The Google I/O conference doesn’t officially start until tomorrow, but Google has dropped updates to a whole slew of its products on the eve of the event. We don’t have a new version of Android, a full release of Google Chrome, or anything really big yet, but here’s a roundup of minor announcements from Google today:
- YouTube to add 3,000 movie rentals
YouTube has made a name for itself as a place where anyone can upload a video and share it with the masses. But Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon have been way out in the lead with premium content such as TV shows and movies. Google is going to start evening the score with the addition of 3,000 new movies on YouTube. - Google Calendar adds support for color-coded events
Google already lets you assign custom colors to different calendars (such as personal, work, or birthday-specific calendars). Now you can also color-code individual events within a calendar. - Sort Google Images search results by subject
Google is adding a new sorting function to its image search tool, allowing you to filter results by subject (as well as size, color, face, or other existing criteria). The feature is rolling out gradually so you may not notice it right away. - Google Goggles for Android gets improved search history, business card scanning
Google Goggles lets you scan items with your phone’s camera to search online, convert images to text, and perform a number of other party tricks. The latest version of the Android app makes it easier to scan a business card and add the data to your contact list, as well as a new search history feature which lets you share results or add notes.