This week didn't have too may big Google updates (I'm expecting there to be a bunch next week from Google I/O), there are a bunch of tips and news articles to keep you busy.
My top updates:
- Google+ introduced the option to invite people to a Community via a link
- The Hangout Toolbox app is now available again for Hangouts on Air , at least for as long as the remaining Hangouts video call apps are available.
- Google Allo uses neural networks to create cartoon selfie stickers
- You will be able to create your own Google Street View imagery with new 360 cameras
- Microsoft Build 2017 was this week, so there’s a look at what is ahead for Windows and Microsoft
Are you ready for Google I/O (May 17-19)? Learn how you can tune in remotely.
Plus news, updates and tips for YouTubers, live streamers, Google+ers, webmasters, bloggers, AdSense publishers, map users, chatters, web surfers and more. Beyond the Googleverse there’s news for Facebook, Twitter, Twitch and Instagram.
Moms Online
- Use Google Photos to automatically create a Mother's Day movie
- Honoring #AllTheMoms on YouTube this Mother’s Day
- Happy Mother’s Day, Twitch Moms!
- 15 Photo-Mommas To Follow on Flickr
- Facebook has cards, stickers and flowers for Mother's Day
- Bing celebrates Mother’s Day 2017
Upcoming
- 16 May: Google Webmasters Office Hours Hangout
- 17-19 May: Google I/O 2017
- 17 May: Deadline to apply for NextUp Paris, NextUp Tokyo and NextUp Mumbai
- 18 May: #AskAdSense office hours
- 18 May: Google Play Awards
- 19 May: Deadline to submit your video to the Best.Cover.Ever competition
- 22 May: Carrier SMS removed from Google Hangouts
- 22 May: Deadline to apply to the Google Jump Start program (360 video)
- 23 May: Google announcing the latest Analytics, DoubleClick and Ads innovations
- 30 May: Google Webmasters Office Hours Hangout
- 2 June: Google Webmasters Office Hours Hangout
- 26 June: Google Talk retired, replaced by Hangouts
- 31 July: CineSpace short film competition using NASA imagery deadline
Microsoft Build 2017
- Watch the sessions
- The biggest announcements from Microsoft’s Build event (The Verge)
- Microsoft's next mobile strategy is to make iOS and Android better (The Verge)
- Microsoft "Story Remix" lets you create a story from your photos and videos (Microsoft)
- Microsoft’s Fluent Design video features a completely redesigned desktop and email app (The Verge)
YouTube and Video Creation
- YouTube wants your feedback on how to improve the Video Manager (YouTube)
- YouTube Introduces First Proprietary Font For Products, Marketing: YouTube Sans (Tubefilter)
- The complicated process of matching ads to video content and determining advertiser friendliness (Creator Insider)
- "Sub4Sub" subscriber exchanges are against YouTube policy (Preston McNair)
- Create a YouTube Subscribe Button to promote your channel on your website or blog (blog post, video)
- How to: Cheap and easy DIY lighting for video and photo. Budget friendly! (Scott Peachey)
- The Downside of Policing Violent Videos (Backchannel)
- What is YouTube’s role in the music industry? (Google Europe Blog)
- Warner Music Extends Deal With YouTube After ‘Months of Tough Negotiations’ (Variety)
- Justice Dept. Says Supreme Court Should Not Hear ‘Dancing Baby’ YouTube Case (Consumerist)
- Watch: Vimeo Paves the Way for 360° Video Creators to Upload and Sell Their Work (NoFilmSchool)
Go Live
- The Hangout Toolbox app is now available again for Hangouts on Air
- Twitch.tv will be streaming Mister Rogers' Neighborhood and raising funds for PBS (Twitch blog, Bleeding Cool)
- Get ready to celebrate TwitchUnity! (Twitch Blog)
Google+
- New: invite people to a Google+ Community via a link (Google+)
- Invite all the right people to your Communities all at once (G Suite Updates)
- Promote your public Google+ Community with a custom badge on your blog or website (blog post, video)
- Never miss a post - turn on notifications for a Google+ Collection (Nina Trankova)
- Gplus not a business priority? Think again. (Randy Milanovic)
- Why We Are More Engaged on Google+ Than On Facebook (Steady Demand)
Other social media
- Facebook Groups adds questionnaire for screening new members (The Next Web)
- Reducing Links to Low-Quality Web Page Experiences (Facebook Blog)
- Facebook says it’s cracking down on links that send users to sketchy, ad-filled websites (Recode)
- A Court Order to Terminate Hate Speech Tests Facebook (Wired)
