Googlified

Google Notebook launched a new blog at http://googlenotebook blog.blogspot.com - they must have been very salty when they found out that someone has picked up http://googlenotebook. blogspot.com before they did. Oh, that’s me (sorry, I was/am bad as a little kid, that should explain why I never receive any Christmas gifts from Santa).

As Notebook evolves, we’re staying up to speed on your thoughts by reading your blog posts. Now, we’re pleased to introduce a blog of our own so that you can keep up with news and tips about Notebook.

The last time I used Google Notebook was 13 months ago, what about you?

also: Google SketchUp API Blog is another blog Google launched recently.

Google launched another new blog today, Google Photos/Picasa Blog. (the logo says Photos but the title is Picasa, come on Google, be consistent!)

We’ll be using this space to post feature updates, photography tips, and (of course) some of our favorite photo albums, all of which will keep you current with the latest developments from the Picasa team.

From past experiences, a new blog signals major update(s) for the product, in this case, Picasa or Picasa Web. My bet goes to Neven Vision this time, you know, it’s been over a year.

I uploaded a load of photos to my Picasa Web account today, including this one. Hehe, artistic, isn’t it? (okay, but I drew those stick-figures in like 10 seconds) :)-

[thanks Andre, happy holiday :)]

Google today launched “Google Entertainment Advertising Blog Italia“, a new blog brought to you by the Google Milan team. I think* this new blog is trying to persuade media/entertainment companies to be more focus on online marketing.

Translation by Google Translate:

In this blog we will speak about like the companies that are taken care of Entertainment are facing the changes of the advertising and about the marketing online, and of like we work with our [advertisement] in order to create the best experience for their customers. We want to always hold you to the current of the coming from more important news from Google and that they regard they give close the Entertainment world.

*I don’t speak Italian and the translation isn’t that good.

[thanks Tom :)]

Another new blog from Google, Google China Webmaster Blog. This time it’s a bit different though. Not only that it has its own domain, it’s running on WordPress!

The goal of the blog is to “provide a communication channel, collect information and improve Google Chinese search”. We will constantly provide updates about Google, delivering our thoughts on Chinese SEO, and answer questions interested by most of you.

Not eating your own dogfood anymore, Google? Or are you trying to imply something big coming? :)

At last, Google launched a new blog that would make me feel happier without screaming “Another Google Blog?” aloud. This new blog, well, as you can tell by the logo above, is the Official Gmail Blog.

I think today marks the third year anniversary of using Gmail. Yah! :)

Gmail rocks, so is Haochi. :)-

Another two new blogs from Google. These two new blogs are both Orkut-related, one in English, and the other in Portuguese.

It’s been more than three years since orkut first launched and now, at last, here’s a blog to go with it (better late than never, right?). We hope that this will be a great way for you to learn about what’s new on orkut, and get to know the orkut team. Here you’ll read about new features, get tips on using old ones, and hear stories about how we work and who we are.

It’s funny how they say that “The comments you read here belong only to the person who posted them. We do, however, reserve the right to remove off-topic comments”, but you can’t even post a comment on their blogs.

Stay Beautiful. :)

[thanks Tom]

We go round and round - Inside AdSense

This week, we’ve added a new dimension for publishers in customizing these ad formats. You’ve long been able to customize the size and colors of your ad units; now, you can also customize the shape by selecting between square, slightly rounded, or very rounded corners.

Why we’re buying DoubleClick - Official Google Blog

Since Google has never played in [display advertising], acquiring DoubleClick will enable us to complement our search and content-based advertising capabilities. Its products and technologies will help to improve online advertising for consumers, advertisers and publishers.

Custom Search Engine APIs - Custom Search Blog

With Linked CSEs, you designate a CSE specification URL with each search request (as a hidden form field in your search box HTML code). Google retrieves the CSE specification from the URL when your user searches in the CSE. We cache and refresh the results so that only the first search to your CSE incurs any delay.

Two new Google blogs today, Google News Blog and the Google Czech Republic. So, according to my hypothesis from yesterday, Google acquired two companies today. :)

Google launched another official Google blog today - Google Finance Blog. Nothing so special about this one, because it is “Just Another Google Blog“.

This is how we want to communicate with the community of people who need financial information at their fingertips. We’ll write about new features, share observations about new tools in the financial industry and get your feedback about new releases.

Recent data shows that Google creates blogs at about the same rate as they acquire companies. While creating blog is next-to-free for them, acquiring a company is no free lunch.

Google yesterday took the “wraps off Google’s Public Policy Blog“, after making posts there privately since April 10. There, Google will post its “views on government, policy and politics”.

[T]his blog will serve as a resource for policymakers around the world — including legislators, ministers, governors, city council members, regulators, and the staffers who support them — who are trying to enact sound government policies to foster free expression, promote economic growth, expand access to information, enable innovation, and protect consumers.

I think they just forgot to make the blog public, that’s all. :)

Another new member to the list of ever expanding official Google blogs - Google Health Advertising Blog.

Welcome to our new Health Advertising Blog! We’ll be posting here to help our health industry advertisers better understand how people are searching for health information, and how you as advertisers can better leverage the power of search and the Internet.

Unlike other newer blogs, comments are not allowed on this one, so you will need to email them your comments. Oops, they got the email link wrong. (look for “send us your comments”)

There’s a health related post on the Official Google Blog yesterday, “Is there a doctor in the family?“.

There’s something living under our noses - SketchUp Blog

May is Mustache Month at Google, and (as you can see above) members of the Boulder office did us proud. Over the course of several weeks, these guys made serious, relationship-affecting sacrifices to grow out their lip gerbils. As it was also a contest, the rest of the office voted on winners in three categories.

How long should Google remember searches? - Official Google Blog

After considering the Working Party’s concerns, we are announcing a new policy: to anonymize our search server logs after 18 months, rather than the previously-established period of 18 to 24 months.

Introducing Placement Performance reporting on the Google content network - Inside AdWords

Today, we’re beginning a phased launch of the Placement Performance report, a new type of AdWords report that gives advertisers increased transparency into their performance on the Google content network. The Placement Performance report provides site-by-site performance metrics — including clicks, impressions, cost, and conversion data — for domains or URLs in the content network where your ads have appeared.