You can also explore the world of “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” with Google Street View. Visit New York in 1926 as brought to life in the film, as well as the real locations today. Fans can visit MACUSA (Magical Congress of the USA); Steen National Bank, where Newt first meets Jacob Kowalski; the underground speakeasy The Blind Pig; and the magical apartment of Tina and Queenie Goldstein, two of the film’s key characters.
Once you’ve mastered charms and found the lay of the land, help Newt find his escaped beasts before they come to harm in a city already on edge from dark forces. Using our new Daydream View virtual reality headset, you can wave a wand to explore the magic of Newt’s case, a treasure trove full of everything he needs to cast spells, solve puzzles and find his beasts. The experience will be available when Daydream View goes on sale in November.
Don’t forget to share your adventures with your friends by downloading an exclusive “Fantastic Beasts” sticker pack (coming soon) in our messaging app, Google Allo. You can also watch content inspired by the wizarding world from your favorite YouTube creators starting November 1.
To start your journey and discover more magic with Newt and friends, visit g.co/fantasticbeasts. “Fantastic Beasts” is in cinemas in November.
Posted by David Blanar, Apprentice Magizoologist, Googlehttps://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8byDOWaBwi3BYW4dUbVMArJXBIn1qqtqgoM2Ha5qCqccMjJjYm9VAA6GMm0p2EffjiZuPZfKzG-MnZwuqJtycAgO1k86MIMiqHPSATLXUFkM-IeuvOywPZHlFbd2liwQjNlJ-/s1600/FB_StreetView_MACUSA_04+copy.pngDavid BlanarApprentice MagizoologistGoogle
With a swipe of your paw (or should I say wave of your wand), you can help turn these Halloween tricks into a real treat. But be warned, your spell casting must be quick and precise. To send these ghouls into a tailspin, you must draw the symbols that appear above the ghosts’ heads on your screen. Wow! Meow!
That’s not all: show your friends who’s the real expurrrrrt at casting spells by sharing your score after your sorcery is complete. After all, Halloween festivities are always more fun with your full litter!
Posted by Momo, First year Feline at Magic Cat Academy, Feline and companion to Google Doodler, Juliana Chenhttps://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixi18gL4aOGfHnd8M0-ow5V0womhau1uEHgJGC38YwAyIAp0ZX1RB3JOtJlYKquhwFugXMFBCgQxep_SzraqEm2gX6HC4xMCwmiCB0XwRarZxVv5XA4HJiXGrAf9VcIWd3LBsq/s1600/HalloweenDoodle16_Hero.pngAbbi TattonFirst year feline at Magic Cat AcademyGoogle Doodle Team
These stickers aren’t the only new thing in Google Allo this week. You can now reply to messages directly from your notifications on Android and iOS. So if you’re cooking up a French Onion Barb, you don’t have to stop what you’re doing to reply back to friends.
We’ve also added support for Android N so you can take advantage of its features. With split-screen mode you can now chat with friends and rewatch season one at the same time. App shortcuts help you quickly start a new conversation from the home screen. And for iOS users, we’ve brought the ability to doodle on your photos to iOS, so you can craft a masterpiece before sharing in Google Allo.
Beware the flickering lights, and have a safe and happy Halloween!
P.S. Google Allo will help you unlock your powers today in New York City. Stay tuned to Google on Twitter for a hint on where the drop-off from Hawkins National Laboratories will take place.
Posted by Amit Fulay, Group Product Managerhttps://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho1knB5Q6Vgy1xGs6nLbdnJSAAaVw7vp_OwU8525yuQaU2hn2p79DG2TuQttIWtvom-Ynzbn-Vf0vO7YWC7pHO_ASrQhovJY6Ec_kmRFFmAeRaE2gR4OGXFjhompMhTkBC_APs/s1600/Stranger+Things+Allo+Stickers_Hero.jpgAmit FulayGroup Product ManagerGoogle
Whichever route you choose, we invite you to explore death as a celebration of life.
