What's Going Wrong At Google ??

Can Google Get Its thaumaturgy Back ?? 

A spectre is haunting Mountain View. No, not bed bugs: bit rot. Google is in serious decline.

I don’t see how they can deny it. They have famously always been a data-driven organization, and the data is compelling. Business Insider’s list of the 15 biggest tech flops of 2010 cited no fewer than four from Google: Buzz, Wave, Google TV, and the Nexus One. Bizarre errors have erupted in Google Maps. Many of its best engineers are leaving. Influential luminaries like Vivek Wadhwa, Jeff Atwood, Marco Arment and Paul Kedrosky (way ahead of the curve) say their core search service is much degraded from its glory years, and the numbers bear this out; after years of unassailable dominance, Google’s search-market share is diminishing—it dropped an eyebrow-raising 1.2% just from October to November—while Microsoft’s Bing, whose UI Google tried and embarrassingly failed to copy earlier this year, is on the rise.

Even their money fount, AdWords, is problematic. An illustrative anecdote: I recently experimented with a $100 free certificate for my own pet app, and found my ad got stuck “In Review” indefinitely. According to users on AdWords’ discussion boards, this is common, and the only way to fix it is to file a help request. I did, and the problem was soon repaired—but what happened to the speedy algorithmic solutions for which Google is famous?

The general tone on the AdWords forums is exactly like that on those devoted to the other Google service I use a lot, App Engine: users on both frequently complain about the way Google neglects and/or outright ignores them. I like App Engine a lot, but it’s prone to sporadic bursts of inexplicable behaviour, and some developers are abandoning it because of Google’s perceived reluctance or inability to fix its bugs and quirks. Another example: a bug in Android’s default SMS app which sent text messages to incorrect recipients festered for six months until a spate of high-profile coverage finally forced them to fix it. How can they neglect problems like that in their only big hit of the last five years? 

Never mind don’t be evil—what happened to pay attention?

Once upon a time, Google was the coolest place for a techie to work. Not any more. While I can’t quantify this, I’m confident that most engineers will agree: somehow, over the last 18 months, their aura has faded and their halo has fallen. Once their arrogance was intimidating and awesome. Now it just seems clueless.

It’s not like they’re Yahoo!, halfway past the point of no return. Google is still a giant money machine full of brilliant engineers. Google Voice could be huge. If the rumors of their super-secret augmented-reality app are true, they have another hit in the wings. Even their self-driving cars make strategic sense to me. Still, the trajectory is clear; they’re in decline. They seem to have finally stopped believing their own press releases and realized that they have a problem—but is it too late? Has Google grown too big to succeed? I fear that the answer is yes.

Reservoir !!

Snips :

• The Anti-Google FAQ
• ihategoogle

Unexampled Feature from Google !!!

Watch Google Videos directly In Your Browser !!!

Google has launched a new feature in Google Docs that enables you to watch videos you’ve uploaded to your documents directly in the browser.

Go to Google Docs You will find the option as given below 

To watch a video, just click on it and press play. Google warns that the videos must be in a supported format, and that it takes some time to process newly uploaded videos (as well as some videos uploaded earlier last year), so they might not be immediately available for viewing.

Google Finally Revealed Its Android Honeycomb 3.0 !!!

Google Gives Us a Sneak Peek of Android 3.0 Honeycomb !!!

The past few weeks have been exciting ones for the Android team: They recently released Nexus S and Android 2.3, Gingerbread. But they haven’t stopped buzzing with excitement: today at the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) in Las Vegas, they revealed Android 3.0, Honeycomb.

Honeycomb is the next version of the Android platform, designed from the ground up for devices with larger screen sizes, particularly tablets. We’ve spent a lot of time refining the user experience in Honeycomb, and we’ve developed a brand new, truly virtual and holographic user interface. Many of Android’s existing features will really shine on Honeycomb: refined multi-tasking, elegant notifications, access to over 100,000 apps on Android Market, home screen customization with a new 3D experience and redesigned widgets that are richer and more interactive. We’ve also made some powerful upgrades to the web browser, including tabbed browsing, form auto-fill, syncing with your Google Chrome bookmarks, and incognito mode for private browsing.

