This is a quick post! I’ve just been searching Google for the definition of some words, however when I searched “maestro” I was presented with a slightly different suggestion box.
Perhaps this will soon become part of the new real time Google? Time will tell.
It’s a nice feature since I don’t actually have to load the whole Google page to see the result I’m after.
HTC have release an official statement telling us that HTC Desire owners will receive the long awaited Froyo (Android 2.2) upgrade this weekend! The statement given reads:
“The Android 2.2 (FroYo) update for HTC Desire will start rolling out across Europe this weekend. As well as including the complete set of Android 2.2 features, the update will contain a few special additions of our own through the latest iteration of HTC Sense. The update will provide 720p video capture, HTC’s App Share widget, as well as our enhanced HTC Caller ID, and improved multi-language keyboard. Also, though the update, HTC Sync will allow HTC Desire users to sync their music with iTunes.
HTC Desire users will be notified that the over-the-air update is available to download when their phone automatically checks for software updates. The update won’t delete any of the phone’s content. However, due to the size of the update, we would advise using a WiFi connection to download it wherever possible to avoid additional data charges.
This update will initially roll-out to unlocked HTC Desire handsets. Operator specific versions of the update are undergoing testing and we expect to make them available in several weeks’ time.”
I seriously cannot wait for this update 
I recently put OpenDesire on my handset to see what Froyo would run like, and oh em gee, it’s awesome! Full 720p video capture will make for some really cool footage from mobile phones! The 400% speed increase will definitely make this update worth the wait! Along with the 1GHz SnapDragon processor that is shipped with the phone, the increase will make the Desire one of the fastest and most powerful phones on the market.
Recently Google have been rolling out its new update to its already massive service, Google Search. Google have gone adrift from its renowned simplicity, to allowing users to change the background of their Google homepage.
Currently this feature has only been distributed across several countries, not including the UK. However, you can experience this change by visiting Google.com.
You’re able to change the background by clicking the “Change Background” link in the lower left of the window. You’ll then be displayed a modal window which allows you to select various options:
- From my computer
- My Picassa Web Photos
- Public Gallery
- Editor’s picks
Any observant person would notice that Microsoft Bing have had backgrounds since day one. I’m not 100% sure if you’re able to set a custom background, but they’re there nonetheless.
Why has it taken so long for Google to add this amount of customization to it’s millions per day web page?
I personally like this change, I can go back to having no background, and they’re saved to your account so you can have the same feel every time to login!
What are your views and opinions on this almighty change?
Previously Google looked at the quality of your websites content to determine how appropriate it is to the current search request. Recently however, they’ve been busy working and added an extra decision based on the speed of your website.
On the 9th April, Google Webmaster blog said this:
we’ve decided to take site speed into account in our search rankings. We use a variety of sources to determine the speed of a site relative to other sites.
It seems that the public increase in speed related products and peoples need crave for real time information has caught up to even static based websites. People want information and they want it now. I can only assume that a big influence on the speed of a server is also based on the basic fact that; if you’re website is slow loading, people will go away from it and find another that has what they need!
Obviously, speed will not be the triumphant factor in whether your website will get a higher ranking, in fact Search Engine Land reported that Google Search engine has over 200 different factors that it takes into consideration on each and every website.
If you had asked me what browser I’m using, I’d have said Firefox – quick, efficient and powerful. Nowadays if you ask me, it’s Google Chrome. Why? Because of the same reasons as I used to give for Firefox. These days, Firefox is not really any of the above. It’s slow and bloated, it’s killing itself by trying to be the best.
Choosing a browser is something computer literate people don’t take lightly. It takes time to find a good solid browser which offers everything they need to get their work done quickly and efficiently, which is why a lot of us don’t use Internet Explorer – times are changing though, Internet Explorer 9 has the chance to change a lot of peoples views.
Anyway, as I use Google Chrome, I like to stay ahead and use the beta (developer) builds of the application. Due to this, I get to try out what could be in the next stable build of the browser. Some things I like and some I don’t. Recently Chrome has became very Windows 7 orientated and even includes some of the same function names like “Pin tab”.
So what can be possibly be seeing in the next stable build? There is quite a lot of things that have changed since the previous stable release, so I’ll cover the big ones!
The biggest change – a new bookmark manager
Most browsers tend to create a new window for the bookmark manager, allowing you to search, edit and delete (sometimes add too) bookmarks. In the latest version of Chrome however, we’ll be seeing the manager built into it!
At first sight, it all seems to be using some sort of AJAX+SQLlite combination, similar to the default homepage. I could be wrong.
Bookmark manager in a tab, running in Chrome
As you can see from the screenshot, the “Seach bookmarks” function seems to look the same as it did before. The only real change is the embedded “Bookmarks bar” and the funky looking display section. You’re still able to drag and drop the folders like you could originally which is good!
In terms of menu items, we have “Organise” and “Tools”, both of which are drop downs. Both of these menu items are just the same as the current build – good usability rules there!
Right clicking a bookmark also brings up the current context menu, just in a funky looking design!
Superbar download progress
For those who have Windows 7, you’ve probably seen that some applications display a progress bar on the taskbar item when it’s doing something.
Watch as the progress bar zooms across
I find that adding this native support, I no longer have to keep switching back to Chrome to see whether my download is done, I can just glance on the taskbar to check how it’s going!
Although I have not experience it yet, I assume that Chrome will also use the red/orange colours when an error or warning occurs. This too, is a nice way of notifying users when something happens. Most applications show a continuous progress while it’s thinking or waiting for input so we can only hope Chrome sticks to this pattern.
Weirdly that is about it for Chrome updates. Certainly the development team have probably been working on the rendering engine (Webkit), other fixes and code cleansing.
If I stumble across anything else, I’ll be sure to post it!
It was only a few weeks ago that Google announced and promptly released Streeview images for the whole of the United Kingdom. Streetview has been talked about a lot in the UK, at least between my family and friends – even my Mum has mentioned it!
So what else does Google have up their sleeves? Well it seems 3D maps! That’s right, the Streeview team has added Anaglyph image support to their maps! The little orange man flicks down his glasses and voilà everything turns 3D – just be sure to wear some 3D glass, specifically the red and blue ones.
Little orange man looks cool!
Perhaps this is just a cheap taster of what it will be like in a few years time when 3D screens become everyday household objects? At any rate, it’s cool, I love what Google do to their products.
I’m still baffled as to how they generate the images. If we take a look at the building above, the anaglyph rendering shows the building further away, giving it depth, but the railings have a smaller distance between the real image and the rendered, must be an automatic system to determine specific things? I don’t know, but if you do, I’d be interested to hear!
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