Google G1 unlocked

One of the major problems people had with the iPhone was that it was going to be offered exclusively with AT&T. Once the phone was released, the race was on to see who would be the first to have the phone unlocked and working on a network of their choice.

The same is true about the G1. While people were less vocal about the need to unlock the G1, offering a handset tethered to any specific network is going to be a pain for people who want the device but don’t want to switch networks.

Unlocking the first generation iPhone was easier than many people expected and the same could be said for the G1. It seems the folks over at Unlock-TMobileG1.com have managed to unlock HTC’s G1, available exclusively on T-Mobile. Unfortunately, the opportunist site is keeping schtum on exactly what you need to do to get your hands on the unlocking code needed for your handset and instead is offering to sell G1 owners the unlocking code for $23.99 a piece.

After placing an order (you’ll need to supply Unlock-TmobileG1 with your handset’s IMEI code) you will receive an eight-digit unlock code for your device. Video proof on YouTube shows that it actually works and judging from the abundance of 5-Star feedback from the site, it’s not just a hoax to scam you out of $24.

Google offers OpenID

Google announced last night that it will become a single sign-on provider using OpenID solutions. This will allow Google users to login with their Google account information when signing up for new accounts on other sites.

Microsoft and Yahoo have both adopted the same strategy, using OpenID, and now Google has jumped on the bandwagon in a bid to offer its users a better "value" for their accounts. Google's API is based on the OpenID 2.0 protocol and is designed to be embedded by third party web services.

OpenID is a free framework that eliminates the need for multiple usernames across different websites. If you have a Microsoft Live Mail account, a Yahoo account, or a Google account, you can log in with those same credentials on other websites like AOL, MySpace, Plaxo, Zoho or Buxfer, without having to create a new account on any of these sites.

Yahoo and Microsoft, and now Google, are only using OpenID for login information, which means that accounts with these services are not transferable. You won't be able to use your Windows Live account to access services on Yahoo's site or vice-versa, same as you won't be able to use your Yahoo ID to start using Picasa without opening a separate Google account. The full OpenID solution will be only used for third-party sites.

You also shouldn't expect to see the OpenID logo anytime soon when you sign in to your Gmail, Hotmail of Yahoo Mail account. Even though major web service providers are adopting this technology, Yahoo and Google went for the option of promoting their own brand, bypassing the OpenID title. Users will be given the option to "Sign in with a Google Account" or to "Sign in with a Yahoo! ID" on other websites such as Plaxo or Zoho.

With support from the web's big names, like Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, AOL and MySpace, OpenID is poised to see a large-scale adoption. However, this is only the first step toward a truly unified and portable web. Contacts are the the next big thing that I'd love to see transcend various service providers. Maybe one day we'll be able to transfer our e-mail accounts the same way we do our phone numbers when we change networks.

LinkedIn introduces apps from Google

LinkedIn followed today in the footsteps of other social networks in opening an applications platform that lets the business social site's 30 million users share presentation files, blog posts and reading lists.

Launch partners for LinkedIn's Intelligent Applications platform include Amazon, Google, Six Apart, Wordpress and lesser known startups, such as Box.net, Huddle, SlideShare and TripIt. LinkedIn also launched its own Company Buzz application, which allows workers to see Twitter tweets associated with their company.

The corporate social network's integration with Google Presentations lets workers embed presentations from Google or Microsoft PowerPoint on their profiles. SlideShare Presentations offers a similar service.

Huddle Workspaces from Huddle.net gives users project and collaboration tools in an online workspace. Box.net lets users add its Files application to manage all of their files online. WordPress and Blog Link from Six Apart lets users link their blogs to profiles.

The more frivolous Reading List by Amazon lets colleagues share books they're reading with other LinkedIn members, while the MyTravel app from TripIt lets users see where and when others in their LinkedIn network are traveling for business trips.

Why LinkedIn is launching with two blogging apps and two presentations apps is curious, but the smart money is that the network wants to provide users more choice.

LinkedIn's app platform launch comes at an interesting time for social networking apps platforms. Many programmers have declared the Facebook Platform dead since the implementation in July of more rigid standards that effectively shut down spammy apps. The prevailing sentiment seems to be: If it isn't easy as pie any more to ping friends with a new app, why bother?

But LinkedIn's apps platform is a different animal because it offers trusted applications to help business workers connect, communicate and share information. These apps have been vetted by millions of users, so LinkedIn expects employees will trust using them in a work context.

Whether or not LinkedIn's apps platform succeeds will let the world know whether applications development for social networks needs a rest, and perhaps a new approach.

To install an application on LinkedIn, users can go to the LinkedIn apps directory and click "add application." Users can then customize their applications.

Google Streetview available in Spain

It's available from Google the new 'StreetView' mapping for Spain. Spain is the second country in Europe where Google StreetView offers its service for the cities of Madrid, Valencia, Barcelona and Seville where you can see high quality images taken at 360 º, from both Google Maps and Google Earth services and their corresponding mobile versions.

Although 100% of the cities is not covered, it provides the core of these and the intention is to continue expanding the service to cover the main urban areas. In a second phase, Google wants to cover other cities, both in Spain and other countries, although no dates are confirmed.

