Google doodle: Mystery of new interactive balloon design for web giant's homepage

Google launched its latest interactive home page today with a mystery new 'doodle'. Today's 'Google Doodle' is a collection of coloured balls that move away when you try to pass your mouse over them. Then, if left undisturbed, they 'settle' and reform the Google logo.

Today's Google Doodle is an interactive balloon design that does not appear to refer to anything in particular

Google regularly updates the way the way its name is displayed on the homepage to reflect historic dates, famous birthdays and other world events. Normally, when a user clicks on the Doodle, the reason for the design is displayed as if you'd done a Google search for it. But unlike most Google Doodles, today's balloon design does not appear to be referring to anything in particular - sparking wild speculation on the internet.

Some commentators say that the design is a teaser for a big announcement that Google is due to make tomorrow. At the moment the Doodle is not available on the US version of the site.

Others have pointed out that the design's release almost coincides with what would be Google's 12th birthday. And others believe that it is simply an exercise in HTML5 - the latest version of the standard programming code for displaying content on the web.

HTML 5 will give developers far more flexibility and allow features like drag and drop and make the internet far more interactive.

The interactive Google Doodle from May which was a playable version of Pac Man

It could also be a demonstration of what Google's latest Chrome browser is capable of producing in HTML 5 - perhaps tying in with an announcement about the operating system tomorrow.

Some bloggers have noted that it does not work as well on Microsoft's Internet Explorer.

It certainly appears to be a publicity stunt of some sort as the Google Logos page, which normally updates with an explanation for that day's Doodle, has not mentioned it yet.

A Google spokesman would only say: 'Today’s doodle is　fast,　fun　and　interactive, just the way we think search should be.' Last week band Arcade Fire worked with Google to develop an interactive video for their new single that works on a listener's PC, opening up windows and allowing features like Google Maps to be interacted with.

Google's most famous interactive 'Google Doodle' was the Pac Man game in May. The internet search giant posted the playable game to mark the 30th birthday of the classic arcade title

The Google Doodle to celebrate the 105th anniversary of the birth of Dr Seuss

The Google Doodle to celebrate 71st anniversary of the film Wizard of Oz on August 12th this year

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The Transformer

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A technophile’s dream, the Ful Brickhouse sling is constructed of durable nylon with a side-entry foam-padded laptop compartment, a CD/MP3 pocket with a headphone audio port, and a detachable cell phone holder.

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What every girl wants: lotsa pockets. Enter the Acme Made Courier bag, tricked out with hiding places galore: a large outer flap with a zippered utility pocket, accessory pockets, and a flap for your pens and cards.

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Storm Clouds Be Damned

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Google Hates 'Merica

A Columbus Day Disaster!

Today, while all good Americans celebrate a menacing, imperialistic Italian who systematically murdered brown people, Google is wishing a happy 50th birthday to Paddington Bear. Slate was right about those gazillionaire bastards.

New Facebook Design More Upsetting Than Remembering 9/11

The eleventh plague was applications

Facebook, the brainbaby of weasel-faced Aaron Sorkin subject Mark Zuckerberg and waster of 500 million employer hours per annum, will be going through another mandatory face lift. Nobody is safe — it will affect everyone's account, whether they approve it or not. And no one likes it।

Says a Forrester Research analyst: "There could be a community backlash as we have seen before। It is a really touchy line between users, brands and privacy and Facebook have not been as forthcoming in the past about changes as they should have."

Of course there is already a Facebook group against the New Facebook, and it has almost 1 million members, or nearly 1 percent of all of Facebook's 100 million users। It's a hefty sign most members will hate the new design, as will corporations, bands, and whatever other excuse is allowed to sign up.

Except this exact same complaint was logged back in 2007, when Facebook's applications started plastering your profile with broadcasts about sheep, vampires, and your Top 8। People said it would add clutter to the previously streamlined site. Same went for News Feed, which is now the lifeblood of the site.

But all that was before Scrabulous application came and went like a beautiful shooting star, and now what reason could you possibly have for signing onto Facebook these days? Just saying, maybe this new design could bring some enjoyment back into our sad, virtual lives, making good on the promise Second Life never fulfilled.

Whatever Happened to Nerve's Environmental Blog?

Save the Planet

It's easy to forget things when your mind is filled with Olympics drivel, which is why it took us until this week to wonder, "Hey, whatever happened to Nerve.com's environmental blog it was supposed to launch?" Indeed, Jossip reported way back in October 2007 that Rufus Griscom & Co. were expanding beyond high-brow sex and baby mamas for a green site — but then, nothing। So we asked Rufus "WTF?" and he was all:

"Our research indicated that the green advertising category is inadequately mature so we put it on ice … We will launch it at some point, but only when the advertising base is there.

Meanwhile we are doubling down on exception ad categories like parenting — Babble.com traffic has doubled from 600k to 1.2 million uniques in the last 5 months … Exciting stuff."

And then he attached "the latest propaganda" about Nerve's most recent, and only, expansion: Babble।com. It goes like this: The new issue of Plum magazine calls Babble.com the best all around parenting site."

Way to throw us off course।

But as it stands, you're still not saving the planet, so no kudos for you.

With New Web Browser, Google Invites 1998's Antitrust Era to Return

Google crown

'Google Inc. is releasing its own Web browser in a long-anticipated move aimed at countering the dominance of Microsoft Corp.'s Internet Explorer and ensuring easy access to its market-leading search engine. The Mountain View-based company took the unusual step of announcing its latest product on the Labor Day holiday after it prematurely sent out a comic book drawn up to herald the new browser's arrival. The free browser, called "Chrome," is supposed to be available for downloading Tuesday in more than 100 countries for computers running on Microsoft's Windows operating system. Google said it's still working on versions compatible with Apple Inc.'s Mac computer and the Linux operating system.' (AP)

Google to Confuse Even More Publications By Archiving 244 Years Worth of Print

Stocks plummet as news of flying machine makes trains obsolete

Because causing United Airlines stocks to plummet below two cents isn't enough damage done in a day for Google, the search engine has announced plans to begin archiving 244 years worth of newsworthy articles online।

Hilarity ensues when news of a bombing at Pearl Harbor get picked up in The New York Times and jump-starts World War III.