Viewing the web through a mobile lens

<span class="byline-author">Posted by T.V. Raman, Research Scientist</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">From time to time, our own <a href="http://emacspeak.sourceforge.net/raman/">T.V. Raman</a> shares his tips on how to use Google from his perspective as a technologist who cannot see -- tips that sighted people, among others, may also find useful. - Ed.</span><br /><br />Designed for cell phone users, I find the Google web transcoder has become an indispensable tool for me when I'm confronted with complex web pages. In fact when one searches the web using mobile phones, Google search hits often get redirected to go through the transcoder in order to provide the mobile user with a web page that works on small displays.<br /><br />It turns out that much of the visual complexity that creates stumbling blocks for mobile users also become show-stoppers when it comes to listening to a web page using screenreaders. So the transcoder has become a useful part of my web access arsenal. You can reach it at <a href="http://www.google.com/m">google.com/m</a>. From there, search for your favorite site. Think of it as the equivalent of your browser's address bar. Once you access a website through the this interface, any links you follow from that page will be automatically transcoded.

Viewing the web through a mobile lens

Posted by T.V. Raman, Research Scientist From time to time, our own T.V. Raman shares his tips on how to use Google from his perspective as...

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Google Base turns 1

<span class="byline-author">Posted by Bindu Reddy, Product Manager, Google Base</span><br /><br />On its first anniversary, we're recapping what Google Base has accomplished on the <a href="http://googlebase.blogspot.com/2006/11/happy-birthday-google-base.html">Base blog</a>.

Google Base turns 1

Posted by Bindu Reddy, Product Manager, Google Base On its first anniversary, we're recapping what Google Base has accomplished on the B...

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It's the little things in Gmail

<span class="byline-author">Posted by Mike Sego, Gmail Engineer</span><br /><br />When people write articles about <a href="http://gmail.google.com">Gmail</a>, they usually focus on the big stuff, like how we offer <a href="http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=6558&query=storage&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;topic=&type=f&ctx=search">2.7+ gigs of free storage</a>. But I've actually found that some of the smallest features we've launched have made just as big of a difference, at least to me and the way I use email.<br /><br />For starters, Gmail has helped eliminate a bunch of duplicate replies that I used to get in mailing lists. You know how a lot of times someone will email a list and get a bunch of responses from different people that all say roughly the same thing? Last week, we <a href="http://mail.google.com/mail/help/about_whatsnew.html">added a feature</a> where if I'm a reading an email conversation, or replying to one, and someone else replies to the same email, a notification pops up telling me there's a new message. Then I just click a link and Gmail adds the message to the conversation. This is also great because it means I don’t end up being embarrassed by responding to a list just as someone else is sending a response that’s way better.<br /><br />There are a few other gems that have made email just work better for me: <a href="http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=30719&query=attachments+html&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;topic=&type=f&ctx=search">viewing attachments in HTML</a> instead of downloading all of them; <a href="http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=34539&query=reply+by+chat&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;topic=&type=f&ctx=search">replying by chat</a> rather than email when I need a quick answer; and the ability to chat with someone even when they're offline, and have those chats show up in their inbox when they sign in again.<br /><br />These smaller features never get as much attention as the big ones, but I think they deserve it. They've changed the way I email, and made me grateful to the people who spend the time to get the little things right.

It's the little things in Gmail

Posted by Mike Sego, Gmail Engineer When people write articles about Gmail , they usually focus on the big stuff, like how we offer 2.7+ gig...

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Enterprise search superstars

<span class="byline-author">Posted by Kevin Gough, Enterprise Team </span><br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7609/900/1600/search_superstar_robot_image.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7609/900/320/search_superstar_robot_image.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a><br />Want your very own custom-made robot crafted out of Legos?<br /><br />These robots are part of the awards package that we're giving our new <a href="http://www.google.com/enterprise/superstar">Google Enterprise Search Superstars</a>. This awards program recognizes companies, and the individuals involved, with innovative enterprise search implementations and a relentless focus on users that yields business results. <br /><br />Our initial winners used the Google Mini and Google Search Appliance, our website and corporate network search appliances, to create self-service support sites that reduced customer support costs, quickly identify domain experts in their organization, and improve service for international users. Read their stories and find out how to become the next Superstar.

