Does Google Hire Mad Scientists?

Online search giant, Google, often tests the waters for new services by rolling out a "beta" (first) version of an idea to gauge public reaction.

By employing this strategy, it's easy to imagine a building full of creative, "mad scientist" types cooking up the latest and greatest online gizmos.

In fact, you can take a peek at what's cooking at Google by logging on to http://labs.google.com.

There you'll find glimpses of the true "bleeding edge" technology Google thinks will shape the way we use information on the Internet in the very near future.

** Online Video Search **

Log on to http://video.google.com to see the next step in Google's quest to become the world's foremost repository of online and offline information.

This first attempt at providing searchable data about video is currently restricted to recent television shows.

Unlike the video search at rival Yahoo! ( http://video.yahoo.com ) which provides a searchable database of actual video clips available for viewing right online, Google's video search results take the browser to a page with still frame images and text transcripts of the show.

Since it rates much easier to search text than video, this particular format of transcript combined with still frame should win out over the straight video clip method (at least for now).

** Help With Keyword Searches **

One problem everyone encounters periodically online involves wanting to find something, but not knowing exactly how to phrase the request to a search engine.

You sort of know what you want, but aren't 100% sure how to phrase it, or the results you get from the phrases you use don't give you the results you want.

Log on to http://labs.google.com and click the "Google Suggest" link (currently third link from the top on the left side of the page).

This link takes you to a search page where, as you type in your keyword phrase, Google will make additional suggestions on related search terms you should consider.

Other gizmos in the Google "lab" include: Google Maps. Google Desktop, and Google Scholar.

** Recent Graduates From The "Lab" **

Some recent graduates of the Google Lab include:

"Web Alerts" - Log on to http://www.google.com/alerts to receive an email notification any time a new web page or news article enters the Google database containing a search phrase you specify.

This provides an excellent means to quickly find new sites that mention anything from your favorite movie star to use of a trademarked product name you want to monitor.

"Search By Location" - Log on to http://local.google.com to find local businesses and other interesting information based on geography.

A search on "printing" in "norge, va" immediately brought up the Printwell printer I use, and a search for "mexican" in "lightfoot, va" turned up my favorite Mexican restaurant.

Also, a search for "museum" in "williamsburg, va" turned up some very interesting places I didn't know existed, even though we live in a tourist town.

I actually doubt that Google hires mad scientists, but by the looks of all the projects they have going, it's safe to say they hire extremely creative people who like to push the boundaries of technology.

� Jim Edwards - All Rights reserved - http://www.thenetreporter.com

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