Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Googland

Googland

[G] Default https access for Gmail

Posted: 12 Jan 2010 09:51 PM PST

Official Gmail Blog: Default https access for Gmail

Posted by Sam Schillace, Gmail Engineering Director

In 2008, we rolled out the option to always use https — encrypting your mail as it travels between your web browser and our servers. Using https helps protect data from being snooped by third parties, such as in public wifi hotspots. We initially left the choice of using it up to you because there's a downside: https can make your mail slower since encrypted data doesn't travel across the web as quickly as unencrypted data. Over the last few months, we've been researching the security/latency tradeoff and decided that turning https on for everyone was the right thing to do.

We are currently rolling out default https for everyone. If you've previously set your own https preference from Gmail Settings, nothing will change for your account. If you trust the security of your network and don't want default https turned on for performance reasons, you can turn it off at any time by choosing "Don't always use https" from the Settings menu. Gmail will still always encrypt the login page to protect your password. Google Apps users whose admins have not already defaulted their entire domains to https will have the same option.

To read about other steps you can take to protect your accounts and your computers, visit google.com/help/security.

Note: If you use offline Gmail over http currently, the switch to https is likely to cause some problems. Learn more about this known issue and how to work around it.
URL: http://gmailblog.blogspot.com/2010/01/default-https-access-for-gmail.html

[G] A new approach to China

Posted: 12 Jan 2010 06:51 PM PST

Google Public Policy Blog: A new approach to China

Posted by David Drummond, SVP, Corporate Development and Chief Legal Officer

(cross-posted from Official Google Blog)

Like many other well-known organizations, we face cyber attacks of varying degrees on a regular basis. In mid-December, we detected a highly sophisticated and targeted attack on our corporate infrastructure originating from China that resulted in the theft of intellectual property from Google. However, it soon became clear that what at first appeared to be solely a security incident--albeit a significant one--was something quite different.

First, this attack was not just on Google. As part of our investigation we have discovered that at least twenty other large companies from a wide range of businesses--including the Internet, finance, technology, media and chemical sectors--have been similarly targeted. We are currently in the process of notifying those companies, and we are also working with the relevant U.S. authorities.

Second, we have evidence to suggest that a primary goal of the attackers was accessing the Gmail accounts of Chinese human rights activists. Based on our investigation to date we believe their attack did not achieve that objective. Only two Gmail accounts appear to have been accessed, and that activity was limited to account information (such as the date the account was created) and subject line, rather than the content of emails themselves.

Third, as part of this investigation but independent of the attack on Google, we have discovered that the accounts of dozens of US-, China- and Europe-based Gmail users who are advocates of human rights in China appear to have been routinely accessed by third parties. These accounts have not been accessed through any security breach at Google, but most likely via phishing scams or malware placed on the users' computers.

We have already used information gained from this attack to make infrastructure and architectural improvements that enhance security for Google and for our users. In terms of individual users, we would advise people to deploy reputable anti-virus and anti-spyware programs on their computers, to install patches for their operating systems and to update their web browsers. Always be cautious when clicking on links appearing in instant messages and emails, or when asked to share personal information like passwords online. You can read more here about our cyber-security recommendations. People interested wanting to learn more about these kinds of attacks, can read this U.S. government report, Nart Villeneuve's blog and this presentation on the GhostNet spying incident.

We have taken the unusual step of sharing information about these attacks with a broad audience not just because of the security and human rights implications of what we have unearthed, but also because this information goes to the heart of a much bigger global debate about freedom of speech. In the last two decades, China's economic reform programs and its citizens' entrepreneurial flair have lifted hundreds of millions of Chinese people out of poverty. Indeed, this great nation is at the heart of much economic progress and development in the world today.

We launched Google.cn in January 2006 in the belief that the benefits of increased access to information for people in China and a more open Internet outweighed our discomfort in agreeing to censor some results. At the time we made clear that "we will carefully monitor conditions in China, including new laws and other restrictions on our services. If we determine that we are unable to achieve the objectives outlined we will not hesitate to reconsider our approach to China."