'Street View' is beneficial to many users, but also to many businesses. Google has submitted three examples. The first, Fotocasa is a real estate portal where you can see how customers are able to see from their computers the houses they want to buy or rent, equipment in the area, and so on.

Another example is focused to the leisure industry, so Google has taken the entertainment guide 'online' LaNetro. A user can get an idea of the distance between the bar at which he stayed with his friends and the bus to calculate the distance.

EsMadrid, dedicated to the promotion of the capital, is the third of the examples of applications of 'Street View' for businesses. In this case, one can 'tour' virtual places to meet and engage all from the same site.

After "several months of work," Spain is set to the fifth country to get the service 'Street View', after the United States, Australia, Japan and France.

Google Earth for iPhone

Today, the dream to carry the Earth to your pocket becomes true, with the availability of Google Earth for iPhone and iPod touch. With just a swipe of your finger you can fly from New York to Paris, or anywhere else. It brings all the power of Google Earth to the palm of your hand, including all of the same global imagery and 3D terrain. You can even browse any of our 8 million Panoramio photos or read Wikipedia articles.

With Google Earth for iPhone, you can:

• Tilt your iPhone to adjust your view to see mountainous terrain
• View the Panoramio layer and browse the millions of geo-located photos from around the world
• View geo-located Wikipedia articles
• Use the 'Location' feature to fly to your current location
• Search for cities, places and business around the globe with Google Local Search

It's available today in 18 languages and 22 countries in the iTunes App Store.

Gmail for mobile 2.0 is here

Google has lanched Gmail for mobile version 2.0 for J2ME-supported and BlackBerry phones. In words of Google, this version was to make the experience faster and more reliable. Gmail for mobile has been rearchitected the entire client to push all the processing to the background, greatly improving the client-side caching scheme and optimizing every bottleneck piece of code.

For the final user this means:

Overall performance improvement: user should experience significant raw speed improvement, smoother scrolling, and no freezing.

Multiple accounts management: If you have both a Gmail and Google Apps email account, you can easily switch between them quickly. You will no longer have to use two different mobile apps to access personal and work emails.

Multiple mobile email drafts: You can save multiple email drafts in your mobile phone, so that you can pick and choose what you would like to send later.

Powerful shortcut keys: If you have a QWERTY phone, you can use shortcut keys. Hit 'z' to undo, 'k' to go to a newer conversation, and 'j' to go to an older conversation. See Menu/Help in the app for more shortcuts.

Basic offline support: Can't get a signal? Not a problem. You can compose and read your most recent emails even when there is no signal. Also, any outgoing messages will be saved in the outbox on your phone and sent automatically when you're back in coverage.

Also, Gmail for mobile 2.0 is available in over 35 languages now. Not all features are available for all phones.

Go to m.google.com/mail in your mobile browser to download the new Gmail for mobile for your phone.

Enjoy now with Android Market

Yesterday, Android Market launched for users to download applications along with the first Android-powered phone—the T-Mobile G1.

With Android Market, users can easily download apps to their Android-powered phone. Users can also rate the apps they've downloaded and leave comments. These users' ratings along with anonymous usage statistics help determine how apps are ranked and presented within Android Market.

Android Market helps developers get their applications in the hands of users by acting as an open distribution system. A beta version is now available on the world's first Android-powered phone, the T-Mobile G1.

You can get several fine applications:

Amazon MP3 for Android where you can download music from Amazon MP3 right from your phone. Browse, search, sample, and buy high-quality MP3 files that play on your phone or any MP3-capable device. This Android version of the Amazon MP3 Store lets you discover and download music you love with just a few clicks.

Compare Everywhere that helps you shop smarter using your phone. Scan a barcode to instantly check if that "sale price" really is a good deal. Read reviews to find out if those hiking boots will last a lifetime, or fall apart next month. Keep track of shopping lists, wish lists, and more.

e-ventr is your personal event organizer and friendship scout. Now it's so easy to arrange meetings with your friends, organize them and accept invitations, whether it is a party, sports, a concert or any other activity. In no time, you can organize your free time activities!

iSkoot For Skype puts the features of Skype in your Android handset. Acess your Skype contacts, make & receive Skype calls, chat, and place SkypeOut calls to phone numbers all over the world. iSkoot delivers unsurpassed mobile Skype call quality and does not require a WiFi connection.

LifeAware let you know where your friends and family are. Locate them from your phone or the LifeAware website, and setup zones to trigger alerts when they enter or leave them. Tag that favorite spot on a trip with descriptions and images to share. Locate, Tag, Share, Where is your life?

These are just a few examples, view all at Android Marketplace...

Android source code available

Google finally published today the source code of its Linux-based Android mobile platform. This long-awaited release arrives at the same time that T-Mobile is officially launching its new G1 handset, the first mobile device that will ship with Android.

The lack of inclusiveness in the Android development process has also been controversial. The openness of the platform has been called into question as a result of Google's failure to communicate and by a general lack of transparency around the project. These issues have soured some third-party developers and could hinder Google's ability to build a community around the platform. The past friction will likely be forgiven if Google works hard now to ensure that ongoing Android development is participatory and truly open. The signs so far seem promising: the documentation published today alongside the source code includes instructions on how to contribute to the project and seems to to reflect a willingness to collaborate with the open source software community.

