- Google News adds quotation search
- Google advises best practices in moving domains
- Remove country restrictions on YouTube videos
- YouTube changes policy enforcement system
- A round-up of other Google news from earlier in the week
Posts with tag GoogleNews
Googleholic for April 18, 2008
Google adding YouTube videos to Google News
Google wants to make sure you never have to read another boring newspaper article again. The company is adding YouTube videos to the results in Google News.Video results will show up next to print results as a headline. But there will a video header with a plus mark next to videos. Click on the plus, and a YouTube window will open on the same page allowing you to watch the video without leaving the page. This is pretty much the same thing that happens when you get a video result in a regular Google search.
For now, Google plans to highlight relevant videos from news sources including CBS, Reuters, and local Heart television stations. Video results will only be available in the US, UK, and Ireland, although there are plans to add more news sources and countries in the future.
Google News to add user comments
Google plans to add user comments to the Google News homepage. The goal is to provide comments on news stories from people or groups associated with the story. For example, if there's a story about flooding in New York City and you're stuck at home because the subways aren't running, send in your story. Or if you've actually been quoted in a news article, you can send your comments.It looks like Google is asking for contact info like your e-mail address, name, title, and other information that will help verify that your story is coming from a real person.
The comments will be posted alongside articles without any editing, but will be marked "comments" to differentiate the entries from newspaper articles.
The comments should start popping up this week on the US version of Google News. If things go well, the service could be rolled out for international editions soon.
Google News launches Images Version
Google has rolled out a new "Images Version" view or Google News. There are buttons on the left side of the page for "Standard Version," "Text Version," and "Images Version." Click on images, and you'll see photos from the day's top stories. If you conduct a search, you'll get images for the top search results.
When you scroll your mouse over each image, a synopsis of the story will appear on the right. You can click either the synopsis or the image to go to the source. But a video's worth a thousand descriptive words, so why don't you just take a look for yourself?
[via Google Operating System]
When you scroll your mouse over each image, a synopsis of the story will appear on the right. You can click either the synopsis or the image to go to the source. But a video's worth a thousand descriptive words, so why don't you just take a look for yourself?
[via Google Operating System]
Google reaches settlement in Google News copyright case
Google has reached a settlement with Agence France-Presse, one of the largest institutions still engaged in a legal battle with Google over the posting of headlines, news summaries, and images on the Google News website.AFP and Google signed a licensing agreement today allowing Google to post AFP content. The wire service will withdraw its lawsuit, filed more than two years ago.
Details of the agreement are not public, but AFP CEO Pierre Louette says content on Google News would drive traffic to websites with AFP content, and would go further than just allowing Google News to use "headlines and snippets of text to provide just a taste of what an article offers."
[via search engine land]
Topix shifts focus to become social news hub
Users who sign up for the service will be able to submit local news clips or original stories through the web site or from a cellphone. When there's nobody around to submit or edit news, a "roboblogger" posts links to newspaper articles.
Right now, most of the content on the site seems to be links to mainstream news articles, with very few articles written by users. But the goal isn't necessarily to turn Topix into a repository of user generated news overnight. Rather the goal appears to be to get users to have more meaningful interactions with the site.
While Topix gets about 10 million unique visitors a month, most just look at a few articles through the site and then move on, not the best way to generate advertising revenues. Adding social features to the site will give users a reason to spend more time on Topix.
ZapTXT Get news and blog alerts via email, IM, or mobile phone
ZapTXT lets you sign up for news alerts much like you can get from Google News or Google Blog Search. But there's two things ZapTXT can do that Google can't:- ZapTXT lets you select the web sites or RSS feeds you want to monitor.
- ZapTXT lets you receive alerts via email, instant messenger, or as text messages on a mobile phone.
[via Digital Inspiration]
Google Docs to be unleashed Wednesday?
Google is rumored to be preparing to release a new online service called Google Docs. The new service will integrate, and possibly merge, Google Spreadsheets and Writely. This move, which could be announced at the Office 2.0 conference tomorrow, slowly expands the online productivity suite that Google is working on. With this additional step, Google forges ahead in the online office space environment. Another rumbling about a release at Office 2.0 is Zoho Virtual Office. In this latest release, Zoho packages all of its services together, which can include up to 10. The service is said to be free for individuals and $9.95 for business users.
