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Google Retools Contacts In Google Apps With New APIs


By Eric Zeman | 11:35 AM ET, Jul 2, 2009

If you're an enterprise user of Google Apps, here's some good news for you. The biggest new feature is a user profile API that gives enterprise admins way more power to manage all the users within their own domain.

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Google Grants Gmail More Label Control


By Eric Zeman | 02:58 PM ET, Jul 1, 2009

Google has overhauled the way users can interact with their labels. The changes include a new location on the Gmail homepage for labels and as well as the ability to drag and drop emails directly into labels.

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So Long, And Thanks, Google Earth, For All The Fish


By Thomas Claburn | 06:45 PM ET, Jun 29, 2009

In the latest installment of what appears to an ongoing series in the technology press, criminals are using technology to commit crimes.

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Google Ups File Attachment Capability Of Gmail


By Eric Zeman | 09:12 AM ET, Jun 29, 2009

I just don't know how anyone can survive with the limits placed on email systems these days. I mean, where does Google get off thinking it is acceptable to limit Gmail file attachments to a mere 20MB. That's ridiculous. Wait, what? Google just changed it to 25MB? Oh. That's cool.

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China Should Hire Apple To Police Porn


By Thomas Claburn | 06:49 PM ET, Jun 26, 2009

The Chinese government has been having a rough month. The authorities there have been dialing back already limited Internet freedoms to discourage disruptive remembrance of the 20th anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. In early June, authorities let slip that starting in July PCs shipped in China would have to include Web filtering software called Green Dam.

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Google Commences 'Voice' Invites


By Eric Zeman | 02:15 PM ET, Jun 25, 2009

If you've used or been using Google's Grand Central product, you've probably already switched to Google Voice. Now, Google is rolling out Voice to the masses.

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Google Adds Swipe Control To iPhone's Gmail App


By Eric Zeman | 09:59 AM ET, Jun 25, 2009

Google has given the Web-based version of Gmail for the iPhone yet more powers. Now, users can swipe across an email to automatically archive it. That's great and all, but I'd really like to see Google develop an actual on-board email application for the iPhone instead.

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Google Endorses Health Data Rights


By Thomas Claburn | 07:30 PM ET, Jun 23, 2009

Google on Tuesday endorsed the Declaration of Health Data Rights, a set of principles designed to promote consumer empowerment, privacy protection, and data portability.

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Google Offering 'Gmail Ninja' Lessons


By Eric Zeman | 01:53 PM ET, Jun 23, 2009

Google wants you to be able to take on Uma Thurman (a.k.a., The Bride from the "Kill Bill" movies) -- and win. At least, as far as cleaning up your Gmail inbox is concerned. Starting today, Google has published a tutorial called "Become a Gmail Ninja." The goal? To become a master in the art of Nin-Gmail-su.

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Google Does Good


By Thomas Claburn | 06:51 PM ET, Jun 22, 2009

If the U.S. government intends to file an antitrust lawsuit against Google, it had better act fast. Given the pace and profile of Google's philanthropic activities, the Justice Department may have to amend whatever legal documents have been prepared so far by changing the defendant's name to "Saint Google."

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Google Street View Solves Crime


By Thomas Claburn | 06:38 PM ET, Jun 19, 2009

In the U.K. in April, a handful of residents of the village of Broughton blocked a car from entering their town. The driver was taking pictures for Google's Street View service and the locals were concerned about their privacy.

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Cloud Standards Will Emerge From Current Haze


By Charles Babcock | 08:58 PM ET, Jun 18, 2009

What standards do you follow if you're interested in getting started in cloud computing? The short answer is, there are few clearly defined standards in what remains a loosely defined area. Nevertheless, the main outline is clear. Follow the leaders and follow the Web.

