Google Data

Whether you’re cozied up at home or on the road, Chromecast has a bunch of new goodies for you and the family. Just in time for the holidays, we’re adding more Chromecast-enabled games for both Android and iOS to the list.

Now casting is Rovio’s Angry Birds Friends, featuring everyone’s favorite red bird, where you can compete in weekly tournaments.  Also available is Ubisoft’s Driver Speedboat Paradise, where you race your boat through beautiful canals and waterways around the world.

We’re also introducing several new family-friendly Hasbro games which have been remastered for the big screen experience, including Monopoly Here & Now, Yahtzee Blitz, The Game of Life, and Scrabble Blitz 2.0. These are perfect companions for the downtime before that ball drops this New Year’s Eve.  And lastly, we’re excited to introduce a new way to play Risk — on Chromecast. Now you can compete for world domination with friends and family. (Hasbro games available in the US and CA only)

With Chromecast, you can get a great split-screen experience for your mobile games. For example, if you are playing Monopoly Here & Now, only you can see your cards on your phone while the moves you decide to make get displayed on the big screen. It unlocks fun multiplayer experiences, and the ability for you to use your phone or tablet as the controller while gameplay takes place on the TV.

Many games now work with Chromecast, and many more will continue to be made available.
So whether you’re playing with friends or by yourself, you can now play mobile games on the biggest screen in the house. Check out these great games and more on chromecast.com/apps.

Posted by Wendi Zhang, Chromecast Business Development Games Lead and Ultimate Bird Caster

You don’t need to be a Jedi to master a lightsaber — just go to g.co/lightsaber on your phone or desktop to wield your very own lightsaber in our latest Chrome Experiment, “Lightsaber Escape,” built for your phone and computer.

A couple of months ago we launched Chromecast Audio to provide an easy way to stream your favorite tunes from your phone, tablet, or laptop to your existing speakers. At $35, Chromecast Audio is an affordable way to connect your speakers via WiFi so you can stream tons of popular apps including Spotify, Pandora, and Google Play Music from anywhere in your home. Today we’re starting to add two new features to the latest software update to elevate your listening experience.

Introducing Hi-Res audio support

Close your eyes and imagine the musician is playing in the room. Today we’re rolling out high-resolution audio support, which gives you even higher quality music playback using Chromecast Audio. With support of up to 96KHz/24bit lossless audio playback, you can enjoy higher-than-CD-quality audio on your existing high fidelity audio equipment.

Blast the same song in every room

Now you can easily fill every room in your home—bedroom, kitchen, living room, or wherever you have a Chromecast Audio connected—with synchronous music. Multi-room lets you group Chromecast Audio devices together so you can listen to the same song on multiple speakers.

Setup is simple. Connect and setup a Chromecast Audio device for each of your speakers, then use the latest Chromecast app to create a group. You can cast to the group the exact same way you would cast to a single Chromecast device. Since anyone with a phone can easily cast without pairing, you can sync your home speakers together and invite your friends to be the DJ.

So grab your hairbrush microphone, dust off your tennis racket guitar, and jam out to your favorite tunes at amazing quality and in every room of your house.

Posted by Tomer Shekel, Product Manager and Patron of Loud Music

Accessing mobile websites on a slow connection can be frustrating: it can eat up your data, and it takes work to keep track of your usage. With that in mind, we created Data Saver mode in Chrome, which reduces the amount of data used when you visit a webpage.

Now, we’re updating this mode to save even more data – up to 70 percent! – by removing most images when loading a page on a slow connection. After the page has loaded, you can tap to show all images or just the individual ones you want, making the web faster and cheaper to access on slow connections.

[Cross-posted on the Google Online Security blog]

Safe Browsing has been protecting over one billion people from traditional phishing attacks on the web for more than eight years. The threat landscape is constantly changing — bad actors on the web are using other types of deceptive behavior to trick you into performing actions that you didn’t intend or want, so we’ve expanded protection to include social engineering.

Social engineering is a much broader category than traditional phishing and encompasses more types of deceptive web content. A social engineering attack happens when either:

• The content pretends to act, or looks and feels, like a trusted entity — like a bank or government.
• The content tries to trick you into doing something you’d only do for a trusted entity — like sharing a password or calling tech support.

Below are some examples of social engineering attacks that try to trick you into thinking the content is delivered by Google or Chrome. Other trusted brands are also commonly abused for social engineering attacks.

Posted by Emily Schechter, Program Manager and Noé Lutz, Software Engineer

Earlier this year, we announced that Google Chrome would continue support for Windows XP through the remainder of 2015.  At that time, we strongly encouraged users on older, unsupported platforms such as Windows XP to update to a supported, secure operating system. Such older platforms are missing critical security updates and have a greater potential to be infected by viruses and malware.