The source code is housed in the kernel.org git version control repository. The code can be obtained by installing git and running Repo, a wrapper script written in Python that automates some git interaction. The build instructions indicate that the source code can be compiled on either Linux or Mac OS X. The Android developers specifically recommend Ubuntu and say that it Android is frequently tested on that distribution.

The build dependencies are pretty much what you would expect. You need Python, the JDK, a standard compilation toolchain, and a small number of other easily available open source libraries. The build instructions tell you exactly what Ubuntu packages you need to install to get all of these. Mac OS X users will need XCode, MacPorts, and a few other standard components. OS X users will have to use an Intel Mac because PPC isn't supported.

To contribute patches, third-party developers will need to use Gerrit, a code review tool. A visual overview of the patch submission workflow is available on the project's web site. Google has defined several levels of participation and has documented how third-party developers can gain higher access privileges, including the ability to approve inclusion of changes and new code into the Android code base. If Google adheres to the guidelines that it has defined, then anyone who has demonstrated sufficient technical expertise and has made significant code contributions will be permitted to participate at the highest levels and help guide the future of the project.

This is a very good start and it goes a long way towards addressing the concerns of critics, including myself, who have voiced suspicions of Google's motives and commitment. The contributor documentation paints a pretty clear picture of how Google intends to integrate the broader open source software community into the development process. There is still room for greater clarity, however, and it seems likely that the project would benefit from a more structured articulation of its governance model.

Android, Motorola and the social networks

Just days before T-Mobile is set to officially start offering the Google Android-based G1, Motorola is getting in on the Android craze, discussing plans to have a smartphone based on the open-source Linux operating system by the middle of next year.

Citing Motorola insiders, Motorola's engineers are working on an Android handset geared toward users of social networking tools like MySpace and Facebook. The device will let users update and manage their social networking sites from the device, a feature that has become popular on handsets.

Motorola's Android device is expected to feature a touch screen similar to the Apple iPhone, T-Mobile G1 or the recently announced BlackBerry Storm from Research In Motion. Motorola's yet-to-be-named Android device is also expected to feature a G1-style physical slide-out QWERTY keyboard.

While Motorola has declined to specify its plans, it issued a statement saying, "We're excited about the innovation possibilities on Android and look forward to delivering great products in partnership with Google", indicating that Motorola has been showing wireless carriers spec sheets and images of the device, which is expected to hit the U.S. market in the second quarter of 2009.

Word of Motorola's first Android-based device comes just weeks after reports surfaced noting that the Schaumburg, Ill.-based handset maker is trumping up its Android development team by assembling a group of up to 350 Android developers to reinvigorate its struggling mobile device business. The added developers will bulk up Motorola's Android team from the 50 members it has today.

Motorola's Android device will pit it head-to-head against other touch-screen titans that have recently stormed the market in attempts to dethrone Apple's 3G iPhone from its spot at the top. As a sort of prelude, Motorola last week released its first-ever touch-screen phone, the Motorola Krave, which launched Oct. 14 on Verizon Wireless.

Google Chrome more secure and stable

The developers behind the new web browser Google Chrome have released the latest dev channel version. Google Chrome for testers is now in version 0.3.154.3. This is mainly a bug and security fix update.

Release 154.0 had a few browser crashes, including a crash on startup on tablet PCs running Windows Vista. Has been fixed the new crashes and 154.3 should be much more stable.

There are more plugin performance updates in this release, including fixing some videos that halt after 1 second (r3123, Issue 115) and plugins causing the browser to become unresponsive (r3323).

r3228 Changes the download behavior for files that could execute code (exe, dll, bat, etc.). These files are now downloaded to unconfirmed_*.download files. In the browser, you’re asked if you want to accept the download. Only after you click Save is the unconfirmed_*.download file converted to the real file name. Unconfirmed downloads are deleted when Google Chrome exits.

Gmail down for more than 24 hours

The Gmail services were down for nearly 30 hours. Some Google Apps customers were also affected by the outage. Google said that the Gmail problem is fixed. However, Google said the outage only affected a small number of Gmail users.

Gmail is one of Google's most popular services. Google Apps administrators were facing high tensions at times. In some cases they had to deal with extremely upset CEOs and other high ranking executives who unable to access their Gmail accounts.

Google Apps is a suite of hosted collaboration and communication applications designed for workplace use. Its Standard and Education versions are free. However, many CEOs and executives use the service as an e-mail solution. These companies use the Premier edition which costs $50 per user and offers a 99.9 percent uptime guarantee for Gmail.

While Gmail services has been reliable, it also faced an outage in August. The first two outages occurred on August 6 and August 15 where it affected a small number of Apps Premier users and lasted over 24 hours. On August 11, Gmail was down for about two hours. In all three incidents, users were unable to access their Gmail accounts.

Google decided to extend a credit to all Apps Premier customers who were affected by the outage in August. However, customers said Google could do a much better job at just notifying Gmail users of problems. The only problem with this is the e-mail notifications. If their primary e-mails are with Gmail, there's no way the company can notify unless the account holder has setup a secondary e-mail account outside of Gmail.

Despite a few hiccups with the Gmail service, most customers are satisfied with their Google accounts.

