Filed under: Design, Internet, News, Web services, Google
Google Homepage introduces dynamic themes
Any user of Google's web based offerings probably won't leap at the chance to nominate it for some flashy design award. Let's face it: Google is definitely known for doing function, and doing it well, but the company tends to shy away from rich color and shiny rounded corners because, well, that's just how they roll. That said, you can imagine our surprise today to discover dynamic themes in Google Homepage. There aren't many of them, in fact: pictured above is just one (called 'Bus Stop') of six available themes, but they all bring a very unique, colorful touch to Google's flexible and widgetized landing page service.
A new 'Select Theme' link has been added next to 'Add Stuff' on the right, under which the theme widget will temporarily open at the top right of the widget area. Selecting any theme will change your homepage to match, and once you click 'save' to commit, you'll be offered a Location box to enter or change your zip code, as every theme dynamically changes based on your location, time of day and (for some) even local weather conditions. This is perhaps one of those over-the-top touches Google is known for, but it adds such an interesting layer of creativity to a functional service.After the jump, check out screenshots of all the themes in action, though note that they were snapped at 7:23am Mountain Standard Time in the US; they should all look at least a little different depending on where you are and what time of day when you go to actually play with them yourself.
So, just how good at time waster games are you? Think you've got the stuff? Well, The World's Hardest Game 2.0 doesn't think you do.
Yes, amazingly, it's possible to have a sequel to a game called "The World's Hardest Game". It doesn't seem logically possible, since if the first one was actually the world's hardest, how could another one come along and share the moniker? It made me doubt the name in the first place. That is, until I tried the game.
The mechanics of the game are very simple. You are a small red square, ...
