Google Maps down under

<span class="byline-author">Posted by Noel Gordon, Software Engineer</span><br /><br />Many Australians have used our maps and satellite images, so today we're especially excited to launch <a href="http://maps.google.com.au/" title="Google Maps Australia">Google Maps Australia</a>. We've expanded service to include Australian business listings, driving directions, and support for Google Mobile Maps in Australia.<br /><br />The next time you're looking for an <a href="http://maps.google.com.au/maps?q=1+Martin+Place,+Sydney+NSW+2000" title="address">address</a>, <a href="http://maps.google.com.au/maps?q=tiger+meat+pie+sydney" title="tiger meat pie in Sydney">tiger meat pie in Sydney</a>, <a href="http://maps.google.com.au/maps?q=cafes+melbourne" title="cafes in Melbourne">cafes in Melbourne</a>, or how to <a href="http://maps.google.com.au/maps?saddr=sydney&daddr=bondi+beach" title="get to the beach">get to the beach</a>, Google Maps can help you find the answer. If you're at your computer, go to <a href="http://maps.google.com.au/">http://maps.google.com.au</a> and start searching -- you can type addresses or business searches like [<a href="http://maps.google.com.au/maps?q=cricket+near+melbourne" title="cricket near melbourne">cricket near melbourne</a>] all into the same search box. If you want to access Google Maps on your mobile device, go to <a href="http://www.google.com/gmm">http://www.google.com/gmm</a> from your Java- enabled phone or Palm device to get started.<br /><br />A good part of the Google Maps team works out of our Sydney R&D center, and we're really pleased to offer the full functionality of Google Maps to everyone down under. Please <a href="http://maps.google.com.au/support/bin/request.py">let us know what you think</a>!

Google Maps down under

Posted by Noel Gordon, Software Engineer Many Australians have used our maps and satellite images, so today we're especially excited to ...

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Web APIs, web mashups and accessibility

<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 /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mashup">Wikipedia defines mashup</a> in the context of web applications as a "(web application hybrid), a website or web application that combines content from more than one source."<br /><br />More generally, web mashups are created by leveraging web APIs to present data in new and innovative ways—often, such innovation comes about by combining data from a multiplicity of sources. However, notice that combining multiple data sources into new and innovative views is not the only possible use of web APIs; in particular, you can also leverage these APIs to produce alternative views of a given data source. Newer uses of web APIs such as those provided by Google Maps, Google Calendar or Google Search often fall into this category of providing convenient user access. Thus, it is possible to embed a Google Calendar or the map for a given location into one's website.<br /><br />Moving from the above scenario to leveraging web APIs in the context of mashups for enabling better accessibility is but one step away. As an example, envision a very basic Google Maps mashup that embeds a map on a web page—but with zoom level set to twice the normal default. This might make a very interesting starting point for a low-vision user. Given the expressiveness of web APIs, we can go a lot further. I believe web mashups provide a very rich platform for building creative accessibility solutions with the goals of:<br /><ul><li>Providing the ability to build highly optimized custom views for cases where a "one size fits all" solution does not work </li><li>Experimenting with different accessibility approaches to discover solutions that work for inclusion into the mainstream </li></ul>To get a sense of what is possible, see how other web developers are leveraging these APIs to provide innovative access solutions. As an example of what can be done with GData-based APIs provided by applications like Google Calendar and friends, see this trip report—<a href="http://googledataapis.blogspot.com/2007/01/mashup-camp-3-googlers-experience.html" title="http://googledataapis.blogspot.com/2007/01/mashup-camp-3-googlers-experience.html">Mashup Camp 3 - A Googler's Experience</a>. In particular, notice <a href="http://www.robocal.com/" title="http://www.robocal.com/">RoboCal</a> a mashup that provides spoken access to your calendar.

