What does a cable car in Niagara Falls have to do with the world’s first machine to play chess? Surprisingly, both were inventions of Spanish civil engineer Leonardo Torres-Quevedo. Next week, as part of ...Read More

What does a cable car in Niagara Falls have to do with the world’s first machine to play chess? Surprisingly, both were inventions of Spanish civil engineer Leonardo Torres-Quevedo. Next week, as part of our ongoing effort to celebrate Europe’s computing heritage, we’re commemorating Torres-Quevedo’s legacy and his remarkable machine—"El Ajedrecista" (in English, "The Chess Player")—in partnership with the Telecommunication Engineering department of the Technical University of Madrid.

Photo thanks to Wikimedia Commons
Torres-Quevedo’s inventions span many fields. He was the second in the world to demonstrate wireless remote control, beaten to the post only by Nikola Tesla. His designs for airships were used by both the French and British during WWI. He was a global leader in cable car design, creating the “Spanish aero car” over the Niagara Whirlpool which, nearly a century on, remains a tourist attraction. However, his most remarkable achievements were in the field of automation, developing machines that are antecedents to what we now call computers and robots.

Torres-Quevedo’s ambitions were bold. As Scientific American proclaimed in 1915: “He would substitute machinery for the human mind.” In the 1890’s Torres-Quevedo built a series of mechanical devices that solved algebraic equations. In 1920 he wowed a Paris audience with an electromechanical arithmometer with typewriter attachment. You simply typed a formula—say, “24x48”—and the machine would calculate and automatically type the answer “=1152” in reply.

But “El Ajedrecista,” an algorithmically powered machine that could play an end-game of chess against a human opponent completely automatically, is his most notable creation. Although it’s a far cry from Deep Blue, El Ajedrecista can lay claim to being the world’s first (analog) computer game.

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Photos thanks to Museo Torres Quevedo
The machine didn’t just calculate its moves—it had mechanical arms that physically moved its pieces, in the form of electrical jacks, across a grid. In later models the arm mechanism was replaced by magnets, and play took place on a more ordinary-looking chess board. You couldn’t cheat the machine as it could spot illegal moves; and you couldn’t win, as the game always started at a point (machine’s King and Rook versus human’s King) from which the machine could never lose.

In honor of El Ajedrecista’s 100th birthday, we’re working with the Telecommunication Engineering department of the Technical University of Madrid to stage a conference commemorating Torres-Quevedo’s legacy. The conference, taking place on November 7, will feature lectures and panel discussions, as well as an exhibition of Torres-Quevedo’s devices—including El Ajedrecista itself. Attendance is free—if you want to join us, request an invitation.

Posted by Lynette Webb, Senior Manager, External Relations

Have you got a great product, project or prototype that helps children and parents get the most out of the internet, whilst staying safe? Want to demo it to an audience of parents, children, celebrities and journalists?Read More

Have you got a great product, project or prototype that helps children and parents get the most out of the internet, whilst staying safe? Want to demo it to an audience of parents, children, celebrities and journalists?

If so, take this opportunity to win a resident membership to Europe's most exciting tech startup hub, Google’s Campus in London by entering the Interactivism: Think Kids contest. Campus is designed to support the UK’s burgeoning web entrepreneurs, offering seven floors of flexible work spaces, free high speed internet and all the support you need to fuel your idea. In addition, residents get access to mentoring programmes, speaker series, networking events and more.

NSPCC, FutureGov and Coadec, along with Google, are supporting this exciting opportunity. The deadline for submissions is 9pm on Wednesday 14th November 2012. Winners will be selected to attend the Interactivism pitch day at Campus on December 6th.

Find out more and submit your idea on the Simpl Challenge page.

Posted by Naomi Gummer, Senior Policy Analyst, Google UK

Back in April we announced a major expansion of the Google Art Project. Since then 15 million people have explored the paintings, sculptures, street art and photographs contributed by our partners. From today the number of treasures you can view is increasing by more than 10% as 2 ...Read More

Back in April we announced a major expansion of the Google Art Project. Since then 15 million people have explored the paintings, sculptures, street art and photographs contributed by our partners. From today the number of treasures you can view is increasing by more than 10% as 29 new art organisations from 14 countries bring their collections online.

