Google adds social networking feature to Gmail to compete with social networking sites

Google is adding more social networking features to its Gmail to compete with social networking websites like Twitter and Facebook. The Wall Street Journal reported it on February 8, 2010. USA Today reported that the search engine giant will hold a press conference at its Mountain View, California, office on February 9, 2010, where it will unveil the new features. PC World reports:

• Gmail will supposedly gain a stream of "media and status updates" within its Web-based interface.

• Users would be encouraged to use the stream to "post and view messages about their day-to-day activities."

• Users would see information only from people with whom they choose to connect.

• The updates could eventually include info shared from YouTube and Picasa as well.

According to the ComScore Media Metrix, Google remained the most-visited website in the U.S in December 2009, with 173 million visitors which is a 16% rise compared to the figure of December 2008.

Social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter are quickly rising through the ranks. Facebook became the “fourth-most-visited” website in the U.S. in December with 111.8 million visitors; a 105% jump compared to the figure of December 2008. Many former Google executives are now working in Facebook. Sheryl Sandberg, former chief marketing officer at Google, who helped Google to build its highly successful “AdWords pay-per-click ad program,” is now working in Facebook and the social networking site has a similar program now.

Many believe that adding social networking features would not make Gmail very much impressive? What do you think?

Google finally launched Nexus One phone support

Google finally launched Google Nexus One phone support that will accept calls from the Nexus phone owners and try to solve their problems. CNET News reports:

More than a month after officially unveiling the new Android-based phone, the search giant on Monday launched a phone support line specifically to answer the questions of Nexus One owners. Phone owners can call (888) 48NEXUS (63987) between 4 a.m. and 7 p.m. PST and reach a live tech, Google advises.

Last week, Google placed a job opening for “Phone Support Program Manager, Android/Nexus One,” who will be responsible for Google’s “direct-to-consumer Android/Nexus One customers.”

On January 5, 2010, Google launched its much hyped smartphone, Google Nexus One. The smartphone is produced by HTC and runs on Android 2.1. Google till date, has been depending on forums and mails for handling complains. After the phone was released, the company started to receive numerous complaints from Nexus One owners. In the beginning, Google tried to advance them to HTC but most of the people were looking forward to Google for it was directly selling the phone. So, it launched a new help line for its Nexus One customers.

Google displays search ad in Super Bowl XLIV

Search engine giant, Google, is now becoming serious about advertising. On February 6, 2010, Google Chairman and CEO, Eric Schmidt, posted a message on Twitter, which goes like this:

Can’t wait to watch the superbowl tomorrow. Be sure to watch the ads in the 3^rd quarter (someone said “Hell has indeed frozen over.”)

The message instantly got lots of attention. Google ad will play at the Super Bowl Commercial. The Super Bowl is one of the biggest sports events in the U.S. and a three minutes ad slot costs a whopping $3 million. Google will show a search which looks like this:

Along with posting ads, Google is also working with forty Super Bowl XLIV advertisers to expand their reach over the Internet. Aside from placing ad during the Super Bowl, the advertisers can upload their ads on Google’s Super Bowl Ad Blitz page. This year, Google added new features to its ad blitz page. Viewers can Tweet their ads or share them through social networking sites. There are “overlays” that give more information about the products and companies and allow users to vote their favorite ads. All these features are offered for free but they will also get better promotional service if the advertisers pay money. If you want to know about Super Bowl commercials then visit the adblitz page of Youtube.

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The Symbian Foundation finally declared Symbian Open Source

On February 4, 2010, The Symbian Foundation opened up its source code for all developers. This move will allow developers to enrich the OS. The OS now can be loaded for free on any compatible device. News reports said that the new Symbian 3 would replace Series 40 which is not correct. Nokia Corp. still controls Series 40 and it is not part of the code released by the Symbian Foundation.

ZD Net reports:

The entire Symbian 3 platform, including the kernel, apps and other middleware, will be made available under the Eclipse Public License, as well as other open source licenses. This release comes some four months ahead of schedule.

Previously only the kernel itself was available.

Symbian is currently the most popular OS in the world for mobile phones and other portable devices. It accounts for 45% of the total smartphones sold around the world. Major corporations including Nokia, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Fujitsu and Sharp have their own Symbian devices. In 2008, the Symbian Foundation announced to make Symbian open source. Previously, it was available to only the members of the foundation.

