Chat App Kik’s Newest Feature Makes Sending GIFs As Easy As Emoji

Kik, the messaging app popular among teens and young people in North America, has rolled out an interesting new feature that makes sending a GIF as easy as an emoji.

As of today, the chat app now includes an integrated GIF search feature which uses emoji search terms.

In other words, you use emoji to find the kind of GIFs that you want to share. No searching or typing needed.

You simply pull up the GIF tab in a chat, and then click on the relevant emoji to surface GIFs. The search bar can be enlarged to cover the whole screen, if you really want to go crazy and find that prefect GIF.

The feature is powered by GIF keyboard company Riffsy, and seems — from my time using it, at least — to be a much better option than Facebook Messenger and others. Messenger initially relied on third party apps to provide GIFs. That, as I explained yesterday, is pretty annoying since it means users have to toggle between two apps. In response, Messenger recently got an integrated GIF button which surfaces trending content and allows users to remain in one app. But Kik’s option is far more intuitive — it spares everyone from sending the same GIFs to each other, or having to start typing out search queries on your phone.

“Search and discovery are built right into chat, so sending a GIF is as easy as a photo or video,” Joe Rideout, Product Manager at Kik, told us in an interview. “You can send GIFs without having to bring up a keyboard [which is important] because every time you have to pull up the keyboard it’s a pain in the ass. Typing is friction.”

Kik, which claims over 240 million registered users, began letting brands on to its platform last year. For now, its GIF feature is focused on serving the needs of its users but Rideout, who joined Kik when it acquired his GIF messenger startup Relay (yes, a certified GIF expert!) said there could be scope for brands and advertisers in the future.

“Brand GIFs are definitely something we’re looking into. You could totally imagine a baseball team wanting to sponsor a baseball emoji, for example,” he said. “Priority number one is to make sure we don’t hinder the user experience, but if we can find a way to get branded content in front of people in a delightful way, then we will explore it.”

Kik’s GIFs are initially without audio, but the company is looking into adding that kind of content, too. For now though, Kik users can turn to Clipdis and GIFdub, both of which have integrated with Kik and offer GIFs with sound.

YouTube Red, Google’s ad-free video service, launching October 28 for $9.99 per month

YouTube has been rumored to launch a subscription-based, advertisement-free video service for some time now, and it’s looking like that’s finally coming into fruition. Google has just announced YouTube Red, a new video service that will offer completely ad-free videos and more for just $9.99 per month.

Not only will the videos be ad-free in YouTube Red, it will also allow users to save videos and songs to their mobile devices for offline viewing, as well as the ability to keep videos playing in the background when using other applications. The $9.99 monthly fee also includes a free subscription to Google Play Music, which is a steal considering the music service normally costs $9.99 per month on its own. Additionally, Google Play Music subscribers will also get a free subscription to YouTube Red.

YouTube Red is launching on Wednesday, October 28th and will include a free 30-day trial for all users. Google says that early next year, YouTube Red subscribers will get member-only access to new, original shows and movies from popular content creators. You can learn more about the member-only channels by following this link.

Be sure to watch the promotional video attached above, and head to the YouTube link below to learn more about the service. There’s a pretty informative FAQ section at the bottom of the page, detailing all of YouTube Red’s features.

Google Doubles Down On AI In Europe As It Takes A Stake In DFKI Research Center In Germany

Google has been putting serious investment into building out its artificial intelligence, deep learning and robotics capabilities, and this week the company made its latest move to tap into some of the more cutting edge work going on in the field, specifically in Europe.

The search giant, through its German division Google Germany, has made an investment in the German Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence (the DFKI), a nonprofit institute where some 450 scientists, academics and others work on projects in areas like language technology, embedded intelligence, augmented reality, knowledge management, and mulitmedia analysis and data mining. It also spins out businesses based on those projects. It’s one of the largest research centers of its kind with a 2015 budget of €41 million ($46 million).

Google is not disclosing the value of its stake in the center but confirms that it will give Google a seat on the DFKI’s board.

