Google research van to make a stop in South Lake Tahoe

Google wants to get a better idea of how people use their products, so it put a few researchers inside a van and sent them off to drive around the country to find out. That van makes a stop in South Lake Tahoe on Thursday, April 21, 2016 from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Kahle Community Center.

The local community is invited to stop by and provide feedback on Google products, and for doing so, get Google swag or Starbucks gift cards as a thank you.

Researchers will watch as people use Google apps and services on their smartphones, hoping to get a sense of how people outside Silicon Valley use their products. "We are trying to get out to more locations and see more people so we can gather more context," Laura Granka, a lead Google Maps and Search researcher, told the Associated Press.