individual dialog boxes.

  When an app prompts you for access to your Google account data, we always require that you see what data it has asked for, and you must grant it explicit permission.

  Going forward, consumers will get more fine-grained control over what account data they choose to share with each app. Instead of seeing all requested permissions in a single screen, apps will have to show you each requested permission, one at a time, within its own dialog box.  For example, if a developer requests access to both calendar entries and Drive documents, you will be able to choose to share one but not the other. Developers can read more on the Google Developer Blog.

  This is what the process looks like today when an app requests access to any data in your consumer Google account (you've always been able to choose whether to grant that permission request):

  

  This is what it will look like:

  

  Finding 3: When users grant apps access to their Gmail, they do so with certain use cases in mind.   
  

  Action 3: We are limiting the types of use cases that are permitted.

  We are updating our User Data Policy for the consumer Gmail API to limit the apps that may seek permission to access your consumer Gmail data. Only apps directly enhancing email functionality—such as email clients, email backup services and productivity services (e.g., CRM and mail merge services)—will be authorized to access this data. Moreover, these apps will need to agree to new rules on handling Gmail data and will be subject to security assessments. Developers can read more details on the Gmail Developer Blog. (As always, G Suite administrators are in control of their users’ apps.)

  You can always review and control which apps have access to your Google account data (including Gmail) within our Security Checkup tool.

  Finding 4: When users grant SMS, Contacts and Phone permissions to Android apps, they do so with certain use cases in mind.   
  

  Action 4: We are limiting apps’ ability to receive Call Log and SMS permissions on Android devices, and are no longer making contact interaction data available via the Android Contacts API.

  Some Android apps ask for permission to access a user’s phone (including call logs) and SMS data. Going forward, Google Play will limit which apps are allowed to ask for these permissions.  Only an app that you’ve selected as your default app for making calls or text messages will be able to make these requests. (There are some exceptions—e.g., voicemail and backup apps.) Developers can find more details in the Google Play Developer Policy Center and in the Help Center.

  Additionally, as part of the Android Contacts permission, we had provided basic interaction data  so, for example, a messaging app could show you your most recent contacts. We will remove access to contact interaction data from the Android Contacts API within the next few months.

  ---

  In the coming months, we’ll roll out additional controls and updating policies across more of our APIs. As we do so, we’ll work with our developer partners to give them appropriate time to adjust and update their apps and services.

  Our goal is to support a wide range of useful apps, while ensuring that everyone is confident that their data is secure. By giving developers more explicit rules of the road, and helping users control your data, we can ensure that we keep doing just that.

  
  
  https://www.blog.google/technology/safety-security/project-strobe/
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  Teaching students about geography, one Google Hangout at a time
  • sorangutan  

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  I'm always looking for creative ways to get my fifth-grade students excited about social studies and geography. Thanks to technology, they're able to see the lessons come to life and visit every state in the country without ever leaving their classroom. One way I’ve done this with my students is through “Mystery Hangouts,” a game a teaching partner introduced to me a few years ago. Last year, I put a fun spin on it and challenged my fifth-grade class to complete what I called the “Race to 50 States.”

  I used Google Hangouts Meet to connect my class with another one in an unknown state. To solve the mystery of where the other class was located, students shared fun facts about their state and asked yes or no questions like, “Are you west of the Mississippi River?”

  Not only is the game engaging and fun, but it’s also educational. In addition to using their geography knowledge, my students also learned skills in critical thinking, mapping, listening, collaboration, technology and communication. After a few Hangouts Meet sessions, I received so much positive feedback from students and parents alike that I set an ambitious goal for this year’s class: reach all 50 states by the end of the school year.

  If this sounds like something your class might be interested in, visit the “Resource” section of the Teacher Center, where I share how to play the game. It’s only a guide, so feel free to tweak the rules for your class. All you need is internet access and maps to get started. Before you know it, your students will be learning more about their country, one mystery location at a time.

  
  
  
  https://www.blog.google/outreach-initiatives/education/teaching-students-about-geography-one-google-hangout-time/
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  What’s that you say? Present with captions in Google Slides
  diversity and inclusion accessibility googlers slides • • sorangutan  

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  Years ago in a Long Island doctor’s office, four-year-old Laura was fitted with her first pair of hearing aids, customized to compensate for her specific hearing loss. However, they didn’t work very well, particularly in noisy backgrounds, so she eventually stopped wearing them.