A Google spokesperson says that the size of the investment is equal to that taken by 16 other private companies that partner with DFKI. Existing partners include industrial giants like Airbus and BMW as well as Intel, Microsoft, Nuance and SAP. Selected partners that also have seats on the board include Harting Technology, Empolis Information Management, and Deutsche Telekom.

The DFKI claims to be the first research organization in Europe to get an investment and board member from Google. But it’s not the first time that Google has made AI investments in Europe, or even in academic research into AI.

Google in 2014 paid more than $500 million to acquire AI startup DeepMind in the UK. Then, the DeepMind team acqui-hired two more AI startups and Google made a substantial investment into Oxford University’s AI research efforts. This year, Google followed on from that with an investment in Oxford University’s Venture Fund by way of Google Ventures.

For DFKI, getting Google on board will help the organization — which operates in Kaiserslautern, Saarbrücken, Bremen and Berlin — potentially get more of its research out into the market as actual products.

“The global market presence of Google opens up a unique opportunity,” read the DFKI press statement on Google’s investment. “I am sure that we can revolutionize mobility, living and working for the future with the next generation of autonomous assistance systems in innovation alliances with Google and our other shareholders,” noted Dr. Wolfgang Wahlster, CEO of the DFKI.

For Google’s part, the company had already been making a lot of internal investments in areas like AI, deep learning, machine learning and robotics — sometimes as tools to run live services today, and sometimes as an investment for whatever Google might like to do tomorrow. Adding an investment in the DFKI will give Google a direct line to external cutting-edge research in the area.

The two have been working together since 2001, noted Dr. Wieland Holfelder, engineering director, Google Germany. “[This investment] binds us together in a long-standing close partnership.”

Developing research partnerships and investments in AI could also be a strategic move for Google in another way: the company has been the subject of investigations by European regulators over being too dominant in businesses like online search and mobile, and of how well it safeguards user privacy.

Despite Google’s efforts, a lot of this paints Google in a negative light. Google using its muscle to back completely new areas of technology that are at the core of Europe’s own digital progress agenda is one way of trying to counterbalance that.

There is yet one more reason why it makes a lot of sense for Google to invest here: Getting an early look at some of the tech that has commercial potential could also give Google an advantage over rival companies that want to build up their own AI capabilities. That is a race that has also spilled into Europe, home to some of the more interesting research into the subject. Just last week, Apple acquired VocalIQ in the UK.

LOL is so over: Facebook study reveals 'haha' is how we laugh online

If you laugh online, it's probably with a "haha" or an emoji — at least, that's according to some interesting data analysis from Facebook.

Intrigued by an article in The New Yorker, Facebook decided to post the results of an in-depth look into how we laugh online.

 

The four most commonly used online laughs — according to Facebook's data — are "haha," an emoji, a variation of "hehe," followed by the classic "lol." "Haha" was far and away the most common type of online laugh, with 51.4% of the people in Facebook's dataset using some variation of that e-laugh online.

IMAGE: FACEBOOK

The research was limited to posts and comments on Facebook — importantly, not messages sent through Facebook Messenger — and although the study examined Facebook data from around the world, it was focused on English laughter and emoji.

Facebook breaks the data down to age, length of laugh (how long is your "hahaha" or emoji), gender and even region. It found 

women are more likely to laugh in emoji than men

women are more likely to laugh in emoji than men. Southern states like to "lol" and coastal states like to "haha" or "hehe."

We think it would be interesting to see this research expanded to non-English regions. Wouldn't it be great to see the characters or phrases used in German, French or Chinese to express laughter?

The entire study is fascinating and worth a read.

Everything you need to know about Google's new CEO, Sundar Pichai

Google just announced some huge changes to its executive structure.

Larry Page will run a completely new company called Alphabet, a collection of Google companies including Life Sciences, which manufactures glucose-sensing contact lenses, and Calico, which focuses on longevity. Sergey Brin will serve as Alphabet's President.

Former Chrome and Android head Sundar Pichai will be Google's CEO.

Many are still unfamiliar with Google's new chief executive, who first joined Google in 2004 and eventually worked his way up to be Page's right-hand man.

