Google TV Set-Top Box for Late July – This Week in Google Plus
Hey Google Plussers! This week was very “news” heavy with new announcements of products and plans for all things Google. So check out the highlights from the past 7 days!
New Google Plus Features
Google and Lego Team Up
This week, Google and Lego rolled out the new Chrome extension: Build. Build is, in its simplest definition, the biggest set of Lego’s you will ever find, starting with roughly over 8 trillion blocks, and it is completely free and only available on Google Chrome.
Currently, the virtual Lego world is only available for Australia and New Zealand, meaning that if you do log in and start creating Lego masterpieces then they will only exist in the Australia’s or New Zealand’s virtual patch. Google does plan to make virtual patches for most other countries very soon, however. Explore the new Lego environment for yourself here.
Google Plus News
Google TV Set Top Scheduled for a July Release
Google aims to officially combine your TV with the world of the internet provided by Google. Utilizing your already purchased cable or dish network, Google TV will allow you to browse the web for movies, shows, and information regarding anything you want to watch. Priced at $99, the set-top comes Wifi ready and includes a universal remote equipped with a QWERTY keyboard for easy typing. Check out the video below and the official site for more information.
Google Eases New York Transit with Wifi
In an effort to aid the tired commuters of New York, Google has teamed up with Boingo Wireless, the same provider known for its free Wifi in most airports, to enable Wifi within subway stations across the city. Google is planning to foot the bill for the wireless service until September 7th, and after that Boingo expects to have its many sponsorships to cover the cost.
Boingo and Google plan to make this initiative to bring free Wifi to the masses available in 36 stations by the end of the year and over 270 stations within the next 5 years. Hopefully, with the success of this wireless internet plan, the city can take it to the next step: cell phone service throughout the subway system as well.
Google Maps Ads Get Redesigned
This new revamp of ads within Google Maps is a welcome change, making the Google Maps experience much more interactive and tailored to the user. With the new additions users will be able to search directly for local businesses and be taken to their website, get directions, or place calls to said business all from within Google Maps itself. Check out the following video for more detail surrounding the update.
Project Glass – Skydiving
That’s right. You read it correctly. The newest video to exhibit the versatility of Project Glass has the new HUD glasses being used by professional sky divers! Not only are the videos taken sharp and clear, but this also demonstrates the amount of sheer force one pair of these glasses can withstand. You are not limited to just use them only when walking around or staying still, but you can be completely active and enjoy life to the fullest while wearing them!
Check back next week for yet another overview of all the new updates, features, and news within the Googleverse!
Happy plussing,
-Mark Gundersen
About Mark Gundersen
Current blogger for UpYourPlus; sharing the most up-to-date features and news surrounding the world of Google and social media with all Google Plus members.