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Public Can 'Participate' In NASA's Lunar Mission


By John Foley | 02:12 PM ET, Jun 18, 2009

NASA's launch of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite marks one of the space agency's first "participatory missions," says Chris Kemp, CIO of NASA's Ames Research Center. From their backyards, as well as from Moon-gazing tools from Google and Microsoft, the public will be able to view high-resolution images of our celestial neighbor.

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Google Enables More Contact Fields In Gmail


By Eric Zeman | 11:50 AM ET, Jun 17, 2009

One of Gmail's weaknesses is that it has not supported all of the fields that a particular contact may have...until today, that is. Google fixed that. Google also recently explained why some Outlook plug-ins won't work with Google Apps.

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Google Has Bigger Fears Than Bing


By Thomas Claburn | 02:04 PM ET, Jun 15, 2009

Google co-founder Sergey Brin, as The New York Post, tells it, is "so rattled by the launch of Microsoft's rival search engine that he has assembled a team of top engineers to work on urgent upgrades to his Web service."

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Google's Video Tag Controversy


By Serdar Yegulalp | 11:54 AM ET, Jun 15, 2009

Love it or hate it, YouTube has become the de facto video presentation portal for, well, everyone. Now comes some worried discussion about what format YouTube may support when HTML 5 and its <video> tag make their debut.

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Google Goings-On


By Thomas Claburn | 06:40 PM ET, Jun 12, 2009

There's so much going on at Google that it's not always possible to cover it all. What follows are some recent developments that may be of interest but didn't get much attention. And this isn't a complete list. I've omitted the developments in the many foreign countries where Google does business.

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Google Gooses iGoogle For Android And iPhone


By Eric Zeman | 09:05 AM ET, Jun 12, 2009

Today Google rolled out a new version of its iGoogle page for the Android and iPhone platforms. New features include the ability to access more of your tabs and improved gadget support for interacting with your content.

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Google Fine-Tunes Gmail For Android And iPhone


By Eric Zeman | 03:48 PM ET, Jun 10, 2009

Just a month ago Google made some really nice changes to the browser-based version of Gmail for the Android and iPhone platforms. Today, it takes things a little bit further, by (you guessed it) speeding things up.

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Google Delivers Quick Search Box To Mac Platform


By Eric Zeman | 07:45 PM ET, Jun 9, 2009

Today Google announced a new desktop search client for Apple computers. The Google Quick Search Box will search the local drive, the Internet, Twitter -- pretty much everywhere -- all directly from the desktop.

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Gone Google


By Thomas Claburn | 12:50 PM ET, Jun 9, 2009

At the Clift Hotel in San Francisco, Google is busy trying to convince a group of journalists that companies love Google Apps. The setting speaks of success -- the Spanish Suite at the Clift is the sort of complex that would house a Saudi sheik's entourage. The message is that Google means businesses.

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Orkut User? Google Has A New Mobile App For You


By Eric Zeman | 09:59 AM ET, Jun 5, 2009

Fans of Google's orkut social network now have a better way to interact via their mobile phones. Google recently introduced a full orkut application for devices that can run Java.

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Google Turbocharges Picasa Web Albums


By Eric Zeman | 08:55 AM ET, Jun 5, 2009

Google has taken it upon itself to make some improvements to its Picasa Web Albums product. You know Google, it's all about speed -- and speed is what makes the refreshed version of Picasa Web Albums better.

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Can Search Understand?


By Thomas Claburn | 12:49 AM ET, Jun 5, 2009

At Google's Searchology event last month, VP of engineering Ubi Manber said that the current challenge in search is understanding people. Google doesn't understand yet, but he said the company is off to a good start.

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Google Makes Nice With S60, Offers Full Google Mobile App


By Eric Zeman | 08:38 PM ET, Jun 3, 2009

Google has several different versions of the Google Mobile app for smartphone platforms such as the iPhone and Windows Mobile. Now, Google coughed up a version for S60 devices. Let the rejoicing begin.

