Do You Need an Operating System?

Do You Need an Operating System?

Peripherals and system parts are a collection of electronics that work together in order to perform a specific task. The program that every computer uses to control and manage all these parts is called the operating system (OS).

For example, a user that wants to write a document and print it out on a network printer needs an application like Microsoft Word to accomplish this job. Microsoft Word works with the OS in order to accomplish all the word processing tasks. The operating system controls all the input and output functions. All the personal computers, the servers and the handheld devices require an OS in order to function.

The operating system works like an interpreter between software applications and the hardware. An individual interacts with the computer hardware through an application, like Microsoft Excel, Adobe Photoshop, etc. Software applications are made for a particular purpo se. On the other hand the OS is responsible for the communication between the software application and the computer's hardware.

When a PC is powered on it loads the operating system from the hard disk into RAM. The part of the operating system that interacts directly with the hardware is called kernel. The part of the operating system that it is visible to the user is called shell. The user can use the shell from the command line interface (CLI) or from the graphical user interface (GUI).

The user that uses the CLI interacts directly with the OS in a text-based environment by typing commands at a command prompt. The computer executes the command and provides textual output. The user can also use the GUI and control the computer from an environment that uses graphical images, multimedia, as well as text. This is more user-friendly and requires less knowledge than CLI. Therefore, most users work with GUI environments. Microsoft Windows and Linux operating systems offer both GUI and CLI.

All the modern operating systems allow the user to multitask. The OS keeps track of which resources are used by which software program.

In order to work with devices that are not directly attached to the PC, a special software application must be installed that allows a device to send and receive data from the net. This is called redirector and usually it is an integral part of the OS but sometimes you need to install it separately as a network client. After you install it, the OS becomes a network OS (NOS).

source : matthewakins.blogspot.com

How 3D Printing Brings Value?

How 3D Printing Brings Value?

How can 3D model printing serve you? Well that depends on who you are. Are you an engineer or 3D artist? Are you a consumer? Are you in a product development business? Do you like custom goods? 3D model printing isn't for everyone, but it has the potential to change the world. Let's go over what 3D printing is first.

3D printing a style of additive manufacturing in which a three dimensional object is created by laying down layers on top of layers in which these layers are made out of certain materials. Each of these layers are bonded together within a 3D printing machine. These machines produce 3D objects with great precision, and can form almost any object out of a wide variety of materials. The materials used may consist of plastics, metals, ceramics, or even precious metals. The use of these machines can produce products at a much faster rate than traditional additive manufacturing technologies. Basica lly, 3D printing consists of layer by layer assembly of objects within a 3D printer. The basis for each product comes from a 3D design, which would be created by an engineer or 3D artist. This technology allows for 3D model printing to be completed by anyone with Computer Generated Image (CGI) experience.

As artists and engineers design each model, the sky is the limit! Artists can design virtually anything to be printed. The limit is purely each designer's imagination. What does this mean? Truly custom products can be designed for consumers. There will be a massive avenue for custom manufacturing! If you think that engraving items is special, just wait until 3D model printing becomes much more widespread. The design of someone's face could be possible! Imagine how creative a valentines gift or Christmas gift could become.

There is also another aspect of 3D model printing - the business side. Perhaps a company is among a phone company, more specifically , the hardware for cell phones, not service. If a new phone were to be launched, wouldn't it be a great idea for product developers to 3D model print a design of a phone, and give it to investors to where they could HOLD the design? That might be much more reliable rather than seeing a digital picture of the phone, and creating a hold-able product might influence the decision of investors.

In addition, let's look at the engineering aspect of 3D model printing. How could this change the game for certain businesses? Let me cover an oil and gas company. An oil well is about to be drilled, and a highly specific valve system needs to be created. The engineers need this ONE highly specific part to be designed, but they don't want to have to deal with paying for the production of 50 of them. At the same time, they would like it in a very specific material without being gauged for pricing. 3D printing could save the day by allowing for the creation of only 1-3 pieces, at a much more inexpensive price.

source : matthewakins.blogspot.com

How About Computer and Keyboard Recycling?

How About Computer and Keyboard Recycling?

Everybody knows it is a good thing to do to recycle. If you recycle you are preserving the earth and re-using materials instead of throwing them into a landfill due to laziness or ignorance. Did you know that there are special companies that are made for recycling electronic items specifically?

The most commonly recycled electronic items of all are computers and their keyboards. Just with one item, you can contribute greatly to making the earth a better place to live. There are so many different metals and plastics involved in making electronic items that are harmful to the environment and by taking them out of the picture we can actually reverse the earth's destruction rather than help it move forward.

Recycling your keyboard and computer is easy. All you have to do is call a recycling company near you that takes electronic items and you just give them a time and a place to come p ick it up. You can also drop it off if you don't want to have them come pick it up but it is just an easy solution for you so you have no obligations.

When they take your items they will separate them into all different categories according to material. The plastics, each different type of metal, glass and other information holding pieces will be disposed of separately.

If you are holding on to an old computer because you are afraid of the information getting out, you need not worry about that at all. All electronic recycling places take an oath to never tamper with hard drives or other pieces of equipment that hold confidential information. They will tell you about their exclusivity and privacy policies which will allow you to feel relaxed while letting them handle your belongings.

They will take your information and securely dispose of it properly. This means after they pick it up from you, they will give you a tracking number. You will be able to see where your item is at all times and they will even notify you when it is destroyed. It is guaranteed to be destroyed within 48 hours of pick up. This means all informational pieces get thrown into a shredder and are made sure to be irretrievable or even recognizable for that matter.

source : matthewakins.blogspot.com

My New Operating System

My New Operating System

Nowadays you can find several different OS available. The most well-known are the following:

Microsoft: Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 2008 Server, UNIX-Based: IBM AIX, Hewlett Packard HPUX, and Sun Solaris, Linux-Based: Ubuntu, Fedora, Macintosh OS X.

While all the above OS require a commercial license, there are more than a few OS released under a different kind of licensing arrangement. This is called GNU Public License (GPL).

Commercial licenses typically prohibit users to modify the software in any way. Windows 7, Mac OS X and UNIX are commercial operating systems.

On the other hand, the GNU Public License (GPL) permits users to modify and improve the program, if they want, to better suit their needs. The most common operating systems that use the GLP model are Linux and BSD.

All the operating systems need a specific amount of hardware resources. For example t hey have minimum RAM requirements, minimum available hard disk space requirements, minimum processor requirements, etc.

Companies usually state both a minimum and recommended level of hardware components. When you install the minimum defined hardware configuration, the computers' performance is frequently poor and cannot support any additional programs. The recommended hardware is always the best option. If you purchase the recommended hardware you will be able to support standard as well as additional applications and resources.

Almost all the OS developers test several hardware components and verify that they are compatible with the OS. Before purchasing and installing a new peripheral or hardware module always confirm that it is certified to work with your operating system.

Picking an appropriate operating system requires numerous features to be considered before making a final decision.

First, you have to make sure that the OS being considered supports totally the requirements of the user. Verify for example if the OS supports the future programs. After that, check if the available hardware resources are sufficient to support the new operating system. For instance check the RAM, the CPU, and the available hard disk space.

Another very important factor that you have to consider is the total cost of ownership (TCO). This is something that can really change your final decision. This not only includes the costs of purchasing and installing the operating system, but also the support costs.

source : matthewakins.blogspot.com

How to Win in Battle Against Military Robots?

