Saturday, April 07, 2007

New Features for all Googlers

Google, always the innovator, has introduced a number of new features to it's search engine repertoire. For example, if you are in the market for a home, either for rent or for sale, simply click onto Google.com and search for "Milford real estate" if you are in the market for a home in Milford, CT and Google will display a box allowing you to specify whether you are looking to buy, rent, or want to see foreclosures in your area. The database is still small, but I'm sure it will build itself to be more and more accurate as people start uploading to it or as Google partners with Realtors.com and other real estate sites.

Another feature which I just noticed today is the "Note this" feature which allows you to select links from the search engine and add notes to them, share with friends, or simply go to your notes homepage and see all web your notes in one place. You can also download and add on and be able to note any Web page you come across. This seems like a natural way to extent your Web research and the use of the powerhouse search engine.

The last feature that I saw announced was the addition to Google Maps which now allows you to make annotations and drawings directly onto the map, this is great when planning a trip or sharing with friends as you can make notes of things to see and even make highlights, add pictures, etc of places to see along the way.

The bottom line is that in the competitive world of searches and competition for textual ads, companies have to stay sharp and find ways to entice users to use the free service in order to serve and deliver to the text ads marketplace. Google, you are one brilliant company!!!

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Monday, March 26, 2007

Google personalize page

This past week Google prove once agin that they are the master of design and usuability. Google upgraded their personalized page service to now include six themes.

These themes are composed of six different headers an user can select. Each header is designed to showcase the time of day and temperature outside once a US city and state or zip code is provided.

I found the feature to be quite unusual and distinct from anything I seen before as not only the sun follows the correct time of day, but also the headers for each of my "buckets" changes in color and shading base on time of day.

The bottom line is that Google is master of initiatives. They know how to keep their users happy and coming back. I been quite pleased with my personalize page as it gives me the one spot destination for all things i'm interested in. Google, your service Rock, but your search engine is going down the crapper so you best start getting inventive there too. This is not your fault, but that of many gamers and scammers who have mastered your algorithm.

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