Author Archives: Keyword Team

Using personal experience to make Chromebooks accessible

David Tseng has dedicated his career to using technology to break down barriers for people with disabilities. At Google, he’s the Technical Lead for Chrome OS accessibility services, which means that his team makes Chromebooks easier to use for people with a wide range of disabilities. In honor of Disability Awareness Month, we sat down with David to hear more about his experiences making Chromebooks more accessible. 

What led you to a career in tech and accessibility?

I happen to be blind myself, so I grew up closely tied to technology. My “pen and paper” consisted of digital braille displays. My textbooks and exams came in digital formats even when my sighted peers used the usual physical variety. My interactions with computers meant listening to computerized text-to-speech. Looking back, all of this nudged me to wonder how these crucial pieces of my daily life worked, and led me to study them in college and beyond.

My interest specifically in Chromebook accessibility stems from this personal passion. In large part, it comes from the fact that I not only use my Chromebook every day to accomplish all sorts of tasks at home and at work, but also that I’m an engineer with expertise in making those very products more helpful. When you work on something like accessibility it can be challenging because the user population has specific and detailed needs that aren’t always obvious or intuitive. It’s these challenges that motivate me. I’ve always thought that opportunities are boundless with software, and I still believe that today.

What does Disability Awareness Month mean to you?

I’ve always been eager to share with people the resources we have available through technology. For me, technology has served as a way to level the playing field. Now that so many of us have devices in our pockets at all times, we can move around more easily with our mobile phones, read our own mail, identify colors, recognize people’s faces and their expressions -- there are so many wonderful and empowering things we can do with technology that can help us all lead fulfilling and independent lives.

What's the best part of your job?

I love getting to lead the creation of features that tangibly make Chromebook better for users with disabilities, and also make Chromebook better for everyone. My team and I have the opportunity to create features for Chromebook like ChromeVox, which enables blind and low vision users to navigate the screen with audio spoken feedback, or with a connected braille display. This feature is personally meaningful to me, since I use it during my day-to-day work. 

David using ChromeVox on his Chromebook at work

My team and I have also developed Dictation on Chromebook, which allows a user to input text into any field on a Chromebook using their voice. This is especially useful not only for people with dexterity impairments, but also for anyone who wants to take a break from using their keyboard on Chromebook to type with their voice.  

Our team is on a journey to make Chromebook as strong as possible for people with disabilities. Over the past couple of months, we dramatically improved the usability of Automatic Clicks, where users can set the cursor to automatically click or take action when the cursor stops moving for a certain amount of time -- something that can be helpful for users with motor or dexterity challenges. 

I believe that accessibility is a mindset that can be integrated into any aspect of technology. Whether you're interested in machine learning, graphics, operating systems, hardware or gaming, there’s probably a pressing need for inclusive design. 

To learn more about how to turn on accessibility features that work best for your needs on Chromebook, check out the Chromebook accessibility help page for more information.

Redesigning Chrome: An interview with Chrome’s lead designer

If you use Google Chrome, you may have noticed some changes that started rolling out last week. Yes, indeed, Chrome got a fresh look for its 10th birthday, and today we sat down with Alex Ainslie, Chrome’s lead designer, to go behind the scenes of the biggest redesign since Chrome launched 10 years ago.


So first, what changed in Chrome? Why and why now?


Alex: We’re introducing a major refresh on Chrome across all platforms, which aligns with Google’s new Material Theme. This update involved changing our approaches to shape, color, iconography, and typography. And why right now? You only turn 10 once, so we thought it would be the ideal moment.


For most people (who are non-designers), the modern browser is a simple window to the internet. Is it really that simple?


Alex: A major focus of our work is about finding ways to simplify web browsing. And we think about simplification not so much as a goal, but instead as a strategy for making Chrome more usable. The new, simplified tab strip, for example, makes it faster to find a specific tab when you have many open.

tabs

Goodbye "tablerone." Hello user-friendly icons.