Posted by Lucy Schwartz, Program Manager, Google Cultural Institutehttps://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk24RtCYdy6JzSRHPqpJ10kcLEdBOeLp5mluDH7_nrtZVl0o8eCIgC4uctwewVC180YFwStRIa8D2VtaIzHazb8Tuiz4hXIEiOwHJCVbeXIrPldHpv1LxricM9zlK8LrsLFLAa/s1600/LiveDayoftheDead_Hero.jpgLucy SchwartzProgram ManagerGoogle Cultural Institute
We know that there’s much more work to do to help level the playing field — and that’s why the mission of the Grace Hopper Celebration is so important. Just yesterday we reported new U.S. research from Gallup and Google that suggests girls are less likely than boys to be told by parents and teachers that they would be good at computer science. We also found that girls are less likely than boys to be aware of computer science learning opportunities outside of school.
We’ve worked hard to recruit and support amazing women leaders since the very beginning of Google, but we also want to support efforts to improve women’s representation across the entire tech ecosystem. That's why we've been part of of GHC since 2004. For the past 12 years, we’ve also worked with the Anita Borg Institute (ABI), which produces GHC, to bring more women into computer science careers. Google’s Alan Eustace is a founding member of the ABI Board of Trustees, and his friendship with Anita Borg herself gave rise to the Women Techmakers Scholars Program (formerly known as the Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship Program). To date, the program has awarded more than 1,000 scholarships globally, and we've been very happy to hire many of them to come work here.
If you’re planning to attend the conference, don’t be a stranger. If you see one of us sporting a Google T-shirt, we’d love to meet you. Stop by our booth (#1730), or come to one of our 25 presentations. Some of the highlights include our VP of Engineering and Machine Learning Anna Patterson, who will deliver a keynote on entrepreneurism and receive the 2016 ABI Excellence Award; and Captain of Moonshots Astro Teller, who will discuss how to embrace failure in the name of breakthrough. Follow us on Twitter for updates from the show floor and definitely visit our Careers site to find your place with us.
If you’re looking at a certain route like New York to San Diego, but haven’t selected a specific flight yet, you may see a notification bar with multiple tips showing how to find the best price for this route. Tips can include things like recommendations for alternate airports or dates. You may also see a new tip telling you about an expected price jump based on historic prices for that route. When you tap on the card, you’ll see more details like how much the price is likely to increase and when.
If you’re not ready to book yet, you can choose to track your flight or route and receive notifications via email letting you know when prices are expected to change. Fare expiration and expected price jump notifications will be rolling out over the coming weeks everywhere Google Flights is available. You’ll also continue to receive updates when prices actually do increase or decrease significantly for tracked flights.
Tracked flights on mobile and email notification of price change.
We’re also making it easier to find flights on the go. Next time you visit Google Flights, you’ll be able to track and manage saved flights seamlessly on your phone.
If you’re still looking for inspiration on where to travel, tap on Explore to find ideas on destinations to visit based on the type of vacation you’re looking for. For example, you can look for destinations in the Caribbean with direct flights only.
Providing more ways to uncover deals in hotel search
We’re also making it easier to immediately recognize and find more deals when searching on Google for hotels in the location of your choice, like “hotels in new york”. We already label deals when a hotel’s price is lower than usual compared to historical pricing, or if there are discounts to the normal rate for those dates. Now if you want to only look at hotel deals — say, to ring in the new year in Paris — just tap in the upper left to filter for Deals and voilà!
We’ll also notify you when savings are available to loyalty members on a hotel’s website.
Don’t let travel planning stress you out this holiday season. Google Flights and hotel search on Google can help save you time and money so you can spend more time with the people you love. Wishing you safe and happy holiday travels!
Members of HOLA host Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month
Support for Latino students and families
At Google, we understand that diverse and inclusive environments are essential to building products and solutions that work for everyone. That’s why we invest in increasing educational opportunities for students of all backgrounds to pursue futures in technology. This month Google.org is committing $1 million to local Silicon Valley organizations to help close these gaps in educational success for Latino students and families.
Across the U.S., Latino students aren’t being adequately prepared for college experiences or college level math. In our own backyard, Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District, 73 percent of Hispanic high school juniors do not meet math standards — compared to 34 percent overall. So we’re providing Silicon Valley Education Foundation (SVEF) $750,000 to support its work narrowing the achievement gap through its student-focused programs, school district policy support, and collaborations with business communities to bring innovation into the classroom. Googlers are already active volunteers with SVEF’s summer intervention program, Elevate Math.
