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Insights from Googlers into our products, technology, and the Google culture
Google Latitude on your iPhone
July 23, 2009
Earlier this year we
announced
Google Latitude
, a service that lets you and your friends share your locations with each other. You control who gets to see your location and where on the map you appear to others. Today, we're releasing Google Latitude for iPhone and iPod touch, available in the Safari browser.
Visit
google.com/latitude
from your device to start using Latitude. Add a bookmark to your home screen to quickly launch Latitude. Just open Latitude in Safari and tap the
+ icon > Add to Home Screen > Add
. For more details, check out the
Google Mobile Blog
.
Posted by Marc Wilson, Software Engineer
It's a bird...it's a plane...it's iGoogle comics themes!
July 23, 2009
We have always been excited to introduce design flair and whimsy to our user experience, especially on our homepage. Be it through our special
holiday logos
or special themes for our iGoogle users, we like to open up our homepage as a canvas for artists to express themselves and reach their fans and Google users around the world. Today, I'm particularly excited to announce the new comics themes for iGoogle, just in time for
Comic-Con's 40th anniversary
.
The themes showcase the amazingly diverse world of comics. Browse our gallery (
www.google.com/comicsthemes
) to choose from nostalgic comic strips like
Peanuts
, iconic heroes like
Batman
and
Iron Man
, or alternative comics greats like
Dan Clowes
, author of the graphic novel, "Ghost World." The dozens of themes represent talented artists from around the world including
Rumiko Takahashi
from Japan and
Lewis Trondheim
of France.
To offer his unique perspective as one of the world's most accomplished comics artists, I'm pleased to introduce guest author Jim Lee. In addition to being a recognized industry veteran, he also drew today's beautiful
homepage logo
incorporating some of
DC Comics
' most famous characters.
During his 20 year career, Jim has worked with DC and
Marvel Comics
, co-founded
Image Comics
and also
WildStorm Comics
– one of our iGoogle themes. His Batman, Superman, X-Men, Iron Man, Fantastic Four and WildC.A.T.s issues have sold millions of copies. Jim is a recipient of the
Harvey Award
, Golden Panel Award and is widely respected for his contributions as an artist, a creator and a publisher of comics.
An artist's POV by
Jim Lee
Even as the world of comics evolves and embraces a new digital era, it doesn't change the universal, international appeal of the unique art form that is created through the simple marriage of word and picture. I'm excited to have been chosen to help launch this wonderful project. But I'm more elated, both as a professional and as a fan, that so many
different
types of comics have been chosen to be part of the iGoogle comics themes launch. From the mainstream superhero world of DC that I work in to the mainstays of the newspaper funnies from my childhood, to the
Tokyopop
manga titles I collect with my teenage daughters to the esoteric and more literary works of
Dan Clowes
and
Gene Yang
, two of my favorites; I think the breadth of choices available demonstrates the amazing diversity and the fundamental vitality of the stories comics can tell.
Posted by Marissa Mayer, Vice President of Search Products and User Experience, and Jim Lee, Comics Creator/Publisher
Digital activism on YouTube
July 22, 2009
(This is the second of a series of posts from YouTube's news and politics blog,
Citizentube
. -Ed.)
Activism today isn't limited to picket lines and marches on the Mall — people have taken their movements to the web, and
YouTube
has become an important platform for exposure. Every day, people use YouTube to fight for causes, whether they're hunger-striking celebrities like
Mia Farrow
, or
9-year-olds trying to save the neighborhood kickball lot
from destruction. On
Citizentube
, our YouTube blog that chronicles the way people use video to change the world, we've seen digital activists use YouTube in three basic ways: to shine a light on issues that need more exposure, to drive action around causes they care about, and to create connections between people and organizations that share their desire to make a difference.
Some of the most compelling videos we see are those that spotlight important issues that aren't being covered in the mainstream media.
Witness
, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to document human rights abuses around the world through video, offers an excellent example —
this video
from their YouTube channel chronicles the clashes between the Burmese military and rural ethnic minorities.
Invisiblepeople.tv
, a relative newcomer to YouTube, is taking a similar approach by tackling a more domestic issue: homelessness. This summer, the group is traveling across America to document the real, unedited stories of people living on the streets, in tent communes and in cars — and posting all of the footage to
their YouTube channel
. And of course we've seen protesters in
Iran
,
China
and elsewhere use YouTube to amplify their causes far beyond national borders.