  
  

  A few years later on a school bus in Bethesda, MD, nine-year-old Abigail sat next to a classmate who taught her how to communicate using American Sign Language. In high school, she worked in a biology lab at the National Eye Institutewhere she researched retinitis pigmentosa, a genetic disorder that causes loss of vision.

  
  

  Flash forward to today where we, Laura and Abigail, work at Google, building products with accessibility features that help billions of users across the globe. We met earlier, through the accessibility community at MIT, where we studied computer science with the hopes of using our technical skills to make a difference in people’s lives.

  
  

  During our time at university, Abigail built a solution that helped a blind man use his touch-screen oven, led a team that enabled blind individuals to sign legal documents independently, and co-founded an assistive technology hackathon. Laura researched a new signal processing algorithm for hearing aids in noisy environments, built an app for residents in a neurological disease care facility to call for help in a more accessible way, and worked on a hands-free page turner for individuals unable to use their arms. This work not only made us see what an impact technology can make on people with accessibility needs, but also motivated us to focus our careers in this area when we graduated.

  
  

  When we landed at Google, we both independently joined the G Suite accessibility team. As part of this team, we've improved screen reader, Braille and screen magnifier support on Google Docs, Sheets and Slides, and we have represented the Google Accessibility team at external conferences. We’re also involved with the American Sign Language community at Google, which promotes inclusivity among all Googlers through shared language.

  
  

  Recently, an internal hackathon led us to work on a project that is deeply personal. Upon observing that presentations can be challenging for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to follow along, we both teamed up with the idea to add automated closed captions to G Suite’s presentation tool, Google Slides.

  
  

  This work has moved from a passion project to our full-time job, and today we’re officially launching automated closed captions in Google Slides. The feature will gradually roll out to all Slides users starting this week.

  Google Slides Closed Captions

  An example of closed captions in Google Slides

  How it works

  The closed captions feature is available when presenting in Google Slides. It uses your computer’s microphone to detect your spoken presentation, then transcribes—in real time—what you say as captions on the slides you’re presenting.  When you begin presenting, click the “CC” button in the navigation box (or use the shortcut Ctrl + Shift + c in Chrome OS / Windows or ⌘ + Shift + c in Mac).

  
  

  As you start speaking into your device’s microphone, automated captions will appear in real time at the bottom of your screen for your audience to see. The feature works for a single user presenting in U.S. English on a laptop or desktop computer, using the Chrome browser. We’re looking to expand the feature to more countries and languages over time. The captions are powered by machine learning and heavily influenced by the speaker's accent, voice modulation, and intonation. We’re continuing to work on improving caption quality.

  
  

  Closed captioning in Slides can help audience members like Laura who are deaf or hard of hearing, but it can also be useful for audience members without hearing loss who are listening in noisy auditoriums or rooms with poor sound settings. Closed captioning can also be a benefit when the presenter is speaking a non-native language or is not projecting their voice. The fact that the feature was built primarily for accessibility purposes but is also helpful to all users shows the overall value for everyone of incorporating accessibility into product design.

  
  

  You might think that the experiences we had growing up are the reasons we were inspired to work on accessibility at Google. That’s partly true. But we really got into this work for its potential to improve the lives of people with disabilities, for the interesting technologies and design constraints, and because of our desire to use our skills to make the world a better place. We’re excited to contribute to that effort with closed captions in Google Slides, and we’re eager to share it with you. Visit our help center to learn more.

  
  
  https://www.blog.google/outreach-initiatives/accessibility/whats-you-say-present-captions-google-slides/
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  The new Google Safety Centre comes to Europe: Helping you stay safe online
  google in europe safety and security • • sorangutan  

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  Starting today, we’re rolling out our newly expanded Safety Centre in six countries across Europe (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and the U.K.). You'll now be able to find even more tools, easy tips, and information about data security, privacy controls and how to use technology in a way that is right for your family, just in time for European Cyber Security Month. More countries and languages will be available in the coming weeks.

  Helping people manage their privacy and security is integral to everything we do. Over the years we’ve created many tools and are always improving them so you’re in control: Google Account gives you access to all the settings to safeguard your data and privacy; Privacy Checkup helps you quickly review and adjust what data Google uses to personalize your experience; and My Activity helps you review the activity data connected to your account.

