I Have Returned From Google Labs Adventure

I have returned from the Google Lab Adventure but I am keeping my connection. You see, while I was there I was able to get a really special cell phone that connects me to the Google Lab planets without charge. How cool is that?

I also thank the two officers who made the trip with me, Kevin Thompson and Cathy Perkins.

So, I thank all of you who went on the trip with me and I will still post, on occasion, some tools I find insightful. But I hope you will also report your experiances. Please promise that you will.

Started Blogging 101 Series on Google Moderator

Started a new series on Google Moderator. However, because bugs still need to be worked out, only featured series are seen right now. Now, I am hoping this becomes featured. But help the folks at Google out by posting a question to their support or via their current series on application bugs.

I might just start posting lots of questions and hope folks vote on them.

Meanwhile, start a series, let us know what it is.

Remember, you must have an email with Google.

Determined to Motivate You to Use Google Lab Applications

There are so many young budding applications in Google Labs

There are so many young budding applications in Google Labs

I was about to end my Google Lab adventure tonight. But I just don’t want to come back to earth yet. I know it makes sense to return because there has not been a lot of folks joining me on this trip. But tonight I decided to start my very own series in the Google Moderator.

The series is called Blogging for Baby Boomers. Sounds familiar? Anyway, if you, or someone you know, have a question, suggestion, or testimony you can post it and answer other questions.

Note, this is my first time and I am hoping that it will get us all deeper into using this application.

Consider starting your own series

Google Labs-Google Moderator

We collected a  valuable specimen we are taking home from the planet we are now on in Google Labs called Google Moderator.

Below is a tip that was shared as part of a series of discussions. The tip below was from a very popular discussion called Take a Tip Share a Tip. It currently has 6,319 users and 5.019 tips, and 73,814 votes.  This section was money saving tips.
“Share wireless internet with your neighbor(s). I have done this for more than a year. We split the cost, and we’ve never had a problem with lack of speed.”Mickeyfinn, Chicago, IL

You can also start your own series.

Please go and play, comment and get some great information. It is a serious application. Just wanted to take a few minutes to let you know about it. Must go back and explore some more.  Going to the Tech section or maybe food.

Hey, think I should start one on blogging?????




Google Labs-In Quotes

Our Google Labs exploration, this exciting adventure, continues…

In Quotes is an application that allows you to query what a few top politicians have said about a topic. Politicians, so far are rather limited, but it is interesting fare.

I typed in “blogging” and pulled one quote from Obama, which says, ”

“The benefit of blogging for constituents is that it provides them with yet another way to communicate with the people they voted–or didn’t vote–into office,” Obama said by e-mail. “I think any tool that increases civic participation is…” Obama,Thu, 26 Jan 2006 ZDNet

So key in other terms and have some fun. I am looking forward to when more choices  for politicians or other thought leaders are available. I would also like to know what other thought leaders in other industries have to say. I would even go a step further and say, “What would my mother say?”

Now the really good thing about this, and other applications, is that the folks at Google Labs want to hear from you. So, if you have a Google account just click on the DISCUSS button below and share your insights on the tool.


Fly Me To The Moon, I Mean Mars With Cool Google Lab Application

Hope you are enjoying our Google Lab adventure. Now, are you ready to check out a really cool application that will take you to Mars? That’s right Google Labs has an application that lets you explore Mars in 3D!!! FREE

Plus, all kinds of other super earth views. So go on over and don’t forget to come back because the ship is leaving for another destination real soon.

PS I hope someone is blogging about your adventures. Are you still hanging in there with me?

Search For Images With Pictures Instead of Words?-Google Labs

Have  you ever thought about searching for images using pictures instead of words? Well, we have landed on a planet called Google Similar Images during our exploration of Google Labs.

What this program will do is allow the opportunity to key in a search item and  then click on the Silmilar Image link under an image to find other images that look like it.  When you go to the top of the page there are drop down menus that allow you to search in different image sizes.

Under the Google logo are three drop down menu options on the Images toolbar. You can show:

All Image Sizes or

Extra large Images

Large images

Medium images

Small images

 

Any Content or

News Content

 

Faces

Clip Art

Line Drawings

Photo Content

 

Color

12 Color options are available

What I tried

I searched on several items using all the options. One search was on artist, hubby, Ray Horner  both with the jr. in is name and without.  (Yes, there was a difference) After playing with all the image options I went back and clicked on the link under one of the search results.

Now this was a cartoon he did about Blogging Betty Boomer at the water cooler. Clicking on the link showed other cartoons. Many involved water color activity. Very interesting.

So, give this planet a try and see what your search shows. Would love to hear about about it.

Google Labs-News Timeline

Google News Timeline is the next planet we are exploring in our boomer space adventure. As stated by Google,”it is :

A web application that organizes information chronologically. Google News Timeline allows users to view news, scanned newspapers and magazines, blog posts, sports scores, and more on a zoomable, graphical timeline.

You can key in a term and search under a drop down of several catergories which include:

News

News quotes

News videos

News photos

Magazines

Blogs

Sport scores

Wikipedia

Music

Movies

Books

Tv Shows

Video games

Artworks

Buildings

Prizes

So, I keyed in baby boomers and tried a couple of the categories. In the category, News I found an article for April 20, 2009 about how great we baby boomers are looking.

But many of the catergories are not showing results yet. However, test other topics. I keyed in the artist Degas, and searched under Artworks and oh my goodness it went back to 1800’s.

You can also specify your searchs  by day, year, month, or decade.

Google labs has provided a good page of navigation and instructions for using Google News Timeline that is a must read!

So, put on your hiking boots and space gear and boldly explore this planet with us. Let us know what you find.

Google Labs-Audio Indexing, Politicians Talk

Want to know what the politicans are saying on You Tube about your topic of interest? Well, this planet in out Google Lab exploration is called Audio Indexing.

I went into my Google account and then to the Google Lab to get to Audio Indexing. Now not sure if the link I provided for you above will actually take you there if you are not signed on to your Google Account but try it anyway. If it doesn’t GET A GOOGLE ACCOUNT.

Anyway, once you get to the application you will be able to type in a topic in the search area above. I typed in social media and then saw the You Tube videos of political discussions where social media was discussed or mentioned.

So have fun playing with it. PLEASE SHARE OTHER THINGS YOU HAVE LEARNED.

 

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