Official Google India Blog

Be a part of Google Student Ambassadors (GSA) Program 2013

2013-05-14T12:34:00.000+05:30

The magic of success is a perfect blend of education, passion, hard and smart work. In today’s fast changing technology landscape, programs that bridge the gap between what is taught in the college and what is sought by the industry are important. Google facilitates one such partnership through its Google Student Ambassador (GSA) program – where we partner with academia to promote the use of technology in everyday lives. The Google Student Ambassador is a liaison between Google and the students’ college or university. The Ambassadors work directly with Google to conduct activities within their campuses during the academic year, - introducing fellow students to new Google products and features, and acting as campus contacts connecting Google with partnering institutions.

Following an overwhelming response to the program last year, we are working with over 500 colleges and universities in India, this year, to identify and recruit Student Ambassadors for the upcoming academic year. After a pre-defined series of evaluations and interviews, 300 GSA’s will be selected to represent their educational institutions this year. We are currently in the process of identifying faculty members who would act as the single point of contact to support the program in each of the shortlisted educational institutions. This year we are accepting applications only from the students who are referred by the identified faculty members.

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for students who are:

Studying in one of the identified institutions – listed HERE.

Going to be enrolled in the pre-final year of their Under Graduate or Graduate studies in the 2013-2014 academic year.

Referred by the identified point of contact from one of the shortlisted institutions – mentioned HERE.

Passionate about technology, learning and sharing.

Able to work with students and college authorities to drive various programs and initiatives.

The point of contact for each institution is updated on a daily basis. Please keep checking the list to see if the contact for your college or university has been identified. If you satisfy the above mentioned criteria, and have a passion to learn and share information about cutting-edge technology, then this is your opportunity to make a difference.

GET IN TOUCH with the identified faculty contact from your institution, REQUEST him/her to refer your name for the program, we will get in touch with you and get to know you better and select the most deserving candidate from your institution.

Come, be a part of a Technology Revolution!

Posted by Sunil Rao, Country Head of Outreach Programs

More than 70 of the world’s languages in the blink of an eye

2013-05-09T12:00:00.000+05:30

[Cross posted from the Official Google Blog]

If you took a quick snapshot of content available on the web, you might think that everyone around the world spoke English, Chinese, French or Spanish. But in fact, millions of people around the world speak an incredible array of languages that currently have a small presence across the web.

Google Translate helps bridge the divide between the content available online and people’s ability to access that information. Starting today, you can translate another five languages using Google, which combined are spoken by more than 183 million people around the globe:

Bosnian is an official language in Bosnia and Herzegovina that’s also spoken in regions of neighboring countries and by diaspora communities around the world.

Cebuano is one of the languages spoken in the Philippines, predominantly in the middle (Visayas) and southern (Mindanao) regions of the nation.

You can hear the Hmong language spoken in many countries across the world, including China, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and throughout the United States.

Javanese is the second most-spoken language in Indonesia (behind Indonesian), with 83 million native speakers.

Marathi is spoken in India and has 73 million native speakers. Google Translate already supports several other Indian languages: Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu.

With the exception of Bosnian, these new languages are “alpha,” meaning while the quality isn’t perfect, we will continue to test and improve them over time.

You can access Translate via the web at https://translate.google.com, on your Android or iOS device, or via Chrome and in Gmail. We're excited to reach the 70+ language milestone, and we look forward to continuing to add more languages.

Bosnian: Google Prevodilac sada podržava više od 70 jezika!

Cebuano: Google sa Translate misuporta na karon sa kapin sa 70 ka mga!

Hmong: Google Translate nim no txhawb nqa tshaj li 70 hom lus!

Javanese: Google Translate saiki ndhukung luwih saka 70 basa!

Marathi: Google भाषांतर आता 70 पेक्षा जास्त भाषांचे समर्थन करते!

Posted by Sveta Kelman, Program Manager, Google Translate

Join Dr. Shashi Tharoor on Google+ to discuss the future of higher education in India

2013-05-08T10:03:00.001+05:30

Higher education is one of the principal drivers of the economic growth of a country. Minister of state for HRD, Dr. Shashi Tharoor will take questions from citizens on the future of higher education in the country. On May 9th, 2013 at 7 pm (IST) he will be joined by people from across the globe on a Google+ Hangout.

Dr Tharoor is one of the early adopters of social media in India and a true believer in the power of the Internet. His Google+ Hangout will be moderated by senior journalist Sonia Singh. Dr Tharoor will be addressing questions on challenges in higher education like faculty shortage, low number of accredited institutions and more.

Google+ is all about creating a better experience across Google, and provides a powerful communications platform for users. Since its launch in July 2011, the Google+ community has grown rapidly with more than 500 million users worldwide. Google+ Hangouts allow up to 10 people participating at a point of time to join the hangout. You can later share the hangout on YouTube or live stream it using Hangouts on Air.

Watch out for the Google+ Hangout live with Dr Shashi Tharoor on the Google India +Page at google.com/+GoogleIndia or subscribe to the InConversation YouTube channel. You can participate in this hangout by posting your questions for Dr Tharoor on this link.

Posted by Naman Pugalia, Public Policy & Government Affairs Analyst

The MIT-AITI Mobile/Internet Technology & Startup Accelerator workshops

2013-05-07T16:18:00.000+05:30

As part of Google's commitment to building a healthy and sustainable innovation ecosystem, we are partnering with Accelerating Information Technology Innovation (AITI) - a multidisciplinary group of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) that promotes development in emerging regions by cultivating young technology entrepreneurs.

Under the MIT-AITI umbrella, Google is sponsoring two workshops in India this summer. These are intensive six-week long part-time workshops where students will learn entrepreneurship skills and software development skills for mobile and web platforms. The workshops will be held from June 17 to July 26, 2013 at IIT Bombay, Mumbai and BMS College of Engineering, Bangalore and are open to 3rd and 4th year Engineering students and 1st year MBA students. Interested students can visit the program pages for IIT Bombay or BMS College to apply.

