Since Google Local launched, we've received a lot of requests from business owners who would like to add, update, or remove their business listings from our index. So now there's the Local Business Center, a free tool for doing any of those things and more. If you're too busy running a business to build or maintain your website, this makes it easy for customers to find you online.
Tuesday, 15 March 2005
Down to business
Since Google Local launched, we've received a lot of requests from business owners who would like to add, update, or remove their business listings from our index. So now there's the Local Business Center, a free tool for doing any of those things and more. If you're too busy running a business to build or maintain your website, this makes it easy for customers to find you online.
Monday, 14 March 2005
Blogger API update
We just pushed an updated version of Blogger's Atom API live, and wanted to post about it here to spread the word. Aside from using standard widely-supported technologies like HTTP and XML, we've added a few new things:
- Basic HTTP authentication over SSL for added security
- Strong internationalization support
- Documentation!
In addition, we've re-launched the Blogger Developers Network (feed), as well as the moderated, companion BloggerDev discussion list. Blogger's Atom API is fully supported on both BloggerDev and email - please keep us posted on your development progress.
Friday, 11 March 2005
Man vs mini-kitchen
Google's broad corporate goals are well documented, and as Googlers, we work hard to uphold these values. But sometimes one also needs individual and short-term objectives to motivate and inspire. My personal challenge? Drink one of each beverage offered on the Google campus. Every Google building has several mini-kitchens stocked with a variety of familiar, and unfamiliar, libations. Why do you climb a mountain? Because it's there.
In no particular order, I will imbibe every cola, juice, energy drink, caffeinated liquid and enhanced water. Scoff if you must, but cast no stone until you've taken on the entire line of Snapple beverages and lived to recount the experience. Because Google's great operations team is forever adding new choices to our refrigerators, my project is somewhat of a moving target, but here's what I've concluded thus far:
- The magical properties of VitaminWater are impressive, but their benefit-focused names ("Endurance," "Balance") remind me a bit too much of the Successories motivational posters.
- 50% of Extreme Energy drinks are flammable.
- Boylan's Bottleworks makes the best Ginger Ale. 'Nuff said.
Thursday, 10 March 2005
I read the news today, oh boy!
We've been steadily adding more editions of Google News (Korea, anyone? Chile?) so that everyone can find up-to-the-minute coverage of the news they want to read. But maybe you've got your own idea of what's newsworthy -- more world news and less Michael Jackson, or possibly vice versa. Sports, sports, and more sports? Canadian news in both English and French? You choose the topics and we'll find the stories. So go on - customize your Google News page with *your* Google News.
Monday, 7 March 2005
Taking the plunge
We seem to be famous (or infamous) for never taking our products out of beta -- the software equivalent of commitment issues, perhaps. But in one case, at least, we're taking the plunge: Google Desktop Search has been kicked out of the Google Labs nest, and is officially 1.0.
We've been listening to your suggestions, and this release is crammed with our responses. You can now search your computer for PDFs and media files like MP3s, JPGs and GIFs, video files and so on (Desktop Search even indexes your media files' meta-info, so you can search for artist and file names, song titles, etc). And version 1.0 supports the Thunderbird and Mozilla email clients, Firefox browser -- and Chinese and Korean languages. There's a new floating deskbar you can place anywhere on your desktop, too. To better protect your personal info, Desktop Search won't search password-protected Office files. And serious geeks can now search cool new filetypes and create customized apps with the Google Desktop Search API.
If you already have the earlier Desktop Search, you'll automatically get all these upgrades. If you haven't, maybe it's time to take the plunge yourself.
Nikhil Bhatla
Product Manager
Friday, 4 March 2005
Searching for weather, by web or by phone
Ben Sigelman
Software Engineer
Thursday, 3 March 2005
Reviewing local search
Thai Tran and Bret Taylor
Product Managers