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Google Local, Definitions, & Registrar
A few Google bits in the bin this morning starting with Philipp Lenssen writes "Google Local has now moved to the Google homepage. The service, while still in beta, has been around for quite a while as one of many Google tools in the Google labs."
Mr. Anonymous noted that "In the past, when you clicked the [definition] link after a Google search, you'd be taken to the Dictionary.com page for the word. Now, Google has jumped aboard GuruNet's Answers.com, which not only provides definitions, but encyclopedia articles, etymology, medical defnitions, legal definitions, and word translations all on one page."
And lastly, several folks noted that Google has moved into the Domain Registrar Biz which we mentioned monday.
Google Local is also pretty useful for finding things which may not necessarily be on the Internet, though you'll have to actually leave the house and go to the location on the map to complete your search. Don't forget, when you perform this type of search, that showering and wearing clean clothes are quite beneficial in the social situations you're likely to encounter.
Oh, and if you see your mom this weekend, be sure and tell her Dupe! Dupe! Dupe! Dupe! Dupe!
How am I supposed to fit a pithy, relevant quote into 120 characters?
I swear, we're gonna see it on Slashdot when Google's HTTP header changes.
I can definally see google hosting happening now... So many other rumors like the VOIP and the "GooGLeOS".. The hosting one seems it could be legit, expecially now since they are domain guys now.
My Blog
It looks like Google Local is still US only ... and they keep ***ing redirecting me to the UK site so I can't even see the link to click it. (I'm not planning a trip to American in the near future - but I might have been).
They're going to use the expired domain information they'll receive as a registrar to cancel previous pagerank.
I have used google local for a while now, and I have to say that it has performed great, usually giving accurate results. There was this one time however where it gave a wrong location, and I was prepared to walk about a mile or two to get there, before I called the actual place and confirmed it. Google's stuff, even when in "Beta" has worked great 99% of the time for me, especially gmail.
I, and many other folks, recently got set to having 50 invites left. While before it was already close to true that anyone that wanted one could find one, it is now REALLY true.
Seems their "beta" stuff works better than the first, or even second revision of released code from some other company...
>Google has jumped aboard GuruNet's Answers.com
Of course they did - Google's own Answers are pathetic.
A bunch of cheap losers looking for expert advice. After more than a year they've only got 500 exeperts.
http://answers.google.com/answers/
Make Suggest the homepage, and take off the locals part. Who cares if it is local on the Internet, anyway?
It's yet another straight rip-off of Wikipedia that adds adverts. Why on earth didn't they just link straight to Wikipedia? Oh yes, that's right, answers.com uses Google text ads so they make a profit there. Grrr.
Google local looks good for people who live in Poughkeepsie New York.
We have a lot of pizza here in "Australia" but Google local doesn't seem to get it.
Unable to understand address australia. Please try another address.
Maybe it's just me and my stubborn reluctance to relocate.
It's almost like google want to be the central repository of all knowledge. I'm no expert, but could this lead to 'problems' down the line similar to the way Microsoft have cornered the PC market.
Total information domination. Might lead to the 'all information has a cost' thingy people shout about from time to time.
Paid for services - no money, no info.
There's no Google Local link on my Bork, Bork, Bork! language page.
I feel slighted.
In Soviet Russia, asses suck this joke.
Here's the inside scoop.
Actually, I was trying to be Insightful, not Funny.
*Insert biatching about moderators here.*
666-607: 6th floor apartment of the beast
Granted, these are not necessarily good things, but I don't see how this is a rip-off of Wikipedia any more than Wikipedia is a rip-off of other prior encyclopedia cites.
Ben Hocking
Need a professional organizer?
Today Pete Smith who is the janitor at the Google offices stubbed his toe as he got out of bed.
Expert industry analysts agreed that was a significant evolution in Google's services.
When I put in "Hit Men" in the search box and "Chicago, IL" in the location box it gives me listings for attorneys.
Looks like it works!
World's tallest building rises in the desert
Yes. Now Google can track where you live in addition to what you buy, what you look at and what's in your mail.
Great news indeed.
It's all part of the Google Grid.
Sinch
It seems to me, that the most interesting information in guru.net come from wikipedia.
Why not just go to wikipedia then?
The only problem about wikipedia, though, is their engine search.
