We need a hero: 2020 in Search

We need a hero: 2019 in Search

We need a hero: 2019 in Search

Simon Rogers

Data Editor, Google News Lab

Published Dec 11, 2019

In 2019, the world found heroes. 

We found heroes at the box office, where Avengers: Endgame was the top-trending movie around the world (in fact, “hero” was searched three times more than “villain” globally this year). We turned to real-life heroes in times of crisis, when searches for “how to become a first responder” hit an all-time high in the U.S. We cheered for them on the field, where Megan Rapinoe was one of the top trending athletes globally. And she was joined by other leading ladies: searches for “sheroes” increased by 150 percent and the “first female spacewalk” became a breakout trend worldwide. 

Thanks to all of our heroes for helping us soar into 2020. Explore more trending lists from the year at Google.com/2019. 

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• SEARCH

GOOGLE NEST

Google Nest and the USO help military families stay connected

Google Nest and USO help military families

Miesha Moore

Military spouse

Published Dec 11, 2019

I was in the first trimester of my pregnancy when we found out my husband was getting deployed to the Middle East. He left before I was showing and didn’t return until our daughter was four or five months old. I experienced the bump growing, the first kicks, and the birth all by myself. But photos of him reminded me that I was never alone. When I couldn’t speak to him, I would talk to his photos and maybe even give them a kiss good night. Whenever I looked at the portrait of him in his uniform, my mind was flooded with everything we would do together when he was home.  I would always have my husband’s photo next to our daughter’s crib, so she’d know who her father is. I guess it worked for me because now she’s a daddy’s girl!

When the days feel longer than usual and time is dragging, photos are what military families rely on. Photos help us remember we are part of something bigger and that our loved ones are coming home soon. I’ve spoken to lots of military parents, who like me, hold onto photographs to relive cherished memories. There are the big moments like birthdays, family vacations and holidays, but sometimes photos of the smaller moments,  like a trip to the park or a sneaky shot of your loved one napping on the couch, are just as important.

Helping bring families closer to home - Google Nest and the USO

To help create more of these kinds of connections, Google Nest is providing Nest Hubs to the United Service Organizations to help military families feel closer to home this holiday season. While my husband is happily home from deployment, we’ve found plenty of ways to use ours. I love being silly by waking everyone up with a random song, I use it to call my mother-in-law about errands or just to chat. But of course, my favorite feature is the photo frame. Our photos automatically sync with my device so we can enjoy photos of our family on Nest Hub. They remind me of the times we spent apart during my husband’s deployment, and help me cherish the time we have together now that he’s home even more.

I’m so proud and grateful for my husband’s service to our country. Google Nest and the USO keep military members connected to their families, especially during the holidays. You can  give today to help support the USO’s critical mission. 

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• GOOGLE NEST

Making Pixel more helpful with the first Pixel feature drop

Pixel Feature Drops

Shenaz Zack

Group Product Manager

Published Dec 9, 2019

Your phone should get better over time. Your Pixel automatically updates regularly with fixes and improvements. Now, your Pixel will also get bigger updates in new Pixel feature drops.  Our first one, coming this month, includes a new way to capture portraits, easier Duo calls and automatic call screening. 

More photo controls

Now, you can turn a photo into a portrait on Pixel by blurring the background post-snap. So whether you took the photo years ago, or you forgot to turn on portrait mode, you can easily give each picture an artistic look with Portrait Blur in Google Photos. 

Put an end to robocalls

With our latest update to Call Screen on Pixel 4 in the US, the Google Assistant now helps you automatically screen unknown callers and filter out detected robocalls before your phone ever rings, so you’re not interrupted by them. And when it’s not a robocall, your phone rings a few moments later with helpful context about who is calling and why. Call Screen works on your device and does not use Wi-Fi or data, which makes the screening fast and the content private to you.

Improved video calls on Duo 

Video calls are better on Pixel 4 with new Duo features that let you focus on conversations instead of logistics. Auto-framing keeps your face centered during your Duo video calls, even as you move around, thanks to Pixel 4’s wide-angle lens. And if another person joins you in the shot, the camera automatically adjusts to keep both of you in the frame.

Now, the playback on your Duo calls is even smoother, too. When a bad connection leads to spotty audio, a machine learning model on your Pixel 4 predicts the likely next sound and helps you to keep the conversation going with minimum disruptions. Pixel 4’s Smooth Display also reduces choppiness on your video feed, refreshing up to 90 times a second.

When you make Duo video calls on Pixel 2, 3 and 4, you can now apply a portrait filter as well. You’ll look sharper against the gentle blur of your background, while the busy office or messy bedroom behind you goes out of focus.

