Google Labs just released a snazzed up version of Google Reader, a web-based aggregator for reading Atom and RSS feeds. Appropriately named Google Reader Play, the web-app requires no initial set-up and still “adapts to your tastes.” Keep in mind, this new application does not replace Google Reader — it’s just a fun read.
Items are presented in a full-screen format, one at a time, with easy arrow buttons to move back and forth. There’s a “like” button and the option to choose categories to personalize your feed even more. Algorithms used in Google Reader for Recommended Items are also used in Reader Play to generate a custom feed. “It takes into account your past reading behavior and global signals,” according to the Reader Help section. Although Google Reader Play does not require a Google account for access, signing in will allow you to “star” items and provide better feed customization.
Only playing with Reader Play for a few minutes, it’s definitely more visually appealing than Reader, itself. The viewer presents items via slideshow (or not, you can turn this off) in “magic” mode or in their original layout. “Magic” mode gives the items more pop by filling the screen with the most eye-catching item (graphic or video — if it’s just text, it makes the text bigger, basically). Try it out for yourself and tell us what you think.
Google announced a big addition to Google Maps today. “Today we’ve added biking directions and extensive bike trail data to Google Maps for the U.S.,” reports Shannon Guymon, Product Manager for the biking directions team. In cooperation with Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, a nonprofit dedicated to building a nationwide network of trails for healthier living, Google has marked over 12,000 miles of trails for this maps venture.
The bicycling feature even goes above and beyond by taking in numerous factors to calculate the most efficient bike route possible. Google takes a look at roads with bike lanes, busy intersections and steep hills — then computes all that data to output the best route possible. Basically, Google is looking out for bicyclists… safest, quickest path possible while trying to avoid hill-peddling exhaustion. Similar to the road maps, bicyclists may also customize their trip by dragging their path to a desired route.
This feature is currently available for 150 cities across the United States. Since it’s in beta, it’s constantly being improved upon and feedback is encouraged. Roll on over to Google Maps Biking to try it out. Hey, just in time for spring too!
Microsoft Office 2010 has been in beta for some time. It’s also been free to try out for some time. In a press release from Microsoft, senior vice president of the Microsoft Business Division, Chris Capossela said, “Office 2010 is the premiere productivity solution across PCs, mobile phones and browsers.” Office 2010 definitely gives more heed to mobile computing, social media and collaboration.
In fact, an article from Inc. announces that Office 2010 will be rolling out with free versions of Word and Excel to compete with Google Docs and Spreadsheets. These “stripped-down online programs,” says Inc., “will be accessible on computer browsers and Web-enabled mobile phones.” Continue reading at Inc.com.
Beginning March 1st, Google’s tipping over the dominoes and starting the phase-out of Internet Explorer 6. March 1st begins Google’s drop for IE 6 support in regards to Google Docs and Google Sites. “As a result, you may find that from March 1 key functionality within these products — as well as new Docs and Sites features — won’t work properly in older browsers,” says Google.
March 13th begins (Google-owned) YouTube’s drop of IE6. “The latest YouTube interstitial (messaging) is part of a campaign to encourage users to update their browsers in order to enhance their overall site experience,” notes the YouTube blog. And, as forewarned, Google will also be dropping IE6 support for Gmail and other Google Apps sometime in 2010.
So, what’s a web surfer to do? I channel Beyonce when I say I’m going to “introduce you to some new things and upgrade you, I can up, can I up, let me upgrade you.” Upgrade to a more modern browser! Google Chrome, Internet Explorer 8 and Firefox are all great choices. There’s also Opera and Safari.
Yay? Nay? According to Ars Technica, IE6 held 1/5th of the browser market early this year — not too surprising since Windows XP came packaged with the product. This may be largely due to the fact that many IT departments haven’t made that upgrade decision yet. But lots of people, including a numerous web developers and designers, despise the outdated browser and some have even come together via the “Hey IT” group.
Aten Design Group, a Denver-based design company with a sense of humor, will be bidding farewell to IE6 on March 4th. The funeral services will be held at their offices.
Come mix and mingle with Denver’s top IE6 mourners. We’ll have a special time of remembrance, a round of IE6 darts, and plenty of food & drinks.
You may have already heard: Apple is cleaning out their apps store. They’ve decided “to remove any overtly sexual content from the App Store.” It’s definitely not a first for Apple… banning a particular genre of apps. According to PC World, Apple also banned GPS apps that feed the user location-aware ads and Apple-brand competing apps (such as Google Voice and “Flash of Genius” which mentions the Android).
