Friday, July 4, 2008

Sivaraman's Column-2: A peep into the "Google Labs'

(Good Morning to all of you! I have been planning to write a column a day. Unfortunately, due to unavoidable circumstances, there is a time-gap of 7 days. I shall try my best to keep to my commitment of column a day. It all depends on your support and encouragement. Today I am going to write about 'Google Labs'. As you browse the Net, you find yourself using the word 'fascinating' quite often. The Net is an wonderland of fascinating topics. When you start browsing, you forget everything else, especially time. No wonder people are getting addicted to the Net. Who would like to abandon the fantasy world of Net and return to the dreary world of reality? O.K. Here is one such fascinating topic. Hope you will also find it fascinating and try the various technologies. Maybe some of you will be able to come up with some bright idea, which Google may take up. All the best!).
Google Labs
Google Labs is the site where Google tests its ideas before they become fullfledged products. That is, bright ideas which are not yet ready for prime time. Visitors like us also can contribute to its development by directly offering feedback to the concerned Googler. In short, it is a testing ground for new ideas of Google.

Google calls ‘Google Labs’ its technology playground. It invites the public to visit its site and play with these prototypes and then offer its feedback directly to the Googlers who developed them.

Google also cautions us, that they may disappear without warning or perform erratically, as the technologies are still in the beginning stages of development. If something is not working on this page, Google advises us to come back and try it again later. Some of these new technologies/ideas are:

Google Talk, Labs Edition
Experimental release with new desktop notifications.

Experimental Search
Check out Google's latest ideas

Google Code Search
Search public source code

Accessible Search
Web search for the visually impaired

Google Extensions for Firefox (Google Browser Sync now available)
Add powerful new tools to your Mozilla Firefox browser

Google Trends
See what the world is searching for

Google Mars
View some of the most detailed maps of Mars created by NASA scientists

Google Page Creator
Create your own web pages, quickly and easily

Google Dashboard Widgets for Mac
Quickly access Google products from within Dashboard

Google Ride Finder
Find a taxi, limousine or shuttle using real time position of vehicles

Google Suggest
As you type your search, Google offers keyword suggestions in real time

Google Sets
Automatically create sets of items from a few examples

When the ideas take shape and become products, they are ‘Google Graduates’. Some of the Google Graduates are:

Google Transit
Plan trips using public transportation

GOOG-411
Search for local businesses using your voice, from any phone, for free.
Dial 1-800-GOOG-411.

Google Reader
Use Google's web-based feed reader to keep track of your favorite web sites

Google Notebook
Clip and collect information as you browse the web

Google Docs & Spreadsheets
Create, store and share documents and spreadsheets on the web

Google Video
Search TV programs and videos

Personalized Search
Get the search results most relevant to you

iGoogle
Add information you care about to your Google homepage

Google Maps
View maps, get driving directions, and search for local businesses and services.

Google Scholar
Search through journal articles, abstracts and other scholarly literature

Google SMS (US)
Get precise answers to specialized queries from your mobile phone or device

Google Desktop
Find all your information, whether it's on the web or stored on your computer, from one convenient location

Google Groups 2
Create and join searchable discussion groups and mailing lists

Web Alerts
Find out about new web pages on a topic of interest

Search by Location
Restrict your search to a particular geographic area

Google Glossary
Find definitions for words, phrases and acronyms

Google News Alerts
Specify a topic and receive email updates
Links for more details:
Grateful thanks to Google and Wikipeida.

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