A wide range of global institutions, large and small, well-known and less traditional, are represented. Explore contemporary works at the Istanbul Modern Art Museum, admire works from the Art Gallery of South Australia (who have contributed almost 600 objects) and access the treasures of the famous Museum of Palazzo Vecchio in Italy and Princeton University. This round has also seen contributions from more unusual sources including a collection from the National Ballet of Canada, pre-Columbian art from Peru, and decorative arts from China.

Now that the total number of objects online is more than 35,000, we've turned our attention towards thinking of different ways for you to experience the collections.

The first is a great educational tool for art students, enthusiasts or those who are simply curious. A “Compare” button has been added to the toolbar on the left of each painting. This allows you to examine two pieces of artwork side-by-side to look at how an artist’s style evolved over time, connect trends across cultures or delve deeply into two parts of the same work. Here's an example: place an early sketch of Winslow Homer's 'The Life Line' from the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum next to the completed painting from the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Comparing them in this way allows you to see how the artist's vision altered (or not) over the life of the work.

Beyond following us and discussing great art on our Google+ page, we have also created a Hangout app within the Art Project so that you can share your favorite collections and perhaps give your friends a personal guided tour. If there is a budding museum guide or an art critic within any of you it can finally be unleashed! Watch this video to see how it works.



Around 180 partners have contributed their works to the Art Project so far, more than 300,000 of you have created your own online galleries and we've had more than 15 million visitors since our last launch in April. The cultural community has invested great time and effort to bring these masterpieces online. Watch this space for more to come.

Posted by Piotr Adamczyk, Google Art Project

Three decades ago in Gdansk, Poles rose up and created a marvel - an independent trade union Solidarity that, after a decade of non-violent struggle, threw off the shackles of communism. Today, the country is part of the European Union and has created a vibrant free market democracy - making it a potential leader in pushing Internet freedom. I travelled to Solidarity's birthplace, to give the keynote speech at the largest conference of Polish bloggers ...Read More

Three decades ago in Gdansk, Poles rose up and created a marvel - an independent trade union Solidarity that, after a decade of non-violent struggle, threw off the shackles of communism. Today, the country is part of the European Union and has created a vibrant free market democracy - making it a potential leader in pushing Internet freedom. I travelled to Solidarity's birthplace, to give the keynote speech at the largest conference of Polish bloggers, Blog Forum Gdansk.



More than 200 young, energetic bloggers (and 120,000 online viewers) assembled in the conference room of the sparkling new Gdansk Stadium, constructed for the Euro 2012 tournament. In a keynote speech, we outlined the promise and perils of Internet freedom. For me, it was a moving moment - I remember covering the Solidarity revolution in the 1980s as a journalist and I compared how I took notes almost in secret and only could publish my stories after I left the country. Now Tweets and blogs were published direct from the conference room, in real time.

In many ways, Poland should be ripe for Internet freedom to flourish. More than any other Central European country under Soviet rule, Poland resisted and kept the spirit of free discourse alive with a vibrant samizdat press. Estonia recently captured first place in Freedom House's rankings and has become the poster-child for post-communist freedom fighters. Despite some initiatives supporting an open internet, Poland remains ranked at a distant 17th place.

Why? Our meetings with bloggers and NGOs in both Warsaw and Gdansk illustrated how the power of the Internet to revolutionise free expression is not yet full understood. Many complain about a worrying rise of hate speech. Many politicians are angry about comments posted on the free Internet, and libel and defamation suits proliferate. Some Polish court rulings seem to interpret liability laws in a restrictive way detrimental to Internet platforms, threatening to limit freedom of expression for users.

Our appearance at the Blog Forum Gdansk is just a first step in an effort to encourage change. Over the coming months, we will continue our activities to demonstrate how the Internet provides positive new possibilities for Poles to express themselves.

Posted by William Echikson, Head of Free Expression, Europe, Middle East and Africa

Cross-posted with the Official Google Blog">

Tomorrow marks the start of the observance of Eid El Adha, celebrated by the world’s 1.5 billion Muslims. As part of this holiday, nearly 2.5 million Muslims will participate in the world’s largest pilgrimage to perform the ritual of ...Read More

Cross-posted with the Official Google Blog">

Tomorrow marks the start of the observance of Eid El Adha, celebrated by the world’s 1.5 billion Muslims. As part of this holiday, nearly 2.5 million Muslims will participate in the world’s largest pilgrimage to perform the ritual of Hajj. This year, millions more from around the world will be able to experience the ritual via the Saudi Ministry of Culture and Information's YouTube channel’s live stream from Mecca, Saudi Arabia.



