Play here, play there, play anywhere with Android

Play here, play there, play anywhere with Android

I still remember my first gaming console. For months I was hooked on blocky 8-bit scenes with a repetitive soundtrack of bloops and bleeps. ... 09.11

I still remember my first gaming console. For months I was hooked on blocky 8-bit scenes with a repetitive soundtrack of bloops and bleeps. Back then the graphics were primitive, the choice of titles was limited, and gaming was strictly an indoors activity. Today, things are different.

We recently launched Nexus Player, the first streaming media and gaming device that brings Android to your TV. Thanks to thousands of games and free online multiplayer, Android is already the first choice for many casual and experienced gamers. And with Android now on screens big and small, you can sneak a quick game while you’re out on the road, then keep playing at home on your HDTV. 

Nexus Player makes the perfect holiday gift for family fun and immersive play on the biggest screen in your home. Here’s a quick look at some upcoming titles and a round-up of recently-launched favorites.

Rayman Fiesta Run brings Ubisoft’s classic, wacky and lovable character Rayman to your living room. Jumping and rolling through this beautiful fantasy world looks incredible on your TV. And if you grew up like me, spending countless hours collecting video game stars and coins, you’ll quickly fall for this title with a Gamepad for Nexus Player.

New games are coming in every week and there are now more than 60 titles available on Google Play. Some of our favorite new arrivals include:

• Bike Rivals: an adrenaline-packed stunt racing game that uses the Nexus Player remote 
• Prime World: Defenders: a classic tower defense game with awesome 3D graphics 
• Goat Simulator: because who hasn’t dreamt of causing chaos as a goat? 

And coming soon:

• NBA Jam: a classic, reborn – slam-dunk on your friends with multiple gamepads, phones and tablets
• Valiant Hearts: a thoughtful warrior’s journey through World War I, realized as an action game 

If you’re looking for a great way to spend the holidays, or to level up your love for Android gaming, grab the Nexus Player and Gamepad for Nexus Player in the Play Store. Nexus Player comes with Badland and a $20 Google Play credit that you can use for games, movies and more.

Enjoy the holidays, whatever (and wherever) you’re playing!

Posted by Jamil Moledina, Games Strategic Partnerships Lead and in-office gamer, Google Play

New security tools to help improve online security

New security tools to help improve online security

Posted by Eran Feigenbaum, Director of Security Google for Work  (Cross-posted on the Google for Work Blog ) As an IT manager, we realize yo... 07.25

Posted by Eran Feigenbaum, Director of Security Google for Work 

(Cross-posted on the Google for Work Blog)

As an IT manager, we realize you spend a lot of time managing devices, applications and security settings for everyone at your organization. To make your job a bit easier, today we’re announcing new security tools to help Google Apps users take more control of their security online.

A new Devices and Activity dashboard gives your users additional insight over the devices accessing their Google account. The page shows a comprehensive view of all devices that have been active on an account in the last 28 days, or are currently signed in. And in case any suspicious activity is noticed, there’s a setting to immediately take steps to secure an account and change a password.

We are also launching the security wizard for Google for Work accounts. The security wizard guides users through steps they can take to turn on or adjust security features, like providing contact info for account recovery (if the domain security policy allows it), or reviewing recent account activity and account permissions. Plus, it only takes minutes for users to update their settings. This tool prioritizes all administrator settings for security features that end users are permitted to turn on. Access the wizard at g.co/accountcheckup.

Security in the cloud is a shared responsibility and keeping your company information secure is at the core of what we do everyday. By making users more aware of their security settings and the activity on their devices, we can work together to stay a step ahead of any bad guys.

Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted

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Admin control of link sharing for Hangouts video calls

Admin control of link sharing for Hangouts video calls

Last month, we launched the ability for Google Apps customers to share links to Hangouts video calls so that external guests may request to... 11.13

Last month, we launched the ability for Google Apps customers to share links to Hangouts video calls so that external guests may request to join if not explicitly invited. This helps guests avoid errors when joining with alternate Google accounts.

We’re now giving admins greater control over this feature with an option in the Admin console to start all video calls in a state where external participants may request access to join. This feature is especially useful for customers who do not rely on Google Calendar to schedule meetings or those using the Microsoft Outlook Hangouts plugin.

