Is it weird that I genuinely enjoy writing about Google’s Santa Tracker each year? Yes? Well, I’m still going to do it, because I think many children enjoy playing the various mini-games added to it! I absolutely love Christmas above all other holidays, and my son has a ton of fun with it too. Over […]
Continue ReadingSearch Results for: families
Google Fi offers one free year of YouTube Premium to Unlimited Plus subscribers
Google Fi subscribers and potential customers have a new reason to rejoice this holiday season. Google just announced that new and existing subscribers can now enjoy an entire year of YouTube Premium free of charge. The premium subscription gains you access to an ad-free YouTube experience, background play, and the ability to download videos for […]
Continue ReadingThe Google Family Link app just got completely redesigned and it looks much more user friendly
I’m a huge advocate of covering anything and everything Google does to support and enable families to use technology for improvements to their quality of life. When Family Link came out five years ago to assist parents with managing how their children interface with technology, I believed it was a step in the right direction. […]
Continue ReadingGoogle downsizes Area 120, cutting its projects and jobs in half in the process
Google’s recent talks of becoming 20% more efficient are already starting to take form. The first victim of these tight, new restrictions is Area 120, the company’s in-house incubator which has produced many forward-thinking and innovative projects. These have gone on to influence and directly shape Google’s core products, and without them, I don’t believe […]
Continue ReadingFinding Google Chat Spaces content is now easier thanks to direct Gmail Search integration
Google has been hard at work turning Workspace and more specifically Google Chat into the next social network. Actually, it’s becoming more of an intranet with copious amounts of discoverability within your organization’s efforts and communications, but that’s neither here nor there. Chat Spaces have become a replacement for Google Currents (formerly Google+), and we […]
Continue ReadingWhy I canceled my Play Pass subscription and how Google can win me back
Back when Google Play Pass first launched, I was starry-eyed about the idea. One small price per year or per month for hundreds of apps and games. Normally, you’d have to spend cash on each and every one of those paid experiences, and you’d still get ads and in-app purchases shoved in your face. Play […]
Continue ReadingPopular dystopian document thriller ‘Papers, Please’ crosses border checkpoint to Android
Have you ever heard of a “Dystopian Document Thriller”? No? That’s because an indie game called ‘Papers, Please’ invented it. In the same way that Death Stranding made walking exhilarating (depending on who you ask), developer Lucas Pope turned checking border crossing papers as an immigration inspector at a border checkpoint for the fictional communist […]
Continue ReadingChromecast celebrates 9 years with Nest Cam and Doorbell streaming support for Google TV
While Google Play was busy celebrating its 10th anniversary, another Google all star crept up on a huge milestone. Chromecast is now 9 years old (I know, I know, the company couldn’t wait just one more year to round out to an even number?), and with it, a new Keyword Blog post celebrates all of […]
Continue ReadingYouTube TV celebrates reaching 5 million subs in 5 years
I’ve been a YouTube TV customer from the start, and during that time, I’ve had a love/hate relationship with the service. From its beginnings as a promising alternative for those who wanted to cut the cord to later disappointments as certain RSNs (Regional Sports Networks) started dropping off, though somehow the price kept increasing. One […]
Continue ReadingThe creators of Pokémon Go just canceled four new games and laid off a bunch of staff
Niantic, the developer of the global hit Pokémon Go, has recently decided to lay off 8% of its staff and cancel projects that were in the works. As it sought to recapture the magic and addictive nature of Pokémon Go, it now seems to be shifting its focus and energy toward building a ‘real-life metaverse’ […]
Continue ReadingHow to share your location with loved ones for safety reasons using Google Fi
Ever since Google implemented its Family features in its Fi phone service, more families have taken to the built-in group plans. Not only can you get a great deal on your monthly bill with more people attached to it (assuming they cough up the cash at the end of the month), but there are also […]
Continue ReadingHow to permanently end spam calls and texts with Google Fi on your Android phone
Are you sick of receiving calls from spammers and scammers? (Likely). Do you wish there were some way to block them from their new mode of communication too, your text messages? Have you tipped over the edge with frustration and no longer take calls as a result? Great! I’ve got a great solution for you. […]
Continue ReadingChromecast with Google TV still sometimes shows ads on YouTube Kids even with Premium
For months now, my son has been receiving advertisements on YouTube Kids while watching his favorite channels on our Chromecast with Google TV in the living room. Whether we’re casting or not, on his profile or mine via the Kids app, the result is the same. Intermittently, an ad or two will show and then […]
Continue ReadingOutright Games to bolster Stadia’s Family library offerings with six new titles this summer and fall
Google Stadia already has an impressive list of titles that are appropriate for families and kids as a part of its Pro subscription for just $9.99 USD per month. Even outside of this, they can be purchased a la carte and enjoyed. Games like PAW Patrol: Adventure City Calls, Lumote, Kaze and the Wild Masks, […]
Continue ReadingForcing myself to use “Google Chat Tasks” has reminded me how I miss regular Google Tasks
With the revamp of Google Chat came a new way to access and organize Tasks. The collaborative “Spaces” feature meant that you could assign tasks to others who are there with you and keep them organized with separate Space lists. This is similar to the standard Google Account Google Tasks feature, but it also allowed […]
Continue Reading