How to Win in Battle Against Military Robots?

Advanced military weapons have always scared human beings, and rightfully so because humans inherently wish to stay alive. They fear the enemy might come into their city, or civilization and wreak havoc. In fact this is a real fear because throughout human history there have been battles, wars, and marauding armies raping and pillaging. Okay so, I'd like to talk about a new paradigm of warfare with regards to advanced weapon systems, namely I'd like to discuss the inherent fear of autonomous robotic military equipment.

Why is it that humans fear robotic weapons systems so much? Is it because of the unknown, or a misunderstanding about what these systems are about, or how they work? Perhaps from an American perspective it is good this fear exists in the minds of the enemy as we use our UAVs or unmanned aerial vehicles overhead. Still, we do have some fear amongst our own citizens, and perha ps this has to do with famous science fiction movies such as the Terminator series, but is this justified? And how can you win a battle against military robots?

Understand the Sensors Used by Robotics

First, I would submit to you that you need to understand how they work, and how they collect their information to do what they do. They use sensors, and the sensors do not work like human eyes, nose, ears, feel, or hearing. Now then they may have 4 or 5 Sensors which to take in information in this regard, but they do not work the same as human senses. Thus, you may very well be able to fool the Sensors. Once you fool the sensors the military robotics are not as accurate, and therefore cannot do the job intended.

Hide in Broad Day Light

This also allows someone to hide in broad daylight. For instance consider that the sensors might be based on a heat signature, but if the ambient temperature is close to the same temperature as a human being, then all the suddenly the human being blends into the background. Yes, if the sensors are really good they will still be able to pick up a human, but there are other ways besides infrared which are used by these robots, and if you can disable the sensors, they cannot sense you.

Hack the Enemy - Use the Machines Against Them

There are indeed ways of interfering with the Sensors, and the robotic systems, or even using cyber warfare techniques and hacking to turn those very robots against their makers. In other words hijack the enemy's robots to serve your will and achieve victory in battle. It can be done. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.

source : matthewakins.blogspot.com

IPTV For Your Home Or Office

IPTV For Your Home Or Office

If you are looking for a type of Television entertainment that can provide you with excellent facilities and a straightforward set up, an IPTV service is the ideal solution. This is a service that enables you to view Television online, as an alternative to depending on the traditional types of transmission such as fiber and satellite systems. This means that this kind of Television has some added benefits that one can take advantage of.

For starters, the quality of this type of entertainment is far better than other forms. Since there's usually very little interference when signals are being transmitted online, one rarely suffers from low quality such as whenever you watch satellite Television and there's cloud cover. The results is that one can always enjoy high quality, as long as your internet connection is reliabe.

In addition to that, you are able to also benefit from a chance to rewind liv e Television. This has been made possible by the fact that when streaming, the data is generally buffered in your computer for better quality. This means that whenever you miss a programme, you are able to simply rewind the show to that point where you want, and then simply start viewing whatever you had missed.

In a lot of cases it is more economical to watch Television online as opposed to pay for satellite or Cable. An important reason for this is that the equipment required to broadcast signals online is generally much cheaper than that needed to perform the same function over other media. This means that if you are on a spending budget, this is a excellent solution.

When you need to subscribe to such a service, there are a number of things you need to consider. Initial of all, you really need to make sure that your internet connection is trustworthy. Since the signals will be transmitted online, any suspect internet connection may affect the qualit y of your viewing. It can end up being better to have a high speed internet connection for this sort of use, as streaming online TV can be very data intensive. It's also advisable that you also have an unlimited data plan for the same reason.

source : matthewakins.blogspot.com

Four Tips for Everyday Google Doc Users

Four Tips for Everyday Google Doc Users

Google Docs are used today by a wide range of users - from students to businesses and many in between. Those who rely heavily on it for different reasons will find the following tips very useful. If you are one of them, read on!

Auto-Correct Typos

Just like Microsoft, Google Docs corrects typos that you make. In addition to the typical mistakes that every other speedy type-r makes, such as typing 'the' as 'the', there are person-specific mistakes too. You can tell Google Docs about the mistakes you make, and what to turn them into. This way you won't have to do it yourself every time.

To do so, follow the steps below.
1. Select 'Tools'
2. Go to 'Preferences'
3. A dialog box will appear. Check the box next to 'Automatic Substitution'.
4. Then fill in the boxes under the 'Replace' and 'With' with the mistakes that you make and their substitutions.

Share Google Docs

There are people who don't use Google and they might not be able to view the documents they are meant to read. To enable them to do so, follow the instructions below.

1. Click on the icon 'padlock' on the top left of the site.
2. A dialog box will appear. Click 'Change' next to 'Private'.
3. Another dialog box will appear. You can click 'Everyone' or 'Anyone with the Link' depending on what your requirements are.
4. You can also allow non-Google users to edit the document. You can do so by checking the box next to 'Allow Anyone to Edit'.
5. Click 'Save'.
6. Share away the documents by messaging, emailing or any other medium you like.

Bookmark the Document

Just like you bookmark parts of books that are reading in different sittings and have sections that you would later want to re-visit, you can bookmark Google Docs documents too. This can be helpful for a number of situations. Bookmarks can help you recall things that you might require later, make table of contents and other purposes. There are two ways of bookmarking one of these documents.

You can insert a bookmark by clicking 'Insert' and then clicking 'Bookmark'.

Also, you can create a link by selecting text in the document and then pressing 'Clt+K'. A dialogue box will appear. Click on the radio box labeled 'bookmark'.

Preview a Google Document in Gmail

There are times when a document needs a very brief glance. To save time, instead of opening the entire page, you can simply review it by activating the Google Docs Preview option in your Gmail account by doing the following:

1. Go to 'Settings'
2. Click 'Labs'
3. Find 'Mail add-on' and move on to Google Docs Previews
4. Click the check box next to 'Enable'
5. Click 'Save'

source : matthewakins.blogspot.com

Operating System Options and Installation Methods

Operating System Options and Installation Methods

An OS is installed on the computers' hard disk, inside an area called hard disk partition. There are several ways for installing a new operating system. The installation method is based on the system hardware and end-user requirements. Generally, you have four basic options for the installation of a new operating system:

Clean Installation

We can perform a clean installation on a new computer or in those cases where there is no upgrade path between the current operating system and the new one. This type of installation deletes all data on the hard disks partition where the current operating system is installed. A new PC requires, of course a clean installation. You can also do a clean install when the current operating system installation has corrupted files or does not work properly.

Upgrade Installation

Sometimes, it is also possible to perform an upg rade. When you perform an upgrade, OS configuration settings, installed programs and data are preserved. With this installation you have nothing to worry about, because you will not lose any personal data. You will just replace the old operating system files with the new, upgraded files. However, keep in mind that after the upgrade the applications and drivers that are incompatible with the new OS will not work as expected.

Multi-boot Installation

Another option is to install multiple operating systems on a single computer. You can install each OS inside a different disk partition and this way every OS will have its own files and configuration settings. On multi-boot installations, the users see a menu when they open their computers and they have to select the desired OS. Of course, only one operating system can run at a time.

Virtualization

This is relative new technique that is often used on servers. With virtualization we can ru n numerous copies of an operating system on a single set of hardware and create this way several virtual machines. Every single virtual machine works like a separate computer. This technology makes a single physical hardware resource to appear like multiple logical resources.

