Google has released three new services in the past two days. Most notably they have added all of Europe streets to Google Maps. Beta versions of Google Maps for France, Germany, Italy, and Spain include interactive street maps, driving directions, and integrated local business search. Accompanying this release, they also improved high resolution imagery coverage for Europe in both Google Maps and Google Earth.

Google also recently bought ScetchUp, a online software for design professionals (architects, designers, builders, art directors and game developers). But now they have dropped the Pro and made it available for anyone. The new Google SketchUp is for the do-it-yourselfer, the hobbyist, really anyone who wants to build 3D models for use in Google Earth.

You can model that new kitchen, or deck, landscape your virtual garden, or impress your teacher with a roller coaster or medieval castle. When you’re finished, place your model in Google Earth. There! The beginning of a virtual world. Warning: don’t start messing with this stuff after dinner because your first experience could be an all-nighter… making an idea come to life in 3D can be very addicting.

Finally, after screenshots taken of various new Google offerings, they are dishing the dirt on some new search techniques. First is a way to refine searches, so you can select a city you are interested in. Next is the ‘diggly’ famous results sidebars. And lastly, is a “Remove Results” option that would omit particular results from future searches if you decide they’re not useful.

Read [Google Map Mania]
Read [Google Blog]

From Gadgetell

AOL purchased Weblogs Inc. a while back, and is expanding their blogs to include stock blogs that will be focused on eight of the top companies in the USA. The eight companies include Time Warner (AOL’s parent company), Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, Apple, eBay, Wal-Mart and General Electric.

According to AOL’s press release on April 27, 2006:

Each featured company will have its own dedicated blog and a team of professional bloggers, including financial professionals, analysts, current and former journalists and dedicated investing enthusiasts. The bloggers will be monitoring company and industry news and sharing their views, insights and analysis. Each blog will also offer its readers an opportunity to provide their own reactions and viewpoints in an interactive community environment.

AOL’s current financial network has eleven million unique visitors per month. This will add even more traffic to AOL and Weblog, and expand their reach further.

Blogging Stocks
Read [News.com]

From Gadgetell

As announced on April 11th, ABC is now offering shows streaming on their website. The shows can be watched on your computer and have from 3-4 commercials (that cannot be skipped), placed throughout. This is a trial launched by ABC currently set to run until June 30th. At the completion we expect them to monitor the website viewership as well as the effect this program has on their $1.99 iTunes offering.ABC
Via [Zatz Not Funny]

From Gadgetell

Google Calendar was released two weeks ago and we are already seeing some really interesting ways to make use of the sharing function. (If you are not aware, you can mark events on your calendar as public so other people can see what is going on and when you are busy and free).

Clinical Cases suggested that doctors make use of this function. Doctors can make their calendars public (just the appointment times not any personal information) so you can see the availability and compare it to yours when scheduling an appointment.

Lifehacker suggested that the color coded feature can allow people with medical issues to track their well being over time. This can also be expanded to tracking your diet. (You can also do this in Outlook and others, but it is nice if you want to share it with a trainer or doctor).

Finally for you techies out there, TruePath Technologies really displays the possibilities when using the sharing function paired with categories and chat to plan outages and service on network servers.

We would love to hear what other ways do you plan to share your time with people?

Read [Clinical Cases]
Read [TruePath Technologies]
Read [Lifehacker]

From Gadgetell

Microsoft, currently involved in a huge marketing push for Windows Mobile 5.0, is developing their next Mobile OS code-named “Crossbow.” The OS will incorporate features such as instant messaging and will have strong links with Office 2007 and Exchange 12.

Read [CIO]
Via [Engadget Mobile]

From Gadgetell

Goowy is a new Web 2.0 solution that creates a personal webtop. What does that mean? Well, a webtop is like your desktop on your computer except is exists on the web. Essentially, you can have lots of different things on your screen that you would expect to find on your desktop but all accessible via the web.

Goowy allows you to access:

• IMs via AOL, MSN, Yahoo, and ICQ
• Upload, manage and share your files online with 1 GB storage
• Manage email, contacts and calendar
• Manage tasks and notes
• Organize your web data with a personalized start page
• Play games

They have a pretty cool demo that allows you to see what it is like or you can go ahead and sign up for a free account. Accessing your information from wherever you are is the hottest trend right now and Goowy provides a top of the line option.

Goowy

From Gadgetell

We won’t deny that we’re a little jealous CNET Asia got their chance to fool around with iRiver’s 6GB E10, which we’ve been eyeing with lustful eyes for a little while now. Sounds like interfacing with the clicky buttons wasn’t always expeditious in navigating the UI, so iRiver added some programmable shortcut keys; the 32 hour battery life and Flash Lite video support are also niceties. Unmentioned was codec support, PlaysForSure compatibility, etc., but what they weren’t too fond of was the proprietary connector (so what else is new?), the non-user-programmable 182 TV brand IR remote function (which if you ask us kind of seems like a haphazard feature thrown in from the concept device heap), as well as the fact that while it does also support MPEG-4 video, that’s about all it supports.

More info

From Engadget