These attacks and the surveillance they have uncovered--combined with the attempts over the past year to further limit free speech on the web--have led us to conclude that we should review the feasibility of our business operations in China. We have decided we are no longer willing to continue censoring our results on Google.cn, and so over the next few weeks we will be discussing with the Chinese government the basis on which we could operate an unfiltered search engine within the law, if at all. We recognize that this may well mean having to shut down Google.cn, and potentially our offices in China.

The decision to review our business operations in China has been incredibly hard, and we know that it will have potentially far-reaching consequences. We want to make clear that this move was driven by our executives in the United States, without the knowledge or involvement of our employees in China who have worked incredibly hard to make Google.cn the success it is today. We are committed to working responsibly to resolve the very difficult issues raised.
URL: http://googlepublicpolicy.blogspot.com/2010/01/new-approach-to-china.html

[G] A new approach to China

Posted: 12 Jan 2010 03:51 PM PST

Official Google Blog: A new approach to China

Like many other well-known organizations, we face cyber attacks of varying degrees on a regular basis. In mid-December, we detected a highly sophisticated and targeted attack on our corporate infrastructure originating from China that resulted in the theft of intellectual property from Google. However, it soon became clear that what at first appeared to be solely a security incident--albeit a significant one--was something quite different.

First, this attack was not just on Google. As part of our investigation we have discovered that at least twenty other large companies from a wide range of businesses--including the Internet, finance, technology, media and chemical sectors--have been similarly targeted. We are currently in the process of notifying those companies, and we are also working with the relevant U.S. authorities.

Second, we have evidence to suggest that a primary goal of the attackers was accessing the Gmail accounts of Chinese human rights activists. Based on our investigation to date we believe their attack did not achieve that objective. Only two Gmail accounts appear to have been accessed, and that activity was limited to account information (such as the date the account was created) and subject line, rather than the content of emails themselves.

Third, as part of this investigation but independent of the attack on Google, we have discovered that the accounts of dozens of U.S.-, China- and Europe-based Gmail users who are advocates of human rights in China appear to have been routinely accessed by third parties. These accounts have not been accessed through any security breach at Google, but most likely via phishing scams or malware placed on the users' computers.

We have already used information gained from this attack to make infrastructure and architectural improvements that enhance security for Google and for our users. In terms of individual users, we would advise people to deploy reputable anti-virus and anti-spyware programs on their computers, to install patches for their operating systems and to update their web browsers. Always be cautious when clicking on links appearing in instant messages and emails, or when asked to share personal information like passwords online. You can read more here about our cyber-security recommendations. People wanting to learn more about these kinds of attacks can read this U.S. government report (PDF), Nart Villeneuve's blog and this presentation on the GhostNet spying incident.

We have taken the unusual step of sharing information about these attacks with a broad audience not just because of the security and human rights implications of what we have unearthed, but also because this information goes to the heart of a much bigger global debate about freedom of speech. In the last two decades, China's economic reform programs and its citizens' entrepreneurial flair have lifted hundreds of millions of Chinese people out of poverty. Indeed, this great nation is at the heart of much economic progress and development in the world today.

We launched Google.cn in January 2006 in the belief that the benefits of increased access to information for people in China and a more open Internet outweighed our discomfort in agreeing to censor some results. At the time we made clear that "we will carefully monitor conditions in China, including new laws and other restrictions on our services. If we determine that we are unable to achieve the objectives outlined we will not hesitate to reconsider our approach to China."

These attacks and the surveillance they have uncovered--combined with the attempts over the past year to further limit free speech on the web--have led us to conclude that we should review the feasibility of our business operations in China. We have decided we are no longer willing to continue censoring our results on Google.cn, and so over the next few weeks we will be discussing with the Chinese government the basis on which we could operate an unfiltered search engine within the law, if at all. We recognize that this may well mean having to shut down Google.cn, and potentially our offices in China.

The decision to review our business operations in China has been incredibly hard, and we know that it will have potentially far-reaching consequences. We want to make clear that this move was driven by our executives in the United States, without the knowledge or involvement of our employees in China who have worked incredibly hard to make Google.cn the success it is today. We are committed to working responsibly to resolve the very difficult issues raised.