Google.org has also committed $250,000 to the Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley (HFSV), which aims to increase high school and college graduation rates for Latino students. Over the course of the next two years, HFSV will conduct Spanish-speaking Parent Education Academies that will reach parents of low-income, Latino students who are at-risk of falling off track. These workshops will ensure Latino parents are knowledgeable about the local education system and how best to support their children to achieve academic results and fulfilling careers.
As Hispanic Heritage Month 2016 comes to a close, we look forward to continuing our support of the Latino community — at Google and beyond!
Posted by Suzanna Bobadilla, Social Impact Teamhttps://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMrHIVDuBnA1bePyHoCRNquyvFPbOiarKiePUJcKrMwTkSiZdJNmtxBJy0mRbSA4Qt9Tx5Tp5LSFXuI7d924oXRWKqMo9k04P7NohP38_NKUK-l5o1P3nkLrSycjebBdGUn_Zn/s1600/gweb-uniblog-author-prod-int.googleplex.jpgSuzanna BobadillanGoogle
The final step: showing up! With various polling places popping up across your hometown, we want to make sure you find the info you need from state to state. Starting today and as we continue to add data from each state over the next couple of weeks, whether you’re planning to vote early or in person on November 8, just search “where to vote” and Google will display a polling place location finder as well as voting ID requirements.
We hope these features will help you get the information you need, when you need it. Your vote matters, so make it count.
Posted by Jacob Schonberg, Product Manager and Kate Sokolov, Program Manager, Politics & Electionshttps://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP5898Bk474yD2gUBXiK9PZlThr_MOxM2V2QBdFHfbLBAN9rfME1g9VucE_3vIh59awfhe6uKHDpP1S9BiMhlvtBNjCaOll-4cLOoMKQ3dxnQz07kzvuIYEgqu1goMAFidzBL7/s1600/Google_Vote.jpgJacob SchonbergProduct ManagerGoogle
A Google Home for every room
Want to enjoy music throughout your house? Build up a team of Google Home devices and blast the same tune in every room with Multi-room (you can also group with Chromecast Audio or Chromecast built-in speakers too). Having more than one device doesn’t mean they will all respond when you say “Ok Google.” If they have the same user account, only the closest one responds.
Google Home will be available in stores starting in November or you can pre-order yours today for $129 from the Google Store, Best Buy, Target and Walmart. Once you set up your device, you’ll be able to redeem 6 months free of YouTube Red so you can enjoy YouTube music and video ads-free.*
Big or small. Modern or minimal. How you arrange your home is up to you. But when it comes to the other stuff, Google Home is happy to help.
Posted by Ken Mixter, Software Engineer and Home builder
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibU9Ifenb7ASfa8EFjsRlszRtqseZsoPbMa8K34uhKIuQsWR7g2GngpDQ_eSVQ5i2WlDU6YSJ64voj9-VZ7Yj768f6K_0xnnn-fWBedfwF7bm7klSJ4yFDf939vJpStkzViq64/s1600/Anthem+Thumbnail+-+Product.pngKen MixterSoftware Engineer and Home builder
Incredible experiences
From the universe of YouTube videos to a magical world where you can cast spells and levitate objects, there is a wide range of experiences coming to Daydream:
Enjoy the best of Google. We’ve brought some of the most popular Google apps into VR. With YouTube, you can watch the entire library of videos on a virtual big screen and experience hundreds of thousands of immersive videos from creators like Buzzfeed, PrankvsPrank, Meredith Foster, CollegeHumor, Tastemade, UnboxTherapy and VSauce2. Use Google Street View to see curated tours of more than 150 of the world’s most amazing places like the Pyramids and the Taj Mahal, or just search to explore everywhere else. Google Play Movies makes tens of thousands of movies and TV episodes available in your own virtual theater. And Google Photos displays your 360° captures in a whole new way.
Explore new worlds. Teleport from anywhere to pretty much everywhere with immersive stories and content from our partners, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World of “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” as brought to life by Warner Bros.
Kick back in your own personal cinema. Experience sports, live events and more with MLB and NBA. Plus, you can watch top shows and movies on your own virtual big screen with Hulu, HBO and Netflix.
Get in the game. Go from the sidelines to the center of action with dozens of titles, including Wonderglade, Gunjack 2, LEGO® BrickHeadz, Mekorama, Need for Speed, EarthShape, Danger Goat, Home Run Derby and Hungry Shark World.
