Three more languages for Blogger

<span class="byline-author">Posted by Tyrone Nicholas, Software Engineer</span><br /><br />Millions of people around the world already use <a href="http://www.blogger.com/" id="gza." title="Blogger">Blogger</a> to participate in the wider Internet community. Blogging is a powerful way for people to publish online, reach a large and varied audience, and communicate with others who share their interests. And today, Blogger is available in Arabic, Persian, and Hebrew. This brings the number of languages we offer to 40. We've been really excited about adding these languages and widening the world of bloggers.<br /><br />We're especially pleased that Blogger now supports composing text and displaying blogs right to left. This has long been an challenge for bloggers in Hebrew, Persian, and Arabic. We've added <a href="http://buzz.blogger.com/2008/01/three-new-languages-and-whole-new.html" id="a6:0" title="Blogger Buzz">new features</a> specifically for these users, and also made sure every page of the Blogger application displays right-to-left in these languages. This project has been very technically challenging, but among the most thrilling I've ever worked on. I hope that everyone enjoys using it as much as I've enjoyed developing it.

Three more languages for Blogger

Posted by Tyrone Nicholas, Software Engineer Millions of people around the world already use Blogger to participate in the wider Internet c...

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Celebrating data privacy

<span class="byline-author">Posted by Jane Horvath, Senior Privacy Counsel;<br />Peter Fleischer, Global Privacy Counsel; and Shuman Ghosemajumder, Business Product Manager for Trust and Safety</span><br /><br />Last year, the Council of Europe had a great idea. Based on polling that showed that 70% of Europeans did not understand how their personal data was being protected, the Council decided to hold the first annual Data Protection Day on January 28, 2007. Privacy experts visited schools and universities, launched information campaigns, and held press conferences in locations throughout Europe, informing and educating consumers about their personal data rights and protections.<br /><br />Lack of understanding about data protection on the Internet is not only a European issue, it's a global one. As more and more personal information comes online every day, it's increasingly important that users all over the world understand both the benefits and potential risks of online data sharing, and the tools at their disposal to control and manage the data they share online. In recognition of the global importance of data protection, the U.S. and Canada have joined 27 European countries to celebrate <a href="https://www.privacyassociation.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1329&Itemid=138">Data Privacy Day 2008</a> this Monday, January 28th.<br /><br />As part of the day's events, we'll join legal scholars, privacy professionals, and government officials from Europe and the U.S. at an international data privacy <a href="http://www.jhfc.duke.edu/ces/" id="tn3n" title="conference">conference</a> being held at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. We'll also contribute to efforts to raise awareness and promote understanding of data privacy issues by releasing the third <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=XfZLztx8cKI" id="q5nq" title="video">video</a> in our privacy series ("Google Privacy: A Look at Cookies") on our <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/googleprivacy" id="fsfg" title="YouTube privacy channel">YouTube Privacy Channel</a></span>. This video offers a closer look at how cookies work and how web sites and advertisers use them to personalize our online experiences. We've also developed a <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><u><a href="https://services.google.com/blog_resources/google_privacy_booklet.pdf" id="q9sg" title="privacy pamphlet">privacy booklet</a></u></span></span> (pdf-web version coming soon!) that you can download to get an in-depth look at our privacy practices and approach, and have co-sponsored the creation of <a href="https://www.privacyassociation.org/images/stories/pdfs/DPD08_TeenPrivacyOnline_slides.pdf" id="k:u1" title="educational materials">educational materials</a> on teen online privacy for parents and educators. The goal of all these efforts is to help educate you about online data privacy so that you can make more informed choices about how you use online products and services.<br /><br />We hope that you'll take a few minutes on Monday to learn something new, and that Data Privacy Day reinforces existing global efforts to educate consumers about online data collection, use, and protection.

Celebrating data privacy

Posted by Jane Horvath, Senior Privacy Counsel; Peter Fleischer, Global Privacy Counsel; and Shuman Ghosemajumder, Business Product Manager ...

