Imagine you live in the Miami area where hurricanes and over-flooding are rather not a surprise anymore. You are on the streets trying to find your way safely back home when you see a man helping out a stray dog to find his lost family. Now, you have two options: sharing this news on social media and hoping it will get reposted enough times to eventually reach the dog’s family, or you can share the news along with a photo through Google’s Bulletin where the possibility that the news will reach the dog’s family who might at that very moment be searching Google for animal shelters are greater as your news might be the one to pop out in the search results.

Source: Photo by Joel Goodman

What is Google Bulletin?

Google Bulletin is a new mobile and web app that will let users publish and share a news story by blogging and sharing videos or images straight from their phone or their desktop. It is Google’s latest child that just launched yesterday for its pilot study in two American cities: Nashville, Tennessee, and Oakland, California.

According to Google’s representatives the idea for the new app is to tell “hyperlocal stories about your community, for your community, right from your phone. Bulletin makes it effortless to put a spotlight on inspiring stories that aren’t being told.”

The app will no require any major registrations nor setup to post a story, and once posted to the Bulletin the news stories will be made public and easy to find not only through the app but throughout all Google search results.

“Bulletin is an experimental app that gives people an easy way to tell stories about what is going on around them—ranging from local bookstore readings to high-school sporting events to information about local street closures,” he said. “We are excited to see how people use the app during this pilot phase.” – Google Bulletin Product Manager James Morehead.

How will Google Bulletin work?

Download the app and sign up

Google claims its app is a “free, lightweight app” that can be dowloaded very easily. As of now, Google is running a pilot study that anyone is Nashville and Oakland can sign up for using a short Google Forms questionnaire that besides asking for the basic information like name, city, e-mail address etc., it also will ask about whether the user is a member of the media industry.

The link to the questionnaire can be found here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSflVrcKXSMhrrX5mdrf4lZAv1vxclru3h3I2BCMI6ybD3lvdQ/viewform

Share your news story

After downloading the app, users will be able to start creating their news stories right away without the need to go to any third-party websites to set up a blog account. Google will let users upload videos and pictures right to the app, and the news stories will be instantly posted and will appear in Google News and Google Search results. There will also be an opportunity to share the news via emails, the messenger app, and on various social media platforms.

Google Bulletin – a new way into Fake News content creation?

Google and Facebook have both come under fire for allowing fake news to spread all over their platforms. The 2016 US Presidential Elections tickled the spread of thousands of fabricated fake news articles about the political candidates and their respective parties around the internet. The so called political clickbait has evolved into a money making business that got out of control and as many believe was one of the main reasons that influenced how Americans voted.

So, the question that needs to be asked here is how is Google going to verify the accuracy of every single news story put out there?

Although, the company still has not addressed this issue, they did say that any “deceptive behavior” will lead to a removal of Google accounts. Unfortunately, this does not address the issue of misinformation.

Even though, Google Bulletin seems to be aiming at the coverage of local events and happenings rather than hard cover news stories, as of now, it seems like a legitimate threat to elevating the amount of misleading information available online, as anyone will be able to create content on whatever topic they want.

By putting such power in the hands of the people, the app has the potential to either bring local communities closer together, or tear them apart. In order to prevent the second option from happening, the new Google platform will need to think of ways to first of all, tweak their algorithms to allow for fast fact-checking and diminishing of suspect sites. Second, Google will need to put in effort in campaigns that will teach media literacy so that people can learn how to distinguish between the news sources and how to recognize which ones are biased on their own.

Sources:

https://thenextweb.com/google/2018/01/26/google-is-building-bulletin-a-hyperlocal-community-news-service/

https://www.engadget.com/2018/01/26/google-bulletin-hyperlocal-news-updates/

http://www.businessinsider.com/google-bulletin-fake-news-2018-1?IR=T

Google experiments in local news with an app called Bulletin

Martin scrolled down the home listings in Rome for almost 2 hours…

… before deciding on booking “Sunny Side”, a one bedroom, one bath studio located “just a few blocks away from the spectacular Colosseum”. The photos of the place posted on the website were really nice and the homeowner seemed happy to reply to all of Martin’s questions and concerns, and even helped him to plan his arrival from the airport. Martin was very optimistic about this Airbnb rental. That was until he unlocked the rental place door and entered in. What was described and pictured as a “beautiful sunny terrace” was rather a tiny balcony full of disgusting ashtrays, and instead of a snow white bathroom floor that was pictured on a website, the floor color rather resembled a dirty yellowish tone that was definitely not to be touched barefoot. To add up to his disappointment, Martin who does not speak any Italian, had a really hard time finding the street on which the studio was located, and once found he had a feeling like the area was way further from the Colosseum than described on the website, and not as tourist friendly as he expected.