  

  Parents can also find information in the Safety Centre about how to use tools like Family Link and YouTube Kids to set digital ground rules, and get tips on how to talk with their children and teens about being considerate, setting boundaries, and staying safe online. You can also find links and advice on important issues like cyberbullying, screen time and oversharing from child online safety experts from organizations like FSM and fragFINN in Germany, e-Enfance and Génération Numérique in France, Parent Zone and Internet Matters in the United Kingdom, and Expertisebureau Online Kindermisbruik in the Netherlands.

  The Google Safety Centre is part of our ongoing commitment to give you tools and information to control how your data is used in Google services. As technology keeps changing the way we live and work, you can expect our tools to continually evolve to fit your needs.
  
  https://www.blog.google/around-the-globe/google-europe/new-google-safety-centre-comes-europe-helping-you-stay-safe-online/
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  Behind the scenes of GHC ‘18: a story of ten rooms
  • sorangutan  

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  This past week, 20,000 people gathered at the Grace Hopper Celebration for Women in Computing in Houston, Texas for three days of learning, networking and inspiration. While 20,000 is quite a large number, there are many of you who could not join us in person … so we’re taking you on a quick journey through ten rooms at #GHC18.
  

  It should be noted that this particular path just scratches the surface, and we wish we could have been in more than one room at a time, but alas, time travel has yet to be invented (although, we wouldn’t be surprised if the woman who figures it out was at Grace Hopper).

  Room One: Opening Keynote

  

  You walk into the packed Toyota Center, where you’re surrounded by more women technologists than you’ve ever seen. The energy is palpable as you listen to keynote speakers like Jessica Mathews who is currently using her invention (a jump rope) to power a set of lights on stage. How? She generates energy by skipping rope … in heels! You leave with Jessica’s words resonating in your head, “The world will be better because there will be more of us leading it.”

  Room Two: Career Fair

  

  Again, the room is buzzing. Hundreds of booths line the room the size of an airplane hanger. You make your way to the Google booth where you meet a Google engineer and ask about what her day to day looks like. You chat with a recruiter and go over your resume together. You meet a former Google intern (current Googler) and ask about her interview experience. You score some swag—a new Ada, Anita, and Grace poster for your wall and #GHC18 pins to adorn your bag. You’re about to head out when you spot the YouTube booth.

  Room Three: YouTube Video Booth

  

  You’ve found perhaps the smallest room at #GHC18. You take a moment to yourself in the YouTube video booth and record a video sharing thoughts on your Grace Hopper experience and your advice to other women in tech. You make a note to upload the video to your YouTube channel later. Can’t disappoint the fans.

  Room Four: Tech Showcase

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  You walk down a seemingly endless row of booths and come across something that looks like a small house or garage. You head inside to find Google’s hardware on display. It’s all been taken apart so you can see what goes on inside. You “OK, Google” your way through different devices, learning about how they work and the women behind the products. Before heading out, you get your new headshot taken with a Pixel 2. You nail it.

  Room Five: Hallways

  

  While not technically a room, we gotta talk about these. They are PACKED. You make your way through the crowds of people all rushing off to different sessions, interviews, career chats, panels, and workshops. You brush shoulders with CEOS, founders, engineering directors, award winners, and inventors. These are your peers. As the days go one you’ll begin recognizing more and more faces of people you’ve met. At the end of day three, check your steps and note that you’ve covered almost ten miles in these halls!

  Room Six: Sessions Galore

  

  You duck into numerous sessions, panels, and talks featuring countless women who are experts in their fields. One minute you’re learning about how artificial intelligence is used to create original works of art and the next you’re absorbing how to foster and build a strong community for women in tech in your hometown. You furiously take notes and pick up on nuggets of advice, writing down one last quote before moving on. “Those changes we have made are not here forever if we don’t keep nurturing and growing them,” Michelle Duffy, Google Site Reliability Engineering Director and GHC18 speaker.

  Room Seven: Google on the Green

  
  

  

  You enter an air-conditioned tent in the middle of everything going on outside. You grab some snacks, meet new friends, and decide to circle the room and check out the various installations. You learn about the building blocks of AI, then add your mark to a mural of Grace, Anita, and Ada. Before leaving, you take a quick trip around the world at the Google Earth wall and get a close up of a Google Maps Street View car.

  Room Eight: Women Techmakers

  

  A few miles away, the night time events are getting started. You walk into the warehouse where the Women Techmakers event is being held. You make your own Super G. You belt out karaoke in the YouTube living room and are thankful for soundproofing. You sneak a workout in by lifting life size Light Bright pieces, playing motion activated video games, and dancing with your new friends.