Daydream View arrives this November at the Google Store and our retailer partners across five countries:
United States: Verizon, Best Buy; $79 (USD)
Canada: Bell, Rogers, Telus, Best Buy; $99 (CAD)
United Kingdom: EE, Carphone Warehouse; £69 (GBP)
Germany: Deutsche Telekom; €69 (EUR)
Australia: Telstra, JB Hi-Fi; $119 (AUD)
In the U.S., Daydream View will be available for pre-order starting October 20 at Verizon and the Google Store. Slate will be available in all countries at launch, and Snow and Crimson will be coming to the U.S., U.K. and Australia after. Sign up on the Google Store to get notified when Daydream View becomes available.
All of this is just the beginning of our work with Daydream. In the coming months, we’ll be launching with more apps and partners, and over the coming years, we’ll continue our goal of bringing high-quality, mobile VR to everyone.
Meet your Google Assistant
Pixel is the first phone with the Google Assistant built in. With your Assistant, you can have a natural conversation with Google to find answers or get things done on the go. Say "Ok Google" or touch and hold the Home button and your Assistant is ready to help. Ask it for a brief update on your day or to play a video on YouTube. Look up traffic on the way home from work or when the nearest pharmacy closes. You can even say “show me my camping photos with Andrew” and it'll instantly display the photos you're looking for. Your Assistant can also offer help with what’s on-screen in any app. So if your friend texts you to meet up at a new restaurant, you can just say “navigate there.”
The best smartphone camera. Ever.
The Pixel camera is not only the best smartphone camera we’ve ever made, it’s the highest rated smartphone camera anyone has ever made. Our DxOMark Mobile score of 89 is a great example of what’s possible when great hardware meets great software. Pixel puts cutting-edge computational photography in an ultra-fast and easy-to-use camera.
Pixel has a 12.3MP camera, featuring an f/2.0 aperture and big 1.55 micron pixels to capture lots and lots of light. Our team of photography gurus and image processing experts have spent the last year designing and tirelessly optimizing our entire camera stack.
Pixel’s camera lets you take stunning photos in low light, bright light or any light. Catch action shots as they happen with Smartburst, which takes a rapid-fire sequence of shots and automatically selects the best one. Use Lens Blur to achieve shallow depth of field and bokeh effects, making your subject pop. You can capture dramatic landscapes or make faces glow with new exposure controls.
And as a special bonus for Pixel owners, we’re including free unlimited storage for original quality photos and videos at full resolution in Google Photos.
More to love
Pixel ships with the newest Android operating system, Android 7.1 Nougat. Phones will get software and security updates as soon as they’re available, directly from Google. We’ve also made the update process easier. When a new update is available, it can download and install in the background — no more waiting around for your phone to update.
The Pixel also comes with Google Duo and Allo pre-installed so you can video call and text with all your friends, whether they’re on Android or iOS.
Make it yours
Pixel comes in two sizes, 5” or 5.5”, and three colors: Very Silver, Quite Black and our limited edition for the U.S. only, Really Blue. And whatever you choose, we’ve got cases to match. In addition to customizing Live Cases with your favorite photos and places, we’re introducing a new Artworks collection that features exclusive designs from artists like Justin Maller, and photographers like Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield. We’re also excited to offer a new collection of silicone and clear cases.
Pixel is available for pre-order today starting at $649 in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Germany and Australia. Pre-orders in India will begin October 13. In the U.S., we’re teaming up exclusively with Verizon to make Pixel available nationwide at all Verizon retail outlets, including Best Buy stores. We’re also offering Pixel unlocked on the Google Store and, for you Project Fi fans out there, you'll be happy to know that Pixel is the latest device to work on the Fi network.
Personally, I’m rocking the 5.5” Quite Black with a Live Case centered on 1060 W Addison. Go Cubs!
The system uses a technology called mesh Wi-Fi (something usually only seen in expensive commercial installations). Within our mesh network, each Google Wifi point creates a high-powered connection, and the different points work together to determine the best path for your data. The result is fast Wi-Fi everywhere in your house, not just right next to the router.
