Motivation & Functionality of the tool

Universal Translator, Google’s impracticable technology is aimed at converting spoken words into a different language. At present one can convert text in 52 languages using “Google Translate”. However, Universal Translator is a speech-to-speech automated translator that will translate speech in real-time. Universal Translator will be embedded in the Android phones.

The idea inspiring the development of this pioneering tool is to enable Android users to easily communicate with people speaking in other languages with their smartphones.

The working of Universal Translator is straightforward. The tool will “listen” to the speaker (sender) at one-end and wait for them to complete until it comprehends the full meaning of the words (or phrases). It will then send this interpreted data to Google’s servers for translation. The person on the other end (receiver) will be able to listen to a computerized voice translation of the phrases spoken by the speaker. The communication will proceed similarly, both ways.

Overview of the technology:

Universal Translator is essentially a combination of two existing technologies by Google.

1. Google Translate: Online universal translator service.
2. Voice recognition system: Technology to recognize human voice. This technology is embedded in the Nexus One phone by Google and is used to bring about users spoken commands.

As Universal Translator combines voice recognition with Google Translate, it is very important for voice reorganization to be on the ball. However voice recognition is still not very capable in current smartphones, causing users to repeat commands often. Combining these technologies will present problems for the engineers working on this project.

Another prime challenge the team of programmers will face is the problems associated to various accents used for the same language. We know that languages are spoken with different dialects across different locations. Recognizing and translating these accents in real-time will be challenging, and it’s one of the main kinks that need to be ironed out; but I think we all look forward to when such technology becomes reality. And I’m sure this one is going to get used a lot.

The Windows Calendar window will be displayed.

You can easily use this calendar to manage your appointments and other day-to-day activities. However, if you prefer to stick to your Google Calendar, you can easily integrate it to the Windows Calendar and access it right from your desktop.

Here’s how to do this.

• First open your Google Calendar and click the “Settings” link given at the top of the web page.

• On the Calendar Settings page, click the “Calendar” tab

• Select your calendar and then on the Calendar Details page that is displayed, scroll down to the “Private Address” section.

• Here, right-click on the “ICAL” link, and the select the “Copy Shortcut” option. This will copy the link to your clipboard.
• Next, go back to your Windows Calendar and click the “Subscribe” button located on the toolbar.

• Paste the URL you copied in the “Calendar to subscribe to:” box and click “Next”.

• Windows Calendar will take some time to subscribe to your Google calendar and after some time, the Calendar subscription settings dialog box will be displayed.
• Here, enter a friendly name for your Google Calendar and choose the interval at which you want the calendar to update. Also, choose whether or not you want to include reminders and tasks.
• After you are done, hit the “Finish” button.

That’s all there is to it. Once your Google Calendar is synced with your Windows Calendar, you will be able to view your Google entries in the Windows Calendar. In the screenshot given below, entries in blue are from the Google Calendar.

The Google entries displayed here are read-only and you cannot make any changes to them. If you don’t to wait for the calendar to update on its own, on the Share menu in Windows Calendar, click the “Sync All” command.

Google Buzz is another social media application released on February this year. The application built in the Gmail window allows users to follow their favorite contacts and share links, videos, photos etc. in a hassle free way, collaborate with friends, and keep updated. Being integrated with Gmail, the friends list is automatically created and you do not have to make one from scratch. However at the same time, Buzz is not intrusive for Gmail users. In this post, we will pinpoint some exciting features of Google Buzz.

Buzz can be visualized as an amalgam of social networks like Facebook, Twitter and Friend Feed. There is also Google Buzz for Mobile, on mobile devices like Android and Iphone.

Getting started with Buzz on your mobile phone is easy:

• Log onto http://www.google.com/mobile/buzz/
• Send Buzz to your phone from the Send to Phone button
• Once you successfully open the page, you are able to view Buzz (updates) from your friends, essentially the same way as on your computer.
• In order to enter your status, you must post a Buzz. You can also tag your location via Google Maps. You can also post comments on the status of your friends.