We’ve learned from user research around the world it can be hard to decipher URLs with too many words and characters. So we simplified the text you see in the address bar to make it easier to understand where a URL is taking you.

url

A simple user interface also makes it possible for us to create bold warnings when things aren’t safe: for example, when you visit a dangerous or deceptive site. This is an example of Chrome's values of simplicity and security reinforcing each other.

security

Your team spent the last year working on the new design. What challenges did you face?

Alex: One of our key design challenges is to be a good citizen of all platforms. That means we work hard to ensure Chrome both looks comfortable and behaves in familiar ways on Windows, Mac, Linux, Chrome OS, Android, Daydream and iOS. For example, we respect platform conventions for window controls, button ordering, typography, and more. And we also take care to negotiate the relationship between these platform-specific elements and Google's new Material Theme because we want Chrome to feel at home on all of your devices and to feel recognizably Googley.

The design team is spread across several offices - Mountain View, San Francisco, Los Angeles, London, Munich, and Paris. So in addition to thinking about how to improve Chrome’s UI we also think about how to maintain a healthy design culture across offices and timezones.

Have your team’s design principles changed since Chrome launched 10 years ago?

Alex: We still rely on the early Chrome team mantra, “Content, not chrome,” which is based on the idea of designing the browser UI to make the web content stand out. And our core values remain the same, though they’ve expanded. For example, in the case of speed, we think both about performance improvements to make pages load faster and about how Chrome can help people get things done more quickly. The improved Omnibox—which merges the search and address bar into one—is a great illustration of this.

malibu

What’s your proudest moment from the 8 years you’ve been on the team?

Alex: I appreciate that the Chrome team takes on difficult, long-term projects. For example, helping to move the web to HTTPS has been a multi-year effort. From improving our connection security indicators to marking HTTP sites as “Not secure,” we have plenty of examples of how design can help keep people safe and contribute to change throughout the ecosystem. So it’s not any specific element in Chrome’s UI that I am most proud of, but instead the broader outcomes that impact people out in the world.

Source: Google Chrome


Batik Njawani: the art and craft of an online business

One of the Indonesian batik fabric designs sold at Batik Njawani


Editor’s note: As part of our series of interviews with people across Asia-Pacific who use the Internet as a tool to connect, create and grow, we spoke with Jajang Nurzamzam, the owner of Batik Njawani, an Indonesian handicrafts store. The internet has helped Jajang grow his business and provide a livelihood for 10 Indonesian artisans that make the products he sells. 


Tell us about yourself and Batik Njawani.  

Actually, Batik Njawani was established by my wife’s family. Growing up, I never thought I would manage a business. After I graduated from vocational school, my first job was as a sales representative for a financial services company. When I married my wife, I decided to help her with the family business. You could say that I only became an entrepreneur by marriage!


Batik Njawani specializes in Indonesian handicrafts. We source our handmade products from craftspeople in Yogyakarta, which is a well-known center for Javanese culture and artisans in Indonesia.

Jajangandfamily

Batik Njawani owner Jajang Nurzamzam and his family.

Why did you decide to create an online presence for your business?

It can be hard to stand out from the crowd when there are so many handicraft shops in Indonesia. Before going online, our business relied on  a few customers who were familiar with us. If they didn't place orders, there were no sales! This was stressful for us, not to mention the artisans who depended on our shop to make a living.


I had absolutely no experience in marketing, but I was determined to find a more sustainable business model. So I used Google Search to find out how I could get more customers. That’s how I discovered Google My Business. I registered Batik Njawani, and posted some photos and location details of it online with just a few taps on my mobile phone. I was surprised by how easy it was to create an online presence!


How has being online changed your business?

The impact has been tremendous. Demand for our products has taken off. After we established our Google My Business listing, an order was placed for 6,000 key chains and 6,000 hair pieces for an international arts festival in Belgium. It was our first international customer and we were incredibly excited to deliver our first export. Today, online orders make up about half of our sales.