  Room Nine: Hotel Room

  You sleep. You dream up your next invention/website/app/world changing idea (time travel?).

  Room Ten: Airport Terminal

  As you get to your gate, you spot strangers with the same shirt as you, holding the same posters you have tucked away in your bag. You are no longer strangers. You’re connected by the shared experience of Grace Hopper. There are more women technologists out there than you realized. You remember how much you belong. You set a reminder to register for #GHC19.

  
  

  
  
  https://www.blog.google/inside-google/googlers/behind-scenes-ghc-18-story-ten-rooms/
• 

  A bird flies into a bar … and other top searches this week
  • sorangutan  

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  It’s almost the weekend, but the birds are already having too much fun. Here’s a look at some of the most-searched trends of the week:

  Boozy Birdies

  Searches for “drunk birds” took flight this week after birds in Minnesota were flying into windows with abandon—apparently drunk after eating fermented berries. Of the non-inebriated bird species, cockatiels, pigeons and mockingbirds had the most searches.

  The most Nobel among us

  Donna Strickland became the first woman to win the Physics prize since Marie Curie, which caused searches for “Marie Curie” to spike 2,500 percent. People also searched for the names of those who invented their favorite technologies like the light bulb, the telephone, and the internet (we can give you a hint on that last one).

  Let’s taco ‘bout it

  Search interest in “Free tacos today” were up over 3,900 percent this week in celebration of National Taco Day. Fish, shrimp, and chicken tacos are among the most searched taco varieties, followed by pork, carne asada, and breakfast tacos.

  Toys, toys toys 

  This week, people across the country wondered “Is Toys R Us coming back?” Indeed, Toys R Us is getting back into the retail game, which is good news for all of the people searching for famous giraffes like Geoffrey the Giraffe (the official Toys R Us mascot), and his friends April and Sophie.

  High Alert

  It wasn’t just you! This week, millions of people across the country received a Presidential alert sent by FEMA, and people in Washington, Oregon, and Arkansas had the highest number of searches for information about the alert. Other top-searched questions include “What was the presidential alert?” and “Why did I get a presidential alert?”
  
  https://www.blog.google/high-five/bird-flies-bar-and-other-top-searches-week/
• 

  Learning a thing or two from Talks at Google this month
  • sorangutan  

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  Editor’s Note: Talks at Google is our regular series that brings interesting speakers and brilliant minds from all industries and backgrounds to Google campuses. Each month, we select a few favorite talks from that month, or about a particular topic.
  

  As a kid, I thought that when school ended (when the bell rang or when we reached the end of the school year), learning also ended. Then I wised up and figured out that while so much growth and development does happen in a classroom—shout out to all the teachers on World Teacher Day—we’re actually learning all the time. Here’s a round-up of talks about the education that happens inside and outside of the classroom:

  

  Sal Khan: "Education Reimagined"

  Sal Khan tells the inspiring story of how he founded Khan Academy, which provides online courses on topics ranging from first grade math to computer science. Khan is reimagining education, and talks about how his dream of "providing a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere" could become a reality.

  

  Carol Dweck: "The Growth Mindset"

  Stanford University Professor Dr. Carol S. Dweck shares her research on how different people learn, and how they motivate themselves. She explains how the “growth mindset” can be applied at home, at school and in your career.

  
  

  Now we’ll let the students do the talking …

  

  Broadway's "School of Rock"

  Based on the hit movie, the (very young!) cast of Broadway’s “School of Rock” teaches us a thing or two about live performances, before chatting about how they find inspiration for their characters, what it’s like to improvise during the show, and how they were discovered.

  

  Shree Bose: "Google Science Fair Grand Prize Winner"

  Shree Bose, the grand prize winner of the first Google Science Fair, talks about her love of science, inspires the audience to “channel their inner scientist,” and shares what drove her to pursue cancer research. A+.

  
  

  
  
  https://www.blog.google/talks-google/learning-thing-or-two-talks-google-month/
• 

  A pumpkin-season post in the paws of #teampixel
  • sorangutan  

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  The dog days of summer are over—and, depending on where you play fetch, the darkest days of winter are, too. Inspired by one of the pups of #teampixel this week, we imagined how a dog might experience these season-changing photos:
  
  

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    Salut! I am a French pup photographed by @travelforpun.

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    Avant de commencer (before beginning, as you say), I think I’ll start with @baba_photonath’s cool glass of thé.