Posted by David Drummond, SVP, Corporate Development and Chief Legal Officer
URL: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/01/new-approach-to-china.html

[G] Keeping your data safe

Posted: 12 Jan 2010 03:51 PM PST

Official Google Enterprise Blog: Keeping your data safe

Many corporations and consumers regularly come under cyber attack, and Google is no exception. We recently detected a cyber attack targeting our infrastructure and that of at least 20 other publicly listed companies. This incident was particularly notable for its high degree of sophistication. We believe Google Apps and related customer data were not affected by this incident. Please read more about our public response on the Official Google Blog.

This attack may understandably raise some questions, so we wanted to take this opportunity to share some additional information and assure you that Google is introducing additional security measures to help ensure the safety of your data.

This was not an assault on cloud computing. It was an attack on the technology infrastructure of major corporations in sectors as diverse as finance, technology, media, and chemical. The route the attackers used was malicious software used to infect personal computers. Any computer connected to the Internet can fall victim to such attacks. While some intellectual property on our corporate network was compromised, we believe our customer cloud-based data remains secure.

While any company can be subject to such an attack, those who use our cloud services benefit from our data security capabilities. At Google, we invest massive amounts of time and money in security. Nothing is more important to us. Our response to this attack shows that we are dedicated to protecting the businesses and users who have entrusted us with their sensitive email and document information. We are telling you this because we are committed to transparency, accountability, and maintaining your trust.

Posted by Dave Girouard, President, Google Enterprise
URL: http://googleenterprise.blogspot.com/2010/01/keeping-your-data-safe.html

[G] Stickers From Data Liberation Farms

Posted: 12 Jan 2010 03:50 PM PST

Data Liberation: Stickers From Data Liberation Farms

After talking about Data Liberation on This Week in Google, we've gotten a lot of requests for Data Liberation stickers. Well, if you want to become a member of the Data Liberation cooperative, we've got eggzactly what you're looking for, so to find out how to get a sticker, read on!



Our stickers are gorgeous full-color 3" x 5" vinyl stickers that look just as good on a laptop as they do on an egg carton, and if you'd like to get one, just send a self-addressed stamped envelope to:


The Data Liberation Front
c/o Google
20 W. Kinzie, Floor 9
Chicago, IL 60610


Our lawyers told us that, unfortunately, we can't ship these stickers outside of the United States. Also, we won't be collecting your addresses for any purpose whatsoever--they're going right into the shredder for use as bedding in the henhouse!

The only thing that you need to send us is a self-addressed stamped envelope. If you're so inclined (and this is completely optional), drop in a postcard from your city and we'll add it to the collage on the wall of our barn (and we'll post pictures of it from time to time).

Of course--and this is also completely optional--we'd love to see the stickers in action, so once you get the sticker, please send a tweet to @dataliberation with a picture of the sticker at its new home--like this:



And lastly, no chickens were harmed in the production of these stickers. (although we did have a few nice omelets with hash browns. Mmmmm.... hash browns....)

Posted by Brian Fitzpatrick, The Data Liberation Front
URL: http://dataliberation.blogspot.com/2010/01/stickers-from-data-liberation-farms.html

[G] Policy adjustment for display URLs

Posted: 12 Jan 2010 03:50 PM PST

Inside AdWords: Policy adjustment for display URLs

The display URL (the URL that appears within the ad itself) shows potential visitors to a site where they'll land when they click on an ad. For sites that sit on shared or hosted domains (such as blogspot.com), we're adjusting our display URL policy to make this more clear.

Beginning this week, all ads leading to sites on hosted domains will need to have display URLs that accurately reflect their destinations.

Let's say I wanted to create an ad linking to this blog: http://adwords.blogspot.com. In the past, blogspot.com would have been an acceptable display URL. Because there are so many independent blogs hosted on http://blogspot.com however, we now require the display URL to reflect the specific blog reached upon clicking the ad– in this case: adwords.blogspot.com.

Incorrect:

Destination URL: http://adwords.blogspot.com
Display URL: blogspot.com

Correct:

Destination URL: http://adwords.blogspot.com
Display URL: adwords.blogspot.com

Going forward, ads that don't include this additional information in their display URLs will be disapproved. A suggested display URL will be provided in the disapproval email notification, but we encourage you to proactively adjust any ads that you think might be affected by this change.

If you'd like to learn about this policy in greater detail, please visit the AdWords Help Center.