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Microsoft Insists Bing Is A 'Decision Engine'


By Thomas Claburn | 07:21 PM ET, May 28, 2009

Microsoft's Bing is a welcome addition to the search landscape. Competition should help keep the search market healthy. But Bing's initial marketing leaves me rolling my eyes.

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Google And Mozilla Make Nice


By Thomas Claburn | 05:44 PM ET, May 27, 2009

It was a small gesture but it spoke volumes: At the Google IO developer conference, while expounding on the virtues and possibilities of HTML 5, Google engineering VP and head of developer evangelism Vic Gundotra thanked the Mozilla community for advancing the state of browser technology.

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Inbox Preview Latest Gmail Lab From Google


By Eric Zeman | 08:59 AM ET, May 22, 2009

The pace of new Labs for Gmail continues to flow unabated. The newest test feature for Gmail users to check out will show you a preview of the unread emails in your inbox while Gmail loads. This inbox preview will be most useful when you have a shaky Web connection.

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YouTube To Uploaders: C'Mon, You Can Do Better Than That!


By Eric Zeman | 11:25 AM ET, May 21, 2009

YouTube recently revealed that its users are uploading 20 hours of content to the site every minute. But that's not good enough. YouTube is pushing users to increase the rate of uploading to 24 hours every minute. YouTube also announced a new social tool for YouTubers to take advantage of.

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Google Uses More Tools To Speed Up 'Suggest' Feature


By Eric Zeman | 09:25 AM ET, May 21, 2009

Google recently revealed that it is making improvements to Google Suggest, the feature that begins to offer search suggestions as you type in a query. Among the new features are personalized suggestions, navigational suggestions and sponsored link suggestions. My suggestion? Check it out.

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Google Adds Automatic Translation Powers To Gmail


By Eric Zeman | 08:26 AM ET, May 20, 2009

The newest addition to GMail Labs is a neat little feature that will automatically translate messages from the one it was written in to one you can understand. Now you can respond to all that spam you get from Russia and China.

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Wolfram|Alpha Claims Authorship Rights For Machines


By Thomas Claburn | 08:10 PM ET, May 19, 2009

While many observers have noted that Wolfram|Alpha is not like Google, the distinction between the two services is perhaps most apparent in their Terms of Service.

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Google's Real Outage Failure: Gmail's 'Offline Mode' Didn't Work


By Eric Zeman | 12:45 PM ET, May 18, 2009

As has been widely publicized, a number of Google services -- including Google Search, News and Gmail -- were down for several hours late last week. While the failure of these services was important, I was more disappointed by the fact that Google's fallback system -- the Gears powered "offline mode" for Gmail -- failed to work, too.

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Here's Why Your G1 Android Phone Hasn't Updated To Cupcake 1.5 Yet


By Eric Zeman | 10:52 AM ET, May 15, 2009

If you're like me, you've been anxiously awaiting the arrival of Android 1.5, otherwise known as Cupcake. Despite T-Mobile's statement that the firmware would be rolled out "late this week," it looks like the update really doesn't start until next week.

Continue reading "Here's Why Your G1 Android Phone Hasn't Updated To Cupcake 1.5 Yet..."

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Google Grinds To A Halt For Many


By Eric Zeman | 01:10 PM ET, May 14, 2009

I haven't been able to access Gmail and other Google services for several hours now. I am not alone. Users all over the U.S. are reporting service interruptions. Updated - Google offers an explanation!

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Gmail Can Now Import Contacts Directly From Other Email Systems


By Eric Zeman | 09:05 PM ET, May 13, 2009

I started my emailing life on AOL. Eventually, I switched to Hotmail and Yahoo. I've been using Gmail since it was first released. Over time, I've had to take my contacts with me by exporting and importing them again and again. Now, a new tool in Gmail has dropped the exporting part of the equation.

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Plan B: Affordable Tech Alternatives


By Fredric Paul | 03:02 PM ET, May 13, 2009

Every IT person has dreams about the technologies they really want for their business. In current economic conditions, however, you may need to downsize your expectations.