The workshops will be conducted by alumni and current students from MIT's Engineering and Business Schools. Apart from attending classes, students will develop a mobile/web business, service, or platform, idea and accompanying software throughout the 6 weeks. The workshops will also have a Startup Showcase for teams to demonstrate working prototypes and business plans of their ventures, and compete for the opportunity to receive seed capital, incubation opportunities, and mentorship from leading investors, angels, and entrepreneurs.

Posted by: Ashwani Sharma, University Programs Lead for Engineering

Join Google Business Group (GBG) to Connect, Inform, Inspire your community!

2013-04-04T19:43:00.000+05:30

India has a large number of SMEs but only a small percentage of them are online and have the advantage of access to a global marketplace and benefits of enhanced productivity and efficiency. We’ve heard a lot of business owners say they’d like to learn about what they should be doing online. Sometimes the most useful thing is to hear it from someone that’s doing it right!

We are excited to announce Google Business Groups (GBGs) in India. So, if you run an enterprise, are a business professional, or just plain interested in Google products, here is your chance to become a GBG Manager and organize your own business gathering.

We are currently looking for new community organizers (aka GBG Managers) to start 30 chapters in the following cities in India: Hyderabad, Cochin, Chandigarh, Delhi, Mysore, Hubli and Dharwad, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Madhurai, Coimbatore, Agra, Mangalore, Patna, Kochi, Ludhiana, Surat, Bhopal, Kanpur, Nagpur, Pune, Jaipur, Indore, Nashik, Vadodara, Bhubhaneshwar, Vishakapatnam.

With GBG you have the freedom to create your own opportunities whether you choose to be a member, manager or speaker (or all three). These are the three driving principles of GBGs. You will meet interesting people in your community, learn together how to use web technologies for your business and unleash new ideas through inspiring speakers and conversations.

Google Business Group(GBG) is a community led program represented by local groups (GBG chapters) which organize social gatherings, workshops, online hangouts, larger events and other activities where like-minded business professionals can connect, learn and get inspired on how Google products and web technologies can improve efficiency, productivity and impact overall success of their business.

You can find more information about the program, testimonials from current GBG Managers around the world, the scope of activities as well as what you could expect from Google on the GBG website.

Each group is organized by a local volunteer (GBG Manager) and is entirely independent from Google, the corporation. You can also refer any of your friends, family or colleagues for the post of a GBG manager. Just ask them to complete this short application form. and we will schedule an online meeting with one of our Google representatives who will explain more about the opportunity.

Posted By: Sunil Rao, Country Head -Outreach Programs

Indic Languages in Gmail on your feature phone

2013-03-28T09:37:00.002+05:30

Indian culture is diverse, with more than 100 languages and thousands of alphabets used every day. Depending on where you are, you might hear anything from Gujarati to Bengali and Tamil to Urdu. If you're a speaker of these languages and use a feature phone, communicating is about to get a little easier.

Starting today, we are rolling out support for 6 Indic languages in Gmail on the feature phone browser: Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Marathi, Tamil, and Telugu. Simply go to settings in Gmail and choose your language.

Some 500 million new users from around the world will join the Internet between now and 2015. Since most will experience the web for the first time on a mobile device, it’s important that people everywhere can communicate in the language they know best.

Posted by Ian Hill, Project Manager, Google Localization

Big Tent Activate Summit New Delhi 2013

2013-03-20T14:28:00.001+05:30

What happens when a billion Indians come online?

The Internet has already changed India. But we’re only at the beginning of a significant transformation as we move from just over 150 million to more than a billion Indians online in the near future.

At this Big Tent Activate Summit in New Delhi on 21 March, we're bringing together leading Indian and international experts to discuss the changes we’re already seeing and to forecast those to come. Some of the questions we’ll aim to address include:

Can India gain a global competitive edge by enabling the full economic potential of the Internet?

Will the Internet dilute Indian culture, or can it help preserve and share it locally and globally?

How is the Internet already changing the democratic process, and what will happen as many more constituents come online?

There will be addresses by Eric Schmidt and other leading Indian and international public figures.

Time	Session
9:00 - 10:00	Registration
10:00 - 10:10	Welcome Rajan Anandan, Managing Director, Google India
10:10 - 10:25	Keynote Address Kapil Sibal, Cabinet Minister for Communications and IT
10:25 - 11:35	Panel: Enabling the Economic Impact of the Internet in India Moderator: Vikram Chandra, CEO, NDTV Group Sam Pitroda, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Public Infrastructure, Information and Innovations Elizabeth Bramson-Boudreau, Director, Economist Intelligence Unit Anu Madgavkar, Senior Fellow, McKinsey Global Institute Deep Kalra, Founder & CEO, MakeMyTrip.com
11:35 - 12:15	Lightning Talks: The impact of the Internet on Indian society Neil D'Souza, Founder, ZAYA.org Umar Saif, Associate Professor, LUMS School of Science and Engineering Saroo Brierley
12:15 - 13:30	Lunch
13:30 - 14:15	Conversation: The role of the Internet in Indian Politics Moderator: Barkha Dutt, Group Editor, NDTV Stephanie Cutter, Political Consultant Omar Abdullah, Chief Minister, Jammu and Kashmir Shashi Tharoor, Minister of State for HRD Smriti Irani, Member of Parliament
14:15 - 14:30	Google+ Hangout on Technology in Politics Narendra Modi, Chief Minister, Gujarat
14:30 - 15:15	Fireside chat with Eric Schmidt and Alan Rusbridger Eric Schmidt, Executive Chairman, Google Alan Rusbridger, Editor, The Guardian
15:15 - 16:05	Debate: Is the Internet killing the media industry? Jeff Jarvis, Professor, CUNY Graduate School of Journalism Raghav Bahl, Managing Director, Network18 Siddharth Varadarajan, Editor-in-Chief, The Hindu Sanjay Salil, Managing Director, MediaGuru
16:05 - 17:10	Lightning Talks: The Impact of the Internet on Indian Culture Amit Sood, Director, Google Cultural Institute Shekhar Kapur, Film Maker Shantanu Moitra, Music Director
17:10 - 19:00	Cocktails

Venue

The Big Tent will take place at the Taj Palace Hotel, which is located just a few minutes drive from both the airport and the city center.