The Internet has helped us build a community of customers and craftspeople. Our online presence provides a steady stream of customers, which in turn lets us keep our artisans in steady employment. The Internet helps us build trust with potential customers who are unfamiliar with our brand, but are reassured by the positive reviews they read on Google My Business.

batik pouch

Batik pouches, one of the handicrafts sold at Batik Njawani

What’s next for your business?

The demand created by online orders allows us to employ 10 artisans in Yogyakarta. They gain a predictable source of income that lets them support their families. Besides a growing business, the real reward is knowing that our work allows them to continue with their traditional craft-making, which helps to preserve and promote Indonesian culture. As our business expands, we hope to be able to support more of our local artisans. I also hope to introduce Indonesian culture to the world by exporting more of our handicrafts.

BeeTouched: how the internet keeps the buzz in a family business

Editor’s note: As part of our series of interviews with entrepreneurs across Asia-Pacific who use the internet to grow, we spoke with Aaron Huang, the manager of BeeTouched, a honey business in Taiwan. After he and his cousins took over the family business, Aaron used the internet to build a new brand and spread awareness of Taiwan’s delicious honey. Since it was established in 1982, BeeTouched has grown from 10 to 50 full-time employees.


Please tell us more about BeeTouched.

My family has been in the honey business for three generations. My grandfather was a beekeeper and began selling honey more than 50 years ago. After they inherited the business, my father and two uncles decided to expand it by selling raw honey to other businesses.


Today, I’m proud to run the business with four of my cousins. Our generation decided to establish the company as a unique brand that connected independent beekeepers and consumers, rather than just a honey supplier for other businesses. We may be biased because we hail from a beekeeping family, but we think that beekeepers are really interesting people! Every Taiwanese beekeeper we work with has an inspiring, touching story to share.

BeeTouched Aaron

Aaron Huang, third-generation Taiwanese honey seller and CEO of BeeTouched.

What impact do you think the internet has had on your business?

The internet allows us to understand and engage our customers better. Tools like Google Analytics help us appreciate our clients’ needs and preferences. With the internet, we are in a better position to give our customers what they want.


The internet has also expanded our ability to reach new audiences in an easy and cost-effective manner. We use YouTube to share videos about our products and the benefits of honey. AdWords has also been a very effective tool. Since we started using it, traffic to our site has increased 40 percent.


How do you think BeeTouched has helped beekeepers in Taiwan?

Keeping bees is hard work. More than a few beekeepers have told me that they do not want their children to follow them in the same line of work. By providing beekeepers with a predictable and regular demand for honey, we hope that we make their livelihoods more stable. BeeTouched is also passionate about promoting Taiwanese honey as a unique product for consumers to enjoy rather than raw material for a factory line. Over the years, I think we’ve managed to persuade consumers that it’s worth it to pay a bit more for good Taiwanese honey. Every year, the Taiwanese beekeeper association gives us a certificate to thank us for our efforts.

BeeTouched apiary

Beekeepers tend to the apiaries which supply BeeTouched’s honey in Taiwan

What’s next for your business? Do you plan on expanding at home or overseas?

We have over 10,000 registered customers on our site. Thanks to the Internet and Google, we’ve already been able to export honey to the United States, Canada, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, China, and Hong Kong. We’re excited to export honey to more countries and we are also exploring the possibility of working with beekeepers from other parts of the world.


“A Good Night” with John Legend and Pixel 2

John Legend just premiered the music video for his new single “A Good Night”—and it was filmed entirely on Pixel 2. We spoke to John about the inspiration behind the video and what it’s like living and communicating in the digital age.


Keyword: Tell us about the inspiration behind the music video for “A Good Night.”

