September 2011 Summaries

In a fascinating blend of history and technology, the Digital Dead Sea Scrolls project has made five ancient documents available online, offering incredibly high-resolution images and translations that allow users to explore these artifacts from anywhere. Meanwhile, engineering and science enthusiasts are treated to stories like the daring inspection of the Washington Monument by the U.S. National Park Service's "difficult access team" following earthquake damage, and the exciting discovery in Canada of amber-bound feathers from dinosaurs and birds of the late Cretaceous period. This Fridaygram post highlights these intriguing topics, showcasing the intersection of technology, history, and science in an engaging manner.

Google's Transparency Report, launched over a year ago, provides insights into the availability of Google services worldwide and the number of government requests for data or content removal. To enhance accessibility and analysis, Google has released the raw data from its Government Requests tool in CSV format, encouraging developers and researchers to create new visualizations and draw conclusions about governmental online behaviors. The complexity of the data has outgrown the capabilities of a single UI to address all possible queries, so tools like Google Fusion Tables are recommended for specific questions, such as which Google products receive the most removal requests. By offering this data, Google aims to support policy discussions about internet access and censorship with factual information, and plans to continue expanding its data offerings. To further promote the collaboration between engineering and policy, Google is sponsoring a hackathon at the EU Parliament, inviting EU-based developers to participate.

Kabam, a game development company, successfully integrated Google In-App Payments into their games, including Dragons of Atlantis, Edgeworld, and Global Warfare, as part of the Google+ Games launch. The integration was straightforward due to excellent documentation and the use of open-source libraries like ruby-jwt for token generation. Kabam emphasized the importance of reducing friction in the purchase flow to maximize revenue, enabling players to stay on the game page during transactions and immediately experience the benefits of their purchases. By securely storing credit card information and using JavaScript callbacks, they improved customer satisfaction and streamlined future transactions. Kabam also highlighted the need for a seamless payment flow, continuous monitoring, and A/B testing to optimize the purchase process. As early adopters of Google's monetization platform, they anticipate further enhancements in features and developer tools.

Google's developer program, which began in 2005 with a few APIs and developer advocates, has significantly expanded to include over 100 APIs and numerous developer tools, reflecting the maturity of both the web and Google itself. The company is seeking to enhance its interaction with the developer community by soliciting feedback to better understand developers' needs and inspirations. Google encourages developers to share their stories and insights in order to contribute to the evolution of the program, akin to an open-source project. Developers are invited to submit their stories through various mediums, such as videos or written submissions, with the potential for their experiences to be highlighted. This initiative is led by Amy Walgenbach, who oversees product and developer marketing for Google's platforms.

In response to developer requests for a dynamic integration of Google Web Fonts, Google introduced the Google Web Fonts Developer API, enabling applications to access and incorporate the latest web fonts without hardcoding URLs. This API allows developers to sort fonts by various parameters such as alphabetical order, date added, popularity, number of styles, and usage trends, ensuring that as new fonts are added, they are instantly available for use. The API has undergone testing with positive outcomes, as demonstrated by applications like TypeDNA's Photoshop plugin and Faviconist, which benefit from the dynamic font integration. This development aims to enhance the flexibility and immediacy of font use in applications, inviting developers to explore the possibilities offered by this tool.

The Chrome Web Store expanded its reach from the U.S. to 24 additional countries, enabling developers worldwide to access a global audience and sell apps in their local currencies. This international expansion is supported by a global payments infrastructure, with 20 countries now able to sell apps and a new In-App Payments API that allows for the sale of virtual goods, currently in the U.S. only, but with international expansion planned. The API's easy integration and low transaction fees have led to significant revenue increases for early adopters like Graphicly. Developers such as Germany's Audiotool, France's Psykopaint, and Japan's Nulab have successfully leveraged the Chrome Web Store's global reach to significantly boost traffic and user engagement, demonstrating the store's potential to connect developers with international audiences.