The Hajj represents one of the five pillars of Islam; it requires all Muslims around the world who are able-bodied and can afford it to perform the pilgrimage once in their lifetime. The pilgrimage occurs from the 8th to 12th day of Dhu al-Hijjah, the 12th and last month of the Islamic calendar.

This live stream was made possible by our cooperation with the Saudi Ministry of Culture and Information, which also broadcast Islamic prayers live from the Grand Mosque in Mecca during this year’s Ramadan.

Watch on www.youtube.com/makkahlive.

Posted by Abdulrahman Tarabzouni, Head of Emerging Arabia, Google

As a 15 year old, I entered a math contest run by the math journal KöMaL. One problem kept me working through the night, even prompting me to dream about it. Unfortunately, I dreamed up the wrong solution. But the challenge excited me so much that I kept on studying math. Now, I work on search quality for Google, optimizing the functions and algorithms that make our search results as fresh as possible.Read More

As a 15 year old, I entered a math contest run by the math journal KöMaL. One problem kept me working through the night, even prompting me to dream about it. Unfortunately, I dreamed up the wrong solution. But the challenge excited me so much that I kept on studying math. Now, I work on search quality for Google, optimizing the functions and algorithms that make our search results as fresh as possible.

My own experience makes me happy to announce that Google is supporting this year’s KöMaL contest. Over the next nine months, students will be tested to solve tough mathematical problems. Winners of the different age categories and difficulty levels will be crowned towards September 2013.



For more than a century, KöMaL has been exciting Hungary’s aspiring mathematicians. A high school teacher called Dániel Arany, founded the mathematical journal, aiming aimed to educate high school students by challenging them to solve a series of complex mathematical problems. Almost all most eminent Hungarian mathematicians and physicists were participants in the competition as youngsters, including Pál Erdős, Pál Turán, László Lovász, János Pintz, Imre Bárány, and Vilmos Totik.

I’m looking forward to seeing whose name might be up there next and will report back next year to announce the winner! In the meantime, why not have a go at October’s problem:

Prove that the sum of the squares of seven consecutive integers cannot be a perfect square.*

Find the solution to this and other month’s mathematical problems here.

Posted by Gábor Fehér, Search Quality Engineer

There has been some interest around an extract from a note we have prepared about a proposal by French news publishers associations to require search engines to license all of the content that they help users to find across the web.Read More

There has been some interest around an extract from a note we have prepared about a proposal by French news publishers associations to require search engines to license all of the content that they help users to find across the web.

The web has led to an explosion of content creation, by both professional and citizen journalists. So it's not a secret that we think a law like the one proposed in France and Germany would be very damaging to the internet. We have said so publicly for three years.

In order to shed light on the reasons that lead us to believe that this law is detrimental to French users, innovation on the Internet and ultimately to the news publishers themselves, we decided to post the note in its entirety. We have always been and remain committed to collaborate with French Publishers associations as they experiment and develop sustainable economic models on the Internet.



Posted by Olivier Esper, Director, Public Policy, France

Across Europe, NGOs, Governments and industry are working together to make the internet a safer place for kids. Together we are raising awareness of the key challenges and building innovative tools to help ensure that parents have control over the content that they - and their families - see online. Signs of our progress were visible when 25 child safety organisations from across 14 European countries recently visited our London office for Google’s first ever European Youth and Tech Summit.Read More

Across Europe, NGOs, Governments and industry are working together to make the internet a safer place for kids. Together we are raising awareness of the key challenges and building innovative tools to help ensure that parents have control over the content that they - and their families - see online. Signs of our progress were visible when 25 child safety organisations from across 14 European countries recently visited our London office for Google’s first ever European Youth and Tech Summit.

The day’s agenda ranged from product deep-dives, such as a detailed look at YouTube’s reporting mechanisms, to practical tips on how Google can help NGOs improve their online presence. We examined Google’s work in education such as YouTube for Schools and the YouTube Curriculum.