Before starting any operating system installation you have to make sure that all the hardware is certified to work with the new operating system. Also confirm that the hardware resources meet the minimum installation requirements. Moreover, when you perform an upgrade it is a very good practice to perform a virus scan before starting the installation and a complete full backup of all your personal data.

source : matthewakins.blogspot.com

How About Information Assurance - The Availability Attribute

How About Information Assurance - The Availability Attribute

Information Assurance assigns systems to shield data and the computer systems they reside on, and the transmission approaches processed to transmit the data. Availability is certified by requiring an impeccable and prompt avenue to information services and information only for entrusted users. By achieving consistency of the material and data structures of the operating system, hardware, software and filed material and analytical accuracy, entirety and dependability, integrity is guaranteed. Integrity can also assure against unauthorized deletion of information. Information assurance also certifies acceptance by guaranteeing the certainty of a communication or a document and its producer, and also by substantiating an individual's approval to accept explicit data from the architecture. Confidentiality is preserved by only exposing information to trusted organizations or systems. Non-re pudiation is included, which is ensuring evidence of delivery to the transmitter of material and supporting validation of identity to the receiver, to require neither recipient can afterwards debate having processed the data. Information Assurance also accounts for additional fundamentals to include reconstruction of information systems by assembling protection, detection, and reaction qualifications.

Information Assurance furnishes availability by furnishing up-to-date and impeccable access to information and information services for entrusted users. The users need have reliable avenue to all hardware, software, services and information. Often availability is also assessed in terms of what is attainable to just mission-critical processes, but it need also be evaluated for the comprehensive system.

Design theories that promote availability can be incorporated into the system. Elements and subsystems need be able to be gracefully restarted at will. Subsy stems and elements have to be independent of each other and adhere to an open architecture. Subordinately critical missions or functions should be uncoupled from more crucial ones, as well as more risky functions from those that are less risky. Networks, processes, and information assembly can also be optimized for mission availability. The architecture can be securely executed for increased availability so that platforms, software and architecture are produced as services such as cloud computing. Cloud computing can support additional availability owing to proficient usage of assets and making individual disruptions imperceptible to the user. The redundance of services like these make the architecture more tolerable of failures and unavailabilities.

Timeliness, connected to Quality of Service (QoS), is notable since belated might be equally as bad as not at all. Resource allotment could be changed to adhere to timeliness requirements. There are repeatedly tradeof fs between QoS attributes and Information Assurance specifications.

source : matthewakins.blogspot.com

Understanding How Data Packets Travel Across the Network

Understanding How Data Packets Travel Across the Network

When troubleshooting IP networks over Ethernet it helps to understand how packets travel across the network. Packets use two different mechanisms to get from point A to Point B, or from the source to the destination. IP addresses and MAC addresses.

The MAC address is the layer 2 address that represents the specific hardware that is connected to the wire. The IP address is the layer 3 address that represents the logical identity of the device on the network.

MAC Address

Most every computer today has some sort of network interface card (NIC) either built-in or installed on the computer. Every NIC is created with a hardware number permanently "burned" into it. This permanent hardware number is known as the MAC (Media Access Control). MAC addresses are 48 bits in length and are usually displayed as a 12 digit hexadecimal number.

MM:MM:MM:HH:HH:HH

The first 24 bits (or 6 digits) represent the manufacturer of the NIC. The last 24 bits (6 digits) are a unique identifier that represents the Host or the card itself. No two MAC identifiers are alike.

IP Address

The IP address is the logical address that is associated with the MAC for a particular device. IP addresses (IPv4) are a 32 bit (12 digit) number representing 4 binary octets.

Both an IP and a MAC are needed for data to travel across an Ethernet network.

The ARP Protocol

When a computer sends data over the network, it first needs to find which route it must take. Will the packet stay on the network or does it need to leave the network. The computer first determines this by comparing the subnet mask to the destination ip address.

Once this destination is known, Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) is used to find the next hop on the network. ARP's job is to basically discover and associate IP addr esses to the physical MAC.

For a packet that has a destination on another network, ARP is used to find the MAC of the gateway router. An ARP packet is sent to the gateway router asking for it's MAC. The router reply's back to the computer with it's mac address. The computer will then forward the packet directly to the mac address of the gateway router.

When the gateway router receives the packet it will remove it's mac address as the destination and replace it with the mac address of the next hop router. It will also replace the source computer's mac address with it's own mac address. This happens at each route along the way until the packet reaches it's destination.

Going Postal - An Example

Let's use the postal service to help explain this. Think of this process like taking a letter and stuffing it in an envelope. Then take that envelope and stuff it in another envelope addressed to the local post office. The post office then tak es out the inner envelope, to determine the next stop on the way, puts it in another envelope with the new destination.

source : matthewakins.blogspot.com

A second spring of cleaning

A second spring of cleaning

We’re living in a new kind of computing environment. Everyone has a device, sometimes multiple devices. It’s been a long time since we have had this rate of changeâ€"it probably hasn’t happened since the birth of personal computing 40 years ago. To make the most of these opportunities, we need to focusâ€"otherwise we spread ourselves too thin and lack impact. So today we’re announcing some more closures, bringing the total to 70 features or services closed since our spring cleaning began in 2011:

• Apps Script will be deprecating the GUI Builder and five UiApp widgets in order to focus efforts on Html Service. The rest of the Ui Service will not be affected. The GUI Builder will continue to be available until September 16, 2013. For more information see our post on the Google Apps Developer Blog.
• CalDAV API will become available for whitelisted developers, and will be shut down for other developers on September 16, 2013. Most developers’ use cases are handled well by Google Calendar API, which we recommend using instead. If you’re a developer and the Calendar API won’t work for you, please fill out this form to tell us about your use case and request access to whitelisted-only CalDAV API.
• Google Building Maker helped people to make three-dimensional building models for Google Earth and Maps. It will be retired on June 1, but users are still able to access and export their models from the 3D Warehouse. We’ll continue to expand the availability of comprehensive and accurate new 3D imagery on Google Earth, and people can still use Google Map Maker to add building information such as outlines and heights to Google Maps.
• Google Cloud Connect is a plug-in to help people work in the cloud by automatically saving Microsoft Office files from Windows PCs in Google Drive. But installing Google Drive on your desktop achieves the same thing more effectivelyâ€"and Drive works not only on Windows, but also on Mac, Android and iOS devices. Existing users will no longer be able to use Cloud Connect as of April 30.
• We launched Google Reader in 2005 in an effort to make it easy for people to discover and keep tabs on their favorite websites. While the product has a loyal following, over the years usage has declined. So, on July 1, 2013, we will retire Google Reader. Users and developers interested in RSS alternatives can export their data, including their subscriptions, with Google Takeout over the course of the next four months.
• Beginning next week, we're ending support for the Google Voice App for Blackberry. For Blackberry users who want to continue using Google Voice, we recommend they use our HTML5 app, which is more secure and easier for us to keep up to date. Our HTML5 site is compatible with users with Blackberry version 6 and newer.
• We’re deprecating our Search API for Shopping, which has enabled developers to create shopping apps based on Google’s Product Search data. While we believe in the value this offering provided, we’re shifting our focus to concentrate on creating a better shopping experience for users through Google Shopping. We’ll shut the API down completely on September 16, 2013.
• Beginning today we’ll no longer sell or provide updates for Snapseed Desktop for Macintosh and Windows. Existing customers will continue to be able to download the software and can contact us for support. We’ll continue to offer the Snapseed mobile app on iOS and Android for free.

