Google has released a Mac version of its video player. This means that Mac OS users can purchase and watch videos protected with Google’s DRM technology, as well as watch offline downloads of Google Videos.
Isn’t it amazing how, with almost the exact same interface, it is just prettier on a Mac? Take a look:
If you are wondering if Windows Vista makes any sort of difference, it doesn’t.
The Google Video Player for Mac requires a gigahertz processor and at least 16 megabytes of video ram. It is a Universal binary and will run on Power PC and Intel Macs.
June 8th, 2006
Posted by
Nathan Weinberg |
Store, Google Video, Search, General |
one comment
As a part of its massive deal with Dell, the computer manufacturer will be supplying Google with servers, which Google will then sell to corporate customers. This will be the next generation of Google search appliance, bearing Dell hardware but the Google name and software (and yellow swiss cheese design).
Dell spokesperson Jess Blackburn said the products are based on the company’s server platform but will feature Google-branded logos. The systems will be sold to Google’s corporate clients as the Google Search Appliance.
“These would in effect be Google products,” Blackburn said. “Nothing about the server would make you think it’s a Dell platform.”
Dell currently sells its PowerEdge 850 servers for as little as $699 with a 2.66 GHz Celeron D, 512 MB of RAM, a 3-year basic warranty and onsite service, 80 GB of hard drive space and a 24X CD drive. Add on whatever you think the search appliance system is worth, and you have the idea of how cheap a search appliance could get on Dell hardware. The cheapest Google Mini is currently $1,995, while the full-on search appliance starts at $30,000.
Of course, god only knows how much the “cheesebox” stylings add to the price…
June 8th, 2006
Posted by
Nathan Weinberg |
Search Appliance, General |
one comment
Google has released an absolutely excellent Firefox extension: Google Browser Sync keeps your Firefox settings, bookmarks, cookies and passwords consistent across any computer you use, so long as the extension and Firefox are installed on those computers. While bookmarks and settings are nice, the extension really shines in a different area: It also preserves all your currently open tabs and windows. That means, if you are a heavy user, like a blogger who keeps open 40 tabs at a time, all you have to do is login and continue your work from a different computer.
Wonderful!
I swear by Opera, because, among many other great reasons, it saves my tabs at all times. If the browser crashes, I just reopen it, and all 30-150 tabs (yes, I frequently have well over a hundred open tabs) reload as it opens, no worries. I can’t stand the idea of a browser that doesn’t save that automatically. Now, Google has upped the ante, by restoring your entire application state no matter what computer you are on. No doubt, some people are going to add this to their thumb drives for when they tote Firefox around, as a portable workspace is a feature so good, it could be a deal-breaker for many. I hope Opera gets this capability.
Google Blog post
Hat-tip: Jason
Note: As with any new Google software, there will be some issues that will annoy the hell out of you. For example, you aren’t able to use Browser Sync on other people’s computers, since syncing isn’t temporary, and that person will have access to all of your settings and such:
Why shouldn’t I install Google Browser Sync on computers that other people can access?
Browser Sync keeps all your browsers in sync with each other, so it needs to send potentially sensitive information like your stored passwords, bookmarks, and browser history to the other computers where you’ve installed it. Also, once you install Browser Sync, you don’t need to log in every time you start the browser to access this info. Therefore, someone who uses a computer where you’ve installed browser sync will have access to all the info you’ve chosen to sync across your computers. Any new browser settings they create, such as browsing history, will also show up on your other computers.
Also, you can’t change your PIN (logging in involves your Google account username and password, plus a personal PIN number*). Google recommends that if you want to change your PIN, uninstall the extension and start over with a new one.
* - I love it when people get all redundant…
June 8th, 2006
Posted by
Nathan Weinberg |
General |
10 comments
For once, a company was angry at a Google AdWords advertiser, an advertiser who bought keywords with the company’s name and products and used it to sell competing software that was both low-quality and dangerous. This company, unlike Geico and others before it, decided the operative thing to do was not to sue Google, but to sue the real culprit, the advertiser.
So, which company was this? Which company decided to be fair and not sue Google, to sue the people who deserved to get sued and not the world’s most popular search engine company?
You won’t believe it…
Give up?
Okay, I’ll tell you: It’s Microsoft.
Yeah. And they won. Read the story at InsideMicrosoft.
June 8th, 2006
Posted by
Nathan Weinberg |
Microsoft, General |
2 comments
Google has released its AdWords Editor software for public download. AdWords Editor lets you manage multiple AdWords accounts offline, including creating and editing campaigns, sorting and viewing statistics, write notes on things you want to do, search your account, make large-scale changes quickly, export snapshots of your account, and share and review proposed changes before they are implemented.
It is available in these languages: Brazilian Portuguese, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, US English and UK English. it is currently only available for Windows 2000 and XP, although Mac and Linux versions are planned.
(via ReveNews)
June 8th, 2006
Posted by
Nathan Weinberg |
AdWords, Advertising, General |
one comment
The Register writes about a fake pharmacy, which purports to sell pills that don’t exist, and uses the Google name to try to appear legitimate. The site by ED Choice, which sells generic versions of drugs like Viagra, Levitra and Cialis (none of which exist in what I like to call “the real world”), features a Google logo with the “o”s replaced by two li’l Viagra pills, as well as this text:
We’ve just launched a pharmaceutical interface for Google, as well as several new features that will improve the Google experience for people buying pills and using pharmaceutical interfaces.
We are really pleased to have worked on a launch that will help people use pharmacy and surgery.
We are currently working to make it available to even more users with more language interfaces.
Visit Google’s accredited pharmacy.
It never ceases to amaze me just how many businesses rely entirely on just how freakin’ stupid people are. An intelligent person would never fall for this; and yet, people make money.
(via The Raw Feed > Digg)
June 8th, 2006
Posted by
Nathan Weinberg |
General |
one comment
