Bit Logical Life» » Networking

Google Voice

Mike B — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 01:43:11 +0000

As you may have read from my recent post, I commented on how Google should offer free promotional give aways to keep members interested and build good common grounds with it’s users, which I admit Google does but just not for ME. Well that has all changed, because either someone has read my post or it’s major coincidence but in either case I have just received an invitation to use Google Voice. Yep You heard yourself reading correctly. Google Voice. This is different from Google Voice chat which is already available through Google Talk which is their instant messenging service and software.

What is Google Voice then? (you may be asking you computer screen wishing is could talk back)
Well defined by Wikipedia…

Google Voice (formerly GrandCentral) is a free Google-owned[1] Internet service that uses voice over internet protocol (VoIP)[2] to link customers’ phone numbers together.[3] GrandCentral was relaunched as Google Voice on March 11, 2009 with new features, including voicemail transcriptions and SMS managing.

Here is a parody video which explain what Grand Central allowed you to do. No REALLY

And this is GrandCentral with our beloved Google wrapped around it like a warm Snuggie.

I have to admit. I haven’t been this excited for a Google technology since google first released the search engine… well I’ll say Google Docs… then again there is Chrome… In either case, Its very evident how ingenious and methodical Google’s ability to infiltrate already present infrastructures through out various industries core responsibilities and place a seed to spawn a whole new way of interfacing with it from a user standpoint.

Also, if you notice through this industry changing experience, Google’s mentality about offering services to individuals in the first place. It’s rare to see Google partner with other organizations unless there ultimate goal is unified organization and cooperation of technology. There were complaints of having to manage a new number instead of working off of your current number. The issue is limitation. If Google were to hypothetically partner with a telecommunications company like Verizon, SBC Global, Comcast, there wouldn’t be a free beta, only paid customers would be able to use it, restrictions or collaborative technology would exist due to fear of stealing competing R&D departments ideas. It’s the narrow mindedness of captialism without foresight. If the telcos did allow for an open and compatible service to there already working infrastructure Google would become the service provide and they would only be the hardware connection losing a majority of its power.

If your looking for information about Google Voice links are posted below.

Google Voice Invitation Request

Google Voice – Google Blog

Grand Central

Google should do a promotional giveaway!!!

Mike B — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 22:49:42 +0000

So I’m an adamant Google mail user. More so I believe that when it comes to internet communication Google is not only at the fore front of efficient usability but they are pretty much God’s gift to electronic mail. They offer a spam filter that exceeds Yahoo! mail by leaps and bounds and Microsoft’s Hot-live-MSN thing that they are passing off as an email service.

But even in saying this I will agree that they are not Perfect because sometimes I do get awkward messages from shady confidence scheme like people every once in a while. We all should know of the Nigerian Prince who has left us $85,000,000 dollars and needs our personal information in oreder to send us all this money as soon as possible.(Yeah Right!!!). But what about this one. Today I received an email from some big wigs in the Google UK offices who seems to want to give me money.

This is obviously not true because its so plain and they want me to reply-to an MSN email address. But none the less this has gotten me the thinking:) Google should have a promotional event where they just give away some crap to us as Google user’s. I know this is asinine because the Google already offers practically every service in their repertoire for absolutely nothing i.e. FREE, but then again not really.

At the end of the day we are guinea pigs and most of Google is made up of mathematicians and scientist. They love to have us use their software for free find bugs, report glitches, and make suggestions so they can improve and make it better. Again most of these guys are scientist. Notoriety is key although money is very gratifying.

Google makes money through a masquerade of of revenue streams none of which comes from the average Google service user, but if we have to play guinea pig at least we can get a treat for it. It doesn’t even have to be monetary. I know I’d take one of these Google branded servers.

Microsoft search… Bing!!! Now with less Suck

Bit-Logic — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 18:39:52 +0000

Microsoft has recently release a new search engine, Bing.com which is a revision to Microsoft Live search released early 200, which in itself was suppose to be a update to MSN search which was more a portal than a true search engine. All of these modification to there search initiatives were made solely to make themselves more marketable and relevant as a Internet presence and to take a bit of market-share from other major Search companies like Google and Yahoo.

For the past 10 years Microsoft has been striving to make this a reality and now I think they may actually have it. With Bing there is no real difference in the presentation of search results in comparison to Live Search, but they have seem to improve the types of results that are given. Below is an example.