To adjust the setting, click on Google Apps -> Talk/Hangouts -> General Settings:


Release track:
Rapid release and Scheduled release

For more information:
Help Center

Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted

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Better collaboration in Hangouts video calls

Better collaboration in Hangouts video calls

To make it easier to collaborate during Hangouts video calls, we’ve enabled the sharing of links to any Drive file directly from the chat wi... 10.52

To make it easier to collaborate during Hangouts video calls, we’ve enabled the sharing of links to any Drive file directly from the chat window. Shared links will show a preview of the file right in the chat message, even when other participants don’t have their chat window open. Clicking on the link will open the file in a different browser tab so you can conveniently work on it in full view.

To share a link from Drive during a Hangouts video call, click on the Chat icon and then click the Google Drive picker icon from within the chat window.



Note: this feature will replace the Google Drive Hangouts app, which will no longer be available as of December 15th, 2014.

Release track:
Rapid release and Scheduled release

For more information:
Google for Work G+ Post
Help Center

Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted

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Admin provisioning of individual Google+ profiles

Admin provisioning of individual Google+ profiles

Previously, Google Apps administrators had no means by which to give people in their organizations a Google+ profile in order to connect wit... 07.23

Previously, Google Apps administrators had no means by which to give people in their organizations a Google+ profile in order to connect with other employees and encourage collaboration and sharing in the organization. With today’s launch, admins can now perform individual profile upgrades centrally (bulk upgrades coming soon). 

For people with Google+ enabled who have yet to register (i.e., create a profile), admins may individually create a basic Google+ profile on their behalf, certifying the employee is 18+ years of age (or specifying a birthday). After the admin has completed this action, the person for whom the profile was created will receive a Google+ welcome email explaining the action taken by the admin.

Notes

• Today’s launch applies to Premier, Gov and higher-education EDU domains only (K-12 EDU domains are excluded).
• People using Picasa or with a public chat photo are not eligible to be upgraded by an admin, and must create their own profile.

Release schedule:

Rapid release and Scheduled release

For more information:

Google for Work G+ post

Help Center (admin)

Help Center (user)

Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted

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Google Keep: Share ideas with friends and family

Google Keep: Share ideas with friends and family

Sticky notes on refrigerators were once the preferred way to say, “We’re out of bread - could you pick some up?” Now with Google Keep, not o... 12.13

Sticky notes on refrigerators were once the preferred way to say, “We’re out of bread - could you pick some up?” Now with Google Keep, not only can you jot down ideas or put together shopping lists, you can also share them with friends and family and work on them at the same time. So next time you create a list, share it on Keep and watch as items get checked off in real time! No need for text messages back and forth—get things done together, quicker.

Searching for your notes is simpler now too. You can filter notes by color and other attributes such as whether they’re shared, have a reminder, are lists, or have an image or audio. Find what you’re looking for even faster, and let Keep do the remembering for you.

Google Keep is available for free on Google Play for your Android phones (Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich and above). For existing users, the sharing feature will start rolling out today on Google Play and is already available on the web and the Chrome Web Store.

Posted by Ken Thai, Software Engineer and Chief Listmaker

Curved glass and stitched leather: ASUS ZenWatch powered by Android Wear

Curved glass and stitched leather: ASUS ZenWatch powered by Android Wear

Every new Android Wear device makes it easier to match your style, and today we’re introducing another great watch into the mix: the ASUS Z... 10.12

Every new Android Wear device makes it easier to match your style, and today we’re introducing another great watch into the mix: the ASUS ZenWatch!

For starters, the stitched leather strap and curved, stainless steel body make the ZenWatch both comfortable and attractive to wear. It also has a curved glass display, which provides a smooth surface for easy gestures, and a beautiful window for watch faces. Finally, the ZenWatch includes a unique set of sensors that help you keep track of your heart rate, step count, and even relaxation levels.

The ASUS ZenWatch is available to buy now for $199.99 from Google Play and Best Buy.

