Tech Talk

The future of social media is here. It’s called Google+.

The technology giant’s latest attempt of dominating the social media world combines the best aspects of Facebook and Twitter. Millions of people around the world are already members of the Google community. Now these users have a simple and intuitive platform to join.

Among its many pluses (pun intended), a few stand out:

The circles feature, which your humble Tech Talk editor was at first very skeptical of, is a game-changer.

The feature gives you the opportunity to easily group information around a specific topic or group of individuals. It’s also much cleaner, like what Facebook was when it debuted more than a half-decade ago and has since cluttered. There are no applications or other annoyances to distract the user — yet.

Users are likely to find this platform to be refreshing in that they can still connect with whoever they’d like, but don’t have to be bombarded with every detail a given connection posts. Users may choose to select specific groups of individuals to populate their news feeds at any given moment. Sure, Facebook and Twitter have these options, but Google does it better. It’s easier, more prominently placed and more intuitive.

The integration with other services (like GMail, Calendar, Reader, etc…) people are already using will attract more people to Google+.

The platform is also fast and seemingly dependable.

Google+ also allows users to share content and updates with individuals not using the platform by still allowing you to add them to a circle. Your updates then get emailed to them.

While it remains to be seen if Facebook will continue its dominance in ways MySpace and other services could not, this editor is confident Google+ will be a major player. Facebook is not going to die anytime soon, but folks now have another viable option to connect with others.

Prediction: Within a year, Google+ will be more popular than Twitter and give Facebook a real run for its money.

One ought to never forget the potential power of Google or Twitter.

Unfortuantely your Tech Talk editor momentarily failed to recognize both Thursday — but was immediately reminded why the technology giants have become so engrained in his daily life.

By default, Google Mail places users’ signatures below the message to which they are responding as opposed to immediately below the response. The decision has led to much frustration — so much so that the Tech Talker felt vented about the decision on his personal Twitter account. Within hours, a friend responded and pointed the Talker to a simple solution he should have thought of: The Google Labs section of Google Mail.

There, listed among more than a dozen other neat options, is the option to move the signature to immediately below one’s response. Incredible.

The episode reminded the Talker of the potential of Twitter to find solutions easily and effectively — and how forward-thinking Google is.

Happy weekend.

Google illustrates how it believes the search will increase productivity.

Google has instituted a change that it promises will revolutionize the way people scour the Web.

Google Instant, available on relatively advanced computers with speedy Internet connections, offers users results as they enter information.

“We are pushing the limits of our technology and infrastructure to help you get better search results, faster. Our key technical insight was that people type slowly, but read quickly, typically taking 300 milliseconds between keystrokes, but only 30 milliseconds (a tenth of the time!) to glance at another part of the page,” Google announced on its site. “This means that you can scan a results page while you type.”

The technology titan wrote that users can now adapt their search “on the fly until the results match exactly what you want. In time, we may wonder how search ever worked in any other way.”

As a result of the changes, Google promises:

• Faster searches
• Smarter predictions
• Instant results

Tech Talk’s only gripe is the lack of warning. Your editor found himself slightly discombobulated when the service first became available to him Thursday morning — and results were appearing as he entered text into the search bar.

However, at the end of the day, Tech Talk is confident that the advancements will revolutionize how folks search the Web — and will create a model the competition will follow in short order. Google said it plans to unveil a mobile version soon.

It is currently available on Google domains in America, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Russia to people who use the following browsers: Chrome v5/6, Firefox v3, Safari v5 for Mac and Internet Explorer v8.  Folks on domains other than Google.com may only access Google Instant if they are signed in to a Google account.

You may disable Google Instant by clicking the link next to the search box on any search results page, or by visiting your Preferences page.

Google has done it again.

The technology giant is causing a buzz in cyberspace over its latest logo creation.

Web surfers visiting Google’s homepage were greeted Tuesday with blue, red, yellow and green balls that bounce around the screen before eventually settling to form the familiar company name. When a user moves his or her mouse over the balls, they scatter before eventually reforming.

Speculation is rampant on the Web about exactly why Google has launched the logo.

Some are speculating it has to do with Google’s 12th birthday, the anniversary of Javascript and the use of HTML 5. Whatever the inspiration or reason, the company is remaining mum. The company has previously utilized its logo to celebrate the likes of individuals like H.G. Wells, among others.

Google has demonstrated yet again how effective a relatively simple creation could be causing an international stir — and undoubtedly inspiring a spike in traffic and usage.

Have you ever wondered what Google knows about you — and makes available to others? Now you can develop a better idea.

