Gadgets for a cause

<span class="byline-author">Posted by Samantha Crow, Product Marketing Manager, iGoogle</span><br /><br />With Americans spending the same amount of time online as they do watching television (so says this <a href="http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/231/report_display.asp" id="o6z1" title="Pew Internet">Pew/Internet study</a>), organizations and campaigns have the opportunity to build awareness of election issues broadly through Google tools that make it easy for users to access information.<br /><br />Gadgets -- which are basically interactive and dynamic mini-billboards -- are one of the fastest growing applications at Google. They're the foundation for iGoogle, the personalized version of the Google homepage that has tens of millions of users. They can also be included on most any page on the web with some simple copy-and-paste. Our top gadget developers include a database specialist from the University of Southern Maine, a stay-at-home mom from Utah, and a computer science major from Puerto Rico. <br /><br />Now any campaign or organization with a live website can use the <a href="http://www.google.com/webmasters/gadgets/promo/election.html#utm_source=en-et-mar08blog&utm_medium=et&utm_content=en&utm_campaign=mar08blog" id="t9ba">Gadget Builder for organizations</a> to quickly create a gadget. You can drive traffic from your gadget on iGoogle to your website and help your organization be seen and heard on this new platform. Your gadget could feature news from your organization, blog updates, a YouTube video channel, polls, trends, speeches, and more. You can <a href="http://www.google.com/webmasters/add.html" id="pe-m" title="submit your gadget">submit your gadget</a> to the iGoogle directory and drive additional usage of your gadget from your website. <br /><br />By making content accessible on iGoogle, organizations can engage supporters, reach undecided voters, and provide information to the uninformed. All you need to get started is access to a publicly available server where you can host your gadget files. If you already have a gadget, make sure it's in the <a href="http://code.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=55132&topic=12391" id="ntfx" title="appropriate category">appropriate category</a>, for instance <a href="http://www.google.com/ig/directory?root=/ig&dpos=top&cat=politics&sort=popular" id="dagt">Politics</a> or <a href="http://www.google.com/ig/directory?root=/ig&dpos=top&cat=news&sort=popular" id="xtn1" title="News category">News</a>. If you don't have a gadget yet, it only takes a few minutes to get started.<br /><br />For more details on gadget creation, visit the <a href="http://www.google.com/webmasters/gadgets/about/#utm_source=en-et-blog0308&utm_medium=et&utm_content=en&utm_campaign=blog0308" id="upix" title="Google Gadget Center">Google Gadget Center</a>.

Gadgets for a cause

Posted by Samantha Crow, Product Marketing Manager, iGoogleWith Americans spending the same amount of time online as they do watching television (so says this Pew/Internet study), organizations and ca…

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Developers, start your engines

<span class="byline-author">Posted by Kevin Gibbs, Tech Lead, Google App Engine</span><br /><br />We just launched a preview release of <a href="http://appengine.google.com/">Google App Engine</a>, a way for developers to run their web applications on Google's infrastructure. In the same way that Blogger made it easy to create a blog, Google App Engine is designed from the ground up to make it easy to create and run web applications.<br /><br />With Google App Engine, developers can write web applications based on the same building blocks that Google uses, like <a href="http://labs.google.com/papers/gfs.html">GFS</a> and <a href="http://labs.google.com/papers/bigtable.html">Bigtable</a>. Google App Engine packages those building blocks and provides access to scalable infrastructure that we hope will make it easier for developers to scale their applications automatically as they grow. This means they can spend less time dealing with system administration and maintenance, and more time building and improving their applications. (There's <a href="http://googleappengine.blogspot.com/2008/04/introducing-google-app-engine-our-new.html">more detail</a> on the new App Engine Blog.)<br /><br />Google App Engine is free to use during the preview release, but the amount of computing resources any app can use is limited. In the future, developers will be able to purchase additional computing resources as needed, but Google App Engine will always be free to get started.<br /><br />Today's launch is a preview release. We've got a lot left to do, and there are a lot of features we still want to add to the system. What we'd really like is to get your feedback on it, so we know which features are most important to you. We'll use your suggestions to keep improving the system.<br /><br />This preview of Google App Engine is available for the first 10,000 developers who sign up; we will increase that number in near future. So, developers, please <a href="http://appengine.google.com/">sign up</a>, <a href="http://code.google.com/appengine">download the SDK</a>, and start your engines.

