Homes, not just homepages

<span class="byline-author">Posted by Ethan Russell, Product Manager</span><br /><br />More than ever, home buyers are starting their search online, and we want to make it easier for every one of you to find the home of your dreams. Searching on Google for <a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=Seattle+real+estate">Seattle real estate</a> or <a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=homes+for+sale+in+San+Diego">homes for sale in San Diego</a> prompts you to enter a location and choose whether you want to buy or rent.* After clicking "Go," you can see the individual homes that Google has indexed, provided by our partners and culled from the web. When you want more information on a particular home, you can click straight through to the source of the listing—no detail pages or sign-up forms get in the way. And when Google gets the same listing from multiple sources, we show links to all the data providers and websites, ranked according to many factors including, but not limited to, the quality and comprehensiveness of the data.<br /><br />If you're a real estate professional, making your listings searchable on Google is simple and completely free. We don't charge for photos or offer "featured listings." We believe that buyers just want to see the home that fits them best and that providers shouldn't have to pay to show it to them. We don't sell houses, deal with agents' compensation, or charge for leads. Our business is helping people find the information they're looking for—when you have it, we send them directly to you. We have a bunch of different <a href="http://base.google.com/base/help/realestate.html">upload options</a> tailored to how technical your organization wants to be. These options and our <a href="https://services.google.com/inquiry/listing_removal">listing removal tools</a> are designed to ensure that content providers maintain control over their data. If you have ideas or feedback for us, please contribute via our <a href="http://groups.google.com/group/base-help-realestate/topics">Google Group</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Update:</span> *Currently, there is a country restriction on these searches. For example, Seattle searches will only return results for users in the U.S. We're exploring ways to expand this.

Homes, not just homepages

Posted by Ethan Russell, Product Manager More than ever, home buyers are starting their search online, and we want to make it easier for eve...

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Map-making: So easy a caveman could do it

<span class="byline-author">Posted by Jess Lee, Product Manager, Google Maps</span><br /><br />Humans have been making maps <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_cartography">since the Stone Age</a>. In fact, map-making predates written language by several millenia. Nowadays, people make maps online using tools like the <a href="http://www.google.com/apis/maps/">Google Maps API</a> -- but using an API isn't as easy as scribbling on a cave wall.<br /><br />That's why we're announcing <a href="http://maps.google.com/help/maps/userguide/index.html">My Maps</a>, a new feature that makes it quick and easy to create your own custom <a href="http://maps.google.com/">Google Maps</a> just by pointing and clicking. You can add placemarks, draw lines and shapes, and embed text, photos and videos -- all using a simple drag and drop interface. Your map automatically gets a public URL that you can share with your friends and family, or you can also publish your map for inclusion in Google Maps search results. We'll continue to show organic local search results with red pushpins; user-generated results will have blue pushpins. The user-created results include KML as well as maps made through My Maps.<br /><br />To give you a better idea of what kind of maps you can make, here are some examples that Googlers created after we released the feature internally. (We ran a contest and gave a Nintendo Wii to the best map-maker.)<br /><ul><li><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;t=k&om=1&msid=103763259662194171141.000001119b4b42bf062c2&msa=0" title="America's Highway: Oral Histories of Route 66">America's Highway: Oral Histories of Route 66</a>: A glimpse into life on the legendary (and now-decommissioned) highway, and what drivers will find there today</li><li><a title="Around Japan in 28 Days" href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=103763259662194171141.000001119b501014d7263">Around Japan in 28 Days</a>: Catalogs a trip across Japan that can be done in 3 weeks</li><li><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;t=k&om=1&msid=103763259662194171141.000001119b4ce1e8e0f76&msa=0" title="2004 Presidential Election">2004 Presidential Election</a>: Red states, blue states, and election stats for each</li><li><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;hl=en&t=k&om=1&msid=103763259662194171141.000001119b4bc596127f8&msa=0" title="The World of Hello World">The World of Hello World</a>: A map of programming languages and rough locations in the world where they were created</li><li><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=103763259662194171141.00000111b3ac71d88011c">Olympic Host Cities</a>: Cities that have hosted the Olympic Games with links to related Wikipedia information</li><li><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;hl=en&t=k&om=1&msid=103763259662194171141.00000111b083b28bf007c&msa=0&t=k" title="The Googleplex">The Googleplex:</a> A photo essay on life at the Google headquarters in Mountain View</li><li><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;hl=en&t=k&om=1&msid=103763259662194171141.000001119b4d1da52255a&msa=0" title="Monster Sightings">Monster Sightings</a>: Locations of monster sightings across the globe </li></ul>And the list goes on. We've seen maps for housewarming parties, marathons, band tour schedules, blogs, and even resumes. Since customizing maps has become this easy, we encourage you to create your own to share with friends and family. Have fun!

