Stay up to date on news from Google headquarters. Be the first to learn about plans for Android, Google Plus, Google Apps, and more!
Stay up to date on news from Google headquarters. Be the first to learn about plans for Android, Google Plus, Google Apps, and more!

Google over the past several months has spoken a lot about its ever-growing cloud business. It recently dropped prices across the board for its Cloud Platform, and now one Google executive believes the business will soon grow to outpace revenue brought in by the company’s ad division…

Google today is rolling out an update to its iOS app that brings the app to version 10.0 and includes a handful of visual changes. With today’s update, the voice search feature has been redesigned to be more inline with Google’s Material Design aesthetic, while the Google Now cards in the app are now organized in a much more straightforward way.
Well-known designer Jonathan Adler has put together a new Moto X Pure Edition collection, all intended to capture the “spirit” of Moto Maker. The designs most definitely also have a holiday feel to them, so they might make a great gift if you know someone panning for the latest Moto X.
This holiday season, Motorola has something for every style lover on your list, including an all new Moto X Pure collection designed by the iconic Jonathan Adler. The limited-edition collection features three eye-catching, stylish phones that Jonathan felt captured the spirit of Moto Maker, our online phone design studio.
The collection will be available for pre-order at Motorola.com/JonathanAdler beginning November 24, and will officially go on sale December 3 for $474.99 (32GB). To help round out the rest of your shopping list, we asked Jonathan to share his top holiday gifting tips for the style-obsessed friends and family in your life.
Here’s what the three new phones look like:
Google acquired app streaming startup Agawi earlier this year, and now it looks like the Mountain View company is putting their technology to good use. As of today, users will be able to stream certain apps straight from Google’s mobile search results. Google is also going to show “app-first” content (that without a web-based counterpart) in search results starting today as well…
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The new Google+ interface is rolling out on the web today, and if you’re anything like me, you don’t have much patience for slow rollouts. I still hadn’t been prompted to click the “Let’s go” button and get the new layout, but luckily I stumbled on a way (via Sean S) to opt myself in without any wait time. Here’s how…
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Google is rolling out a redesigned Google+ today hat it says focuses on two features, Communicates and Collections, that people said kept them coming back to the service.
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Heads up! During Black Friday/Cyber Monday you’re going to have to follow us on Twitter to get the best deals since many sell out too quickly to post.










Google has announced today that — following a successful trial in India — it will allow developers in 17 more countries to charge a lower price for its premium apps and in-app purchases. This news comes a couple of weeks after the company raised the maximum price, now giving developers much more flexibility in what they can charge customers, and hopefully enabling them to reach more customers.
The full list of countries this reaches, and the minimum prices:
If you’re a developer in one of these countries, you can lower the prices of your app by going to the Google Play Developer Console and clicking “Pricing and Distribution” or “In-app Products” for your apps.
If you’re a Chrome or web developer, you’re probably already aware that the Chrome Dev Summit is set to take place today and tomorrow. The event brings Chrome engineers and web developers together for a two-day “exploration of building beautiful and fast mobile web applications.” This is an important event for many people, especially considering the growing relevance of web apps.
This is a two-day event, as I mentioned, and day 1 is set to start at 9 AM PT on November 17th. Google has provided livestreaming video of the entire event, and you can tune in below…

Having previously announced the Chromebit in March, today, ASUS and Google are officially launching the HDMI stick-based Chrome OS computer. The little stick essentially turns any HDMI-equipped screen or monitor in to a basic Chrome OS desktop and costs just $85…
I’ve been feeling up the Nexus 5X for about a week now, and I’m undoubtedly impressed. It’s been a while since we’ve seen a Nexus phone in this size range, and — as someone who used the Nexus 6 as his daily driver for a year — it’s really refreshing to once again have a handset to match my hands. That was the first thing I noticed about the Nexus 5X. I have little-to-no tolerance for third-party bloatware, skins, and gimmicks, and stock vanilla Android is almost a non-negotiable for me. And in this one area, the 5X — the 6P, as well — delivers, and that alone puts it in a league of its own in my eyes. That alone makes this phone, for me, one the cream of the Android crop.
But there’s one thing that has been a recurring theme in my first week with the 5X: performance. It’s just simply not good enough, and in 2015, OS stutters, frame rate drops, and lag while switching apps is quite simply inexcusable, (but especially in any phone that costs more than $100). It’s not that the 5X is a crippled experience — no, I’m sometimes in buttery smooth Android heaven. But in those times that my phone just slows to a crawl in the middle of my day, whatever the reason may be, I can’t help but want to throw the 5X at a wall…

