Google adds a splash of Star Wars to YouTube, Gmail and more

Once you are bored of the new customisations (we won’t be) or you want to change your allegiance, head to www.google.com/starwars to remove or change your side. Google will also add Star Wars-related dates, like the movie release, to your Google Calendar.

I would say that this is a good marketing move, but I honestly don’t think that more advertising was needed when it comes to Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

However, we do love the Street View marker in Maps, as instead of the usual icon, you get a Rebel Alliance pilot in its place, or a Stormtrooper if you chose evil. Google has even implemented a tracking system, showing which side of the Force is more powerful at any given time. As Google stated: “Once you choose a side, it may take a few hours for the Force to awaken within all your apps”, the update might take time to feature on apps. So to keep them entertained between trailers Google has created its own Star Wars theme.

The social hashtag #ChooseYourSide is also being promoted so that Star Wars fans can share which side of the Force they picked for their Google web services.

There are far more apps with Star Wars additions-12 at this writing-including Android Wear, Chromecast, Google Translate, and Waze.

The Star Wars fever is catching up…fast and quite rightfully so. It’s all part of a Disney/Google promo, as well as, if you’re a Google customer, it goes quite deep. Or the easter egg Jar Jar Binks appearance we’ve all been half-dreading/half-expecting? Yes, you can change sides once you have already made a selection. “Watch your favorite Google apps like Gmail, Google Maps, YouTube, Chrome and many more transform to reflect your path. And that’s just the beginning”, Google stated in a blog post. The experience will feature a first-of-its-kind serialized Google Cardboard Virtual Reality (VR) experience, featuring never-seen-before content that ties into the opening of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.