Interestingly, if you search for the Lebesgue Integral in answers.com, you get an article from Wikipedia.
Now, the question is whether this is good for Wikipedia (more people see its contents) or bad (fewer people even know that they could/should improve Wikipedia)?
does anyone have a mirror of google they could post?
pr0n - keeping monitor glass spotless since 1981.
Google Local seems to work in Canada as well as the US, but I don't find it the best way to find a local business. Rather than offer a complete listing of businesses it looks for other sites referring to that business. While the technology is remarkable in how it takes something like an online forum post and turns it into a reference for that business (check out the list of references after clicking on a business name), if I'm looking for something in my hometown I probably want ALL listings like the yellow pages.
For instance, I do my business searches for southern Ontario from 701.com and while 701.com is usually a reference on Google Local, 701 has listings that Google doesn't.
Google Local looks like a case where the technology used is more impressive than the product.
The global economy is a great thing until you feel it locally.
Why is everyone so hard up for Google?
IBM has a lot of cool technologies, so does Apple. Yet there is more press on Google than on the Iraq war.
Is Google really God?
IMHO "suggest" is the coolest thing to come out of google labs in some time. I know everyone who saw that seemed pretty impressed, myself included. I found it very useful.
I'd love to see that make the homepage.
Then again, I'm still waiting for firefox and thundebird support for google desktop.
How about this? google personals... mostly for gurus (and slashdotters).
Ehy... that is not bad.. do you think I can be hired in google now?
This first answers.com?
For the past several weeks (if not months), you could access google local via any google web search.
For example, to find Pizza parlors in zip 10023, search for:
pizza, 10023
Hit the first link which is "Local results for Pizza near 10023".
Where law ends, tyranny begins -- William Pitt
I went to that site and hit the edit button and typed in some garbage text and lo-and-behold it appears on the page like its good information. THerefore I will never use that site since the information cannot be trusted. Unless every statement is sourced.
It is about time. The other day when the new MSN search launched, I noticed that the Near Me button already knew where I was. Looks like Microsoft got this feature better - the results are initially based on your IP address which, in most cases, can be backtracked to your physical location. Of course, this can be changed via cookies as Google does it but it is quite impressive to make the local search work right, mostly, without being told.
Speaking of the Big-G, CNET is reporting that Google, now with a market value north of $56 billion, is equal to Starbucks, Nike and Southwest Airlines combined! I have the link to that article on my blog at: http://sundroid.blogspot.com/, in case you haven't checked your portfolio lately.
Sun and Fun
I'm not too worried about Google becoming the Microsoft of the Web. They've been good online citizens, and they've focused on facilitating access to other people's content rather than trying to create their own content monopoly. Still, it's only reasonable to keep on eye on their plans, and not assume that they'll always do the right thing. But for now, I find their entrance into new markets (and their astonishing financial success!) quite reassuring.
I sincerely hope that google breathes new life into the locality domains for the US. The use of domains such as computers.boulder.co.us or flowers.boaz.al.us would do a lot for partitioning the flood of information that now exists on the Net.
Imagine the possibilities of the supporting searches such as "pizza site:atlanta.ga.us". And actually getting pizza places in the area? Top that with a simple UI on Googles page and the ability to add your local to firefox's url box (typing pizza tries pizza.atlanta.ga.us first)
If this becomes or is already a part of their plan, I'd pay a premium. The flattening of the DNS namespace is to me the second most tragic side effect of the Internet's adoption. The first of course being spam.
You are checking your backups, aren't you?
we start seeing VH1-esque celebrity profiles of Page and Brin.
The CB App. What's your 20?
I did a search for horny Asian wives in my town, and it found squat.
More music, fewer hits
you can get definitions and local listings (and a few other services) by sending a text message to 46645 (GOOGL on most phones). Not totally worthwhile but i've used the definition feature to settle stupid debates with friends over words when no dictionary or computer was nearby. got my reply within like 30 seconds.
I don't imagine this has anything to do with MS putting a local search ("Near Me") on their new search.msn.com, would it?
She would have wanted it that way...
I don't even live in a particularly large city, and I have been regularly using Google local to find businesses. If you're not really sure what it's for, here is what I have used it to find: nearest branch locations, taxi services, pizza order lines, etc.
When will we know Google has gotten too big?