Honeycomb also features the latest Google Mobile innovations including Google Maps 5 with 3D interactions and offline reliability, access to over 3 million Google eBooks, and Google Talk, which now allows you to video and voice chat with any other Google Talk enabled device (PC, tablet, etc).

Please stay tuned for more Honeycomb news from the Zombies team. For now, you can get a taste of Honeycomb by checking out this video.

Source !!

Snips :

• Android
• Android.com

No doubt , they gonna sell honey candy's too soon :-p

Google: Your new phone carrier? 

From robot cars to wind farms, Google's expansive ambitions have taken it into some surprising corners of the tech field. Here's another it could tackle: Becoming your telephone company.

Google has assembled all the pieces it needs to be a mobile provider like Verizon, AT&T (T, Fortune 500) or Sprint (S, Fortune 500).

The search company dabbles in selling phones, it licenses the ultra-popular Android smartphone operating system, and it is trying its hand at becoming an Internet service provider.

But its biggest weapon is Google Voice, the hit low-cost calling service that launched in May 2009. Just five months later, the service had 1.4 million users -- almost half of whom were using it every single day.

Google currently relies on the established carriers to sell and support its devices. But if Google has the ability to deal directly with its customers, why not cut out the middleman?

"Google's various efforts are clearly focused on being able to reach as many people on the planet as possible, but that is not something they can fully accomplish just by licensing out Android," says Ari Zoldan, CEO of Quantum Networks, which supplies equipment for Sprint's WiMax network. "If Google could find an easy way to transition into the cell space and provide mobile coverage, there would be some very serious advantages to that."

Never afraid to push the envelope, Google (GOOG, Fortune 500) been moving in that direction for years.

Buying the infrastructure: In 2008, Google put in a bid to buy wireless spectrum to provide mobile Internet access -- spectrum that ultimately went to Verizon (VZ, Fortune 500) for its new 4G network. Rumors that Google is buying up "dark fiber," broadband cables that have been laid but are not in use, have been widely circulated, though never confirmed.

Connecting customers: In February, the company announced that it will become an Internet provider of "ultra high-speed broadband" for up to 500,000 customers for a U.S. city. That project is still under development, but Google is about to start testing its service out at Stanford University.

Google already allows people to bypass their mobile carrier's service. Google Voice lets customers send free text messages, and the new version of Android ("Gingerbread") supports VoIP Internet calling, allowing users to make calls over over Wi-Fi networks.

Operating system: Google designs and licenses the fastest-selling smartphone operating system on the planet: Every day, about 300,000 new Android devices are activated. Android is free for device manufacturers to license, so it has caught on like wildfire. Google makes money by driving search traffic on Android phones.

Selling phones: Earlier this year, the search giant decided to experiment with selling the Nexus One Android phone directly to consumers online. Though it was hardly successful, Google laid the foundation for a future in retail.

"Google made some noise about trying to open up the carrier space, but it learned the hard way with Nexus One that this is much easier said than done," says Al Hilwa, analyst at IDC. "Though I have no doubt its ambition remains intact."

The next steps: So what does it all add up to? Would Google really be willing to give up its strong relationships with the carriers, most notably Verizon -- the largest network -- to go head-to-head with them in the wireless space?

It's not likely in the immediate future. Google's Android is the hottest item in the mobile market, and the company relies on carriers to adopt its software and drive customers to its search site.

But it's a real possibility down the road. The Federal Communications Commission recently failed to enact strong Net neutrality rules for the wireless community. That leaves open the option for carriers to restrict their subscribers' access to some of Google's offerings.

