Google, Star Wars collaboration to ‘awaken the Force within’ apps

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWNY57CAY5U

As the days leading to the opening of the latest Star Wars film seem like an eternity, Google gives fans a chance to fill that hunger with “Awaken the Force Within.”

“‘Awaken the Force Within’ is a global creative and technology collaboration between Google and Disney in celebration of the upcoming film set to open in theaters on Dec. 18th,” says a press statement by Google.

Choose your side

To get started, users need to first choose between the dark or light side through https://www.google.com/starwars/.

In a few minutes, users will see their skins or themes change as they log on to their apps.

Standard loading bars turn into a blue or red light saber for YouTube and Gmail, which also features a skin that shows stills from the movie. The same goes for the Chrome browser which opens with an image greeting in every new tab.

On Google Maps, the Pegman (for Google View) changes into “a new form as a First Order Stormtrooper or Resistance Pilot.” Users can navigate their destinations with “the help of a TIE fighter or X-wing.” The pin used to locate places also transforms into a light saber.

Key milestones

Google Calendar also keeps fans posted on “key movie milestones.” Android users will see a full transformation of Google Now where “cards automatically appear in your feed with ‘this day in Star Wars history’ fun facts.”

Other apps such as Waze and Translate will also get the Star Wars treatment.

In the coming weeks before “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” opens, Google and Disney will be rolling out more features on Cardboard, for a virtual reality experience, and Chrome Experiment. RC

Choose between the light and the dark side in the Google and Star Wars collaboration “Awaken the Force Within.”