New Google Books feature allows for embedding of publicly available text of digitized library

Google Books Search has recently launched a public API that has been used to build embeddable widgets of the content Google provides from its vast library of digitized books and historical documents from the world's most voluminous and well endowed libraries. Here is the limited preview of a book that every American needs to read following the recent resurgence of a new Russian "democracy" that is unfolding in radically unexpected ways.

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Google gets political with new candidate fact checker "In Quotes"...

Google launched another new and exciting feature in its long dormant Labs section tonight with the release of In Quotes. The new service presents interested citizens with a split screen broken down vertically according to issue. Click on the button associated with a particular issue, get the candidate's view in their own words without the typical spin. Or so they claim!! Google has yet to earn my endorsement as a truly nonpartisan corporation, but this project will hopefully lead the gentle giant to let down its guard a bit as the election draws nearer.

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Google chosen as official innovation provider for GOP Convention...

GOPConvention2008.com

Google has formed an unusually high-profile political partnership with the Republican National Convention as the official "innovation provider", powering the Minneapolis-St. Paul-hosted event's website using Google Apps, Google Maps, YouTube and several other interactive features. The convention will be held Sept. 1-4, and is expected to draw at least 45,000 conservative activists and create an estimated $150-$160 million dollars in economic stimulus. Glad to see that the RNC is finally pulling its head out of its nether-region when it comes to using the best technologies the internet offers political groups.

I have applied for credentials to cover the convention as a new media correspondent, but no word yet from the party insiders if my application made the cut. I did get an e-mail from the party about 45 minutes before the press release this morning of the Google news, so perhaps I will be getting news soon...

Stop complaining about CNN/YouTube Debate and remember, at least we showed up...

mediabistro.com: FishbowlDC- Conservative group threatens lawsuit against CNN for it handling of YouTube debate

Why is everyone so upset about the way Republicans were treated in the CNN/YouTube debate? Let us not forget, CNN is essentially the progressive alternative to Fox News, so the fact that the GOP candidates even showed up speaks to the difference in political courage between the two fields of primary candidates. As far as I know, Joe Biden is the only serious Democrat with the marbles to accept Fox's invitation to debate in Detroit in an event co-hosted by the Congressional Black Caucus. Every single GOP candidate showed up in Florida.

Going into the debate I assumed that CNN would try to get the candidates to associate themselves with Bush as often as possible, but the name Bush was mentioned only twice and each candidate was able to articulate at length what they have to offer.  I thought the candidates were humanized and generally came across as presidential.

While the questions from voters are great, having them submitted via video is merely a variation on the forum-styled debates which have been a staple in presidential campaigns since the first Iowa caucus. It was when I saw the first candidate-produced video, I believe it was Representative Tom Trancredo's, that I felt the process had been truly revolutionized.  Below you can view the candidates as they confront the currently touchy subject of waterboarding.

Hired by Google as a private contractor for Local Business Referrals Program...

A few days ago I happened upon a Google program that offers to pay people to enhance their Google business directory with detailed profiles and pictures of local establishments. It is officially known as the Google Local Referrals Program, and it only takes about five minutes and a Google Account to apply. It is a bit unclear upfront about how much it could potentially offer a dedicated participant, but after viewing the tutorial and weighing the potential earnings against the amount of time involved in collecting the necessary information, the program appears to be everything that it promises.

Though it only guarantees $2 for each referral up front, the program pays out a further $8 upon confirmation of the information you submit. The tutorial Google made for beginning users of this incentive service essentially instructs users to always have their camera and a small notebook with them, because participants should be able to earn up to $10 for every errand they run. This is at least how I am going to approach this new opportunity, since almost everywhere I go each day is likely already listed on Google Maps. Lunch could potentially pay for itself everyday if I am willing to put in the time speaking with the owner and snapping photos while munching on my meal.

I am very excited to get started with the program and I recommend it to everyone out their looking to supplement their income and confident enough to get all of the information the program calls upon you to supply. I will report back regularly on my experiences with the program, and I would like to hear what others have to say about it.

My new eLearning blog launched...

I have spent a lot of time recently thinking about the eLearning industry and researching various eLearning solutions. I have decided to share my thoughts on a new blog which can be found at 21stcenturyelearning.blogspot.com.

My first post is about utilizing locally hosted project management software packages to track users and evaluate progress. Specifically I address the new Google Apps for Educators suite, which is a cost-effective solution for eLearning IT managers who are looking to implement Google services in an easily customizable and micromanaged environment.

Tags: eLearning, Project Management, Education 2.0

3:42am in Chicago, they had me for about 45 minutes...

How TiSP Works

I am a Google fanatic. I am fascinated by the company and what it represents, every product they offer, and I think that the age in which we live could be amazingly altered in a way that has yet to be even understood. They are the first company that has offered best in class products free of charge across the board. All of those who previously thought it their perogative to receive a fee for services rendered, because of Google alone, these dweebs that had inferiority complexes in their youth, that will never be true again. I have spent the last 36 hours on Google consuming information on their new API's, and building my own custom search engines...

Maybe it is my creepy obsession with the hot young company that led me to seriously consider sticking cables through my toilet to the special, and secret servers. It was weird, but sounded interesting, but then I was distracted, and that was the moment I was had...

HAF

Tags: google, April Fools, how tisp works, pranks, chicago

Custom Search is the next big thing...

Google Operating System: Custom Search Engines Could Replace Web Directories

This post from the Google Operating System (the most Google obsessed non-employee in the world) sums up very well what I have been thinking for some time about the use and importance of Custom Search. Finally I have at my fingertips the ability to shape the way Google searches through information for any topic we as casual users, invent on a whim or compulsion. I too am a Google fanatic (as my friends will all tell you), and I check out the Official GoogleBlog and Google MacBlog daily.