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Greece Puts The Kibosh On Google Street Views


By Eric Zeman | 03:50 PM ET, May 12, 2009

Privacy groups in Greece have prevailed in a battle with Google's Street Views product. Google has been banned from collecting images of Greek streets.

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Carbon Footprint Smackdown: One Cheeseburger Equals 15K Google Searches


By Thomas Claburn | 06:31 PM ET, May 11, 2009

Ever keen to be seen as green, Google on Monday invited the public to compare the environmental damage caused by searching the Internet with the planetary peril of cheeseburgers, among other things.

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Android To See Massive Growth (900%?!?) In 2009: Report


By Eric Zeman | 05:17 PM ET, May 11, 2009

The Android platform has been off to a slow start. Sure, the HTC G1 has sold over one million units, but it has taken nearly six months to reach that milestone. According to Strategy Analytics, Android will see 10 million handsets shipped by the end of 2009. That's a long way to go.

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Google Profiles Push Privacy


By Thomas Claburn | 07:02 PM ET, May 6, 2009

Google is becoming more and more like Facebook. Last month, Google introduced Google Profiles, a collection of personal information associated with a given name that appears at the bottom of U.S.-based name searches. One might even go so far as to compare Google Profiles to Facebook Profiles.

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Native YouTube Uploader Now Part Of Android


By Eric Zeman | 04:06 PM ET, May 6, 2009

Among the improvements in Android version 1.5 is new-found powers that will let Android users upload video directly to their YouTube Account.

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Google Widens Latitude


By Thomas Claburn | 07:39 PM ET, May 4, 2009

In what might be mistaken as an effort to ensure the continued employment of privacy advocates, Google on Monday expanded the ways its Latitude location data can be used.

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Google's Got Goats!


By Thomas Claburn | 01:54 PM ET, May 1, 2009

When not organizing all the world's information and making it universally accessible, Google can often be found not doing evil, in keeping with its unofficial motto.

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Latest Gmail Lab: Perform Google Searches Without Leaving Gmail


By Eric Zeman | 09:29 AM ET, May 1, 2009

Gmail has a search bar built right into its user interface. When using Gmail, type what you want in the search field at the top, hit "search the Web," and a new tab or window will open with the results. That's simultaneously great and annoying. Gmail Labs has improved this. Now, results appear within Gmail. No extra tab, no extra window.

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Going On A Job Interview? Here's Some Help


By Marianne Kolbasuk McGee | 04:43 PM ET, Apr 29, 2009

Job interviews rank up there with root canal for most people. Wouldn't you want to know in advance the trickiest question your prospective employer might ask on your job interview?

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Google: We're Not Like Pirate Bay


By Thomas Claburn | 06:21 PM ET, Apr 27, 2009

In the wake of a Swedish court's decision to imprison the operators of The Pirate Bay, a Web site that helps users search for BitTorrent files in the same way that Google handles general Internet file searches, Google wants to make sure everyone understands that it's no Pirate Bay.

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Google Brings TIFF And PowerPoint Viewer To Browsers


By Eric Zeman | 11:33 AM ET, Apr 24, 2009

No PowerPoint? No problem! Google has added the ability to view TIFF and PPT files directly from the Web browser without the need to install additional software.

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Google Conceives Toolbar Labs, First New Feature Is My Location For Desktop Browsers


By Eric Zeman | 09:23 AM ET, Apr 24, 2009

Google has added a new lab to its series of feature-generating experimental workshops. Toolbar Labs will work on new features for the Google Toolbar. Its first official day on the job, it is introducing a new feature for desktop browsers that automatically makes them location aware.

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Google Makes Shopping Easier With iPhone And Android App


By Eric Zeman | 12:10 PM ET, Apr 23, 2009

Starting today, Google is now offering a mobile version of Google Product Search for the iPhone and Android smartphones. The idea is to make gathering product information easier while on the go.

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