Fabrizio Giordano

One of the big holdups in terms of paid applications on Android has been the lack of great billing options. In the beginning, there was Google Checkout, but relatively few people use that. So Google came up with a better idea: tying payments into carrier bills. They were quickly able to get both T-Mobile and AT&T on board with that. And today a third big U.S. carrier comes on board: Sprint.

Google says that a phased roll-out of the new option is underway right now and should reach all customers in a few days. When it’s done, Android users on Sprint will see an option to “bill my Sprint account” in the Android Market payment area. Such a payment won’t require the user to enter any other payment information, and the charge will show up on your monthly Sprint bill.

As Google notes on their Android Developers blog today:

We believe that Direct Carrier Billing is a key payment option because it lets users purchase and pay for apps more easily. It’s also important because it offers a convenient way to buy in regions where credit cards are less common.

Along with the U.S. carriers, Google recently launched carrier billing in Japan with SoftBank, KDDI, and NTT DOCOMO.

Of course, they’re still missing the big fish in the U.S.: Verizon. Google would not comment on when or if that final deal might happen. You can be sure they’re working on it though.

Imagine you’re a ninja, trying to master your deadly grappling hook. Or perhaps you’re a chess grand master, outsmarting your opponent’s every move. Or even a Taoist philosopher, explaining the deep truths of the world to your followers.

It’s situations like these that you’ll face in Google Code Jam, our annual coding contest in which some of the best coders from around the world write programs to solve tough algorithmic problems. We believe that one of the best ways to sharpen your coding skills and stretch them creatively is through healthy competition. The intense experience of confronting a problem, conveying your solution to your computer and seeing the results emerge is a thrill unlike any other.

Today we’re opening registration for Google Code Jam 2011. Coding will begin on May 6 with our qualification round, where competitors will have as much as a day to plan their approach to our first few problems. From there, the contest heats up quickly: the remaining contestants will engage in several two-and-a-half hour rounds, wrangling each time with three to four algorithmic problems that range in difficulty from simple to fiendish. For each problem, you’ll wield the programming language of your choice, crafting the perfect algorithm to pit against the gauntlet of our test data. Construct your code flawlessly and you’ll be on to the next problem; solve enough problems, and you’ll make your way to the next round. If you continue to succeed, you might find yourself sitting on a flight to the finals.

The challenge begins in just over a month. If you’re a killer coder and you’re ready to compete, sign up on our website; while you’re there, make sure to check out the puzzles of the past few years to get a sense of what’s to come, and to hone your skills. If you’re one of the top 25 competitors, we’ll bring you to our Tokyo office to spar against your fellow coders. In the end, only one person will bring home the $10,000 top prize—and the title of Code Jam Champion.

Posted by Bartholomew Furrow, Software Engineer, Google Code Jam

Just over a month ago, we launched Google Cloud Connect for Microsoft Office, adding simultaneous collaboration, revision history, cloud sync, unique URLs and simple sharing to the Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint applications.

Today, we’re happy to release our first update that adds support for 38 more languages and adds the ability to minimize the toolbar. Here is what Google Cloud Connect looks like in Japanese:

Due to popular request, we’ve added the option to minimize Google Cloud Connect by clicking on a new minimize arrow. When the document is synced, the minimized bar will still show upload progress.

This update is available to everyone today. If you’re already downloaded Google Cloud Connect, you’ll receive an update automatically. If you’re new to Google Cloud Connect, you can download the plugin — in any of the 39 supported languages — on the download page.

Posted by: Alex DeNeui, Software Engineer

Webmaster Level: Beginner

We’re very glad to announce that our recently updated SEO guide is now available in ten more languages: Spanish, French, German, Russian, Turkish, Finnish, Swedish, Hungarian, Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese.

For this new version, we’ve thoroughly reviewed and updated the content; we’ve also added a brand new section on best practices for mobile websites.

You can download each PDF file in its full 32-page glory from goo.gl/seoguide and print it to have it as a useful resource.

Posted by Esperanza Navas and Mariya Moeva, Search Quality Team