NGOs informed about innovative and inspiring new projects, including Net Ecoute and Second Friend, and leading experts such as Janice Richardson (In Safe) and Dave Miles (FOSI) shared their insights.

We know there’s no easy solution to the question of child safety. All of us are committed to strengthening our safety tools and educational resources. The only chance of reaching our common goal - a safer internet for all - is if we work together. With initiatives such as this Summit, Google is committed to playing our part

Posted by Naomi Gummer, Policy Analyst

Very few people have stepped inside Google’s data centers, and for good reason: our first priority is the privacy and security of your data, and we go to great lengths to protect it, keeping our sites under close guard. While we’ve shared many of our ...Read More

Very few people have stepped inside Google’s data centers, and for good reason: our first priority is the privacy and security of your data, and we go to great lengths to protect it, keeping our sites under close guard. While we’ve shared many of our designs and best practices, and we’ve been publishing our efficiency data since 2008, only a small set of employees have access to the server floor itself.

Today, for the first time, you can see inside our data centers and pay them a virtual visit. On Where the Internet lives, our new site featuring beautiful photographs by Connie Zhou, you’ll get a never-before-seen look at the technology, the people and the places that keep Google running. The site is available in English, Italian, Spanish, French, Finnish, and Dutch.

In addition, you can now explore our Lenoir, NC data center at your own pace in Street View. Walk in the front door, head up the stairs, turn right at the ping-pong table and head down the hall to the data center floor. Or take a stroll around the exterior of the facility to see our energy-efficient cooling infrastructure. You can also watch a video tour to learn more about what you're viewing in Street View and see some of our equipment in action.



Finally, we invited author and WIRED reporter Steven Levy to talk to the architects of our infrastructure and get an unprecedented look at its inner workings. His new story is an exploration of the history and evolution of our infrastructure, with a first-time-ever report from the floor of a Google data center.

Fourteen years ago, back when Google was a student research project, Larry and Sergey powered their new search engine using a few cheap, off-the-shelf servers stacked in creative ways. We’ve grown a bit since then, and we hope you enjoy this glimpse at what we’ve built. In the coming days we’ll share a series of posts on the Google Green Blog that explore some of the photographs in more detail, so stay tuned for more!

Posted by Urs Hölzle, Senior Vice President, Technical Infrastructure

The Internet is a motor for economic growth, particularly in times of financial crisis. In Slovakia, a new Boston Consulting Group report entitled "Slovakia’s Online Opportunity" reveals that the Internet is already making a big contribution to the economy and to employment - and that the country has the potential to become an Internet powerhouse in coming years.Read More

The Internet is a motor for economic growth, particularly in times of financial crisis. In Slovakia, a new Boston Consulting Group report entitled "Slovakia’s Online Opportunity" reveals that the Internet is already making a big contribution to the economy and to employment - and that the country has the potential to become an Internet powerhouse in coming years.

In 2011, BCG says, the Internet contributed EUR 2.3 billion to the Slovak economy (equivalent to 3.3% of GDP) - which makes the Internet a bigger contributor to GDP than traditional sectors such as telecoms and banking. Internet-using businesses provided around 30,000 jobs (approximately 2.3% of overall Slovak employment).

Looking ahead to 2016, the net’s impact is expected to grow by 12% - one of the fastest growth rates of any country surveyed by BCG - reaching 4% of Slovak GDP by 2016. As a small, open economy, Slovakia is dependent on exports for growth. BCG says that because the Internet allows exporters to promote themselves more easily around the world, it could be a game-changer for Slovakian companies, and that exports will account for around 30% of the Internet’s enlarged contribution to Slovak GDP by 2016



More than 100 guests gathered in Bratislava recently for the study’s launch and a debate on the importance of the Internet to Slovakia’s economy. The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Director of Research at the National Bank of Slovakia, and the Deputy Finance Minister Pellegrini all participated in the debate, along with well-known business leader Peter Littmann, CEO of Brandinsider.

Minister Pellegrini confirmed that stimulating the Internet economy and encouraging innovation are a key part of his Government’s policies for the coming years - and announced that he is creating a new Digital Champion Advisory Committee to help develop Slovakia’s Internet economy. The group will bring together politicians, SMEs and Internet companies - and he extended an invitation to Google to be one of the founding members.