Address: Taj Palace Hotel, Sardar Patel Marg, Diplomatic Enclave, New Delhi - 110 021

Phone: +91 112 6110202

Transportation

Arriving by car from the airport:

From Indira Gandhi International Airport, the Taj Palace Hotel is a 15 km drive along Gurgaon Express Highway (NH8). The journey should take approximately than 30 minutes. Landmark: Dhaula Kuan Road next to ITC Maurya Sheraton.

Arriving by car from New Delhi:

From Connaught Place in Central New Delhi, the Taj Palace is a 7-8 kms drive towards Dhaula Kuan road. The journey should take approximately 15-20 mins.

This event is invite-only, but there will be a livestream on ndtv.com/bigtent

Planning Commission to use Google+ hangouts for citizen engagement!

2013-03-14T13:00:00.000+05:30

The Internet continues to play a vital role in enabling communication between citizens and government officials, helping make governance more transparent and accessible. Internet technologies today are becoming as important to citizen engagement as radio and television were in the twentieth century. Recently, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram took to Google+ Hangouts to speak to citizens from across the country. This Friday, March 15, 2013, netizens will have yet another opportunity to interact with India’s senior policymakers online, this time with members of the Planning Commission.

Participants on the Hangout will be able to ask questions about the 12th Five Year Plan to Dr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission and Mr. Sam Pitroda, Advisor to the PM on Public Information Infrastructure and Innovation, as well as other members of the Commission. You can send your queries to them via http://goo.gl/Va6Au using the hashtag #12thPlan. Selected participants from across the country will be joining the Hangout.

Tune in on Friday, March 15 from 5 to 6 p.m. IST on the Planning Commission’s YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/PlanComIndia

Check out the G+ Event

Posted by Naman Pugalia, Public Policy & Government Affairs Analyst

Google Hindi Input on Android

2013-03-12T11:09:00.000+05:30

Hindi is spoken by hundreds of millions of people in India and around the world. But reconciling the breadth and complexity of the Devanagari script and the limitations of a QWERTY keyboard can be a barrier to communication, particularly on mobile devices.

We recently launched the Google Hindi Input app on Google Play. If you have an Android smartphone or tablet, Google Hindi Input is the quickest and easiest way to compose emails, send messages and post on social networks using Devanagari script.

Google Hindi Input has two methods for writing Hindi text. In transliteration mode, you simply type a Hindi word in English (like namaste), and the app will automatically convert the word to Devanagari script (नमस्ते).

Hitting the globe button switches to a full Devanagari script keyboard, with Hindi consonants ordered alphabetically on two pages. In this mode, you can long press at any time to select various forms of a consonant.

Google Hindi Input is the first Indic language input method on Android, but definitely not the last from the Google Internationalization team — stay tuned for more.

Also check out our Hindi language and other Indic input tools, available as Chrome extensions, Windows applications and in various Google products, not to mention the tutorial video below for helpful tips and tricks.

Posted by Manish Bhargava, Senior Product Manager, Google Internationalization

Books on Google Play arrives in India

2013-02-28T10:17:00.000+05:30

Just under one year ago, we introduced Google Play, a digital entertainment hub where you can find, enjoy and share your favorite apps and games on your Android phone or tablet. Today we’re adding books to Google Play for people in India. Books on Google Play now offers thousands of Indian titles, from new releases to classics. It's easy to find great Indian authors such as Amish Tripathi, Devdutt Pattanaik and APJ Abdul Kalam, plus international bestsellers from the world’s largest ebookstore.

Books on Google Play is all about choice: we’re offering many titles and many ways to access and read them, so that your library is literally at your fingertips no matter where you are. You can choose from great titles from award-winning and diverse publishing houses at launch, not to mention the international publishers Google works with around the world.

With Google Play you can read on the device of your choice. And with your books in the cloud you can read on the web, a phone, or a tablet and pick up right where you left off. You will be able to discover, purchase and read books on:

Android phones and tablets - you can purchase books in the Google Play Store and begin reading them instantly in the Google Play Books app;
your computer - you can purchase and read books on the Google Play store and read in your web browser;
iPhones and iPads - you will be able to read books in the Google Play Books app

We’re happy to make it even easier for all Indian book lovers to discover and buy whatever they want to read, whether that’s the next bestseller, a new release from their favourite author or a well-loved classic. Whether you’re a bookworm or casual reader, we hope you find something great to read on Google Play.

Posted by Ajay Malhotra, Strategic Partner Development Manager

Google Business Photos Program Now Open in India

2013-02-27T14:45:00.000+05:30

Picking the right restaurant to eat out can be a tough decision, and it’s hard to judge a place based on its written description and reviews. This is why we created the Google Business Photos program, a Google Maps project that allows consumers to see inside a business from their computer or smartphone. We are excited to announce that the Google Business Photos program is now officially open to businesses in India.

This program gives Google users a virtual tour inside the businesses through interactive 360-degree imagery created using Street View technology. This imagery can be viewed on Google Search, Google Maps, and Google+ Local Pages. In order to get Google Business Photos, business owners can hire Trusted Agency Photographers to capture the interiors of their premises. Along with taking pictures of layout, facilities, and merchandise, these Trusted Agency Photographers will also capture images of displays on the storefront, like business hours, rating details, credit cards accepted, and posted menus. These photos can help customers get a better sense of what a business has to offer and what sets it apart from others.

If you are an interested business in India, visit http://google.co.in/businessphotos and click on ‘Get Started’.

Before officially launching this program today, we worked closely with thousands of businesses in Mumbai, New Delhi, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Pune, Ahmedabad, Kolkatta and Chennai to pilot this program. Thanks to all the restaurants, bars, retail stores, showrooms and boutiques who welcomed us into their premises. And today, we are pleased to publish these indoor images for the first time.

Here are some of the photos from our collaborations with Indian businesses so far:

Maayin, a shop in Hyderabad

The Palace, a shop in Chennai

The Hard Rock Cafe in Pune

Via Milano, a restaurant in Hyderabad

Business owners can also upload their own photos and videos of their business to local Google+ pages. By building out your pages with visuals and other relevant business information - such as business hours, offers and more - you’ll help potential customers learn more about you and feel like they know what to expect when they actually walk through your doors.

