ZdNet has an interesting article about Google updating their Google Reader software to support the wii remote.
"To try the new interface in your current browser if you don't have the Wii, visit http://www.google.com/reader/wii. In an attempt to be as cheesy as possible, I'm going to call it: Google Wiider."
With Wii Support, it will be interesting to see if xbox and ps3 browser support is added next.
Will the web continue to adapt to console browsers?
Google has started to roll out what it calls an improved version of its web analytics software. The site is now designed to make reading the numbers and charts a bit easier/cleaner and quickly presentable.
Although the update has been made to some, Google explains that they'll be sending emails to the individuals who have accounts with the program when they have been updated to the new system. They are also allowing temporary use of the previous version of the online software if you can't find the numbers you're looking for with the new flashy reports.
After quickly scanning through some of the reports for website I have with Google Analytics its clear that they have made things easier to understand. The previously combined report of pageviews and visits with different scale numbers made it difficult to view how your site is doing in both those categories. The new improvement makes selecting data ranges and comparing them to other data ranges that much easier. Now you can tell how your numbers look compared to a month ago at the same time quickly and easily.
It isn't as easy to find the locations of all the previous information provided in Google Analytics but I believe its all in there, even if its hidden in the back. Check out some of the features from the Google provided demo.
Google released yesterday an update to the Google Personalized Home Page that they've been offering users. Your home page is now named iGoogle and you'll notice the lowercase "i" in front of Google when you login to your home page. While the name adjustment is small it will help Google to market this site to increase additional traffic and at position themselves against other major "home page" websites like one's offered by AOL or Yahoo.
PERSONALIZED GADGETS
In addition to the new name for the personalized home page, Google has started offering personalized gadgets that users without any programing knowledge can create. Initial gadgets include ones that display pictures, sends digital notes and digital flowers to ones you love, a personalized "status" gadget, free form, YouTube channel for watching those videos you love, A to do list, and a countdown to any event of your specification.
Google has quickly realized that what makes a home page is the ability to make it your own. With the tab features, themes, and now personal gadgets Google is quickly offering users a powerful search tool nicely placed above the custom features of each individual user.
Expect to see more and more users adapt their home page to the new iGoogle.
Google explained on their blog that they've added new Architecture layers to their Google Earth application. By partnering with the AIA (The American Institute of Architects) Google plans to help users learn and understand about the Architecture around the country.
The new layers include both America's favorite architecture and a community based layer which is based up of architects using their free time to work with local leaders to make the community a better place.
Google Earth continues to become a more and more powerful source of information as Google is combining efforts with notable organizations around the country to make the information relevant to location around the globe.
Google Earth is quickly becoming a tool that helps you not only see where you are going, but what you can do there.
Google announced that they've acquired Marratech - A Swedish based company that has been developing browser based video conferencing software.
LONG TERM STRATEGY
This new addition to Google could be vital to the companies long term strategy. It has been clear since Google acquired Writely and developed it further into the impressive Google Docs and Spreadsheets that the company is big on collaboration. The potential of working productively over the internet continues to look as a strategy Google supports. Video conference capabilities would only improve collaboration efforts.
FUTURE INTEGRATION WITH GOOGLE DOCS AND SPREADSHEETS?
With Google preparing its Presentation addition to the office suite its developing it won't be long before we see solid solutions that will allow individuals to not only create presentations but also present them over the internet with the addition of Marratech's technology.
GOOGLE VIDEO CHAT
You can also see how the addition of video conferencing would help them in the Instant Messenger field. While MSN, AIM, Yahoo, and Apple's iChat all offer ways to Video conference Google Talk is still limited in many of its features. Video conferencing capabilities will help position itself for the future of instant messaging. Don't be suprised when Google Releases an update to Google Talk that includes video conferencing capabilities.
Everyone can now add charts to the various spreadsheets they've developed on Google Docs and Spreadsheets. This new feature is a great and needed addition to the online office tool.
Adding charts is quick and easy and moving them around your spreadsheet is as easy as dragging and dropping. The number of available chart types is also impressive and customization of features such as title, legend, and axis labels make for a solid addition to the spreadsheet tool.