Thanks for your understanding, and for helping us to continue to improve the AdWords experience.

Posted by Miles Johnson, Inside AdWords crew
URL: http://adwords.blogspot.com/2010/01/policy-adjustment-for-display-urls.html

[G] Books are Full of Visual Gems: 19th Century home exercise edition!

Posted: 12 Jan 2010 01:44 PM PST

Inside Google Books: Books are Full of Visual Gems: 19th Century home exercise edition!

Posted by Ryan Sands, Google Books Online Team

It may come as no surprise to the book nerds out there (you know who you are) that the annals of written history are full of visual gems.

When you come across something interesting in a public domain title that has been scanned via our Library Project, you can easily add it to your own website or blog. Simply snag the chunk of text or image using our Share this Clip feature in Google Books () and copy and paste the Embed HTML code onto your site.

It's hard to believe, but we're already a few weeks into 2010. For many folks, a new year means the creation of New Year's resolutions. Though I usually don't bother coming up with my own, I used January 1, 2010 as my excuse to get back to the gym. I was never much of an athlete, but so far I've stuck to my resolution to run a few miles a few times a week.

For a historical perspective on my little project, I went on Google Books and started digging up home exercise and workout manuals from the end of the 19th century. Turns out the fundamentals of weight training haven't changed much in 100 years, although I usually don't go running in a three-piece suit and handlebar mustache. I used the Clip feature in Google Books to collect these images and diagrams. Simply click any image to read the original book source!

[Please note, some content may not be available in full view to users outside of the United States.]


"A manual of the theory and practice of the lifting exercise" - 1871



"A system of physiologic therapeutics" by Solomon Solis-Cohen - 1904



"Health Habits" by M. V. O'Shea and J. H. Kellogg - 1921



"Physical Culture: A Manual of Home Exercise" - 1892



Home gymnastics for the sick and the well" by Eduard Ferdinand Angerstein - 1889


"Calisthenics and light gymnastics for home and school" by Alfred M. A. Beale & Samuel M. Spedon - 1888
URL: http://booksearch.blogspot.com/2010/01/books-are-full-of-visual-gems-19th.html

[G] Google Flu Trends in 121 U.S. cities

Posted: 12 Jan 2010 12:50 PM PST

Official Google Blog: Google Flu Trends in 121 U.S. cities

In contrast to the unusually early spike of flu activity we saw this October, Google Flu Trends is currently showing a low level of activity in the United States. Since the strain of influenza that is active (H1N1) is novel, no one knows exactly what will happen next. However, the CDC is warning that one possibility is a second spike of flu activity, which is what occured in 1957 when another novel strain of influenza spread in the United States.

We've been chatting with public health officials about new ways we can help people understand the spread of flu during this unusual time and today we're excited to bring city level flu estimates to 121 cities in the United States.


By tracking the popularity of certain Google search queries, we're able to estimate the level of flu in near real-time. Google Flu Trends is updated daily and may provide early detection of flu activity, since traditional flu surveillance systems often take days or weeks to collect and release data. These city level estimates are "experimental," meaning they haven't been validated against official data. However, the estimates are made in a similar manner to our U.S. national estimates, which have been validated. Check out our YouTube video for a quick introduction to this system.

We're pleased to be announcing this addition to Google Flu Trends during National Influenza Vaccination Week. If you're looking for a flu vaccine location near you, please visit the flu shot finder.

Posted by Matt Mohebbi, Software Engineer
URL: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/01/google-flu-trends-in-121-us-cities.html

[G] Spring Cleaning Comes Early to YouTube

Posted: 12 Jan 2010 12:50 PM PST

YouTube Blog: Spring Cleaning Comes Early to YouTube

The excitement of the new decade and our upcoming fifth anniversary has the YouTube team itching to make the site experience better than ever before. We have all kinds of ideas about new things we could build and launch, but we are also taking some significant time in the coming months to do some early "spring cleaning" on the site design and user experience.



What will this mean to you? Well, it means you'll see some things about the site design evolving to be more consistent across the site. And some things that haven't worked as smoothly as we would have liked them to will get the attention they deserve. Lastly, we may determine that some things we tried out just didn't fly and remove them from the site.