Map-making: So easy a caveman could do it

Posted by Jess Lee, Product Manager, Google Maps Humans have been making maps since the Stone Age . In fact, map-making predates written lan...

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Search your Mac with Google Desktop

<span class="byline-author">Posted by Rose Yao, Mac Product Manager</span><br /><br />It seems like just yesterday that I was announcing the <a href="http://googlemac.blogspot.com/"> Google Mac blog</a>. Since then, we've been working hard to deliver great products for Google users on Mac, including <a href="http://googlemac.blogspot.com/2007/01/taming-mac-os-x-file-systems.html">MacFUSE</a> and <a href="http://googlemac.blogspot.com/2006/11/more-earth-for-mac.html">Google Earth</a>. Today, I'm really excited to let you know that <a href="http://desktop.google.com/mac">Google Desktop is now available on the Mac</a>! A lot of your most important data doesn't live on the web -- it lives on your Mac and in web services. And since Google is a search company, we're committed to helping you find all of that information.<br /><br />I could talk about this product all day, but I'll cut to the chase. Here are my top 5 reasons to <a href="http://desktop.google.com/mac">try the Mac version of Desktop</a>.<br /><ol><li>It's as fast and easy to use as Google.com.</li><li>It's comprehensive. Not only can you search the files on your Mac, you can now search your web history and your Gmail emails even when you're offline.</li><li>It's changed the way I use my Mac. We designed the Quick Search Box to be a great launcher for applications and files, which means I no longer have a million icons on my desktop and in my dock.</li><li>It's saved me hours. Really! Haven't you ever accidentally closed or deleted a file you've been working on? Or typed "rm -rf" when you didn't mean to? Now you can just search for the file with Google Desktop and recover all the text content you've lost. </li><li>We need your help! This is our first beta of Google Desktop for the Mac and we worked hard to create it; now we need <a title="your feedback" href="http://groups.google.com/group/google-mac">your feedback</a> to help to make it even better.</li></ol>So go ahead and give it a try. We hope you like it!

Search your Mac with Google Desktop

Posted by Rose Yao, Mac Product Manager It seems like just yesterday that I was announcing the Google Mac blog . Since then, we've been...

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Snakes in a plain... old... office building!

