Three Suggestions to Make Google Photos even better

Google Photos is one of best Apps for managing photos online.  I started liking it more after they allowed 'unlimited' storage of high-quality photos.  I also like many of the enhancements to the App rolled out in the last year.

But, one of the key functionality I liked in the earlier version is missing in the newer versions.  I like to move photos to Albums and keep the 'inbox' view empty.  However, in the new version, Google took out that view and instead shows all photos in a chronological view regardless of if they were tagged to any album/s or not.

I sent the following feedback to Google today and hoping to hear back in a few days.

(This message was sent on Sep 9, 2017)
Dear Google

I like Google Photos and particularly the ability house ALL my photos.  However, I find the usability is not optimal.  I would like to see three improvements done to Google Photos.

1. Ability to 'search' for the album name when adding photos to Album.

2. A view with only photos that are NOT added to any album.  (I want ALL my photos to be part of some album and presently there is no way to figure out which one isn't.  This functionality was present earlier, but no longer available.)

3. Enhance the existing 'chronological' photo view to also include the album in which a particular photo has been added.

Google Plus Instant Upload & YouTube

I am unable to 'upload' videos on to YouTube from Google Plus 'Instant Upload' folder.. My question is Why can't I share the 'Instant Upload' feature of Google Plus to load videos on to YouTube?

Make no mistake, I love the the instant upload feature of Android Phones.  It automagically uploads photos and videos the moment I take them (assuming data connectivity).  These instant uploads are stored in a 'private folder' in Google Plus which allows me to share them and allows me to add them to a Picasa album.

Also, Blogger allows me to insert 'Photos from Phone' on to my posts.. But I am not able to 'upload' videos from 'Instant Upload' folder on to YouTube.. Why?

Did I get this wrong or this is truly a problem?  Your thought??

Google Voice - Potential to Change the Telco Landscape

Google never ceases to surprise us and with their voice launch they are at it again. It must not come as a surprise with its acquisition of GrandCentral. Nevertheless, it is surprising to see how they have brought many things together and launched a unique service that wasn't available as GrandCentral.

Google voice is obviously a competitor to Skype's domination in this space. However, Google has taken a totally different interface route. While Skype's predominant interface is via computer, Google voice will use any telephone to connect to Google Voice. And, that my friends is cool. With that one product decision, Google Voice has become a competitor to Telco companies across the world.

We could connect to Google Voice from any phone and dial out anyone we want anywhere in the world. Now imagine the possiblities and the distruptive nature this offering. For example, you could call US for free from anywhere in India via Google voice. Imagine the impact on the Telco companies on the International dialing business (particularly to US). Yes, we can do free calls to US now via Skype but that requires a computer.

I was all pumped up to play with Google Voice, but learnt that it is available only to GrandCentral customers for now and will be made available to other in 'weeks'. Can't wait..

Google Chrome - Do We Need Another Browser?

Google thinks so.. say that much in their official blog..

We realized that the web had evolved from mainly simple text pages to rich, interactive applications and that we needed to completely rethink the browser. What we really needed was not just a browser, but also a modern platform for web pages and applications, and that's what we set out to build.

Its been a while since I moved away from IE and use Firefox for all my browsing and have been quite happy with it. Now, I am interested to find out what Google has done better. Sundar Pitchai and Linus Upson (of Google) talk about how the web world has changed in the last 10 years and the need for the browser to run applications and not merely display pages. With that and simplicity as their mantra they have gone about creating the Chrome from ground up. They have even developed new java script (V8) which promises to speed up things. Chrome will be out tomorrow and I can't wait to download and play with it. More on it in a week.

Till then, Pl read this comic book and get to know Chrome,

Web Off line?

Web Off line?
Now that's a revolutionary concept and that's exactly what Google is claiming to the table with its Gears, which will be in the open domain making its adoption easier. It is still too early to comment at this time.. But Google is drinking its own Kool-Aid and is promising to plumb its calender, gmail and docs with off line capability which will be very significant and is sure to give heartburns to Microsoft. Even if Gears deliver half of what Google is promising the impact will be quite disruptive and will change the way we consume the web and thus our behavior pattern.