Google Buzz for mobile has some distinguished features that make sharing via mobile a convenient experience. Here are the core features, elaborated briefly.

• Tagging Locations:
  Google Buzz, like Google Latitude is a location-Aware social Network. Many features of Latitude are enhanced in Buzz. When posting a Buzz from your phone you can also tag your location. To tag location from your phone, select your suggestions or search your locations. The location you select will be displayed on your Buzz which makes sharing more interactive. This location-implementation is based on an AGPS system.
• Integration of Buzz with Google Maps:
  The ‘Buzz Layer’ on Google Maps for mobile enables you to find out the happenings in the vicinity of your current location. The numbers of Buzz messages coming from a location indicate how eventful it is.  With Buzz Layer in Google Maps you can mark these action-packed places that can possibly be a newly opened restaurant, any social meeting or art exhibition. Similarly, you can view the affairs of any location you are interested in.
• Views in Buzz:
  There are 2 major views for your Buzz messages – Following View: The Following View will show Buzz messages from the people you follow. It is similar to Google Buzz in your Gmail. Nearby View: The Nearby View will display public Buzz updates tagged in your near-by location. You can also select location for which you need to span the associated Buzz messages.
• Using Buzz with Google Phone Voice Shortcut:
  As all the text fields in the Google phone are voice enabled and capable of transcribing voice into text, posting buzz is more unproblematic with Google Phone. You can effortlessly touch “Post buzz” and speak the content you want to publish about yourself.
• Simple shortcut to post Buzz:
  To post your buzz message conveniently, the shortcut for the posting box is placed on the navigation bar.

Comparisons between Facebook, and Google Buzz are obvious. While many assume that Google is too late to venture in this field due to Facebook’s dominance, Google doesn’t seem to think so, and it could turn out that Buzz and Facebook can co-exist.

As Buzz comes with Gmail it becomes convenient to stay informed with emails. However, this can be bothersome in some cases, like for people who use Gmail for professional emails.

Another consequence is through Buzz you might find yourself following people or cooperates you have mailed years ago. People have complained that Buzz tends to expose their contact list. This incorporation of Gmail and Buzz is stirring confusion among some Gmail users.

There have been other complaints concerning security issues, due to which Buzz has been revised for at least three times. However despite trivial complaints Google Buzz for Mobile continues to gain Android and Iphone users as fans, being a location-based social-interacting communication pad. I recommend to try-out Buzz for an interesting experience!

Google Chrome OS is the latest Google venture into the rather tight operating system market, a web-based operating system targeting users who spend the majority of their time on their desktops surfing the internet. The operating system is aptly named after Google’s famous sleek web browser Chrome, presently in its “Alpha State” of development.

Google announced Chrome OS in July last year and opened the project for developers in late November to modify and create their customized version of an operating system. In this article, we will concisely discuss the concept, architecture, and major features of Chrome OS. We will also attempt to investigate the ambiguities in this revolutionary operating system.

Chrome OS will run on x86-based PCs and devices built around the ARM processor when released in the next half of the running year. Later Google Chrome OS will also be available on desktops, serving as an ideal machine for a public Internet terminal, according to Google. The  OS is expected to be fast, secure, and pre-dominantly cheap.

The Concept

Google Chrome is web-centric operating system initially built for netbooks. It’s an attempt by Google to re-think the architecture of the Operating System. Today we find that most desktops are chiefly used for internet and sharing. This is evident from the growing popularity of netbooks. Netbooks, are small low-power devices, that get their names from their major use i.e. usage of internet. We often find ourselves booting our desktops for brief internet sessions for searching a query or for checking mail. In such trivial situations, the time any average operating system takes to log you on to the internet is time-consuming, and troublesome.

