Googlified

Orkut launched the mobile version of the site today, and as one can expect, they still have that “Bad, bad server. No donut for you.” message. You can only access limited amount of information via the mobile interface, such as shrunk profile pages, friends list, and post scraps on other people’s profiles.

Two other things you can do are staring into your broken Scrapbook (it will probably take them 10 seconds to fix it - only if they aren’t so drunk on Kool-Aid) or report your friends for abusing Orkut.

[via Inside Orkut]

Google today launched a new interface for iPhone (and iPod Touch) users for better user experience. The new interface looks more iPhone-ish and by deploying AJAX, Google put several services, including Gmail, Google News, and Google Reader (more) into one interface, making the application “fast and fluid”.

The guy working in the 7-11 down the street told me that 25% of Googlers in the U.S. own an iPhone. I also read that Google gets a truckload of iPods delivered to Googleplex everyday (a bit exaggerated).

[thanks to Andrew B. :)]

Google Maps for Mobile has a new feature, “My Location“, that lets you know your approximate location on your Google Maps Mobile-enabled phone with a simple click. All you need to do is press “0″ on your phone to see your location on the map.

If you have a GPS-enabled device, this blue dot corresponds to your GPS location. At times, or if you do not have a GPS-enabled phone you might see the blue dot surrounded by a light blue circle to indicate uncertainty about your location.

Lifehacker reader tmobilewinguse said, “It had me within a half mile of my location which is pretty good for non-GPS.” Another Lifehacker reader commented, “Mine gives me a 5 mile radius. I’m somewhere in Center City, anywhere from 6th street to 1st street.”

I remember seeing something similar in a movie (probably The Sentinel) that the government use that to track down people.

Google just released a mobile version of Google Docs. It currently supports documents and spreadsheets viewing on BlackBerry devices, in addition of presentations if you own an iPhone. :)

It doesn’t seem like that you can edit the documents yet, but well, wouldn’t it be pain in the neck?

[photo by Steven Combs, used under a CC-license : thanks Duncan Fairley]

Starting from today, whenever you say “Map It” during a GOOG-411 conversation, Google will send you a message “with the details of your search plus a link” to Google Maps.

I think this has something to do with today’s iPhone release. If you recall, iPhone has Google Maps built-in.

On a related note, “Google Maps is surprisingly responsive, even over EDGE”, the Unofficial Apple Blog commented on iPhone, “However, YouTube videos take a bit longer than advertised on TV to buffer and begin playing, even over Wi-Fi.”

The previously mentioned YouTube mobile version  (YouTube ToGo) is now available on this page at YouTube’s website. The first page of the mobile site warns users that “YouTube Mobile is a data intensive application”, and it recommends mobile users to upgrade to unlimited Internet access plan to “avoid additional charges.”

The home page (aside from the warning page), displays 10 feature videos (I edited the screenshot for better overview), along with the ratings and time. On the bottom of the page, you can click “Next” for the next ten feature videos, or find videos like you do in YouTube using the search box, or you can choose Most Viewed, Top Rated, Top Favorites, People, or the Entertainment category.

Clicking on a thumbnail or the title of the video will send you to the video page, which contains the information of the video, such as the user that uploaded the video, the upload date, category it belongs to, video description and a link where you can download the video in 3GP format.

On a related news, YouTube’s lab TestTube launched Remixer, it’s a like simpler version of Windows Movie Maker or Final Cut Express if you are on a Mac where you can mix your YouTube videos together, put some captions on, add a couple of picture or a track of music. It’s supposedly to promote Adobe’s Premiere Elements. [More YouTube Updates here]

[thanks to Christian, kik :)]

Google today released a new version of the Mobile Search. With it, you can now do more and faster than ever before!

Unlike the old version that you have to choose what to search first, Google now pack the results from web, images, stocks, and local lists in one page where available.

The Mobile Search home page also acts like the Personalized Homepage - you can customize it with “modules” by choosing “Add [service-name]” (Weather, News, Stocks, Movies…) under “Build your page”.

There’s a list of third party module you can added from, including BBC News, CNN, ESPN, MSNBC, Reuters, and Slashdot.

If you don’t have a web browser on your cell phone, “Flying high with Google SMS“. :)

[thanks Zach F.]