- Facebook empowers Page owners to politicize their posts (Mashable)
- Facebook is looking for a film producer to create 'motion picture content' (CNBC)
- Why Is USA Today Asking the FBI for Help With Its Facebook Page? (The Atlantic)
- Find Your Support Community on Instagram (Instagram Blog)
- Stop Calling It A Shadow Ban (on Instagram) (The Startup on Medium)
- Twitter executives think Donald Trump’s tweets keep him accountable (The Verge)
- Jack Dorsey on Donald Trump (Backchannel)
- #NuggsForCarter is now the most Retweeted Tweet of all time (Twitter Blog)
- Using Deep Learning at Scale in Twitter’s Timelines (Twitter Blog)
- Snapchat
Google Photos and Mobile Photography
- Create your own Google Street View imagery with new 360 cameras (Google Blog)
- Microsoft "Story Remix" lets you create a story from your photos and videos (Microsoft)
Google for businesses
- Google Rolling Out Integrated GMB Update (Mike Blumenthal)
- When Breaking Google’s GMB Guidelines Is Almost Necessary (Joy Hawkins @ Street Fight)
Bloggers and Webmasters
- Analytics Academy Q&A Live Stream (Google Analytics)
- Google Webmaster Academy offers free lessons to help you improve your website (Google Webmasters)
- Google: You Can Get Unnatural Links From Good Sites & Natural Links From Spammy Sites (SEO Roundtable)
- Cool sites using Blogger (David Kutcher)
- Add the Google I/O Live Widget to your website or blog (Google Developers)
- Promote your public Google+ Community with a custom badge on your blog or website (blog post, video)
- Create a YouTube Subscribe Button to promote your channel on your website or blog (blog post, video)
- Build your own web search service with Bing Custom Search (Bing Blog)
AdSense and advertising
- Update on AdSense Ad Balance: collapsing unfilled ad units (AdSense Blog)
Hangouts and Messaging
- The Hangout Toolbox app is now available again for Hangouts on Air
- New: create selfie stickers in Google Allo (Fast Company Design)
- Neural Network-Generated Illustrations in Allo (Research at Google)
- Google Allo now speaks Canadian French (Google Canada blog)
- Google Assistant in Allo is learning Spanish and French (Android Police)
- Duo v11 adds support for Android O's Picture-in-Picture mode and prepares to show your call history [APK Download + Teardown] (Android Police)
- Google Duo reaches 50 million downloads on the Play Store (Android Police)
- Opera bakes Messenger, WhatsApp and Telegram chat right into your browser (The Next Web)
Nexus, Android, Project Fi
- Update for Project Fi App (Version O.3.5) rolling out (Project Fi)
- Google Contacts 2.0 includes a cleaner UI and changes to contact management [APK Download] (Android Police)
Productivity
- Google will now help you find local events in the US (Google Blog)
- Read web pages offline with Chrome for Android (Google Blog)
- Chrome Stable Channel Update for Desktop (Chrome Releases blog)
- Google Image Search Adds Quick Filters For GIFs, Latest, Clip Art & Colors (SEO Roundtable)
- Google Drive Passes 2 Trillion Files Stored | News & Opinion (PC Mag)
- Google Maps now uses Street View to show you exactly where to make turns (The Verge)
- Thunderbird finds a new home (BoingBoing)
Privacy and Security
- Hackers attacking unpatched Windows computers worldwide using leaked NSA malware (The Intercept)
- The Ransomware Meltdown Experts Warned About Is Here (Wired)
- The Google NightWatch team stands between users and the dark places of the internet (Buzzfeed)
- Google is beefing up its web app review process to prevent another phishing attack (The Verge)
- Feds Launch Major Smackdown On ‘Tech Support’ Scams (Consumerist)
More around the web
- TRICK 3D Grants Zayden's Wish: First VR Wish Sends Boy to Saturn (TheTrick3D)
- Welcoming Owlchemy Labs to Google (Google Blog)
- Google acquires Owlchemy Labs VR game studio (TechCrunch)
- AIY Projects: Do-it-yourself AI for Makers (Google Developers Blog)
- Which tech giant would you drop first? (New York Times)
- To recover your password, just answer these insecurity questions (New Yorker)
- You Can Now Make Free Voice Calls Using Alexa (MakeUseOf)
- Introducing the All-New Echo Show (developer.amazon.com)
Updated March 2019 to remove Google+ links
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Spam and personal attacks are not allowed. Any comment may be removed at my own discretion ~ Peggy