Google & Microsoft offer Festive countdowns
Google and Microsoft are taking their tech rivalry right up to Christmas with the launch of competing countdown clocks ticking away the days, minutes and seconds until the green light to rip open presents.
Microsoft’s effort sees it team up with the North American Aerospace Defence Command (Norad) to track Santa’s sleigh on its chimney hopping journey around the globe from the North Pole, with a dedicated website offering a range of interactive games, music and movies.
Not to be outdone Google has got in on the act with a rival project which aims to teach children the basics of coding, alongside its own countdown clock and sleigh tracker.
The competing systems see Norad employ Bing maps after ditching Google last year, prompting the search leader to rely on its own in-house Google Maps software for the all-important updates.
Norad began its Santa observations back in 1955 and thanks to the wonder of modern mobile technology his GPS location can be traced on the go with Norad’s iOS, Android and Windows Play apps.
Those favouring Google can chart their Christmas deliveries via an Android app and Chrome extension.