There are plenty of different stories like this one out there, but it is no secret that Airbnb still thrives among other hotel options.

From renting an airbed in a spare room to 3 million rental room listings later, Airbnb has successfully eliminated the friction in travel accommodations in 191 different countries, and has provided homeowners with a new opportunity to generate income. However, Airbnb does not only want to be a room rental portal, the company is moving towards becoming your go-to travel booking company.

Last November, Airbnb has launched its Trips feature, which allows users to book local experiences including all day activities such as city tours, or one-off events such as concerts, football games, restaurant trips and many more. Trips feature also includes access to user recommendations, insider guidebooks, and GPS audio walking tours that allow users to further immerse in local neighborhoods. 

This November, the company rolled out a new feature that comes in clutch when you travel with a bigger group. It is a split payment option facilitated by Apple Pay and its newly acquired peer-to-peer payment startup Tilt.

But the company did not stop there.

In its quest to organize your vacation from start to finish, Airbnb has taken the next big step – integrating AR and VR technology into your travel experience.

The company is looking to provide users like Martin with a better look at the rental place they are looking to stay in during their trip.

Augmented Reality ? or Virtual Reality?

The company wants to integrate both technologies into their operations. As for the use of VR, the company plans its integration in the first stage of trip planning to provide users with 360 degree photos and 3D scans that would allow them to step inside a home and city to get a better understanding of what to expect.

As for the use of AR, the company wants to integrate it in the second phase of traveling – when the user is already in its travel destination. The company claims that the use of AR could help guests to better navigate the city by providing them with timely information on bus services, museum hours, directions to get to places, translated labels on objects around them, information about important historical sites or places around, as well as to help them “navigate past cultural differences”.

AR, VR and the Travel Industry

The use of AR and VR in the travel industry is not new. There has already been many companies that have been attempting to give these new technologies a try including Mariott’s Virtual Honeymoon, KLM’s Dreamliner Boeing VR experience, the city of Florence AR travel guide, or even our local Warszawa 44′ AR app created for the Warsaw Uprising Museum that allows users to take a trip back in time.

Not only the travel industry has been experiencing with these technologies. Giants such as Google, Facebook and Apple have been modifying their platforms to fit in the new trends.

What does the future hold?

As of now, Airbnb is in the phase of prototype testing and has not provided any timeline information nor project release dates.

Although the company does have a huge potential to make a use of these technologies to possibly change the way we choose travel destinations, and how we mange to get around, it is still uncertain whether they will be successful in implementing this technologies to make our trips more fun.

So far, there has been a lot of skepticism emerging as to whether the new product will be a viral success, especially when it comes to the use of VR and its need for special headsets.

Because all travelers at one point or another face the same issue of getting lost, communication barriers, finding a place in a good location etc., the AR and VR could definitely be really helpful to first of all, get a real feel of what the place and neighborhood looks like and what’s to do around before actually booking the stay. Second of all, to maximize the time spent in the specific destination and to squeeze the most out of their experiences. If Airbnb is successful in its implementation of these technologies, the future of traveling might transform into a totally new and more advanced stage, where traditional book travel guides will be needed no more.

Although, a giant like Facebook has clearly been struggling with its sell of Oculus headset to make their VR platform go viral and to “transform the way people around the world stay connected with their communities and those closest to them.”, we are curious to see how Airbnb will handle this innovation, and whether the company will be more successful at it than Facebook and prove than AR and VR is not only a buzz word.

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With its new objective to change mindless video consumption into “time well spent”, Facebook has recently released an app for creators. Facebook Creator provides a wide range of offerings to influencers including new tools for video streaming and story updates, a unified inbox of comments and chats from Instagram and Facebook, a cross-posting platform, broad analytics and page insights. 