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Samsung’s new Galaxy View tablet was announced a few weeks ago, and now we have word that the gigantic device is going to be available at AT&T starting November 20th. AT&T is also announcing a promotion with DIRECTV that can land you a View for just $100.
The Galaxy View is a behemoth of a tablet, so much so that some are referring to it as a TV. I have to agree with this sentiment, because even compared to Apple’s very-large 12.9-inch iPad Pro, this thing is just plain massive.
The Galaxy View has an 18.4-inch Full HD 1080p display, a 2.1-megapixel camera on the front, and is powered by a 1.6 Ghz octa-core processor, 2 GB of RAM, and a 5,700mAh battery. There are two 4W speakers on the back, and a MicroSD card slot to go with 32GB or 64GB internal storage.
Keep reading for the details on the DIRECTV deal…
WALK OUT WATCHING DIRECTV® WITH THE ONE OF A KIND SAMSUNG GALAXY VIEW FOR $99.99, ONLY AT AT&T
Built for streaming entertainment on your terms, you can walk out watching DIRECTV
DALLAS, NOV. 16, 2015 – Available first from AT&T on Nov. 20, experience the latest LTE device from Samsung with the entertainment-centric Samsung Galaxy View. The Galaxy View is more than a tablet. It combines the entertainment features of a TV with the mobility and engaging design of a tablet. You can buy the Galaxy View in retail stores nationwide and online at www.att.com. DIRECTV customers can walk out watching over 100 live channels.d For a limited time, customers that sign up for new DIRECTV service (24-month agreement required) can buy the Samsung Galaxy View for $99.99, with a two-year wireless agreement.3 Existing DIRECTV customers that activate a new line with a smartphone on AT&T Next can also get the Galaxy View for $99.99, with a two-year wireless agreement.4
Additional key features on the Galaxy View tablet include:
• Display: Streaming video is brought to life on the Galaxy View’s 18.4 inch, Full HD 1080p screen.5
• Storage: AT&T’s Galaxy View comes with 64GB6 of storage, with expandable memory up to 128GB7, so you can download your favorite videos, music and more.
• Portability: Use the Galaxy View’s built-in kickstand in TV-mode to watch the game while you grill, or stand upright into Lap-mode to read comfortably. Turn up your music’s volume while its powerful speakers provide serious sound.
• Long-lasting Battery: With up to 8 hours of continuous play or watch time8, you can binge-watch, game and browse for hours without having to pause the action.
Samsung Galaxy View will be available in Black from AT&T for $0 down for well-qualified customers and $30 per month for 20 months with an AT&T Tablet Installment Plan9 or $499.99 with a two-year agreement.10 Add the Galaxy View to a new or existing Mobile Share Value Plan for an additional $10 per month access charge.11
“The Samsung Galaxy View is the best parts of a TV and tablet, designed with entertainment as its primary focus,” said Jeff Bradley, senior vice president, Device Marketing and Developer Services, AT&T Mobility. “We know our customers are watching video in ways they never used to, and with this tablet you can shift where and when content is consumed. No other Samsung device provides this combination of integrated entertainment experience and value.”
The Samsung Galaxy View earned 4 of 5 stars, on AT&T’s Eco-Rating 2.0 system. The 2.0 system rates the social and environmental factors of AT&T branded handset devices and tablets. AT&T created the Eco-Rating 2.0 system to empower consumers to make better informed decisions when selecting a device. For more information about this device’s rating, AT&T’s Eco-Rating 2.0 System, and how you can join AT&T in making a difference, please visit http://att.com/ecospace.
For more information on the Samsung Galaxy View, check out this Mobile Minute video and visit: att.com/GalaxyView. Follow the conversation on social media by using #GalaxyView.
Recent updates to Google Search allow it to better understand complex queries and provide more accurate answers, meaning users can now Google questions involving superlatives, order, complex combinations, and get answers from a specific time period. This update comes thanks to Google being better able to understand the intent and different pieces of a question.
“We can now break down a query to understand the semantics of each piece,” Google says.
According to a report this morning from The Wall Street Journal, Google will now be able to show publicly available info from the Facebook app in mobile searches. Clicking on such a link while on your smartphone will take users directly to the relevant part of the Facebook app. The agreement between Google and Facebook went into affect last Friday, according to an Alphabet spokesperson.
In a clever new video, Motorola has proven — albeit while also advertising its Moto X — that we just can’t keep our hands off of our phones for as much as one minute. It’s perhaps not the most well-designed scientific experiment, but it’s interesting nonetheless the temptation we have to reach for our phones when they start buzzing, even in situations where we probably shouldn’t.
In this case, Motorola (or, more accurately, Ashton Kutcher) told unknowing victims that they were “running an experiment” that required them to keep their hands in two circles on a table. After they closed the door to leave the suspects in the room by themselves, they started sending notifications to their phones. As might be expected, the participants just couldn’t wait to check them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qUZai-kGgA
Street View has been slowly getting more locations since it launched in 2007, and now the company has added many of parts of Bolivia and Ecuador to the list. These two South American countries are full of history and beautiful imagery, and now they can be explored from the comfort of your Chrome browser.
Google is even featuring some of the best imagery from Bolivia and Ecuador on its Street View site.
Just a couple of months ago, Google launched a standalone Street View app for Android and iPhone. Android users will find it on the Play Store, and iPhone users can download the standalone Street View app on the App Store. And if you’re interested in exploring Bolivia and Ecuador in VR, you might be interested in the fact that the Street View app recently added support for Google Cardboard.
In the wake of some absolutely tragic and terrifying events tonight in Paris, Google has made international phone calls to France free on Google Hangouts. In other tragic past events, many companies that offer calling services have offered similar opportunities.
In a related initiative, Facebook has tonight launched a feature called Safety Check, which allows you to “quickly find and connect with friends in the area” and mark them safe if you know they’re safe. You can also let your friends know if you’re in the affected area.
We’ve made international calls to France free via Hangouts. #ParisAttacks
Android→ https://t.co/RLNSn2HPHd
iOS→ https://t.co/UKRrBZgBGT— Google (@Google) November 14, 2015
You can head over to the Play Store or the App Store to grab the app for free, or head to hangouts.google.com to make free international calls to France straight from your browser.
My thoughts are with all the victims and their families on this sad night #Paris Great to see everyone come together to support France
— Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) November 14, 2015

