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Google launches new betas
May 10, 2006
[this entry will be updated, so reload]
I've been watching Google's media day video feed. The first two hours have been entirely news-free. Eric Schmidt talked about the need to strike the right balance in internet regulation. Alan Eustace gave an introduction to Google's search engine. And some regional managers talked about how Google "acts locally." Snooze. The biggest news seems to be that they haven't been able to get their wi-fi working in the conference room. Fortunately for the attending bloggers, there hasn't been much to blog.
But now Jonathan Rosenberg and Marissa Mayer are up to talk about innovation, so maybe we'll get some announcements of new beta services. "Because it's free, you really shouldn't expect it to be perfect," says Mayer, as a preface to discussing Google Video and other recent new services.
OK. New Google betas:
Google Trends: Let's you search Google traffic - search query volumes - by geography.
New version of Google Desktop: let's you run little applications - "Google Gadgets" (ie, widgets) - inside Desktop. Synchronizes content across different machines you use.
Google Co-op. Syndicates knowledge from expert users, incorporating it into search. You can "subscribe" to individuals or organizations that provide specialized expertise. Also adds "labels" to search results in information "verticals" (first ones are Google Health and, I think, Google CityDesk) that help you refine your search; labels bring you to content chosen by experts.
Google Notebook. Adds "note this" link to search results; clicking on it shifts the info to your own Google Notebook. You can share your notebook with others.
That's it, folks.
Just $16.98 at Amazon!