Posted by Jeff Chang, Senior Product Manager, Android Wear

Increased visibility and control with OAuth token audit reporting

Increased visibility and control with OAuth token audit reporting

Currently, people using Google Apps can authorize any third party mobile or web application which supports login with a Google Apps account ... 09.59

Currently, people using Google Apps can authorize any third party mobile or web application which supports login with a Google Apps account using OAuth to read their account data (e.g. Contacts, Calendar, Drive files, etc) to integrate with Google Apps. Each authorization grants an access token, which is then logged in the Apps Admin console. Previously, Admins could review the current state of OAuth tokens granted by people within their domain using the security tab, but could not access the change logs of authorized and revoked tokens.

With this launch, we are adding a new audit report that allows admins to view ‘authorize’ and ‘revoke’ events for OAuth tokens within the Admin console Reports section and the Reports API. Admins can use this new audit report to find out what new apps have been installed by individual users and, if needed, can revoke access using the security tab. This improves admin visibility and control over access of third party apps by users in their domain.

In addition, admins can use the Reports API to set up a push notification for oAuth 'authorize' and 'revoke' events, generating an alert when a certain event happens. Optionally, admins can also revoke data grants using the Directory API.

To access the OAuth audit reports in Admin console, click on Reports -> Audit -> Token. Release track:

Rapid release and Scheduled release

For more information:

Help Center

Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted

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Migration of older spreadsheets to the new Google Sheets

Migration of older spreadsheets to the new Google Sheets

As recently communicated , the auto-migration of older spreadsheets (those created prior to Dec 2013, including any subsequent copies) to th... 12.12

As recently communicated, the auto-migration of older spreadsheets (those created prior to Dec 2013, including any subsequent copies) to the new version of Google Sheets will start today for Google Apps domains on the Rapid release track.

No action is required as a result of the migration. No data should be affected; however, in rare cases the results of some formulas and some other features may be slightly different. See "What's different in the new Sheets?" in the Help Center article for more detailed information.

You can tell what version your spreadsheet is in by checking to see if there is a green checkmark at the bottom right of your spreadsheet (the checkmark is found on new Sheets only).

Release track:

Rapid release (gradual rollout); migration for Scheduled release domains will start in approximately four weeks (preceded by the notification)

For more information:

Help Center

Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted

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A new, unified experience coming to Google products

A new, unified experience coming to Google products

At Google I/O in June, we introduced material design , a single underlying design system that allows for a unified experience across platfor... 11.20

At Google I/O in June, we introduced material design, a single underlying design system that allows for a unified experience across platforms and device sizes. It features smooth animations and transitions between screens, a multi-layered interface with quick access to the elements that you need most often, and a colorful UI with diverse fonts and styles.

Material design principles have begun to appear in recent Google product launches, including Google Classroom, the Docs, Sheets, and Slides home screens and mobile apps, the Drive Android app, Android 5.0 Lollipop and the new Gmail and Calendar Android apps. You’ll continue to see more Google products adopting these new design principles across platforms in the coming months

To help with this transition, we’ve created a few resources for Google Apps customers. First, a special segment of The Apps Show featuring an interview with Lucas Pettinati, UX Lead for Google Apps. Lucas explains Google’s approach to applying material design to Apps products and what to expect moving forward. Second, an instructional guide [pdf] outlining the functional elements of material design and a deep dive [pdf] into how these elements surface in the new Gmail Android app. Check out these resources and share them with your organization.

Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted

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New Google Drive UI to become the default experience

New Google Drive UI to become the default experience

Since the launch of the new Google Drive UI in June, the new experience has been opt-in, allowing people to try out and become accustomed t... 09.19

Since the launch of the new Google Drive UI in June, the new experience has been opt-in, allowing people to try out and become accustomed to the UI and feature set. We’ve since been working on adding a few features that weren’t ready for the launch in June, like the ability to view and manage versions for non-Google file formats, and add caption files or transcript files to videos.

With these features now complete, today’s launch will make the new UI the default experience for people using Drive, while retaining the option for them to return to the old Drive UI via the Settings drop down. In the future, we’ll remove the option to return to the old Drive UI.

