google

An early look at Google's Android

Google released the Android SDK earlier today, which has no doubt sent aspiring programmers and developers in a downloading frenzy trying to get a piece of the proverbial Google pie. But here's what you, the consumer, would really want to know: An Android phone will most likely support a webkit-compatible browser, Wi-Fi, GSM technology (like EDGE and HSDPA), 3G, threaded text messaging, a photo gallery (with a filmstrip plus grid album view), plus a touch screen. Hardware is really up in the air at this point, but we did catch a glimpse of a couple of hardware prototypes included … Read more

Northeastern University sues Google over patent

Northeastern University has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Google, claiming the database architecture that Google uses to feed up search results has been misappropriated, according to The Boston Globe.

The lawsuit claims the technology was developed and patented by a company called Jarg in Waltham, Mass., that was co-founded by Northeastern professor Kenneth Baclawski. The patent, owned by the university and licensed to Baclawski, covers a method for sectioning database queries into different portions that are each processed by a different computer.

The lawsuit was filed last week in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of … Read more

Google releases Android programming tools

Google on Monday released programming tools for its Android mobile-phone alliance for download, giving developers the ability to start writing software for phones due to start shipping in 2008 and $10 million in prizes to lure them.

The software development kit (SDK), an open-source package available for download for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X machines, shows that Java is indeed the programming language for software running on the Linux-based phones.

Accompanying the SDK is a raft of details that wasn't available when Google and its partners announced the Open Handset Alliance a week ago. The Android software includes … Read more

What's the sound of PageRank falling?

After what felt like a long hibernation period, Google has recently made at least a partial PageRank update of the visible or public PageRank, often referred to as Toolbar PageRank. And boy was it noticed--not so much with the update but with the PageRank drops targeted at sites that were buying and/or selling text links.

A lot has been said already by many who have a much deeper understanding and forecast this event. What I find particularly interesting is how PageRank has become a form of currency, yet who can say what precisely that value is? Of course, I … Read more

Google's biggest competitor

Forget Microsoft and Yahoo!. Google's biggest competitor, writes Joshua Green in the December edition of the The Atlantic [Subscription req'd], is Washington, D.C. The United States federal government, that is.

Why? Because, as Green writes, "You can control vast markets and terrify your competitors, but still be a Washington rookie." Washington likes to be in charge. As Microsoft found out (by going light on lobbying during its 1990s dominance), ignoring "the feds" is a bad idea. Green writes:

Just as Google has begun thinking creatively about Washington, the government has been thinking about Google.… Read more

Gmail upgrade breaks Firefox-based plug-ins

As much as I love using Gmail, the Greasemonkey script-based Better Gmail plug-in made my favorite e-mail client, well, better. Integration with Google Reader, colored labels, built-in TinyURLing, and other features really made Gmail that much more useful. Since Google's recreated and upgraded most of Gmail's back-end, those scripts and most other Gmail plug-ins have broken.

To confuse matters, Google is slow in rolling out the new features, so not everybody is using the new interface. If you do have the new Gmail, you can access the old interface Better Gmail 2 v0.1 recreates some of the features in its predecessor, and promises to eventually feature most if not all of the old expanded functionality. For now, though, it's slim pickings.

… Read more

YouTube ups file size limits with new software uploader

Much like Google Video's software uploader, YouTube now has a multifile uploader of its own. While you can still upload up to 100 MB files through YouTube's Web interface, having installed the small piece of Windows software (Mac version coming soon), YouTubers are now able upload several video files at once, at up to 1GB a pop, which is 10x the size of the standard uploader. Interestingly enough, you still have to go through a Web interface, even with the software installed on your machine. The processing is still (thankfully) done on YouTube's servers, which the company … Read more

The advertising arms race

In a statement released to reporters yesterday, Google explained that the company is currently "in tests to determine the best approach to in-game advertising." According to the search giant, it believes video games have become the "perfect medium to deliver relevant, targeted advertising that ultimately benefits the user, the video game publisher and the advertiser."

Does Google honestly believe this garbage? After it bought AdScape for $23 million earlier this year, I think most of us knew this day was coming, but why? This relatively new medium of in-game advertising, when done poorly, ruins any good game.… Read more

The top global technology brand for 2007 is ...

The top global technology brand for 2007 is (drum roll, please) ... um, I'm not sure. One market research firm says Google, the other says Microsoft. This is embarrassing.

How about this: you're the tie-breaker. You're all buyers of technology products and services; which do you think is the better brand? Which one commands your loyalty and recurring business? I hear so much admiration for Google and so much vitriol toward Microsoft, it's hard to believe there's even a question here. But still, the question remains. Which one is it going to be?… Read more