According to IDC analyst John Delaney, by opening up its source code, Symbian would be able to lure developers away from Android and Apple App Store. Symbian’s large user base means that developers can earn more money. Though Google Android does not command a large user base, it observed steady growth over the years. Google Android is projected to become the second-most popular mobile operating system after Symbian by the end of 2012.

The code is now available on the Symbian Developer wiki. You can also find it on Symbian website.

Facebook upgrades its search options and crossed 400 million user base

On its sixth birthday, Facebook launched a host of new features including an upgraded search engine. The website also crossed 400 million user mark. The new search feature has “auto-complete” option. When you type in names, it automatically completes the name. The Facebook search also indexes content related to your friend and your friend’s friend. There is also a new photo-uploading system that can be accessed from the front page making the loading process faster and easier. There is also a games application dashboard which replaces older game notifications. Venture Beat reports:

You’ll also have the option of seeing more content like status updates and posts through search, as long as it’s supposed to be visible to you through privacy settings. With the new privacy settings and more public content, search should figure increasingly prominently in the user experience, as it will be able to surface more and more content over time.

Facebook is currently one of the most popular social networking sites in the world with an estimated earning of $300 million. The website started its journey on February 4, 2004. A Harvard University student named Mark Zuckerberg, along with his college roommates and fellow computer science students- Eduardo Saverin, Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes- started the site. Initially, membership to the website was limited to Harvard students but gradually it was expanded to other colleges in the Boston area, followed by Ivy League universities and Stanford University. It later opened up to anyone aged 13 and over.

Apple is offering full price plus 15% bonus to its 27 inch iMac owners in the UK

In the UK, Apple is giving out full purchase price with 15% extra to the owners of faulty 27" iMacs. The company is also arranging free pickups. On February 1, 2010, Apple released a firmware to stop the “intermittent flickering” of the 27 inch iMac but it could not solve the problem of yellow tinting which either fades in from the bottom or appears as a vertical hazy line on either side of the display. In December 2009, it launched another firmware. Apple released the 27inch iMac display in October 2009. From the beginning, iMac owners flooded forums with various complaints about the monitor. So far, Apple completed transactions with customers of two shops in the UK. Ars Technica reports:

...Most recently, there were reports of an internal support document telling technicians to explain that slight screen variations are normal, but if the customer continued to complain, to say that the machine could be repaired in "approximately three weeks." If that wasn't enough, they were told to offer a refund, but not a replacement.

In the UK, the Apple has over 200 faulty monitors, but the company has no extra parts. Now, it is reported to have stopped its monitor assembly line. The problems might be related to the production process of LG, the South Korean electronics company, who is supplying the monitors. Previously, the Dell displays, supplied by LG, also faced similar problems.

This new return offer is currently available in the UK but not in the U.S. If you recently bought a 27 inch iMac and want to make sure whether your monitor has the same problem, visit this link:

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=824940

Google is looking for Program manager to look over its Android/Nexus One customer support

Finally, Google is feeling the heat of its smartphone. The internet giant till date did not have any serious customer support but with the release of Google Nexus One, things have changed. Recently Google posted a notice for a “Phone Support Program Manager, Android/Nexus One,” on its job board. Posted in the company’s headquarter in Mountain View, California, the phone support program manager will be responsible for looking over day to day operations of Google’s telephone support for the company’s “direct-to-consumer Android/Nexus One customers.” The job post further says:

"define and implement scalable business practices that leverage our internal best practices in one-to-many support to create efficiencies in high-touch support activities through channels such as phone and chat,"

The news of the job was first reported by Digital Inspiration. Till date, Google did not have any serious customer support sections. Requests, inquiries, complaints were submitted through forums, FAQs, and e-mail support. However, Google’s support forums started receive large number of inquiries from its Nexus One customers after the launch of the phone. Many of these questions are related to various technical and shipping issues. Initially, Google tried to direct the questions to HTC and T-Mobile. Since, the phone is exclusively available at Google, customers are looking towards the company for answers. Google confirmed the job posting but did not say whether the customer service will be provided by computer or human beings.

For more information about the job offer visit this link:

http://www.google.com/support/jobs/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=173808

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