Google announced today that it’s expanding the Local Guides feature it has for Google Maps that aims to act as a community-driven virtual guide for points of interest with an integrated rewards program (which it could position as a Yelp competitor).
Among the biggest update for the expansion is new rewards for users, allowing access to upgraded Google Drive storage, early access to Google products and features, and more.
Google detailed the new rewards, which include the ability for users to earn a free 1 TB upgrade of Drive storage by accumulating a certain number of points. The top reward will make users eligible to attend Google’s inaugural summit in 2016: “… you’ll be able to meet other top Guides from around the world, explore the Google campus, and get the latest info about Google Maps. Look out for details early next year.”
Here’s a look at the new rewards:
Level 1 (0 – 4 points): Enter exclusive contests (think new Google devices!) in select countries.
Level 2 (5 – 49 points): Get early access to new Google products and features.
Level 3 (50 – 199 points): Show up in the Google Maps app with your official Local Guides badge.
Level 4 (200 – 499 points): Receive a free 1 TB upgrade of your Drive storage, allowing you to keep all the stories, photos, and videos from your travels in one safe place.
Level 5 (500+ points): The very top Local Guides will become eligible to apply to attend our inaugural summit in 2016, where you’ll be able to meet other top Guides from around the world, explore the Google campus, and get the latest info about Google Maps. Look out for details early next year.
Users can earn points by using the feature in Google Maps to do things like leaving a review, answering questions, uploading photos, and submitting fixes.
The expansion also includes an update that makes it easier for contributors to view and track local guides they’ve submitted.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puDNfWfILl4]
At the beginning, OEM partners were vital in order to spread Android. Google would handle the hard work of creating the operating system, while OEMs would manufacture and deal with carriers. This approach worked and Android is now the most used mobile OS and Samsung is the largest smartphone vendor in terms of shipped devices. But how is Google going to keep Android growing into the future?..
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Google has quietly launched a Chrome beta for iOS through TestFlight, the beta distribution service Apple acquired last year and integrated into its own developer services. Google has yet to make an official announcement for the beta release, but users can already sign-up and download the beta when visiting Google’s Chrome beta download page on iOS.
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Google is rolling out updates this week for Google Docs and Sheets for Android as well as Google Drive on the web, the company announced in two separate blog posts today.
For Sheets, the update brings the ability to “add new and reply to existing comments,” while the updated Google Docs for Android app gets the ability to see suggestions and comments when in the app’s Print Layout view. “resolve, close, accept, or reject those comments and suggestions—making it simpler to move between their desktop and mobile devices.”
Google also highlighted improvements to editing charts in the Sheets app on Android:
…if a user a selects a single cell and inserts a chart, we’ll automatically expand that data selection to include the immediately surrounding cells. This will make it easier for users to create robust charts with relevant information. In addition, when an employee creates a new chart, they’ll now see three recommended chart types, which we’ll suggest based on the data they’ve selected.
And lastly for Sheets, users will start to notice the 400 new fonts Google began rolling out to Sheets on the web this week.
As for Google Drive, the web app gets improved organization with new smarter sorting in the app’s ‘Recent’ view:
The new sorting experience removes the existing sorting dropdown options (‘Last modified,’ ‘Last modified by me,’ and ‘Last opened by me’) and replaces them with a dynamically-generated view based on the actions of the person using Drive. Items will continue to be segmented into time-based sections (‘Today,’ ‘Earlier this week,’ etc), and will now indicate whether each item was opened, modified, or uploaded by the user directly in the UI. The smarter sorting ensures that items acted upon by the user are more likely to be shown than items acted upon by other collaborators.
The updated Google Sheets and Docs apps are rolling out now.

Sony announced today that it’s PlayStation Vue Internet TV service will soon be expanding to support Google’s Chromecast HDMI streaming hardware for the first time. The news comes as Amazon’s Fire TV and Fire TV Stick streaming devices become the first devices beyond PlayStation consoles to support Vue. While Amazon’s hardware is getting support today, Chromecast support will follow as it’s coming soon.

Google’s ongoing self-driving car project has recorded more than 1.2 million miles of autonomous driving so far and like most drivers it’s picked up a few interesting stories. Today, the Google self-driving car team shared a post on Google+ showing that one of its cars had been pulled over while driving though California.