Linkdump: Windows & Apple(s), Google & Paying More

Taking a cue from Second Avenue Saga's recently titled post "Vacation Linkdump", I'm posting a bunch of links with brief descriptions which have been sitting in my "To Be Posted" bookmark folder for a loooong while.

2009
PC World - 23 Years of Wacky Windows Launches - A great amalgamation of videos of Windows launches from Windows 1.0 to Windows 7.  Truly history-making and is remarkable seeing how something so simple eventually made all of today's technology possible.

Seattle Times - Precocious 5-year old gives Windows 7 pitch - Continuing with the Windows theme, this kid has been the talk of the town as Microsoft launched one of its most successful TV ads in awhile.  From critic reactions, they're finally getting it right to fight back against Apple's successful 'Mac vs PC' ads.

Personal note - And have you ever seen the classic ad from Apple that told people to "Think different"?  The ad is available for your review here; also see the infamous 1984 Superbowl one showing everyone following Windows and Apple helping break that monotony.  But today, things are different, indeed.  Today, Apple's products look alike.  Basically all white, all in a plastic case.  The same design for mp3 players, the same phones, the same desktops, the same notebooks.  This standardization

Google Experimental Search

Yesterday, I talked about how Google had yet another ingenious idea. Today, I venture into an addition of what made Google famous in the first place: web search.

Google's search results have always been a popularity contest. The more people click a certain website or the more links that point towards it, the higher it ranks amongst the results. However, Google members can now customize the links that appear by using a new feature, called "Google Experimental Search." Next to each web link, two buttons appear, one with an up arrow and one with an X. The Up arrow will move that search result to the top of the page every time you use the search term. The X removes the result. Comments may also be left. In addition, websites can be added to the search results. Google states that the changes are permanent, but this might be a bit annoying, especially if you want to see a removed website again.

Try it out now!

Google's Got the Flu...in Sight

Dr. Google is only a few keystrokes and clicks away. Someone who is sick can 'diagnose' their sickness by checking their symptoms online. Of course, this is not the recommended way to treat oneself, as a certified physician is the best way to go. However, the innovative company Google has taken the search data and found an interesting correlation with the actual spread of the flu in the United States. A spike in searches of flu symptoms and related health information occurs shortly before the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issues data on the flu. Called "Google Flu Trends," the project aims to give an early warning to "accelerate the response of doctors, hospitals, and public health officials." (NYT) The project is managed by Google's philanthropic arm, Google.org.



>>>The New York Times-Google Uses Searches to Track Flu’s Spread

Global Network Initiative

Often, when there is a greater and more beneficial cause to be fought for, enemies will band together for it. This is what happened on October 29th, when Yahoo!, Google, and Microsoft joined with other organizations and universities to stop persecution on the internet. They formed the Global Network Initiative to push for greater freedom of speech online (especially in China, where the "Internet Police" forces search providers to give up information on users they deem dangerous due to blogs, activity, etc.) The providers have also been targeted by various international governments on their agreement with certain countries to censor information and media. The organization is supported by the human rights declaration, as given by the United Nations. However, admission into this club requires some dough. Companies who join must pay $100,000 and be required to demonstrate that they are abiding by the Initiative's goals.

>>>Scientific American: Google, Microsoft and Yahoo! join human rights initiative

Project 10 to the 100th & Google's 10th

Google gives, even on its birthday! They're sponsoring a contest where anyone in the world who has an idea to help others less fortunate in the world. You can finally have a chance to change the world personally by submitting your idea for a $10 million seed grant to see it come to life. The idea can be in any of the following categories:

• Community
  
• Opportunity
  
• Energy
  
• Environment
• Health
  
• Education
• Shelter
• Or Everything else:

Simply submit your idea with their suggestion form by October 20th, 2008, to be considered by a panel for public voting!
>>>Project 10¹⁰⁰

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GOOGLE!
Plus, Google turns 10 this year! Google was registered in 1997 and incorporated in 1998, and is now the top search engine used in the world! See what they've been doing all these years in their own interactive timeline. You can also see what the World Wide Web looked like in 2001 as well as how bland and immature the web was then with the indexed websites with Google's 2001 Search!

Good and Bad News for Riders

(+) Yesterday, Google, the MTA, and New York Governor David Paterson unveiled Google transit for New York City. The Google Maps-based program helps travelers plan trips through an integration of the region's transit networks, including New York City Transit, Long Island Rail Road, Metro North, PATH, and New Jersey Transit. The maps will feature directions as well as suggested alternatives and even incorporates schedules. Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin were also on hand at Grand Central to release the local version of Transit, which was already available in over 60 other U.S. cities and in areas of 9 other countries. The great part was, the MTA did not have to pay for this service, all they had to do was provide the data. Let's give them (MTA and Google) a round of applause!
>>>New York Times: Google Transit Expands to New York

(-) But we just have to end this post on a bad note since we all have to return to reality sometime. If the MTA had spent their own money doing that, I wouldn't have supported it, especially with their deficit growing everyday. Which may explain why the MTA is now delaying the completion of their $185 million, 152 station plan to install electronic displays on the IRT 1-6 lines. The displays which are supposed to provide info about train arrival times, were supposed to be installed by Siemens by 2006, but had their contract canceled due to glitches. The installation is now pushed back until 2011! The L line already has similar technology as part of a pilot. All platforms already have some sort of LED display, installed in the 90s, but all it does is display the current date and time and is useless today since most of us have watches/cellphones. Hopefully, the MTA can just incorporate the current date/time displays with the train arrival system, saving time and money.

>>>Daily News: Subway arrival info behind schedule

P.S.: The weird part is, the uptown Astor Place station has 2 displays, one just recently installed at an end of the platform far away from where most passengers wait for their train...

walkme2

Any Venture Capitalists out there with some extra cash? I was browsing around Hong Kong Island in Google Earth the other day and found a Youtube video titled "2 Causeway Bay MTR from Hong Kong Stadium". I clicked on it and a video of someone walking from the stadium to the MTR (Hong Kong's metro) appeared. I browsed around the rest of the island and found many more videos title "2...from...". I clicked on the video and was led to walkme2.com, a Hong Kong-based startup. Anyone can upload a video of a walking guide from one point of interest (say, a landmark) to another (say, a MTR station entrance). The service claims to be accessible from "popular multimedia mobile devices like the iPhone or your desktop." This seems to be an interesting way to guide lost travelers, when GPS is too 'blind' to show street details and when Google Maps Street View is too impersonal.

>>>Walkme2