We’re excited about opening up the Google Business Photos Program to India, and we look forward to helping businesses around the country improve their online presence by providing more comprehensive information to their customers.

Posted by Shailesh Nalawadi, Product Manager

Join Indian Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram, on Google+ to discuss the Union Budget on 4th March 2013

2013-02-26T17:26:00.000+05:30

One of the mainstays of India’s political calendar is the annual Union Budget that is presented every February. This year — in a first for the Government of India — the Finance Minister will take to Google+ Hangouts to respond to citizens' questions about the Budget, and discuss the state of the Indian economy with a panel of industry leaders as well as citizens.

On the 28th of February, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram will head to Parliament to deliver the Union Budget of India. Four days later, he will turn to Google+ to respond to questions pertaining to the Budget. Check out the event page here: http://goo.gl/4IFSJ and tune in to the Hangout on March 4, 2013 at 8:00 p.m. IST.

Joining the Finance Minister’s Hangout is a panel of luminaries: Jahangir Aziz, Senior Asia Economist and India Chief Economist, JP Morgan, Anand Mahindra, Chairman and Managing Director of Mahindra & Mahindra, and Amit Singhal, Senior Vice President, Google Inc. During the conversation, selected participants will ask the Minister questions — but we’d also like to hear from you before the Hangout.

To ask Mr. Chidambaram a question, head to the In Conversation YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/inconversation), where you can submit your question in the form of a video or as a comment. You can also ask a question through the Google India +Page at google.com/+GoogleIndia by submitting a video or text question using the hashtag #askthefm.

Looking for inspiration for your question? Watch the Finance Minister’s budget speech live on YouTube on the 28th of February at 10 a.m. IST. Then tune in on Monday, March 4th for the Budget Hangout on Google India’s +Page for a unique discussion with the Indian Finance Minister.

We are happy to bring you this Google+ Hangout as part of our continuing efforts to use the Internet for conversations with policymakers.

Posted by Naman Pugalia, Public Policy & Government Affairs Analyst

Google+ at the Crease for India v. Australia Test Series

2013-02-22T16:28:00.001+05:30

With the India vs. Australia Test Series starting this Friday, February 22, 2013, the cricket season will be well underway, with millions of people tuning in to watch the battle of two brilliant batting line-ups, Indian spinners and Australian pacemen. Here are a few ways for cricket fans to join the excitement with Google and see what your favourite players, coaches, and pundits have to say.

Catch the action behind the scenes with Cricket Club.
Starting this week, some of the world’s best cricketers will be hanging out on Google+, and you can catch the action live on the Cricket Club Google+ page. In the first week of hangouts, Aussie cricket legend Stuart MacGill has put together an all star cast of fiery pundits to give an all-access pass to the day's play. Damien Martyn, Dennis Lillee, Aakash Chopra, Murali Khartik, and Saqlain Mustaq will dial in for a conversation that could surely only happen on a hangout. Tune in to the hangouts every day from February 22 to 26 at 2:30pm IST to join in on the banter.

The first hangout will be on Friday, February 22 at 2:30pm IST. Here’s the invite from Stuart:

Subsequently, every match day from March 2 to the end of the series, we’ll be selecting fans to join in on these hangouts. If you want to be considered for a spot in the hangout, submit a question on Google+ with the hashtag #indvsaus for a chance to be in the hotseat.

You can always subscribe to our YouTube Cricket Club channel if you want to check out videos of the Hangouts after they’ve happened. Also, don’t forget to join the India Cricket Google+ Community to get the scoop from other fans.

Posted by Sandeep Menon, Director of Marketing, Google India

Mapathon 2013: Join Google In Creating Better Maps for India

2013-02-07T13:00:00.000+05:30

Here at Google Maps, we’re constantly looking to make our maps of the world as comprehensive and detailed as possible. And, in order to create better maps for India, we need everyone’s help. That is why today we’re announcing India’s first ever mapping competition: Mapathon 2013.

Mapathon 2013 — which starts on February 12 and culminates on March 25, 2013 — is an India-wide mapping contest open to just about anybody who lives in India. We’re inviting Google Maps users from all over the country to help us create better maps for India by adding knowledge of their neighborhoods through Google Map Maker. And there’s something in it for everyone! The top 1000 mappers in India stand a chance to win Android tablets, smartphones, gift vouchers and Google merchandise. The registrations for the competition have just opened, and we’re inviting everyone to join us and get mapping at: http://g.co/mapindia2013

So how does it all work? Google Map Maker is an easy-to-use tool that allows users to add more detail to Google Maps through a few simple clicks. Using Google Map Maker, you can select a specific area on Google Maps and add new information based on your own local knowledge or by referencing the satellite imagery on Google Maps. With just another click, you can save and submit your input — and once the submitted edit has been verified, the new information will be added to Google Maps.

Google Map Maker was first conceptualized in India, a country where even paper maps have historically lacked in details. Four years ago, a group of Googlers in India led by Lalit Katragadda, Country- Product Head, decided that it was time to team up with users to improve our maps for India in a dramatic way. The core belief was that users know their neighbourhoods, villages, and back yards better than anyone else, and so we designed Map Maker as the tool people could use to update these details onto a digital map. Map Maker is now used across the world and today, what started off as an initiative by the Google engineers is now a project that citizens across India can participate in through Mapathon 2013.

Here at Google, it has always been our endeavour to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. One way we hope to achieve this is by mapping the world, and what better way to do so than by asking users to help ensure that Google Maps accurately reflects the world around them.