An RSS feed with all of the Google Blog posts can be found HERE.

Next Path reviews freeware must-haves for college students...

Top Web tools for College Students - NextPath

NextPath, a self-proclaimed education finance newsletter for students profiled their top ten freeware applications for college students. Some of them I use everyday, including Google Docs, Wikipedia, Google Reader and Del.icio.us, and now that I have read the reviews of the others I plan on integrating a few into my routine as well. In particular, Meebo, an instant messaging client that integrates Yahoo, GTalk, AIM, and MSN all into one interface. Also, Zoho is a Web 2.0 Power Point program which I have tried in the past and which appears to have a great deal of potential.

Interestingly, just this week Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska proposed legislation that would ban Wikipedia from use in US colleges. Though I agree with the premise that students should not be permitted to cite Wikipedia as a reference, I do not think that there is anything inappropriate about its general usage as a vehicle for driving inspiration on different ideas or interests students may have. It is a lot more useful that MySpace at least, which I consider to be the most substantial waste of time of all the internet social networking sites, and should absolutely be banned from college campuses (well, maybe not).

Competition challenges college students to build their campus in 3-D on Google Earth...

The folks over at Google have opened a contest for college students across the country to build their campuses in SketchUp and they are going to fly the winners out to Mountain View for a three day 3-D modeling symposium, all expenses paid. The contest is open to all comers and all submissions must be in by June 1st to be considered. The winning entries will be posted in the online 3-D Warehouse that Google Earth enthusiasts use to share and collaborate on large modeling projects.

I get the sense that Google is out to turn their virtual Earth into an interactive experience beyond any we have ever witnessed, and this is a good way for them to build a reputation on US campuses. Several bloggers have predicted that Google envisions their Earth program as a virtual world akin to Second Life, but built in an extension of users real lives as opposed to other such sites which create gaming environments that are wholly imagined and unpredictable in how it will evolve and develop. Google, according to these rumors, is looking to create an interactive environment that would be more of an extension of each users real world experience, which could be used by both the avid fantasy gamer and the CEO who is looking to be, literally, in two places at one time.

IBM has recently received a lot of attention for holding a press conference to announce a new virtual incubator project in Second Life. If the engineers at Google can somehow offer a first person perspective to their Earth interface, and offer tools to allow people to communicate across the globe in an environment that gives them all the benefits of meeting in person (i.e. conference room, privacy options, etc.), such an ambitious project would be revolutionary and all of our lives will never be the same. There are already indications that Google is moving in exactly this direction, as they have begun exploring the possibilities of placing advertising in video games, for instance on billboards on the side of the road in car racing games. If they are able to devise a profitable and innovative advertising model for a virtual world, Google will have a leg up on Microsoft and Yahoo in another important advertising medium.

Another site worth checking out: Google Maps Flight Simulator

I just happened upon this flight simulator for Google Maps called Goggles, and though it is short on features, it is absolutely worth checking out whenever you have a moment. All you do is select a starting point and control yourself using the keyboard arrows. There is a limited selection of locations, but the site offers directions on how you can link your hometown to the project. I wish such a feature was available in Google Earth so you could fly between the 3D buildings and have other people that you could have dog fights with, but I can only imagine how much time I would waste playing with such a toy. Chicago isn't linked here yet, but as soon as I have a minute I will put it up. Hope you enjoy.

Finally, TWWI moves to Blogger in Beta

Well, after months of anticipation, tonight I was finally invited to switch my blog over from the original Blogger service to the new hosting platform Google launched back in September. I have just started playing around with the services more advanced features, but so far I am very impressed. As usual Google lives up to my expectations. I would greatly appreciate any input anyone may have regarding the way in which I have organized everything, or if anyone would like to suggest any other blogs or news sources that you think I should read and link to in the sidebar. I would also like to thank those of you who regularly take the time to read what I have to say about whatever it is I have on my mind. It is really encouraging to know that my thoughts are getting out there! Hopefully I have inspired others to venture into the blogosphere!

Big Day for Free Information

Google News-- Google Books to Offer Free PDF Downloads of Classics

Google News-- Free Universal Music Download Site to Challenge iTunes

The music and publishing industries both experienced radical alterations to their typical business model as Google and Universal Music have both launched services aimed at providing users free content by attaching advertisements to their online interfaces. There has been great resistance to Google's Book service from publishers at first, but Google wisely went slow and offered publishing houses an opportunity to make up any lost revenue by coordinating their titles with links to ordering information. Universal Music has yet to win over any of its critics, but it isn't set to be released until the fall. Consumers have been spending more on music since the launch of iTunes music store, which sells tracks at 99 cents each, so what makes anyone believe that free is all that matters? Google is definitely forcing change within the publishing industry and hopefully Universal's bold attempt to take on Apple bears some fruit by way of radically altering the way music is distributed and consumed.

Google News Links

Google News- How much do we know about Iran's nuclear program?

I like to post a link to the article that I drew my information from, especially when writing on news as it happens, but I often read so many news stories from different media outlets on any given topic that I couldn't feasibly cite every source of information. But then it occurred to me that through Google News I can instantly get every article written throughout the world through a simple keyword search. From now on, unless I am citing a specific journalist or newspaper, I will post a link to all of the Google News stories associated with the general topic of my post. The link above, as you may already know, will give you a complete collection of media reports on the United States' intelligence on Iran's nuclear program, and is an example of how I hope to provide substantive and diverse information and divergent perspective alongside my own opinions.