Web APIs, web mashups and accessibility

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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Personally speaking

<span class="byline-author">Posted by Sep Kamvar, Engineering Lead for Personalization, and Marissa Mayer, VP Search & User Experience</span><br /><br />Google's goal has always been to give you exactly the information you want right when you want it. With the growth of the Internet and all the new information coming online every day, this might sound hard.<br /><br />We're constantly trying to improve the quality of your search results. One of the ways we're tackling this is by personalizing your search experience. After all, you're the only one who actually knows what you're really looking for.<br /><br />We have two main ways of personalizing your Google experience. First, you can customize products and services like the <a href="http://www.google.com/ig">Google Personalized Homepage</a>. Personalizing your homepage gives you the at-a-glance information that you care about—such as your latest Gmail messages, news headlines, or to-do list—right at your fingertips, just the way you want it.<br /><br />Second, we offer automatic personalization through things like personalized search and <a href="http://www.google.com/searchhistory/items">recommendations</a>. Our goal with these types of technologies is to make your Google search experience better based on what we know about your preferences, without you having to do any extra work.<br /><br />Today, we're taking another step toward making personalization more available to you by combining these two into a single signed-in experience. Now, when you're signed in, you'll have access to a personalized Google—one that combines personalized search results and a personalized homepage.<br /><br />Keep in mind that personalization is subtle—at first you may not notice any difference. But over time, as the search engine learns your preferences, you'll see it. For example, I (Sep) am an avid Miami Dolphins fan (no joke). Searching for [dolphins] gives me info about my favorite football team, while a marine biologist colleague gets more information about her salt-water friends.<br /><br />If you don't want to see personalized results, just sign out of your <a href="http://www.google.com/accounts">Google Account</a>. After all, the goal is to give you what you want when you want it. So give it a whirl and <a href="http://groups.google.com/group/Google_Web_Search_Help">let us know what you think</a>.

Personally speaking

Posted by Sep Kamvar, Engineering Lead for Personalization, and Marissa Mayer, VP Search & User Experience Google's goal has always ...

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Office of the apes

<span class="byline-author">Posted by Tom Galloway, Technical Writer</span><br /><br />Yesterday was National Gorilla Suit Day (NGSD). No, I'm not making this up--<span style="font-style: italic;">MAD Magazine</span> cartoonist Don Martin did, back in 1964. Naturally, there's a full story behind this holiday, and it's been <a href="http://www.povonline.com/National%20Gorilla%20Suit%20Day.htm">chronicled</a> by my friend, writer Mark Evanier. <span class="q">If you've visited the right websites over the last week or so, you'll have seen various <a href="http://www.povonline.com/ngsdbanners.htm">banners</a> promoting National Gorilla Suit Day, which were provided by Mark.<br /></span><br /><div style="direction: ltr;">One particular result of Mark's promotion of this wonderful holiday is that a New York City-based singing telegram service, <a href="http://www.thefurriercourier.com/">The Furrier Courier</a>, offered free singing telegrams, delivered by someone in a gorilla suit on NGSD, to the first five responders.<br /><br /><div style="direction: ltr;">So, I asked myself: Wouldn't it be Googley to have a gorilla-suited singing telegram delivered to some New York City Googlers?</div><span class="q"><br />Why, yes...yes, it would. Especially if they didn't know about it in advance.<br /><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYLQLXv2hlHp8EP0qAwvOd4yEAgCWwvSyA6yjxvuPwfDgwS8QJPUAxVgYYQO_aZTmmRaoMW3QAUMNWHHOhS4ZifyTDiqmJKfd5RIXdKmZy0Y94e3_HglmC6sToSn0uLzuNWPik9Cg-a_g/s1600-h/gorilla1.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5026711838570406930" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYLQLXv2hlHp8EP0qAwvOd4yEAgCWwvSyA6yjxvuPwfDgwS8QJPUAxVgYYQO_aZTmmRaoMW3QAUMNWHHOhS4ZifyTDiqmJKfd5RIXdKmZy0Y94e3_HglmC6sToSn0uLzuNWPik9Cg-a_g/s200/gorilla1.JPG" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a><span class="q">So Wednesday morning our gorilla-suited singer serenaded a weekly meeting of Googlers, including ones videoconferencing in from Mountain View, Kirkland, and Dublin.</span><br /><span class="q"><br /></span>Mark also celebrated the day appropriately--by having Furrier Courier <a href="http://www.newsfromme.com/archives/2007_01_31.html#012844">serenade the <span style="font-style: italic;">MAD Magazine</span> offices</a>.<br /><div style="direction: ltr;"><span class="q"><a href="http://www.newsfromme.com/archives/2007_01_31.html#012844" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" target="_blank"></a><br /></span></div>Now if only I can manage to talk the powers that be into a National Gorilla Suit Day <a href="http://www.google.com/holidaylogos.html">Google doodle</a>--oh well, next year.<br /></div><span class="q"></span>

Office of the apes

Posted by Tom Galloway, Technical Writer Yesterday was National Gorilla Suit Day (NGSD). No, I'm not making this up-- MAD Magazine cart...