Release track:

Rapid release (gradual rollout), with Scheduled release coming early in 2015

For more information:

Help Center

Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted

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New version of the Google Drive iOS app

New version of the Google Drive iOS app

A new version of the Google Drive iOS app, optimized for iOS 8, is now available in the App Store. The app includes some new security and co... 11.48

A new version of the Google Drive iOS app, optimized for iOS 8, is now available in the App Store. The app includes some new security and convenience features, including:

• Open files from Drive, and save back to Drive, from other apps on your device (iOS 8 only)
• Unlock Drive using Touch IDーwe’ve offered the ability to Passcode Lock the Drive app for a while now, so today’s update makes it even easier to keep your files safe (iOS 8 only)
• Save videos from Drive to your device’s camera roll (tap File Info icon > Open In > Save Video)

Release track:

Rapid release and Scheduled release

For more information:

G+ post

Get the Google Drive app in the App Store

Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted

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A classic watch with Android Wear: LG G Watch R

A classic watch with Android Wear: LG G Watch R

With Android Wear you can choose the watch that best fits your personal style, then add your favorite apps to customize even further. This ... 10.33

With Android Wear you can choose the watch that best fits your personal style, then add your favorite apps to customize even further. This ability to make your watch your own is made possible by an amazing community of manufacturers and developers. And today we’re welcoming another exciting addition to the family: the LG G Watch R.

With a matte black stainless steel bezel, a leather strap, and a fully circular screen that’s the first of its kind, the LG G Watch R combines the timeless design of a traditional watch with the sensor-rich experience of Android Wear. It also includes a range of watch face styles that display beautifully on its P-OLED screen.

The LG G Watch R is available to buy now for $299 from Google Play and AT&T.

Posted by Jeff Chang, Senior Product Manager, Android Wear

Launch desktop applications from Google Drive in Chrome

Launch desktop applications from Google Drive in Chrome

Today we’re launching a new extension for Chrome that lets you open files from Google Drive directly into a compatible application installe... 10.19

Today we’re launching a new extension for Chrome that lets you open files from Google Drive directly into a compatible application installed on your computer. This includes apps like advanced image and video editing software, accounting and tax programs, or 3D animation and design tools. So, no matter what you keep in Drive, using the web to access and manage files doesn’t mean you’re limited to using applications that only work in your browser.

To get started, install the latest version of the Drive app for Mac or PC (version 1.18) and sync your files. Then, visit Google Drive in your Chrome browser (make sure you’re on the new Google Drive). Finally, right-click on the file and select “Open with” to see a list of compatible applications on your computer that can open it. For example, you can choose to open a PDF file with Adobe Reader, or a .psd with Photoshop, make your edits and save back changes to Drive which will sync across all your devices and other collaborators.

Release track:

Rapid release and Scheduled release (gradual rollout)

For more information:

Google for Work Blog post

Help Center

Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted

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The NBA, live on Android TV

The NBA, live on Android TV

2014 is shaping up to be an awesome year for professional basketball. Cleveland gets The Homecoming. Charlotte welcomes back the Hornets. An... 08.56

2014 is shaping up to be an awesome year for professional basketball. Cleveland gets The Homecoming. Charlotte welcomes back the Hornets. And San Antonio tries to repeat as it goes for its sixth Championship. With the season only a few days old, you can now watch live NBA games on Nexus Player.

Our friends at the National Basketball Association have just released the NBA Game Time app on Google Play. In the United States, you can now follow your favorite teams and catch every pick, roll, dunk and long-range three, live with an NBA League Pass. While you’re at it, grab the Android apps for your other devices so you can cheer on your team from your couch, on your tablet in bed, and on your phone under your desk at work.

MLB.TV is also now available for Android TV on Google Play. With an MLB.TV Premium subscription, you can catch up on full-game archives and recaps from every 2014 regular-season and postseason game. And on April 6, you can watch Opening Day and follow the 2015 MLB season live (subject to blackout restrictions).

NBA Game Time and MLB.TV are now live in Google Play. Get them for Nexus Player and stay tuned as we continue to build out our live sports offering on Android TV.

