July 2011 Summaries

Page Speed Service, released by Google in 2011, is an online platform aimed at enhancing web page load times by automatically applying web performance best practices, such as optimizing images and caching. Users must sign up and redirect their site's DNS entries to Google, enabling the service to fetch, rewrite, and serve web content via Google's global servers, ensuring faster load times without requiring manual optimization efforts like CSS concatenation or gzipping. Reports indicated speed improvements between 25% to 60% for various sites; however, a noted bug affected some measurement tools, requiring tests to be rerun with fully qualified domain names for accurate results. Initially offered free to a limited set of webmasters, the service's competitive pricing details were to be disclosed later, with the team actively working on further enhancements.

The blog post by Scott Knaster on the Google Code Blog highlights the ongoing 7th annual Google Summer of Code (GSOC), which offers students the opportunity to gain coding experience for open source projects during their vacation while earning a stipend and potentially receiving college credit. The post also explores a simulation conducted by physicists at the University of Maryland on the Big Crunch scenario, where the universe collapses into a black hole, emphasizing the creative and speculative nature of scientific inquiry. Additionally, an intriguing nature story features a rainforest vine that produces an echo beacon to attract bats for pollination, showcasing the quirky connections in nature. The Fridaygram posts aim to entertain and engage readers with intriguing and nerdy content, perfect for a leisurely Friday afternoon or weekend read.

Google Apps Script is a tool that allows businesses to automate and extend the functionalities of Google Apps, enabling the creation of solutions such as content approval workflows and vacation calendar management systems. To facilitate learning and exploration of Apps Script, a hackathon was scheduled for August 18, 2011, in New York City, offering attendees the chance to gain hands-on experience with guidance from Google engineers. Participants were encouraged to bring their laptops and ideas, as the event promised food, refreshments, and expert advice to help them write their own scripts. For those unable to attend, Google provided self-paced tutorials available on their Apps Script documentation site, ensuring that everyone interested could explore the potential of Apps Script.

In anticipation of Google Developer Day 2011, an open call for HTML5 developers is set to begin on August 2, 2011, inviting participants from eight countries to showcase their work and possibly earn a ticket to the event. The challenge, which runs until August 9, will have submissions evaluated by regional panels of expert developers, with the top ten entries from each country to be featured online. While participation in the Open Call is optional, it may enhance an applicant's chances for Google Developer Day, which will be held in eight cities worldwide, focusing on the latest in web and mobile technologies such as Android, Chrome, and App Engine. Phoebe Peronto, a Developer Marketing Intern from UC Berkeley, is coordinating the event, with Scott Knaster serving as the editor.

"All is Not Lost" is an innovative HTML5 music experience created through a collaboration between the band OK Go, dance troupe Pilobolus, and Google, allowing users to embed personalized messages within a music video. The project showcases the capabilities of HTML5, particularly the use of the &ltaudio> and &ltvideo> tags, and employs Canvas 2D to ensure seamless synchronization of audio and visual elements. Despite challenges in balancing load and preventing delays, the project achieves smooth performance by buffering videos with the &ltvideo> tag. This interactive experience is optimized for viewing in Google Chrome and demonstrates creative possibilities in digital media. Keiko Hirayama, a Senior Marketing Manager at Google Chrome, highlights her involvement in the project, as well as her personal life with her young son.

Historypin, a collaborative project between Google and the non-profit We Are What We Do, merges historical photos with modern Street View images, allowing users to see places like Times Square or Lincoln’s inauguration juxtaposed with their current views. Users can contribute their own photos to the platform, adding to the historical tapestry. An intriguing addition to the mix includes a tuskfish using a rock to crack open its food, showcasing unexpected tool use in the animal kingdom. The post also highlights a striking image of the Space Shuttle Atlantis re-entering the atmosphere, captured from the International Space Station, as a nod to the end of the U.S. Space Shuttle program. The Fridaygram series, known for its nerdy appeal, aims to entertain readers with captivating tidbits each week.

The Google Picker API, introduced in July 2011 by Chris Thrasher, a Software Engineer at Google, offers developers a unified interface for users to access and select content from various Google services, such as YouTube, Picasa Web Albums, and Google Docs, without leaving their current app or webpage. This API provides a familiar-looking dialog box that can be easily integrated into applications, allowing for seamless content selection, whether it's personal or public content like images and videos. Users need to be logged into their Google accounts to access their content quickly, and developers can specify which Google services appear in the Picker and utilize a callback function to handle the data once selected. The integration process is straightforward, and detailed documentation is available for developers seeking to incorporate this tool into their platforms, enhancing user interaction with Google services.