Originally from Tamil Nadu, one of India's 29 states, Pichai studied at the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, where he received a Bachelor of Technology.

He then received a M.S. from Stanford and obtained an MBA from Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. At Wharton, Pichai was honored as a Siebel Scholar and a Palmer Scholar.

Before his first job at Google, Pichai worked at Applied Materials as an engineer and then at McKinsey & Company in management consulting.

Reuters/Elijah Nouvelage

Sundar Pichai was put in charge of Android in 2013.

In 2004, Pichai joined Google as its vice president of product management, where he led the team working on Google's Chrome browser and operating system.

Pichai quickly began to receive more responsibility, however, taking on involvement with various Google search products including Firefox, Google Toolbar, Desktop Search, Gadgets, and Google Gears and Gadgets.

In September 2008, Pichai oversaw the successful launch of the Chrome web browser, and less than a year later, the web-based Chrome operating system for netbooks and desktop computers.

Pichai added another Google division to his portfolio in 2012 after Google Apps head Dave Girouard departed to start his own company, Upstart.

A year later, Pichai was put in charge of Android after Android co-founder and CEO Andy Rubin stepped down in March 2013.

Throughout his time at Google, Pichai has developed a sterling reputation for being well-liked, leading Recode's Kara Swisher to call his recent promotion "a definitive case of nice guys finish first."

Former Google product manager Chris Beckmann spoke highly of Pichaiin a recent Quora post, praising Pichai's ability to helm difficult projects while building a strong team.

"He recruited, mentored, and retained a great team," said Beckmann. "Sundar's team of product managers had a reputation as being among the best of the best, similar to the reputation of the software engineers within Search Quality."

Beckmann also mentioned that Pichai "avoided making enemies" in the midst of Google's workplace politics and "navigated those politics to make his team successful while inflicting the least possible damage on any other team."

Pichai demonstrated his team devotion while working under Marissa Mayer, who then was a key executive at Google. According to The Information's Amir Efrati, Pichai "used to wait for hours outside her office to make sure that she gave his team solid work-performance scores."

In addition to his team management skills, Efrati notes that Pichai has also been known to throw his weight around when necessary. At his year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Pichai reportedly "told Samsung's mobile-products leader that Google was willing to 'walk away' from its enormous phone partnership with the company."

Pichai's impressive track record at Google caused him to be approached by Twitter to potentially lead Product at the social network, but Pichai ultimately declined. In addition to Twitter's interest, Pichai's name was also mentioned as a potential front-runner for the position of Microsoft CEO after Steve Ballmer announced his resignation in August 2013.

In October 2014, Google announced that Page would be stepping back to focus "on the bigger picture," according to Recode, and that Pichai would take on a larger role as a result.

Pichai took charge of Google's core products, including search, maps, research, Google+, Android, Chrome, infrastructure, commerce and ads, and Google Apps.

In a press release announcing Pichai's new post as CEO Monday, Page wrote:

"He has really stepped up since October of last year, when he took on product and engineering responsibility for our internet businesses. Sergey and I have been super excited about his progress and dedication to the company. And it is clear to us and our board that it is time for Sundar to be CEO of Google. I feel very fortunate to have someone as talented as he is to run the slightly slimmed down Google and this frees up time for me to continue to scale our aspirations."

What did Sundar Pichai do to get promoted up to the highest ranks at Google?

What did Sundar Pichai do, that his peers didn't do, that got him promoted up to the highest ranks at Google?

When he started he reported to Marissa Mayer. In time he was promoted above her. Now he reports directly to Larry Page as Senior Vice President of Chrome, Android and Apps.

How did Sundar make the kind of impact that made him stand out above his peers?

There are lots of people at Google who work hard. Did Sundar work harder than his peers?

There are lots of people at Google who work smart. Did Sundar work smarter than his peers? If so, what is his paradigm that is smarter?

There are lots of super smart people at Google. Is Sundar innately smarter than them?

Sundar has a tremendous ability to see what’s ahead and mobilize teams around the super important stuff.

