This week in Google

Google ratcheted up the search wars this week by announcing video archiving, satellite maps for the masses, and even help in finding you a cab.

Google will begin archiving personal video clips as part of its ever-expanding search service, according to co-founder Larry Page, who called the move an "experiment in video blogging."

First unveiled in January, Google Video is an engine that lets people search the text of TV shows. The service scours programming from ABC, C-SPAN, Fox News, PBS and the NBA, among others, making broadcasts searchable. People can't yet watch those videos directly from Google's site. Rather, consumers can search on a term to find the TV shows in which it was mentioned, a still image of the video and closed-captioned text of that particular segment of the program.

Google also added satellite technology to its mapping service, allowing people to get aerial photos of the locations for which they are searching. A searcher can enter an address and click on the "Satellite" link to view an area, zoom in or see neighboring locations.

Satellite imaging company Keyhole, which Google acquired in October, provided the technology that allowed the search giant to launch the new mapping feature.

The search giant also added real-time stock prices to its lineup of free offerings, along with a service for locating taxis and shuttles. The Ride Finder service helps people determine which service to choose by displaying the location of various shuttle, limousine and taxi companies' vehicles.