GeekSugar

Google's NYC Office: You Had Me at Lego Wall

GeekSugar — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 02:00:13 -0800

Dream office alert! I thought I had hit workplace nirvana when I visited Google's NorCal headquarters, but it appears that I am sorely mistaken. Check out this video of their NYC office, which has a Lego wall, an old computer museum, and a live screen of current Google searches!

Daily Tech: The Android 1.0 SDK Is Now Available For Download

GeekSugar — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 12:50:45 -0700

Starting today, the Android 1.0 SDK software is now available to download, so developers can get busy creating applications. - Gizmodo
You know the economy is bad when Google cuts back on its generous all you can eat, three meals a day plan. - Valleywag
There's always a ton of email scams trying to infiltrate your inbox, but what specific kinds of emails should you be watching out for? Switched gives you the full run down! - Switched
Is "tech in the bathroom" on the rise? With more and more humidity-proof and splash-proof electronics coming out, we may see more televisions in the loo than ever before. - Unplggd
Wow. There are now 1GB Hello Kitty MP3 Players that only cost $40, and I have to admit, would be the perfect give for girls ages 7 to 14. - Chip Chick

Googlers Ham It Up For Street View - Including the Icon!

GeekSugar — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 09:00:00 -0700

Remember when I said my goal was to spot the Google Street View cars around town? Old goal! My new goal is to be spotted. My inspirations are these Google employees, who clowned around at the Googleplex (on the clock, I'd bet too) for their very own Street View cameras.

I have a small sampling of the madness in the gallery below, but visit Google Blogoscoped to see more of this goofy "photo shoot," including a YMCA and mime tribute! Of course my very favorite picture is this one, with the Street View icon himself (he's so tall!).

And I take back all my gushings about wanting to live/work/eat/sleep at the Google headquarters. It looks way too serious for me.

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Google's Toilets Are High-Tech and Luxurious

GeekSugar — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 06:00:02 -0700

After attending the Doodle 4 Google awards day at the Googleplex in Mountain View, California, I was certainly enamored with all of the goodies offered to full-time staffers. But what I happened to miss, and should have sought out to see if the rumors were true, were the posh Toto toilets. According to sfist, these modern toilets - found in Google's California offices - not only offer front and rear cleansing but they'll dry you as well! And for those employees that don't feel like getting the full bidet treatment, they can rest and relax on the toilet's heated seat. This takes the saying "business as usual" to a whole new level!
Source

Google Goodness: 6 Things I Love About the Googleplex

GeekSugar — Mon, 26 May 2008 09:30:13 -0700

Last week, one of my geeky dreams came true - I went to the Google headquarters! Not only did I get to take part in the Doodle 4 Google awards day and see sixth-grader Grace Moon take home the grand prize, but I also witnessed some of the very things that make Google so good. Click start to see what they are!

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Do You Like Google's Themed Logos?

GeekSugar — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 15:45:58 -0700

I sometimes forget that when I use iGoogle, I don't get to see Google's beautifully designed holiday logos. And after attending the spectacular Doodle 4 Google Competition last year down at the Googleplex, I have a greater appreciation for these colorful creations that spruce up our search experience.

Some of my faves include the Dr. Seuss-inspired logo to honor Dr. Seuss's birthday and the Morse code message that went up yesterday for Samuel Morse's -the inventor of Morse code - birthday. And what about the first day of Spring design by Eric Carle? Love them all. Do Google themed-logos brighten your day, or do you even notice them? And if so, what are some of your faves?

Ten Reasons Why I Love Google's San Francisco Office

GeekSugar — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 07:30:01 -0800

I swear there's been so much Gmail and Google news lately that I'm constantly getting my Google fix. Here's another way I get my Google fix - by visiting Google offices! I was thrilled to check out the Googleplex last May, and now I'm back with my second installment, which takes place at the Google office here in San Francisco. Sugar Headquarters is pretty sweet, but geeking-out at Google is so much fun! Check out my slideshow to see what I encountered during my adventures.

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The 2008 Doodle 4 Google Awards Extravaganza!

GeekSugar — Thu, 22 May 2008 02:00:51 -0700

As you already know, I'm completely addicted to all-things Google. So when I was invited to the Doodle 4 Google awards ceremony held at the Googleplex yesterday, I was beyond excited to take part in the events! In February, Google kicked off a contest entitled "Doodle 4 Google," a competition open to K-12 students in the U.S., asking students to design a Google logo inspired by the question, "What If...?" Forty regional winners gathered around yesterday to find out if their creative Google doodle designs made the final four. Not only did I get to check out a Doodle class taught by Google's Webmaster, Dennis Hwang, and eat some yummy food, but I got to see which lucky student got to take home the Google Doodle grand prize! Check out the slideshow to check out the fun festivities and the winning design!

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Kids: Is Your Doodle Good Enough For Google's Homepage?

GeekSugar — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 06:03:06 -0800

It's time to sharpen your kids' pencils for the Doodle 4 Google competition. You've probably noticed Google gives its logo (a.k.a. Google Doodle) makeovers to celebrate special holidays, birthdays and events. Usually, a man named Dennis Hwang draws these Google Doodles (you can see him work his magic in the video below), but Google is giving US students in grades K-12 the opportunity to design a doodle for the Google homepage. The rules are:

Students will be asked to draw a doodle that best represents the theme "What if...?" We ask ourselves this question every day when we build our products, so we thought we would ask the same of the future doodlers.
A panel of expert judges and Googlers will select 40 regional winners, who will be invited to the Googleplex in Mountain View, California, in May. Four national finalists will be announced as the result of a public vote. From there, Dennis will select one lucky student whose doodle will be on the Google homepage for a day in the U.S. This winner will also receive a $10,000 college scholarship and a technology grant for his or her school.

The information for schools and families is available on this page. To see a fun video of the google logo creation, read more

NYC Googlers Celebrate by Eating Their Office

GeekSugar — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 09:00:23 -0700

In honor of the first anniversary of the Google New York office, staffers celebrated by creating a cake to look exactly like their entire office building-which just so happens to span a full city block! With the help of Google Earth and Google street view, pastry chef Danita Holt was able to draw up blueprints to begin the process of building such a ginormous cake. After four days, cafe director Kevin McConvey alongside two sous chefs, two pastry chefs, an executive chef and a line cook were able to finish the five feet long, three feet high and two feet wide Googleplex cake which contained 630 eggs, 105 pounds of sugar and 20 pounds of butter! Talk about the perfect specifications for the ultimate edible geek treat!