07 November 2013

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, 360ยบ 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



WordPress is the most easiest and loved platform used by bloggers. This CMS is so much easy that anyone on this planet with little knowledge of computer can become master of it in 2-3 days.WordPress has changed the way of blogging completely and helped many entrepreneurs across the world to make their online presence.




With stunning themes and almost 27,519 awesome free plugins you can take you WordPress CMS to any level.

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Microsoft Aims To Lure Gmail Users With A Blunt Comparison Website



microsoft-gmail

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.

06 November 2013

New Screen Sharing Apps Do Not Require Plugins



The next generation of screen sharing apps work directly inside the web browser, thanks to WebRTC, and require no separate plugins or proprietary codecs.





This story, New Screen Sharing Apps Do Not Require Plugins, was originally published at Digital Inspiration on 06/11/2013 under Screen Sharing, Software

Google Drops Support for IE9



The Google Apps blog announced that Google will drop support for Internet Explorer 9, now that Internet Explorer 11 is available. "We support the latest version of Google Chrome (which automatically updates whenever it detects that a new version of the browser is available) as well as the current and prior major release of Firefox, Internet Explorer and Safari on a rolling basis. Each time a new version of one of these browsers is released, we begin supporting the update and stop supporting the third-oldest version."



This policy is great for Chrome and Firefox, which automatically update to the latest version of the browser. This way, most users run the latest version of Chrome and Firefox, they get the latest features and security updates. The policy is not useful for Internet Explorer, which doesn't update automatically and has limited OS support. Starting from 2011, Microsoft updated Internet Explorer every year and each new release added support for more web technologies and made the browser faster. IE9 was released in 2011, IE10 was released in 2012 with Windows 8 and IE11 was released last month with Windows 8.1.



IE11 is only officially available for Windows 8.1. There's a release preview for Windows 7, but that's mostly for developers. Windows 7 and Windows XP are still the most popular Windows versions, so IE11's market share is pretty low.



According to StatCounter, IE10 is the most popular IE version (12.42%), followed by IE8 (9.45%) and IE9 (5.88%). They're low percentages, but this means that Google's apps only support one of the top 3 IE versions and less than half of the IE users will be able to use Google's services without issues.






"Google's test plans have been adjusted to now stop all testing and engineering work related to Internet Explorer 9 (IE9), as Internet Explorer 11 (IE11) was released on 17 October 2013. End users who access Gmail and other Google Apps services from an unsupported browser will be notified within the next few weeks through an in-product notification message or an interstitial pages with information about modern browsers and how to upgrade to them."



Supporting old browsers is a lot of work. Instead of spending time testing sites in old browsers and fixing bugs, you could add new features. Still, Google's policy seems to target IE's fragmentation and force users to switch to other browsers that are updated more frequently (Chrome and Firefox).



Android has a much bigger fragmentation problem than Internet Explorer. Supporting only the latest 2 Android releases (4.3 and 4.4) would mean targeting less than 3% of the Android devices. The most popular Android release is always 3 or 4 versions behind.

Build Your Own Ebay-Style Auction Site With WordPress



eBay-Feature

There’s no doubt about it: eBay is a great site. You can easily buy & sell items, sometimes for a fraction of their retail price. The site’s been so successful there are swathes of auctioneers actually making a career out of eBay and its auctioning tools. But what if you’re sick of eBay cutting into your hard earned cash by way of commission fees? Well, why not host your own auction site? It’s simpler than you might think. Why Would I Want My Own Auction Site? Maybe you won’t, maybe you’re happy with eBay and the way that site works....


Read the full article: Build Your Own Ebay-Style Auction Site With WordPress



Technophilia 88 Live From MakeUseOf



technocover

This week: Bill Gates argues that giving the entire world Internet access won’t magically cure poverty. That jerk! Reddit’s “Politics” community is blocking entire sites, leaving them only asking why. And why South Korea, with Internet speeds that dwarf the USA, still mostly uses the web’s worst browser: Internet Explorer. As always, the headlines Bill Gates: The Internet is not going to save the world. That takes a lot of people working hard to solve problems. Adblock Plus now blocks more than ads, including Facebook “like buttons”. What it’s like when r/politics blocks your entire site. We were wrong: badBIOS...