Google warned of that risk in a recent SEC filing: "Some of these providers have stated that they may take measures that could degrade, disrupt, or increase the cost of user access to certain of our products by restricting or prohibiting the use of their infrastructure."

There have already been a few skirmishes. Verizon has made Microsoft's Bing the default search engine in some of its Android phones, depriving Google of that coveted spot, and it took more than a year of fighting to make Google Voice available for iPhone users.

Some experts believe that simply acquiring the pieces to the puzzle helps Google in its negotiations with the carriers.

"It's all part of their mentality to push the envelope and keep service providers on their toes," says Michael Grossi, director of consultancy Altman Vilandrie. "It's a way of keeping checks and balances."

As long as Google can get 300,000 new phones a day into customers' hands via the existing carriers, and as long as those devices allow consumers to download anything they want, there's no reason for them to compete, says Forrester Research analyst Jeffrey Hammond.

But as Hank Paulson famously said, if you have a bazooka in your pocket and people know it, you probably won't have to use it.

"While I think Google could become a mobile provider, I'd view it as a nuclear option," Hammond says.

Certainly, there would be some hurdles for Google to clear. Google would likely face extensive regulatory scrutiny if it were to become a wireless provider. It has very little customer service or retail experience. And becoming a data provider is an expensive new business that could weigh on its margins.

Still, Google has the funds and the resources to get it done. All that's left is the will to do it.

"It's a classic Google experiment," Grossi says. "Google loves to push the boundaries to see what's possible."

Source !!


Snips :

• Google
• Google Voice
  

Footage Of Android’s Revamped Music Player Leaks !!!

Google's next Android Music app leaks out, gives hints of a 3.0 UI overhaul !!!

Remember at Google I/O this year when Google showed off "something beyond Froyo" in the music realm? The demo included an all-new music player (boy, wouldn't that be nice!), along with magical features that let you push web-purchased songs to your device, and allowed you to browse your PC's music library from your phone as if it was on the device itself. Well, none of that showed up in Gingerbread, unfortunately, but the new music player itself has just leaked out. It's super buggy, and of course doesn't have any of those fancy wireless features we're waiting on, but it could offer a bit of a glimpse into 3.0, at least as far as UI tweaks go.

The differences seem minimal but aesthetically pleasing, with blurred background images behind frosted glass widgets as far as the eye can see. One important thing to note is that there is a menu button on the top right, at least in some views, and we went back and watched Andy Rubin's tablet time at D: there's clearly the same menu button on each app. [Suspenseful strings begin to play]. It seems Google might be getting rid of its hardware buttons entirely, or at least making menu functionality a more obvious part of its relevant applications, instead of the "surprise!" button it currently represents. There are also points in the video where tapping the application's icon in the top left takes you to the "home" of the app, and we also found similar icons on the top left of each application Andy demoed at D -- and we're guessing they have the same functionality. Check out a video after the break, or hit up the source link to grab the Android Package...if you defy.

Vic Gundotra Demonstrated the new Android Music, Its pretty Cool B-)



Source !!

Snips :

• Android
• Android Market
• Xda-developers

Highflying !!!

Google’s Androids Invade Outer Space !!

Apparently the Internet, our phones and the world’s roads aren’t enough for Google. Now, the tech giant has sent its Android-powered army to conquer space.

Okay, so maybe Google wasn’t interested in seizing the final frontier (not yet, at least), but it did use the Android OS to send seven payloads of Android figurines and Nexus S devices more than 100,000 feet above the Earth’s surface. It was part of a project to collect data at the outermost edge of our atmosphere.

Each rig involved placing a Nexus S into a foam cooler loaded with Google Maps for Mobile 5.0, Google Sky Map, Latitude and a custom sensor-logging app. Each payload included an APRS transmitter attached to high-altitude GPS device, a battery for power, a radar reflector, a parachute and a weather balloon. Also, each payload carried different video and digital cameras and Android “astronauts.”