Hack4Transparency is an exceptional hackathon held at the European Parliament in Brussels, aimed at making data more accessible and intelligible for both consumers and government. The event offers participants the unique opportunity to have their travel and accommodation expenses covered, with the chance to win a €3,000 prize for the best hacks. Amidst the bustling atmosphere of coding and creativity, participants can enjoy the camaraderie and free amenities typical of hackathons. The blog post also nostalgically references the game Pong, which has evolved to the point where physicists are now playing with a single electron at Cambridge University. For those with spare time over the weekend, NASA has made available an intriguing collection of sounds from spaceflights, which can even be transformed into ringtones, allowing enthusiasts to hear historical space beeps on their phones.

Google is organizing two events, g|uae in Dubai on October 19-20 and g|Jordan in Amman on October 23-24, 2011, to showcase the latest technologies and engage with various audiences including developers, students, and business professionals. The events will feature dynamic sessions led by international Googlers, offering lectures, codelabs, and workshops tailored to different groups such as women in technology, digital advocates, and tech marketers. Due to limited space, early registration is encouraged for those interested in participating. Rania Hadi, MENA Outreach Manager at Google, emphasizes the importance of these events in building relationships and promoting Google technologies in the region.

In September 2011, Google introduced the Developer Preview of the Hangouts API, which is a new addition to the Google+ platform designed to enhance real-time communication and application development within Google+ Hangouts. This API allows developers to create engaging and interactive web applications that can operate in real-time, similar to the built-in YouTube player used in Hangouts. Developers can build web apps, register them with Google, and specify which team members can integrate them into Hangouts, allowing users to share a synchronized state and be notified of any changes. The API includes multimedia features such as muting audio and video feeds, and Google encourages developers to provide feedback to help improve the API, with regular updates planned as it moves towards full production.

In September 2011, Google announced the release of the Beta version 1.5 of its open-source Google APIs Client Library for Java, which now includes the Google OAuth Client Library for Java supporting both OAuth 1.0a and OAuth 2.0. This development allows client applications to securely access users' private data on Google without needing their passwords, promoting the wider adoption of OAuth 2.0 across the web. Alongside this, Google also released the Beta version of its Google HTTP Client Library for Java, which facilitates seamless integration with any web API through a pluggable HTTP transport abstraction and robust support for JSON and XML data models. These libraries aim to simplify the creation and maintenance of client libraries that are more versatile and user-friendly, encouraging feedback from developers to enhance usability. Yaniv Inbar, a Senior Software Engineer at Google, leads the development of these libraries, which are designed to work across various Java platforms and provide developers with the tools to build innovative applications using Google APIs.

YouTube expanded its platform by launching new editing tools that allow users to trim videos, add visual effects, replace audio tracks, and correct video orientation, making it more versatile for content creators. The blog post humorously suggests that watching funny YouTube videos might have health benefits, referencing an article on the physical advantages of laughter. It also invites readers to explore remarkable images of distant planets, blending humor with a touch of curiosity about the universe. Fridaygram, the post's format, serves as a lighthearted update from Google, mixing tech news with intriguing snippets about nature and science.

Registration for the Google Developer Day in Tel Aviv is now open, inviting participants to sign up through the event's webpage. The event, scheduled for 2011, aims to bring developers together in Israel, with Amir Shevat, a Developer Relations Program Manager for Google, playing a key role in its organization. Shevat, known for his passion for open-source development and technology, encourages attendees to join the event. The announcement was edited by Scott Knaster and seeks to engage the developer community in meaningful interactions and discussions.

In September 2011, Google announced the launch of its first set of Google+ APIs, aimed at developers interested in integrating Google+ functionalities into their applications. The initial release focuses on accessing public data, allowing developers to retrieve publicly shared information such as user profiles and posts using RESTful HTTP requests that return JSON responses. The platform emphasizes user control, security, and transparency, utilizing OAuth 2 for secure data access. Google provides open-source libraries in various programming languages to facilitate the development process, encouraging feedback and collaboration from the developer community. The announcement underscores Google's commitment to building a rich, user-focused ecosystem on the Google+ platform, inviting developers to experiment and contribute to its evolution.

