CircleCount helps you better understand Google+

2013-06-14 13:58:04 (8 comments, 0 reshares, 6 +1s)

OMG, one of our super awesome programmers ( +Tim Aidley ) made a little Android game about me! I'll upload it when I have a chance!

Guess what the game is like?

2013-06-13 20:09:13 (2 comments, 1 reshares, 7 +1s)

Fascinating and beautiful teardown of Google Glass. Interesting to see the hardware inside. Loving the >9K reference.  But what's the typeface on that site? Is it Roboto? It renders beautifully on my Chromebook Pixel, but looks horrible in Chrome on Windows 7. 

http://www.catwig.com/google-glass-teardown/

2013-06-13 19:00:35 (2 comments, 1 reshares, 2 +1s)

One of my favourite Dutch hiphop groups have a new single and it comes with an awesome video. Check it.

2013-06-11 20:31:42 (4 comments, 3 reshares, 10 +1s)

Acquaintance cards. A Victorian social custom for meeting cute ladies. I guess.

2013-06-08 21:32:33 (16 comments, 0 reshares, 15 +1s)

The Moto X is going to be a Nexus User Experience Phone. Or am I wrong?

Phones that offer the Nexus User Experience (courtesy of the amazingly talented +Matias Duarte and his team) are hot these days. At Google I/O we heard the mind-blowing news that we could get hold of a Samsung Galaxy S4 with NUX, briefly after that we discovered that we would be getting an HTC One with NUX, and over the last couple of days rumours have cropped up about the Sony Xperia Z receiving the NUX treatment as well!

This reminds me of a rumour we were hearing near the end of last year: Google would introduce multiple new Nexus phones from different manufacturers. This clearly didn’t happen since we ended up with the Nexus 4 from LG. However, is it a coincidence that we now suddenly find ourselves with multiple devices that offer the beauty of a clean and beautifully minimal vanilla Androidex... more »

2013-06-08 18:03:52 (6 comments, 0 reshares, 15 +1s)

It's incredibly nice weather today here in Brighton. Can it stay like this for the next few months? Or the whole year round?

#Oreoicecream  

2013-06-07 12:48:35 (9 comments, 3 reshares, 29 +1s)

Why the Guardian’s ‘Matrix’ analogy fails.

Nothing much happens in the UK and the country has very little impact on the outside world. 

At least, that’s the false belief you could come to if you never went to the UK and never learned anything about how the world works. 

Likewise, if you never visited Google+ and didn’t learn how it really works, you could conclude that the network has “little visible engagement, pretty much no impact on the outside world,” as Guardian writer +Charles Arthur has done in a misleading column recently. 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2013/jun/04/google-plus-the-matrix

There are two kinds of writers who comment on Google+’s “impact”: Those who use it and learn how massive its impact is and those who don’t use it and ignorantly conclude from their own non-use that nothing is goingon. 

Arthur, w... more »

2013-06-04 11:09:51 (1 comments, 1 reshares, 1 +1s)

Exciting news - we have just given Episode 6, Flight of the Felonious Fugitive, to our friends at Apple for review!

In Flight of the Felonious Fugitive, the hour-long Season Finale of Blue Toad Murder Files, we finally reach the epic conclusion of this murder mystery saga! Our detectives need to escape before time runs out. You are being challenged, you must stop the Flight of the Felonious Fugitive and put the murderer behind bars. But who is it? Is it all a setup? The most anticipated episode of Blue Toad Murder Files is finally here, with the answers you've been waiting for. Many challenging puzzles and case reviews are waiting for you, all wrapped up in another beautifully animated experience. This is when the people of Little Riddle need you the most.

Right now we need to wait until Apple approves the new episode, keep an eye on our Google+ page to know when it will be... more »

2013-06-02 12:56:53 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 27 +1s)

In London on a roof terrace enjoying white wine in the sun. Not a bad view ..

2013-06-01 12:21:32 (23 comments, 0 reshares, 23 +1s)

Who else is getting a bit hyped about the Moto X phone?

This is one mysterious phone, and I might be getting one. Motorola has been working through a backlog of generic phones that all stem from a time when the company wasn't owned by Google. A company that thought that MOTOBLUR was a great Android skin. The Moto X is the first phone created by the bold new Motorola. A Motorola that now runs a version of Android that's remarkably close to offering the Nexus user experience. A Motorola that has been staffed up by Google with some incredible talent. And one of those people is +Regina Dugan. She was appointed last year as Senior Vice President of Motorola Mobility's Advanced Technology & Projects (ATAP) group. Skunkworks-inspired, ATAP is the Google[x] of Motorola Mobility. My full assumption is that several of the projects from within that group are making it into the Moto X.... more »

2013-05-30 16:32:22 (52 comments, 0 reshares, 5 +1s)

How often do you download games from the Chrome Web Store?