Google tops brand loyalty list

For the second consecutive year, Google was the top brand in the "2008 Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Leaders List", which included 374 brands. The study was conducted among 26,000 consumers in September.

"[Google is] always coming up with add-ons that are cool," said Warren Church, vp of brand strategy at Deskey, a branding agency in Cincinnati. "Talk about eye-tracking studies . . . you're always staring at Google."

Innovation, creativity and a consumer-comes-first attitude helped Google retain the top position.

Avis, which held the top slot for six of the survey's 11-year existence, was No. 2 this year. Meanwhile, rival Hertz shot up from 87 to 13. Again, innovation was a key factor driving consumer loyalty. "Car rental companies have always had high expectations," said Robert Passikoff, president at Brand Keys, New York. "Hertz has done some nice work in terms of added value extras they provide."

According to Rich Broome, a rep at Hertz, Park Ridge, N.J., "Innovation leadership is an important part of our DNA. It continues to this day and will accelerate for years to come." However, Broome said the key is "never reducing vigilance on anything that has to do with customer service."

Cosmetics, a category that focuses on constantly creating new and better products, was introduced to the survey this year. Many of the segment's leaders drew high marks, and 12 of the top 25 brands overall were from cosmetic companies. Mary Kay (3), Maybelline (4), Estee Lauder (5) and Clinique (8) led the pack. The "emotional engagement" that women share with their favorite beauty brands is powerful, said Passikoff. "At a time when many brands are becoming commodities and turning into category placeholders, creating that emotional bond is the only way they can guarantee loyalty."

Cosmetic brands benefit because their marketing is more about faith than claims, said Church. "They've stayed out of the trenches of 'our product will give you a seven-times more shinier face.' It's more 'do you want to look younger and more radiant?' That's home run language right there . . . [For the consumer], it's about looking into the mirror and seeing what you want to see."

Other segments are suffering because of the economy, including higher-end hotel chains. Fairmont Hotels dropped from 10 to 28, Hyatt slipped from 8 to 32 and Marriott fell from 15 to 55. "That's the economy talking," said Passikoff. "It's become a value proposition."

Still, some hoteliers have remained strong. Embassy Suites successfully straddled value and luxury and jumped from 180 to 30. Hilton remained at 53 while Ritz-Carlton fell only slightly, from 45 to 50.

Wal-Mart's "Save money. Live better" value message is serving the retailer well. It moved to 18 from 63. "Times are hard. You look at Wal-Mart and say, 'They're really not that bad.' With all of the cost cutting going on, why not go to Wal-Mart," said Church. "It's cool to be thrifty these days."

Source: Kenneth Hein, Brandweek

Android and the kill switch

Just days before the launch of the first "Google Phone", the HTC G1, to be released by T-Mobile, Google has admitted that its Android software is not as free as its fans would believe. In fact, Google could remotely zap software from your phone without your permission.

Google's admission followed an investigation by Computerworld, which discovered a "kill switch" clause in the fine print of Android's terms-of-use contract.

The fine print says: "Google may discover a product that violates the developer distribution agreement ... in such an instance, Google retains the right to remotely remove those applications from your device at its sole discretion."

Google has responded that if any commercial software is removed from a person's Android phone, then the user will be refunded for the cost of the software.

Apple also admitted to the existence of a kill switch for its iPhone OS, although not until some time after its AppStore launched. Although the AppStore unrequested recall feature has never been used, Apple has been relatively tight about screening what software is placed on its software download service, while Google is taking a much more open approach.

StreetView available in France

Google has begun expanding its Street View feature of Google Maps to several major cities in France, the first European country to get the Internet giant's driver's-eye view.

"We've added coverage for six major cities in France: Paris, Lyon, Lille, Toulouse, Marseille, and Nice," Luc Vincent, engineering director of Street View and a native of France, said Wednesday in a blog. "France is the first country in Europe to benefit from Street View imagery, and I'm delighted that many of my favorite places are included in the new coverage, including the street where I grew up."

Google gave a preview of coming attractions in July by showing Street View for the Tour de France bicycle race route.

Street View has raised privacy hackles, but Google now blurs faces in Street View to avoid users concerns.

Google declined to detail when Street View will spread to other parts of Europe. "We have been taking photographs to bring Street View to Europe and we will be adding Street View imagery for new cities and countries on an ongoing basis," the company said in a statement.

Google Message Discovery is cheaper now

Google Message Discovery, powered by Postini, is an easily-deployed, hosted service that helps your organization manage email retention and security, providing you with both complete email security and a centralized, searchable repository so you can locate email quickly in the event of legal discovery.

From now Google Message Discovery, included within Google Enterprise, will be available for a flat fee of € 17.50 per user per year, a service for obtaining e-mail files hosted on Google with a holding capacity of up to 10 years messages, and with anti-virus and spam filtering, based on technology from Postini.

With this service you can:

• Capture and index all of your organization's email and attachments in a centralized repository
• Store email in redundant and secure Google data centers, creating a reliable, offsite backup
• Identify specific emails and attachments quickly through a search interface using parameters such as date range, sender, recipient, subject and content
• Place search results on litigation hold to preserve messages beyond their retention periods
• Export search results to PST or MBOX format for further review and analysis

G1 Android phone with 1.5 million preorders

More than 1.5 million people in the US have pre-ordered Google's first mobile phone.

