The Day in the Cloud Challenge featuring Google Apps on June 24th

You're invited to take the Day in the Cloud Challenge, the first-ever online scavenger hunt to be played simultaneously in the air and on the ground. We've teamed up with Virgin America to sponsor this challenge on June 24, 2009, the "Day in the Cloud." At Google, we've gathered a small group of gamers extraordinaire to come up with unique puzzles, trivia, and brain teasers, many of which use Google Apps. So if you're game, get ready for the Day in the Cloud Challenge.

More and more people are storing their data (such as documents, calendars, email, and photos) online "in the cloud" with services like Google Apps. All that you need is an Internet connection to access and share that information with friends, family, and co-workers. With airlines like Virgin America offering in-flight Wi-Fi, it's now even easier to stay connected while you travel, even when you're flying through the sky.

Those of you paying close attention might remember that we've held a puzzle extravaganza in the past. The Day in the Cloud Challenge will be different in that each contestant will have just one hour to play the game. Everyone is encouraged to take on the challenge between 12:00am and 11:59pm PDT on Wed, June 24, 2009. And if you happen to be flying on Virgin America, in-flight Wi-Fi service will be complimentary on June 24th so that you can play during your flight.

The top five scorers in the challenge will receive a "Year in the Cloud" prize package, which includes a year of free flights and free in-flight Wi-Fi from Virgin America, an HP netbook computer, and 1 terabyte of Google account storage for all of your photos and email. Not a puzzle fanatic? Don't worry. The questions come in various difficulty levels so there will be some easy puzzles and others that might drive even the most experienced competitors crazy. A final note on eligibility: You must be a legal resident of the U.S. and at least 18 years of age to be eligible for a prize.

Check out www.dayinthecloud.com for more information. While you're there, sign up for an email reminder to receive practice clues and tips.

We'll see you in the cloud.

Posted by Boris Debic, Physicist and Google Software Engineer (and puzzle creator)