August 2014 Summaries

Google's Web Search API, which was deprecated in 2010, is officially being retired on September 29, 2014, after a period of continued support beyond its initial three-year window. Users are encouraged to transition to Google's Custom Search API, which offers a daily free quota of 100 queries as an alternative. The announcement, shared by Product Manager Dan Ciruli, marks the end of an era for the Web Search API as Google shifts its focus to other services.

Google Drive for Work, a premium offering by Google, provides businesses with unlimited storage, advanced audit reporting, and enhanced security features, including encryption at rest. As companies prepare to transition to Google Drive, they may face challenges in migrating existing files efficiently. To address this, various independent software vendors have developed solutions to facilitate the migration of files from different sources, including local hard drives, other File Sync and Share solutions, and multiple users simultaneously. Some notable tools include Cloud Migrator by Cloud Technology Solutions, Cloudsfer by Tzunami, Migrator for Google Apps by Backupify, Mover, Nava Certus by LinkGard, and SkySync by Portal Architects, each offering unique capabilities to streamline the migration process to Google Drive. For a comprehensive list of migration tools and services that enhance the Google Apps platform, users are encouraged to explore the Google Apps Marketplace.

In August 2014, Google launched four new Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) on Udacity, focusing on Android, Web, UX Design, and Cloud technology, which attracted nearly 100,000 students. To support learners, Google organized on-air office hours where students could ask questions and receive live answers from Google Experts. These sessions were scheduled over two weeks for courses such as Web Performance Optimization, Android Fundamentals, and Building Scalable Apps with Google App Engine, featuring experts like Ilya Grigorik, Reto Meier, Dan Galpin, Magnus Hyttsten, and Jocelyn Becker. Participants were encouraged to use Google+ Event Moderators for submitting and voting on questions, enhancing the interactive learning experience.

Google announced the availability of a preview SDK for Google Fit, an open platform aimed at helping developers create fitness apps by offering a unified set of APIs. These APIs enable apps and device manufacturers to store and access activity data from Android devices and other sensors, such as wearables and heart rate monitors, with user permission. The platform includes three key APIs: the Sensors API for accessing sensor data, the Recording API for efficient background data collection, and the History API for data operations like reading and deleting. Developers can begin using the SDK by downloading the updated Google Play services for the Android L Developer Preview, with the full SDK set to launch later in the year. Google Fit aims to enhance fitness app features, such as personalized coaching and fitness recommendations, and invites developers to join the Google Fit community for further engagement and discussion.