The device, known as the G1, is made by HTC, and will be available on the T-Mobile network. It runs Android, an operating system designed partially by Google that aims to bring the desktop computing experience to mobile devices. The G1 gives one-touch access to popular Google online services, such as its email service, YouTube video-sharing site and Google Maps.

The G1 features a touchscreen and a slide-out Qwerty keyboard, as well as internet browsing via 3G and Wi-Fi, music downloads, and the ability to buy and install additional software, programs and games on the phone from the Android Market application store.

Although some technology experts have suggested that the estimate of 1.5 million pre-orders is too high, there's little doubt that expectations of the G1 are high ahead of its launch. First impressions of the G1 were largely positive, with many technology experts seeing the potential of the Google operating system if not the design of the handset itself. But, as analysts have pointed out, the launch of the G1 needs to be a success if Google is going to establish the Android platform as a potential "iPhone killer".

The G1 is the latest in a long line of touchscreen hansdets aimed at toppling the iPhone. More than 1 million iPhone 3G handsets were bought in its first weekend of sale, and Apple is on course to hit its target of selling 10 million iPhones by the end of the year.

Washington replaces Microsoft with Google Apps

Washington DC is the latest organisation to decide Microsoft Office isn't worth the cash, moving to Google's suite of cloud products. Google Apps is software-as-a-service for business email, information sharing and security.

Instead of Word, Excel and Outlook, 38,000 employees in the district will now be using Google Docs, Google Mail, Google Video for business and Google sites for intranets and the like.

The deal is estimated to be worth around $500,000 (£292,000), and consolidates an impressive uptake for Google Apps, launched just over two years ago.

Google claims around 500,000 organisations currently use its Apps products in one form or another, with 3,000 being added each day.

However, Microsoft is still turning in decent user numbers for its Office Live Workspaces applications, but these require the Office suite to be of real use, thus negating the real benefit of cloud working.

OpenSocial available in Ning social networks

Social network platform provider Ning today announced that it is adding support for the OpenSocial standard to the more than 500,000 social networks created by its users.

The OpenSocial initiative was launched by Google and MySpace to create APIs that developers can use to build applications that can run across multiple social networks and other Web sites.

The OpenSocial support allows new applications like file sharing, poll creation and e-commerce to be added to social networks created on Ning, the company noted in a blog post. Ning added that 30 OpenSocial applications are available on the site.

The OpenSocial directory on each Ning network will automatically inherit the branding and visual design of that network, Ning said. Also, OpenSocial applications can inherit the visual style of the member profile page to which they are added.

Ning also said that OpenSocial applications can automatically be integrated into a social network's viral features. Thus, an OpenSocial application could add updates to their members' latest activity feed and send messages on behalf of a member.

Ning joins a growing number of social networks that support OpenSocial, including MySpace, hi5, Orkut and Bebo.

For developers, supporting OpenSocial makes good sense, as they can reach a far larger audience with an OpenSocial application than if they just programmed for a given network's own APIs.

The only holdout [from] supporting OpenSocial is Facebook. However, Facebook is considering the option of opening up its development platform to other social networks in the future.

Google GeoEye first image released

Google GeoEye, released today the first color half-meter ground resolution image taken from its GeoEye-1 satellite. The satellite has been undergoing calibration and check-out since it was launched on Sept. 6 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in Calif. The Company will begin selling GeoEye-1 imagery products later this fall.

Matthew O'Connell, GeoEye's chief executive officer, said, "We are pleased to release the first GeoEye-1 image, bringing us even closer to the start of the satellite's commercial operations and sales to our customers. This is a remarkable achievement, and I want to thank all of our employees, customers, especially the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, strategic partners, vendors and investors for their support."

GeoEye-1 simultaneously collects 0.41-meter ground resolution black-and-white imagery in the panchromatic mode and 1.65-meter color (multispectral). This first image showing Kutztown University located midway between Reading and Allentown, Penn. was produced by fusing the satellite's panchromatic and multispectral data to produce a high-quality, true-color half-meter resolution image. Though the satellite collects imagery at 0.41-meter ground resolution, due to U.S. licensing restrictions, commercial customers will only get access to imagery that has been processed to half-meter ground resolution.

Bill Schuster, GeoEye's chief operating officer, said, "We are bringing GeoEye-1 into service within four years of our contract award with no contract cost overruns. The entire program which includes the satellite, launch, insurance, financing and four ground stations was less than $502 million. That's the amount established and agreed to four years ago." He further noted, "GeoEye-1 is an excellent fit to meet the U.S. Government's important requirements for mapping and broad area space-based imagery collection over the next decade."

Brad Peterson, GeoEye's vice president of operations, said, "This image captures what is in fact the very first location the satellite saw when we opened the camera door and started imaging. We expect the quality of the imagery to be even better as we continue the calibration activity."

Google game advertising

Google’s game-focused advertising initiative is going to come to life later this month. Google, which bought in-gaming advertising company, AdScape, earlier this year for about $23 million, will unveil its game-focused strategy in two steps.

The main advantages for publishers according to Google are:

Join a network tailored for web-based games: Google has focused on building a network and ad technology specifically for games played within the browser.

