Google is a Genius!
Google is a genius... they really are, they get people to do things for them for free, because they are such neat/cool/interesting/fun/strange/unique things to do!
Let's take for example their picture tagging 'game'. I don't know if this game is still around but I used it a number of months ago. The entire concept of this game was to write tags for pictures that were shown on the screen. Here's how it worked. You were partnered up with some other random googler and shown pictures. You would type in words that you thought represented the picture (tags) as did your partner. Once you and your partner both typed in the same word, you moved onto the next picture. The more pictures you got through the higher your score... what do you do with the score? NOTHING! The top five or so scores were posted on the games front page, but that's it. What did Google get from this? EVERYTHING! Not only did Google get people to use their service, but they got them to do the dirty work for them. Sure you can program web-bots to dig through sites and come up with tags that represent the sites content, but try doing that with a picture. How can you program something to look at a picture and decide a tag? Conclusion... Google is a genius.
And now I come across something new... http://mail.google.com/mvideo.
So this is a very neat concept that is a great advertising method for Google. What you do with this concept is you print out a PDF provided by Google that looks like an oversided envelope with a giant red 'M' (Gmail logo...). Then once you print it out, you make a less than 10 second video clip of the 'M-velope' entering from the left side of the screen and exiting the right side of the screen. From this Google will compile their favorites and make a little movie of the travels of this M-velope.
How cool of an idea is that! Seriously!
I watched the beginning of their compilation, where the M-velope starts at the Googleplex... its fun, check it out, really!
Here's my thoughts...
Everyone wants to be a little more than they currently are. A little more famous, have a little more money... ya know? So people will happily advertise Google with the hopes that their video might make the final cut. Google is a genius... I know that I am already trying to come up with the best 10-second video clip idea!
Happy Friday!
Happy Birthday Sean!
Happy Birthday Joanna!
PS... Thanks to all who read, this is post number 100!
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I would let Google acquire me
Doesn't that just sound awkward? But think about it, what has Google done that has not turned out well? This company is a huge turning point for those of us in the technology field. This company does everything... over the years it has acquired so many different companies, put each company to use in its field of expertise not only helping the taken over business, but Google themselves, and all the people involved in both parties. The company that gets taken over in most cases has a new found job security (Google is known for their acquisitions being streamlined, simple and painless)
Just look at some of the companies Google has acquired over the past few years:
- Pyra Labs: Blogger
- Picasa
- Time Warner AOL (5% stake)
- @Last Software: SketchUp, 3D Modeling
- YouTube
If Google acquired me, they can take all the ideas they want from me as long as they still give me my weekly paycheck. While turning the knobs on my thinkbox I could be playing pool, having a massage, or exercising at the Googleplex.
So are there any Google HR reps out there reading? Come find me! I might even show you my resume if you ask nicely 
Later Folks, have a good one!
Boy and their toys…
Last post ran a little long, so I decided to put off talking about my latest finds/toys until... well, now. So for the millions of you who have been on the edge of your computer chair, feverishly clicking the refresh button... the time is now.
Today, I would like to tell you about three new (to me) 'things'. First I will talk about Gmail, then Google Calendar, and lastly, well I'll let you know what it is later, its my favorite 
Gmail:
Yes, I know, Gmail has been around for quite some time, although it is technically still in Beta. I have had a Gmail account for quite some time, probably since its first Beta release, but I had never really investigated to see its full value and capacity. Google has brought so many amazing things to our techy world, and I kick myself for not giving notice sooner. Ok, so Gmail. Gmail is your normal e-mail account with an amazingly large storage space. I currently have some 2.8 Gigs available for my use, which is almost 3x's my 1 Gig Yahoo mail account. Storage isn't an issue though, so that falls to the backburner. What really makes Gmail unique are its innovations. Folders are a thing of the past to Gmail, we now have Labels. At first I was very skeptical about the labels, as I wanted different mail in different locations, however, Gmail makes it very simple to view only specific labels at a time. This ties into the main reason I am now using Gmail. Sure, I have jasonapawlak@gmail.com, but I never give that email out. I had been using Mozilla Thunderbird for a number of months, grouping all my emails to one location and (an extremely important and) allowing myself to send emails from all those addresses from the same location. Thunderbird was perfect!.... except, my email was on my computer... on only one of my computers.... and not at work either. You see my dilemma? Gmail fixes this issue very quickly. They provide an SMTP server for sending out emails along with settings for all your POP or IMAP servers. Perfect!
I could talk more, but I think I covered all the main points, and I'd like you to keep reading the rest of the post.
Google Calendar:
A very pretty and functional calendar indeed. The best feature? I don't use this feature to its full extent, but I am sure I will at one point. Google Calendar's best feature is its sharing capabilities. Or rather, your calendar subscriptions. You can subscribe to other calendars to overlay your own, so you can keep up with other group/club meetings, and you don't have to worry about scheduling them, you just subscribe to their calendar. Genius. The main reason I use Google Calendar is because Google makes API's so readily available that their applications are so functional and available to so many other applications. In other words, let's talk about the third topic, my favorite.
Cingular 8125:
Ok, all you phone techy's... I know, this isn't really news. I picked up this new phone from cingular just this past week and I am blown away. Originally from HTC under codename Wizard, this phone was released beginning 2006, or maybe end 2005. It's been around, but now it is available at a reasonable (college student) price. I got mine for 50 bucks, yes, it is a refurb, but it works wonders. The Cingular 8125 is a smart phone, so its capabilities are huge. With a very large screen, 1.3mp camera with digital (yuck) zoom and flash, Windows Mobile 5.0 (including Excel, PowerPoint and Word), and best of all... WiFi access being able to pick up B/G signals. I love it. I sit on the couch at home and just surf the web with a nice big screen, and a full Querty keyboard. This phone is now my personal calendar. I installed a 3rd party software that enables me to sync my phone calendar to Google Calendar. This feature is amazing. Also, with a miniSD slot available, I will soon have an addition 4 Gigs storage space in addition to my already 128mb of storage sitting next to 64mb ram, 200MHz Processor. A little on the sluggish side, but what makes up is the amazing battery life. I'm not 100% sure yet of its capabilities in length of battery, because I play with it all day long, but I expect I will be able to charge it every other day, or even every 3rd day with normal use. Good stuff.
Well that sums it up. I didn't go in as much depth as I had planned on any of the three topics, but I think the length of the post is an important factor to weigh, and I believe I got all the general concepts on board. Let me know if you have any questions and I can hopefully dig up some answers.
Weather is looking good,
Looks like Friday I will be flying (and possibly Saturday as well)
Later!
Jason