A Google Parameter Brings Back the Black Bar

If you're missing Google's black navigation bar, there's a parameter that brings it back. If you add "?noj=1" or "?noj=0" to a Google search URL, you'll temporarily replace the app launcher with the black bar. Here's the "black bar" version of the Google homepage: http://www.google.com/?noj=1.

This doesn't change the interface permanently and it's not clear for how long it will work. The parameter also disables Google Instant and replaces it with the old Google Suggest.



{ Thanks, Rubén. }

Mailbird: Change The Way You Use Email [Giveaway]

Things on the Internet are not as private as we want them to be. For most of us, our entire online communication resides on someone else’s server. And in most cases, it’s Google’s servers we rely on. But more and more users are looking for alternatives. Ways to handle their email without storing it in some huge company’s remote server. For those users, Mailbird is a great option. Mailbird is an email client for Windows with IMAP support for almost all email providers. According to Mailbird’s website, they never scan your emails and never store them on their servers. While...

Read the full article: Mailbird: Change The Way You Use Email [Giveaway]

37signals Launches ‘We Work Remotely’ Job Board

37signals, makers of project management app Basecamp and the Ruby On Rails programming language, has launched a new online job board meant specifically for remote workers. 37signals will be shutting down their existing job board and will migrate all listings to the new site, We Work Remotely. “As a company, we’re obviously big supporters of working remotely. We’ve been doing so for the last decade. 75% of our people are working remotely. We just wrote a new book, REMOTE: Office Not Required, about the why and how. Now we want to help highlight forward-looking companies who’ve decided that they too...

Read the full article: 37signals Launches ‘We Work Remotely’ Job Board

Ballmer’s Successor, YouTube Comments, Facebook Likes, TARDIS Truth [Tech News Digest]

Tech News Digest… Breaking news into bite-sized chunks. Today, Microsoft edges closer to naming Steve Ballmer’s replacement as CEO, a creepy computer-generated girl named Sweetie tempts predators, video-sharing app Viddy goes Supernova, Apple forces a website tracking the availability of Apple stock to shut down, YouTube comments lose their edge, new MOGA gaming controllers are announced, Facebook redesigns its iconic Like and Share buttons, and Doctor Who’s TARDIS is shown to be theoretically possible. Microsoft Shortlists Ballmer’s Replacement In August Steve Ballmer announced he would be stepping down as CEO of Microsoft to enjoy retirement, no doubt by sitting atop...

Read the full article: Ballmer’s Successor, YouTube Comments, Facebook Likes, TARDIS Truth [Tech News Digest]

Launch8: Dock For Windows 8.1 Start Screen

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A lot of has been said and written about the Start screen in Windows 8/8.1. A bunch of third-party tools are already available to customize the look and feel of the Start menu replacement. For users who love to access the Start screen without leaving the desktop environment, there is a free tool to open […]

YouTube Tests Google+ Comments

YouTube already tests the new commenting system powered by Google+. I took these screenshots while not being signed in to my account. After signing in, I got the standard comments.



Here are the new features:



* Smarter sorting: see more from people you know

* Meaningful conversations: new threaded format and +mentions encourage discussion.

* Comments appear from both YouTube and Google+.

"Comments you care about show first. You'll see comments at the top of the list from people in your Google+ Circles, from creators, and from popular personalities. Comments with many likes and replies will rank highly as well. Choose Newest First to see the most recent comments instead. Replies are threaded (like Gmail) so you can easily follow conversations. Google+ posts that link to videos or channels will also appear as comments on YouTube, marked 'via Google+'. You can report any comment for spam or abuse. If you're a creator, you can also use comment moderation tools for comments on your videos or your channels," informs Google.



"By default, your comment will be public on YouTube. You can also have a more private discussion by sharing your comment just to specific people or Google+ circles. Click Edit to enter the people and circles you want. On mobile apps, tap the field that shows the visibility of your post. You can also share your comment as a post on Google+. Only the people you choose will be able to see the comment on Google+."

