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Choose a Side With Google's 'Star Wars' App Skins

 & Stephanie Mlot Contributor

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With less than a month before the force officially awakens, Star Wars fans must choose a side.

Google's new Star Wars website lets users join the light or dark side, transforming apps like Gmail, Google Maps (check out the Street View Pegman), YouTube, and Chrome to reflect that allegiance.

Built in conjunction with Lucasfilm and Disney, google.com/starwars is "a place for fans, by fans."

"It probably isn't a surprise that there are tons of Star Wars fans like me here at Google," Clay Bavor, vice president of product management, wrote in a blog post. "So when we first heard about Episode VII, we started thinking about what a Google tribute to these epic stories might look like."

Sign in to choose your side by sliding your profile picture left (Jedi) or right (Sith). Then watch as Android Wear, Google Calendar (scroll to December), Chromecast, Inbox, Google Translate, and Waze awaken the Force within you.

The app skins will continue to evolve in the weeks leading up to the film's debut on Dec. 18. Plus, Bavor teased "the Millennium Falcon in all its (virtual reality) glory," so get those Google Cardboard headsets assembled and be prepared for a space tour.

"And we've hidden a few more Easter eggs, too," Bavor wrote. "So awaken the Force within, and be on the lookout for things from a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…"

Also, keep an eye on Google's Star Wars site, where the balance of the Force is reflected in real time as more people choose a side. As of press time, the Darksiders were winning the battle to control the Galactic Empire.

About Our Expert

Stephanie Mlot

Stephanie Mlot

Contributor

My Experience

  • B.A. in Journalism & Public Relations with minor in Communications Media from Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP)
  • Reporter at The Frederick News-Post (2008-2012)
  • Reporter for PCMag and Geek.com (RIP) (2012-present)

My Areas of Expertise

  • Science & Space
  • Video Streaming Services
  • Social Media
  • Cars & Auto
  • Education

The Tech I Use

  • iPhone 12 Pro
  • MacBook Air (hooked up to a 23-inch Dell monitor)
  • Google Chrome
  • Google Drive
  • Soundcore Life P3 earbuds
  • Various Amazon Echo devices

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