Google Chrome OS tends to diminish the irrelevant process time such as hardware detection, BIOS, OS Primitives etc that most users do not even bother with. Google claims that even the fastest computer takes about 45 seconds to boot. Google Chrome is intended to provide the core features of an OS which is speed, simplicity and security. Google Chrome is based on the cloud computing idea; most of the user actions will be performed online. An example of cloud computing is the current version of Apple’s iWork productivity suite. iWork ’09 also integrates with Apple’s online iwork.com service. Only here can you can share, edit, and view your iWork documents.

Core Features of Chrome OS

Google Chrome is indeed a very ambitious project by Google. Google Chrome is a light weight operating system that is secure from malware and viruses; a simple operating system with merely a web-browser to handle the entire user activities. Presently in the ‘Alpha Working State’ Chrome takes about 7 seconds to log onto the internet after its startup screen.

Like Chrome web browser, Chrome OS is immensely speedy and fast. Security is probably the most exciting feature of Chrome OS. Like MAC it claims to be virus free. As Google has attempted to completely redesign the fundamental security architecture of the OS, it is aimed at making a more secure OS so that users don’t have to worry about viruses, malware, and security updates.

Working with Chrome OS

Booting on a Chrome OS device takes hardly 7 seconds to get the user to the log-in screen. Once logged on to Chrome OS, the device resumes your previous internet sessions. All the user activities are catered for by the browser, as all the user applications reside within the browser, over the internet.

User interface

Chrome OS is centered on a sleek and neat interface with no traditional desktop applications, minimizing the screen space used by the OS. The OS experience takes place in a “web-browser” and other trivial tasks such as chatting, viewing calendar or contacts take place in “Panels”.  Let us overview them:

Web browser

The web-browser is the core application of the Operating system where almost all of the user activities are centered. Though Chrome is already known for its simple design, the design of Chrome in Chrome OS is further simplified by combining the “Web pages”, “Chrome Menu” and “User Application” in a single thin strip. It is expected that in further versions of Chrome OS, the entire web experience will be window free in a full-screen mode.

The browser has three major features:

Web pages: These tabs behave like average tabs in chrome. You can surf webpages in these tabs.

Application Tabs:  The browser also has a set of ‘Application Tabs’. Application tabs are pinned for easy access in the web-browser. This gives quick and easy access to application like ‘Gmail’, ‘Google Docs’ or potentially any application that is often used.

Chrome Menu: Besides the Application Tab, you will find the chrome menu. Other applications like contacts and calculator can be accessed from this menu. Applications accessed from the Chrome menu can open in application tabs, or in small overlay window panels.

Panels: Panels are persistent light weight windows that can overlay on top of the browser. The window continues to display even if you toggle among the different chrome browser windows. Through Panels, activities like chatting and file handling and sharing are accomplished. For instance, if the user wants to view the contents of a USB device, he plugs it in the machine and he will see the contents in the pop-up panels.  You can also dock the Panels in a side-bar.

Applications in Chrome OS

All apps in Google Chrome OS are web apps. Apps are sandboxed. This means that they can’t interfere with each other and your device. Therefore the chances of getting a virus are minimal. The root system is read only. All user data is encrypted and fully secure. On bootup, the OS checks itself and incase any improper functionality is found; the OS automatically downloads patches and reinstalls them.

Chrome OS does not support local applications. This means you won’t be able to download and install Firefox. Another consequence is that Google will make an app store for its users. However it’s yet not functional.

File storage

As discussed earlier Chrome OS is based on cloud computing. All the applications and user files and data are saved over the internet. Though there have been major concerns about data security in cloud computing, Google seems to have somewhat convinced people that their data is safe. It’s a fact that even today most Google users’ personal information is already up in the cloud.

This implies that users do not have to worry incase their netbooks are stolen, as most of their data is still safe in the cloud. Moreover users will be free from the inconvenience of backing up their data time and again.

File sharing

File sharing is easier with Chrome OS. Consider a hypothetical situation where you have to send a file from a USB drive to your friend with whom you are chatting. You will plug-in the USB and the file will show up in a panel. Now you have to simply drag and drop the file between the two panels i.e. the chat and the USB panel.

