Doodle decipher
Google has launched an enigmatic home page doodle that has got commentators scratching their heads as to whether it is in honour of the search engine's birthday or part of a cunning web browser experiment.
The interactive Google doodle is composed of spheres that can be dispersed by a user's mouse, then regroup to spell out the search engine's name.
Intriguingly, while other doodles have marked notable events or anniversaries, Google has decided to keep the reason for the doodle a secret and refused to confirm the design marks the company's 12th birthday, The Daily Telegraph reported.
A spokesperson reportedly told the newspaper: "Today's doodle is fast, fun and interactive, just the way we think search should be," while other sources reportedly said the company is happy to keep the mystery alive.
There is one camp of commentators who believe the interactive spheres simply mark the company's 12th birthday although the date of its official incorporation is now in doubt as the company has changed it on its corporate history page from 7 September 1998 to 4 September of the same year...the plot thickens.
However some tech buffs believe the new doodle may be altogether more sneaky and is actually a cunning ploy to encourage users to update their web browsers in a bid to boost Chrome or an HTML5 exercise.
It is thought that some surfers with older browsers cannot see the doodle, while Tech Crunch has reported the behaviour of the dots may vary depending on a computer's set-up.
Google has embraced the HTML5 web standard twice before with a moving design to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the ‘buckyball' and another for Pacman's 30th anniversary, which was mini Google-shaped game.