We warmly accepted the invitation and we look forward to helping Slovakia take advantage of it’s “Online Opportunity”.

Posted by Ondrej Socuvka, Public Policy and Government Affairs Manager, Slovakia

It’s a project close to our hearts. This week, the Mundaneum in the Belgian city of Mons opened a new exhibition on the history of collecting and organising information. We were delighted to lend our support as part of our ongoing partnership.Read More

It’s a project close to our hearts. This week, the Mundaneum in the Belgian city of Mons opened a new exhibition on the history of collecting and organising information. We were delighted to lend our support as part of our ongoing partnership.

Decades before the creation of the World Wide Web, Paul Otlet and Henri La Fontaine envisaged a paper archival system of the world’s information. They built a giant international documentation centre -- the Mundaneum. For us at Google, this mission sounds familiar.



Entitled “Renaissance 2.0,” A Journey Through the Origins of the Web,” the new exhibition combines video, images, and text to take us on a journey through the origins of the web. It explains the role of Otlet and Lafontaine as well as World Wide Web creator Tim Berners Lee, and, of course, the role of Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin.

This past week, we appeared at a press conference organized by the Mundaneum to celebrate the new exhibition. In the evening, Belgian Prime Minister Elio di Rupo attended an opening cocktail and we celebrated. At the party, everyone took a step back in time, with hostesses dressed in the same 19th century uniforms they used to assemble the original Mundaneum. The exhibition runs for the coming nine months and we hope many of you can make the trip to see it.

Post content Posted by William Echikson, External Relations

For most people, computing seems such a modern pastime that little thought is given to its history. Thankfully, there are exceptions. Today was a chance to pay tribute to some dedicated preservers of computing heritage, via the ...Read More

For most people, computing seems such a modern pastime that little thought is given to its history. Thankfully, there are exceptions. Today was a chance to pay tribute to some dedicated preservers of computing heritage, via the Tony Sale Award for Computing Conservation.

This award, sponsored by Google, is managed by the Computer Conservation Society and named in memory of Tony Sale, leader of the project to reconstruct Colossus. Tony’s son Nigel now manages a technical team at Google, so fittingly was our representative on the judging panel.

As Nigel describes:
“The bigger the challenge, the more motivated Dad would be to prove he could do it. When he started a new project it would be his entire focus. I often remember him sitting in his study, surrounded by piles of papers, wires and circuit boards, with his soldering iron smoking away as he pondered the latest problem. I can see many things that my Dad would admire in all the entries. All faced challenges and overcame obstacles; many have taken years to complete. What underlines them all is a dedication to succeed, of which I know my Dad would approve”.

There were four finalists, each deserving of commendation:

• The project to restore a functioning 1959 DEC PDP-1, led by Dag Spicer of the Computer History Museum in California 
• Time-Line, a collection of equipment that has been assembled with great dedication over two decades by Michael Armstrong in Wigton, UK 
• The reconstruction and simulation of Konrad Zuse’s Z3 by Raúl Rojas in Berlin 

 As well as the ultimate winner:

• “Love letters” -- an art installation featuring romantic messages generated by a replica of a Ferranti Mark 1 by Dr David Link in Cologne.

Congratulations to David for his stunning work.  As Chairman of the Judges, Rachel Burnett said:  
“The winning entry is both a brilliant technical construction and a work of art. Its fusion of art, engineering and history celebrates one of the first artistic applications of the computer in a visually attractive way. The wide cultural appeal, originality and touch of genius of this entry set it apart and has given us an inspiring first winner of the Tony Sale Award”  

There’s an old saying, never forget where you came from. Thanks to all who commit their time and energy to ensuring this doesn’t happen to computing.

Posted by Lynette Webb, Senior Manager, External Relations

Today you can discover 42  new online historical exhibitions telling the stories behind major events of the last century, including Apartheid, D-Day and the Holocaust. The stories have been put together by 17 partners including museums and cultural foundations who have drawn on their archives of letters, manuscripts, first-hand video testimonials and much more. Much of the material is very moving—and some is on the Internet for the first time.Read More

Today you can discover 42 new online historical exhibitions telling the stories behind major events of the last century, including Apartheid, D-Day and the Holocaust. The stories have been put together by 17 partners including museums and cultural foundations who have drawn on their archives of letters, manuscripts, first-hand video testimonials and much more. Much of the material is very moving—and some is on the Internet for the first time.