Developers, start your engines

Posted by Kevin Gibbs, Tech Lead, Google App EngineWe just launched a preview release of Google App Engine, a way for developers to run their web applications on Google's infrastructure. In the same w…

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New C-SPAN channel on YouTube

<span class="byline-author">Posted by Steve Grove, Head of News and Politics, YouTube</span><br /><br />As the 2008 election progresses, more and more voters are tuning into YouTube to stay on top of the action. Our <a href="http://www.youtube.com/youchoose">You Choose '08</a> platform now features content from candidates, news organizations, and voters, and we've made it easier than ever to see where the candidates stand on each of the major issues in this election. The next big stop on the campaign trail is Pennsylvania, so we're partnering with C-SPAN to collect videos from voters across the country who will answer the question, "What is the most important issue to you in this election?"<br /><br /><object height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/QPZr6EPIXxI&hl=en"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/QPZr6EPIXxI&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br />This is our fourth voter video program. We started in <a href="http://www.youtube.com/iowacaucuses">Iowa</a>, went on to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/nhprimaries">New Hampshire</a>, and then went national on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/supertuesday">Super Tuesday</a>. With C-SPAN, we're adding a new twist: in the week leading up to the Pennsylvania primaries on April 22, we'll be on the C-SPAN election bus throughout the state, collecting videos straight from the campaign trail.<br /><br />We think C-SPAN is the perfect partner for this program. Started in 1979, C-SPAN is a private nonprofit whose mission is to "provide public access to the political process." That mission is closely aligned with our own: to connect voters and candidates through the power of online video. In a way, YouTube politics has given voters everywhere the opportunity to create their own "C-SPANs" and make the election all the more transparent and accessible to voters everywhere. And that's a fundamentally good thing. So tune into <a href="http://www.youtube.com/cspan">C-SPAN's YouTube channel</a> in the coming days to check out the videos we're getting from voters -- and to submit your own.

New C-SPAN channel on YouTube

Posted by Steve Grove, Head of News and Politics, YouTubeAs the 2008 election progresses, more and more voters are tuning into YouTube to stay on top of the action. Our You Choose '08 platform now fea…

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Happy birthday, Google Grants

<span class="byline-author">Posted by Cynthia Schroeder, Google Grants team</span><br /><br />This week marks the fifth year of Google Grants. We're pleased to report that more than 4,000 grantees to date have benefited from approximately $273.3 million in free AdWords advertising -- and that's something to celebrate. Learn more about the history of this in-kind advertising program on the <a title="Google Grants Blog" href="http://googlegrants.blogspot.com/2008/04/google-grants-turns-5.html" id="b8dc">Google Grants Blog</a>, and find out how your favorite not-for-profit group can apply by visiting the <a title="Google Grants page" href="http://www.google.com/grants/" id="muxe">Google Grants page</a>.

Happy birthday, Google Grants

Posted by Cynthia Schroeder, Google Grants teamThis week marks the fifth year of Google Grants. We're pleased to report that more than 4,000 grantees to date have benefited from approximately $273.3 m…

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Selling Performics Search Marketing

<span class="byline-author">Posted by Tom Phillips, Director, DoubleClick Integration</span><br /><br />Since we <a href="http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2008/03/weve-officially-acquired-doubleclick.html">closed the acquisition of DoubleClick</a> on March 11, we’ve been immersed in integration planning for each of our products and business units. Recently we completed this process for the DoubleClick Performics businesses, and have decided to split them into two separately-run business units: Affiliate Marketing and Search Marketing.<br /><br />It’s clear to us that we do not want to be in the search engine marketing business. Maintaining objectivity in both search and advertising is paramount to Google’s mission and core to the trust we ask from our users. For this reason, we plan to sell the Performics search marketing business to a third party. We believe this will allow us to maintain objectivity and the search marketing business to continue to grow and innovate and serve its customers. While we have not yet identified a buyer, we’ve received preliminary interest from a number of our current partners. Search Marketing will continue to run as a separate entity until the division is sold.<br /><br />We plan to integrate the affiliate marketing business into existing Google operations, providing enhanced value and reach for our affiliate advertisers, and additional tools and monetization opportunities for our publishers. Together, we believe that we can continue to grow this business and deliver on the high expectations from partners.<br /><br />Where it’s applicable in Europe, these plans and their implications for employees are subject to consultation with staff and employee representatives. During this transition, we will ensure that all affiliate and search marketing customers receive the same high level of service they have always experienced.<div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Update</span></span> on June 10, 2009: We announced that we were <a href="http://www.google.com/intl/en/press/pressrel/20080806_performics.html">selling Performics to Publicis Groupe</a> in August 2008. The transaction <a href="http://www.google.com/intl/en/press/pressrel/20080910_performics.html">closed</a> in September 2008.</div>

