The games are fun and the ability to learn code is cool. Google's content offering is really, very good. You can also click the menu button in the top left of the page to see what content is new today. Before, it wasn't clear what was new, but now, there's a clear timeline for each day in December, leading you along a path to Christmas Eve. Google has updated its tracker in recent years to make it easier to navigate. And, of course, mounted at the very top is the North Pole, home of Santa and his little helpers. However, if you visit the site on Christmas Eve, you'll immediately see a countdown that's superimposed over animated artwork depicting the Earth orbited by satellites. It's worth exploring Santa's Village so visit the different aspects and listen to Christmas songs. We also like the Let's Go button placed over the Earth at the top, which brings you directly to Santa's Village. The highlight of the site is probably the music player at the bottom. We enjoy that there are cute animations on the homepage, but everything looks a bit cluttered at the same time. NORAD's website looks slightly more dated and not as bright and vibrant or modern as Google's. When you go to the website, you can enter Santa's Village to learn about different holiday traditions as well as NORAD and it's ongoing to mission to track Santa. NORAD has a website that lets you track the big bearded man as he delivers presents around the world. The North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, has been tracking Santa for over 60 years.

But certainly not as fun.Norad What is NORAD Tracks Santa and what does it feature?

Mostly at the North Pole.”Īccurate, I suppose. When we asked the same question – “Where is Santa?” – to Apple’s push-button helper on our iPhone this morning, the assistant only replied, “In your heart. Getting Cortana involved in the Santa-tracking action is actually pretty clever – and highlights a missed opportunity for Apple’s Siri. Cortana also provides an automatic update on Santa’s location starting today. Using Cortana for Windows 10, iOS or Android, you can ask “Where is Santa?” and Microsoft’s virtual assistant will answer by showing visuals of Santa and details about where he is right now. The better part of Microsoft’s experience, however, is the Cortana integration. There are also NORAD Tracks Santa apps for iOS, Android and Windows 10 that today begin offering live Santa tracking. This time around, the site includes a holiday-themed coloring book for Windows 10 devices and the Microsoft Edge web browser, a new image carousel of cities Santa visits, Windows Maps integration, games, holiday music, movies, educational content, and other activities, including one called “Operation Goodwill,” which, in the spirit of the holidays, will connect website visitors with people in need and military families. Microsoft has again partnered with the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) for the third year to offer an online version of the NORAD Tracks Santa website. Meanwhile, Microsoft gave Santa tracking an upgrade of its own this year, too, thanks to integrations with a variety of Microsoft tools including Bing, Windows Maps, Microsoft Edge, and Cortana. Or, if you prefer, Google’s Santa Tracker is also available as a mobile app for Android devices and as a Chrome extension. The game offers two modes of play – one where kids match the teacher’s moves, and the other where kids can design their own dance by using elements like jump, split, hip shake and more to “program” their elf’s dance.Īlso available via the Santa Tracker site are online games like “ Present Drop ” an educational section to learn about Christmas traditions around the world a tool that lets you translate then listen to holiday words and phrases like “Santa Claus,” “Season’s Greetings,” or even “Ho Ho Ho,” in other languages a Google Maps interface that’s been customized to include a Santa icon plus a whole village of other activities to explore.Īs usual, Google’s site is engaging enough that you’ll actually be able to sneak in your last-minute gift wrapping while kids are glued to their computer screen. In the game, kids can make an elf dance by dragging and dropping basic dance moves like “point left” or “point right” onto the screen. It even offers a Christmas-themed game called “Code Boogie” that teaches kids the basics of programming, along with other several other activities. Google’s site this year offers a customized maps interface that shows where Santa is now, how far away that is from you, how many gifts have been delivered so far, and more. Today, Microsoft and NORAD begin tracking Santa along with Google, on its own just-launched Santa Tracker website. Santa tracking once again has received its annual digital upgrade. Remember when kids just peered out at the stars, trying to spot the lights of Santa’s sleigh (or Rudolph’s shiny nose)? Well, those days are long gone.

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