We'll be using a number of inputs to build our "to do" list: usage data that shows the things you use the most versus things that very few people use; usability testing that can help us understand what's broken that needs fixing; and, last but not least, we'd like to hear from you directly...



What would you want to see fixed on the site? What would you remove completely, if you had your druthers? We'll use your feedback to help prioritize what we focus on, so we can all experience a cleaner, easier-to-use YouTube.



Please enter your feedback here and/or browse and vote on ideas others have had. We'll take a few weeks to digest your comments and will respond directly to the ideas you're most excited about.



Margaret Stewart, User Experience Manager, recently favorited "Christmas Tree Rocketry: The Art and Science of Holiday Recycling."


URL: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/youtube/PKJx/~3/nXFazRp6LL0/spring-cleaning-comes-early-to-youtube.html

[G] Store and share files in the cloud with Google Docs

Posted: 12 Jan 2010 11:09 AM PST

Official Google Enterprise Blog: Store and share files in the cloud with Google Docs

Let's say you're about to make a very important presentation to a prospective client on the other side of the country. Before you depart on your business trip, you download all of your presentation materials and InDesign® hand-outs onto your trusty thumbdrive. Just in case, you also email the files to yourself.

But while you're in the air, your colleagues back at the office are making last minute edits to the files and your copies are now out of date. Worse yet, when you arrive at your destination, you realize you left your thumbdrive at home.

Sound familiar? The good news is that things are about to become a whole lot easier.

Over the next couple of weeks, we are rolling out the ability for Google Apps users to easily upload and securely share any type of file internally and externally using Google Docs. You get 1 GB of storage per user, and you can upload files up to 250 MB in size.

Now accessing your work files doesn't require a connection to your internal office network. Nor do you need to email files to yourself, carry around a thumbdrive, or use a company network drive – you can access your files using Google Docs from any web-enabled computer.

Combined with shared folders in Google Docs, the upload feature is a great way to collaborate on files with coworkers and external parties. Instead of using cumbersome email attachments, you can upload files to a folder and share it with coworkers, who can then access and edit the files from a single place. You can even have your sales team securely share contracts with external clients for review.

And of course, by using Google Docs, you can quickly and easily search across all your files from one place, getting access to the right file when and where you need it.

Google Apps Premier Edition users can also use the Google Documents List Data API to upload files to Google Docs in batch, or purchase applications offered by third parties that enable you to migrate and sync your files to Google Docs:

  • Memeo Connect for Google Apps is a new desktop application that offers an easy way to access, migrate, and synchronize files to Google Docs across multiple computers. (PC and Mac)
  • Syncplicity offers businesses automated back-up and file management with Google Docs. (PC)
  • Manymoon is an online project management platform that makes it simple to organize and share tasks and documents with coworkers and partners, including uploading files to Google Docs.

    We're always looking for ways to make it easier for you to access and organize your information online and we hope you find the ability to store, share, and collaborate on files in Google Docs helpful. In the coming months, we will enable Google Apps Premier Edition customers to purchase additional storage for $3.50/GB/yr (or €3.00/gb/yr in the EU). If you'd like to be notified when additional storage can be purchased, please fill out this form and we will contact you as soon as it's available. As always, we'd love your feedback and if you have any questions, please check out our help forum.

    Posted by Anil Sabharwal, Google Docs Team

    Get timely updates on new features in Google Apps by subscribing to our RSS feed or email alerts.
    • URL: http://googleenterprise.blogspot.com/2010/01/store-and-share-files-in-cloud-with.html

    [G] Upload your files and access them anywhere with Google Docs

    Posted: 12 Jan 2010 09:50 AM PST

    Official Google Blog: Upload your files and access them anywhere with Google Docs

    Over the next few weeks, we're rolling out the ability to upload all file types to the cloud through Google Docs, giving you one place where you can upload and access your key files online. Because Google Docs now supports files up to 250 MB in size, which is larger than the attachment limit on most email applications, you'll be able to backup large graphics files, RAW photos, ZIP archives and much more to the cloud. More importantly, instead of carrying a USB drive, you can now use Google Docs as a more convenient option for accessing your files on different computers.