These changes are never easy. But by focusing our efforts, we can concentrate on building great products that really help in their lives.

Posted by Urs Hölzle, SVP Technical Infrastructure and Google Fellow source : googleblog.blogspot.com

Update from the CEO

Update from the CEO

Sergey and I first heard about Android back in 2004, when Andy Rubin came to visit us at Google. He believed that aligning standards around an open-source operating system would drive innovation across the mobile industry. Most people thought he was nuts. But his insight immediately struck a chord because at the time it was extremely painful developing services for mobile devices. We had a closet full of more than 100 phones and were building our software pretty much device by device. It was nearly impossible for us to make truly great mobile experiences.

Fast forward to today. The pace of innovation has never been greater, and Android is the most used mobile operating system in the world: we have a global partnership of over 60 manufacturers; more than 750 million devices have been activated globally; and 25 billion apps have now been downloaded from Google Play. Pretty extraordinary progress for a decade’s work. Having exceeded even the crazy ambitious goals we dreamed of for Androidâ€"and with a really strong leadership team in placeâ€"Andy’s decided it’s time to hand over the reins and start a new chapter at Google. Andy, more moonshots please!

Going forward, Sundar Pichai will lead Android, in addition to his existing work with Chrome and Apps. Sundar has a talent for creating products that are technically excellent yet easy to useâ€"and he loves a big bet. Take Chrome, for example. In 2008, people asked whether the world really needed another browser. Today Chrome has hundreds of millions of happy users and is growing fast thanks to its speed, simplicity and security. So while Andy’s a really hard act to follow, I know Sundar will do a tremendous job doubling down on Android as we work to push the ecosystem forward.

Today we’re living in a new computing environment. People are really excited about technology and spending a lot of money on devices. This is driving faster adoption than we have ever seen before. The Nexus programâ€"developed in conjunction with our partners Asus, HTC, LG and Samsungâ€"has become a beacon of innovation for the industry, and services such as Google Now have the potential to really improve your life. We’re getting closer to a world where technology takes care of the hard workâ€"discovery, organization, communicationâ€"so that you can get on with what makes you happiest… living and loving. It’s an exciting time to be at Google.

Posted by Larry Page, CEO source : googleblog.blogspot.com

Tenth annual Global Code Jam registration opens today

Tenth annual Global Code Jam registration opens today

Algorithmic competitions are to programmers what tournaments are to tennis players: an opportunity to feel the rush of competition, learn new techniques and face off against their best counterparts from around the globe. Code Jam, Google's worldwide online programming competition, gives developers a chance to use their favorite programming languages to solve algorithmic problems created by a team of contest champions at Google.

Our 10th annual global Code Jam kicks off next month, starting with a qualification round on April 12. After three more online rounds, the top 25 contestants will be invited to Google’s London office on August 16 for a final matchup and a chance to win the coveted title of Code Jam Champion.

With more than 20,000 participants last year, Code Jam has grown leaps and bounds since it began in 2003*. To celebrate the competition's 10th anniversary, we’ve raised the stakes: the winner will claim $15,000, and will automatically qualify for the 2014 Code Jam finals to defend his or her title.

If you’re up to the challenge of solving tough problems and coding elegant solutions (and perhaps debugging less elegant solutions), then register now. Want to warm up for the Qualification Round with a problem or two? How about finding the margin of safety for contestants on a television show, optimizing a tower defense game or swinging through the jungle on vines? You have a whole month to prepare yourself for the first hurdle on Friday, April 12.

Posted by Onufry Wojtaszczyk, Software Engineer, Google Code Jam

*To the mathematically inclined (all of our competitors), 2003-2013 sounds like enough time for 11 Code Jams. Nevertheless, this one will actually be our tenth global contest: we went through a major format change between 2006 and 2008, and there wasn't a global contest in 2007. source : googleblog.blogspot.com

Voices of women in technology

Voices of women in technology

A diverse workforce is critical in helping us build products that can help people change the world. That includes diversity of all life experiences, including gender.

Women were some of the first programmers and continue to make a major impact on the programming world today. We think it’s important to highlight the great work women are doing in computer science, to help provide role models for young women thinking about careers in computing.

Tomorrow is International Women’s Day, and as one of our contributions to the celebration, we’re proud to support Voices Global Conference, presented by Global Tech Women. As part of this 24-hour live streamed event, Google will provide more than a dozen hours of free talks featuring women working in computer science, beginning today. To access the full schedule and our ongoing broadcasts, see our section on the Voices website, which will be updated throughout the day.

The Voices Global Conference is the brainchild of Global Tech Women’s founder Deanna Kosaraju, who also started India’s Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing in 2010 with grant support from Google. The India conferences, which provide a forum for women to share their professional and research work in computing, have grown rapidly, with more than 800 attendees in 2012. So when Deanna proposed this global, 24-hour streamed conference, we knew it was a great opportunity to help women and other audiences around the world learn more and get inspired about the contributions women are making to technology and computer science.

Our sessions will feature a range of material, from new episodes of the Women Techmakers series and interviews with women leaders like the head of Lexity India Mani Abrol, to discussions focusing on technologies like Google Compute Engine. For a sneak peek of the type of content we’ll be providing, check out Pavni’s story below, produced in conjunction with PBS’ MAKERS series. I’ve provided advice to many young people in India interested in studying computer science and pursuing their own dreamsâ€"so Pavni’s tenacity, coupled with the encouragement and support she received from her father, resonated with me. We’re excited to share her story and others like it alongside technical conversations and discussions on women in technology as part of this conference.



I hope you’ll join us for our sessionsâ€"and in the meantime, you can learn more about our efforts to support women at Google and beyond.

Posted by Beryl Nelson, Software Engineering Manager source : googleblog.blogspot.com

Art, Copy & Code: a series of experiments to re-imagine advertising

Art, Copy & Code: a series of experiments to re-imagine advertising

Last year, we started a program to partner with advertisers and agencies to re-imagine how brands tell stories in a connected world. Project Re: Brief set out to recreate some of the advertising industry’s most iconic, classic campaigns using the latest technology tools. This year we’re expanding that program to work with some of today’s most iconic brands and innovative marketers, in our new project: Art, Copy & Code.

Art, Copy & Code is a series of projects and experiments to show how creativity and technology can work hand in hand. Some of these will include familiar brands like Volkswagen, Burberry and adidasâ€"projects developed in partnership with their creative teams and agencies. Others will be creative experiments with innovative filmmakers, creative directors and technologists to explore how brands can connect with consumers through a whole range of digital toolsâ€"including ads, mobile apps and social experiences. Our first partner project is a new social driving experienceâ€"Volkswagen Smileage.

Building off their 2012 campaign, “It’s not the miles, it’s how you live them,” Volkswagen Smileage is a mobile app and web service that aims to add a little bit of fun to every drive, from your daily commutes to holiday road trips. The app measures the fun factor of each trip using a metric called “smileage,” based on signals like weather, traffic, location, time and social interactions (e.g., a long drive on a sunny Saturday afternoon might accumulate more smileage than a morning commute in the snow). You can use it with any car, not just Volkswagens.