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Action! Roll orkut videos!

<span class="byline-author">Posted by Anisha Malhotra, Software Engineer</span><br /><br />We've all been obsessed lately with watching videos on the web. And when we come across something that strikes our fancy, we can't wait to share it with our friends. That got us thinking: rather than sending multiple emails and IMs to share the video URL, wouldn't it be nice to have a feature for sharing videos on <a href="http://www.orkut.com/" title="orkut">orkut</a>?<br /><br />From now on, when you see that crazy video you feel is a must see for all your friends, now you can create your own video playlist on orkut to share with anyone who visits your profile. Just copy the video URL from your favorite <a href="http://www.youtube.com/" title="YouTube">YouTube</a> or <a href="http://video.google.com/" title="Google Video">Google Video</a> hosted videos, and your friends can enjoy watching your top videos through orkut. And because we know your friends will love your videos as much as you do, we've added an "Add to my favorites" button that lets you easily make your friend's favorite videos appear on your list. <br /><br />So next time you log into orkut, sit back, relax, and break out the popcorn.

Action! Roll orkut videos!

Posted by Anisha Malhotra, Software Engineer We've all been obsessed lately with watching videos on the web. And when we come across so...

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More real-time data on the way

<span class="byline-author">Posted by Jennifer Hyman, Product Marketing Manager</span><br /><br />A few weeks ago we were delighted to support <a href="http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2007/01/real-time-quotes-for-free.html"> the New York Stock Exchange's proposal</a> which would allow Google, including <a href="http://finance.google.com">Google Finance</a>, to display streaming real-time last sale prices to everyone. Today we're equally pleased that <a href="http://nasdaq.complinet.com/file_store/pdf/rulebooks/NASDAQ-2006-060_Amendment_1.pdf">NASDAQ has a similar filing</a> which would include both real-time last sale prices and volume. We think these proposals are steps in the right direction, and encourage the SEC to give them a big thumbs up so we can start giving you the data you want, when you need it.

More real-time data on the way

Posted by Jennifer Hyman, Product Marketing Manager A few weeks ago we were delighted to support the New York Stock Exchange's proposal...

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Real-world testing

<span class="byline-author">Posted by Marcus Bulach, Software Engineer</span><br /><br />User feedback is always an important part of our product development process, and for our latest version of Google Maps for mobile, we decided to put ourselves in the driver's seat. Hailing from London, I recently hopped across the pond with my fellow software engineer Jonathan Dixon to help test out the new features on the Windows Mobile<span style="font-size:78%;">^TM</span> edition of Google Maps for mobile while visiting the Mountain View campus. I focused on staying on the right side of the road while Jonathan, oblivious to the sights around him, focused on trying out the satellite imagery on his mobile phone.<br /><br />Like other versions of Google Maps for mobile, with this Windows Mobile version you can find businesses and see real-time traffic updates, along with unique features like contacts integration, GPS support, draggable maps, and tap and hold menus. The business search function proved particularly useful to find<span style="font-family:monospace;"> </span><a href="http://tinyurl.com/ywolp9">delicious Italian food in Half Moon Bay</a><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> </span>to sate our jet-lagged stomachs. You can download the application <a href="http://www.google.com/gmm/winm">here</a> and ActiveSync, or visit <a href="http://www.google.com/gmm">google.com/gmm</a> for more information.<br /><br />And remember -- you can see traffic delays, but don't cause them. Please don't use Google Maps while driving. Instead, give your passengers something fun to do.

Real-world testing

Posted by Marcus Bulach, Software Engineer User feedback is always an important part of our product development process, and for our latest ...

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