    This feature can also help you work with teams to organize and collaborate on information online. For example, an architect can share large schematic files with her construction firm, while a P.T.A. member can share large graphic files for posters with other members. You can even add these files to the same shared project folder your team has already been using to collaborate on documents and spreadsheets.

    In addition to uploading any file into Google Docs, our Google Apps premier edition customers will be able to seamlessly upload many files at once and sync them with their desktop in real time using third party applications. You can read more about how the ability to upload any file will help businesses on the Google Enterprise blog.

    This feature will be enabled for your account over the next couple of weeks — look for the bubble notification when you sign in to Google Docs. For more information, check out our post on the Google Docs blog.

    Posted by Vijay Bangaru, Product Manager, Google Docs
    URL: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/01/upload-your-files-and-access-them.html

    [G] Upload and store your files in the cloud with Google Docs

    Posted: 12 Jan 2010 09:50 AM PST

    Official Google Docs Blog: Upload and store your files in the cloud with Google Docs

    We're happy to announce that over the next few weeks we will be rolling out the ability to upload, store and organize any type of file in Google Docs. With this change, you'll be able to upload and access your files from any computer -- all you need is an Internet connection.

    Instead of emailing files to yourself, which is particularly difficult with large files, you can upload to Google Docs any file up to 250 MB. You'll have 1 GB of free storage for files you don't convert into one of the Google Docs formats (i.e. Google documents, spreadsheets, and presentations), and if you need more space, you can buy additional storage for $0.25 per GB per year. This makes it easy to backup more of your key files online, from large graphics and raw photos to unedited home videos taken on your smartphone. You might even be able to replace the USB drive you reserved for those files that are too big to send over email.

    Combined with shared folders, you can store, organize, and collaborate on files more easily using Google Docs. For example, if you are in a club or PTA working on large graphic files for posters or a newsletter, you can upload them to a shared folder for collaborators to view, download, and print.

    You can also search for document files you've uploaded or that have been shared with you just like you do with your Google documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and PDFs. And you'll be able to view many common document file types with the Google Docs viewer.

    To learn how businesses can take advantage of this new functionality, check out the post on the Enterprise Blog.

    As always, we'd love your feedback and if you have any questions, please check out our help page. This feature will be enabled for your account over the next couple of weeks — look for the bubble notification when you sign in to Google Docs.

    Posted by: Vijay Bangaru, Product Manager, Google Docs
    URL: http://googledocs.blogspot.com/2010/01/upload-and-store-your-files-in-cloud.html

    [G] Google I/O 2010: Now open for registration

    Posted: 12 Jan 2010 08:55 AM PST

    Official Google Blog: Google I/O 2010: Now open for registration

    (Cross-posted with the Google Code Blog)

    I'm excited to announce that registration for Google I/O is now open at code.google.com/io. Our third annual developer conference will return to Moscone West in San Francisco on May 19-20, 2010. We expect thousands of web, mobile and enterprise developers to be in attendance.

    I/O 2010 will be focused on building the next generation of applications in the cloud and will feature the latest on Google products and technologies like Android, Google Chrome, App Engine, Google Web Toolkit, Google APIs and more. Members of our engineering teams and other web development experts will lead more than 80 technical sessions. We'll also bring back the Developer Sandbox, which we introduced at I/O 2009, where developers from more than 100 companies will be on hand to demo their apps, answer questions and exchange ideas.

    We'll be regularly adding more sessions, speakers and companies on the event website, and today we're happy to give you a preview of what's to come. Over half of all sessions are already listed, covering a range of products and technologies, as well as speaker bios. We've also included a short list of companies that will be participating in the Developer Sandbox. For the latest I/O updates, follow us (@googleio) on Twitter.

    Today's registration opens with an early bird rate of $400, which applies through April 16 ($500 after April 16). Faculty and students can register at the discounted Academia rate of $100 (this discounted rate is limited and available on a first come, first serve basis).

    Last year's I/O sold out before the start of the conference, so we encourage you to sign up in advance.

    Google I/O
    May 19-20, 2010
    Moscone West, San Francisco

    To learn more and sign up, visit code.google.com/io.

    We hope to see you in May!

    Posted by David Glazer, Engineering Director
    URL: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/01/google-io-2010-now-open-for.html
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