Other individuals and nonprofits are using YouTube as a direct advocacy tool, experimenting with ways to drive action from their videos to a particular cause. And we're building new products to make it even easier for them to do this effectively. For example, in March, we
launched
a tool called "Call to Action," which allows nonprofit organizations to drive traffic from an
in-video overlay
to an off-site page where they can collect donations, signatures or email addresses. Shortly after launch, to commemorate World Water Day, we featured a video from charity:water on the YouTube homepage that used a call-to-action overlay to encourage YouTube users to donate money to build wells and provide clean, safe drinking water for those who don't have it. Through YouTube,
charity:water
was able to raise over $10,000 in one day — enough to build two brand-new wells in the Central African Republic and give over 150 people clean drinking water for 20 years.
Yet some of the most innovative uses of YouTube for digital activism are those that leverage the communities that exist on YouTube around particular causes. YouTube is inherently a social experience and many of our users are hungry to partner and collaborate with others who share their passions. Last December, popular YouTube users the
Vlogbrothers
launched the "
Project for Awesome
," a campaign which asked fellow budding change-makers to make videos about their favorite charities. Over 1,200 people joined the effort to promote their cause of choice. And just a few weeks ago, in partnership with President Obama's launch of serve.gov, we created "
Video Volunteers
", a new platform on YouTube which connects nonprofits that lack video resources with proven video-makers who want to use their skills to do good. There are already hundreds of posts from nonprofits seeking help on the
Video Volunteers YouTube channel
, so if you're interested in creating a video for an organization, head over to the channel now and find a cause you care about.
Activism is constantly evolving on YouTube, so we'll keep posting fresh accounts of how citizens and nonprofits are changing the world, one video at a time, on Citizentube.
Posted by Ramya Raghavan, YouTube Nonprofits & Activism
Explore the moon in Google Earth
July 20, 2009
Posted by Anousheh Ansari, Trustee, X PRIZE Foundation, and first female private space explorer
[From time to time we invite guests to blog about initiatives of interest, and are very pleased to have Anousheh Ansari join us here. – Ed.]
Ever since I was a young girl, it has been a dream of mine to travel into space. In September of 2006, I was fortunate enough to make that dream a reality — I took off from the launch pad in
Baikonur
bound for the International Space Station and became the world's first private female space tourist. Since then, it's been my mission to help as many people as possible think ambitiously about ways to push the boundaries of exploration, both here on Earth and beyond. As a trustee of the
X PRIZE Foundation
, and the sponsor of the Ansari X PRIZE, I support Google's goal of opening up space through projects like the Google Lunar X PRIZE, which serve to educate the public about the global benefits of space exploration.
That's why I'm so excited about the release of
Moon in Google Earth,
which is launching today at the
Newseum
in Washington D.C. This tool will make it easier for millions of people to learn about space, our moon and some of the most significant and dazzling discoveries humanity has accomplished together. Moon in Google Earth enables you to explore lunar imagery as well as informational content about the
Apollo landing
sites, panoramic images shot by the Apollo astronauts, narrated tours and much more. I believe that this educational tool is a critical step into the future, a way to both develop the dreams of young people globally, and inspire new audacious goals.
With Google Earth, young explorers around the world can bounce around the galaxy in
Sky
, fly to
Mars
and now visit the
moon
from wherever they may be. To learn more watch the video below or visit the
Lat Long Blog
. Finally, outer space doesn't seem so far away anymore.
Plan ahead: Document and share your health wishes with Google Health
July 16, 2009
Do you have medical records gathering dust in a pile somewhere? As a doctor and nurse on the Google Health team, we've both had a lot of experience working directly in the healthcare system, with all the bills, insurance forms and other paper documents that come with it. We know from firsthand experience how burdensome all of these documents can be and we would like to reduce the unnecessary use of paper in patient care. As a step in that direction,
Google Health
recently added a feature which allows patients to
upload scanned paper documents to their Google Health
profile for safe storage and easy sharing.