I'm doing some research for work purposes and was wondering how often you guys use the Chrome Web Store. There are some amazing games on there, such as Bastion and From Dust. Did you try them? And possibly even pay to unlock the full versions of those games? Or is this the first time you've heard of there even being a Chrome Web Store?

Any thoughts on the Chrome Web Store are welcome :).

2013-05-28 20:20:12 (37 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

Music CDs are such an outdated concept. Who releases ~12 hits in one go? That's like releasing 12 versions of Angry Birds at the same time..

2013-05-28 13:08:13 (17 comments, 1 reshares, 5 +1s)

Just sharing my 2nd YouTube Channel to all my social networks :D

This one is as you can probably guess for Android app reviews.
Feel free to have a look :)) http://www.YouTube.com/LittleMissDroid

2013-05-25 10:37:25 (14 comments, 4 reshares, 20 +1s)

What science from sci-fi do you most want to see become reality?

For me it probably has to be intergalactic space travel. Where it's actually somehow possible to visit other planets. I really want to explore more.

+Richard Dixon +Heather Jones +David Ferguson 

2013-05-24 09:31:45 (1 comments, 1 reshares, 12 +1s)

We're flattered and humbled - Apple has made Murder Files a featured game in a huge amount of countries. Wow.

2013-05-21 18:41:02 (29 comments, 15 reshares, 51 +1s)

People are investing into Sony after the Xbox One reveal?

Sony's shareprice is climbing aggressively right now - up 8.58%!

http://money.cnn.com/quote/quote.html?symb=SNE

What do people think? Quite shocked about how games are tied to one single account. And any other player has to pay a fee. Even if you let your girlfriend / boyfriend play on their account. Or if you lend the game to a friend. What?

What do you guys think? PlayStation 4 or Xbox One? Wii U?

2013-05-21 16:16:12 (11 comments, 0 reshares, 14 +1s)

Whilst watching Gremlins 2 last weekend I suddenly realised I'd never seen any of the Rambo films. Fortunately one of my colleagues helped me out here. I know what I'll be doing tonight .. :)

2013-05-21 13:59:18 (4 comments, 1 reshares, 3 +1s)

Good news! The brand new Blue Toad Murder Files update (version 1.4), which contains Episode 5 - The Riddles of the Past, has successfully passed Apple's review process. We're committed to creating the best murder mystery game that's available on iPad & iPhone. we want to do this by listening to your feedback and by giving you more content to enjoy. With that in mind we have decided not to add The Riddles of the Past as an In-App Purchase - instead we are giving this hour-long episode away for free.

In The Riddles of the Past we finally discover what happened to our imprisoned detectives. A trail of seduction, misdirection and deadly intent has disrupted the once peaceful town of Little Riddle. You need to figure out how that has happened and prevent new murders from happening, but is it too late? Many challenging puzzles and case reviews are waiting for you, all wrapped up in... more »

2013-05-20 08:31:49 (28 comments, 0 reshares, 27 +1s)

With Spotify and Google Music All Access I'm pretty sure that this will be the last CD I'll ever buy. In my life.

2013-05-18 23:00:23 (13 comments, 1 reshares, 7 +1s)

If you English people feel sad about #Eurovision, know that that us Dutchies almost submitted this 14 years ago.

2013-05-18 18:04:16 (10 comments, 3 reshares, 17 +1s)

What is the Google H840 media streamer?

The FCC is testing a mysterious Google media streamer (http://goo.gl/EIXfG). Is it a successor to the ill-fated Nexus Q?

H2G2 was a handy abbreviation for The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. And 42 was the answer to life, the universe and everything. And now we have the H2G2-42, which is the model name of Google's mysterious new media streamer.

The Nexus Q, despite its great looks (courtesy of Mike & Maaike, a half-Dutch(!) industrial design firm which was acquired by Google last year) everyone knew it was just an odd experiment. The Nexus Q was given away to the attendees of Google I/O 2012, and people who pre-ordered the $299 media player on Google Play ended up receiving the device for free as well. After that we didn't hear a single thing about it. Which wasn't a surprise, since the Nexus Q wasa... more »

2013-05-18 11:55:26 (0 comments, 3 reshares, 7 +1s)

Someone synced Daft Punk's Contact with 2001: A Space Oddysey. This can't be a coincidence ..