In 2011, Google expanded its Google Apps Script capabilities by integrating three new APIs—the Tasks API, Prediction API, and URL Shortener API—alongside an enhanced BigQuery API. This development was built on the Google APIs Discovery Service, allowing users to easily incorporate these APIs into their scripts, apps, and sites with simplified server communications and authorization. Users can enable and configure these APIs through the Google API services menu in the script editor, which supports autocomplete for API methods. Google provided reference documentation and a tutorial to assist users in leveraging these new capabilities, with plans to incorporate more APIs based on user feedback. The engineers behind these updates, Jacob Moshenko and Gustavo Moura, emphasized the importance of making Google APIs user-friendly, especially from Google platforms.

In a lighthearted piece designed for the enjoyment of tech enthusiasts, Scott Knaster highlights several intriguing developments, including Google's energy efficiency efforts and groundbreaking scientific achievements. Google's energy consumption across its services is compared to a 60-watt light bulb burning for three hours per person monthly, with the company fully offsetting this usage through its carbon offsets program. In a separate scientific breakthrough, researchers at Tufts University have developed the world's smallest known electrical motor, powered by a single molecule of butyl methyl sulphide, with potential applications in creating ultra-small gears. Additionally, recent NASA images reveal evidence of human activity on the moon at Apollo landing sites, featuring preserved lunar rover tracks, astronaut tools, and footprints, while the mythical "Googlunaplex" remains unphotographed. The Fridaygram series aims to entertain by sharing such captivating tidbits that appeal to the curious minds of its audience.

In September 2011, Google announced updates and a new location for Swiffy, a tool designed to convert Flash content to HTML5, initially launched on Google Labs in June. The updates include enhanced features such as support for shape tweening and various filters like drop shadow, blur, and glow, all implemented using SVG, CSS, and JavaScript. Users can now convert files up to 1MB and receive a QR code for mobile previews, and the Swiffy runtime can be self-hosted for more control. Despite Google Labs winding down, Swiffy remains available at a new web address and continues in beta, with ongoing improvements to broaden its Flash file conversion capabilities.

The Google APIs Client Library for PHP has reached its Beta stage, signaling a significant step in its development, and is now stable and feature-rich enough for developers to start building production applications and provide feedback. The library includes service-specific libraries and samples for several Google APIs, such as the Buzz API, Books API, Latitude API, Page Speed Online API, Tasks API, and URL Shortener API, with more to come. A sample code snippet demonstrates how to use the library with the Google Books API to search for free ebooks by Henry David Thoreau. The announcement highlights the new client library generation infrastructure and mentions a novel technique developed since Google I/O 2010 that facilitates the creation and maintenance of client libraries, enhancing support for multiple languages and APIs. Developer Programs Engineer Chirag Shah, who works on the Google+ team, encourages feedback and offers support through forums.

Blogger has introduced several updates that enhance user experience, such as a new post button on each settings page and a comprehensive Overview page displaying traffic and engagement statistics. These changes aim to streamline the blogging process by allowing easy access to post creation and providing valuable insights into blog performance. Alongside these updates, the post humorously touches on ambitious scientific ideas like redirecting asteroids into Earth's orbit for research purposes and showcases a playful interaction between chatbots, reflecting the blog's appreciation for science, technology, and a sense of fun on Fridays.

The Google APIs Client Library for .NET has reached a major milestone with the release of its Beta version, marking significant progress in supporting the Microsoft .NET Framework. This open-source library, developed by Google’s Client APIs Team, includes service-specific libraries and samples for Google APIs and is built on a new client library generation infrastructure. It currently supports Microsoft .NET 3.5 and 4.0, as well as Mono 2.6.7 and higher, with future plans to extend support to Windows Phone 7 and Microsoft Silverlight. A sample code snippet demonstrates the simplicity of using the library, specifically the functionality to shorten URLs using the goo.gl service. The development of APIs that provide self-descriptive metadata since Google I/O 2010 has facilitated creating and maintaining easier-to-use client libraries that support various languages and APIs. The team encourages feedback to enhance the library's usability and suitability for users' needs.