Google got great data out of the project, learning that the Nexus S functions just fine at around 60,000 feet and was able to withstand temperatures of -50 degrees Celsius. They even figured out that the jet stream moves at about 130 miles per hour at around 35,000 feet..

Source !! 


Snips :

• Android
• Android Developers
• Nexus S
• Surface of the Earth
• Automatic Packet Reporting System
• Global Positioning System

“In the future everyone will be famous for 7.5 minutes,”

Google Database Tracks Popularity of 500 Billion  Words :-o

Google has quietly released a massive database that's as scholarly a tool as it is fun to play with. Called Ngram * this digital storehouse contains 500 billion words from 5.2 million books published between 1500 and 2008 in English, French, Spanish, German, Russian, and Chinese. It lets anyone search for words and short phrases, and chart how they have been used over time. Just a couple of clicks reveals how "women" overtook "men" in usage in the mid-1980s, and how "grill" grew more popular than "fry" in 2004. 


Harvard researchers teamed up with Google to create this search tool, reports the New York Times. "We wanted to show what becomes possible when you apply very high-turbine analysis to questions in the humanities," said one of the researchers, who called the method "culturomics." Among their findings, published in Science: The names of celebrities faded twice as fast in the mid-1900s and they did in the early 1800s (“In the future everyone will be famous for 7.5 minutes"); and while it took 66 years for technology to be widely adopted in the early 1800s, by 1880, it only took 27 years.

"I really stunned by seeing this :-o , data is really massive !!! " Click here * to see the datasets which i found that there is a hell a lot of data ..

Source!! 

Snips : 

• Google
• Ngram

Google Tidings !!

1.Multiple Gmail Accounts Just Got a Lot Easier to Manage !!

Google’s announced yet another awesome Gmail feature today. Called e-mail delegation, the feature will allow you to easily manage multiple Gmail accounts without signing in and out of Gmail and switching accounts manually.

Originally, e-mail delegation was useful for granting others access to your primary Gmail account — personal assistants, for example.

With today’s changes, this basic feature is going to be more useful for any Gmail user with multiple accounts of his or her own.

When you sign into your primary Gmail account, you can choose to grant access to another account. Just navigate to your Gmail settings by clicking the link in the top right corner of Gmail’s web interface.

Under the Accounts tab, there’s now a new section entitled, “Grant access to your account.” Here, you can add any other Gmail accounts you control to your primary Gmail account.

When you add an account, you’ll have to accept access from a verification e-mail sent to the to-be-added account. Once the account is successfully added, you can simply toggle between your Gmail accounts without logging in and out.

Also, when you send a new e-mail message while signed into a secondary account, your primary address will also appear in the e-mail details.

You can delegate access to your Gmail to another person so they can read, send, and delete messages on your behalf. For example, you can delegate e-mail rights to an admin in your organization, or you could delegate your personal email access to your spouse. The delegate can also access the other person's contacts by clicking the Contacts link. Clicking the To,Cc, or Bcc links in the mail compose window will also bring up your contacts.
You won't be able to give anyone permission to change your account password or settings, or chat on your behalf. Also, you can specify up to 10 users. Here's how:

1. Click the Settings link, and select the Accounts tab.
2. Under 'Grant access to your account,' click the Add another account link.
3. Enter the email address of the person you'd like to access your account and click Next Step.
4. You'll see a confirmation message. Click Send email to grant access if you're sure.
5. The delegate will receive a verification email explaining that you've granted access to them.
   • After the delegate confirms this request, it may take up to 30 minutes for the verification process to be completed. To see if the delegate has confirmed access to your account, look at the Accounts tab in Settings

Any messages someone else sends from your account will have your name listed in addition to the other person's name, so they'll show the sender as: Your Name (sent by Delegate).
If someone has granted access to their account to you, you can access it by clicking the down-arrow next to your email address in the upper-left corner. Select your delegate's email address from the drop-down menu

2.Gmail Now Lets Users Restore Deleted Contacts

In a nod to human error, Google is now letting Gmail users reverse any changes they’ve made to their contacts over a 30-day period.