Business Insider compiles more quotes from sources close to Google:

• Everyone whom Business Insider talked to about Pichai emphasized that the exec was very empathetic; he actually cares about people. One former employee even said that Sundar was "without a doubt, one of the best people I've worked with," adding that when he decided to leave Google for a startup, Pichai was incredibly supportive and offered to help in any way he could.
• Pichai also knows how to build amazing teams. According to one former Googler, "He promotes really good people as opposed to the most political and opportunistic people."
• Unlike many execs, another source says, Pichai can "gracefully navigate the politics of a company as large as Google."
• Because Pichai has a reputation of being so enjoyable to work with, people want to transfer to his org, which goes back to his ability to build strong teams.
• Another former Googler who started one year before Pichai (who joined the company in 2004) says that even though Pichai was smart and capable from the get-go, "NO ONE" would have guessed he would end up as the company's second-in-command. He "did not have an obvious flair or overwhelming charm," our source says.
• That "substance over overt style," attitude ultimately sums up Pichai's focus on quality work, focus, and results instead of standing out, we're told.
• Not that everyone will necessarily be thrilled to have Pichai in charge. Sundar rose very fast within Google, and the egos of several members of Google's SVP team who have been around a long time are bruised. "Most of Google remembers him in a much more junior role," one source says. "For some of the old-timers, reporting to the guy that used to be four levels below you is a challenging thing."
• Another source tells the story of a meeting that took place about eight months ago that shows how Pichai could act as Page's interpreter. It was a planning meeting with a bunch of VPs and directors from across products to discuss several secret projects, and they were all squabbling. Then, Page walked in. He started talking about abstract concepts and big ideas unrelated to the established engineering roadmap and introducing aspects the teams hadn't expected. Everyone was shocked into silence, and Page walked out without getting a single question. A minute later, Pichai walked in and broke everything down: "I talked to Larry, and I think what he means is this ..." After that meeting concluded, Pichai hopped between the different teams and helped them figure out how they would move forward on the projects together. "He's like the Aaron to Larry's Moses," our source says, meaning that Pichai often acted as a spokesman for Page (in his memo to employees about Pichai's new position, Page acknowledged that the two "very much see eye-to-eye"). By not only interpreting Page's vision, but then coordinating efforts between groups, Pichai may have already been stepping into his role before it was officially given to him.
• Another former Googler agrees that "managing Larry," is one of Pichai's major skills. One of the main differences between the two, though, is that Page's tendency is to say "no" to everything while Pichai's tendency is to say "yes" to everything. This can be both a strength and a weakness, our source says. Pichai is amazing at finding ways to get teams to compromise, we've heard, but that management technique will be put under stress in his new role, where he'll have to make tough decisions in which both parties won't be happy.
• An anecdote we heard on Pichai's collaborative nature: Instead of being the kind of manager who interjected throughout a meeting, he would sit in the back, listen quietly, and then, once everyone had their say, deliver an idea that could work for everyone.


• An interesting comparison we heard for Pichai's new role: He's going to be like a new Eric Schmidt, but working below Page instead of above him. Page liked having Schmidt to handle the things about running the company that he hated, like deciding how to allocate head counts for different teams or dealing with talent. Page will be able to once again focus on things he really cares about.
• An interesting comparison we heard for Pichai's new role: He's going to be like a new Eric Schmidt, but working below Page instead of above him. Page liked having Schmidt to handle the things about running the company that he hated, like deciding how to allocate head counts for different teams or dealing with talent. Page will be able to once again focus on things he really cares about.
• An interesting comparison we heard for Pichai's new role: He's going to be like a new Eric Schmidt, but working below Page instead of above him. Page liked having Schmidt to handle the things about running the company that he hated, like deciding how to allocate head counts for different teams or dealing with talent. Page will be able to once again focus on things he really cares about.
• One theory we heard about Pichai's promotion was that it was partially motivated by Google's growing need for a more cohesive product strategy.
• Several former Googlers even said that Page's decision to promote Pichai gave them faith in both the CEO and the company's future. "Seeing him get more and more responsibility gives me a ton of confidence in Larry's leadership and ability to judge people," one told us.