Build a business model while respecting your users: Independent research has shown that most users do not have a negative opinion of in-game advertising and will watch video ads exchange for free game play. As the publisher, you control where and when your ads show, whether it’s before, within, between, and/or after game play.

Access campaigns from the world’s top brands: Top brands like McDonalds, Esurance, Wrigley’s, Kohl’s, and more have already run campaigns in the Google network. See our current success stories.

Fill up to 100% of your remnant inventory: In addition to campaigns which Google’s sales force sells directly to top brands, you can receive contextually targeted image and text ads which are targeted based on various content and demographic signals.
Filter out unwanted ads: Google combines filtering technology, an editorial team, and your input to create a robust set of filters that are right for you. In addition, publishers can filter ads from partners with whom you have exclusive relationships, or competitive ads you may want to block.

And for marketers:

Extend the reach of your video ads: Re-purpose your spots or create new ones, and they'll appear before, within, between, or after game play.

Drive your brand: In-game ads have been shown to drive brand familiarity and consideration by significant percentages and have the option for custom sponsorships and integrations: In addition to the media buy you make directly with Google, your Google sales representative can connect you directly with publishing partners for deeper integrations.

Reach the new generation of social gamer: The face of online gaming is changing to include users of all ages, backgrounds, and interests. Get your brand in front of users on the largest social networks, including MySpace, Facebook, and sites across the web.

Engage the user while respecting the user: Third party research confirms online gamers don't mind in-game ads as long as they're relevant and conveniently placed.

Combine your campaign in games with one in video: Build an integrated in-video and in-game campaign, adding unequaled opportunities for scale in the #1 and #2 media which users are consuming.

Google Earth with ocean view

Google have unveiled a tool that lets people view protected marine areas with the click of a mouse. The feature on Google Earth displays icons indicating sensitive areas of the world's oceans, from the waters off the Galapagos Islands to the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean.

A click on them brings up photos and/or video of the sites and marine life there, as well as text explaining the sites, how they are managed and local maritime lore.

Google Earth project manager said the tool presented, which Google Earth calls a layer, is the culmination of a yearlong project to let conservationists bring hard science to the general public in an entertaining way. The new feature was presented at a congress of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, a grouping of more than 1,000 government and nongovernment organizations and almost 11,000 volunteer scientists in more than 160 countries.

Google Earth is the platform for the new tool and helped develop it with the IUCN and the World Commission on Protected Areas. Around 4,500 spots scattered around the world's oceans have been designated as marine protected areas, which means activities such as commercial or recreational fishing are restricted or outright banned to protect dwindling stocks of fish and other marine species.

Not all of them are featured on the Google tool, but its creators say it is nonetheless a groundbreaking way to get people all over the world interested in the environment.

Google Streetview available on iPhone

A recent iPhone firmware beta was sent to developers with a few hidden features: Google streetview, Japanese Emoji icons and the option to turn off the iPhone.

Google Streetview mirrors the desktop version of Google Maps. The feature allows you to see destinations from a street view. Google first introduced the mobile version of the feature in its Android mobile operating system, available on the T-Mobile G1 phone in October.

Japanese Emoji icons are emoticons for text messaging. The addition of the icons to the firmware suggest the lack of the icons were slowing down adoption in Japan markets.

The ability to turn off the iPhone’s auto-correction feature will satisfy iPhone users with precise thumbs. The feature would automatically correct what it perceived of as misspellings and improper usage. The feature takes a while to get used to and has a tendency to overcorrect sometimes with improper suggestions. Correcting the iPhone’s mistakes becomes a time consuming task, particularly when ur txting w kewl shorthand.

Respecting Streetview functionality, the new version of Google Maps for mobile has the same street-level imagery available on desktop. You can launch Street View from any address where Google has photography, or simply by clicking on the map and selecting "Street View". You can browse Street View overlaid on the map or in full screen, rotate your view to see more of your surroundings, and move along the street.

There are other features to help you search for and get to businesses and locations. You can now read business reviews, so you'll know if it's actually worth driving across town to that store. And once you decide where to go, you can get there on foot using the same walking directions (beta) we recently launched on desktop. Finally, you'll notice significant improvements in search speed with this version, as well as better location accuracy in all versions thanks to this week's My Location update.

The newest Google Maps for mobile is available now for BlackBerry and many Java-enabled phones. To download it to your phone, visit google.com/gmm from your phone's web browser or on the desktop.

New interface for Google Spreadsheets

It's available a new interface for Google Spreadsheets, one of the components of Google Docs family.

The new interface application, polish up the navigation and make it look and feel like word processing and presentation tools.

At the top of the page, a new set of menus is the place to look for all of your favorite spreadsheet features. In the toolbar, are concentrated the most commonly-used features as shortcuts to make formatting data easier and faster.

The share menu (look for the big blue button) contains everything you need to invite people to work together, publish to the web and share with the world.

There are new cools featurres too, for example, whenever a form is active, the menu shows a count of your total responses. And now it's even easier to insert a formula, switch between number and date formats, or access help content. The new streamlined interface loads the spreadsheets application faster.

Everything you know about spreadsheets will still be available, just better organized.