Today, we’re announcing the end of Chrome’s support for Windows XP, as well as Windows Vista, and Mac OS X 10.6, 10.7, and 10.8, since these platforms are no longer actively supported by Microsoft and Apple. Starting April 2016, Chrome will continue to function on these platforms but will no longer receive updates and security fixes.

If you are still on one of these unsupported platforms, we encourage you to move to a newer operating system to ensure that you continue to receive the latest Chrome versions and features.

Posted by Marc Pawliger, Director of Engineering and Early Notifier

Over the last few days, there’s been some confusion about the future of Chrome OS and Chromebooks based on speculation that Chrome OS will be folded into Android. While we’ve been working on ways to bring together the best of both operating systems, there’s no plan to phase out Chrome OS.

With the launch of Chrome OS six years ago, we set out to make computers better—faster, simpler and more secure—for everyone. We’ve since seen that vision come to life in classrooms, offices and homes around the world. In fact, every school day, 30,000 new Chromebooks are activated in U.S. classrooms—that’s more than all other education devices combined. And more than 2 million teachers and students in more than 150 countries have the Share to Classroom Chrome extension, which launched in September and gets students onto the same webpage, instantly. Meanwhile, companies such as Netflix, Sanmina, Starbucks and of course Google, are using Chromebooks given the ease of deployment, the ability to easily integrate with existing technologies, and a security model that protects users at all levels, from hardware to user data. (Chromebooks are so secure you don’t need antivirus software!) IT administrators can manage tens of thousands of Chromebooks through a single web console, making them ideal for both classrooms and the workplace.

For everyday use, we’re proud that Chromebooks are continually listed as a best-selling laptop computer on Amazon.com. In an effort to make computing even more accessible, earlier this year we introduced the first $149 Chromebook—a fast, affordable laptop. And in the next couple weeks the Asus Chromebit will be available—an $85 device that turns any display into a computer so you can replace your old desktop with an affordable computer the size of a candy bar, or let businesses transform a billboard into a smart digital sign.

This year we’ve also worked to redefine the different forms Chrome OS can take, introduced the first designated Chromebook for Work, and brought more of your favorite Android apps to your Chromebook via Apps Runtime on Chrome (a.k.a. ARC). But there’s more to do. We have plans to release even more features for Chrome OS, such as a new media player, a visual refresh based on Material Design, improved performance, and of course, a continued focus on security. With our regular six-week software cycle and guaranteed auto-updates for five years, Chromebooks keep getting better over time. Finally, stay on the lookout for dozens of new Chromebooks in 2016.

Posted by Hiroshi Lockheimer, SVP Android, Chrome OS and Chromecast

Chrome is one of the world’s most popular ways to watch video, with around 3,000 hours of video watched every second. Whether you’re singing along with Taylor Swift, binge-watching Breaking Bad or learning about NASA’s Pluto mission—no matter what you watch, we make sure that your videos look great and load fast when you’re using Chrome.

Faster, leaner, crisper

Videos today have higher resolution, richer color and more frames per second. That’s great news for you, but as video quality increases, it’s harder to stream and play it without interruption. So we’ve been working on keeping Chrome lean so you can watch eye-poppingly high-definition videos. When you use Chrome to watch video on sites like YouTube, your videos load faster and look better than ever before. That’s because Chrome supports the VP9 video format, which uses up to 40% less data and higher quality videos.

View: H.264 on 3GH.264 on WiFiVP9 on 3GVP9 on WiFi

We optimize for your data plan, battery life and processing power without sacrificing quality and with support for the latest high-definition formats. We’ve also worked with partners like YouTube and Amazon to reduce power consumption up to 25% by transitioning away from Flash.

Keep your videos buttery smooth

Videos really are moving pictures—each picture is called a “frame”. Those frames are recorded by a video camera, and then displayed at regular intervals by your screen so you can see it as a smooth video. A typical video is recorded at 30 frames per second, and a typical screen displays at 60 times a second—so ideally, one frame is on the screen for two refreshes, and you see smooth video. Often that doesn’t happen—many videos aren’t recorded at exactly 30 frames per second, and many screens don’t display at exactly 60 times per second—which leads to inconsistent or jerky video. We’ve been working to take account of these variations in Chrome, so we can more consistently hit two frames per refresh. That means your video looks smoother.

In this example, 32% of video frames are displayed for the wrong length of time and 5 frames never display.  

Now almost all frames are shown at regular intervals, and every frame is displayed.

Your connection may not always be perfect, so we helped build a new open standard that your video provider uses to intelligently adjust video settings—and if your Internet connection speed dips, video quality will adjust without your input. That means you get up to 50% fewer video interruptions.

Keeping you secure

Watching videos on the web used to require downloading and installing a plugin. Plugins are separate programs from the browser and can cause problems, including malware and tracking of your browsing habits across websites.