Google has introduced enhancements to its API offerings by supporting partial responses and a revamped version of partial updates, known as "patch," to improve performance for developers working with Google APIs. These features, available for newer APIs such as Buzz, URL Shortener, and Tasks, allow developers to minimize resource usage by requesting specific fields and efficiently updating data. By using the fields query parameter, developers can significantly reduce data transfer size, exemplified by a reduction from 53KB to 3KB in one case. The partial update process now uses simpler mechanics, with the HTTP PATCH verb facilitating partial updates by using 'merge' semantics for data modification and setting fields to 'null' for deletions. These features are accessible through the Google APIs Discovery Service and APIs Explorer, with ongoing integration into various client libraries, highlighting Google's commitment to making web interactions faster and more efficient.

Google announced the availability of its In-App Payments API for all web application developers, as introduced at the Google I/O conference by Vikas Gupta. This API allows users to make purchases with a simple click within web apps, providing a seamless user experience. Developers can integrate the payment system into their apps with minimal coding effort, and it is available through platforms like the Chrome Web Store. Initially, the service is available to developers with a U.S. bank account and buyers in over 140 countries, with a transaction fee set at 5%. Google plans to expand developer access to more locations in the future.

The first global Google Science Fair concluded with students aged 13 to 18 from over 90 countries submitting more than 10,000 science projects, leading to 15 finalists being invited to Google headquarters for final judging. The winners included Lauren Hodge for researching carcinogen reduction in grilled chicken, Naomi Shah for linking improved indoor air quality to reduced asthma medication needs, and Shree Bose for enhancing ovarian cancer treatment. The post also notes Neptune's completion of its first orbit since its 1846 discovery, marking a Neptune-year of over 164 Earth-years, and highlights the rediscovery of the colorful rainbow toad, unseen since 1924. Fridaygram posts aim to entertain readers with intriguing content suitable for a relaxed Friday afternoon.

In an effort to foster innovation and collaboration within the growing web application ecosystem, Google Chrome and Commerce teams are organizing a series of HTML5 Web App hackathons across the United States in early August. These events offer developers a chance to network, engage with the latest web APIs, and participate in the complete process of creating, publicizing, and monetizing HTML5 applications. Participants will work in teams to develop projects, which they will present at the end of the hackathon for a chance to win prizes. The events are free, though space is limited, and they will take place in New York, Chicago, Seattle, and Mountain View. Spearheaded by Developer Advocate Mihai Ionescu, the hackathons aim to harness the capabilities of faster browsers and powerful web platforms to inspire the creation of innovative apps and games.

Google Developer Day (GDD) 2011 is set to launch its first series of events in Latin America, with registration opening soon and additional events planned in six other locations worldwide. Developers interested in attending can enhance their application by participating in the optional Open Call, which allows them to showcase their skills on platforms like Android ADK and HTML5 while reflecting their regional culture through creative submissions. Selected entries will be featured both online and during the events, providing an opportunity to secure a spot before public registration begins. These one-day events will offer in-depth technical sessions on Google platforms such as Android, Chrome, HTML5, and App Engine, with the aim of sharing the latest advancements in web and mobile technologies. Phoebe Peronto, a Developer Marketing Intern from UC Berkeley, is helping to coordinate the GDD events for the summer, ensuring participants stay informed through blog updates and the GDD website.

Jason Robbins from the Google Project Hosting team introduces a new issue tracking feature designed to streamline the process of managing defect reports and enhancement requests for open-source projects. This feature, aimed at making the task less tedious, allows for quick edits in the issue preview window, offering a middle ground between detailed issue views and bulk edits. The interface is more command-oriented, with keyboard shortcuts to enhance speed and efficiency, enabling users to quickly navigate and edit issues. The new system is reported to be around 40% faster than traditional methods, allowing developers to maintain a seamless workflow without the monotonous "click, click, click" process. Robbins, who founded the ArgoUML and ReadySET projects, has focused on improving software engineering tool UIs based on cognitive research, and he has been involved with Google Project Hosting since 2005.

Google Web Fonts offers a streamlined way to use fonts on web pages by storing them remotely and loading them via HTTP, eliminating concerns about font availability on users' machines. The updated site features a user-friendly three-step process for browsing, selecting, and testing fonts, including a Test Drive feature and a loading time estimator. Additionally, Google announced that its Goggles app can now provide detailed information and audio commentary on artworks from the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles. In a separate event, the International Space Station crew had a close call with space debris, prompting a temporary evacuation to docked capsules, a rare occurrence since 2009. Fridaygram posts aim to provide lighter, interesting content for tech enthusiasts to enjoy over the weekend.