John: The song and the video are about a magical night where you meet someone you immediately connect with and can envision a future together. You're single, dating, probably using all the apps people use now (I haven't dated since the advent of Tinder, etc., but it's a fascinating era in romance), and not finding someone special. But one night—maybe caught up in the music or the drinks or whatever—you meet someone that changes everything. That's a good night! 


The video is set in a club and visually represents the swiping left of the apps by literally swiping dating candidates away. But eventually our couple finds each other. And then, during the bridge, we see things transform into a fantasy future where our couple sees themselves getting married. It turns into a beautiful celebration of love and connection. All DJ'ed and hosted by yours truly!

"A Good Night" music video

Why did you decide to shoot it on Pixel?

We thought it would be cool to shoot it on Pixel because the camera is amazing and we were fascinated by the idea of using a smartphone to film a big budget music video, a video that brings the smartphone dating experience to life.


What’s your favorite moment from the video?

I love the transformation scene in the bridge where you see everything freeze and become surreal before we fast forward to a fantasy wedding.


What surprised you about filming the video with smartphones?

It was really seamless. We're so used to doing everything with expensive cameras when we do these major shoots. But the experience of filming with smartphones felt really natural  and the quality from Pixel was amazing.

A Good Night - Pixel 2

How do you think technology like smartphones can help aspiring artists and creators get noticed?

The technology people can use to create has become more accessible and democratized. And there are so many new ways to inexpensively publish your work. This is true in music, filmmaking and other fields. I love it. It's a boon for creativity and gives so many more people the ability to tell their story and express their vision.  

Who are your favorite new filmmakers?

I'm not sure how you define new. My production company just did a fantastic film called "Monster" with first-time feature filmmaker Anthony Mandler. We've worked together before in music videos and commercials, and I think his debut feature film is excellent.

A Good Night gif

The video plays with the idea of apps and social media and how they affect dating. How does the “age of instalove” change the way you talk to your fans?

I talk a lot about what's timeless about love and human connection. The ways we meet have changed a lot, but I think our emotional needs and desires probably aren't all that different.


We can’t pass up the opportunity to ask about the women in your life. How does Pixel help you stay in touch with Chrissy and Luna and record your moments with them?

I love using Pixel to talk to Chrissy and Luna when I'm on the road. We love Duo for video calling. The Pixel camera takes amazing photos and videos too.  


I'm a big Google fan so it's also nice to have a phone that integrates all Google apps so seamlessly. I use Google Docs, Maps, Drive, Calendar and others all the time. It's great to have a phone made for those apps.

Last question. What are you listening to at the moment?

Kendrick Lamar, Frank Ocean, Miguel, SZA—and LOTS of the “Jesus Christ Superstar” soundtrack in preparation for my big role last Easter Sunday!

Pinkoi: Sharing love for local craft in a global marketplace

Pinkoi’s founders (from left to right): Mike Lee, Maibelle Lin and Peter Yen.


Editor’s note: As part of our series of interviews with people across the Asia-Pacific who use the internet as a tool to connect, create and grow, we spoke with Peter Yen, the CEO of Pinkoi, Asia’s leading online marketplace for original design and art products. Peter founded Pinkoi seven years ago along with Mike Lee, Pinkoi’s Chief Technology Officer and Maibelle Lin, Pinkoi’s Chief Product Officer. From a staff of three, Pinkoi has grown to a business of 82 employees serving more than two million customers in 88 countries. The platform is now home to more than 50,000 artisans and designers.


Why did you start Pinkoi?

My wife loves craft fairs and vintage markets. That’s where I first connected with artisans and designers. They produce great original products, but are often unsure about how to promote them or connect with their customers. I also thought that the designer community lacked an online space to share their creative and business experiences.

Pinkoi_designers

Some of the 50,000 designers and artisans on Pinkoi.

How did you meet your two co-founders Mike and Maibelle?  

It was the internet that brought us together. When I got the idea for Pinkoi, I researched developer blogs extensively and that is how I came across Mike. We chatted and exchanged ideas for the business on Gmail and Hangouts. We connected to Mai through a mutual friend who introduced us online.


