Google+: The Facebook Killer?

After weeks of on and off usage, I can honestly say that I believe Google+ will be the Facebook killer. In just under a month or so, Google+ has already raked in 10 million users. That is compared to Facebooks 500 million in a couple of years. Not only that, but Google+ is way more intuitive to use then Facebook. Things are simple, laid out in such a way that they are easy to understand. Facebooks has stuff popping up all the time, as well as adds and games. Google+ is a straight forward experience. You can have friends, as well as family, and acquaintances, all grouped so you can visualize your sorting. You can also selectively send status updates. That means I can send a status to my friends, but not to my acquaintances if I wished to. You can also follow people, which is great if you are following a game developer or a news station. The only thing that Facebook has that is like is adding things to your "Hobbies", which in the ends puts a lot of spam in your stream of posts. Just the way that Google+ is laid out makes me believe it will be the next big social networking evolution.

~Dave

Google's Facebook

Google announced last week they would making a social networking site. The site would be known as Google+, and would allow people to connect with each other, much like Facebook does. I have been using Google+ for a week now, and I think it is much better then Facebook in that it is more fluid. In addition, Google+ is much more intuitive to use then Facebook. Things are easy to understand and figure out. One neat feature that Google+ has is something called "circles". Circles is a visual way to organize all your friends and family. You know who is who in your head, but now you can visualize it on the site. Google+ is also neat in that it allows you to chat with people on your Google Talk list, so there is no need to setup another instant messenger. Thoughts can be shared everyone, as well as with certain people. Google+ went public a day or two ago, so you can sign up now and check it out.

~Dave

Microsoft Buys Skype

Yes yes, I know the news is a little old, but it is important. Earlier this week Microsoft made the decision to buy Skype for $8.5 billion. The interesting fact about the purchase is that it comes right before Skype planned on going public. If that had happened, Google and Facebook would have had the chance to buy shares in it. This means Google in particular better step up its game with Google Voice. Amongst other things, there was worry that Microsoft might stop supporting other platforms, make Skype a "Windows Exclusive". Steve Ballmer assured the public that cross platform support will continue, undisrupted. I personally hope there aren't charges that will start popping up to use certain Skype services, or anything like that. In addition, I hope that Google will fight back and leave their calling service free.

~Dave

Google Announces Cloud Service

Google announced yesterday that it will be introducing a cloud based music services. This is the second major company to make this shift, the first being Amazon. www.music.google.com is where you can go if you wish to sign up for the beta program. If allowed in, you will have the ability to upload your personal library and stream it on the go. However, this will only work with Android devices and regular computers. iOS mobile devices will not be able to use this service, or, at least, not off the bat. Knowing Google they will deliver service to iOS devices later on once they know people will use their service. Amazon made the same move on not allowing iOS devices, but later on made capability available. This announcement begs one question: Is Apple getting a cloud based service ready? There have been rumors, and of course they all sound convincing. People around the web suggest that Apple may have built a data center with PETABYTES of storage. Every petabyte is 1000 terabyte, just to put it in prospective. We will have to wait and see who wins the cloud wars.

~Dave

Nice Security Google

Yesterday I went to log onto my Google account, only to find out there was a security measure stopping me. Google had "detected" an unusual account access from another state. I was pretty impressed at first, until I realized the unusual account access was me. I had been in another state two weeks ago and had accessed my emails from there. Because I almost always access from my home state, Google thought it was unusual because it did not match up. Too explain it a little better, if you access your account 100 times from Texas, and then go to Florida and access it once, Google wil think there is a person attempting to access your account illegally. What was nice was the fact that it asked me to verify myself. All I had to do was put in a phone number, wait for them to call, and then enter a verification code. After that, Google will request that you change your password. The system is really well done in my opinion, however I believe it took too long to figure out there may have been an issue. It was two weeks ago I accessed my account from another state, and only now am I getting a notification. If this were a real situation where someone did get into my account, I would be doomed by now. Security is good, but only when it works. I thank Google for attempting to solve the issue, even though there never was one.

~Dave

Ever Wanted to Explore The Body?