TechCrunch uncovered this recent no-no after developed Jon Atherton, Wooble iBoobs, received a letter from iPhone App Review. Then there was the letter from Apple, that didn’t explain much. And today, a few guidelines have been uncovered through Atherton’s blog, ChilliFresh, regarding his app.
No images of women in bikinis
No images of men in bikinis
No skin
No silhouettes that indicate that Wobble can be used for wobbling boobs
What can I say? It’s a Friday… the week has finally dragged on and there isn’t much longer until the weekend officially starts. Rather than writing on one topic, I thought I’d share the best of what was going on today, in the world of tech and software at least…
Chinese Schools Spurred Online Hacking Remember the series of cyber attacks not too long after Google first threatened to pull out of China? Although it was never proven at the time, China was highly suspected of launching those attacks. It’s recently been discovered that two schools in China may have been responsibly. According to the New York Times, “a series of online attacks on Google and dozens of other American corporations have been traced to computers at two educational institutions in China, including one with close ties to the Chinese military.”
“F*ck You, Google” ran viral through the tech world not too long ago. And Google (smartly) responded in haste. Have you read the post? Have you heard the chatter? It seems like the original blog post from author Harriet Jacobs has been made private, but Gizmodo has a copy.
Did you hear about the problems Google Buzz had when it first released? In a nutshell, privacy wasn’t a strong suit (pun not intended — har har har). In Harriet’s case, her abusive ex-husband (amongst many others) was automatically granted access to her Google Reader information. Since she had never created a Google profile or Buzz profile, there were no blocking options. Not cool, Google.
Well, the story spread quickly. Techmeme picked it up, as did many other popular tech news sites. It wasn’t much later that Google responded to Harriet’s outrage saying “her report helped us discover one bug and one product issue in Google Reader.” Read more of their response at Business Insider. Lifehacker also reported today that as “recently promised, Google has updated Gmail to include a ‘Buzz’ tab.” Users are now able to disable Google Buzz and banish it from sight (or site — har har har, I’m on a roll today!) of Gmail.
So, the latest news regarding all this hubbub? A local class action lawsuit has been filed in San Jose federal court against Google. Filed just yesterday on behalf of Florida woman Eva Hibnick, the complaint alleges Google “broke the law when its controversial Google Buzz service shared personal data without the consent of users,” according to the SFGate. Since Hibnick is filing on behalf of all Gmail users that were linked to Buzz, that could mean 31.2 million people against Google. The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1984 is served up as an example of one law Google broke in regards to the complaint.
Google doesn’t really have much to comment yet. “We haven’t yet been served, so we can’t comment on the suit until we’ve had a chance to review it.”
The Bipartisan Policy Center, a nonprofit organization focused on various issues including national and homeland security, will be unleashing Cyber ShockWave on Tuesday, February 16th. Cyber ShockWave, a cyber-attack simulation, will allow the government to assess response times and improvement areas shall they ever encounter the real deal.
A group of high-ranking former White House, Cabinet and national security officials will band together to fend off this simulated cyber-attack. As the event unfolds, the participants will be advising the President and planning a strategical response. None of the participants have any advanced information regarding the simulated attacks. The event even goes as far as hiring professional scriptwriters to coach the security experts and a production company to recreate the White House situation room in the Mandarin hotel.
There is no doubt that Google’s (and other tech companies’) struggle with recent (most-likely) Chinese attacks have caused greater concern regarding our nation’s cyber-security. How do you think our nation will fair in this exercise?
Spammed Remember how the Australian Government green lighted an Internet filter not too long ago? In retaliation to the proposed filter, a group of hackers, who call themselves Anonymous, took down two government sites: the main website and the Parliament site. Ars Technica tells us “the plan was DDoS government servers first, and then followup with ‘a s***storm’ of porn-related emails, faxes, and prank cell phone calls to government officials.”
Google Buzzdebuted earlier today. A friend mentioned it but I honestly didn’t pay that much attention. But while listening to Merrick, Dools and Ricki-Lee (as I usually do while slaving away on the computer at work), I heard a newscaster on Nova FM describe Google Buzz as a Facebook that uses your Gmail account. Apparently, it was big news. But it just wasn’t catching my attention.
In less than a day, Google Buzz has already taken on severalhits. And I sort of agree with Microsoft, “Busy people don’t want another social network…” Actually, sometimes I’m not even that busy… so maybe it should’ve been, “Lazy and busy people don’t want another social network”?
However, I did stumble upon something fairly awesome from Google today… Mountain Street View! To ready up before the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games, Google’s Street View team sent a souped up snowmobile into the mountains of Vancouver and Whistler.
Microsoft Office
Remember the series of cyber attacks not too long after 