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    So, do all dogs go to heaven escorted by @bernie_the_traveler’s Swiss ski lift?

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    And when they get there, do they run around in @pomi.ania’s Polish bubbles?

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    Maybe we won’t ascend to heaven, let’s just chill. Like this guy captured by @hikemu, we’ll surf away our troubles.

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    Or maybe I’d rather take a spin in Berlin, and dream of @jackjarvie’s dusky Reichstag.

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    But here we are, the world spins into @artsy_stain’s stunning orange boughs. Alas, I’ve got fur, so autumn’s no bummer.

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    What I’m really dreaming about is @itsmeshivangi’s vision of palms that give the feeling of summer.

  Switching back to a human perspective, we have some good news for fellow #teampixel enthusiasts: @googlepixel is our new Instagram channel dedicated to highlighting the talent and creativity found within the #teampixel community. This space will be used to curate and showcase your many passions, side hustles, travels and struggles—everything that informs and adds color to your lives. Follow @googlepixel to keep up with the latest and, as always, keep tagging all your fantastic shots with #teampixel for the chance to be featured!

  
  
  https://www.blog.google/products/pixel/pumpkin-season-post-paws-teampixel/
• 

  New on Daydream: circus performers, rockstars, an AI dog and more
  • sorangutan  

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  What do Cirque du Soleil, Wiz Khalifa and an AI dog named Artie have in common? Well, not much actually. But, you can experience their amazing content in virtual reality (VR) today on Daydream, our platform for high-quality mobile VR.

  The beauty of VR is that there’s no limit to where you can go or what you can experience. And we’re continuing to work with creators and developers to see where else they can take you. So grab your Daydream View or Lenovo Mirage Solo and check out these fun new apps and YouTube videos available on Daydream today:

  Cirque du Soleil BAZZAR:Join Cirque du Soleil BAZZAR aerial rope performer Lauren Joy Herley backstage in training, makeup, and costume to get a glimpse of her everyday reality.

  

  Rockstar VR with Wiz Khalifa: Go backstage with GRAMMY® award-nominated superstar & entrepreneur Wiz Khalifa in this VR180 experience. Get an all-access pass to the artist who works as hard as he plays, as he talks about his preparation to rock the stage.

  

  Rockstar VR with Super Duper Kyle:Hang out with multi-platinum artist Super Duper Kyle as he gets ready to take the stage for a one-of-a-kind performance. Join him in VR180 to see what it’s like to prepare for one of the biggest performances of your life.

  

  Which one is it? (Poppy VR180 Experience):Enter a new reality with American recording artist, Poppy, as she steps onto her virtual stage in a new VR180 series of videos. Experience the YouTube star’s multi-dimensional world, just in time for the launch of the 4th leg of her Poppy.Computer tour this month.

  

  Artie the AI Dog: Help a lost Santa Monica surf pup named Artie get home in this interactive narrative driven by AI characters and voice control. Talk to Artie and other new friends as you find your way back to the beach.

  

  Slightly Heroes:Step into the shoes of a half-baked superhero in this fast-paced—slightly wacky—multiplayer VR shooter in the newest game from the makers of Merry Snowballs.

  

  We’re excited to see what new experiences creators and developers are going to come up with next so you can explore more worlds and stories up close in VR.

  
  
  https://www.blog.google/products/daydream/new-daydream-circus-performers-rockstars-ai-dog-and-more/
• 

  Helping children in the Arab world be safe online explorers
  education families • • sorangutan  

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  Be Internet Awesome—our digital safety and citizenship program for children—is now available to more than 400 million Arabic speakers as Abtal Al Internet. The program is designed in a way that simplifies the world of internet safety and digital citizenship in a language children feel comfortable with. Developed in collaboration with online safety experts like the Family Online Safety Institute, the Internet Keep Safe Coalition and ConnectSafely, the program offers tools for parents and educators so everyone has the tools they need to help children be safer online.

  

  “A’alam Al Internet”—our digital safety game for children

  We surveyed more than 200 teachers in the Arab world to learn about their experience with online safety in the classroom. We found that 98 percent of teachers believe that online safety should be part of the curriculum, and one in three teachers reported that they had witnessed an online safety incident (sharing personal information or cyberbullying, for example) in their school. However, 75 percent of teachers said they don’t have the necessary resources to teach online safety to their students.

