March 8, 2007
February 7, 2007
Gmail Open to Everyone
Google's gmail is now apparently open to anyone and everyone, no longer requiring an invite. Gmail combined with using the Firefox web browser (see link below to go grab Firefox) is really the cat's pjamas. Google has a whole set of nice plugins, including one to sync your bookmarks/favorites, browsing history and passwords across multiple computers. So you can take all your info with you wherever you go and just login using your gmail account.
January 10, 2007
Google Earth 4 Released
There's a new version of Google Earth available today.
New Google Earth 4 features:
- 3D Models - GE 4 supports a new format which allows for models which have textures. It also supports the new 3D buildings layer. The official release of GE includes lots of optimizations to improve 3D viewing.
- Time Animation - the new time slider appears when KML content has been stamped with time.
- New Look - GE 4 has a much cleaner look than GE 3. It devotes more attention to the main 3D view, and has a new navigation gadget which appears in the upper right corner. There are too many enhancements to list them all. Some notable ones are: Support for radio buttons in KML, network link icons animate when loading, new organized menus, and more GE Options.
- Controllers - Support for joystick controllers and flight simulator yokes. And, best of all, the new SpaceNavigator (Windows only at the moment, but a Mac driver soon).
- Regions - GE 4 supports very large image overlays which can be "tiled" or "regionated" so you can view the full detail as you zoom in.
November 2, 2006
Free NHL Games On Google
Google video now has free NHL games that you can watch or download to your iPod/mobile device. Go and check out your favorite team's game. The quality isn't amazing, but it is free (so far). And they have "classic" games as well.
January 10, 2006
New Apple Stuff
Whole bunch of big Apple updates today:
- New Intel based iMacs
- New Intel based laptop dubbed the MacBook Pro - essentially replacing the PowerBook
- New versions of iWork and iLife - the biggest addition to Garageband being slick 'n easy Podcast creation and a new app called iWeb.
Google also did a little Mac update today - they've officially released Google Earth for OS X. There was a beta version floating around the net for awhile, but now you can get your earth viewing for real.
January 5, 2006
Xooglers - Ex Google Employees Blog
November 16, 2005
Google is Taking Over the World
Google base is live today. It's basically a big database of information that is user submitted. So if you want to store your favorite chicken tikka masala or are looking for a used car or course information related to differential equations - it's all there. It's basically a classified ad system for the internet that's free.
September 14, 2005
Google's Blog Search
Narrow down your searchs to just blogs: http://blogsearch.google.com.
August 23, 2005
Google Launches Their Chat Service
And it's based on Jabber, an open source instant messenging service, which is good because iChat AV for Mac is also based on Jabber. Here's how to get set up if you have a gmail account already and a Jabber client:
Server: talk.google.com
Username: youremail@gmail.com
Password: yourpassword
Let me know if you want/need a gmail account.
Nothing too exciting here - they've got a client for Windows folks to use - but I know how tied most people are into using MSN. It's similair to how everyone used to (still does?) use Internet Explorer just because it came installed on Windows.
August 16, 2005
Word Blogger
Blogger releases a plugin for Word that allows you to blog from Word.
August 3, 2005
Advertising Works?
I'm experimenting (again) with having some Google text ads on the blog. It's one 468x60px block right after the first entry so it's not really that intrusive. It's funny because it's really not that I care about generating money from clicks, it's more that I'm a statistics geek and love to know little things like how many people have clicked this, or how many times this image was viewed or who else is talking about things with this 'tag' on it. The temptation though is to start throwing ads everywhere if/when you see a few dollars start trickling in. The reality is that it does cost money to do hosting like this, but I made that choice and I shouldn't really pass that 'burden' on to the visitors of my site (or sites). But like I said, the stats geek in me can't help it sometimes.
This is where flickr is so great because they have data on everything. Most viewed, most 'favorited', most comments, and their new one, most interestingness (their word, not mine).
So far it seems the advertising works. The first ad that popped up was for a Limited Edition Settlers 3D box set that costs $349US. Both Phil and I clicked on it.