Google reveals new logo for mobile world

Technology

Google reveals new logo for mobile world

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology

Image copyrightGoogle

Image captionThe updated logo drops the "serif" style of the earlier incarnation

Google has unveiled a new logo for its core search services.

The change smoothes out some of the features in the letters that make up the well-known colourful logo spelling out its name.

It said the change was needed because people were now reaching Google on lots of mobile devices rather than just desktop computers.

The change comes after Google put its many divisions under an umbrella company called Alphabet.

It said that the logo, and its many variations, would work better on the many different-sized screens through which people used or encountered Google and its services. As well as the full logo of the company's name, it also plans to use four dots in its signature blue, red, yellow and green colours and a single, multi-coloured capital "G" to represent it.

Google announced the change on its official blog and illustrated what was different via a series of animated gifs. It said the revamped logo was "simple, uncluttered, colorful, friendly" and represented the best of Google.

Image copyright

Image captionGoogle's original 1998 logo changed several times before taking on a "flat" look in 2013

It also provided a much more detailed explanation of what drove it to change the logo. One key challenge for the designers, it said, was to refine "what makes us Googley".

Google last updated its logo in September 2013.

Writing on Creative Review, Mark Sinclair said the shift was significant because before now Google had resisted doing the same as other tech companies many of which adopted a "simpler and often blander" look when they updated their official insignia.

By contrast, he said, Google had kept its "scrappier demeanour" but this latest update showed the company had indeed "smartened itself up".

Google overtakes Apple as world's top brand: survey

Technology

 

 

Google overtakes Apple as world's top brand: survey

 

AFP News 

May 21, 2014

                                     

• AFP News/Loic Venance and Emmanuel Dunand - This combination of two file pictures made on May 17, 2014 shows Google's logo (top) at the Google headquarters in New York on May 21, 2012, and Apple's logo …more 

US search engine Google has overtaken rival technology titan Apple as the world's top brand in terms of value, global market research agency Millward Brown said Wednesday.

Google's brand value shot up 40 percent in a year to $158.84 billion (115 billion euros), Millward Brown said in its 2014 100 Top BrandZ report.

"Google has been extremely innovative this year with Google 

Glass, investments in artificial intelligence and a range of partnerships," said Benoit Tranzer, the head of Millward Brown France.

Google Glass is Internet-linked eyewear for which the firm has joined hands with Luxottica, a frame giant behind Ray-Ban and other high-end brands, to sell the new product in the United States.

"All these activities send a very strong signal to consumers about the essence of Google," Tranzer said.

Apple, which dominated the top position for three straight years, saw its brand value fall by 20 percent to $147.88 billion.

The top 10 of the 100 slots were dominated by US firms. IBM was in third place at $107.54 billion, a fall of 4 percent, followed by Microsoft at $90.19 billion -- a 29 percent rise.

Fast food chain McDonald's ranked next at $85.71 billion, followed by Coca Cola ($80.68 billion), it said.

China led in the insurance sector with Ping An valued at $12.4 billion and China Life ($12 billion).

French luxury goods manufacturer Louis Vuitton ranked 30th overall but was the top luxury brand with a value of more than $25 billion.

Brand value is calculated on the basis of the firms' financial performance and their standing among consumers.

The Best of CES 2013

Gadgets

The Best of CES 2013

The Coolest Tech at CES 2013

 

By Eric Adams

Men’s Health sifted through tens of thousands of new products rolled out at the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas to find the stuff that YOU need to know about. Take a gander at the greatest computer gear, audio hardware, and health and fitness equipment. (Note: most of this gear is scheduled for release in 2013, and in most cases the pricing hasn’t been set yet.)

iRiver On

    
iRiver is the first manufacturer to tap the new fitness-monitoring technology created by Valencell. Instead of using a heart-rate monitor embedded in a chest strap, these trick earbuds analyze bloodflow in your ear to produce accurate heart-rate, blood pressure, and oxygenation data, among other useful metrics. Expect to see this tech spreading fast.

 

 

Parrot Flower Power

Parrot, a French manufacturer of Bluetooth equipment, always surprises us at CES. First it was its smartphone-controlled AR.Drone quadricopter. Last year they introduced sensational wireless earphones designed by Philip Starck. This year, they come to the rescue of neglected houseplants with a Bluetooth-equipped soil sensor. The Flower Power measures sunlight, humidity, temperature, and fertilizer in potted plants our outdoor gardens, and alerts when you need to start giving your greenery some love. The botanist-developed database of 6,000 plants ensures even the most exotic terrarium is covered.

Read more at Men's Health: http://www.menshealth.com/techlust/ces-2013-0?cm_mmc=DailyDoseNL-_-1167588-_-01142013-_-2013BestGadgets-dek#ixzz2I5t5TW9L