To provide better maps for India, we need to build maps for the users, by the users. So join us in mapping India and start by adding in those places you consider important — such as your favorite local dosa joints or a nearby hospital — or by simply updating details of places already on Maps. Registration for the competition is now open and we encourage all of you to sign up at: http://g.co/mapindia2013

Posted by Jayanth Mysore, Senior Product Manager for Map Maker

Safer Internet Day: How we help you stay secure online

2013-02-05T13:21:00.000+05:30

[Cross posted from the Official Google Blog]

Technology can sometimes be complicated, but you shouldn’t have to be a computer scientist or security expert to stay safe online. Protecting our users is one of our top priorities at Google. Whether it’s creating easy-to-use tools to help you manage your information online or fighting the bad guys behind the scenes, we’re constantly investing to make Google the best service you can rely on, with security and privacy features that are on 24-7 and working for you.

Last year, we launched Good to Know, our biggest-ever consumer education campaign focused on making the web a safer, more comfortable place. Today, on Safer Internet Day, we’re updating Good to Know to include more tips and advice to help you protect yourself and your family from identity theft, scams and online fraud. You can also learn how to make your computer or mobile device more secure, and get more out of the web—from searching more effectively to making calls from your computer. And you can find out more about how Google works to make you, your device and the whole web safer.

For example, we encrypt the Gmail and Google Search traffic between your computer and Google—this protects your Google activity from being snooped on by others. We also make this protection, known as session-wide SSL encryption, the default when you’re signed into Google Drive. Because outdated software makes your computer more vulnerable to security problems, we built the Chrome browser to auto-update to the latest version every time you start it. It gives you up-to-date security protection without making you do any extra work.

Even if you don’t use Google, we work hard to make the web safer for you. Every day we identify more than 10,000 unsafe websites—and we inform users and other web companies what we’ve found. We show warnings on up to 14 million Google Search results and 300,000 downloads, telling our users that there might be something suspicious going on behind a particular website or link. We share that data with other online companies so they can warn their users.

We know staying safe online is important to you—and it is important to us too. Please take some time today to make your passwords stronger and turn on 2-step verification to protect your Google Account. Talk with friends and family about Internet safety. And visit our new Good to Know site to find more tips and resources to help you stay safe online.

Posted by Alma Whitten, Director of Privacy, Product and Engineering

Hangouts in Gmail now available in India

2013-02-05T08:34:00.001+05:30

Over the last few months, we’ve been rolling out updates to Google+ Hangouts to make it easy for you to connect with friends and family no matter where you are. Today we're excited to bring Hangouts to all of our Gmail users in India.

You can continue to enjoy 1:1 video chat with any Gmail user, but now you’ll be able to add up to 9 people at once after they’ve upgraded to Google+. What’s more, with Hangouts you can watch YouTube videos with friends, collaborate on Google Docs, or play games by adding apps from the menu on the left. If you find yourself with a slow connection, just switch over to ultra low bandwidth mode to keep the conversation going.

To give Hangouts a try, just click on the hangout button at the top of your chat list in Gmail. You can also schedule a hangout with Google Calendar, and use the Google+ app for Android and iOS to hang out while you’re on the go.

#googleplusupdate

Posted by Victor-bogdan Anchidin, Software Engineer

Mapping technology drives economic growth and job opportunities in India

2013-01-31T17:16:00.000+05:30

Maps were historically built for people who were explorers, intrepid seafarers who needed maps to guide them. Over the past few years, all of us have turned explorers, relying on comprehensive and easy-to-use maps such as Google Maps to understand and navigate the microworlds around us.

Today, we use maps every day to find all places local, whether it’s a nearby hospital or a good cup of coffee. Yet have you ever stopped to think about the industry behind the maps we use every day, the contributions it makes to our economy, and the benefits it provides to both consumers and businesses?

The transformation of these modern maps is driven by a growing industry that creates jobs and economic growth globally. To get a clearer picture of the importance of the Indian geo services industry, we commissioned a study from Boston Consulting Group. What we found is that maps do make a significant economic splash in India.

According to the BCG report commissioned by Google, the Indian geo services industry generated $3 billion in revenue in 2011 alone while accounting for approximately 135,000 jobs. Even to someone like me, who implicitly believes in the value of maps, the impact of geo services on the Indian economy is staggering — geo services help Indian businesses drive $40-45 billion in revenue, save $70-75 billion in costs and affect 8-9 million jobs in India. The BCG report also found that Indian consumers are also willing to pay $1.5-2 billion more than they currently do for geospatial services such as online maps, navigation systems and local searches.

Currently, the Indian geo services industry is comprised of companies that process the location data, companies that produce geo-enabled software, and expert industries that use geospatial data to generate insights. Beyond the industry itself, a wide variety of other industries in India also use geo services to make their businesses more efficient and productive.

Consider Meru Cab, India’s largest cab provider and the third largest taxi operator globally. They oversee more than 20,000 trips a day across the four massive metros of Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad and Bangalore. And using geo services, Meru Cab pioneered the concept of GPS-enabled taxis in India, using a GPS-based tracking system to identify match customers with the nearest cab and swiftly scheduling pickups. As seen with Meru Cab, geo services deliver efficiency gains not only to businesses but also to the rest of the Indian economy.

Indeed, there is tremendous room to grow this industry and create a lasting source of competitive advantage for India. Geo services industry in India is still young, and the large growth of mobile, online maps puts this industry at the cusp of exponential growth. To ensure that geo services continue to be a valuable driver of the Indian economy, there is a need to invest in it — through support of open data policies, product innovation, better satellite technology, and wider geography education programs in schools.

We’re proud of the contributions that Google Maps, Google Map Maker, Google Maps APIs and our Enterprise solutions have made to the Indian geo services industry and to making maps more widely available, but there’s a long way to go. To learn more about the impact of the maps industry, see the full study from BCG.

Posted by Lalitesh Katragadda, Country Head - India Product, Google

YouTube Partners Meet is Here! Register Today!

2013-01-23T16:36:00.004+05:30

We're excited to invite you to our first set of YouTube Partner Meet Ups this year! Last year, we met many partners and the consistent feedback we got from across the country was to host more interactive sessions, more often. And that's exactly our plan for this year! Our first round of events this year are focused on partners with educational or instructional content. From nursery rhymes to how to use spreadsheets, from how to upgrade to the latest Android version to learning to speak english, from entrance exam preparation to MBA counselling - all of this content facilitates learning and the objective of these sessions is to teach our YouTube Gurus the mantra to succeed on YouTube!

