NBA fans can get closer to the game with Google and Pixel

At Google, we are passionate about helping people get access to information. And as a lifelong basketball fan, I know this is especially important in sports fandom. That’s why I’m personally excited to share that the Google Pixel is the Official Fan Phone of the NBA, NBA G League and NBA 2K League. And Google is each league’s Official Search Engine and Search Trends and Fan Insights Partner. Additionally, Pixel will be the first-ever presenting partner of the NBA Playoffs, joining YouTube TV, NBA Finals presenting sponsor, in the postseason. We’ll combine the best of Google’s Search trends, information, technology, devices and services to help fans go deeper and get closer to the culture, teams and players they love. Through…

Happy 5th birthday, Google Assistant!

We launched Google Assistant five years ago — and back then, it sometimes felt a bit strange to ask our devices for help. Now, digital assistants are part of daily life for millions of people around the world. In fact, Google Assistant has helped answer billions of questions, send millions of messages, make millions of recipes, set billions of reminders and much more (hands-free!). In its early days, Assistant offered just two voices, was available on Google Home speakers in the U.S. and supported English and German on Pixel phones. Now, Assistant is available in over 90 countries in nearly 30 languages, offers 10 voices to choose from and works with more than 100 million smart home devices, including lights,…

Ready for a gourd time? Google Maps guide to Halloween

Where are my ghouls at? With Halloween coming, it’s time to carve out some time for fall fun. We’ve rounded up top searched destinations for spooky haunts, pumpkin patches and corn mazes across the U.S. that you’re sure to die for! Go big or gourd home Autumn leaves and pumpkins please? On Google Maps, there’s a 375% increase in pumpkin-related searches between September and October — with the most popular search being “pumpkin patch,” which increases nearly 470%. So whether you’re looking to spice up your fall decor or carve the spookiest jack-o-lantern, here’s some of the top-searched spots to find the best pick of the pumpkin patch. Here are some of the top-searched pumpkin patches on Google Maps in…

Welcome to spooky season

The smell of pumpkin spice is in the air, which means it’s about time to bust out the costumes, stock up on some candy and carve a pumpkin or two. If you need a little inspiration, look no further than these spooky Search and Maps trends we collected.   Pumpkin to Search about Whether you plan on spending the day watching Halloween classics or trick-or-treating in a clever costume, we’ve got Search trends to give you some ideas. (Be sure to also check out our annual Frightgeist for the most-searched Halloween costumes across the U.S.) Most-searched Halloween movies over the past week in the U.S. Halloween (1978) Friday the 13th Hocus Pocus A Nightmare on Elm Street Halloweentown Already seen…