The technology giant has made it easier than ever to understand what information is collected, who it is available to and enables users to change many of the corresponding settings.

“One of our goals at Google is to give users meaningful choices to protect your privacy,” Google states in its new privacy center, where links to some of the company’s most popular privacy settings are posted.

The search engine giant has been under fire for collecting personal information from insecure wireless networks, as Tech Talk has extensively reported.

Perhaps the most powerful tool is the Google Dashboard, which displays information stored for services like Alerts, Analytics, Blogger, Books, Buzz, Calendar, Checkout, Contacts, Docs, Gmail, iGoogle, Latitude, Maps, Picasa, Profiles, Talk, Voice, Web History and YouTube.

It contains fascinating details like how many contacts you have, stored credit card numbers, recent status messages, most commonly e-mailed individuals, most recent piece of spam received, most recent alerts, newest e-mails, number of conversations logged, number of docs trashed, number of gadgets installed and more.

It will also indicate most recent Web search, image search, news search, product search, video search, map search, blog and book search with the corresponding date and time. It also indicates how quickly information becomes irrelevant. For example, the most e-mailed person in your Tech Talk editor’s primary Gmail account is an ex — and has not been e-mailed in some time.

Users may change their account password and privacy, sharing and subscription settings from the Google Dashboard.

The Ads Preferences Manager allows users to view and edit the information Google uses to show users interest-based advertisements within Google’s advertising network. Folks can add or remove interest categories associated with one’s Web browser or opt out of viewing relevant advertising entirely. It’s fascinating to learn what categories the Internet search giant has associated with you. As for your humble editor, the search engine’s analysis of which advertisements would be most relevant was dead-on.

Additionally, Google’s privacy center allows users to:

• Learn how to move data in and out of Google products;
• Encrypt the search traffic between one’s computer and Google;
• Learn how to partake in incognito browsing and downloading;
• Get information how to request the removal of images with inappropriate content, or to remove a photo of yourself your family, your car, or your home;
• Learn how to share videos with a specific group of individuals;
• Learn how to manage the site’s Web History;
• Learn how to chat off the record in Talk;
• Learn how to opt out of Google Analytics and Search Personalization; and
• Control Google Latitude.

It’s a powerful dashboard that Tech Talk implores you to explore. Chances are you will even learn more about yourself in the process.

Google unveiled a new, cleaner version of its contacts Tuesday in response to user feedback.

“Contacts now works more like the rest of Gmail, so if you know how to use Gmail, now you should automatically feel comfortable in Contacts, too,” the Gmail blog stated.

Among the new features:

• Keyboard shortcuts (go to Contacts and tap “?” for the complete list)
• Sort by last name (go to “More actions”)
• Custom labels for phone numbers
• Ability to undo changes
• Automatic savings
• Structured name fields, so you can adjust titles, suffixes and other name components
• More prominent notes field

The technology giant also tweaked its Gmail layout to make it easier to access Contacts and Tasks. They are now in the top left corner of the account. If you would prefer not to see Contacts and Tasks, simply click near the right edge of “Mail.”

What do you think of the of the changes? Were they a good idea?

Has your mind been plagued by a question? Are you desperately looking for a straight answer and not just a bunch of links? All you have to do is ask, or rather go to ask.com.

The search engine, which was once known as Ask Jeeves, is being transformed into a powerful new site that promises to deliver answers to your questions — and not just a bunch of links like Google and Yahoo!

The site stated:

You already know us for answers to your questions, and now we’ve expanded our site with a community of real people – just like you – to help you get even better answers to even more of your questions.

Although the features are currently available to those who request an invitation, soon everyone will be able to utilize the exciting features.

Too anxious to wait for an invitation? Fear not, techies, the site already allows individuals to get answers to their questions — like:

• Where did Jeeves go?
• When did the Titanic sink?
• What causes hiccups?

The change is a logical one for the search engine that trails behind Google, Yahoo!, MSN/WindowsLive/Bing and AOL, according to Nielson.

Now let’s just hope Ask delivers a comprehensive alternative from its mainstream cousins.

Google has made its e-mail system more rad — or at least clickable, shiny and customizable.

The technology giant now allows Gmail users to implement rich text signatures, meaning they can now add links, images and colors.

To edit your signature, simply log in to your e-mail and then click “Settings” in the top right corner of your window and then just scroll down.

Google has implemented many of the same functions in the signature options as in the e-mail composition area — meaning highlighting, indenting and changing font sizes are now a breeze.

To learn more neat things Google allows its users to do, please check this previous Tech Talk post — or check our archives here for a complete list.