We are kick-starting the year with a four city roadshow covering:

Delhi - Jan 29
Mumbai - Feb 14
Hyderabad - Feb 25
Bengaluru - Feb 28

The sessions will be focused on understanding how the YouTube partner program works through critical aspects like monetization, growing audience base and discussing innovative ways of using the platform and growing with YouTube. These will be interactive sessions, so we're looking forward to some great questions from you.

Entry to the events is free and is open to all YouTube partners with educational or instructional content. Since the events will be hosted in our office premise, we will only be able to accommodate a limited number of guests - so we encourage you to sign up for the event today itself. The registration form can be found here.

Posted by Aditi Rajwanshi, on behalf of the YouTube Partnerships Team

India Site Clinic, Part 2- Beyond Content

2013-01-16T15:48:00.000+05:30

It is a pleasure to bring you a follow-up post from the India Site Clinic series.

Over the years, people have suggested many techniques to try and influence search rankings. However, creating great content is the first and foremost way of organically impacting your search results, but using variety in content is an efficient way of engaging your audience. In this blog post, we will talk about how to use variety in content and the use of social outreach.

Get Social

A good place to start is by watching this video where Googler, Maile Ohye, tells you how social information can make products like Search more relevant.

Here is a great example of how an Indian Webmaster has used Authorship (rel=author) to distinguish his site in Google’s search results:

You can see that this webmaster’s page might not always rank first for this query. However, if you are a regular follower of his blog, it helps users discover his page thus surfacing as a highly relevant result. Displaying your image next to the content can work wonders in improving your visibility in Google search results. You can learn how to associate your Google+ profile with your content by following the steps given here.

Engage with your audience

The more your readers share your content, the more it will be visible in Google search. Encourage your readers to share your content. To make sharing easier, make your social sharing buttons more visible and accessible. Also, encourage your readers and users to comment on your articles. Your visibility outside the search results depends majorly on your engagement with your user.

Another very successful way of engaging with your audience is through organizing “Web Meets” using Google+ hangouts. Millions of webmasters worldwide use the G+ hangouts as a way to connect and reach out to their customers. Hangouts give you an opportunity to reach out to that user or reader who is your highest commenter or has the maximum shares. With the Hangout on Air option you can broadcast your hangouts to others who could not join you. What more? every Hangout On Air is automatically saved to your YouTube account. Anyone who missed the live broadcast can come back and watch it. See below to know how you can use the recorded YouTube video to add further value to your website.

YouTube Transcripts

Through the site clinic, we have seen that a lot of webmasters are using videos to reach out to their audience. However, there is a facet to this trend that is rarely explored - making transcripts of your videos. Transcripts are very easy to deploy and have the benefit of keeping users highly engaged. Take a look at this great example video from www.totheculture.com.

We hope this blog post gives some interesting ideas to all our webmasters. We want to thank you for submitting your sites for review and also keeping a close eye on our posts.

Posted by The Google Search Quality Team

New in Google Currents: Scan through your favorite categories, editions and breaking news

2012-12-20T15:50:00.000+05:30

Keeping up on the news out there can be overwhelming. That's where Google Currents comes in—an app that allows you to discover, share and read your favorite news outlets, blogs and online magazines (what we together refer to as “editions”) on your smartphone or tablet—even when you’re offline. Currents is filled with great editions like Hindustan Times, Mint, NDTV, IBNLive, ESPNCricinfo, ABP News, Dainik Jagran, Tehelka, Mid Day, and ZigWheels.

We’re revamping Currents to make it even easier to scan through all your favorite categories and specific editions with just the swipe of a finger. And, we’re using some of the technology behind Search to bring you breaking stories on those celebrity scandals, stock market updates, the next technology frontier and more.

Scan through categories
We’re now grouping editions into categories to help you keep track of your existing subscriptions and discover new ones. Check out editions related to your interests through categories like News, Entertainment, Technology, Sports, Lifestyle and more. All of your content will be grouped in these categories, accessible from a sidebar. And you can organize your editions in each category with favorites on top.

We’ve also made it easy to quickly browse through top articles from all your favorite editions in a category—just swipe horizontally. For example, if you subscribe to more than a dozen News editions, you can quickly swipe through the entire category and dive into editions with articles of interest.

Scan through editions
We’ve also made it easier to scan headlines in a particular edition—just swipe vertically. Want to see what’s new in an edition? Just swipe through the headlines. After you view a story we’ll mark it as read, so it’s easier to see new content each time you use Currents.

Scan through breaking stories
To help you stay up-to-date with the latest news, Google Currents now uses some of the technology behind Search to deliver the hottest breaking stories in categories such as World, Entertainment, Sports, Science and more. You’ll find new articles from hot topics that interest you, while discovering existing Currents editions you can subscribe to. Breaking stories are customized to your country and language—so we’ll only show you relevant news.

Currents optimizes editions to look great on whatever type of device you're using. Now articles shine, with larger images and layouts that are intelligently optimized for your device, whether you're on a phone or a tablet.

Back in April we expanded Google Currents internationally. Since then millions of readers around the world have downloaded Currents, reading over 700 publisher editions and tens of thousands of self-produced editions. The updated app is now available for download on Google Play and coming soon to iOS. We hope that today’s updates make keeping up with the latest news fast, easy and fun no matter where you are or what device you’re using.

Posted by Mussie Shore, Group Product Manager

YouTube in Rewind: What India was watching in 2012

2012-12-18T15:39:00.001+05:30

It’s that time of year again to pause, rewind and remember the videos, the entertainers, and the moments that captivated you in 2012.

This year, Korean Pop music transcended boundaries and took the world by storm. But back home, YouTube viewers went mainstream in their choice of content, with Yo Yo Honey Singh’s Brown Rang song emerging as the most trending video of the year in India in 2012. Bollywood continued to rule the charts, with most watched songs and movie trailers on YouTube.

2012 has been a big year for YouTube globally and in India. Globally, users saw over 4 billion hours of video a month. Millions of creators world over are using YouTube channels to experiment with innovative forms of entertainment, explore their passions and interests, take creativity and pop culture to new levels. And we’re beginning to see amateurs filmmakers and video enthusiasts exploring their talent on YouTube in India.