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Gmail in your words

<span class="byline-author">Posted by Miriam Schneider, Associate Product Marketing Manager</span><br /><br />Since launching Gmail in 2004, we've always supported the idea that email should be useful, fast, reliable, and fun. But instead of just hearing what we think about Gmail, we wanted to hear from you. So we <a href="http://gmailblog.blogspot.com/2007/12/whats-your-story.html" id="i2ub" title="recently invited">recently invited</a> Gmail fans to share stories about how you're using it in unique and productive ways. Turns out that you're a creative bunch, and we got the <a href="http://youtube.com/video_response_view_all?v=R1epyJsRnBM">video submissions</a> (and 1500+ emails) to prove it. With so many stories to choose from, we decided to put them all together and showcase a bit of everything you had to say. To check out the collaborative video and some of the email stories we received, head to <a href="http://www.gmail.com/yourstory" id="bkqs" title="gmail.com/yourstory">gmail.com/yourstory</a>. You might even discover a new way to use Gmail that you'd never considered.<br /><br /><object height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/LS0CrSq_Ip8&rel=1"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/LS0CrSq_Ip8&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br />We always love hearing from you, so if you still have a story to share <a href="http://gmail.google.com/support/bin/request.py?contact_type=story" id="bba5" target="_blank" title="give us a shout">give us a shout</a>.

Gmail in your words

Posted by Miriam Schneider, Associate Product Marketing Manager Since launching Gmail in 2004, we've always supported the idea that emai...

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Public transit made easy

<span class="byline-author">Posted by T.V. Raman, Research Scientist<br /></span><br /><i>From time to time, our own </i><a href="http://emacspeak.sourceforge.net/raman/"><i>T.V. Raman</i></a><i> 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.</i><br /><p> A little over a year ago, I blogged about <a href="http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2006/12/speech-friendly-textual-directions.html" id="r7wx" title="our simple textual directions">our simple textual directions</a> as an alternative to the popular graphical Google Maps interface. Those directions help me orient myself and learn my way around. But in the interest of safety -- my own and others! -- I choose not to drive and rely heavily on public transportation. </p> <p>Now that Maps has textual directions in place, it's easy to build on top of that interface to introduce new innovations that become immediately useful to someone like me. <a href="http://www.maps.google.com/transit">Google Transit</a> is a great example of this -- it helps me locate public transportation options and does so in the text format that I need. In addition, it offers several nice features to help me plan my trip:<br /></p><ul><li> I can specify the desired departure or arrival time.</li><li> It will show more than one trip choice, allowing some flexibility with respect to when I'd like to start.</li><li> It estimates the amount of walking required to get to a transit stop/station.</li><li> It identifies the length of waiting at each transit point.</li><li> It estimates the comparable cost of transportation options, where available.</li></ul><p>But these aren't the only benefits. Behind the scenes is the <a href="http://code.google.com/transit/spec/transit_feed_specification.html" target="_blank">Google Transit Feed Specification</a> (GTFS), an open data format used by public transit agencies to upload their data. <a href="http://code.google.com/p/googletransitdatafeed/wiki/PublicFeeds" id="w5r9" title="Several agencies">Several agencies</a> are already using these public feeds. Though GTFS is never seen by commuters directly, it opens up a wealth of possibilities with respect to accessibility and alternative access, such as building custom user interfaces and specialized route guidance applications that are optimized for people with special needs. </p><p> Though we added this alternative view to enhance the accessibility of Google Maps for blind and low-vision users, we hope that everyone finds it a useful addition to your commute arsenal. So next time you use the Maps graphical interface, give its cousin, the simple textual directions, a try -- there might be times when you find yourself using it even if you can see.<br /></p> <p> And here's to ever more open data feeds from the various public transport agencies!<br /></p>

Public transit made easy

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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Searching for solutions

<span class="byline-author">Posted by Sheryl Sandberg, VP, Global Online Sales & Operations</span><br /><br />Just over two years ago, I <a href="http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2005/10/about-googleorg.html" id="fijs" title="wrote here">wrote here</a> that we were taking a broad approach to philanthropy under the umbrella of Google.org. Today Google.org <a href="http://www.google.com/intl/en/press/pressrel/20080117_googleorg.html" id="qagv" title="announced">shared</a> its game plan, announcing five core initiatives to help combat climate change, global poverty and emerging threats such as pandemic disease. These initiatives draw upon Google's strengths in access to information and scalable technology. We'll use a range of approaches including grants, investments in for-profits and advocacy, and will continue to tap the experience of Google engineers and other team members.<br /><br />We're working alongside experienced partners to carry out these initiatives. For example, one of the initiatives is aimed at improving the quality of delivery of basic services, such as education or clean water. In rich countries we take it for granted that clean water comes out when we turn the tap, and our children learn to read when they go to school. But in many countries in the developing world, essential public services are not working, especially for the poor. Governments are investing huge sums -- to the tune of $700 billion -- to provide basic services, but the lack of two-way information flow inhibits the effectiveness of delivery and the ability of communities to hold providers accountable. The <a href="http://www.google.org/inform.html" id="phbx" title="Inform and Empower">Inform and Empower</a> initiative explores ways to bridge that gap. One of our partners is <a href="http://www.pratham.org/" id="qwa5" title="Pratham">Pratham</a>, a non-governmental organization (NGO) in India that creates the <a href="http://www.pratham.org/aserrep.php" id="zfs9" title="ASER Report">ASER Report</a>, a yearly nationwide survey on education outcomes. Their 2005 report provided data for the first time on basic reading and math skills for children in rural India. The report seeded a national conversation between governments, NGOs and private providers about the state of education and served as a catalyst for change. Our support will help expand their work to other sectors and potentially to other countries. <br /><br />Please visit <a href="http://www.google.org/" id="t42q" title="Google.org">Google.org</a> for more information on Inform and Empower and the other initiatives announced today.