He is watching you

Yesterday, I spoke about Google Labs in Gmail. It turns out Google Labs does more then just email. One of the really cool things they do is called Google Body. Google Body is an interactive way to explore the body. You can see all different parts of the body by choosing to look at different layers. You can also search for specific items; thus, allowing you to find where something is in the body. Now, obviously it is not the fastest thing at the moment because of all the 3D modeling, but I believe it will get better. What is really cool is if science teachers would start using this in corporation with smart boards. This would allow kids to better visualize the body, while at the same time having fun. I hope Google can improve this more, maybe even allowing dissections!

~Dave

Google Labs

Over the weekend I was toying around with my Gmail Settings, and I noticed something called Google Labs. Google Labs is essentially features that are being tested for future release. So I started browsing the Gmail Google Labs to see if there was anything of use to me. I found quite a few items which I decided to turn on, some for testing, and other because I use them daily.

Things I turned on:

• Advanced IMAP Controls

• Google Docs Preview in Mail 

• Insert Image Button 

•  Mark As Read Button 

•  Mark as Unread Button 

•  Message Sneak Peak 

I may play around with more in the future, but this batch is enough to make gmail even better for my purposes. To access Google Labs, click on "Settings" and then click on the "Labs" tab. From there you can change which labs you want on or off.

~Dave

Chrome for a Cause

Many of you out there may not have started using Google Chrome, but now would be a good time to start using it.  Google is now starting a new program. It is known as Chrome for a Cause. Once installed, the extension will show how many tabs you have opened in the browsing session. For every tab opened, Google will donate something each of the five causes. The causes are trees, vaccinations, books, person's clean water, and square feet of shelter. The terms are simple. There is a maximum of 250 tabs allowed per day that will go to donations. If you hit that limit, you will not be able to give to the cause until the next day. In addition, Google is only giving one million dollars towards this at the moment. That number is able to be changed, but only at the discretion of Google. I think this is a great idea and that this extension should stay after the holidays. Google, in my mind, should keep this up and keep donating. I urge you all to install this, and help those in need this holiday.

~Dave

Chrome OS and The Web Store

As Monday, Google announced Chrome OS and the Chome Webstore. Chrome OS is Google's Operating System which they have been working on for the past year or so. What Chrome OS is in a nutshell is a web browser. The entire Operating System runs in a beefed up version of Google Chrome. You log into the OS using your gmail account. All your files will be saved in the Google Cloud under your google docs. Your calendar info too. Essentially, there is nothing on your computer but the OS. You may be wondering, what else is there to do in a web browser? Well, that is where the Chrome OS web store comes into play. The web store is just like Apple's App Store. You can browser through apps and extensions, and download them into Chrome AND Chrome OS. That means you don't need Google's OS to use the apps. The Apps can range from checking your email, to having full picture editing programs. The idea is that you never have to leave your web browser. An interesting concept it is, but whether the whole cloud thing will work is what bothers me. It is great having all your info safe up in the cloud. If your computer crashes it is all saved up there. My worry is, what if you don't have access to the cloud. For example, maybe you don't have internet. How would you get your document? Or, even worse, what happens if Google is cyber attacked, or have a mass server crash? What happens to your information? These are all things to think about. I have a feeling it will all work out well in the end. Finally, Google is allowing any Gmail user to register for a chance to test the Chrome OS. If selected, you will be sent a Chrome OS Netbook for testing. I signed up for one, I hope I get it!

~Dave

I Try Not To Forget

I am human, just like everyone else, and I too can be forgetful. Although I try my best not to, it does happen every now and then that I forget something. Something I don't wish to forget, however, are important dates, such as tests. Yesterday, I spent a good thirty five to forty minutes adding all my tests this year to my Google Calendar. And, as you may know, my Google Calendar is synced with my iCal. This way, the moment I got home, I could see all the dates I had just added without a problem. It even includes all the alarms I placed on them, so that my iCal will also notify me. Google Calendar is a great tool, if you ever think you may forget something, try jotting it down there.

~Dave

Keep Yourself Dated

There are many ways to keep track of the things you do everyday, from making sticky notes, to using different calendars etc. However, I have found it easiest to consolidate all of my calendars into one. I use iCal synced with my Google Calendar. The reason being because iCal gives me more options when scheduling an event then Google Calendar does. In addition, there are many more ways that iCal can notify you when compared to just Google Calendar. To set this up, open up iCal. Next, click on "iCal" in the top left menubar, then click "Preferences". In the new window that appeared, click on "Accounts". Finally, click on the "+" symbol in the bottom left, select Google from the drop down menu, and then fill in necessary areas with your credentials. Once finished, click "Create" and your account will now be synced. Any changes made within iCal will be reflected on your Google Calendar and vice-versa. This is a great way to consolidate your calendar dates into one, easy to use area.