2012’s top trending videos and the most subscribed channels from India, shows that YouTube has truly gone mainstream in India with million of users watching songs, their favorite TV shows and subscribing to their favorite channels. Language content is also picking up and has made its way to the top most subscribed channels.

Top trending videos in India for 2012: (Playlist)

Brown Rang Full Song HD- International Villager Yo Yo Honey Singh

PSY - GANGNAM STYLE (강남스타일) M/V

Mashallah - Song - Ek Tha Tiger - Salman Khan & Katrina Kaif

HIGH HEELS OFFICIAL VIDEO - JAZ DHAMI FT YO YO HONEY SINGH

Tumhi Ho Bandhu - Song Promo - Cocktail [Exclusive]

Jab Tak Hai Jaan - Trailer - Film releasing November 13

Jism 2 Yeh Jism Song | Sunny Leone, Arunnoday Singh, Randeep Hooda |

Saans - Song - Jab Tak Hai Jaan

Daaru Desi - Song Promo - Cocktail (Exclusive)

Chinta Ta Ta Chita Chita - Rowdy Rathore Official Full Song Video Akshay Kumar, Sonakshi Sinha, Mika

In addition to the top trending videos, we have also compiled the list of most subscribed channels, most watched songs, TV Shows & Movie Trailers.

Most subscribed channels in India (2012):

TSeries

SetIndia

Yrf

Erosentertainment

Rajshri

Teluguone

SonymusicindiaSME

Mtvroadies

Olympic

Maatv

Most watched songs 2012:

Brown Rang Full Song HD- International Villager Yo Yo Honey Singh

PSY - GANGNAM STYLE (강남스타일) M/V

Mashallah - Song - Ek Tha Tiger - Salman Khan & Katrina Kaif

HIGH HEELS OFFICIAL VIDEO - JAZ DHAMI FT YO YO HONEY SINGH

Jism 2 Yeh Jism Song | Sunny Leone, Arunnoday Singh, Randeep Hooda | Exclusive

Saans - Song - Jab Tak Hai Jaan

Chinta Ta Ta Chita Chita - Rowdy Rathore Official Full Song Video Akshay Kumar, Sonakshi Sinha, Mika

"Abhi Abhi Jism 2" Official Song | Sunny Leone, Arunnoday Singh, Randeep Hooda

Ishq Wala Love - Student Of The Year - The Official Song | HQ

Challa - Song - Jab Tak Hai Jaan

Most watched TV Shows 2012:

Bade Acche Lagte Hai

Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah

Kahani Comedy Circus Ki

Crime Patrol

Devon Ke Dev... Mahadev

CID

Movie Night

Totally Sketch Originals

Adaalat

FIR

Most watched movie trailers 2012:

Jab Tak Hai Jaan - Trailer - Film releasing November 13

EK THA TIGER - Teaser Trailer - Salman Khan - Releasing 15th August 2012

Heroine - Official Trailer - Kareena Kapoor | Arjun Rampal | Randeep Hooda

Cocktail - Theatrical Trailer (Exclusive)

Talaash Theatrical Trailer - Official - Starring Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Rani Mukerji

Khiladi 786 - Official Teaser Trailer [Exclusive]

Son Of Sardaar | Official Theatrical Trailer

Rowdy Rathore | Official Trailer | Akshay Kumar - Sonakshi Sinha

Hate Story Uncensored Theatrical Trailer (Official) 2012

Raaz 3 Official Trailer

That’s it for now, stay tuned for more exciting videos in 2013.

Posted by Manan Singhi, Manager Content partnerships, YouTube

India’s iconic Chandni Chowk market... now online!

2012-12-17T18:45:00.000+05:30

Chandni Chowk, a market that has existed for 100+ years is now embracing the digital era with open arms. Built in the 17th century and famous for its meandering streets that house one of biggest wholesale markets, Chandni Chowk is now just a click away.

A little over a year ago, we started an initiative called India Get Your Business Online asking Indian small and medium business (SMBs) to get their businesses online. In the last 13 months since the launch of the campaign, over 150,000 websites for small and medium businesses across 7,850 cities in India have been already created along with our partner HostGator. And today, we are excited to bring India’s oldest SMB market - Chandni Chowk online on www.chandnichowknowonline.in.

Those who have visited it know that this market is legendary not just in the variety of goods sold but the sheer volumes of transactions in a single day. Being online allows hundreds of small and medium businesses to spread awareness about their products to over 137 million Indian users on the Internet.

Kapil Sibal, Union Minister of IT & Communication at the launch of the initiative along with Rajan Anandan, VP & Managing Director, Sales & Operations, Google India
We partnered with HostGator to talk to individual business owners of almost every outlet in Chandni Chowk about the increased exposure the Internet would bring to their businesses. Today 2500 businesses from Chandni Chowk have free websites made under the ‘India Get Your Business Online’ campaign and all of them are listed on www.chandnichowknowonline.in!

Our mission is to create 500,000 websites and give small and medium businesses in India a new identity on the web and help them to make the most of the Internet economy.

India has over 47 million small medium businesses and even today only a few lakh have a website or some sort of a web presence. If you are small business owner or even startup we encourage you to explore the online platform to take your business to new levels and if you need help we are always a click away on www.indiagetonline.in.

Meanwhile, get a cup of chai or coffee and find all the goodies at Chandni Chowk at the click of a mouse and contact them as per your needs!

Posted by Madhukar Srivastava, Product Marketing Manager, Google India

India, shop your heart out at the ‘Great Online Shopping Festival’ on 12-12-12!

2012-12-06T12:15:00.000+05:30

There is one thing almost everyone loves...a good bargain. And we’re bringing the best deals and discounts on the web just for you! What are we talking about?

The ‘Great Online Shopping Festival’, a 24 hour mega shopping bonanza that promises you the best deals and discounts that you can find on the web on a single day. To make this happen, we have partnered with leading eCommerce players in the country to offer you unbeatable deals and discounts that you can find on the web on a single day. The festival will see participation from over 50 partners including leading eCommerce, local & classified, online travel sites and BFSI industry offering their best deals to customers all across India for 24 hours.