To combat this, we’ve been working with our partners to create new web standards to support premium content through HTML5. Many leading video providers like YouTube, Amazon and Play Movies now use these standards to deliver video in Chrome, so you don’t have to worry about nasty surprises.

With Chrome, you get the fastest, safest experience while you watch. So you can explore all the great video on the web—to learn, play or get inspired!

Posted by Renganathan Ramamoorthy, Product Manager and Patron of Playbacks

Video images: Blender Foundation | www.blender.org

Often on the web, we’re doing a ton of things at once — reading up on an exotic travel location, catching up on social media or booking a hotel. With that in mind, we’re introducing Split View for your iPad (Air 2 or mini 4) to our latest version of Chrome.

We’re also working to make it easier to make purchases on the go. We’re shopping more often than ever on our phones and tablets, but it can be a pain to re-enter credit card information every time you buy something. That’s why we’re bringing Chrome’s Autofill from desktop and Android to iOS. No matter what device you use, you can shop for what you need easily and securely.

To get the latest & greatest for your iPhone / iPad, just update Chrome in the App Store.

Posted by AbdelKarim Mardini, Product Manager and Multitasker

[Cross-posted on the Google Online Security blog]

You’re browsing the web, checking out the latest news on your favorite band, when suddenly you see a red warning screen: “The site ahead contains malware.” These warnings aren’t new—since 2006, Google Safe Browsing has shown them when you navigate to an unsafe site. The warnings protect you from harms caused by unsafe sites, such as malware infections and phishing attacks. But it hasn’t always been clear why a specific website triggers a warning, and you may want to learn more.

To demystify these warnings, we’re launching a Site Status section in the Transparency Report. The next time you come across a Safe Browsing warning, you can search for the blocked website in the Transparency Report to learn why it’s been flagged by our systems.

The new Site Status section of the Transparency Report replaces our previous Safe Browsing diagnostic page. It includes a clearer interface and simpler explanations of the issues, such as details for sites that host unwanted software. We’ve added it to the Transparency Report so that the Safe Browsing section of the report is a one-stop shop for information to help you understand what Safe Browsing is and how it works.

If a favorite website shows up as “dangerous,” it’s often due to user-uploaded bad content or a temporary malware infection. The Site Status will return to normal once the webmaster has cleaned up the website. To help speed up this process, we automatically give the webmaster a heads-up about the problem via Search Console; if you use Google Analytics, we’ll also warn you there if your site has malware on it. (Webmasters, check the help center to learn how to remove malware from your websites.)

Today, we introduced a new Chromecast and its partner-in-crime, Chromecast Audio. Chromecast has faster performance, a new design and is available in three colors. Chromecast Audio is a small device that plugs into your existing speakers, so you can stream your favorite tunes from your phone, similar to Chromecast.

It’s fall premiere season– catch up on your favorites. Chromecast can help you burn through the last season of Homeland on Showtime before the next season premieres in October. Or choose from over 200,000 TV shows and movies from favorites like Netflix, Google Play Movies, HBO Now, Hulu, CW Seed, WatchABC and WatchDisney, with SlingTV coming soon.

Never miss your favorite sports game. With recently-launched NFL Sunday Ticket by DirecTV, you can cast live games (even those that aren’t nationally televised) to the TV. Check the scores and stats from the mobile app while watching the action live on TV. Chromecast works with WatchESPN, MLB At Bat, CBS Sports and many others. NBA, NHL and BTN2Go are coming soon.

Score a last-minute party playlist. You’re throwing a party and forgot to make a playlist. With Chromecast Audio, anyone in your house (and on your WiFi) can DJ using their phone to cast to the speakers—no additional pairing or set up necessary. Choose from over 35 million songs on Spotify, Google Play Music, Pandora iHeartRadio and more.

Give game night a twist. Turn your TV screen into a race track, golf course or dance floor. Chromecast takes popular mobile games and brings them to the big screen. Anyone can join in, using their Android phone or iPhone® as a game controller. Soon, we’ll be adding Angry Birds Go!, WGT Golf, and Driver Speedboat Paradise. Available now are classics like Just Dance Now, Catch Phrase Blitz, and Scrabble Blitz.

Relive the weekend. Before you completely dive back into the real world on Monday morning, share your weekend memories. With Google Photos, cast any picture from your albums to the TV for a bigger picture, while using your phone to swipe to the next one.

You can also turn your TV screen into a picture frame filled with photos from Facebook, Google Photos, Flickr, Getty Images, 500px and more. Visit chromecast.com/backdrop to find out more.

Cast the morning news. With Chromecast Audio, cast talk shows like NPR One to your bedroom speakers while you’re getting ready for work.