More helpful features for more Pixels

In addition to new features for Pixel 4, we’re also bringing new apps and features to Pixel 2, 3 and 3a:

• The Recorder app is now available on older generations of Pixel.
• Pixel 3 and 3a users will get Live Caption. 
• Digital Wellbeing is getting updates too. Focus mode is rolling out to help you stay productive and minimize distractions by pausing apps you've selected in a single tap. You can now set an automatic schedule, take a short break or end Focus mode early without disrupting your schedule.
• Flip to Shhh will also join the Digital Wellbeing features on Pixel 2 and 2XL.
• If you use a Pixel 4 in the UK, Canada, Ireland, Singapore and Australia, you’ll soon get the new Google Assistant (English only), which is even faster and more helpful.
• With the latest update to Pixel 4, you'll also get amazingly fast accuracy in Google Maps with improved on-device computing for much better location quality. 

A more efficient phone

In addition to these new experiences, all Pixel devices will also receive an update to its memory management in the feature drop. With this new enhancement, your phone proactively compresses cached applications so that users can run multiple applications at the same time -- like games, streaming content and more.

Pixel phones have always received monthly updates to improve performance and make your device safe. Now, feature drops will bring more helpful and fun features to users on a regular basis to continue to make your Pixel better than ever. 

These features are already rolling out, and will hit Pixel devices in the coming weeks. To get the new features, update to the latest version of Android and go to the Play Store to start downloading your updated apps.

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• PIXEL 
 
• PHOTOS 
 
• MAPS

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Google Shopping 100: This season’s top trending gifts

Woman and child shopping

Chinmoy Panigrahi

Product Manager, Google Shopping

Published Dec 10, 2019

‘Tis the season for hot chocolate, gathering by the fire … and presents. There’s still time to find the perfect gift, and Google Shopping 100—a list of trending products on Google search—can help. You might find inspiration for last-minute gifting, or you might want to do a little shopping for yourself.

Google Shopping 100 showcases products with a recent increase in U.S. searches. While classics are still sought-after—for example, search data still ranks Monopoly as a popular present—Google Shopping 100 highlights items that are rising in popularity to give you fresh ideas and keep you up to speed on the latest.

Spanning ages and interests, we’ve highlighted some of the top categories for holiday gifts, like tech, kitchen gear, and toys and games. We see a lot of warm, furry boots in accessories and apparel, while high tech vacuums are big in home goods.

If these trends inspire some good ideas, Google can also help you find the best prices and places to buy. It’s easy to search thousands of online stores and compare prices, so you know you’re getting a great deal no matter where you shop. And if you missed the shipping deadline you can also find out if it’s available in nearby stores: just search on Google and click on the Shopping tab to check if the item is in stock nearby. 

We hope this helps you get inspired and find something for everyone on your list—with a little help from Google. 

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• GOOGLE SHOPPING

¡Buenas! A multiplayer Doodle celebrating Lotería

Celebrating Loteria

Perla Campos

Google Doodles Team

Published Dec 9, 2019

A smile instantly comes to my face when I think of Lotería. I think of being with my extended family in Mexico for the holidays, scattering around my Tia Cruz’s house, anxiously waiting for a round to start. I think of us trying to distract each other from our boards by tossing beans. Mostly, I think of the laughter and the excitement; I think about how all the worries of the world melted away, even if just for a few hours. 

So when our team was trying to come up with new concepts for interactive Doodles this year, I immediately thought of Lotería. The game itself is so simple and magical, and I wanted to see how it could come to life in the digital space and tap into that sense of connection. And so the Lotería Doodle was born.

Originating in Italy in the 15th century, Lotería first moved to Spain before reaching Mexico in 1769. The rules are similar to Bingo: Players mark spots on a tabla, or board, with a token (traditionally a raw bean) and attempt to fill it before all other players. A designated card announcer randomly pulls colorfully illustrated cards like La Luna or El Arbol. A shout of “¡lotería!” or “¡buenas!” declares victory for one lucky player, ending the round. 

Today’s interactive Doodle celebrates this iconic game on the anniversary of the day it was first copyrighted in Mexico. It’s also our second-ever multiplayer experience in a Doodle: Play the game with friends in a private match, or match with others around the globe at random.

We collaborated with five Mexican and Mexican-American illustrators to reimagine most of the iconic Lotería game art for the Doodle—and even added new cards for a fun sorpresa. Popular Mexican YouTuber Luisito Comunica also serves as the game card announcer for the Doodle.

YouTube video featuring behind the scenes footage of Mexican-American artists playing Loteria and creating card art.

Check out some behind-the-scenes footage of our guest artists at work.

Today, Lotería’s iconic imagery and the experience it fosters across generations remains a source of pride and celebration for Mexican culture. Whether you play today with your familia or with a new amig@ from the other side of the world, we hope today’s Doodle inspires fun, curiosity and a healthy dose of competencia.

• Lotería_1.jpg

  Sketches of the Doodle card art by guest artist Luis Pinto.

 ¡Feliz Aniversario, Lotería!

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• DOODLES