I did a test search that I recently found on Digg. I wanted to see if Bing could find content that is usually blocked by other search engines and low and behold this is what I find.

As you can see, when looking for something that should be difficult to find if not search able at all Bing finds it with nopproblem. It’s still not a efficient search because the result that I wanted was on page three but none the less. It is here. So I figure either Microsoft doesn’t know about this issue or they have stopped caring about the exclusivity of there Product Keys. In either case I can do nothing but laugh and inform the public because this method of search will again be revised. Maybe microsoft will come out with a new efficient search in the Fall season and I have a new slogan to go along with it. Microsoft Search, now with less Suck.

Using Picasna

Bit-Logic — Wed, 27 May 2009 21:43:39 +0000

So this post is mostly a test post for a new Wordpress Plugin being used on the site. The plugin is Picasna which will offer a site gallery based on already upload photo albums from Google’s already popular Picasa 3 and Picasa Web. This plugin is no different than anyother with how to install and activate. The true trick is using the plugin which requires that I create a page link on a separate line like so…

The link must be a public URL from Picasa Web with this layout (http://picasaweb.google.com/username/photoalbum)

I take it that the URL is self explanatory because I take it my readers aren’t lost and can find more info on this topic if need be. for further assistance check the plugin homepage http://picasna.com/ .

pagelink for Picasna

Does your Content need management?

Bit-Logic — Tue, 20 May 2008 21:10:35 +0000

Today I will be talking about Content Management Systems or CMS for short. What is a CMS. Its something that you will learn when you listen to the show. There are links below leading to the various CMS used by popular demand.

Drupal

Wordpress- wordpress.org is different from wordpress.com

Joomla

Mambo

PHPNuke

Fax4Free

Bit-Logic — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 01:26:00 +0000

Another site i found with a cool feature. The site is FaxZero. I found this site when i was in the urge for some delivery but I didnt want to call. I just have a sporadic phobia where I don’t want to talk to people on the telephone. I think it is because I have the tendency to stutter when I have to explain things in detail. Anyway I seen on the carryout menu that they offered fax and I thought if i had a fax that would be good but I don’t so i went online for free faxing services because i new they had to be around and if not i need to jump on the idea quickly. So I did a Google and this is where i found FaxZero.

FaxZero is a simple site truly. No membership no signing up just straight to the point. The site is easy enough so I need not explain how to use it.

Free Education

Bit-Logic — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 21:42:00 +0000

I consistently tell people about this site. I’m not sure who was the first person to tell me about it or if I just happen to had Stumbled upon it but at any rate if you want to learn something new but don’t necessarily have the money to take lessons or receive training in whatever expertise.

Free Education Video From Top Universities

Speaking of, you might want to check out the program / content site StumbleUpon, it does what it says but by the users choice which is oxymoronic if ‘oxymoronic’ can be made a real word.

Photosynth

Bit-Logic — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 01:34:00 +0000

I heard about this on Digital Life TV so I had to lay it down on the blog. Photosynth is a new project from Microsoft Live Labs. It takes digital images that have been taken at a specific location but at different times and places and sews them together to make a 3d like panoramic image. This is nice in design. I like the interface and the ability to run from within the browser but I don’t see too much practical use, because it seems too scripted if you ask me. The big thing about this is that you can take other peoples images from locations like a Flickr and it should be about to build the location. That seems like a little too much processing power to perform and it should take a hell of a lot of pictures to achieve the same quality of imagery as the Demo displays.

What I think is that Microsoft is taking the same initiative as Google where they are trying to recreate Physical Locations in the Virtual Reality. This project is just Microsoft’s version for achieving the same goal. More power to them if they implement this into some mapping site but I want Google to achieve and Microsoft just remain idle.

Google Maps Street View

Bit-Logic — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 01:26:00 +0000

The popular Google maps has started releasing demos of their new mapping concept called Street View which allows you to see what street you are actually on in a semi 3d environment. Google has vehicles driving around and taking panoramic photographs of every location they drive past. This allows people to see the street that they will be looking for was well as a satellite top down view. Of course this is limited now because you cant really take it with you unless you walk around with a laptop and wireless internet service but at least if your home checking for directions you can see the location physically in comparison to just having map directions.

I think this is nice but I can live without it. I still think they should focus on creating a 3d environment and then add the proper texture and design to replicate the real would. Plus people are getting mad that the Google trucks are taking pictures of people without proper consent from citizens.