Technology Madness

Scroll the web horizontally with Widexplorer

Generally all webpages are designed to scroll up and down. Sometimes I hate when I have to scroll right or left to get complete view of webpage. And I curse web developer of that site of being lazy.

But a new startup website: Widexplorer provides a new and revolutionary way to explore search results from multiple online information providers and gives you wide page format, laid out horizontally. You need to scroll from left to right to get same search from various sources. Search is available from prominent destinations of web for a variety of topics.

On top of everything, individual website can also be scrolled up and down site without moving the other four. I know it sounds confusing but it’s very easy, you have to try it yourself.

Try Widexplorer here.

Via [blogs.bnet.com]

Boom- add intelligence to your search query

I often come across the scenarios where I can get more and accurate information if I go directly on amazon.com instead of searching the book or DVD information on Google and then go to Amazon.com for my search query. Google or Yahoo as your search engines are great but sometimes it’s too generic. The cool solution came from Thomas Baekdal (www.baekdal.com) who introduced a The Intelligent Search Assistant, BOOM. It will analyze whatever it is that you are searching for and direct you to the search engine that is most likely to give you the best result.

If you search “books by Ben Forta”, it will not search on Google but instead it will search on Amazon.com. Similarly, if you search for “Indian Curry Recipes” it will move you directly to “AllRecipes.com.” I guess, this is a very efficient way to search. You no longer have to visit different sites to search for content within. On Boom, just search - and “Boom!” - You get the result.

In future version, Boom is going to add natural language processing, which means that you can write where is Vejle, Denmark or how do I cook spaghetti and it will figure out what you really want and it will move you directly to appropriate site.

This, in short, is what types of searches it currently supports (click on each link to see how it works):

• General search via Google
• Maps and directions via Google Maps
• News via Google News
• Blogs via Google Blog Search
• Dictionary and word explanations via Wikipedia
• Books and DVDs via Amazon
• Photos via Flickr
• Video clips via YouTube
• Movies via Yahoo Movies
• Music via Yahoo Music
• TV series via IMDB
• Used items via Ebay
• Recipes via All Recipes
• MP3 and podcasts via iTunes (In future version of Boom)

It also supports searching on popular social networks like Facebook, MySpace and Linked-In.

Recently, Thomas added a support for Game search via Gamespot and xBox.com, package tracking via UPS, USPs and FedEx and weather search via weather.msn.com

Via [baekdal]

Reduce the global warming with few clicks.

On this World Environment day, if you don’t want to go out and plant a tree (yard work) but at least you can promote tree planting using unique search engine www.ecocho.us which promises to plan a tree for every 1000 searches made. This will help to offset tons of greenhouse gases. Ecocho.us is using yahoo search technology for search engine.

Simarly, Ecoogler, the ecological search engine, has created quite a bit of buzz with the same theme. They promise to help reforesting trees and safeguard water resources in the Amazon region, which constitute today one fourth of the fresh water reserves of our planet. Ecoogler is using Yahoo technology. However, it’s worth noting that some people believe that Ecoogler is a fake, as you can read on Digg. Ecoogler says that you get same results (as Yahoo) and help the non-profit association Aquaverde founded in Geneva, Switzerland, in 2002. Ecoogler promises to grow a tree pre 10,000 searches.

One of the reader on treehugger.com is not so happy about this standards.

1 tree for 10,000 searches doesn’t seem that generous to me. A comparable search engine that uses google, offers 1 penny to a non-profit of your choosing. Even if I did a 100 searches a day, which seems somewhat high, it would take 100 days to plant a single tree. I know there are other programs which will plant many more trees for an equivalent effort.

Obviously I like the idea but I think Ecoogler missed the mark. Also switching to the yahoo engine is not a plus for me, if they had kept using the google engine I could switch my habit much more easily. As it stands now I think there are much better alternatives.
- Eniryt Manaen

Via [TreeHugger.com and ecoogle.com and ecocho blog]

Fun With Google Search

Ontario based Groovle has a such a simple business model, it’s worthy of asking “why didn’t I think of that?”

Groove uses Google Custom search in conjunction with picture hosting to offer custom Google search pages. It allows you to browse a directory of background images – from celebrities to nature or sports, or your uploaded photo – to add to your “own” Google-like search homepage. Like one with Jessica Alba. Search results show ads and are powered by Google via the Google Custom Search Engine service.

Groovle makes its money from the search results generated by Google Custom Search, and given that those results are delivered by Google the business runs on a low cost, low barrier to succeed model.

Ask.com also tries the similar thing with their search interface, where you can have your choice of screen for search. However their search quality suck and most of the time not exact or rich.

Innovative Web Analytics Tools

When most people think of free web analytics, they immediately think of Google Analytics But there are many other free, innovative statistic tools available on the web. These tools measure everything from user behavior, to search engine traffic, to real-time visitor tracking, and more. The following ten products may provide valuable data when analyzing your website traffic.

Clicky is a clean, all-encompassing analytics package.

Enquisite is focused specifically on incoming search engine and PPC traffic.

CrazyEgg provides the ability to track, evaluate, and optimize your site based on where your visitors click.

103bees is a real-time search engine analysis and statistics tool.

Measure Map provides free, easy-to-understand web stats for bloggers.

Whos.amung.us is an attractive, real-time visitor counter.

Feedburner, as many already know, is tailored for blogs. In-depth feed statistics and general blog statistics are provided in a slick, intuitive interface.

Snoop offers real-time visitor tracking.

ClickTale literally records the actions and activity of visitors.

MyBlogLog is essentially a social network for blogs.

Stuck in traffic? Google Maps service may help you.

