Google really has gotten into the Star Wars spirit with Easter eggs throughout its products.
With “The Force Awakens” opening Dec. 18, there’s a whole fandom out there to tap into.
The company is known for inserting little in-jokes into its search results, and a new one lets you feel as if you’re already watching the start of a new movie. Search for “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away” and you’ll get results displayed in the signature “Star Wars” opening scroll.
That makes things a little difficult to click on, but luckily you can pause it. (You can also glory in the “Star Wars” theme as it scrolls, although Google has kindly muted that by default.)
Google also is letting users choose which side of the Force, light or dark, they want to represent — a decision that then gets translated into the layouts and style of several of Google’s key products, including Chrome, YouTube, Gmail and Google Calendar.
For example, the pegman marker in Google Maps transforms into an X-Wing pilot or a Stormtrooper. Choosing between light and dark also creates a profile picture with a side-appropriate theme that you can share on social media.
According to a tracker on Google’s Star Wars page, its users appear to be stronger with the dark side of the Force, although by a fairly thin margin.
Before you jump into the fray yourself, though, there is one thing you should know: There have been some complaints that signing up to get Star Wars-themed designs on Google products also put events on users’ calendars without their knowledge.
Google does say on its FAQ page that Star Wars events are added to your calendar automatically so you can keep up with the big events.
And, the company adds, those events might be visible to everyone if you have your calendar settings set to public.
While it’s true that people using light- or dark-side-themed profile pictures probably aren’t going to be shy about sharing their Star Wars enthusiasm, it’s still something to think about before you declare your allegiances.