Enterprise search superstars

Posted by Kevin Gough, Enterprise Team Want your very own custom-made robot crafted out of Legos? These robots are part of the awards packag...

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Spreading the AJAX love

<span class="byline-author">Posted by Dan Peterson, Product Manager</span><br /><br />You may have <a href="http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2006/05/making-ajax-development-easier.html">heard</a> that the Google Web Toolkit (GWT) makes <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AJAX">AJAX</a> development easier, but now we've made it even easier to dive into AJAX. <a href="http://googlewebtoolkit.blogspot.com/2006/11/its-official-gwt-12-released.html">GWT 1.2</a> supports development on Mac OS X. While GWT has always supported targeting a wide variety of web browsers and production systems, with today's announcement, GWT fanatics are now free to develop on the operating system of their choice.<br /><br />So if you or a friend have an ambitious web application in mind -- especially if you're already familiar with Java development -- feel the AJAX love: <a href="http://code.google.com/webtoolkit/" title="check out GWT">check out GWT</a>.

Spreading the AJAX love

Posted by Dan Peterson, Product Manager You may have heard that the Google Web Toolkit (GWT) makes AJAX development easier, but now we...

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Click to call in Google Maps

<span class="byline-author">Posted by Min Zeng, Google Maps team</span><br /><br />Last week, I was trying to buy blue lightbulbs for a party at my house, and I ended up calling ten different stores before I found one that carried them. Now with the new calling feature on <a href="http://maps.google.com/">Google Maps</a>, I can do this quickly and easily, and never have to lift a finger to dial.<br /><br />Here's how it works: Search for a business, like a <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=hardware+store+in+seattle">hardware store</a>, on Google Maps, and click the 'call' link next to its phone number. Then, enter your phone number and click 'Connect For free.' Google calls your phone number and automatically connects you to the hardware store.<br /><br />There are two things that I really like about this. The business's phone number is automatically stored in your caller ID so you can easily call back in the future. And by checking the box to remember your phone number, you can make future calls from Google Maps with just two mouse clicks (and picking up your phone, of course).<br /><br />We're providing the 'call' link as a free service to all businesses. These aren't ads and don't influence the ranking of businesses in the search results. We foot the bill for calls (local and long distance), but airtime fees or other mobile fees will still apply if you use a mobile phone number. Currently, the calling feature works if you live in the U.S. and are looking for a business located in the U.S.<br /><br /><a href="http://maps.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=52512&topic=1467">Learn more</a> about this, and also our <a href="http://www.google.com/help/privacy_clicktocall.html">privacy policy.</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">Update: </span></span>Added link to "hardware store" example.

Click to call in Google Maps

Posted by Min Zeng, Google Maps team Last week, I was trying to buy blue lightbulbs for a party at my house, and I ended up calling ten diff...

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Search engines united

<span class="byline-author">Posted by Grace Kwak, Product Manager</span><br /><br />Last year we published the Sitemap 0.84 XML protocol as a free and easy way for webmasters to inform search engines about URLs on their web sites so that search engines can more effectively crawl them. We released it under the <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/">Attribution/Share Alike Creative Commons license</a> in the hopes that other search engines would adopt the protocol too. And today, we're excited to announce that Yahoo! and Microsoft are joining us in <a href="http://www.sitemaps.org/">officially supporting the Sitemap protocol</a>.<br /><br />As the web becomes more dynamic, Sitemaps will enable better and fresher search results for everyone who uses the web. For site owners, Sitemaps will help improve website visibility in search results. You can read more about this on our <a href="http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com/2006/11/joint-support-for-sitemap-protocol.html" title="Webmaster Central blog">Webmaster Central blog</a>.

Search engines united

Posted by Grace Kwak, Product Manager Last year we published the Sitemap 0.84 XML protocol as a free and easy way for webmasters to inform s...

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