Greetings and welcome to this month's roundup of Google tips, how-to's
and new products. Details on subscribing or canceling can be found at
the end of this message.

Wanted: your feedback. Tell us what you'd like to see in Google Friends
Newsletter by sending a note to friends-feedb...@google.com.

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Power Tips

* Maybe life would be easier if someone smarter than us would just fill
in the blanks. Google's "wildcard" search operator, using the asterisk,
enables just that. Try [vitamin * is good for *] or [the parachute was
invented by *]
http://www.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=3178

* Using the Google Toolbar, it's easy to spot the exact words you've
searched for on the page. Search terms show up as clickable Word Find
buttons in the Toolbar, so you can quickly see where they appear
(clicking on them repeatedly takes you to each instance).
http://toolbar.google.com/

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Recent Google Launches

Gmail open signup
Since Gmail first launched more than a year ago, people have sought out
our web-based email program (which comes with more than 2.5GB of
storage, great spam filters and built-in Google search). But you had to
be invited by a Gmail user to get an account. Now anyone can get a free
account by entering your mobile phone number (this helps combat spam).
We'll send you a text message with an invitation code to get started.
https://www.google.com/accounts/SmsMailSignup1

Google Talk
In this era of always-on communications, Google Talk is your free and
easy way to call your friends anytime, anywhere in the world over your
computer (and the voice quality is great, too) - or send them instant
messages online.
http://www.google.com/talk/

Google Desktop
Now get one-glance access to your files, email, news, photos, weather,
RSS feeds, stocks and other personalized web content.
http://desktop.google.com/

Google Video randomizer
Now you can "feel lucky" by watching a random selection from the vast
range of creative work already uploaded into Google Video.
http://video.google.com/videorandom

Blogger for Word Toolbar
If you prefer to compose your prose in Microsoft Word, now it's easier
than ever to turn it into a blog with the new Word Toolbar.
http://buzz.blogger.com/bloggerforword.html

Google News feeds
Google News now offers both RSS and Atom feeds for all of the Google
News sections, search results and custom feeds you create.
http://news.google.com/intl/en_us/news_feed_terms.html

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Miscellany

In the past few years we've come to rely on the Internet in new ways
when disasters strike. Recent, and major, natural disasters like the
Asian tsunami in December and this month's Hurricane Katrina have
brought forth hundreds of websites and blogs seeking help, offering
supplies, linking survivors, sharing eyewitness stories, and displaying
real-time photos and maps from devastated areas. Reporters and citizens
alike rely on these for information as it happens. And beyond the web,
new mobile and wireless technologies help support communications
efforts where the wires are out. This story in Technology Review
highlights some of the ways technology has become an essential player
in crises.

http://www.technologyreview.com/articles/05/09/wo/wo_0901hellweg.1.asp

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https://secure.picasa.com/support/register.php

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The Google Blog features insights from Googlers on technology, our
products, and the company at large.
http://googleblog.blogspot.com

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