One of the most important documents you may want to store and share in Google Health is an "advance directive." An advance directive allows you to determine your end-of-life wishes so that your family and doctor can honor them if you get sick and are unable to communicate. The decision to sign an advance directive is an important and personal one, and Google Health now makes it a little bit easier. Google Health is now working with a leading advance directive provider,
Caring Connections
, that provides a free, downloadable form customized for all 50 states. To complete your form,
download it
, print it out, complete it, scan it, and upload it to Google Health. Once you've uploaded the signed form, Google Health makes it easy to
share it with your caregiver
.
We hope someday we'll move beyond paper, but until then Google Health can help you store your paper medical records electronically, including an advance directive, in one safe place.
Posted by Julie Wilner, R.N., Program Manager, Google Health & Roni Zeiger, M.D., Product Manager, Google Health
Submit your ideas to change the face of broadband
July 16, 2009
Have an idea for how to expand high-speed Internet access across the United States? Here's your chance to have your voice heard.
Under the terms of the recent
economic stimulus package
, the Federal Communications Commission must deliver to Congress a National Broadband Plan by February 2010. Several weeks ago, we l
aid out Google's vision
for how to make broadband Internet available and affordable for every American — and
hundreds of others
have already submitted comments of their own.
The FCC has
called for
"maximum civic engagement" in developing a broadband strategy, and we're hoping to help them to achieve just that.
We've teamed up with the
New America Foundation
to launch a
Google Moderator page
where you can submit and vote on ideas for what you think the Commission should include in its National Broadband Plan. Two weeks from now we'll take the most popular and most innovative ideas and submit them to the official record at the FCC on your behalf.
Google and the New America Foundation agree that public participation in this process is critical. Expanding access to broadband has the potential to transform communities across the country, spark economic growth, and
restore American competitiveness
. Now that the Commission has officially opened this proceeding, and with a new
Chairman
at the helm, we think it's time to give people the opportunity to learn about the issue and to weigh in with their thoughts. And as the process continues to unfold at the FCC, we'll keep you informed of additional ways to share your views and voice your ideas to the agency.
So do you have any good ideas? Submit them today on
Google Moderator
— and you just might help change the face of broadband in the United States.
Posted by Richard Whitt, Washington Telecom and Media Counsel
Introducing a collection of favorite places from around the world
July 15, 2009
We on the Google Maps team are committed to organizing all the local places and businesses that can be found online, from a
design shop
in New York City, to an
architectural bookstore
in San Francisco, to a
cabaret
in London. To show you the range of all this interesting local information, we've teamed up with local experts around the world to share some of their favorite places.
Culinary expert and chef Alice Waters has shared
her favorite places
for organic and sustainable food in San Francisco and the Bay Area, including places like
Blue Bottle Cafe
, whose coffee Alice serves at
Chez Panisse
in Berkeley, and
Bi-Rite Creamery
, where you can find salted caramel ice cream.
Iwona Blazwick, director of the
Whitechapel Gallery
in London, has shared
her favorite places
to experience art in London, from the
Tate Modern
for contemporary art to
Curzon Soho cinema
, where you can catch the latest independent film releases.
Vladimir Spivakov, artistic director and principal conductor of the State chamber orchestra Moscow Virtuosi and the National Philharmonic of Russia, has shared
his favorite places
to hear and appreciate theater and music in Moscow, from the
Moscow Conservatory
, where he studied, to the historic
Maly Theater
, the oldest theater in Moscow.
With this project we also hope to send a friendly message to local businesses — people are looking online for local information, and you should be here. Timothy Childs, Founder and Chief Chocolate Officer of
TCHO
in San Francisco, shares his perspective on using online tools to build and grow:
"TCHO is all about using appropriate technology, to make high quality chocolate and experiences for our customers. As our start-up moves to early growth stage, we are now using tools like Google Maps and the Local Business Center to reach customers and to continue building our business."
It's
estimated
that 80% of U.S. Internet users use web search to find restaurants, stores and other local businesses, and yet only about half of local businesses currently have a website. By working with local experts to highlight the power of the web, we're encouraging local business owners to build out their online presence. If you're a business owner looking to get online, have a look at the
Google Local Business Center
.
To browse the full collection of favorite local businesses and places, visit
google.com/favoriteplaces
or
m.google.com/fav
from your phone's browser.
Special thanks to all the participants and partners around the world who helped to make this project possible, including United Airlines, NYC & Company, Time Out and Le Figaro.
Posted by Michaela Prescott and Katie Mandel, Product Marketing, Google Maps
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