You can shop for everything from jewelry, shoes, apparel, travel packages, books, kids wear, gadgets, watches, computer accessories, health & fitness equipment, home decor products, avail of great deals on real estate and many more.

Never shopped online before? We’ve got that covered for you as well. Check out our website www.gosf.in for some great tips and tricks for first time shoppers and learn a little more about online shopping, various methods of payments and how safe and convenient it is to shop online.

Did we forget to mention that as part of this festival, some of our partners are also offering free shipping across India! That’s not all. The participating companies will also be offering special deals for first time buyers on their websites.

We are excited to be part of this Industry wide initiative that is being organized for the first time at this scale to benefit over 137 million Internet users in the country and hope this will open the doors to many more!

The clock is ticking, get your shopping list ready as we prepare to offer you a great online shopping experience with all our partners.

Happy Shopping!

Posted By: Nitin Bawankule, Industry Director, ECommerce, Local & Media

The next billion Internet users

2012-12-04T14:56:00.000+05:30

From 2010 to 2015, we estimate that one billion people from emerging markets will get online for the first time. While these new web users will be unlike those from developed countries in many ways, including the fact that they’ll probably access the web for the first time from a mobile device, they’ll share with the first two billion Internet users the desire to preserve and promote their culture and grow their businesses online. Yesterday we held a press event in Singapore to discuss this shifting Internet landscape and what Google is doing to support these new citizens of the web.

Nelson Mattos, Vice President of Product & Engineering for Europe and Emerging Markets, talked about efforts to make the Internet faster and cheaper to drive adoption. This includes Free Zone powered by Google, in places such as the Philippines, which provides free access to Google Search, Gmail, and Google+ on feature phones. Nelson also talked about new tools to make it easier to get more local information onto the web, including Google+ pages for businesses, and Trader, which lets SMBs post goods for sale without needing a separate website.

Lalit Katragadda, Country Head, India Product, later spoke of the need for a more visual Internet experience, like that offered by YouTube and Google+ Hangouts, and how these services will make the Internet more engaging across language and cultural barriers. He also talked about how crowdsourcing will be critical to building a web that will be relevant and useful for these new emerging market users. Google Map Maker, for example, relies on citizen cartographers to map their world, and since starting in India as a way to make better maps of the subcontinent, it has become an important part of crisis response including efforts from the United Nations.

Finally Adam Smith, Head of YouTube in Asia Pacific, discussed how online video gives emerging market users a voice and helps spread and preserve culture. Telugu content lovers no longer have to be in India to watch their favorite Tollywood films or vegetarian cooking videos. And PSY — from Korean local star to the most-watched YouTube video of all time in just six months — shows how global culture now better reflects the true diversity of the globe.

With a billion more Internet users coming online, the global marketplace for ideas will grow from two to three billion people — that means a billion more people contributing and benefiting from the world’s best ideas, talents and more. “Gangnam Style” proves that the next big global entertainment phenomenon can come from anywhere. Next time, it might be from India’s Bollywood or Tollywood film industries. And what about the next Khan Academy? With many of the world’s best education systems located in Asia, it is a safe bet there is plenty to learn from the next billion people coming online.

Or, it may not be entertainment or education at all — it may be a world-changing business insight or a better way to prevent the spread of disease. The Internet's about to get a lot larger, while at the same time bringing us all closer together.

Posted by Julian Persaud, Managing Director, Southeast Asia

Finale: Hold your breath! This year, the most creative young Doodler is...

2012-11-16T18:21:00.000+05:30

Ninth grader Arun Kumar Yadav from Chandigarh !!!

One month and nearly two lakh entries (from over 60 cities in India!) later,we finally have this year’s India Doodle 4 Google (D4G) winner! 9th grader Arun Kumar Yadav’s doodle will be featured on the Google India homepage on November 14 to celebrate Children’s Day.
The finale was held on the 12th of Nov against the iconic backdrop of the National Rail Museum in Delhi which is home to one of the world’s oldest operational steam locomotive. Kids not only enjoyed rides on small toy trains but were treated to a unique Google experience as they gathered around to crown and cheer the winners. Check out some pictures from the event on our Google India + page event to see all the fun they had!

The winning doodle by Arun Kumar Yadav, from Kendriya Vidyalaya in Chandigarh, imbibes this year’s theme ‘Unity in Diversity’ creatively, with his doodle titled ‘India - A Prism of Multiplicity’. His doodle reflects India’s vibrant diversity bound together by its unity; and showcases, India's diverse cultures, religions, languages, customs and traditions. As an award for his out-of-the-box thinking, Arun's doodle will also be featured on a special colour pack and drawing book by Classmate. All the finalists will receive a Google Goodie bag and a Samsung Android tablet.

Sanskruti School of Fine Arts, College of Arts, Delhi University, National Institute of Fine Arts and Delhi College of Art were part of the shortlisting process. All the entries were evaluated on the criteria of artistic merit, creativity, concept and the supporting statement.

This year’s jury – reputed actor Boman Irani and political cartoonist Ajit Ninan – had a mammoth task at hand; first, to shortlist from the record-breaking submissions received, and then to choose the national winner and regional winners from across the nation, with each piece of art as competitive as the other. The final 13 doodles, chosen by them, were exhibited to you for online voting to choose the final winner.

Here’s a look at the category/regional winners, chosen for the first time in the history of D4G in India:

Group 1: Vasudevan Deepak - Devgiri CMI Public School - Calicut
Group 2: Shravya Manjunath - Mitra Academy - Bangalore
Group 3: S. Preetham Paul - Sri Prakash Vidyaniketan, T.P.T. Branch - Vishakhapatnam

Thanks to all of you who voted and helped us select this year’s winner. And a bigger thank you to the students and parents from across India who submitted entries, and helped us break participation record for this initiative. We’ll be back in 2013; till then, keep doodling. Who knows, your child could be the next winner!

Posted by Nikhil Rungta, Country Marketing Head