Gears, Chrome and desktop applications

There's a common misconception that Google's "next-gen" web platform called Gears only (or even primarily) enables offline capabilities for web applications. The truth of the matter is that Google's ambitions are far greater, and the browser extension's capabilities are more multifarious, than this reputation suggests. MySpace's implementation of Gears, which has little to do with offline functionality, is a perfect example.

Gears has been available for over a year now, with the first version released not too far back in May 2007. You can see the whole version history here, but essentially Gears has undergone four releases, each adding incrementally to its capabilities. The last was released this past August, with another released a couple months earlier in June.

The overall goal of Gears is to bestow upon web applications much of the same functionality enjoyed by desktop apps. And it's doing so through a browser extension that can be installed for a range of browsers (Firefox, Safari, and Internet Explorer) on a range of operating systems (Windows, Windows Mobile, Mac OS, and Linux). With the release of Google's own Chrome browser, some users don't even have to install Gears; it just comes pre-loaded, making Chrome a super browser of sorts from the get-go.

The long-term consequence of this technology is clear: as browsers become more and more powerful with the assistance of initiatives like Gears, there become fewer and fewer reasons to install and run desktop applications (and therefore splurge on Windows and Office, to name two Microsoft cash cows oft identified as dying breeds).

But before that can happen, Gears and similar technologies need to truly enable desktop-like functionality within the browser (or more accurately, they need to enable desktop-like functionality for web applications that traditionally operate only within the browser).

So where do we stand today? Currently Gears can be used by developers to improve web applications in the following ways (on both desktop and mobile devices):

Client-side database storage: Most interactive websites depend heavily on databases that collect, organize and deliver the information contributed by users and in-house publishers. Traditionally, these databases have been deployed almost exclusively on the server-side, requiring users' computers to send requests and wait for responses whenever they wanted to do something non-trivial with a site's data. With the Gears Database API, websites can now establish databases on the client-side (i.e. your computer), allowing for quicker program speeds and certain offline capabilities (for when you can't get online to query remote databases). Client-side webpage serving- Gears can essentially turn your computer into a server of webpages and other flat data files for when regular web servers can't be reached. The LocalServer API lets websites cache their pages when you are online and serve them up later when you're not. It can also be used to speed up certain actions through caching for when you are still online. Desktop shortcuts- For web apps to act like desktop apps, they need to open like them, too. So Gears makes it easier for developers to place shortcut icons on the desktop that users can use to open web apps with the standard double click. While basic site shortcuts for the desktop were possible before, the Gears functionality makes the user experience of adding and using these icons more intuitive. The graphic quality is higher, multiple sizes are supported, and in the future shortcut icons will support communicative overlay icons (for apps, such as webmail, that want to tell you how many unread messages you have, for example). Multiple file uploads- Normally, when you want to upload a collection of files to a website, you have to select them one by one (unless the website you're using has decided to implement a Flash or Java-based loader). With Gears, it's possible for users to select multiple files at a time and batch upload them, saving you time and tediousness. Geolocation- For mobile devices that can determine the user's current location, Gears makes this geolocation information available to applications running within the browser. The geolocation API can be used to identify the user's position once or to watch it over time as the user moves around. Permission to access a user's position must be granted through a special dialog, preventing unwanted snooping. Background processes- A lot of times when using JavaScript-heavy web apps, you have to wait while certain processes finish chugging along. With the so-called "WorkerPool" API, time-intensive processes can run in the background where they won't slow down your general experience. The result: web apps feel more snappy because they don't get bogged down as often.

The Gears team at Google rolls out capabilities based on the perceived demand for them. The following features have been alluded and may show up in upcoming releases:

Progress bars: Whether you're uploading one large file or several small ones, you probably want to know how things are going. Traditionally there's no way to tell where you stand as you look impatiently at the spin of your cursor's hour glass. But with Gears, you'll be able to see a real progress bar telling you how much of the data has reached the server already. File resumption- When large file uploads fail these days due to connection interruptions, you have to start from square one and reupload everything again. Gears promises the ability to resume uploads so you can start where you left off. On-screen notifications- Users of Growl and microblogging desktop clients like Twhirl are accustomed to on-screen notifications that appear in the corner of their screens when anything new happens. Future versions of Gears will allow any website to trigger such notifications, whether or not they are currently running in the browser (perhaps allowing us to kill off the email notifications that many web apps abuse to spur return visits).

In the long run, we might see support for complex 3D graphics that take full advantage of your computer's graphics card. Upload functionality could get integrated into the menus that pop up when you right click on files. And web apps could get loaded at startup or triggered in any number of other ways throughout your computer's operating system (and its native desktop applications).

Source: Mark Hendrickson TechCrunch.com

Google Yahoo ad deal postponed

Google and Yahoo will postpone their internet advertising partnership until goverment regulators complete a review on whether the deal will hurt competition.

The companies agreed to delay while discussions with the Justice Department continue.
Competitors, consumer advocates and customers questioned whether the deal would give Google too much control over advertising and information on the Web. Increased scrutiny by regulators could limit Google's growth, said an analyst in New York.

No date is set for the probe to conclude, said a person with knowledge of the decision, who asked not to be named because the talks are private. Google, which handles almost two- thirds of U.S. Internet searches, sought to sell ads alongside some query results on Yahoo's site, splitting the revenue.

If the companies proceeded before the review is complete, the Justice Department could have sought an injunction, said another analyst in Washington. Google and Yahoo have said they don't legally need the agency to approve the agreement.