Personally I'll be using the new additions to Google to help me keep track of my "to do" progress and the weekly, monthly, and yearly goals I've set for myself.
Presentations will soon join up with Google Docs and Spreadsheets to offer more office based applications to end users. Like their other web based applications, Google plans to add collaboration capabilities to the new Presentation software. Google expects to have this out to end users by sometime this summer.
This addition will bring it even closer to the home user versions of Microsoft Office. With the online capabilities of the software and its expanding software package it will be interesting to see if Microsoft next versions of Office include more web based tools and collaboration abilities.
NEW ADDITION TO GOOGLE
Google also made the announcement today that they've purchased Tonic Systems:
"Tonic Systems is a San Francisco-based company that provides Java presentation automation products and solutions for document management - Tonic Systems Builder, Tonic Systems Filter, Tonic Systems Transformer, Tonic Systems Viewer, and JarJar Links. Features of their products included text extraction for indexing documents, presentation creation capabilities and document conversion tools."
It looks like Google is hoping that some of the software and ideas from Tonic Systems can help them with Presentations and all the Google Office features.
If you're an outdoor type person and always looking for new places to explore, things just got a little bit easier for you.
Google announced a partnership with Trimble Outdoors to provide Google Earth users information about hiking trails and opportunities. Through the user of GPS technology the two companies will provide users with detailed information about hiking locations and the trails you'll set out on.
Trimble Outdoors website explains how easy it is to add the layer to your own Google Earth:
You'll never need to pay for a 411 call again - for business listings anyways. Google has released to their labs a free 411 call by dialing 1-800-Goog-411 (1-800-466-4411).
I tried the new service out as soon as I heard about it and searched for a printer ink cartridge refill store that a friend of mine had just opened that week in the area. After asking for the City and State and the Business Name the recorded voice told me there were 4 stories in the general area that matched my request, and the first was the new store I was looking for.
I asked the system to send me a text message with the details on the number and before I had hung up the phone the requested text message was their waiting for me on my phone.
Google 411 also will connect you to the business you're looking for.
I was most impressed with the Google Database. It wasn't more than a few days ago that I helped my friend list his new store on Google Maps using their Local Business tools and help him setup an adwords account to start to drive local searches to his store and in addition to having this all setup, the store was also listed first in a Free 411 call to Google. Making these type of requests to the phone company or yellow pages might take weeks or at least until the next printing.
While it is still just part of Google Labs - Google 411 is a great feature and something you can use often to find those numbers addresses you're looking for while on the run.
Google continues to bring users enhanced map features through their Google Maps service. Today they announced that in addition to the Google Maps API that allows programmers the capability to create custom maps for their website they have provided a service that allows anyone to mark the map just the way they want to.
SO EASY A CAVEMAN CAN DO IT
To support their claim from their blog that the new service is so easy a caveman can do it, Google has provided a mapping tools that will allow users to mark any place in the world, and upload pictures, video, and add custom titles and text. To access the new mapping tools navigate your browser to Google Maps and then click on the My Maps tab next to search results.
MAKING YOUR FIRST MAP
After you've entered the My Maps section be sure to search for the location you want to map around and then start clicking the new tools available that allow you to mark locations, give them titles, and then add description including pictures and or videos. you can draw lines or shapes around areas of interest and then save the map so you can access it again in the future.
If you want to show your map off to others, just click the link to this page option and then copy the url in your web browser. You can send that to your friends or link to it all over the web.
Find out more about these new tools from Google Maps!
Today the Official Google Mac blog announced that they've released Google Desktop Search for the Mac. Like it's PC counterpart this service will index your Hard Drives and help you quickly search to find files.
INTEGRATED WITH MAC APLICATIONS
Google's Desktop Search for Mac can quickly index and help you find files that you create with your standard apple programs. This includes the ability to search iChat conversations, Apple Mail, Microsoft Entourage, your Address Book contacts, and music and video files.
FIND PREVIOUS VERSIONS OF YOUR FILES
In addition to helping you find your files, Google Desktop Search for the Mac also creates snapshot copies of files every time you use them that can be accessed in case you save over that important file with something not so important. It may not be as safe or useful as some of the future Leopard backup features but its a start.