<span class="byline-author">Posted by Dan Bentley, Software Engineer</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Act 1: The Googler who cried snake</span><br /><br />Sunday April 1st, NYooglers (a word for New York Googlers I can't convince anyone else to use) receive an email about a python. I assume it's either <a href="http://www.python.org/%7Eguido/" target="_blank" title="Guido van Rossum">Guido van Rossum</a> talking about his <a href="http://python.org/" target="_blank" title="programming language">programming language</a>, or, because it's April Fool's, something like <a href="http://mail.google.com/mail/help/paper/more.html" target="_blank" title="Gmail Paper">Gmail Paper</a> or <a href="http://www.google.com/technology/pigeonrank.html" target="_blank" title="pigeonrank">PigeonRank</a>. Boy, am I surprised when I see the following message:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghQTQpspvHsItlUApMomP9OJLTuzZ4tLhJX2cYV1MV2BuW70tGSqXR7bm1WR1dlP4rvfm7zUAxGRbxlSSP0D97AgradPTa1I2BEChMnkoidcw9eax1hLbJ2DpdDCRcb-OsJgeBy_TdwbM/s1600-h/Missing+Snake.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5049295877759581378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghQTQpspvHsItlUApMomP9OJLTuzZ4tLhJX2cYV1MV2BuW70tGSqXR7bm1WR1dlP4rvfm7zUAxGRbxlSSP0D97AgradPTa1I2BEChMnkoidcw9eax1hLbJ2DpdDCRcb-OsJgeBy_TdwbM/s320/Missing+Snake.JPG" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a><br />"Over the weekend, a pet snake belonging to a Googler escaped from its cage. The snake is a 3-foot long, brown-and-grey, ball python named Kaiser. Ball pythons are non-venomous and are commonly kept as pets. Tempting as it might be, this is not an April Fool's joke! We are sending this message to alert you to the situation and to let you know what to do in the event that you see the snake."<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Act 2: A community unites</span><br /><br />Monday morning in the office, we react. Some laugh, some debate whether it is actually a joke, and some stand away from walls and corners. At least one considers buying rubber snakes en masse. The bathrooms have slightly fewer occupants than usual.<br /><br />Signs are posted in our microkitchens informing us of the situation and reiterating that Kaiser is not venomous and probably hiding behind some cabinet. My favorite sign reads "Single Ball Python (female): Down to earth gal seeking a sincere long term relationship. I have a heart of gold and enjoy quiet evenings in the aquarium, time by the heat lamp, and being held. If you are interested in a woman who desires a quiet settled-down lifestyle and a good future, I am your perfect fit."<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Act 3: Google widens lead in search as Kaiser is found<br /></span><br />Monday, April 2nd, 10:45 PM, we receive another Facilities Manager email: "After consultations with a herpetology expert at the American Museum of Natural History, our team of Google security and concerned volunteers located Kaiser relaxing behind a cabinet earlier this evening, and he was returned safely home with his owner." So, it all ended happily, and Kaiser is now at his owner's home to stay.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Epilogue</span><br /><br />By Tuesday, life at the East Coast 'Plex returns to normal. We go back to building <a href="http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2006/11/search-public-events-in-google.html" target="_blank" title="great products">great products</a>, hosting <a href="http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2007/01/our-new-york-speaker-series.html" target="_blank" title="cool">cool events</a>, and <a href="http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2005/04/its-wonderful-town.html" target="_blank" title="using telescopes to take pictures of ourselves">using telescopes to take pictures of ourselves</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Thank you!<br /><br /></span>All of Google NY would like to sincerely thank our building landlord, <a href="http://www.taconicinvestments.com/" target="_blank" title="Taconic Investment Partners">Taconic Investment Partners</a>, for working in partnership with us on this sensitive search and recovery mission.

Snakes in a plain... old... office building!

Posted by Dan Bentley, Software Engineer Act 1: The Googler who cried snake Sunday April 1st, NYooglers (a word for New York Googlers I can...

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This year's Anita Borg Scholarship winners

<span class="byline-author">Posted by Meredith Carroll, Staffing Programs Coordinator/Diversity Program</span><br /><br />It's that time of year when we happily announce the winners of the 2007 Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship. We're awarding 20 $10,000 scholarships to these outstanding young women -- graduate and undergraduate students who are completing degrees in computer science and related fields -- with our congratulations. The <a href="http://www.google.com/intl/en/press/pressrel/anitaborg07.html">full list of winners is here</a>.<br /><br />We invited all 50 scholars to Mountain View to meet each other, tour Google and participate in a workshop on educational and career issues for women in computer science. The day also included discussions with Google engineers and executives, representatives from the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology and former scholarship winners. This event is part of a larger Google Scholars’ Retreat in partnership with the winners of the 2006-2007 United Negro College Fund and Hispanic College Fund Google Scholarships.

This year's Anita Borg Scholarship winners

Posted by Meredith Carroll, Staffing Programs Coordinator/Diversity Program It's that time of year when we happily announce the winners ...