You can also add rich text using the old Google Talk tricks: *bold*, _italic_, -strikethrough-.



The new commenting system is already enabled for YouTube channels, so you can already test it. Here's a random YouTube channel that uses it.

Pegman in the New Google Maps

Pegman is back in Google Maps. When Google unveiled the new desktop interface for Google Maps, the cute Street View guide was missing.



"To discover a world of imagery at your fingertips, look no further than Pegman – your guide through Street View – who you can find in the lower right corner of the screen. Click on Pegman, and areas with Street View imagery will light up in blue. For a street-level preview, hover over any highlighted road, then click to dive into that location. As you zoom in, you'll also see blue circles indicating where you can find user-uploaded photos, including Photo Spheres – immersive, 360º panoramas taken from land, air, and sea. Click on a yellow circle to see inside restaurants, museums, and more," informs Google.

I don't see Pegman yet, but it will roll out in the next few days or weeks. I'm sure that the yellow icon will be easy to spot once the new feature is enabled by Google.



The new Google Maps added a few other useful features: you can now preview directions by clicking "preview steps" and explore 3D bird's-eye view imagery in Earth Tours. "Wherever you see the Earth Tour icon, you can click, sit back, and get a virtual tour from a soaring angle. Dive into Boston or circle the Alps." There's also the new Google app launcher that replaces the black bar and some new icons for settings and help that are placed at the bottom of the page, next to the "Explore" box.

The features are available in the new Google Maps for desktop and Google says that "more of you will begin to see the new Maps experience," which probably means that the new Maps will start to replace the classic Google Maps. I'm sure that the classic interface will still be available for a while, at least until Google adds the missing features and improves the features that require WebGL.

{ via Google Lat Long. }

Incredible WordPress Shortcuts For Fast Blogging

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Microsoft Aims To Lure Gmail Users With A Blunt Comparison Website

As the old saying goes, when they start insulting you, you’re obviously doing something right. And judging by the comments being thrown Google’s way by Microsoft about Gmail, it’s pretty obvious that Redmond is worried. He’s worried enough about Gmail to build a new website and start a public smear campaign. On the Microsoft-owned and built “Keep Your Email Private“, Microsoft fires the first blunt salvo right away by declaring in big lettering : Think Google respects your privacy? Think again. And with hardly a moment to catch their breath, they charge : Google goes through every Gmail that’s sent...

Read the full article: Microsoft Aims To Lure Gmail Users With A Blunt Comparison Website

Google Search App, the Android KitKat Launcher

Ron Amadeo from Ars Technica noticed last week that Google's KitKat launcher is actually an extension of the Google Search app. "While developing KitKat, Google made a very interesting decision: rather than graft a few new search UI pieces onto the home screen, Google threw the existing home app in the trash and turned all home screen functionality over to the Google Search app."



It turns out that the launcher is powered by the Google Search app and it doesn't work if you disable the app. This is not unexpected: two of the standard features of the Nexus home screen are added by the Google Search app: the Google search bar and the swipe up gesture for Google Now. KitKat brings support for the "OK Google" hotword, so you can trigger Google Voice Search without pressing a button, and adds a new gesture for Google Now: swipe right.



I installed the updated Google Search app and the launcher on an old Galaxy S2 using the instructions from Phandroid.com. I must say that the experience is completely different from Jelly Bean: the app launcher no longer includes widgets and it looks more crowded, the entire launcher can be managed from the Google Search app, you can no longer disable and customize cards from the settings.

The full-screen Now widget can only be removed if you disable Google Now in the settings or if you install a different launcher.

You can now add as many shortcuts and widgets as you want because the number of screens is unlimited.

The home screen includes a search box, a Voice Search button, hotword support for Voice Search and a Google Now screen. These are the main features of the Google Search app, so you'll use it without opening it. Removing friction and making the experience more seamless will encourage more people to use Google Now.