Powered by the new Google+ sign-in, you can choose to share Smileage experience with friends and family. For example, during a road trip, photos and videos taken by you and your co-passengers can be automatically added to a live interactive map. The inspiration for the service came from a recent study showing that every day, 144 million Americans on average spend 52 minutes in a carâ€"76 percent of them alone. We wanted to make that time a more shareable experience. Volkswagen Smileage will be available soon in betaâ€"you can sign up on this webpage for early access.

We’ll have many more experiments to share in the Art, Copy & Code project soonâ€"subscribe for updates at ArtCopyCode.com. We’re committed to investing in technology and tools over the long term to help brands and their agencies succeed not just today, but in a digital future that will look very different.

If you’re planning on attending SXSW, stop by the Google Playground on March 9 to see demos of these experiments, or attend our talk on March 10.

Posted by Aman Govil, Art, Copy & Code Project Lead source : googleblog.blogspot.com

Public Alerts for Google Search, Google Now and Google Maps available in Japan

Public Alerts for Google Search, Google Now and Google Maps available in Japan

With nearly 5,000 earthquakes a year, it’s important for people in Japan to have crisis preparedness and response information available at their fingertips. And from our own research, we know that when a disaster strikes, people turn to the Internet for more information about what is happening.

With this in mind, we’re launching Google Public Alerts today in Japanâ€"the first international expansion of a service we debuted last year in the United States. Google Public Alerts is a platform designed to provide accurate and relevant emergency alerts when and where you’re searching for them online.

Relevant earthquake and tsunami warnings for Japan will now appear on Google Search, Google Maps and Google Now when you search online during a time of crisis. If a major earthquake alert is issued in Kanagawa Prefecture, for example, the alert information will appear on your desktop and mobile screens when you search for relevant information on Google Search and Google Maps.

Example of a Google Search result on a tablet showing a tsunami warning

Example of a tsunami warning on Google Maps

If you click “詳細” (“More info”) right under the alert, you’ll see more details about the announcement, including the full description from the Japan Meteorological Agency, a link to their site, and other useful information like observed arrival times and wave heights for tsunamis.

Example of how a tsunami alert would work in Fukushima

And when you open Google Now on your Android device, recommended actions and information will be tailored to where you are. For example, if you happen to be in Tokyo at a time when a tsunami alert is issued, Google Now will show you a card containing information about the tsunami alert, as well as any available evacuation instructions:

Example of a tsunami warning card on Google Now

We’re able to provide Public Alerts in Japan thanks to the Japan Meteorological Agency, whose publication of data enables Google and others to make critical and life-saving information more widely available.

We hope our technology, including Public Alerts, will help people better prepare for future crises and create more far-reaching support for crisis recovery. This is why in Japan, Google has newly partnered with 14 Japanese prefectures and cities, including seven from the Tōhoku region, to make their government data available online and more easily accessible to users, both during a time of crisis and after. The devastating Tōhoku Earthquake struck Japan only two years ago, and the region is still slowly recovering from the tragedy.

We look forward to expanding Google Public Alerts to more countries and working with more warning providers soon. We also encourage potential partners to read our FAQ and to consider putting data in an open format, such as the Common Alerting Protocol. To learn more about Public Alerts, visit our Public Alerts homepage.

Posted by Yu Chen, Partner Technology Manager source : googleblog.blogspot.com

Celebrating Google Play’s first birthday

Celebrating Google Play’s first birthday

Accessing digital entertainment should be simple, whether you like to read books on your tablet, listen to music on your phone and computer, or watch movies on all three. That’s why one year ago today we launched Google Play, where you can find and enjoy your favorite music, movies, books and apps on your Android phone and tablet, or on the web.

Google Play has grown rapidly in the last year, bringing you more content in more languages and places around the globe. In addition to offering more than 700,000 apps and games, we’ve partnered with all of the major music companies, movie studios and publishers to bring you the music, movies, TV shows, books and magazines you love. And we’ve added more ways for you to buy them, including paying through your phone bill and gift cards, which we're beginning to roll out in the U.K. this week.

Since no birthday is complete without presents, we’re celebrating with a bunch of special offers across the store on songs, TV shows, movies and books. We’re even offering a collection of games with some fun birthday surprises created by developers.

It’s been a busy year, but we’re just getting started. We look forward to many more years of bringing you the best in entertainment!

Posted by Jamie Rosenberg, VP of Digital Content, Google Play source : googleblog.blogspot.com

Transparency Report: Shedding more light on National Security Letters

Transparency Report: Shedding more light on National Security Letters

Our users trust Google with a lot of very important data, whether it’s emails, photos, documents, posts or videos. We work exceptionally hard to keep that information safeâ€"hiring some of the best security experts in the world, investing millions of dollars in technology and baking security protections such as 2-step verification into our products.

Of course, people don’t always use our services for good, and it’s important that law enforcement be able to investigate illegal activity. This may involve requests for personal information. When we receive these requests, we:

• scrutinize them carefully to ensure they satisfy the law and our policies;
• seek to narrow requests that are overly broad;
• notify users when appropriate so they can contact the entity requesting the information or consult a lawyer; and
• require that government agencies use a search warrant if they’re seeking search query information or private content, like Gmail and documents, stored in a Google Account.

When conducting national security investigations, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation can issue a National Security Letter (NSL) to obtain identifying information about a subscriber from telephone and Internet companies. The FBI has the authority to prohibit companies from talking about these requests. But we’ve been trying to find a way to provide more information about the NSLs we getâ€"particularly as people have voiced concerns about the increase in their use since 9/11.

Starting today, we’re now including data about NSLs in our Transparency Report. We’re thankful to U.S. government officials for working with us to provide greater insight into the use of NSLs. Visit our page on user data requests in the U.S. and you’ll see, in broad strokes, how many NSLs for user data Google receives, as well as the number of accounts in question. In addition, you can now find answers to some common questions we get asked about NSLs on our Transparency Report FAQ.

You'll notice that we're reporting numerical ranges rather than exact numbers. This is to address concerns raised by the FBI, Justice Department and other agencies that releasing exact numbers might reveal information about investigations. We plan to update these figures annually.

Posted by Richard Salgado, Legal Director, Law Enforcement and Information Security

(Cross-posted on the Public Policy Blog) source : googleblog.blogspot.com

Introducing Art Talks on Google+

Introducing Art Talks on Google+

An excellent guide often best brings an art gallery or museum’s collections to life. Starting this week, we’re hoping to bring this experience online with “Art Talks,” a series of Hangouts on Air on our Google Art Project Google+ page. Each month, curators, museum directors, historians and educators from some of the world’s most renowned cultural institutions will reveal the hidden stories behind particular works, examine the curation process and provide insights into particular masterpieces or artists.

The first guided visit will be held this Wednesday, March 6 at 8pm ET from The Museum of Modern Art. Deborah Howes, Director of Digital Learning, along with a panel of artists and students, will discuss how to teach art online. To post a question, visit the event page. If this talk falls too late for you to tune in live, you can watch afterward on our Google Art Project YouTube channel.

The next talk is from London. On March 20, Caroline Campbell and Arnika Schmidt from the National Gallery will discuss depictions of the female nude. Details are available on the Art Project’s event page. In April we’ll host a panel examining one of the Google Art Project’s popular gigapixel works, Bruegel’s “Tower of Babel,” featuring Peter Parshall, curator at the National Gallery of Art in Washington.



