Video calls through Google Hangouts just got a little easier. Today, Mountain View released an update that lets users launch Hangouts in Chrome without the need of a plugin. All you have to do is click the video call icon, give Hangouts permission to use your computer’s camera and microphone, and that’s it.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARjczjvVDz8&w=640&h=420]
There’s little question the White House is one of the most familiar buildings the world over and they always go the extra mile decorating for the holiday season. That’s why it’s so notable that the White House just held a streaming Google+ Hangout to show off some of the decor that has the White House looking all festive for the first family and tourists alike.
Update 2, Sept. 27: Google is reporting that Google Talk issues have now bee resolved for all users.
Update, Sept. 27: Some users are continuing to experience issues with Google Talk services today. Google says it expects “a resolution for all users in the near future.”
TechCrunch alerted us to an issue with Google Talk and Google Hangouts, which is rather alarmingly resulting in some messages being delivered to the wrong recipients.
Google is rolling out a new version of Google Hangouts today for Android that will bring a couple long requested features to the messaging service. On top of being able to see who is online with new green and grey icons next to contacts, Google is also making it easier to browse contacts and access invites:
– You can see who’s reachable right now on Hangouts. Green icons mean they are, and gray icons mean they aren’t.
– It’s easier to browse your contacts when starting a new Hangout. From top to bottom you’ll now see ‘People you Hangout with’, ‘Suggested People’, and ‘Other Contacts’.
– Hangout invites are now located above your conversations so they’re easier to find.
– Aaaand… you can hide people from the New Hangout screen by pressing on their name for a few seconds and touching ‘Hide contact.’
The update is hitting Google Play in the coming days as version 1.2.
There’s some noise being made about the Nexus 7 in the Hangouts video (above at 21 seconds in). I’ve just talked to a Google rep who said, “That’s not the new Nexus 7… if hypothetically there was such a thing.”
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As President Obama and many others have done in the past, Google announced today that First Lady Michelle Obama would host a live “Fireside Hangout” on Google+ to answer questions submitted by users. The Hangout will take place March 4, and Michelle Obama will be joined by Kelly Ripa to discuss the First Lady’s Let’s Move! initiative.
Three years ago, the First Lady launched the Let’s Move! initiative to unite the country around our kids’ health and create real support for families to live healthier lives. Since then communities across the United States have worked together to share, collaborate on and create ways to improve the health of our nation’s children. This year, the First Lady is using Google+ to celebrate the anniversary of Let’s Move!and to connect with communities on Google+ who are passionate about healthy eating, fitness and parenting.
In attempt to grow their young social network, Google has taken out a full page ad in the traditional print version of the New York Times promoting Google+ Hangouts. Search Engine Land posted the photo above, where Google talks about the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu hosting a Hangout last week in their ad. Google strikes out parts to explain how they came to the rescue when the Dalai Lama wasn’t granted a visa to visit South Africa.
Google’s decision to take out a full ad was definitely smart. Yesterday numbers were published by an analyst showing how much of Google+’s traffic is beginning to decline, but maybe spreading the social network to a different set of people will help. That ad is great and all, but why didn’t Google use some images to catch the eye?
Black Eyed Peas’ will.i.am has announced on Google+ that his music group will be hosting a backstage hangout, well, via Google+ Hangouts. The Hangout will take place tomorrow at 6 PM EST, before the BEP’s concert in Central Park. Will.i.am posted:
lets have fun at the backstage hangout…we even have a hangout onstage as well…
i want to re-define backstage interaction with fans who can not make the show…i think this will be the very first online backstage onstage web cam session…
“i like doing things 1st”
Yeah guys, Fergie will probably be there too.