Google has to get its suite of software organized and bundled, before Zoho takes the lead with its extremely promising online productivity software, just take a look at the demo. Stay tuned for what unfolds.
Google announces office suite
Today Google announced Google Apps for Your Domain. Through this new service, Google is offering free private label email, instant messaging and calendar tools.The web-based applications are built on the same free Google applications you are used to like Gmail, Google Talk, Google Calendar, and Google Page Creator, but with the addition of your unique branding and interface design. Users have the ability to totally switch up the colors and logos used in the page layout.
Google originally launched the Gmail for your domain in February 2006 for select users to test out. In the main administration account, users can manage and set up email addresses and distribution lists through an easy to use control panel. With the Google Apps for your Domain service, it makes it extremely easy for smaller businesses to manage their information more efficiently, without costly additions to email software, upgrades, and IT staffing.
The free, ad-supported service that is launching today is still in a beta form, and consists of 2 gigabytes of email storage for each user in the system that is currently built for US-English only. (Google is currently working to develop the service in other languages) Google is working on a premium version of Google Apps for your Domain for more advanced users, and will release more details and pricing soon.
Googleholic for August 22nd, 2006
In this issue of Googleholic we cover:- Google Stock Sales
- Google Desktop 4
- Gmail's Audio Player
- Google Checkout School Specials
- AdSense, the game
Google hires a top Linux programmer
Andrew Morton, current maintainer of the Linux kernel, has accepted a job offer from Google. Morton dropped the news on a Linux kernel mailing list, explaining that he wants to be involved with Linux and people that use Linux all day every day. Google is starting to become a major player in the Linux development area, and the open-source software industry in general. This hiring move proves they are extremely serious at Linux development.
[Via CNet]
Google Analytics for everyone
Google has released its online analytics software to anyone that wants to use it to interact with their website.Google Analytics lets users track visitors, identify navigational issues, track keywords, and where visitors are coming from. Analytics will also tie into your Google AdWords account and let you know how visitors found your site, where they came from, how they were referred, and measure your total AdWords campaign effectiveness.
Google also has a "Conversion University". A place where Analytics users can go to read up on marketing and content optimization tips from industry experts. Current new articles in the University include Increasing Conversions with Internal Search and Monitoring Visitor Conversion.
Google Analytics is simple to set up. Log in using your Google Account ID, and enter the domain you want to monitor first. Multiple domains can be added later. A code snippet has to be added to the end of all HTML pages that you wish to monitor. Google Analytics displays a nice dashboard with Executive, Conversion, Marketing, and Content summaries, as well as Marketing Optimization, and Content Optimization reports. I am currently testing it out, and so far so good. It is easily a welcome addition to your current tracking software.
Google officially launched WiFi in Mountain View
Today marks the official launch of GoogleWiFi in Mountain View California. Transmitting 802.11b/g signals to the entire city, including residents, businesses and visitors, at no charge.This is a big step in the development of free WiFi for cities, and Google is heading this initiative. Google's main aim at developing the service in their hometown, was to give back and engage the citizens of Mountain View.
Google has put together a nice map of the locations where the Mountain View coverage areas are. So, when you are cruising through Mountain View, look for the "GoogleWiFi" access signal, and sign in with your free Google Account credentials. If you have had the opportunity to try out some free Google WiFi, drop us a line, and let us know how it worked out for you.
Googleholic for August 15th 2006
In this issue we cover:- Google iScream
- Google Atlanta
- Eric Schmidt and the hand washing scandal
- Google Dance pictures
Google rolls out Blogger Beta
Google launched a new version of Blogger today. The new version entitled Blogger beta, has a bunch of features that people have been recommending since Google bought the popular blogging tool.The major new additions to Blogger beta include:
- Categorizing posts with labels
- Blog Readers - specify who can read your blog
- Appearance changing - templates, and managing changes without HTML
[Thanks Evan]