2013-05-17 15:49:22 (5 comments, 1 reshares, 6 +1s)

I've just reduced the price of my iOS game on the App Store! You can now get Murder Files for just £1.99 / $2.99 / €2.69.

(Which also makes it perfect as a gift! :)

http://appstore.com/bluetoadmurderfilesatouchofmystery

2013-05-16 15:51:38 (11 comments, 1 reshares, 24 +1s)

Search. Google Now. Google+. Google Glass. The common design element is a subtle coup: Index Cards

It's amazing to see how Google managed to introduce a beautiful coherent design element that actually is still quite closely related to the traditional Google Search page. And it's rolling out everywhere now.

How do people feel about this move - I'm curious to know what its future role is in Android and Chrome OS. It really wouldn't surprise me if Key Lime Pie is a huge overhaul of Android and actually gets rid of all the dark menu screens. It could all well be about nice white open spaces - making Android feel much friendlier. And what about Chrome?

2013-05-13 17:46:04 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

Aaaaand it's a wrap! We have just submitted Episode 5 to Apple for review, we're aiming to release the episode on May 23rd so everything is on track.

Besides having the full new episode we've also added some +Google+ love - you can now follow this page directly from the game itself. If you're already reading this then it doesn't matter, but hopefully it will make other Google+ users aware of how there is an official Blue Toad page on their favourite social network :).

2013-05-13 17:05:40 (17 comments, 1 reshares, 8 +1s)

Usually unboxing videos are a bit naff, but Daft Punk is doing it their own way. I'm so excited about Random Access Memories, I even have it pre-ordered on CD and I don't even have a CD player. But I thought it would be a good wrap-up knowing that it would be the last CD I'll ever buy in my whole life. CD is dead. The PlayStation 4 doesn't even support CDs anymore.

Anyway, this is a great unboxing video and it reminds me of Daft Punk's 2006 Electroma film. Which you really should check out.

(p.s. thanks +Richard Dixon for pointing me to this video.)

2013-05-12 00:04:27 (6 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

Playing Snowboard Kids on a N64 in the pub ..

2013-05-09 20:19:17 (12 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

Euh +YouTube, this isn't right. Is it? What is it?

2013-05-09 19:46:02 (2 comments, 1 reshares, 10 +1s)

We're very proud of the work we've done on Kinect Nat Geo TV and we wanted to thank everyone in style. So we got in touch with Michael Place (ex-The Designers Republic, now owner of  design agency Build) to design these plaques for our team here.

Thanks everyone!

2013-05-08 15:45:29 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 3 +1s)

There's times in life when one just does not feel the need to mingle.

I know it's not everyone's cup of tea but I'm a big fan of Le Le, Electro smooth-talkers from my home country with a kitsch value that goes through the roof. This is their latest single, Eyes Closed, which was shot with a stuntman driving through the streets of LA.

If you want to hear more I recommend checking out Partytime, the album they released last year. Damien, Morning Drinks, so many great tracks showcasing an unusual blend of English, Dutch, German and French lyrics. You can listen to Partytime here on Spotify: https://play.spotify.com/user/martijnvandermeulen/playlist/2v1JZLEmuXbgOQYTc5HyFw

2013-05-06 20:17:11 (20 comments, 0 reshares, 15 +1s)

Wow, I now have over 10,000 followers here on Google+!

Since I gained about 2,000 followers in just the last four weeks it would be great to know how you found my Google+ account. It doesn't look like my name is in a shared circle, so how do all of you find my profile? Owh, and it would be nice to know what your interests are so I can add you to my own circles.

Thanks! You guys are amazing! :)

2013-05-09 09:14:33 (45 comments, 2 reshares, 29 +1s)

What are you expecting when it comes to Google I/O announcements?

Here are some of my thoughts:
• White 32GB Nexus 4 with LTE.
• Motorola X phone
• A huge Jelly Bean update.
• Higher spec Nexus 7 for $129.
• Google Glass for £399.
• Google's version of Game Center.
• Google Babel (the new unified messenger).
• Chrome Packaged Apps.
• A new Google X project.
• Chrome OS tablet.
• Google Smart Watch
• Google Music Streaming Service

Anything else?

2013-05-02 21:42:20 (16 comments, 1 reshares, 9 +1s)

Wow, I just noticed that Catherine is now free on PlayStation Plus. This has been one of the most refreshing games I've played within the last five years or so. I can't recommend this game enough, it really does some amazing things and creates an experience unlike any other game.