Google Chrome is yet another ambitious and highly anticipated project from the house of Google. This internet focused device is indeed this year’s most revolutionary step in computing. However, the question of Google Chrome OS usefulness is still debatable – when in the absence of an internet connection.

Of late, scammers using Google’s name to misrepresent Google have been running riot, especially throughout this year alone. Using a combination of fake newspaper sites (clones of bigger news sites), online advertising, and spammy emails, many people are sold on the dream of easy money….

I think one of the more famous ones I’ve seen is Google Biz Kit, whose websites purportedly show a bunch of people all claiming to receive nice checks from Google by only doing some easy work (and they have a kit for sale). These kits sell for $1.95 initially, but you need to enter your credit card details, after which they will bill your credit card $79 a month, until you cancel your card.

I’m not sure how effective such steps will be in the long run, because there are many other shady operations that don’t use Google’s name and are still having a ball – These require common sense from the consumer to beware. And these advertisers are quite safe from legal action, because they DO list their monthly charges in their fine print. So long as they don’t misuse Google’s brand name, what’s stopping them from registering a new business name?

Banned advertisers can always create new websites and new names, or switch to other advertisers; which is why this just seems a major weeding exercise, I guess.

But something is always better than nothing. It’s about time as well; recently Google started banning the Adwords accounts of other scammy advertisers who do the same thing with tooth whitening ads – Small initial charge or free at first, and then monthly billing afterwards.

End of the day, practical common sense is a useful trait to have. There is nothing like always reminding yourself of the old adage, “If it is too good to be true, it usually is!”

One of Orkut’s features is its chat. Previously people used to chat in Orkut by using Greasemonkey hacks. Google launched their beta version of its browser chat not long ago, and now this chat facility has been integrated within Orkut. Here are some likes and dislikes regarding Google Talk in Orkut.

Likes

The first thing is of course, the ability to talk instantly with friends who are online. Though Orkut have made the “scrap chatting” much popular, constantly refreshing and checking the page for newer scraps becomes boring after a while. The ability to chat in “real time” is a big improvement.

Unlike Gmail, in Orkut you have an added feature whereby you can choose to allow some of your friends to chat with you, or simply limit it to certain groups which you can easily create from the Friend Settings page. You can enable/disable/configure this feature easily from your profile settings. This improves the chat to somewhat of the level of popular chat applications like MSN Messenger or AOL, but not quite – as we’ll see.

Dislikes

There are also some dislikes about the integration of Google talk in Orkut. The chat window cannot be freed from the browser as it is possible in Gmail. This maintains the same problem of coming back to that page and checking for updates in chat sessions.

The chat works alright if you’re chatting with one or two people. But, it becomes crowded if you’re chatting with more than 4 or 5 people – a group chat feature would make life easier, as would video or voice chat for the tech inclined.

Orkut problems?

Some suggestions have already been given by Orkut users. Google Talk already has a status alert within it. Integrating Orkut status messages with Gtalk status messages should be easy to implement, as is integration of audio/video chat.

The question is whether Google is willing to stand by their product, by providing support. Not just for Orkut, but most other Google products like Gmail or Google Docs – which are all free I must add. A case worth noting is Mark Ghoush’s recent problems with his Orkut/Google account getting hacked. In the case of Orkut, it is probable Google doesn’t consider it as high priority anymore. Hence the frequent security problems – with hardly a response from Google.

Reminder – If you do use Orkut, only log in from your own personal computer, at all times. This practice is also good for any accounts you may have online, anywhere, be it a simple forum membership, or online banking – It cuts your risks down.

Orkut is probably too big for Google to ever shut it down, but if the recent closure of Lively is any indicator, Google will definitely scale down more of its projects, given the economic crunch. Even Facebook has resorted to selling its userbase data, something nobody expected a year ago. Whether Orkut will around in a few years time, is up to its users – and Google.