That means if you’ve gone on a regrettable contact-deleting binge within the past 30 days, you can go into your Gmail account and restore the desired version of your contacts list.

It’s a relatively small change, but one that — like the ability to“unsend” an e-mail — gives wide berth to user error and even intentional missteps.

This new feature will also come in handy if you’re trying to switch devices and sync contacts but accidentally end up deleting contact information from your Gmail account.

To try the feature out, just go to Gmail’s Contacts section and click on the “More actions” menu. From there, you can select “Restore contacts.” When you do, you’ll see a dialog box a lot like this one:

When you select a time frame, all of your Gmail contacts will be restored exactly as they were at that time. Any new contacts you’ve added since then won’t exist, and any contacts you had deleted will be back again. You can also undo a contacts restoration, if you like.

A site built by a few folks at Google !!

Google Launches Site for Teaching Tech to Your Parents !

Ever go home for the holidays and find your parents asking you to help them with “techie tasks” like uploading photos to the Internet?

You’re not alone. A bunch of folks over at Google find themselves in this situation nearly every time they visit their families around this time of year. That’s why they’ve launched TeachParentsTech.org, a “tech support care package” that’s meant to help kids teach parents about computer basics.

According to a Google blog post, the site allows users to select more than 50 basic how-to videos they could send to parents — or frankly, anyone else who might need a little tech help. The videos cover topics from copying and pasting to sharing large files. The recipient will receive a message from the sender, along with a link to the selected videos.

In addition, the first 10,000 to send one of these online packages will have the chance to send real tech support care packages via snail mail to a recipient of choice at no cost. At the time this post was written, nearly 2,000 parents had been “served.”

A site built by a few folks at Google !!

Google Launches Site for Teaching Tech to Your Parents !

Ever go home for the holidays and find your parents asking you to help them with “techie tasks” like uploading photos to the Internet?

You’re not alone. A bunch of folks over at Google find themselves in this situation nearly every time they visit their families around this time of year. That’s why they’ve launched TeachParentsTech.org, a “tech support care package” that’s meant to help kids teach parents about computer basics.

According to a Google blog post, the site allows users to select more than 50 basic how-to videos they could send to parents — or frankly, anyone else who might need a little tech help. The videos cover topics from copying and pasting to sharing large files. The recipient will receive a message from the sender, along with a link to the selected videos.

In addition, the first 10,000 to send one of these online packages will have the chance to send real tech support care packages via snail mail to a recipient of choice at no cost. At the time this post was written, nearly 2,000 parents had been “served.”

What we gained and What we lost in 2010 ?? Take a look !!

How the World Googled in 2010 !!

Shortly after Yahoo released its list of the year’s top searches, Google has announced the results of its annual zeitgeist report, revealing the most popular search terms of 2010 by region and worldwide.

The search giant analyzed billions of searches performed in 2010 and compared them with searches from 2009 to surface emerging trends. Chatroulette, the iPad and Justin Bieber were the three fastest-rising search terms in 2010; Twitter and Facebook also made the list, at numbers eight and 10, respectively.

Among the items of interest that lost the world’s attention in 2010 were swine flu, Stephanie Meyer’s novel (and the accompanying movie) Twilight: New Moon, Susan Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire, “MySpace layouts” and Michael Jackson.

The iPad was the emergent search winner in the consumer electronics category, followed by the iPhone 4, Nokia 5530, HTC EVO 4G and Nokia N900, Android.

In terms of news searches, Haiti proved the most popular, followed by Turkish sports club Besiktas, Chile, “earthquake,” Lady Gaga and the iPhone 4. The Gulf of Mexico oil spill ranked 10th.

If you’re interested in learning more about what consumers searched for on Google in 2010, check out the company’s microsite, which includes tools to help you dig deeper into the data. For a more general overview of the year, I’d suggest watching the video below