  We hope that by making Be Internet Awesome’s classroom curriculum available in Arabic, we can give these educators the tools and methods they need to teach digital safety fundamentals. We’re excited to give children in Arabic-speaking communities and elsewhere in the world more access to the learning opportunities online.

  
  
  https://www.blog.google/technology/families/helping-children-arab-world-be-safe-online-explorers/
• 

  Helping CommonLit expand free literacy resources for teachers
  • sorangutan  

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  As a seventh grade teacher in rural Mississippi, Michelle Brown's serious love for teaching was only matched by her serious lack of resources. Frustrated by trying to teach with outdated books, she turned to technology to find a solution. She built CommonLit in 2014 to help teachers like her better address the unique needs of students at different reading levels. A free online reading program, CommonLit combines high-quality reading materials with guiding questions, assessments, and data analytics for teachers and students. In the handful of years since launching, CommonLit has created a more personalized and engaging classroom reading experience for more than 5 million students from Wichita to New Delhi to Johannesburg, helping them become more confident and skilled readers.

  Since 2005, Google.org has given more than $250 million toward education with over $60 million going directly to nonprofits that serve teachers, and we’re proud to continue building on this commitment. Today, in honor of World Teachers’ Day, we’re announcing a $3.5 million grant to CommonLit to help expand their free, literacy resources to more teachers around the globe. To start, they’re collaborating with local education organizations like UNETE to pilot a Spanish-language version of their platform in schools across Mexico with a goal of adding 500 reading lessons in Spanish for students by June 2020. From there, they’ll continue to explore other opportunities to expand to even more countries, classrooms and teachers.

  Technology alone can’t solve all of the challenges teachers face, but it can be a meaningful tool for closing educational gaps like access to quality, engaging learning materials. We’re proud that over the years, we’ve supported a number of organizations that are teacher-obsessed. From DonorsChoose.org, a crowd-funding platform for U.S. public school teachers to get classroom resources, to Nova Escola’s digital teacher lesson plans in Brazil, to the TeacherApp in India, we are committed to supporting and cheering on teachers for the dedication they show to their students day in and day out.

  Consider recognizing a teacher in your life by donating to a nonprofit in their honor today and sharing your #WorldTeachersDay story about someone who has inspired you to keep learning.

  
  
  https://www.blog.google/outreach-initiatives/google-org/world-teachers-day-2018/
• 

  A tribute to teachers, who always seem to have the answers
  • sorangutan  

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  I started sixth grade as a shy student at a new school who spent recess hiding in a bathroom stall because I hadn’t made any friends yet. But I found solace in English class, where Mrs. Ivey whisked me far away from the stresses of middle school to the world of Greek mythology. As her students, we could feel her passion for the subject which she made come alive through interactive assignments, visual projects and a whole lot of patience.

  What I didn’t recognize at the time was how hard Mrs. Ivey worked behind the scenes or between the bells. She answered all of my questions, but I never considered who she would turn to for hers. So for World Teachers’ Day this year, we’re celebrating teachers who look to Google Search to find ways to engage their classrooms and empower their students. When you’re in school, teachers are your most important cheerleaders and advocates, so this World Teachers’ Day, it’s time for all of us to return the favor.

  

  Celebrating Teachers: A Moment In Search

  We look for ways to give teachers the support, elevation and appreciation they deserve, all year round. Here are some of the things we’re doing for this World Teachers’ Day:

  Giving teachers the support they deserve

  Through Google.org we’ve provided more than $250 million toward education since 2005, with more than $60 million going directly to nonprofits that work to support teachers. To continue building on that, we’re announcing a new $3.5 million grant to CommonLit, an organization that provides free educator resources, to help them expand and reach more teachers globally. Plus we’re inviting you to help us support teachers by giving to one of the organizations we work with or another of your choosing.

  We know that teachers rarely have enough hours in the day to do everything required of them, so we’re making it easier for them to integrate technology into the classroom. We’ve created a dedicated Teacher Center with resources, trainings, and certifications and ways for teachers to connect with each other. We’re also expanding our Dynamic Learning Project pilot for its second year, placing technology coaches in 101 high-need schools across the U.S. to support teachers and help close the digital-use divide.

  Sparking and elevating teacher voices

  We’re also teaming up with TED-Ed to create a new Educator Talks YouTube channel, launching today. Together with other partners including ISTE and CCSSO, we’re raising teachers’ voices, so that their experience and expertise can help other teachers, too. Educators will soon be able to submit their stories, so if you’re interested please do get involved. In the meantime, subscribe to the channel for some inspiration as we start featuring Talks for educators, by educators.