Selling Performics Search Marketing

Posted by Tom Phillips, Director, DoubleClick IntegrationSince we closed the acquisition of DoubleClick on March 11, we’ve been immersed in integration planning for each of our products and business u…

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Google Docs mean sharing

<span class="byline-author">Posted by Meredith Whittaker, Program Manager</span><br /><br />Google Docs is all about being able to share and collaborate, and now we're taking the idea of sharing a step further with a new <a href="http://youtube.com/googledocscommunity" title="The Google Docs Community Channel" target="_blank">Google Docs Community Channel</a>. This is a place to watch videos from regular folks all about Google Docs, connect with others, and pick up smart tips about all the ways to use the application.<br /><br />Whether you want an introduction video, step-by-step help instructions, or simply to see what others in the Google Docs community have been doing, stop by, <a title="share your videos" href="http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?key=pAiMagd8vdxHOaNtcbNikIA" target="_blank">share your videos</a> and enjoy this new showcase for your ideas, your voice and your boundless creativity.

Google Docs mean sharing

Posted by Meredith Whittaker, Program ManagerGoogle Docs is all about being able to share and collaborate, and now we're taking the idea of sharing a step further with a new Google Docs Community Chan…

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Announcing Project Virgle

<span class="byline-author">Posted by Sir Richard Branson, President and Founder of Virgin Group</span><br /><br />In my life, I've had a lot of exciting adventures and launched a lot of ambitious business ventures. I'm delighted today to announce Virgle, Inc., a joint venture between the Virgin Group and Google which qualifies on both counts.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH6mVp9pMSD6reH1P4hu7TbGeJo6WbO0CYrasHDTZ249fAVrIDrRE2Tu9OGFsiO0Qh_pXWYNrzfr-GIu4aYnDKipOUKpVC4QM_JjQX5iLx7n15qBNhwoiLCTfD9KCMluk6B0Zym8VBc7_d/s1600-h/virgle_logo_final_hi-res.png"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5184067717602307314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH6mVp9pMSD6reH1P4hu7TbGeJo6WbO0CYrasHDTZ249fAVrIDrRE2Tu9OGFsiO0Qh_pXWYNrzfr-GIu4aYnDKipOUKpVC4QM_JjQX5iLx7n15qBNhwoiLCTfD9KCMluk6B0Zym8VBc7_d/s320/virgle_logo_final_hi-res.png" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 230px; height: 193px;" /></a><br />Virgle's goal is simple: the establishment of a permanent human settlement on Mars. Larry Page, Sergey Brin and I feel strongly that contemporary technology is sufficiently advanced to make such an effort both successful and economical, and that it's high time that humanity moved beyond Earth and began our great, long journey to explore the stars and establish our first lasting foothold on another world.<br /><br />In the years to come, we'll be sending up a series of spaceships carrying (along with the supplies and tools needed to build the new colony) what eventually will be hundreds of Mars colonists, or Virgle Pioneers -- myself among them. If you think you might want join us (or invest in or otherwise assist this vast venture), I hope you'll <a href="http://www.google.com/virgle/index.html">read more here</a> about how Virgle will work, what our brave Pioneers can expect and what the future holds for what just might be the most ambitious adventure in mankind's long and storied history.<br /><br />See you on the north side of Kasei Valles!

Announcing Project Virgle

Posted by Sir Richard Branson, President and Founder of Virgin GroupIn my life, I've had a lot of exciting adventures and launched a lot of ambitious business ventures. I'm delighted today to announce…

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