Each exhibition features a narrative which links the archive material together to unlock the different perspectives, nuances and tales behind these events. Among others you’ll see:

• Tragic love at Auschwitz - the story of Edek & Mala, a couple in love who try to escape Auschwitz
• Jan Karski, Humanity’s hero - first-hand video testimony from the man who attempted to inform the world about the existence of the Holocaust
• Faith in the Human Spirit is not Lost - tracing the history of Yad Vashem’s efforts to honor courageous individuals who attempted to rescue Jews during the Holocaust
• Steve Biko - a 15-year-old’s political awakening in the midst of the Apartheid movement featuring nine documents never released in the public domain before
• D-Day - details of the famous landings including colour photographs, personal letters and the D-Day order itself from Admiral Ramsay
• The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II - an account of the 1953 Coronation including colour photographs
• Years of the Dolce Vita - a look at the era of the “good life” in Italy including the fashion, food, cars and culture

As with the other archives that we’ve helped bring onto the Internet, including the Dead Sea Scrolls, you can zoom in to see photos in great detail and search through millions of items for a specific country, person, event or date. Watch our video for some guidance about how to find your way around the exhibitions.

The historical collections are the latest chapter in the work of the Google Cultural Institute, following the Art Project, World Wonders and the Nelson Mandela archives. We’re working closely with museums, foundations and other archives around the world to make more cultural and historical material accessible online and by doing so preserve it for future generations.

You can explore the many exhibitions at www.google.com/culturalinstitute. You can also follow us on our Google+ page. What you see today is just the start, so if you’re a partner interested in contributing your own exhibitions, please fill out this form.

Posted by Mark Yoshitake, Product Manager, Google Cultural Institute

“Europe wake up! We will only return to growth and prosperity if we complete the Single Market.” This motion will be debated tonight at 19:00 CET, live via Google+ Hangout on Air and on YouTube.Read More

“Europe wake up! We will only return to growth and prosperity if we complete the Single Market.” This motion will be debated tonight at 19:00 CET, live via Google+ Hangout on Air and on YouTube.

European Commissioner Michel Barnier will open the debate. Four EU experts - from the left and the right of the political spectrum and each with an axe to grind - will argue for and against the motion. Via Google+ Hangouts, the experts will cross-examine witnesses - including journalists, academics, economists and entrepreneurs from Ireland, Poland, Germany, France and Greece - to convince you they’re right. Veteran journalist and broadcaster Christine Ockrent will moderate.



The debate takes place just a few days before the EU marks the Single Market’s 20th anniversary. When it was launched in 1992, the Commission’s bold attempt to construct a seamless, truly tariff-free, pan-European market stimulated a wave of ‘Europtimism’. Now, with Europe facing challenging economic times, the Single Market’s importance to Europe is being re-examined.

You can have your say by voting on the motion - both before and after the debate - via youtube.com/versusdebates.

You can also join the discussion by adding your comments and questions to the +Versus Google+ page during the debate. The best questions, as decided by the debate organiser, Intelligence Squared, will be put to the panel, live on air.

Posted by Al Verney, Senior Communications Manager, Google

Every month, YouTube viewers watch four billion hours of video, allowing bloggers, campaigners, vloggers and entertainers ways to reach their audience on an unprecedented scale. Many of the most popular challenge conventional wisdom and shine a spotlight on otherwise forgotten issues. Perhaps the best example is ...Read More

Every month, YouTube viewers watch four billion hours of video, allowing bloggers, campaigners, vloggers and entertainers ways to reach their audience on an unprecedented scale. Many of the most popular challenge conventional wisdom and shine a spotlight on otherwise forgotten issues. Perhaps the best example is Kony2012, shown below, which highlighted the plight of child soldiers in Central Africa. It has recorded more than 93 million views and pressured governments to take action.



Hunter Walk, one of YouTube’s most senior executives, will speak in Brussels this coming Tuesday about YouTube’s emergence as a platform for social good, activism and free expression.