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Running the Relay Del Sol

<span class="byline-author">Posted by Chris Holstrom, Technical Writer</span><br /><br />At Google we like to do things fast -- that's why you get search results in a fraction of a second, and that's why 12 speedy Googlers traveled to Phoenix this past weekend to run the <a href="http://www.ragnarrelay.com/delsol/">Relay Del Sol</a>. The Relay Del Sol is a 187-mile overnight relay race through the Arizona desert.<br /><br />Between the time Dan Brown started us off at 6 pm on Friday night and the time that I crossed the finish line at 1 pm Saturday afternoon, we each ran three grueling relay legs. Some of those legs were in the dark of night, with coyotes howling in the distance and us wearing lights and reflective gear to make us visible to cars. Other legs were in the heat of the desert sun -- and cacti don't provide much shade.<br /><br />Through it all, we stuck to our aggressive goal pace of just over six minutes per mile. It was good that we could run that fast, because we faced some serious competition from the <a href="http://www.marathongis.com/">MarathonGIS</a> team. After about 130 miles, they were just seconds behind us.<br /><br />We responded to the challenge, though, and really turned it on for our third set of legs. As we approached the finish in Scottsdale, we had built up a solid lead. I knew that victory was within reach when I took the handoff for the final leg.<br /><br />When I approached the finish, I saw my team waiting to cross the line with me. I pumped my arms in the air and flashed a huge smile, overwhelmed with the amazing teamwork and tremendous personal efforts that everyone contributed to the race. We came across the line together as the <a href="http://www.ragnarrelay.com/delsol/results07.php">first place team</a>. It was a great victory for us and an incredibly fun weekend.<br /><br />Here's our team:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYF-X-XNHvGIOJGtw7Wv_VyYN_Mg0qk830nPEOh9FUjIWjOPldSFY6OAz16mw5f-kLJB1D3WHM1Ao8W4341lVfqSQCTkahbGkrXtP_gtsLrh_NNWa9_C3TlrR0iHxfdxdiEB628ZBoHW2x/s1600-h/Relay_DelSol_winners.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5048973773681186386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYF-X-XNHvGIOJGtw7Wv_VyYN_Mg0qk830nPEOh9FUjIWjOPldSFY6OAz16mw5f-kLJB1D3WHM1Ao8W4341lVfqSQCTkahbGkrXtP_gtsLrh_NNWa9_C3TlrR0iHxfdxdiEB628ZBoHW2x/s320/Relay_DelSol_winners.jpg" style="cursor: pointer;" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Back row, left to right: Belsasar Lepe, Eddie Higgins, Don Faul, Tom Phillips, Dan Brown, Sean Knapp.<br />Front row, left to right: Nathan Stoll, Chris Estwanik, Chris Holstrom, Jared Jacobs, Katie Hotchkiss, Bismarck Lepe.</span>

Running the Relay Del Sol

Posted by Chris Holstrom, Technical Writer At Google we like to do things fast -- that's why you get search results in a fraction of a s...

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Deadlines for submitting to testing, scalability conferences

<span class="byline-author">Posted by Amanda Camp, Software Engineer</span><br /><br />Some of the most interesting conversations I've had working in the Kirkland office have been sitting around the lunch table. Bringing together smart people working on tough problems and encouraging them to brainstorm seems to generate the most innovative new ideas.<br /><br />The fact is Googlers love to discuss new ideas, and not just with each other. That is why we we're planning two conferences to share ideas. We want to hear about what other people in the technical community are doing to face the same hard problems we work on. Our <a href="http://googleresearch.blogspot.com/2007/02/seattle-conference-on-scalability.html">Seattle conference on scalable systems</a> is in June, and our second annual <a href="http://googletesting.blogspot.com/2007/03/2nd-annual-google-test-automation.html">Test Automation Conference</a> will take place New York in August.<br /><br />There's still time to submit a proposal for either one. The Testing Automation Conference deadline for submissions is <span style="font-weight: bold;">Friday, April 6</span> (email <a href="mailto:gtac-submission@google.com">gtac-submission@google.com</a>).<br /><br />As for the Seattle Scalability Conference, if "Beowulf" doesn't remind you of English literature, or you didn't know "Selenium" is also an element, you're just the person we're waiting to hear from. Here's a list of some of the topics we'd be interested in (you may have others):<br /><br />Scalable algorithms:<br /><ul><li>Parallelization techniques (fully automatic or programmer-assisted)</li><li>Programming models and languages for multiprocessor systems (e.g., transactional memory, systems of communicating objects) </li><li>Algorithms that function in the face of system failures (flaky hardware, os bugs, network failures)</li></ul>Scalable systems:<br /><ul><li> Managing large computation clusters (configuration, upgrade, repair, status monitoring) </li><li> Managing failure (automatic failure detection/diagnosis/repair) </li><li> Opportunities and challenges of multi-core architecture </li><li> Job management systems/schedulers for large compute clusters</li></ul>If you have an interesting approach or an exciting new solution to any of these, send an outline of your 45-minute presentation to <a href="mailto:scalabilityconf@google.com">scalabilityconf@google.com</a> </span>by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Friday, April 20</span>.

Deadlines for submitting to testing, scalability conferences

Posted by Amanda Camp, Software Engineer Some of the most interesting conversations I've had working in the Kirkland office have been si...

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