Supporting our extended workforce through the COVID-19 outbreak
March 10th, 2020
As COVID-19 makes its way across the globe, we want to ensure that our workforce has the support they need. Last week we committed that members of our extended workforce who are affected by reduced office schedules (such as closed cafes resulting from offices moving to work-from-home arrangements) will be compensated for the time they…
Join us for the digital Google for Games Developer Summit
March 10th, 2020
Last month, Game Developers Conference (GDC) organizers made the difficult decision to postpone the conference. We understand this decision, as we have to prioritize the health and safety of our community. GDC is one of our most anticipated times of the year to connect with the gaming industry. Though we won’t be bringing the news…
Preparing students to learn from home with Chromebooks
March 9th, 2020
As educators and IT administrators prepare for potential school closures due to COVID-19, we’re offering free access to advanced Hangouts Meet features, as well as resources and tips for teaching classes remotely. School admins can quickly and securely prepare their school’s Chromebooks to go home with students. Educators and IT administrators can also use our…
How a Local Guide helps women achieve financial freedom
March 9th, 2020
Three years ago, my world changed completely. Three different surgeries after a road accident left me bedridden and confined to one room for a year and a half. I wondered if I would ever fully recover. I wondered if my career would suffer. I wondered if I would be able to do what I loved—traveling,…
Career development for journalists-turned-parents in Korea
March 8th, 2020
Managing work and home life is never an easy task, and parents around the world would agree that it doesn’t get any simpler with children. Now couple that with a career in journalism: if parenting is a full-time job, the news never stops either. For reporters in Korea, the pursuit of worabael, or “work-life balance,”…
(Her)story in the making: our International Women’s Day Doodle
March 7th, 2020
Coming from a family of strong women, I grew up taking independence for granted. My grandmother always emphasized the power we had as women to take care of ourselves, pursue our dreams, and thrive. All three of her daughters went on to earn university degrees in subjects they were passionate about and then to work…
Google Fonts + Variable Fonts
March 7th, 2020
I see Google Fonts rolled out a new design (Tweet). Compared to the last big redesign, this feels much more iterative. I can barely tell the difference really, except it’s blue instead of red and this one pretty rad checkbox: Show only variable fonts. An option to only show variable fonts is a pretty bold…
With school closures, teachers can keep their lessons going remotely
March 5th, 2020
I spent more than a decade working in schools as a teacher and administrator. Whenever there was an event that caused the school to close, I found a way to ensure that students didn’t lose valuable learning time. We call this “distance learning” and many teachers, whether they work in a virtual school or are…
8 things to learn from the Apps, Games, & Insights podcast
March 5th, 2020
Our new Apps, Games & Insights podcast is for app and game enthusiasts—whether you play them or build them. We’ll talk to experts from across the industry about topics ranging from privacy and accessibility to responsible growth and player engagement. Here are eight things you’ll learn from the series: 1. Diversity creates better games In episode…
Easier access to web pages: Ask Google Assistant to read it aloud
March 4th, 2020
Think about how much you read on your phone every day: catching up on the news, scanning a new blog, finally reading the article that everyone is talking about. This may require reading a lot of text, which can be a barrier for people with visual or reading difficulties, or who simply need a little…