The plan raised eyebrows as soon as it was announced in mid-June because Google and Yahoo together handle more than 80 percent of U.S. Web searches. Google accounted for 63 percent in August, compared with 19.6 percent for Yahoo and 8.3 percent for Microsoft.

The two companies said June 12 they would give the Justice Department 3 1/2 months to review their partnership.

Yahoo Chief Executive Officer Jerry Yang, chose the Google accord after rejecting Microsoft's takeover advances earlier this year. In August, investors withheld about one-third of their votes for Yang's re-election to the board in a demonstration of their displeasure.

Microsoft has opposed the deal, saying it will give Google 90 percent of the search-based ad business. Yahoo needs the Google agreement to offset the slowing online advertising market.

The Association of National Advertisers trade group opposed the deal, saying it would push ad prices higher. The American Antitrust Institute, a Washington advocacy group, called for restrictions to limit Google's control of the market.

Google clean energy

Google will use its clout as the world’s biggest internet company to lobby for policy change on alternative energy.

The group has already invested $45 million (£25.5 million) backing start-up companies that are trying to develop wind, solar and geothermal technologies. The investment has been made through Google.org. its philanthropic arm.

Eric Schmidt, chief executive of Google, announced a plan to help to wean the United States off coal and oil by 2030. The proposal also includes cutting oil use for cars by 40 per cent within the period.

In his paper, Where would Google drill?, Mr Schmidt explained that while such a transition would cost trillions of dollars, in the long run it would save money. He also said that the annual cost was expected to be less than the $700 billion offered to bail out Wall Street.

Drawing a comparison between the energy and banking crises, Mr Schmidt said of America’s financial catastrophe: “That is an unconscionable failure of system design. It is inconceivable to me that the sum of the financial industry would have created that as a possible outcome.”

At the same time, Mr Schmidt refused to be drawn on how the credit crisis may affect Google’s business model, other than to say that the internet search engine had not, so far, felt any economic impact.

Google is one of a growing number of businesses to have released plans for alternative energy, having seen their operating costs and demand levels affected by the persistently high oil price.

Google forecast that new efficiency standards for computers would cut energy consumption significantly by 2010. Mr Schmidt said that the search engine was already trying to improve its own servers and had identified a number of different ways of reducing energy consumption within its buildings.

Alongside his responsibilities as chief executive of Google, Mr Schmidt is also a business adviser to Barack Obama, the Democratic presidential candidate.

Source: Suzy Jagger Times Online

Google efficient data centers

Hundreds of millions of users access Google services through the web, and supporting that traffic requires lots of computers. Google offer great internet services while taking energy use very seriously. That's why, almost a decade ago, Google started to make its computing infrastructure as sustainable as possible. Today they are operating one of the world's most efficient data centers network.

Google-designed data centers use considerably less energy - both for the servers and the facility itself - than a typical data center. As a result, the energy used per Google search is minimal. In fact, in the time it takes to do a Google search, your own personal computer will use more energy than Google will use to answer your query.

They design each element of data centers to operate at optimal efficiency, from the servers, storage, and networking equipment to facility power and cooling infrastructure. Continuous measurement of power usage by all these elements lets them monitor the health, operating cost, and relative efficiency of data centers.

But sustainability is about more than electricity, so they have gone beyond just reducing energy consumption. Before the end of 2008 two of all facilities will run on 100% recycled water, and by 2010 they expect recycled water to provide 80% of their total water consumption. They also carefully manage the retirement of servers to ensure that 100% of this material is either reused or recycled.

The whole plan consist of five steps:

• Minimize electricity used by servers
• Reduce the energy used by the data center facilities themselves
• Conserve precious fresh water by using recycled water instead
• Reuse or recycle all electronic equipment that leaves its data centers
• Engage with its peers to advance smarter energy practices

These steps are just a starting point. They are committed to being carbon neutral as a company, and always looking for ways to make the services provided more sustainable.

Motorola shift to Android

Motorola confirmed industry speculation that it is working on products for the Google Android platform. But a Motorola spokesperson refrained from commenting on published reports that the company is boosting its Android team from 50 to 350 developers.

"We're excited about the innovation possibilities on Android, and we look forward to delivering great products in partnership with Google and the Open Handset Alliance," a Motorola spokesperson said. The official confirmation of Motorola's plans for Android products should come as no surprise, really, since Motorola acted as one of the Open Handset Alliance founding members upon the organization's launch back in November of 2007, along with fellow cell phone makers HTC, LG, and Samsung.

Yet while HTC's "Dream" phone is one and the same as the Android-based G1 phone that T-Mobile rolled out last week, Motorola and the other handset partners in the Open Handset Alliance have held back from making Android product announcements. Motorola's statement today fell short of confirming published reports, that Motorola is now in the process of beefing up the Android development team -- by some accounts, as much as seven-fold.

Some observers are now touting Android as a salve to the financial pains Motorola has sustained in its inability to find a successor to its previously successful RAZR phone. Last April, Motorola reorganized its mobile phone arm into product teams -- one for lower-end, voice-only phones, and the other for feature and smart phones -- that each combine hardware and software specialists. Previously, hardware and software specialists worked in different groups.