  We’ve also curated a new YouTube playlist featuring some of the educators and creators who have inspired us. This is a collection of stories from teachers who go above and beyond to support their students, encourage their communities and improve their own skills.

  To this day, I credit Mrs. Ivey for instilling in me a love for reading and powerful storytelling. She had a profound impact on me and the trajectory of my life and career. Teachers have one of the most challenging and most important jobs in the world, so we hope you’ll join us in celebrating and appreciating educators, whose learning never stops.

  
  
  https://www.blog.google/outreach-initiatives/education/world-teacher-day-2018/
• 

  Vint Cerf on accessibility, the cello and noisy hearing aids
  diversity and inclusion accessibility googlers • • sorangutan  

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  The Internet is undoubtedly a transformative technology, changing how people all over the world live and work. One of the key figures responsible for designing the architecture of the Internet is Dr. Vint Cerf, who along with Robert E. Kahn is known as one of the “fathers of the Internet.” Dr Cerf also been Google’s chief internet evangelist for last 12 years. This Disability Awareness Month, we sat down with him to learn more about the impact of technology on the more than 1 billion people with disabilities and why building accessible products matters to him on a personal level.

  
  

  Many people might not know this, but you have a hearing impairment.

  Vint: I was born six weeks prematurely in 1943. In those days, they put babies in oxygen tents to help them breathe with immature lungs. It’s thought that this treatment led to a progressing nerve loss which continues to this day—at about 1 dB loss per year. I’ve been wearing hearing aids for over 60 years.

  Most kids hate to be different and just want to fit in. Wearing hearing aids must have been hard. How did you deal with that?

  I began wearing dual hearing aids at age 13, in junior high. It was pretty noticeable. On the other hand, I was already a self-proclaimed geek and went on to high school wearing sports coats, slacks and ties. If I was going to look different, I decided to do it with style!

  What advice would you give your younger self about how to get comfortable with your hearing impairment?

  There was no hiding those bulky, behind-the-ear hearing aids. Now I’m very open about it, even though the hearing aids are less noticeable. My advice to my younger self would have been to try to get more matter-of-fact about my hearing loss. One awkward problem—especially with behind-the-ear aids—is that they squealed when you were making out. Wrecks the mood. On the other hand, taking them off made me incommunicado. Tough choices!

  

  Left: Vint in 1956. (Look familiar? We've shared this photo before.) Right: Rocking an ascot circa 1973.

  Did you ever feel your hearing impairment held you back?

  I don’t think I ever felt “held back,” although fast-talking comedians are often frustrating because I miss the too-fast punch lines. But I have learned to adapt my practices to diminish the effects of deafness. For example, I do Q&A on stage by roaming around with a microphone so I can get close enough to lip read if I have to.

  How would you say your disability has shaped your own interaction with technology?
  

  While at UCLA for my Ph.D., I got involved in the ARPANET project. Around 1971, Ray Tomlinson developed the idea of networked electronic mail, which was hugely attractive to me because it replaced uncertain voice calls with the clarity of text. The development of the Internet was undertaken in the context of heavy use of email.

  The rise of video conferencing has actually been a huge challenge for me as it reintroduces some of the uncertainty of voice calling and I look forward to real-time, automatic captioning to overcome the limitations that medium poses for me.

  

  Vint Cerf (right) with Jon Postel and Steve Crocker in 1994. The three were part of the team working on the ARPAnet, which eventually became today's Internet. 

  Was accessibility something you were thinking of when you and Bob Kahn were developing the protocols for the creation of the Internet?

  Not at the time. Today, however, given the huge advantages of computer applications, it’s a high priority to ensure that disabilities do not prevent people from gaining the full benefit of online and offline digital environments.

  In an interview with “The Washington Post” you said, “I traded in my cello for a keyboard.” What would life would have been like if you hadn’t made that switch?

  I wish I had not treated this as a binary choice. It is entirely possible to have both but I didn’t fully appreciate that at the time. I did get to attend a masters class led by Pablo Casals at Berkeley in 1958. It was truly inspiring but computers grabbed my attention even more dramatically at that time. Perhaps it is time to go back to see whether I can regain that skill. The cello is a magnificent instrument.

  You’re married to someone who has a hearing impairment—but she got cochlear implants that really changed her life. You have quite a funny story about that.