2013-05-01 14:22:48 (5 comments, 0 reshares, 11 +1s)

More mysterious murders! We have just released a new hour-long #BlueToad episode, and it's free! Enjoy!

http://appstore.com/bluetoadmurderfilesatouchofmystery

2013-04-27 11:24:45 (20 comments, 1 reshares, 11 +1s)

How much would you pay for Google Glass?

For me:
Up to £600 is instant purchase.
Up to £1100 requires a few days of thinking.
Up to £1500: Not sure.

For you?

2013-04-26 12:46:27 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 11 +1s)

The view outside one of our studio windows. Had to laugh when I spotted the "cops cant [sic] climb" graffiti.

2013-04-24 20:57:38 (9 comments, 1 reshares, 9 +1s)

Some of my old Sony friends have created this amazing Android game: Smash Cops Heat. It's worth checking out (not just because I'm credited on the game :P). I really love the controls of this game - it feels so incredibly natural. Combine that with amazing car chases and explosions and what else do you need?

Did I also mention that the game is free?

2013-04-24 18:32:15 (9 comments, 1 reshares, 1 +1s)

Would you volunteer to go to Mars?

Oh you Dutch people ;). A Dutch non-profit has serious plans of sending four volunteers to Mars to start the first colony. Things like this remind me of the colonisation of the United States. Many Europeans left in the 1600s and took an enormous trip to an unknown new land. They built their colonies and settlements, and look at where we are now.

Obviously Mars is quite a different beast than uncharted land on our own planet. Humans aren't built for surviving on another planet, so we use our science to make this work in the best way possible. Which is still incredibly dangerous. But exciting. To get somewhere in life you have to take risks - mankind has to take risks to get somewhere. This is a risk that will give us an unprecedented amount of information that will be vital for getting us off our planet on the long term.
more »

2013-04-24 18:19:11 (22 comments, 2 reshares, 10 +1s)

In the last quarter 50 times more iPads were sold than Wii Us. And more than 50% of those iPads are used for gaming, by exactly Nintendo's target audience.

I hate to say it, but I find it hard to imagine how the Wii U can ever get a foothold in the current market. Are the upcoming games good enough to get people to buy one? The mass market audience that bought the Wii are probably still happy with their Wii and don't see the point of upgrading. Especially when they're walking around with a portable gaming platform that still has a ton of amazing games coming out for it.

2013-04-23 23:40:20 (6 comments, 0 reshares, 5 +1s)

Yo +Jo Haslam, I’m really happy for you, Imma let you finish but don't forget that I got those Sonic 2 Trophies way before you...way before you!

2013-04-21 21:37:30 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

Just did some co-op Scott Pilgrim. Such a great PSN game, and don't forget the Anamanaguchi soundtrack!

2013-04-21 14:45:39 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 13 +1s)

Om nom nom.

2013-04-20 14:15:51 (7 comments, 0 reshares, 14 +1s)

Chilling in a sunny park with some white wine. Not a bad way to spend the Saturday.

2013-04-19 21:07:44 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Working late with my +Relentless Software friends. Actually having tons of fun, just making +Blue Toad Murder Files better and better. :)

2013-04-19 07:09:38 (8 comments, 3 reshares, 11 +1s)

Daft Punk - Get Lucky is now available on Spotify!

http://open.spotify.com/album/2ePFIvZKMe8zefATp9ofFA

2013-04-18 09:06:15 (16 comments, 0 reshares, 31 +1s)

Wow, #BlueToad is now the #1 PAID APP ON THE UK APP STORE :).

http://www.bluetoadmurderfiles.co.uk/

2013-04-17 11:08:42 (20 comments, 1 reshares, 11 +1s)

I'm really excited about Google Glass, but one question I haven't seen answered before:

Is Glass waterproof? Or at least rainproof?

So far all the videos have shown Google Glass being worn inside or outside in nice warm Californian weather. However, being in the UK it means that I'm constantly surrounded by either rain or drizzle. Can Google Glass handle that?

So who holds the answer to my question? :)

2013-04-16 20:43:05 (6 comments, 3 reshares, 13 +1s)

"We're up on a mexican monkey" ;)
#daftpunk #randomaccessmemories

2013-04-15 10:46:00 (6 comments, 1 reshares, 5 +1s)

#BlueToad for iPad, iPhone and iPod is now temporarily ON SALE! 65% OFF! $0.99 / €0.89 / £0.69 is a steal!

http://appstore.com/bluetoadmurderfilesatouchofmystery

2013-04-14 15:00:11 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 11 +1s)

Awesome day sailing with friends. Perfect wind, perfect sun. Awesome.