Additional talks are planned by curators from high-profile institutions such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, the Museo Nacional de Arte in Mexico and the Museum of Islamic Art in Qatar.

Google Art Project aims to make art more accessible to all. We hope that Art Talks is the next step in bringing art to your armchair, wherever you are in the world, with just a click of a button. Stay tuned to the Art Project and Cultural Institute Google+ pages for more information on dates and times of these online lectures.

Posted by Lucy Schwartz, Google Cultural Institute source : googleblog.blogspot.com

Making the cloud more accessible with Chrome and Android

Making the cloud more accessible with Chrome and Android

If you’re a blind or low-vision user, you know that working in the cloud poses unique challenges. Our accessibility team had an opportunity to address some of those challenges at the 28th annual CSUN International Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference this week. While there, we led a workshop on how we’ve been improving the accessibility of Google technologies. For all those who weren’t at the conference, we want to share just a few of those improvements and updates:

Chrome and Google Apps

• Chrome OS now supports a high-quality text-to-speech voice (starting with U.S. English). We’ve also made spoken feedback, along with screen magnification and high-contrast mode available out-of-the-box to make Chromebook and Chromebox setup easier for users with accessibility needs.
• Gmail now has a consistent navigation interface, backed by HTML5 ARIA, which enables blind and low-vision users to effectively navigate using a set of keyboard commands.
• It’s now much easier to access content in your Google Drive using a keyboardâ€"for example, you can navigate a list of files with just the arrow keys. In Docs, you can access features using the keyboard, with a new way to search menu and toolbar options. New keyboard shortcuts and verbalization improvements also make it easier to use Docs, Sheets and Slides with a screenreader.
• The latest stable version of Chrome, released last week, includes support for the Web Speech API, which developers can use to integrate speech recognition capabilities into their apps. At CSUN, our friends from Bookshare demonstrated how they use this new functionality to deliver ReadNowâ€"a fully integrated ebook reader for users with print disabilities.
• Finally, we released a new Help Center Guide specifically for blind and low-vision users to ease the transition to using Google Apps.

Android

• We added Braille support to Android 4.1; since then, Braille support has been expanded on Google Drive for Android, making it easier to read and edit your documents. You can also use Talkback with Docs and Sheets to edit on the go.
• With Gesture Mode in Android 4.1, you can reliably navigate the UI using touch and swipe gestures in combination with speech output.
• Screen magnification is now built into Android 4.2â€"just enable “Magnification gestures,” then triple tap to enter full screen magnification.
• The latest release of TalkBack (available on Play soon) includes several highly-requested features like structured browsing of web content and the ability to easily suspend/resume TalkBack via an easy-to-use radial menu.

These updates to Chrome, Google Apps, and Android will help create a better overall experience for our blind and low-vision users, but there’s still room for improvement. Looking ahead, we’re focused on the use of accessibility APIs that will make it easier for third-party developers to create accessible web applications, as well as pushing the state of the art forward with technologies like speech recognition and text-to-speech. We’re looking forward to working with the rest of the industry to make computers and the web more accessible for everyone.

Posted by T.V. Raman, Engineering Lead, Google Accessibility source : googleblog.blogspot.com

Support free expression: Vote for the Netizen of the Year

Support free expression: Vote for the Netizen of the Year

One in three Internet users suffers from restricted access to the web due to government censorship, filtering or online surveillance, according to the free expression advocacy group Reporters Without Borders. Around the world, bloggers and cyber-dissidents are jailed for expressing their views. Reporters Without Borders makes sure their struggles are not forgotten.

We believe in a free and open Internet where everyone can express their opinions and learn from others. For this reason, for the past several years we’ve partnered with Reporters Without Borders to organize their annual Netizen of the Year Award, which honors an Internet user, blogger or cyber-dissident who has made a notable contribution in defense of online freedom of expression.

This year for the first time, Reporters Without Borders is asking you to help decide who will win the award. Nine “netizens”â€"from Bulgaria, Egypt, Honduras, Iran, Kazakhstan, Mali, Russia, Senegal and Vietnamâ€"have been nominated for consideration. Watch the videos showing their stories and then vote at youtube.com/netizen2013.

We hope you’ll be as inspired as we have been by these brave people. The winner, based on votes from people like you around the world, will be announced on March 7. He or she will be invited to the award ceremony taking place at Google’s Paris office on March 12â€"the World Day Against Cyber Censorship.

Posted by Florian Maganza, Policy Analyst, Paris source : googleblog.blogspot.com

Race to win on big and small screens with Chrome Super Sync Sports

Race to win on big and small screens with Chrome Super Sync Sports

Smartphones and tablets are great for all sorts of games, and lately we've been thinking about new ways to play. Chrome Super Sync Sports is a new Chrome Experiment that uses the unique features of mobile devices to create a new gaming experience on big and small screens. In this game up to four friends can compete in running, swimming and cycling on a shared computer screen, using their smartphones or tablets as game controllers.



To get started, you’ll need a computer and a smartphone or tablet that run a modern browser, like Chrome. Visit chrome.com/supersyncsports on your computer, pick a game and decide if you’re playing solo or with friends. Next, visit g.co/super in Chrome on your smartphone or tablet and type in the unique code shown on your computer screen. You’ve now “super sync”ed your mobile device with your computer, and you’re ready to race!

Use the arrow pad on your smartphone or tablet to select one of 50 athletes and prepare yourself for the competition. The motions you make on your mobile touchscreen will move your athlete on your computer screen. To move your athlete forward and win the race, you need to make the correct gestures as quickly as possible. The better you are, the higher your chances of making it to the global leaderboard.

Select your athlete by using the keypad arrows on your mobile

Race using your smartphone or tablet touchscreen

Up to four friends can play using a shared computer screen

Chrome Super Sync Sports is available for Chrome v15 and above, and for Android 4.0+ and iOS 4.3+ devices. It uses the latest modern web technologies, including HTML5 features such as WebSockets for real-time gaming synchronicity on desktop and mobile, and Canvas and CSS3 for rich and engaging visuals. For more detailed information on the technologies used, see the “About” page.

On your marks, get set, race for your place on the World Leaderboard!

Posted by Steve Vranakis, Executive Creative Director, Google Creative Lab source : googleblog.blogspot.com

From top dresses to last-minute surprises, Google Trends from the Oscars

From top dresses to last-minute surprises, Google Trends from the Oscars

As millions of people tuned in to watch the 85th Academy Awards, many also turned to the web to keep up with the action. Here's a look at the Oscar nominees and moments that captured the world's imagination and brought people to Google Search.

The award for “most-searched” nominee goes to...
We took a look at search interest in all of the Oscar nominees across categories. Here's a list of the most searched:

At the end of the show, Best Picture winner “Argo” held the #6 spot, followed by Ang Lee, Christoph Waltz, “Silver Linings Playbook” and Halle Berry.

The 10 most searched red carpet dresses
The red carpet is many people's favorite part of the show. While no Oscar is awarded for "best dress," we wanted to know which gowns caught people's attention this year. The results are in, and the winners are...

Beyond these top five, Brandi Glanville, Amanda Seyfried, Naomi Watts, Kate Hudson and Zoe Saldana took the next top spots.

