| Thursday, August 18, 2005 |
| Google |
Google never ceases to amaze me with the innovation of the technology they produce and the speed with which they develop new tools and services. Here are a few of my recent favourites, all of which have appeared in the last few months. These guys are prolific!
- Google Earth - By far the most impressive new Google tool. In fact, this is one of the most impressive pieces of software I've ever seen! It uses a collection of satellite maps, of varying detail, strung together to create a seamless globe that you can zoom in and out and move around at amazing speed. Has to be seen to be believed.
On the downside, the pictures have been taken over a 4 year period, so don't go outside and wave at the sky and then expect to appear on your sceen (they'll be working on that next, no doubt!). And there are still lots of places that they don't have detailed data on yet, including my home town and my university town. But the pros completely outweigh the cons. Try 'flying' from New York to Paris and enjoy the flight! The Eifel Tower even has a shadow!!
- Google Suggest - We all know that Google is cleverer than the rest of us put together. With 8 billion pages in its short term memory, we don't stand a chance. So, why not let Google show off by guessing what you are searching for? That's the idea behind Google Suggest, which automatically completes your search term, as you type. Obviously, it goes for the most common search terms, so if you're looking for something specific, it's not going to help you (e.g. try typing your name, if you have an un-common surname).
This is my next favourite tool, after Google Earth. It is still under development, so not quite up to the Google standards of excellence yet (See Google Labs for other tools that are being worked on in the Google technology playground.)
- Google Alerts - I've been using this function for the last few months, to stay on top of various topics. A whole wealth of info has come my way that I wouldn't otherwise have seen for months, including news articles and blog postings mentioning organisations that I am connected with.
- Google Sets - stick in a few pieces of fruit and Google suggest a whole fruit salad. You can choose whether the set will be large or small, enter a few words and Google uses the web to finditems. I'm not sure how this will be useful, other than for smoothie ideas (!), but it's fun to play with.
- Google Moon - Not as impressive as Google Earth, but still worth a visit to see the seas, craters and other landmarks on our nearest neighbour. Try zooming in to the highest level of detail - a prepare to learn something new about the moon!
So, which of these, or other Google tools have you found useful? |
posted by Mike & Helen @ 5:46 PM   |
|
|
|