  Sigrid was born with normal hearing but lost it at age three after a bout with spinal meningitis. She was profoundly deaf, and functioned in a hearing world through lip-reading.

  At age 53, she received her first cochlear implant. It functioned spectacularly well. After that, she was eager to make and receive phone calls—even from solicitors. She got one call from an AT&T salesperson in India and asked "oh, which part of India are you from?" The conversation went on for quite a while. Finally the poor salesperson asked, "So you're going to switch to AT&T?" and Sigrid said, "Oh no, my husband is SVP at MCI but thanks for calling!"

  

  Vint and his wife Sigrid circa 1969

  What lessons have you learned from others with disabilities?

  Jack Chen is a lawyer at Google who is blind and does stuff that I think is nuts (like bicycle riding) but he’s wonderfully open to discussing blindness and his coping mechanisms. It is from my interactions with Jack that I refined and reinforced my own comfort with talking about the challenges of deafness. I remember asking him whether he cooked. He said, “Yes!” Then I asked him, how can you tell if the food is cooked? He said, “I touch it with my fingers.” That’s when I said I wasn’t going to eat steaks that he pan fried. We both had a good laugh. It’s incredibly important to be able to laugh about some of the situations disabilities put you in.

  What message do you have for people creating technology today and how they should think about accessibility?

  It must be thought through during the design phase of any product. Accessibility and ease of use go hand in hand. Many people experience temporary disability (broken arm, leg, finger, blocked ears…) and appreciate the value of accessibility features from that experience. There is no excuse for making products that are not accessible. 

  
  
  https://www.blog.google/inside-google/googlers/vint-cerf-accessibility-cello-and-noisy-hearing-aids/
• 

  Making a difference with Android and Google Play
  android google play • • sorangutan  

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  As mobile platforms with global scale and billions of users, a core tenet of Google Play and Android is to have a positive effect on and change the communities in which we operate. Over the years, we’ve facilitated innumerable connections between people, developers, and nonprofits, and in the video below, we share the stories of four incredible apps that create social impact around the world.

  Making a difference with Android and Google Play

  My Earthquake Alerts sends free, real time push notifications to alert users of severe earthquakes close to their location. This warning system can mean the difference between lives saved and lives lost when disaster strikes.

  In situations where access to high-quality education is limited or costly, an app can help ease the strain. One example is Prepup, an effective mobile tool for students to prepare for common exams written in Nigeria and other African countries.

  Positive impact surrounding Android apps is often created both on- and off- mobile. The founders of Forest: Stay focused are building an effective tool to help people disconnect from their smartphones for short periods of time and are also contributing to real world reforestation efforts by allowing in-app actions to become real trees being planted where they are needed most.

  Some apps can also help improve the financial outcomes for their users. For example, Fresh EBT enables US users to easily view their food stamps balance, track their spending habits, and find nearby shops that accept EBT. The app can also help people save money with coupons. We believe that financial health represents a sizable social impact opportunity for fintech entrepreneurs on Google Play and Android.

  If you are a developer, then head over to this post on Medium to learn about the massive opportunity to drive positive social impact with Android and how to bring your social impact idea to mobile and achieve sustainable growth.

  
  
  
  https://www.blog.google/products/google-play/making-difference-android-and-google-play/
• 

  Book a ride with the Google Assistant
  google assistant google home • • sorangutan  

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  When my friends and I are getting ready to head out to dinner, there's always a moment when we stop to ask who is going to order our ride. Now, Google can take care of it. This week, we’re rolling out a new way to easily book ride services with your Google Assistant.

  With your Android phone, iPhone, Google Home, or any smart speaker with the Assistant, start by saying, “Hey Google, book a ride to the Bluebird Cafe” or “Hey Google, get me a taxi to Denver International Airport.” You will then be given a list of popular ride services to select from, including Uber, Lyft, Ola, Grab, GO-JEK and many more, along with more information on estimated pricing and wait times from each service. If you only want ride options from a single provider, just include their name in your request, for example, “Hey Google, book a Lyft to SFO.”

  

  Then grab your phone and tap on your preferred ride service, and the app will open to let you confirm the booking. The feature will be available first in English and any country where one of our supported ride service partners operate. We plan to expand to more languages in the coming months.

  If you’re in a hurry and your hands are all tied up, you’ll now be able to use the Assistant to see all your favorite ride services in one place and pick the one that works best for you.

  
  
  https://www.blog.google/products/assistant/book-ride-google-assistant/