When: Tuesday, October 16th 2012 @ 18.00
Where: Google Brussels, Chaussée D'Etterbeek 180 | 1040 Brussels
Registration: Please register here
Need another reason to come?: Enjoy some Googley refreshments!

About our Tech Talks: Ever wondered how exactly Google is tackling the big technology problems that the online world faces? Want to take a look behind the curtain of our engineering operations and learn from the people who actually work on the Google products and services day-in, day-out? Here's your chance: The Google Brussels TechTalks.

Posted by Angela Steen, Senior Policy Analyst

“Sweden needs constant economic growth, and Swedish businesses and entrepreneurs need inspirational role models”. This is how Dagens Industri, Sweden’s biggest business daily newspaper, explains its annual Gazelle Award programme ...Read More

“Sweden needs constant economic growth, and Swedish businesses and entrepreneurs need inspirational role models”. This is how Dagens Industri, Sweden’s biggest business daily newspaper, explains its annual Gazelle Award programme.  The Gazelle, which turns 13 this year, is a high profile and prestigious initiative honouring local companies that are growing the fastest and creating the most new jobs.

This year, we’ve partnered with Dagens Industri to take the Gazelle award digital.  Companies that use the Internet in an inspiring way, boosting growth or empowering other businesses, now also have a chance for recognition thanks to the new “Digital Gazelle” prize. Regional winners will be announced during the nationwide tour currently underway, with the overall winner being crowned on stage at the 2012 Gazella Gala on December 3rd in Stockholm.

The concept of a business ‘Gazelle’ was first coined by the American researcher David Birch in the 1980s. His work showed it is the small, fastest growing businesses - the “gazelles” - that create most new jobs and growth, unlike the “elephants” who often have to streamline their businesses and reduce employment.

Annually less than 0.5 percent of all Swedish companies are appointed as Gazelles.  To achieve this companies must meet tough criteria, including annual turnover exceeding 10 million SEK, and a 3 year track record of strong sales growth, with turnover more than doubling in the past year.  It’s no exaggeration to say all Swedish businesses strive to have a Gazelle diploma to hang on their wall.

According to BCG, the Internet economy already accounts for more than 6.6% of Sweden’s GDP and the web has proven a strong catalyst for business growth.  We’re delighted to sponsor this new award to celebrate Sweden’s online successes.

 Posted by Emma Stjernlöf, Communications Manager, Nordics

For once, Ireland’s fickle weather is proving a good thing. Our new data centre in Dublin benefits from an advanced air-cooling system that uses cool Irish air to keep our computers running smoothly - and removes the need for costly and power-hungry chillers.Read More

For once, Ireland’s fickle weather is proving a good thing. Our new data centre in Dublin benefits from an advanced air-cooling system that uses cool Irish air to keep our computers running smoothly - and removes the need for costly and power-hungry chillers.

Located in West Dublin, the new facility has been designed to deliver lightning fast, secure online services - but not at the cost of energy-efficiency. We’re committed to carbon neutrality and over the years, have reduced our overall energy requirements to around 50% of the energy used by a typical data centre.

As a result, we can now pass on our energy savings to our users - for the same amount of energy a single small business uses to host its email locally, approximately 80 businesses could be hosted in the cloud.

Minister Richard Bruton TD, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, visited the €75 million centre last week to officially open the facility. In his speech, he noted how the Irish government is committed to ambitious policies to take advantage of the country’s potential as a centre for cloud computing and the Internet - policies which would “contribute to Ireland’s economic recovery.”

Minister Bruton, TD, and Google's Paul Dunne inspect the air-cooling system

From left to right: Dan Costello, Director of Datacenter Operations, Google and John Herlihy, head of Google Ireland, with Minister Bruton, TD, as he switches on the air-cooling system.

Construction of the new Irish centre took just under one year to complete. More than 1,000 people working for 90 specialist building and engineering companies contributed to the build. In total approximately 400,000 man-hours were dedicated to the project. Google now employs over 2,500 people in Dublin, up from around 2000 people a year ago.

Google owns and operates energy-efficient data centres elsewhere in Europe, including Hamina in Finland and St Ghislain, in Belgium. Details of the locations of our data centres, how they work, their energy performance data, energy efficiency best practices and more can be found on our data centre website.

Posted by Al Verney, Senior Communications Manager, Google