Find out about additional Google Desktop for Mac Features or talk about it in the discussion group.
Google Notebook's user interface got an upgrade over the past few days. For those that are less familiar with this Google web based application, Google Notebook is another way to store and organize bookmarks, comments, or anything you'd like to remember about the world wide web.
The new interface allows you to manually add website and any comments you'd like to include about the site. Additionally it allows you to create "Sections" that can help you keep your bookmarks and notes organized.
CREATE MORE THAN ONE
In addition to the new user interface and the increased organization tools, Google Notebooks allows you create a number of different notebooks. The service also gives you sharing options so that you can share the notebook with whom ever you specify. This would be a great tool for group projects in school or for keeping your team at work up to date on the latest websites related to your industry or job functions. A share this notebook with everyone feature can be enabled which creates a website of the notebook and updates it as add new notes.
START YOUR NOTEBOOK NOW
If you're interested in including useful comments about your bookmarks, keeping them a bit more organized, and being able to access them anywhere, check out Google Notebooks.
One of the first things that I do when I get a new computer or reinstall Windows is to get all the free software that Google offers and that I find myself using constantly. A while back Google made this easier by packaging these all together in their own Google Pack.
The best part about Google Pack is you can pick and choose which software they offer to download, install, and stay up to date with.
Google's made some enhancements to their Pack by adding new software to help you clean up your computer and get it running fast again including software from Symantec and PC Tools.
With the recent software updates to Picasa Web Albums Google also has enhanced their screensaver software available via Google Pack to pull live picture feeds from the web. The enhanced screensaver also allows you to pull feeds from flicker and other online sources.
Google Adsense has added a new referral option that can help you and your visitors make money.
Now under the setup tab in your Google Adsense profile you can add a referral ad for Google Checkout. When someone clicks on this ad and signs up for Google Checkout they'll get $10 of any purchase in the first 90 days.
Google will also send you $1 for each time some one signs up through the link on your page.
It'll be interesting to see how this sparks Google Checkout in its efforts to compete with ebay owned Paypal.
After all, people have to have an account with you before they'll start using your services.
When I discovered that Google added another feature to the custom Google front pages I realized that even with all these custom settings and tools still so many people are not using Google's front page to its full potential.
How To Personalize Google
All you need is a google account (You have one if you use Gmail) and an internet connection. Then instead of going to http://www.google.com go to http://www.google.com/ig .
If you haven't already log'd into Gmail or any other Google related site you can by clicking the login link at the top right hand corner. After entering your password you'll be brought back to the personal Google Front Page and a few selected gadgets will be displayed below the Google Search field.
Pick Your Gadgets
Google has made it easy to pick the simple gadgets that you want on your front page. If you don't like what they've selected, simply click the close 'x' and the gadget will be removed from your site.
To the top right there will be an Add Stuff link that will display a number of interesting, entertaining, and productive Gadgets that you can add to your Google Front Page. You'll also links around on other people's websites about how to add their custom Gadgets to your website to bring you the Personal information you want.
Newest Features
New features to the Google Personal Front Page include a tab option, where you can add a number of different tabs that you can label and add a number of other gadgets too. Google will also offer to help you populate a new tab based on a topic of your choosing.
Today, Google also added Themes to their front page. A new link will appear on the right side of the page next to the Add Stuff link and will allow you to pick from 1 of 7 themes. These themes include interesting features and will update with the time of day for your location. Just another way to give Google Search a Personal Touch.
Great Gadgets
I've added and removed a number of gadgets from my front page. Overall I like to keep things simple but four gadgets I have kept are:
1. Gmail - I love seeing a brief snapshot of my inbox and can quickly decide if its something I need to look at or it can wait until I have more free time
2. Weather - I like to see what the overall weather will be like for the next few days. I still go to Weather.com for when I'm looking for more information
3. Google Talk - I mentioned this new feature previously. I love being able to sent a quick note to any of my contacts from any web browser, and being able to see who is available right when I load up my webpage.
4. Rememberthemilk.com To Do List - this is a great tool, that lets me manage the number of things I need to do and stay on top of everything right from my front page.