Google announced a new addition to the Google Maps service,
the traffic levels can now be displayed with a click of a mouse. There
are 30 American cities that work with the new tool, some examples can
be seen at: New York and Chicago and Seattle

However there no legend explanation on which color is what. Later I found from their site: if your route shows red, you’re looking at a stop-and-go commute;
yellow, you could be a little late for dinner; green, you’ve got smooth
sailing. At lest  they should have made it with mouse hover. But Anyway, its another cool functionality on top of finest mapping tool.

Via googleblog.blogspot.com

Google: No 1 in Search and Great Place to Work too! See Video

Best Companies on list compiled by Great Place to Work Institute for Fortune.

Google: No 1, Great Place to Work

Why Google listed No 1, See this video… my o my …
Video from MSNBC today:

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Know something more about google:

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Via [http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2007/01/we-made-list.html]

The perks of being a Googler.

• Bon Appétit

At Google it always comes back to the food. Google runs 11 free gourmet cafeterias at its Mountain View, Calif., headquarters, and offers all its employees free gourmet meals.

• Getting around

Many Silicon Valley companies provide shuttle-bus transportation from area train stations. Google operates free, Wi-Fi-enabled coaches from five Bay Area locations.

• Hair-raising rewards

Google rewards its employees - handsomely. Naturally you can get haircuts onsite. Care to refer a friend to work at Google? Google would like that too, and it’ll give you a $2,000 reward. Just have a new baby? Congratulations! Your employer will reimburse you for up to $500 in takeout food to ease your first four weeks at home.

• Dogs allowed

The Google campus is a pet-friendly facility, and dogs are allowed on a temporary basis.

• Three cheers

Though Google almost always wins talent wars with the likes of Microsoft and Yahoo, its twin HR demons are startups and retirement.

• User-generated content

Google engineers are encouraged to contribute ideas to the business, but nontech ideas Googlers dream up have a shot at adoption as well.

Pictures around Google campus:

Top 10 Reasons to Work at Google: See here

Doodle 4 Google Logo Done By 13 Year Kid

The winning Doodle 4 Google logo done by 13 year old Katherine Chisnall from the South West of England.

The “Five Wonders of Britain” logo shows several British landmarks:

• The Millennium Sculpture
• London Eye
• Blackpool Tower
• Edinburgh Castle
• The Severn Bridge

See bigger size image here

Google has a great competition going on for school kids, called Doodle 4 Google. (US link)

You’ve no doubt noticed the way Google changes their logo to coincide with different occasions (all done by Dennis Hwang, the Google webmaster). Well now they’ve asked kids in the UK to try their hand, and the shortlist is pretty nice. See (link) various Google Logos created by Kids… Very impressive

• Information for School: here
• Judging and prizes
• Register for school

Like.com, New Visual Search Engine Launched

It’s very hard for me to describe what I want in most practical situations: How to find that piece of jewelry or shoe that’s hard to describe.

Like.com, the first visual search engine for products, launched on Nov 8th. Creator of Riya.com is behind like.com. They started with search engine, well not search engine but easy to sort out mechanism for millions of pictures, based on facial-recognition. Now they are taking their technology (face recognition) to whole new (eCommerce) level. It’s like to showing a photo to a salesperson at a store and saying, “Show me all the products that look like this.” It sure beats poor attempts at describing the ideal item to a salesperson. In other words it’s your virtual e-salesperson. Cool idea! When a user clicks on an image of an item, Like.com will compare that item’s shape; color and texture to millions of other similar images found on the internet and display the best matches. However, initially, there are focusing on limited categories like handbags, watches, jewelry, watches and shoes.

It’s also important to note that they are using Amazon.com associate program behind like.com. It takes affiliate marketing in a new direction.

Some cool, interactive tools that Like.com offers are the following:

• Interactive color palette that users can slide to find matches based on color
• Slider that allows users to search within a price range
• Customization tool that allows users to adjust what is most important in the search results (color, shape and pattern)
• Tool that allows users to drag a box over an image to focus the search on that specific area of the image

Like.com is currently in Alpha Stage.

Ms.Dewey (www.MsDewey.com) - New Search Engine

http://www.msdewey.com/ Ms. Dewey is a new, interactive, Flash based search engine. http://www.msdewey.com/To assist you in your search, the website is hosted by smoking hot model/actress/vocalist, Janina Gavankar, who is guest starring in upcoming new episodes of Showtime’s “The L Word”. See what she and the site are capable of by typing into the search field, or most imp -> just leave it blank and watch.

• Also, try something like “men” … funny!
• Try “Bill Gates”…somewhat funny!
• Try “Microsoft”…..arrr matey!
• Try “Boxing”….eh lame!
• Try “xbox 360″….halo rulez!!!
• Try “Yo” — this is so hilarious
• Try “bush” — hahaha

Comment here and tell me what you tried so far and which one you like the most.. ha ha ha … I am going back to MsDewey.com .. happy searching

About Ms.Dewey : “Who says search can’t be fun? At Windows Live we are constantly exploring new and creative ways to promote our search offering and deliver relevant information in an interesting and engaging way. The Ms. Dewey website is just one example of these efforts.” - “This is not an advertising campaign. This really just an experiment for exploring different ways to introduce people to search and Live Search specifically. We are not promoting the site but simply putting it out on the Web for discovery.”(Microsoft.com)

Site is by EVB - http://www.evb.com/ the hostess is a member of deviantART.com, and her body of work (including The L Word appearances) according to IMDB is located here: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1232470/

Also, you can find more about Ms.Dewey (Janina Gavankar) below links:

External links:

http://janinaz.deviantart.com/
http://www.janinamusic.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janina_Gavankar

Lots of Pictures of Ms.Dewey (Janina Gavankar) - find it here

Technorati Tags: Amusing Stuff, Creative innovation, Fun, Funny, Silly, Yahoo!, Google Search, Ms. Dewey

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