The moments that caught our attention
This year's Oscars brought with it a number of unexpected moments that grabbed our attention. Early in the show, Seth MacFarlane was visited by William Shatner in full Captain Kirk regalia, come from the future to save Seth’s monologue; at 8:36pm ET, searches for [kirk] spiked to almost 1,500 per minute. Later in the show, “Zero Dark Thirty” and “Skyfall” tied for sound editing, and people flocked to the web with questions. Searches for [tie] spiked to more than 5,000 per minute, with many people wanting to know [has there ever been a tie in the oscars]. And in a final surprise, First Lady Michelle Obama introduced the Best Picture nominees and opened the winning envelope for “Argo.” Searches for [michelle obama] spiked to 4,500 per minute.

For more, check out Google Trends and visit our Oscars site
Before the ceremony started, we shared our “picks”â€"who would win if the Oscars were determined by search volume alone. Out of the six Google Search Picks, four actually won! Visit Google Trends to explore all the topics you're curious about. And if you want one more tug at the ol’ heartstrings, enjoy a look at the year’s top movies on our Oscars site.



Posted by Nemo Tamir, Software Engineer source : googleblog.blogspot.com

Our first-ever Google Journalism Fellowship winners

Our first-ever Google Journalism Fellowship winners

More than 2,300 students from across the globe applied for the first Google Journalism Fellowship. The interest the Fellowship attracted clearly demonstrates the need for these types of opportunities, especially as the worlds of journalism and technology increasingly become one.

The students who have been picked for the 10-week program will get the chance to work with organizations focused on exciting projects ranging from those steeped in investigative journalism to those working for press freedom around the world and to those that are helping the industry figure out its future in the digital age. They will also spend a week with the Knight Foundation and a week with Google.

We had so many applicationsâ€"on the last day they poured in at a rate of roughly one every two minutesâ€"that we extended our review period by a week to make selections. Our host organizations had the unenviable task of choosing just one Fellow out of the mass of talented students who applied; the Nieman Journalism Lab is taking two Fellows.

The Fellows who will take part in the program are:

• Center for Investigative Reporting - Nathaniel Lash of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Committee to Protect Journalists - Lauren Fedor of Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism
• Investigative Reporters & Editors - Nicole Pasulka of New York University
• Nieman Journalism Lab - Sarah Darville of Columbia University and Linda Kinstler of Bowdoin College
• Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism - Jan Lauren Boyles of American University
• Poynter - Anna Li from Stanford University
• ProPublica - Stephen Suen of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Thank you to everyone who made the effort to apply and to the host organizations for their hard work.

Posted by Maggie Shiels, Google Communications and former BBC journalist source : googleblog.blogspot.com

The Chromebook Pixel, for what’s next

The Chromebook Pixel, for what’s next

Chromebooks were designed to make computing speedy, simple and secure. For many of you, they have become the perfect, additional (and yes, affordable) computer: ideal for catching up on emails, sharing documents and chatting via Hangouts. We’re tremendously grateful to our partnersâ€"Samsung, Acer, Lenovo and HPâ€"for their commitment. The momentum has been remarkable: the Samsung Chromebook has been #1 on Amazon’s bestseller list for laptops every day since it launched 125 days ago in the U.S., and Chromebooks now represent more than 10 percent of notebook sales at Currys PC World, the largest electronics retailer in the U.K.

So what’s next? Today we’re excited to announce our newest laptopâ€"the Chromebook Pixelâ€"which brings together the best in hardware, software and design to inspire the next generation of Chromebooks. With the Pixel, we set out to rethink all elements of a computer in order to design the best laptop possible, especially for power users who have fully embraced the cloud. The philosophy of Chrome has always been to minimize the “chrome” of the browser. In much the same way, the goal of the Pixel is to make the pixels disappear, giving people the best web experience.

Let’s start with the screen. This Chromebook has the highest pixel density (239 pixels per inch) of any laptop screen on the market today. Packed with 4.3 million pixels, the display offers sharp text, vivid colors and extra-wide viewing angles. With a screen this rich and engaging, you want to reach out and touch itâ€"so we added touch for a more immersive experience. Touch makes it simple and intuitive to do things like organize tabs, swipe through apps and edit photos with the tip of your finger.

The Pixel has been engineered with the highest quality components to ensure it’s comfortable to use all day long and meets the needs of demanding power users. The body of the Pixel is made from an anodized aluminum alloy to create a smooth and durable surface; vents are hidden, screws are invisible and the stereo speakers are seamlessly tucked away beneath the backlit keyboard. The touchpad is made from etched glass, analyzed and honed using a laser microscope to ensure precise navigation. The Pixel also has powerful, full-range speakers for crisp sound, a 720p webcam for clear video, and a total of three microphones designed to cancel out surrounding noise.

Other aspects of the Pixel include:

• Speed: Speed has been a core tenet of Chrome and Chromebooks since the beginning. For Pixel, it’s critical that the overall experience, everything from loading webpages to switching between apps, is near instant. Powered by an Intel® Coreâ„¢ i5 Processor and a solid state Flash memory architecture, the Pixel performs remarkably fast.
  
  
• Connectivity: The Pixel has an industry-leading WiFi range thanks to carefully positioned antennas and dual-band support. Long-term evolution (LTE) is engineered directly into the machine, delivering fast connectivity across Verizon's network, the largest, fastest 4G LTE network in the U.S. (LTE model optional). It also comes with 12 free GoGo® Inflight Internet passes for those times you need to connect while in the air.
  
  
• Storage: Since this Chromebook is for people who live in the cloud, one terabyte of Google Drive cloud storage* is included with the Pixel. This enables you to save, access and share photos, videos, documents, and all of your stuff from all of your devices, from anywhere.

Finally, as you’ve come to expect from all Chromebooks, all of your favorite Google products like Search, Gmail, YouTube, Maps and Google+ Hangouts are integrated and just a click away. And since it’s based on Chrome OS, the Pixel boots up in seconds and never slows down, requires almost zero setup or maintenance, and comes with built-in virus protection. Best of all, it stays up to date with automatic updates every few weeks.



If you want to be part of the next step in the Chromebook journey, the Pixel will be available for purchase starting today on Google Play in the U.S. and U.K., and soon on BestBuy.com. The WiFi version ($1,299 U.S. and £1,049 U.K.) will start shipping next week and the LTE version ($1,449) will ship in the U.S. in April. If you’re interested in a hands-on experience, you can visit select Best Buy (U.S.) and Currys PC World (U.K.) store locations.

It’s one of the most exciting times in the history of personal computing, thanks to a rapid pace of change, innovation and consumer adoption of devices. Our goal is to continue to push the experience forward for everyone, working with the entire ecosystem to build the next generation of Chrome OS devices. We hope you enjoy what’s next.

Posted by Linus Upson, Vice President of Engineering

*You will have 1TB of free storage for 3 years, starting on the date you redeem the offer on eligible Chrome devices. source : googleblog.blogspot.com

Oscar fans: we’ve got you covered

Oscar fans: we’ve got you covered

We all love a night at the movies. Whether it’s romance, horror, or action adventure, there's no better way to step into another worldâ€"even if just for a couple of hours. And for the past 85 years, millions of people throughout the world have gathered around their TVs to watch the Oscars and celebrate the people who make these moments possible.

For the first time, we've created a one-stop shop to help you get more of what you love about the Oscars.

