Googland

[G] Using your feedback to improve Buzz
[G] This week in search 2/14/10
[G] Holiday wishes from the AdSense team
[G] YouTube & the Online Video Revolution

Posted: 14 Feb 2010 09:47 PM PST

Google Public Policy Blog: Using your feedback to improve Buzz

Posted by Pablo Chavez, Managing Policy Counsel

Last Tuesday we introduced Google Buzz, a new way to start conversations and share updates, links and more. In the days since we launched, we've heard a lot of feedback about how Buzz works.

We've heard your concerns loud and clear, and we've already taken steps to address them. On Thursday we made some improvements to Buzz so that privacy controls are more visible and useful. And yesterday afternoon we announced further changes that we'll be rolling out over the next few days — including modifying the start-up process so that you review our suggestions for people to follow (rather than automatically following them from the get-go), and adding a Buzz tab to the Gmail settings page so that privacy controls are more easily accessible.

At Google, we like to respond to user feedback, then iterate based on that feedback. So thanks for speaking up. We've been working quickly over the holiday weekend to incorporate the new changes into Buzz, and we'll be continuing to improve your user experience.

URL: http://googlepublicpolicy.blogspot.com/2010/02/using-your-feedback-to-improve-buzz.html

[G] This week in search 2/14/10

Posted: 14 Feb 2010 04:57 PM PST

Official Google Blog: This week in search 2/14/10

This is part of a regular series of posts on search experience updates that runs weekly. Look for the label This week in search and subscribe to the series. - Ed.

From enhancements in real-time search to Vancouver happenings at your fingertips, this week included a number of exciting search launches:

Winter Games info in search results
As the 2010 Winter Games kick off, we've made it easy for you to follow all of the action in Vancouver. Now, when you search for the latest results for your favorite sport, you'll see the information you're looking for just above the search results. Looking for the latest schedules? They're just a search away. And if you're interested in following how your home country is doing, you can quickly view the latest medal count. All that's left for you to do is cheer for your favorite team and enjoy the games!

Example searches: [men's hockey], [alpine skiing schedule] and [medal count]

Google Buzz in real-time search
Tuesday, we announced Google Buzz as part of our efforts to help make the web more social. Buzz is a new way to start conversations about the things you find interesting, allowing you to share updates, photos and videos right in Gmail. When we launched Buzz we made sure that we had it integrated into real-time search. Since real-time is all about searching what's happening right now, including changes to webpages, the latest news articles, new blog posts and fresh microblog content, it only seemed natural to include Buzz.

Maps of more countries in search results
Many of us use online maps so frequently that it's easy to forget that many countries lack detailed, street-level digital maps. But thanks to people adding their local knowledge to Google Map Maker, the local search results for places like Romania, Iceland, and Peru now include a map. In fact, as of this week we're able to show a map everytime we show local search results. As a result, the efforts of global citizen cartographers are really serving the needs of local users, schools, city planners, and tourists.

Example search: [catedral de lima]

Aardvark acquisition
This week, you might have seen our announcement that we've acquired the technology company Aardvark. Aardvark allows you to easily tap into the knowledge and experience network of your friends and extended network of contacts. The way it works is quite simple — you just send a question in plain English, like you would when speaking with a friend. Aardvark then acts as a hub, figuring out who might be able to answer your question, and then responds with an answer. You can read more about the announcement here, and Aardvark is already available in Google Labs, so you can try it out today.

It was a busy week for us in search. See you back here next week!

Posted by Amit Singhal, Google Fellow

URL: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/this-week-in-search-21410.html

[G] Holiday wishes from the AdSense team

Posted: 14 Feb 2010 01:14 PM PST

Inside AdSense: Holiday wishes from the AdSense team

We'd like to wish you a Happy Valentine's Day from all of us on the AdSense team.

And if you're following the lunar calendar, we'd also like to wish you a Happy Chinese New Year!

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Posted by Dia Muthana - Inside AdSense team

URL: http://adsense.blogspot.com/2010/02/holiday-wishes-from-adsense-team.html

[G] YouTube & the Online Video Revolution

Posted: 14 Feb 2010 01:14 PM PST

YouTube Blog: YouTube & the Online Video Revolution

When we registered the YouTube domain on February 14, 2005, we set out to create a place where anyone with a video camera and an Internet connection could share a story with the world. Five years into it, we're as committed as ever to the core beliefs and principles that guided YouTube's creation:

Video gives people a voice – From classrooms to war-torn countries, the Queen of England to the King of Pop, the Pope to the President of the United States, and the hillsides of Port au Prince to the streets of Tehran, video has the power to give rise to the most diverse set of faces and voices ever seen or heard in human history.

We succeed when our partners succeed – Our content partners run the gamut, from major Hollywood studios to aspiring filmmakers and vloggers who can turn the ordinary into something extraordinary on the turn of a dime. Content creation isn't our business; it's theirs. But breaking open access to media and distribution means delivering the world's largest global audience and the revenue models they need to succeed, as well as the tools they need to control their content.

Video evolves fast, YouTube must evolve faster – The Internet evolves at break-neck speed. We launch products quickly and constantly iterate to stay one step ahead of it. Our goal? To set the standard in online video delivery. Fast loading, high quality videos need to be able to play on any device, anywhere, anytime. And whether we're supporting 1080p, 3D, or deploying auto-speech recognition technology, we innovate with an eye toward providing the best possible experience for all of you.

Thanks for being part of the YouTube community and for shaping what the site is today. We're looking forward to celebrating our fifth anniversary throughout the year and hope you'll keep watching, keep uploading, keep sharing, keep informing, keep entertaining, and keep discovering the world through video.

Chad Hurley, Co-Founder & CEO, YouTube