~Dave

Get Your Results In An Instant!

As many of you have probably heard by now, Google has announced a new way to use their search engine. It is known as "Google Instant", and it allows you to search without having to hit the "Enter" key. As you search the results are loaded right on the page you are viewing, as well as suggestions Google gives you on what you may be searching for. You can also use the arrow keys to look at the suggestions along with the possible search results, which will load below. Pressing the right arrow key when a suggestion is highlighted will trigger "I am feeling lucky". Doing this just loads the first result on the page. According to Google, this new feature saves a whole 2 seconds of search time, which doesn't sound like a lot. However, on a per person basis it is quite a bit. You can use Google Instant by going to Google.com, or Google.com/Instant if the other one does not work. If you don't like Google Instant, you can simply turn it off in you Gmail Preferences, which can be accessed at the top right of the search page. For more information, check out Google Instant Overview and FAQ. Happy searching!

~Dave

Which Mail is Most Important?

Gmail has once again rolled out a new feature. The new feature being Priority Mail. This add-on is supposed to allow the user to easily sort through mail, so you can get to the more important messages first. When you first start using Priority Mail, it will scan your Gmail account, and guess which pieces of mail are important and which are not. It will then ask you if the way it has sorted the mail is correct. You can then make some quick changes, or leave it the way it is. Once, you're ready, click continue. Gmail will then set up your priority inbox. Within priority inbox you will see two new buttons. A "+" button and a "-" button. You can use these buttons to increase the importance of a piece/pieces of mail or decrease the importance. Important pieces of mail will be marked with a gold tab so that you know to read that first. You can use either the priority inbox or the the normal inbox, both will show your priority mail. If you don't like priority inbox, simply go to your settings and click the tab labeled "Priority Inbox" and then at the bottom click "Don't Show". Save your settings and you won't have to use it. I have found it very useful in my inbox and I recommend it to anyone who is thinking about using it.

~Dave

Gmail or Skype?

With the new addition of a calling method in Gmail, Skype now has a competitor. Skype has been around long time and have really cemented their roots. Gmail is new and people aren't really sure where this feature will lead to. The thing is, they both do almost the exact same thing, with subtle differences of course. The biggest being that Gmail runs in your browser, where as Skype runs in an applications. They both require an internet connection, and allow free calling in the US and Canada. They can also make free calls to the same program (Gmail to Gmail and Skype to Skype). In addition, they both have fees for calling outside the US, although the fees are not so high. However, one thing Skype does have over Gmail is the ability to show people your screen while you are talking with them. On the other hand, Gmail has the ability to transfer calls from the browser to your phone for free if you have Google Voice setup for it. Both are great options for calling people, leave a comment on which one you prefer and why. I personally use Skype more because it is an application and I don't have to navigate to a website.

~Dave

*Ring* *Ring* Gmail Calling

As some of you may have heard, Google has announced a new feature that has been added to Gmail. This feature allows you to make calls anywhere in the US and Canada for free, while you are in Gmail. Call qualities all depends on the speed and quality of your internet connection, and it costs extra to call outside of the US and Canada. Plus, this option works hand in hand with Google Voice, if you have one. If you don't have a Google Voice, don't fret, you can still use this feature. So why use Gmail Call? For starters, it doesn't disrupt your workflow. For example, if you want to call someone, but the phone is in another room. In addition, if you do have Google Voice, you can use the two together. You can use Gmail Call as a Caller ID if someone calls your Google Voice number. Also, you can transfer calls from Gmail to your phone, or vice versa. Say you are in the midst of a call with someone, and then you look at the time and you have to go or you will be late. It is a hassle to hang up and call back, instead you can easily press the asterisks key and send the call to another Google Voice number. Your cell phone will then start ringing, pick up and then end the call on Gmail. There are many other things you can do with Gmail Call, so give it a try. If you haven't set it up already, you will need to install the video and chat plugin. Then just log onto Gmail and scroll down to where it says "Chat", you should see something that says "Call Phone". If you don't see this, don't worry, it just means your account has not been activated yet. It took my account a full day until it was activated. Give it a try and post your thoughts below.

*Thanks to Lifehacker for some of the ways to use Gmail Call.

~Dave