Google released a set of tools to software programmers, which it calls Google Gears, that addresses what is perhaps the single most critical shortcoming of Web-based software. The tools can be used by all programmers, whether they work for Google or not, to enhance their own Web-based programs for offline use. The company is making the technology available in an open-source model, so programmers can use it free, test its abilities and extend them as necessary to fit their needs.

Why Use GMail? by GMail Theater

An interesting short clip on why use GMail? According to this video it is 1) Spam blocker 2) Messages stored as conversation 3) Search 4) Gmail Chat.



I have been using gmail for a couple of years now and find 1, 3 & 4 useful, but # 2 is actually annoying. Most of us use 'reply with history' anyways and I find the message stored as conversation, just a nuisance to navigate through. How about you..?

Microsoft in Pursuit of Yahoo?

Microsoft is said to be in pursuit of Yahoo to bolster its MSN business in response to threats from Google. However, it is not clear is as to how it will this help Microsoft / MSN. Here are some reasons I could think as to why Microsoft would want to buy Yahoo..

1. Customer base / Traffic: This seems to be most plausible reason. Yahoo attracts more traffic than MSN and Microsoft might want to buy that. But then assimilating overlapping set of customer base very different technologies would be a very challenging task.
   
2. Search Technology: Microsoft has been pouring millions to enhance its search engine capability and might be looking at Yahoo to better its search technology. After all, Yahoo is doing better than MSN today in terms of search capabilities.
   
3. Middleware Synergy: This is least likely. Microsoft and Yahoo are on two very different technologies (Windows Vs Linux / BSD) and it would be very challenging task to switch the OS and middleware. Even assuming it is doable, what would be the business case for it?

One thing is clear though, Microsoft is having an identify crisis and is trying to figure things out. It started out as an OS company and branched out in to Office suite and Portal business. With the advent of software as service, OS and thick clients are becoming a relic of the past and in a way Microsoft is forced to reinvent itself. Not very long ago, it tried to buy SAP hoping to dominate the application software business and when that failed, Microsoft took software as service seriously and Yahoo might be helping in that journey.

Regardless of what happens to this deal, software industry is in for some big changes and customers are in for some beneficial but exciting ride

Google Couldn't Google for this One

The most popular search engine couldn't use its search tools to find Kaiser. Google had to go the conventional way and call in foot soldiers to search of Kaiser, which took over 2 days.

"Our exterminator, with Google's security team and the snake's owner, are searching for it. Should you see the snake, please do not attempt to touch it or pick it up. Call security immediately

If you are still wondering, Kaiser is a 3 foot python and its owner Adam brought it to Google NYC office as part of bring your pet policy where it gave quietly slipped out of its tank. After frantic search, Kaiser was indeed found resting behind a closet and was promptly caught and given marching orders.

"A snake was lost; it was not an April Fool's joke. It was found last night," a Google spokeswoman said on Tuesday. "The snake has [since] left the building."

Want A Job With Google?

Looking for a job With Google? This might help..

Sign Of Growth

Some say, you can measure the success of a company by the # of law suits it attracts and the # of attorneys it employ.

On both fronts, Google is blazing the trail. Its attorney population has grown 100 fold from a mere 1 in 2001 to 100+ 2006. Similar statistics are not available on the law suit front, but suffice to say it is several times more than what it was 5 years back.

From its YouTube video to search engine algorithm to Google Books, everything that Google does now attracts litigation. Why is that? Is it because they are pushing the envelope with everyone one of its product? Or, is it because Google is a cash cow now?

Who needs to change / alter its behavior? Is it Google or the archaic rules / laws?

Google Office?

Not yet.. but almost..

Google has finally revealed the new avatar of Writely, It is now Google Docs. With this, Google now has online spread sheet and word processing. Agreed these online tools does not have everything Microsoft Excel and Word has but is it all necessary? Majority of the MS Office users don't use the fancy bells and whistles anyway.

It is completely possible that, we would only need a browser enabled device and a solid broadband connectivity in the not too distant future for all of our information needs. What's say you?