Posted by Serge Kassardjian, Android Media Partnerships Lead

What's New in Google Apps newsletter - October 2014

What's New in Google Apps newsletter - October 2014

Check out this month's "What's New in Google Apps" newsletter [ pdf ] for a roundup of all Apps launches from October 201... 13.44

Check out this month's "What's New in Google Apps" newsletter [pdf] for a roundup of all Apps launches from October 2014.

Newsletter Archive & Translated Versions (coming soon for October issue)

Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted

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Additional Gmail reports added to new aggregate reports dashboard

Additional Gmail reports added to new aggregate reports dashboard

Building on the recent launch of aggregate reports in Admin console, we’ve launched additional time-series reports for Gmail, with the goal... 17.40

Building on the recent launch of aggregate reports in Admin console, we’ve launched additional time-series reports for Gmail, with the goal of providing admins more visibility into mail flow.

New reports include:

• Outbound Mail Delivery
• Outbound Mail Encryption
• Inbound Mail Delivery
• Inbound Mail Encryption
• Inbound Spam

For more detail on these new reports, check the Gmail section of the aggregate reports Help Center article.

To access the aggregate reports dashboard, sign in to the Admin console and click Reports > Aggregate Reports.

Release track:

Rapid release and Scheduled release

For more information:

Help Center

Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted

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A more modern Gmail app for Android

A more modern Gmail app for Android

Today, the Gmail app for Android is getting updated with a more modern style, sleeker transitions, and a few other handy improvements. As pa... 12.46

Today, the Gmail app for Android is getting updated with a more modern style, sleeker transitions, and a few other handy improvements.

As part of the new design, there’s now a convenient reply button at the bottom of every message, making it quick and easy to continue a conversation when you’re on the go. And if you access the app on your Android tablet, you’ll notice it’s easier to switch between accounts and the different inbox categories.

The updated Gmail app also now supports all email providers, which means you can set up a separate inbox for, say, your Yahoo Mail or Outlook.com addresses using POP/IMAP.

The new app will support all Android 4.0+ devices. It’s available today on all devices running Android 5.0 Lollipop and will be rolling out on Google Play to everyone else over the next few days.

Release track:

Rapid release and Scheduled release

For more information:

Google for Work blog post

Get the Gmail app on Google Play

Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted

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New Google Calendar app

New Google Calendar app

Today, we’re introducing a brand new Google Calendar app, built to save you time and help you make the most of every day. Key features of th... 12.22

Today, we’re introducing a brand new Google Calendar app, built to save you time and help you make the most of every day.

Key features of the app include:

• Assists: suggestions that save you time
• When creating a calendar event, we often have to piece together phone numbers, addresses and attendees from lots of different sources, then add them to our calendars manually. With Assists, Calendar can suggest titles, people and places as you type, as well as adapt to your preferences over time. For example, if you often have lunch with your mentor Kelly, Calendar can quickly suggest this when you type ‘l-u-n.’

• Schedule View: easy to scan and lovely to look at
• Calendar’s new Schedule view includes photos and maps of the places you’re going, cityscapes of travel destinations, and illustrations of everyday events like dinner, drinks and yoga. These images will bring a little extra beauty to your day, and make it easy to see what’s going on at a glance—perfect for when you’re checking in from your phone or tablet.

The new Google Calendar will work on all Android 4.1+ devices. It’s available today on all devices running Android 5.0 Lollipop, and you’ll be able to download the update from Google Play in the coming weeks. We’re also working hard on a version for iPhone.

Note: The web version of Google Calendar will see some minor terminology changes today ('Reminders' become 'Notifications,' 'Privacy becomes Visibility,' and Privacy level ‘Default’ becomes ‘Calendar Default’).

In addition, once people get the new mobile app, they will be able to set separate Notification defaults for all-day events on web as well as mobile. In the coming weeks, people on web Calendar who haven’t used the app will also see this change. They will be informed the first time they use Calendar after this happens.

Release track:

App available now for both Rapid release and Scheduled release tracks on devices running Android 5.0 Lollipop. Update available for both release tracks on Google Play (for Android 4.1+) in the coming weeks.

Separate Notification defaults for all-day events on web for those who don’t download the app will launch to Rapid domains in two weeks, and to Scheduled release domains two weeks later.

For more information:

Google for Work blog post

Calendar website

Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted

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