Read the full article: Technophilia 88 Live From MakeUseOf



Google Operating System, Again a Phishing Site?



Back in September, I wrote about Netcraft, who incorrectly flagged this blog as phishing. Many applications use the Netcraft backlist, so Opera, Kaspersky and probably other apps prevent users from visiting this site. I reported this issue to Netcraft, who solved it, but the site was added again to the blacklist a few days later. A Netcraft employee promised to flag the site as safe.



The issue is that Netcraft only flagged googlesystem.blogspot.com. Blogger redirects to domains like blogspot.co.uk, blogspot.ro, depending on your country. Now Netcraft flags as phishing all googlesystem.blogspot.* URLs, except for googlesystem.blogspot.com.






Google Safe Browsing also shows a phishing warning for googlesystem.blogspot.ro, googlesystem.blogspot.com.br and probably other similar URLs. "Reported Phishing Website Ahead! Google Chrome has blocked access to googlesystem.blogspot.com.br. This website has been reported as a phishing website. Phishing websites are designed to trick you into disclosing your login, password or other sensitive information by disguising themselves as other websites you may trust."






I reported this issue to Netcraft and Google, so hopefully it will be solved. I just don't understand what triggered these phishing warnings and why they're no longer limited to Netcraft.



{ Thanks, Manuel Janeiro. }

Google Helpouts, Everpix Neverpix, Wii Mini, Gmail Sucks [Tech News Digest]




Tech News Digest… Breaking news into bite-sized chunks. Today, Google Helpouts goes live, Everpix dies, Nintendo announces the Wii Mini is coming to the U.S., Chrome gains a malware-busting update, Apple drapes itself in the American flag (for a change), Google’s augmented reality game becomes available to all, Microsoft goes after Google, and we’re told that video games are good for us after all. The Big Story Of The Day Helpouts Is Live Help from experts in their field is everywhere online if you know where to look. And most of it, like our own MakeUseOf Answers, is offered completely...


Read the full article: Google Helpouts, Everpix Neverpix, Wii Mini, Gmail Sucks [Tech News Digest]



Google Helpouts, Everpix Neverpix, Wii Mini, Gmail Sucks [Tech News Digest]




Tech News Digest… Breaking news into bite-sized chunks. Today, Google Helpouts goes live, Everpix dies, Nintendo announces the Wii Mini is coming to the U.S., Chrome gains a malware-busting update, Apple drapes itself in the American flag (for a change), Google’s augmented reality game becomes available to all, Microsoft goes after Google, and we’re told that video games are good for us after all. The Big Story Of The Day Helpouts Is Live Help from experts in their field is everywhere online if you know where to look. And most of it, like our own MakeUseOf Answers, is offered completely...


Read the full article: Google Helpouts, Everpix Neverpix, Wii Mini, Gmail Sucks [Tech News Digest]



Download TeamViewer 9 Beta Now



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TeamViewer, the popular screen sharing, file-sharing, and remote support software has been updated to version 9 with new features and improvements, and the first beta version of TeamViewer 9 is now available for Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems. Ability to open multiple connections in different tabs, wake-on-LAN to wake up your Windows, Mac, or […]

Moborobo: The all-in-one PC Manager for your Android or iPhone



Moborobo is an all-in-one PC manager using which you can manage your Android or iPhone right from your Desktop. If you are looking forward for some application that can sync your Android apps on your desktop this is one of the highly recommended program. This program also gives you a file manager, the ability to install or delete apps, make ringtones, and install various wallpapers.