With the help of the internet, we gradually conceived and developed the idea for Pinkoi, although we did not live in the same place at the time. Although we are all tech geeks at heart, we also shared a common passion for design and helping the designer community. Our passion resulted in us becoming not just business partners, but also good friends!

Pinkoi_products
A few of the 980,000 items for sale on Pinkoi.

What impact do you think the Internet has had on your business?

The internet is the reason why a platform like Pinkoi can work. Pinkoi gives anyone in the world easy access to our designers’ quality products. We think beautiful design is a universal language and should be shared. It’s not just our business, but also the livelihoods of all our designers. With the Internet,  our designers have the opportunity of making a living while pursuing their passions. Most designers are hobbyists when they join Pinkoi, but quite a few become full-time entrepreneurs after receiving training from us. 


In particular, Google is like our oxygen and our business wouldn’t survive without it. Our online business relies on Google’s solutions. We use Google Analytics to understand performance across all acquisition channels and to gain insights into what people are searching for. We also have the ability to advertise to relevant segments of the population with Google Adwords. GSuite and Google Calendar are the backbone of our daily communications.



What’s the best part about working with artists and designers from around the world on Pinkoi? 

It’s really empowering to know that you can have a positive impact on livelihoods and lives, even across borders. Our designers also pay that positive impact forward to their customers. Many of them have told us about online customers finding them at offline events to express their appreciation for products they bought on Pinkoi. Pinkoi isn’t just an online marketplace for transactions, it’s a platform to connect real people across the world.  

  • Pinkoi_CEO
    Peter, CEO of Pinkoi: Early on my engineering career, my goal was to become a software architect. I didn’t think entrepreneurship was in the cards for me. However, I was inspired by many colleagues at Yahoo who left to start their own companies. Like Maibelle, it definitely took some persuading before my family members began to support my decision. They did not believe that an engineer like me could run a business or connect effectively with the designer community.
  • Pinkoi_CPO

    Maibelle, Chief Product Officer of Pinkoi: Growing up I wanted to be a diplomat or fashion designer, so I didn’t know I was going onto the entrepreneur path until I was already on it. Both of my parents hold 9-to-5 jobs and they wanted me to continue my day job as a user experience designer in Silicon Valley. But they eventually supported my decision after I convinced them of my passion for Pinkoi.


    Time, or the lack of it, is my biggest challenge. I became a new mom this year and the time I’m able to spend with my family has become more precious than ever. I had to learn how to prioritize and become comfortable with making tough decisions. I think motherhood has made me a better manager and entrepreneur!


  • Pinkoi_CTO

    Mike, Chief Technology Officer of Pinkoi: Since college I’ve thought about launching my own business and started to learn coding online. I opened a shaved ice dessert shop which was my first try at running my own business. However, the hours were long and the business model wasn’t scalable. At that time I began looking into web startups and then Peter coincidentally found me via my developer blog.


    As an entrepreneur, I appreciate having the opportunity to face new challenges and problems from our designer community and customers everyday. Since Pinkoi is an international platform, it forces me to think globally whenever I’m applying a new tech strategy so I can better consider the needs of designers and customers worldwide.


Wisconsin Cheese Mart makes a comeback—online and on the block

In 2003, Wisconsin Cheese Mart was up for sale and in danger of closing. When Ken McNulty, an Air Force veteran and native Wisconsinite, heard the news, he and his family decided to take a big risk. They purchased the small shop, which has been a Milwaukee cornerstone since 1938, and set out to revitalize it.


At the time, only a fraction of sales were online. After investing in their online presence, Wisconsin Cheese Mart now generates over 75 percent of its business through online sales and provides cheese lovers across the United States with the largest selection of Wisconsin cheese in the world.


Watch the video above to learn more about how Wisconsin Cheese Mart collaborates with local farmers and factories, and connects with customers on the web.