techniQal support

Google has taken another step forward on the path to rounding out their online office suite.
The rumored PowerPoint clone is available in Google Docs now, and is really easy to use.
It allows you to create really simple slides, really quickly. It’s strong point is definitely simplicity.
You won’t see embedded media or animations, or custom templates, but it does what it should do:
Make it easy to present an idea without having to be a Powerpoint ninja.
There are a few hiccups here and there ,(slide previews are funky), but overall it works very well.

Some of the cool features include:
1. Upload/convert existing .ppt,.pps(up to 10 mb), or email to your google docs email addr.
2. Export/Save as .zip gives you a nice html version that you can hack to your hearts content.
3. Online collaboration (same as other “Docs” types)
3. Start a Presentation.

This last feature is the one that hints at the cool things google could do with online office apps.
When you “start” your presentation, you are given a url that can be distributed to others you want to invite to view it.
Once they click on the link, you can see who is online watching, and they can follow along as slides change.
Integrate this with Google Talk or any other voip app, and you have free or nearly free, bare bones web conferencing.

After working in the conferencing industry, I learned that the key to having a productive meeting was simplicity.
The easier it is to get someone into the meeting, the easier it will be to keep their attention .
Too many times, people get distracted by the technology( for good or bad reasons), and end up missing the point of meeting on the web altogether: Conveying a message with a visual tool. This seems like a good way to keep the content simple and keep meeting attendees engaged. Everyone knows how to use a browser.

Check it out by going to docs.google.com

Google’s beta release of their Writely acquisition is now available for anyone with a gmail account.
Simply go to the writely home page , and login with your gmail credentials. I am blogging this now with writely. Overall, the interface is very slick and very easy to use.

UPDATE:
Slowly updating things around here. Writely has been integrated into Google Docs, so you can publish any document you have created or imported in Docs.

The venerable Google , has changed the video on demand world, iTunes style. This new Google service allows pay per view,download for iPod/PSP , as well as plenty of free content.
The content will be protected via Googles own DRM, and viewable only in the Google Video Player(except for downloads). The most interesting thing that sets them apart from iTunes/Apples’ licensing deal with CBS etc., is the variety of content providers they have signed up. These include CBS and the NBA, but also Mark Cuban’s HDNET, and a number of other interesting providers. The most lucrative part of this, may be the actual content they are getting from CBS. This includes all of the currently popular prime time shows, plus old Star Trek episodes, The Brady Bunch, Twilight Zone. Add in music videos and movies, and you have a great place to go for video content, from a company that can still have the motto “Don’t Be Evil” . The only real complaints so far have been about the price to quality ratio in comparison to other video providers. I get the feeling that the variety of content may win out here though.
Should be interesting to see how Google and Apple change the way the TV/Movie industry looks at the Internet. Maybe the MPAA will calm down a little bit once they realize they’re making money. In the land of the Tivo, and ad-skipping, this could be one of the only ways for these industries to continue making money year over year.

I decided to do another Gmaps mashup, since I had so much fun with the first one .
This new one is a Google Map, with a bunch of Boulder,Colorado area Bars and Restaurants listed.
The kicker here, is that you can click on a marker, and get their happy hour information.
Whether you want a glass of wine, or just some appetizers, this map helps you find what you are looking for.
Also would be helpful, it you wanted to do a bar tour/walk of shame in Boulder.
CLICK HERE for the Gmap Happiness

EDIT:
Here is the link to the latest and greatest version of the Google Maps Snow Report

Here is a little page I put together for an RSS feed supplied version of the Colorado Snow Report.

This data is collected from the RSS feed at http://www.coloradoski.com For a link to the feed, try http://feeds.feedburner.com/snowreport
To update the data, click the link again. Any updated results from the RSS feed will automatically appear.
(PS. Check out the AJAX RSS feed reader on the sidebar, to see the ‘lite’ version of this)

If you like your news fast and furious and frequent, you need to check out this site.

This is an incredible mashup that dynamically updates news items by location, and shows you snippets of the information. Really unique use of the Google Maps API , and a neat way to get your daily dose of news.

WeReporters GeoNews

The Inquirer(not the Enquirer), has confirmed that Google is a go on Online Office.
The deal will allow Google to enable online users’ access to Star Office through a browser.
Another part of the deal, will bundle the Google Toolbar as an optional install with the Java Runtime Environment.
Sounds like M$ could be in some big trouble here. Check out the webcast of the original announcement.

And the article form The Inquirer-
Google formally declares war on Microsoft

Google: Has taken over the moon!!

As if google didn’t have a giant grasp on the entire planet Earth already; but now they have conquered the moon.
Using images from NASA, they have extended google maps to show you the moon, and some of the landing sites from the Apollo Missions.
I will only be impressed, if I am able to use Google Local to plan a trip to the local grocery store, with a quick stop at the landing site of Apollo 12.

Okay–this is hilarious. Zoom in all the way
and see how cheesy this is!

Google Moon - Lunar Landing Sites: “Welcome to Google Moon”

Coming Soon! —Google Ads on the Moon(beta)!- Let the whole world see your important business message!

Coming Soon!—Google Milky
Way(beta)! Find directions to all of your favourite inter-galactic vacation spots.

Google has released the API for Google Maps. This api allows you to display maps on you own pages, and do things like add routes, icons, and information tabs. This is actually pretty easy to use, and all you need to do is apply for your own API key, and copy the example api code into any html page. If you need to see a working example, check the very bottom of this page, and you will see it at work(and where I work)REMOVED–Check the Google site. Pretty nifty trick. And if you are a blogger on blogspot, it is as easy as pasting the correct code into your template.

Click here for the API goodness!