1. Wal-Mart and Google merge to form a new country
2. Google's CEO buys Canada
3. Google employees start wearing more bling than most rappers
4. Google TV starts broadcasting the Google main page 24/7
5. When wearing Google underwear stops being cool
It'd be fairly slick to see those street maps generated by Google local make use of actual satellite imagery, wouldn't it?
Is anyone else worried that Google is trying to take over the world? I'm not saying that a world run by Google would be a bad thing... I'm just concerned that they're going to outgrow themselves too quickly. They are very good at what they do right now (web searches, web mail). Will they continue to be the best at everything they do, or will they start stubling?
I'd hate for the existing services to start falling behind in their quest for a hand in every market.
Just my $0.02. Take it or leave it.
If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention!
Cache of Google provided by... ummm Google.
Ironically, the word ironically is often used incorrectly.
If you have to do that much searching in your underwear, perhaps you should look into some of that stuff the spammers are pushing.
Never confuse volume with power.
Ask Eiri Masami that question.
Knowledge is power. Knowledge shared is power multiplied.
When I saw my 50, I started handing them out to the gmail o matic, its easy, paste the address, invite, repeat. no fake name creation or clicking 'invite another', just keep pasting and hitting enter. its nice.
eventually everyone will have one and they'll launch gmessenger.
For context, click Parent.
I put together this site a while ago that tracks blog postings (for all major services that ping blo.gs), tries to parse out nouns, and then displays the top 100 nouns encountered in the last hour scaled by frequency.
Google is almost always a big one.
http://www.stevex.org/longtail/hottopics.aspx
Since there are a relatively small number of memorable domain names, most of which are only applicable to a small physical area, I'd like to see a local-forwarding service. This system would know your physical location, or have a decent guess from your IP, and forward domain name requests (or more likely just do a HTTP redirect) to the registered "local" version.
For example, Moe's tavern in Springfield could register moestavern.springfield.usa.global, which is annoying to remember or write down. It would advertise as being at "moestavern.local", or some such. Going to "moestavern.local" would cause a database lookup for the closest appropriate site, and redirection by CNAME or HTTP redirect.
So if I was in Boston, the local dive called "Moe's" could also advertise "moestavern.local", but when browsing there I would be redirected to moestavern.boston.ma.usa.global.
Some search facility would be required, for cases when one was searching for a site in a different city.
Thoughts?
Help me get a free Mac Mini, and get your own.
--
Don't mind me, I'm just thinking out loud.
Yea, it's really dumb to put a local service on an international .com site when it only covers the US. Might as well email all their international users to tell them they don't matter.
Maybe google could talk to those folks in its new Domain Reg. dept., and figure out what TLAs are. Or what a full rollout should be, for a global, net-based company.
Why would it give you a listing of targets?
Mod down posts with a "Free Mac Mini/iPod" sig, they're spam!
I just renewed my domain Tuesday. I'd have done it with Google if I could have.
I mod down pyramid schemes in sigs.
Now, the question is whether this is good for Wikipedia (more people see its contents) or bad (fewer people even know that they could/should improve Wikipedia)?
The results are always labeled as being from Wikipedia, which should increase awareness of the WIKIPEDIA brand, prompting Google searches for Wikipedia, and then people would find the English Wikipedia main page and learn what it's all about. In addition, at the bottom of the article:
The second link goes to the live article on en.wikipedia.org.
Don't worry. I'm sure they're planning Google Local RSS, so every geek in your area can "Buddy Pounce" her as soon as she appears...
It seems google has been very interested in alot of new fields. We have seen acticles detail there interest in mozilla, dark fiber and they have a growing Gmail system. With all the investment cash they are sitting on, could google be building the foundation for there own isp. I would go with google over AOL any day.
While the link you provide works (would it have killed you to make it a link?), when I do a Google search, Google does *not* use redirecting links, the links are direct to the document.
Anyone notice that some of the google spiders report like Mozilla User Agent strings. Could it be that Google plans to shift some of the marketshare through it's bot army?
:
-- "I can't tell the future, I just work there." -- The Doctor
Una Persson? Great nick. I'll mark you friend (despite the disagreement on search results!), just as I did "Gaf the Horse in Tears". I have never found it useful, as I only search looking for pages containing what I asked for. The "horror author" turns to "horror writer" sounds like an even worse case of sloppy irrelevant results!
Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
Home page is way too crowded now. Switching back to yahoo.
There's a big "Feeling Lucky" button in the middle.
I suspect you're right. I suspect Google wants to have a monopoly on the Network experience, so that your whole information life lies in their borders. But they won't charge you to use it. They'll charge companies to advertise to you while you are using it.
Why is something that is still in "Beta" on their homepage?
Google tends to do this sort of thing a bit too often...
It seems Google has been linking to answers.com for a little while for select users. Over the past few weeks, I was occasionally sent there. It appears to have started in January, judging from the Alexa data.
They are still experimenting with putting Google Image search on the front page. I experienced this last night when Google showed me this page.
Finally, I don't really like the new Google invite text box, I think it makes the interface a little ugly. And why must they switch it every month? I swear, that is like the dozenth place I've seen it.
- Yahoo results
- Google results
I like the little javascript trick Yahoo does when moving the mouse over a result, the location is highlighted on the map.Pretty close features I'd say.
They've also made some changes to the gmail interface in regards to invites. Instead of showing along the top of the page invites are now in a seperate box to the left of the mail display under the labels section. As an aside my gmail invites have suddenly been bumped to 50.
see for yourself at sly.us/images/gmail.png
Not true at all... works great for Canada.
For example, my company is the second result here (at least as I type this).
-b
myselfmusic
Rather than linking to your blog, why not link directly to the article?
Searching for "Mona Lisa" or "King George III" both returned a Wikipedia subsection. On the bright side:
As for Wikipedia not copying the content of previous encyclopedia sites, I'm sure some if it does, since there's weak editorial control. However, I believe you are correct in that most of the content is not copied from other sites.
P.S. In case you were wondering what "ispative" means, it's my misspelling for "ipsative".
Ben Hocking
Need a professional organizer?
Haha I typed in "blowjob" and then my city but all that was returned were politicians and lawyers! Pretty damn funny...
Berto
It's about time! Dictionary.com was so slow that it literally took 20 minutes to get an answer. The new site is much faster.
As this query returns the null set.
What: Pizza
Where: London NW11
Reply: Unable to understand address london nw11. Please try another address.
Suggestions:
- Make sure all words are spelled correctly.
- Try using a less ambiguous location like a zip code
What: Pizza
Where: london
Reply: Unable to understand address london. Please try another address.
So basically, it does nothing that I can use.
I'm a big fan of Google Local, but there's one thing missing that always bugs me. So in the category of "developer scratches an itch" is a GPL'd bit of software I've written to plug a hole on Google Local's offering: the inability to import results into your address book. I do this all the time now, especially on my Treo. I'd appreciate feedback/testing if anyone here is interested:
http://gvcard.sf.net/
Can your IM do this?
Here is google's google cache:w w.google.com/+&hl=en
http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:zhool8dxBV4J:w
Rediculous is ridiculous!
FYI, "cache:" queries no longer work.
Rediculous is ridiculous!
The gmail-o-matic has something like 24000 invites ready to hand out right now. So giving them more is probably not really necessary at the moment. :)
- Give a man a fire and he's warm for a day, but set him on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life.
Did anyone else notice that Answers.com scrapes info from Wikipedia? Google is one step closer to our favorite open encyclopedia. Weird. one can only imagine the possibilities when the two finally collide in some manner or another.
The Rise and Fall of Online Community
How about free domain names in exchange for a Adsense banners automatically on the top? -Scottelliott.com
moving to anywhere in .cn , .tw , or the .th geographic TLDs and do the search again.
Tech Public Policy stuff
Well, a recent call to the all-things-internet company left me on hold, with a catchy tune playing.
What was it?
The United Airlines theme song!
I can see it now - faster planes, free tickets, AdWords on the screens in front of you based on your conversation. Watch out Jetblue.
------------------
Google Real Estate - http://www.gibsoncompany.com
Why cut IT when your office space costs $3/sf? gibso
https://www.certifiedofferservice.com/CertifiedOff er/offer/makeoffer.do?dom=google.com
Anybody who would want one probably already has one, but if anybody would like a gmail account, I have literally about 100 invites left... leave a comment at www.xanga.com/halfpint08 and ill send u one or two (use it for storage or something)