In addition, Facebook has also launched a new website – Facebook for Creators, with a goal to provide content creators with inspiration and learning support. The platform and the app seem like a great way to create a welcoming community of content creators. Facebook has definitely showed their care about the community of independent vloggers, and although Youtube is still Facebook’s biggest competition, the company has taken time advantage with their product launch over the fact that many Youtubers have been experiencing issues with a bot that demonetizes and limits the ads on their videos.

Possible Improvements

Sources:

Unless you have some superpowers, the odds of you understanding the language of every country you travel to are rather poor.

Think for a moment…How many times did you have to rely on Google Translator to communicate whatever you wanted to say when you were abroad?

Of course, you can buy a travel guide with a phrase book, or count on the fact that the guy at the local shoe store will understand your wild gestures…but how frustrating not being able to communicate really is?

To bridge the gap, Google has announced its new technology breakthrough – Google Pixel Buds, which are wireless headphones that serve a function of a real-time personal translator. The new device is supposed to have the capability of translating over 40 languages in real-time.

How would that work?

Imagine you are in Zanzibar, Tanzania on an exotic holiday in a 4-star hotel. You got tired of the hotel buffet food downstairs, and you decide to try out something more local. You go outside the hotel area and you notice a local women selling handmade purses. You approach her and by touching on the right earbud you ask her in your native tongue to recommend some good restaurant where locals like to eat out.

Instantly, the earbud translates whatever you said into the native language of your choice – which in case of Zanzibar would be either Arabic or English. For the local to respond in her native language, all you would have to do is to hand her the phone in order to receive an audio translation of her speech to your earbuds. Sound easy, right?

During its debut at the Google Pixel 2 event, presenters used Pixel Buds to demonstrate a conversation between two different languages, English and Swedish.

Where is the catch?

Although, instantaneous translation is the most groundbreaking feature of Google Pixel Buds, the device can help you out in plenty of other ways. It pairs up with Google Virtual Assistant, which is controlled with touches, swipes or spoken commands and can send text messages, make calls, listen to music or give you directions – all without getting your phone out of your pocket. Not only that, but the device is also capable of recording all your conversations if you wish to. Pixel Buds will be available in the U.S. at the beginning of November, and its cost will be $159.

It all sounds pretty great, however, it appears that as for now the translation feature will only work on the Google Pixel phones. Therefore, if you own an iPhone you might as well get AirPods, which provide you with similar smart functions as Google Pixel Buds, minus the translation feature.

Another issue that might come up when using Google Pixel Buds translating feature abroad might be the amount of mobile data needed for it to work, and the cost associated with it. Between the EU countries, data plans can be acquired at relatively reasonable rates, however if you travel further and need international roaming, that might cost you a fortune.

What about the language nuances?

There are countless examples roaming around the internet of inaccurate and at the same time funny translations from one language to another.

As human beings, we try to make logical sense out of the translated sentences. However, when a technology is brought up into the equation the potential for misunderstandings is even greater.

Google had in the past received legal threats from a small Spanish town when its translator made a mistake of translating a simple word for an offensive one. I can only imagine that when more people will start using the translating feature of Google Pixel Buds, the possibility of inaccurate translations bordering the line of offensive will be even higher.

Another issue that comes to my mind is, how well Google technology is going to take into the account the cultural grammatical aspects and complexities of the spoken language?

Let’s take the Spanish language as an example. There are about 405 million native Spanish speakers in the world. However, even within this number, not all of them speak the same Spanish. Each country, and each region has its own colloquialisms, and regional variations. How is Google translator going to coupe with that to make sure that the technology provided is inclusive to everyone?

What about the future?

Despite, all the potential issues that might come up with more frequent usage of the device, Google has provided us with leading-edge technology that has the power to unite and bring people closer together.

Real-time translation for now will probably be only used in simple, daily conversations, rather than technical talks, however Pixel Buds do sound promising, and our modern society is definitely prepared for such a global communication game-changer.

Sources:

Game Changer: New Google Earbuds Translate 40 Languages in Real Time

New Google ear buds offer real-time translation of spoken conversations

Google’s Pixel Buds will find cultural complexities a challenge

Google’s New Earbuds With Real-Time Translation Have Huge Implications for Travel

https://sputniknews.com/analysis/201710131058199333-google-pixel-buds-headphones-translators/

http://www.techradar.com/news/google-pixel-buds-can-translate-in-real-time-through-your-pixel-phone