Area 120
Latest
YouTube's new tool can automatically dub videos in other languages
YouTube has plans to let creators go beyond translated subtitles by allowing creators to dub videos into other spoken languages.
Steve Dent06.23.2023
Google's new experimental app can scan and categorize your documents
Stack is a powerful new document scanner for Android from Google's Area 120 incubator.
Igor Bonifacic03.30.2021
Google's Threadit is a short-form video platform for work
Google's Area 120 experimental lab has released a new workplace video app called Threadit to get you sharing short clips with colleagues.
Saqib Shah03.18.2021
Google’s latest experimental app lets influencers host paid online events
The software promises to care of most of the logistics involved with hosting an online get together.
Igor Bonifacic09.09.2020
Orion WiFi will connect you to public WiFi when cell coverage is limited
Orion WiFi will seamlessly connect cellular customers to public WiFi when cell coverage is limited.
Christine Fisher09.08.2020
Google's Area 120 reveals Pinterest-like app called Keen
Keen, the latest experiment to come out of Google’s Area 120, sounds an awful lot like Pinterest.
Christine Fisher06.18.2020
Google's Area 120 brings quick web games to slow phones
Google is countering Facebook's Instant Games with its own bid to make web games more accessible. Its Area 120 experimental lab is introducing GameSnacks, HTML5-based casual games that are designed to load quickly and play well even on poor connections and basic smartphones. The combination of a lean initial web page, compressed media and just-in-time loading means you can start playing within just a few seconds, even on a phone with less than a 1Mbps connection (all too common in the world) and just 1GB of RAM.
Jon Fingas02.13.2020
Google is making a short-form video sharing app for DIY tutorials
Today, Google introduced Tangi, an experimental video sharing app created in Area 120, Google's lab for experimental projects. The app lets users post 60-second how-to videos on topics like crafting, cooking, makeup and clothing. It seems that Google hopes the focus on creativity and DIY projects will help Tangi stand out from other bite-sized video apps like Byte or TikTok.
Christine Fisher01.29.2020
Google's Waze-like app for public transit hits five more cities
Last year, Google incubator Area 120 announced a public transit app that works in a similar way to Waze. Users of Pigeon report transit information to help others know if they're likely to face delays or other issues. Until now, it's only been available in New York City, but as of today, it's going live in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.
Kris Holt11.05.2019
YouTube is testing paid online hangs with influencers
Google is expertimenting with an events-focused crowdfunding service for YouTube creators, according to a recent report from Variety. The new effort, called Fundo, allows YouTubers to set up online meet and greet sessions and other events that fans can pay to access. Several YouTube personalities have reportedly been using the feature to set up small online get together and live conversations with subscribers.
AJ Dellinger08.16.2019
Google is testing an online social network for offline meetups
Google can't resist the urge to create another social network even after the Google+ shutdown for everyday users. The company's experimental Area 120 unit has developed a social network, Shoelace, that helps people get together in real life. You pick your interests, and the creators help you hook up with like-minded people for various activities, whether they're custom-created or hand-picked. If you're new to town, for instance, you could find fellow runners or a local book club.
Jon Fingas07.11.2019
Google's Area 120 made a free, drag-and-drop 3D game builder
Google's in-house incubator, Area 120, has produced things like an app that teaches coding and tools to boost literacy. Now it wants to help gamers create their own 3D games, no experience necessary. Today, it launched Game Builder, a free platform that aims to "make building a game feel like playing a game."
Christine Fisher06.13.2019
Google's experimental Rivet app helps kids learn to read
Far too many kids struggle to read at an age-appropriate level, but Google is betting that technology could help them get up to speed. The company's experimental Area 120 unit has released Rivet, an app for Android and iOS that aims to make reading practice both accessible and rewarding. It offers more than 2,000 books ranked by difficulty, and uses speech technology to coach kids on their pronunciation. Rivet can read words or whole pages, highlighting words as it goes along, but it can also listen to a child's own reading and offer feedback on the words they didn't get right.
Jon Fingas05.15.2019