Google’s New Logo
This week’s biggie from the Internet world came with the introduction of Google’s new logo, a follow up to its surprise reconstruction under parent company Alphabet. After 16 years with the previous wordmark, Google’s update was major one. The change came in reflection of an increasingly diverse user, who accesses the search engine on a range of platforms, using a variety of inputs. The revised look is now dynamic and animated, adapting to an array of devices as well as handling everything from tap to talk.

Verdict wise, the response has been mostly positive. The Drum found that 70.2% of those they surveyed approved of the new look, which appears to be a good reception after a lengthy service from the previous style.

Oh, and the new fun facts feature we definitely rate. Pub quiz knowledge upped.

The Force Awakens with Force Friday
When it comes to a recipe for creating Star Wars fan frenzy, a live, 18 hour long unboxing event with the upcoming film’s merchandise seems like a good way to go about it. In the lead up to the highly anticipated film, fans were invited to watch the stream live on YouTube in the countdown to ‘Force Friday’. There may well be three months to go before the film arrives on screen, but Disney is wasting no time with product promotion. With some of Maker Studios’ top YouTube influencers featured and a new custom emoji when using the hashtag #ForceFriday, the already hyped up film has even more excitement surrounding it than ever.

Find out more about Force Friday here. 

Updates for Instagram Direct
Two years since its initial launch, for some, Instagram Direct was ready for a few alterations. This week’s update takes Instagram Direct from novelty status to a true messaging service. Users are now able to send content directly from their feed to other users, a real benefit when directing back to the image’s source. This increase in shareable content within the app comes to the approval of users, with Instagram stating in a blog post that it’s now ‘easier to share the content you love’. We’re looking forward to seeing what’s next for Instagram Direct!