First, if you missed any of the nominees in the theaters, don’t fret! We’ve put together a Year in Review video of 2012’s top movies. Take a whirlwind tour through your favorite moments, or see what you may have missed:



Want to explore more about the nominees? You can:

• Click through our movie and celebrity knowledge graphs to learn more about your favorite picks, directly on the page.
• Explore our customized Google Map, which shows you where some of your favorite nominated movies were filmed, as well as where the nominees were born. It’s geography with a celeb twist.
• Download the Official Oscars App for Android, available for the first time in the Play Store.

Or, maybe you’re making bets with your friends on who’s going to win... Try taking a hint from Google Trends and see who the most searched-for nominees of 2012 were. You never knowâ€"the actual winners may end up being pretty similar to Google’s Search “winners.”

For those of you with the itch to win an Oscar yourself, see what it feels like in a Google+ Hangoutâ€"we've got a new effect that will make you feel like a star. And if you end up being so inspired by the idea of holding an Oscar, then we’d also like to hear what you’d say if you won the real thing, using the Oscars “Acceptance Speech” widget.

Oscars night is about celebrating the moviesâ€"whether you starred in them or just dreamed about the stars. We hope this site will help you get the most out of the night, so go ahead and join Google on the red carpet at google.com/oscars. And don’t forget to tune in on February 24 at 7pm EST / 4pm PST on ABC to see who this year’s lucky winners are.

Posted by Liz Wessel, Associate Product Marketing Manager source : googleblog.blogspot.com

Fireside Hangouts: Join First Lady Michelle Obama in a Google+ Hangout to discuss Let’s Move!

Fireside Hangouts: Join First Lady Michelle Obama in a Google+ Hangout to discuss Let’s Move!

In the past month, both the President and Vice President of the United States have come to Google+ to participate in "Fireside Hangouts" to discuss the challenges the country faces and answer people's questions. On March 4, it's First Lady Michelle Obama's turn as she joins her first-ever Fireside Hangout to discuss Let’s Move!, her initiative to ensure that all our children grow up healthy and reach their full potential. The First Lady will be joined by Kelly Ripa, Emmy award-winning co-host of popular daytime talk show "LIVE with Kelly and Michael," and families from around the country.

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.

For a chance to join the Google+ Hangout with First Lady Michelle Obama, share your thoughts and questions on raising healthier families and communities on the Let's Move YouTube channel. Submit a video or text entry (video is preferred) telling us a bit about yourself, what your family does to stay healthy and a question for the First Lady by Thursday, February 28, 2013.

Then tune in to the First Lady's Fireside Hangout live on the White House Google+ Page or Let's Move YouTube channel at 11:10 am ET on March 4.

Posted by Ria Tobaccowala, Google+ Community Partnerships source : googleblog.blogspot.com

An update on our war against account hijackers

An update on our war against account hijackers

Have you ever gotten a plea to wire money to a friend stranded at an international airport? An oddly written message from someone you haven’t heard from in ages? Compared to five years ago, more scams, illegal, fraudulent or spammy messages today come from someone you know. Although spam filters have become very powerfulâ€"in Gmail, less than 1 percent of spam emails make it into an inboxâ€"these unwanted messages are much more likely to make it through if they come from someone you’ve been in contact with before. As a result, in 2010 spammers started changing their tacticsâ€"and we saw a large increase in fraudulent mail sent from Google Accounts. In turn, our security team has developed new ways to keep you safe, and dramatically reduced the amount of these messages.

Spammers’ new trickâ€"hijacking accounts
To improve their chances of beating a spam filter by sending you spam from your contact’s account, the spammer first has to break into that account. This means many spammers are turning into account thieves. Every day, cyber criminals break into websites to steal databases of usernames and passwordsâ€"the online “keys” to accounts. They put the databases up for sale on the black market, or use them for their own nefarious purposes. Because many people re-use the same password across different accounts, stolen passwords from one site are often valid on others.

With stolen passwords in hand, attackers attempt to break into accounts across the web and across many different services. We’ve seen a single attacker using stolen passwords to attempt to break into a million different Google accounts every single day, for weeks at a time. A different gang attempted sign-ins at a rate of more than 100 accounts per second. Other services are often more vulnerable to this type of attack, but when someone tries to log into your Google Account, our security system does more than just check that a password is correct.

Legitimate accounts blocked for sending spam: Our security systems have dramatically reduced the number of Google Accounts used to send spam over the past few years

How Google Security helps protect your account
Every time you sign in to Google, whether via your web browser once a month or an email program that checks for new mail every five minutes, our system performs a complex risk analysis to determine how likely it is that the sign-in really comes from you. In fact, there are more than 120 variables that can factor into how a decision is made.

If a sign-in is deemed suspicious or risky for some reasonâ€"maybe it’s coming from a country oceans away from your last sign-inâ€"we ask some simple questions about your account. For example, we may ask for the phone number associated with your account, or for the answer to your security question. These questions are normally hard for a hijacker to solve, but are easy for the real owner. Using security measures like these, we've dramatically reduced the number of compromised accounts by 99.7 percent since the peak of these hijacking attempts in 2011.

Help protect your account
While we do our best to keep spammers at bay, you can help protect your account by making sure you’re using a strong, unique password for your Google Account, upgrading your account to use 2-step verification, and updating the recovery options on your account such as your secondary email address and your phone number. Following these three steps can help prevent your account from being hijackedâ€"this means less spam for your friends and contacts, and improved security and privacy for you.

Posted by Mike Hearn, Google Security Engineer source : googleblog.blogspot.com

RISE Awards 2013: A global effort

RISE Awards 2013: A global effort

“I am standing in a partial enclosure made of sticks and plant fronds. This is the school for roughly 35 students, ranging in age from three to about 20 years old. There are no desks. There is only a single shared chalkboard, and it has gaping holes.” â€" David Rathmann-Bloch from the 21st Century Chalkboard Project, writing from rural Haiti.

These are just some of the many challenges faced by education organizations who applied for this year’s Google RISE Awards. The RISE (Roots in Science and Engineering) Awards program funds and supports organizations around the world that provide science and technology education at a grassroots level.

This year we’re delighted to give awards to 30 new organizations from 18 different countries. Combined they will reach more than 90,000 children in 2013, helping inspire and teach the scientists and engineers of the future.

• Some, such as Haiti’s 21st Century Chalkboard Project and the Uniristii Association (site in Romanian) in Romania, help those from underserved communities gain access to computing resources.
• Others, like the U.K.’s Code Club and the U.S.’s CodeNow, offer extracurricular activities that help interested children, especially those from underrepresented minority backgrounds, to learn programming.
• A few, such as the Middle East’s MEET and iLab Liberia, seek to use technology education as a platform to bridge wider social and cultural divides.
• Some, like Girlstart in the U.S. and New Zealand’s Programming Challenge 4 Girls, aim to empower girls to study science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

In addition to receiving funding and support to continue their outreach, RISE Award recipients will be brought together for a global summit this June in London.

To paraphrase an old saying, from small seeds, great things can grow. The recipients of the 2013 RISE Awards have already made a difference. Connecting with other like-minded organizations will help spread valuable and practical expertise, and spark opportunities for global collaboration and expansion.

Posted by Roxana Shirkhoda, Education Outreach Specialist source : googleblog.blogspot.com