Enjoy some sweet offers. Once you’ve purchased and set up a Chromecast, you’ll find a few special offers waiting for you:

• 90 days of free music from Google Play
• free 1 month trial of CBS All Access
• free movie rental from Google Play
• three-month free trial of Rhapsody
• 30 days of access to Crunchyroll Premium.

Visit chromecast.com/offers* to learn more.

Your phone is bursting with entertainment. With Chromecast and Chromecast Audio, you can enjoy your content on the biggest screen and best speakers in the home.

Post by Shanna Preve, Director Global Content, Chromecast

* Terms apply. For more information, visit chromecast.com/offers.
Please note that some of the apps referenced above require subscriptions.

Speed is one of the founding principles of Chrome. As the web evolves and sites take advantage of increasing capabilities, Chrome’s performance—how fast pages load, how smooth scrolling is, how much memory is consumed, and how long your battery lasts—becomes even more important. So in the latest release of Chrome we’ve included a ton of improvements to make your browsing use less memory and power.

Chrome has long had the option to “continue where you left off” by restoring tabs when you relaunch Chrome. Now, Chrome is smarter about restoring your tabs more efficiently. Tabs are restored from most to least recently viewed, so you get to see the most important tabs faster. And Chrome will now detect if your computer is running low on resources and stop restoring the rest of your tabs to save you precious memory. You can always click to restore them if you’d like to access them later.

We’ve also introduced another memory-saving technique. Chrome can now detect when a webpage isn’t busy with some other task, and use the free time to aggressively clean up old, unused memory. In practice we found that this reduced website memory usage by 10% on average, but the effect is even more dramatic on complex web apps. With Gmail, for example, we can free up nearly a quarter of the memory used by the tab.

We’ve also made changes to Chrome to improve power usage. A new setting introduced in June will auto-pause Flash content that’s not central to a website. Our testing has shown that turning on this setting makes your battery last up to 15% longer depending on your operating system, so over the next few weeks we’ll begin turning on this feature by default for all users. 

This latest version of Chrome includes the most recent wave of performance updates, but there’s much more in the works for upcoming versions of Chrome. So get ready for faster, even more powerful browsing!

Posted by Ryan Schoen, Product Manager and Performance Promoter

Summer is the perfect time to get together with friends, watch TV shows, movies and play some games. Starting today, you’ll find either new cast-enabled apps for Chromecast to enjoy on the big screen.

From Khaleesi to Hannah Horvath: your favorite HBO® shows are now casting

Fans can catch up on Game of Thrones® and other favorites, tune in live for new episodes of Ballers(sm) and True Detective® or catch up on every season of Girls®. HBO NOW(sm), the new standalone subscription service from HBO®, allows you to stream shows at the same time they air on TV without a cable subscription.

More family-friendly games 

We’re always looking for new and innovative ways to use your phone as a remote or game controller, which has lead us to new social games like FitFlap and Catch Phrase Blitz.

FitFlap, by BreakFirst, uses the front-facing camera on the phone to capture players flapping their arms. The harder you flap, the higher pigs on the screen fly to collect coins while dodging obstacles. More into brain games? Catch Phrase Blitz, the classic Hasbro guessing game, is now casting and is sure to bring excitement to your next party. Or try your hand at a more strategic, turn-based gameplay with Tricky Titans by MediaMonks. These giant Titans are standing on top of villages and using large shovels to scoop up houses and throw them at each other.

And still more

Budding photographers will be pleased to know that Pixlr is also available — a fun and powerful photo editor that lets you quickly crop, rotate, and fine-tune any picture. Foodies and travel gurus can now cast their favorites on the Watch Food Network and Watch Travel Channel apps, including Cutthroat Kitchen, Beat Bobby Flay, and Hotel Impossible. And finally for the kiddos, on Pokemon TV dozens of episodes featuring Ash and Pikachu are available for you to watch and rewatch as much as you like.

Anyone with a phone or tablet can join the fun. Download these apps from the Play Store or App Store so all of your family and friends can tune in, flap, swing, shout, smash, and dance, or binge on their favorites.  A subscription is required for some content.

Happy Casting!

Shanna Preve, aspiring Hooli intern (and Chromecast director of global content)

Often when we use our mobile phones, it’s for something fast in the moment. We see a food item we can’t identify, or hear a song lyric, and want to know more—quick answers to quick questions.

So we’re bringing a new feature to Chrome—search from any webpage with just a tap. Since Chrome can see the page you’re searching from, it can give you more accurate search results. For example, just tapping on “America” on the page below shows a search about the movie “Captain America: Civil War”, not the country. Just slide up to see more information—news, cast, images and more.

This is coming to Chrome on Android over the next few days (with Asian language support to follow).

Posted by Donn Denman, Software Engineer and Top Tapper