Download Squad

Street View expands

Street View has just celebrated its one-year anniversary and has added an additional 37 cities to the program. Now cities from Atlanta (finally!) to Topeka are represented.

Google has also added ten new national parks and recreational areas (including Yellowstone, Joshua Tree and the Everglades) and expanded coverage in 15 of their existing cities.

The Google Maps team has also improved image quality, added the ability to look up and down on images (the panorama effect is very cool) and they have deployed the face-blurring technology to all of their areas. We have to admit, were were pretty non-pulsed about Street View a year ago, but being able to find the front of our apartment complex in Google was pretty cool.

[via Google LatLong Blog]

Docs to get PDF storage

Those crafty Googleholics over at the Google System Blog have uncovered more proof that Google will soon be adding PDF support to Google Docs. Google Docs features an icon specifically for the PDF format and according to Google System, there is code that makes the case that PDF files will have their own distinct section.

Google has a PDF viewer and PFD-to-HTML technology bundled into their search products, so it would make sense that an online PDF editor/reader could be in the works. Perhaps to compete with Adobe's online Acrobat suite?

No official word on when Google Docs will get PDF support, we'll let you know as more details emerge.

[via Google System Blog]

FeedBurner's new address

After buying FeedBurner last year, Google hasn't made many significant changes to the service (other than integrating AdSense and making the entire service free), but there are signs that the big G might be looking at integrating the service more tightly with their other properties. In April, FeedBurner announced that it would migrate all existing FeedBurner accounts to Google Accounts and now the Google System Blog has discovered the URL, feedburner.google.com, which when activated (it is currently not working), looks like it will be FeedBurner's new home.

The feeds will also be moved from http://feeds.feedburner.com/SITENAME to http://feeds.feedburner.google.com/SITENAME and that redirects will serve from http://feedproxy.google.com.

Maybe after a year of sitting on their hands, Google finally as some plans for the service.

[via Google System Blog]

Google Reader, Contra-style

For those of us who have fond memories of the Konami code for Contra and other NES games, try entering it into Google Reader. (up up down down left right left right b a)

[via Google Blogoscoped]

Grand Theft Google

For those times when you want to experience the thrill of driving through buildings or fly through the atmosphere but are stuck behind a desk with only a browser and some productivity programs, Google comes to the rescue. Using the Google Earth and Google Maps APIs, some creative programmers have created both a way to drive a car through Google Maps (think Grand Theft Auto -- the original 2D PC version) and pilot a plane. OK, so the graphics are a little neolithic, but its fun nonetheless.

[via CNET

GBroswer rumors

We're skeptical (not because of the concept, but because of Google's relationship with Mozilla), but Google Blogoscoped is pointing to a post from an anonymous blog that claims to be on the inside trac at Mozilla that suggests Google is developing their own browser, based on WebKit (which Apple's Safari is based on and the basis for Android's web browser).

The browser would offer integration with existing Google services and brands like Gmail, Blogger, Google Reader, etc.

It isn't a completely implausible theory; Google Gears and many of Google's other API initiatives could really shine if offered up in one interface, eliminating the need to write hooks for other browsers. And WebKit IS the new hotness of the open source browsing world...

[via Google Blogoscoped]