Keeps itself fast
Most of us don’t want to spend time tweaking complex settings or managing our Wi-Fi network. Google Wifi comes with Network Assist technology, which works behind the scenes to keep your Wi-Fi fast so you don’t have to figure out how to adjust your router. Network Assist automatically places you on the clearest channel and optimal Wi-Fi band for your device. And as you roam around your house, Network Assist will seamlessly transition your device between the Google Wifi system points in real time, so you avoid dead spots or delays.
A simple way to control your network
For those times when you do want more control over your network, Google Wifi makes it simple through a companion app, available on Android or iOS. The app lets you do things like pause Wi-Fi on kids’ devices (like when it’s time to come to the dinner table). It also shows you which devices are connected and how much bandwidth they’re using and lets you prioritize devices within your network so you can stream that latest episode uninterrupted. Google Wifi was designed with user privacy as a top priority. For example, it has settings for easily controlling cloud management and industry-leading security features such as wireless encryption, verified boot, and auto updates to keep your network safe and secure.
Google Wifi will be available for pre-order in the U.S. in November. It will retail for $129 for a single pack, and $299 for a three-pack at the Google Store, Amazon, Best Buy and Walmart.
Join the waitlist on the Google Store, and we’ll let you know when you can get your hands on one, so you can enjoy a fast Wi-Fi signal in every corner of your home.
Five years ago to the day, I was a finalist in the first-ever Google Science Fair — a program where any student 13-18 is invited to solve the world’s biggest challenges through science and technology. I was fascinated by the peculiar ways cancer cells process energy and wondered if we might be able to target those processes. So, the idea behind my project was to study AMP kinase, an energy protein, to understand its importance in the way ovarian cancer cells develop resistance to drugs. I was 17 when I won the Grand Prize, and my life hasn’t been the same since.
Today 20 of the world’s brightest young scientists have that same chance ahead of them, and I am so excited and grateful to be here with them in Mountain View to re-live that experience.
The 2016 Google Science Fair finalists
Meeting President Obama(!)
Official White House photo by Pete Souza
For me, the Google Science Fair took my passion for science and gave me a global platform to share it with the world. I went on to do my undergraduate studies at Harvard University, majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology with a minor in Global Health and Health Policy. My interest in using new metabolic tools to study cancer has led me to Duke University School of Medicine, where I’m currently pursuing an MD/PhD and looking forward to a career that brings together clinical medicine and basic science. But five years ago, it was the Google Science Fair that first provided me with the platform to share my ideas, unlocking doors to some incredible, once-in-a-lifetime opportunities: meeting President Obama, speaking at TEDx events all over the world and being included on Glamour magazine’s list of Top 10 College Women.
Back at Google today, I witnessed more than 500 students from local Bay Area schools — a majority that qualified for Title I funding — as they asked questions, found inspiration, and saw science and engineering in new, unexpected ways.
Those students had a chance to talk to the finalists, from 9 countries, who are working on things like better diagnosing cancer, fighting drought with fruit, training robotic hands, developing compostable feminine sanitary products and so much more. (I also have to point out, this is the first year a majority of the finalists are female, which makes me especially proud!)
My sincere congratulations to all of this year’s Google Science Fair finalists and winners. You might “just” be teenagers, but you’re also amazing researchers, entrepreneurs, technologists and explorers who are challenging themselves — and all of the rest of us — to make things better. To quote last year’s Google Science Fair winner (and my friend) Olivia Hallisey who is also back here this week as a judge:
"Every one of us, no matter our age or background, can make a difference. But change doesn’t happen overnight, and it often starts with a question. So look at the world around you, and challenge yourself to make something better."
As for me, the Science Fair gave me the confidence to continue asking questions, developing a passion for science and engineering, and even to co-found Piper, a company focused on developing electrical engineering kits for kids to learn the basics of building hardware. I just can’t wait to see where you will be five years from today.
And finally, announcing the 2016 Google Science Fair winners:
Posted by Shree Bose, 2011 Google Science Fair winnerhttps://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_1XRxZTXIxSuuRIamVMg5tzFWvXQqHT9kVe4GfsONLr-H0GihyN5A99lM5DOOmxxTylUqZqt0dY_uGKMC4SLFjHQ_L1VqnMIyfv7Yvq3HWOM4572DB79o-2BG3GTttX7PvJlg/s1600/_MG_3901.jpgShree Bose2011 Google Science Fair winner