Searching for solutions

Posted by Sheryl Sandberg, VP, Global Online Sales & Operations Just over two years ago, I wrote here that we were taking a broad appro...

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Google India Women in Engineering Award 2008

<span class="byline-author">Posted by Manoj Varghese, Human Resources Director, India</span><br /><br />Diversity at Google means having a workforce that reflects the diversity of our customers' perspectives, ideas and cultures -- one that thinks and acts inclusively, and fundamentally values people's similarities and differences. As part of our ongoing commitment to encourage women to excel in computing and technology, the India team has taken our first steps: in December we launched the <a href="http://www.google.co.in/jobs/womeninengineering/index.html">Google India "Women in Engineering Award"</a> to recognize women in the field of computer science and engineering.<br /><br />In its inception year, we have extended this award to recognized engineering schools across India; it is open to any woman student in computer science engineering who meets the <a href="http://www.google.co.in/jobs/womeninengineering/award/criteria.html">application criteria</a>. This initiative has been received positively, as has been indicated by the inundating queries and subsequent applications. The last date for applying is <span style="font-weight: bold;">January 31st</span> and we are looking forward to hearing from even more <a href="https://services.google.com/inquiry/womeninengineering">applicants</a>.<br /><br />After our panel reviews all applications, the winners will be announced in a little more than a month, on February 29th. The winners will be invited to visit the Google engineering office in Bangalore during first week of March for a conclave comprising of keynotes, panel discussions, tech talks, breakouts and an award ceremony.<br /><br />We hope this award will encourage students to take up computer science engineering as their study, and perhaps <a href="http://www.google.co.in/jobs/womeninengineering/award/photos.html">inspire</a> some of you to take this up as a career too.

Google India Women in Engineering Award 2008

Posted by Manoj Varghese, Human Resources Director, India Diversity at Google means having a workforce that reflects the diversity of our cu...

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Team Aquaduct wins Innovate or Die competition

<span class="byline-author">Posted by Dan Reicher, Google.org team</span><br /><br />The contest said to "Innovate or Die" – and Team Aquaduct lives! In fact, the San Bruno, California team – consisting of John Lai, Adam Mack, Brian Mason, Eleanor Morgan, Paul Silberschatz – is living in grand (prize) style today after winning the <a href="http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2007/09/pour-on-pedal-power.html">first Innovate or Die Pedal-Powered Machine contest</a>.<br /><br />Team Aquaduct was declared the winner out of 102 entries by building a unique and functional solution to provide rural communities with access to clean water. The quintet will share the $5,000 grand prize, and each will receive a Specialized Globe bicycle – as will all five of the finalist runners-up (<a href="http://www.innovate-or-die.com/">read more about all the winners</a>).<br /><br />The contest encouraged people to evaluate environmental issues and develop ingenious solutions surrounding climate change. Many original and inspiring ideas emerged; make sure to visit the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/groups_videos?name=innovateordie">YouTube Innovate or Die page</a> to view all of the entries.<br /><br />And here's the video for Team Aquaduct's winning pedal-powered water transportation and filtration vehicle:<br /><br /><object height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-U-mvfjyiao&rel=1"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-U-mvfjyiao&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></embed></object>

Team Aquaduct wins Innovate or Die competition

Posted by Dan Reicher, Google.org team The contest said to "Innovate or Die" – and Team Aquaduct lives! In fact, the San Bruno, Ca...

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