Over the weekend, Google announced that they were adding to their internet, tv, newspaper, and radio advertising efforts. Adscape is the newest acquired company by Google and was one that was pushing its way into in game advertising.
Adscape's site, now showing a FAQ about the Google acquisition, explains:
"Adscape Media is a small in-game advertising company based in San Francisco California. Adscape Media offers dynamic delivery of advertising with plot and storyline integration - making its solutions a truly interactive marketing platform. Adscape Media supports sophisticated demographic and geographic targeting and also provides a robust reporting interface for marketers."
In game advertising is a new approach, and Google must find a significant amount of value in the method to purchase a company with no significant track record in a new approach to advertising.
Google announced today that they've created a Google Talk gadget that can be added to your customized Google front page. They've brought meebo type web based communication to you.
NEW ADDITIONS
In addition to being able to easily reach your Google Talk contacts you can now also watch Youtube videos right in your chat conversation. Simply drag and drop the Youtube url to your embeded chat conversation, send it, and you and your friends can watch the video together.
This feature also works for Picasa Web album urls.
One of the best new features is the ability to add the gadget to your own websites. You can see an example of this to your right of this page.
Google recently announced that they've upgraded their Google Desktop Search to release number 5 (beta of course). They explain that the release offers better search and better security than previous releases. But the greatest addition is the user interface and how its sleek look appears to be added just to take on the Vista Sidebar.
SECURITY
The security received a nice addition which allows you to lock your search from anyone that doesn't have your windows user password. Simple right click on the desktop icon in your taskbar and click the "Lock Search..." option. This will prevent anyone from search for files on your computer without your permission. Follow the same steps and enter your Windows Password to unlock Google Desktop Search.
IMPROVED LOOK
This release of Google Desktop added enhanced visuals to the gadgets, the sidebar, and the add new gadgets window. All of the new additions make having these simple applications on your desktop much more enjoyable. When I first looked at these they instantly reminded me of the sidebar included in Vista. Google must feel that this feature included in Windows Operating system might pull away some of their Desktop search customer base and to combat this they enhanced the look and security of their own desktop search engine.
It would be nice if the search built in to Vista was lockable.
Overall the enhancements are great. If you're already using Google Desktop Search upgrade quickly. If you're not, nows the time to start. You'll find the files you're looking for easier and faster than ever before.
Just after announcing an upgrade to Picasa Web Albums Google has added features to Google Maps.
Again reporting from their blog, Google Maps now include pictures of various locations. Clicking on the icon marking the location will bring up a picture of the place you're looking for. Inside the little window you can click more information and find additional photos and web page links.
Here is a link to the Sony Building in Japan.
Using Google Maps to find new places just got easier.
Additionally, Google allows for local business owners to update information about their business and how it appears on Google Maps. An interesting part about this new feature is the ability to add coupons and other details to your business listings.
UPGRADES AND NEW ADDITIONS
Google announced today on their blog that they've upgraded the free storage for your photos from 250mb to 1gig. In addition to the additional storage space, Google also added the ability to share your pictures with the community. Here is a complete list of all the new features to Picasa Web Albums.
If you decided to share the pictures or keep them private you can always look around at other peoples shared albums by drop down arrow next to the search box and selecting community photos.
USING PICASA
Picasa is a great photo organization and quick editing application and the ability to quickly upload your albums to share with friends and family only make it better. I use this exclusively on my Windows XP systems.
If you're a mac user you can also take part in the Picasa Web Albums. Google has released a plugin for iPhoto that lets you export your photos from iPhoto simply by selecting the export option and then selecting the Picasa Web Albums tab.
Another option for Mac Users is the Picasa Web Albums Uploader. This stand alone application allows you to drag and drop photos you'd like to upload to your Picasa Web Albums.
BLOGGER PHOTOS INCLUDED
After loading up my Picasa Web Albums I quickly noticed a new album that I had not installed. The title for the Album was the title of my blog and I noticed that all the pictures I had uploaded to some of my posts were now included in one location as a new Album in Picasa Web Albums.
Clicking in the Album brought up all the pictures on my Blog and I noticed a "Link to this Album" option and a "View Blog" link to the left of the pictures. Creating Photo Blogs may have just gotten a little easier.
