Google Friends Newsletter - February 2007
Google Friends Newsletter
Salutations to all of our Google friends. We hope you enjoy this
month's update on our products and services.
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POWER TIP
Search KMLs on Google Earth
KML is the XML file format people use to create overlays to enhance
the geographic imagery with a vast array of detailed information. For
instance, open up Google Earth, type in a query like [lord of the
rings], and the results from the web (in KML files) for your query
will appear in a folder below the local results as placemarks. The
placemarks are based on the area in your view, so searching for [lord
of the rings] while you're viewing South Africa will get you no
results - but when you're viewing New Zealand, the same query will
show you top 10 placemarks (green icons) from the region and by
clicking on "see more" you can find tons more placemarks. With the
latest version, you can search across all of the KML available on the
web using either keywords or geographic locations. Our users have
created millions of KML files, so start searching today.
http://earth.google.com
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NEW PRODUCTS & UPDATES
Open sign-up for Gmail
No more waiting for an invitation: You can now sign up for your own
Gmail account. Sign-ups are open worldwide in more than 40 languages.
Now everyone can get the benefits of Gmail: fast and accurate search,
a ton of free storage, chatting within Gmail, and access from your
mobile phone. You can still invite your friends, but now you can also
just tell them to visit the Gmail homepage. Don't miss the 4-part
Gmail Theatre video, featuring our engineers and a cast of puppets,
now playing on YouTube.
http://www.gmail.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YUugB4IUl4
North America Updates on Google Maps
We're often freshening up the map data available on Google Maps. This
month, we've added building footprints for the urban cores of 38 U.S.
cities, giving Google Maps a better sense of scale, providing extra
visual detail and enabling you to navigate using buildings as
landmarks. For example, search for [empire state building] and zoom in
all the way to get to the heart of New York City. We've also added
transit information for 8 major U.S. cities (New York, San Francisco,
Los Angeles, Atlanta, Boston, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Washington
D.C.), as well as nationwide Amtrak coverage.
http://maps.google.com
Share videos on orkut
A new feature of orkut makes it easier to share funny and memorable
videos. Instead of sending video links via instant message or emailing
them to your friends and family, from orkut you can add video links
from YouTube or Google Video to your video playlist to share with
anyone who visits your profile. And if you find videos that you like
on your friend's profile, all you have to do is click the "Add to my
favorites" button to make them appear on your playlist.
http://www.orkut.com
Google Maps on Windows Mobile(tm) devices
Those of you with Windows Mobile(tm) devices can now search for local
businesses and get real-time traffic reports using Google Maps. This
edition also includes some custom features: contacts integration, GPS
support, draggable maps, and tap and hold menus. And since Google Maps
for mobile is available on more than 300 phone models, chances are
good everyone can download the application and always know where they
are when they're on the go.
http://www.google.com/gmm
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MISCELLANY
+Tell us your Google story+
We admit it: we love learning about all the things people use Google
to do. Such as ... how to find a lost tortoise. Here's a story we got
from Jim Lyness: "After Christmas, my son Sam wanted a turtle. We
bought a Russian Tortoise instead, and named him Rocky. Well, one day,
we let Rocky out for a stroll around the house. We could not find him
that night, and into the following day. After the boys went to school,
my wife Susan and I were stumped. Did Rocky get out the front door?
Susan googled [how to find a Russian Tortoise] and bang -- we had a
game plan. Russian Tortoises like warm, dark spaces. We started in the
boys' bedroom, again. We pulled the bunk bed back and there was Rocky
at the head of the bed. Case solved. When we tell friends and family
about googling How to Find a Russian Tortoise, they bust a gut in
laughter! "
If you have a story about how Google search has made an impact on
something on your world, we'd love to hear it. Use either of the links
below - either submit your tale through a web form or upload your
story on video to YouTube. (If you shoot video, be sure to tag it
"google testimonial" when you upload it.)
Web form: http://www.google.com/contact/success.html
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/my_videos_upload