Download Squad

A new page view for Google Docs

Google Docs has finally introduced a new page view option for word processing documents. The new default viewing option (the old plain view is available via the new "View" menu) is called "fixed-width page view" but it looks exactly like the "print-layout" view in Microsoft Word with one caveat -- the entire document is presented as one "page" so there are no visible breaks. We welcome this change as it makes Google Docs much more readable to our Microsoft Office-reared eyes.

[via: Google Blogoscoped]

Reminder: Update your AdSense account to a Google Accont to stay active

This is just a reminder for any AdSense publishers who are not using a full-blown Google Account: in the coming weeks Google will require AdSense publishers to login with a Google Account, so if you haven't already, update now.

Google Accounts let you manage all your Google products from one login (GMail, Google Docs, Google Webmaster Tools, AdSense and AdWords, Google Checkout, etc.). Just follow the wizard that appears after you sign into AdSense to start the upgrade process.

You can migrate your AdSense account into an existing Google Account or you can create a separate account. I ran into a problem in December associating my AdSense account (created in 2006, before Google Accounts) with my main Google account, despite the fact that they were the same e-mail address (that might have been the problem) but an e-mail to Google cleared the whole thing up very quickly. Users with questions or problems can find support at the Google Help Center.

[via: Google AdSense Blog]

Google launches Safe Browsing diagnostic page

Google has displayed warning labels for sites containing malware or malicious activity in their search results for years, now with the Safe Browsing Diagnostic page, users and website owners can find out more information about those warnings.

On the diagnostic page for each site (see DownloadSquad's here), Google displays the current listing status, the testing results from the last 90 days, and whether the site has hosted or acted as an intermediary for malware. This information is available via a link in the search results or a "more information" button in Firefox 3.

[via: Zero Day via Google Online Security Blog]

Weezer goes YouTube All-Stars happy

The band Weezer has always been innovative with their music videos and their latest creation is no exception. For their new single, "Pork and Beans" the band has crafted a video starring some of the biggest stars from viral-video (and YouTube). Concept sound familiar? The Barenaked Ladies tried something similar last year in their video for "Sound of Your Voice", but we think Weezer took the concept to a higher level. I mean, getting Miss Teen South Carolina to appear is quite a coup!

[via: NewTeeVee]

Google news round-up

Here are some other stories we covered this week:

• Google Sites Expands - A Google Apps account is no-longer required to create a Google Sites page or wiki. If you have a Google Account, you can create your own site and invite others to add or edit the content.
  
• Better Gmail 2 supports Firefox 3 - One of our favorite Greasemonkey scripts, Better Gmail 2, has been updated to work with Firefox 3.