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The Ultimate Guide to Solving 500 Internal Server Errors and Blank White Pages in WordPress



wordpress-error

The 500 Internal Server Error is the most unhelpful and nondescript bane of web developers everywhere. It’s a catch-all error message that can literally mean anything. Sometimes, your WordPress site gives no error at all and just shows a blank page. How on earth are you supposed to figure out what’s wrong? It happens to the best of us, but no need to panic. Here’s my own debug process, in order of likelihood and with solutions. Plugins If you’ve just installed a new plugin or if your site is showing 500 errors after a core WordPress upgrade, the most likely...


Read the full article: The Ultimate Guide to Solving 500 Internal Server Errors and Blank White Pages in WordPress



05 November 2013

Google Gives Education A Push With Virtual Field Trips On Connected Classrooms



Connected Classroom

Field trips used to be something between a picnic and an educational excursion. Google has given them a new virtual twist with the help of Google Hangouts. Google Plus has launched the Connected Classrooms initiative that will allow teachers and students alike to plan and conduct virtual field trips without the need to spend money or manage a large body of students. Virtual technology has already brought the world closer, and Connected Classrooms again shows how a social network can be used to change the old set ways of education. The Connected Classrooms Community uses Hangouts on Air to connect...


Read the full article: Google Gives Education A Push With Virtual Field Trips On Connected Classrooms



3 Career-Changing Reasons To License Your Work With Creative Commons



creative-commons-cc

If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably heard the term “creative commons” thrown around a lot over the past few years, particularly when discussing anything even remotely related to copyrights, yet you aren’t entirely clear on what it is or why it exists. What is Creative Commons and what good can it do for you? Join me as I explore the nature and implications of the Creative Commons License and the various benefits that can come from using it to license your creative works. What Is Creative Commons? Traditional copyright licenses tend to be very restrictive. For the most part,...


Read the full article: 3 Career-Changing Reasons To License Your Work With Creative Commons



How To Upgrade To Windows 8.1 From Windows 8 For Free



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The recently released Windows 8.1 operating system not only ships with new features but also addresses some of the announces of Windows 8 operating system. The ability to skip the Start screen and boot directly to the desktop, the Start button, and better Start screen personalization options are some of the new features of Windows […]

Nexus 5, BlackBerry Blitz, Steam Machine, Snowden Tweets [Tech News Digest]



nexus5

A new column designed to deliver the latest technology news in bite-sized chunks. In today’s Tech News Digest, we find out how good the new Nexus 5 really is, watch a new episode of the BlackBerry soap opera unfold, discover that Windows Phone isn’t dead after all, see the Steam Machine put through its paces, hear about Coursera’s real-world teaching plans, read about Edward Snowden’s tweets, and see why Amazon boss Jeff Bezos really loves his wife. The Big Story Of The Day The Verdict Is In On The Nexus 5 The New Nexus 5 from Google and LG has...


Read the full article: Nexus 5, BlackBerry Blitz, Steam Machine, Snowden Tweets [Tech News Digest]



Professional Musicians Sound Terrible When Subjected To The Shreds Treatment [Stuff to Watch]



shreds-stw-featured

The practice of taking original performances by respected artists and turning them into embarrassing self-parody is a YouTube phenomenon known as “shreds” – and it’s hilarious. Even if you’re a fan of the original artist or song you’ll have difficulty holding it together as the crowd goes wild for what is a cringeworthy performance. So join me in belly laughing at some of the most influential and successful modern artists, and feel better about your lack of musical talent while doing so. Muse – Knights of Cydonia Taken from their 2006 album Black Holes and Revelations, Knights of Cydonia can...


Read the full article: Professional Musicians Sound Terrible When Subjected To The Shreds Treatment [Stuff to Watch]



Why your Blog/Website Alexa Ranking is Not Improving even though your Traffic is Increasing?



This is one of the most common question asked to me by many bloggers.They complain me that their blog Alexa Ranking is not at all improving even though their traffic is increasing day by day.There are also cases where people say me that their Alexa is improving but not the traffic.Anyways in this article I will clear both the doubts related to this topic.



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