RB: Unofficial tech support returns home for the holidays

A nice article from Jeffery Chang, Associate Product Manager for Google Chrome.

Google promotes Google Chrome, but also promotes other browsers (in terms of asking users to upgrade to latest versions of them).

Official Google Blog: Unofficial tech support returns home for the holidays

I am trying to invent a new term "RB" - for ReBlog.

Google owns Gizmo5, but what about SipPhone?

Google has purchased Gizmo5, but there is not clarity as to what happens to SipPhone.com, SipHardware.com etc, are all these also owned by Google?

How is google going to use them?

in reference to: http://www.google.com/gizmo5/ (view on Google Sidewiki)

Adobe is not here, nor there

In the current spat of eBook readers, there is a platform that people completely missed. The PC and its newest version as netbooks and tablets.

Adobe with is reader and AIR platform (including acrobat online editor) is a leader in content distribution software, but for some reason has remained a laggard in eReader and its market place for unknown reasons.

in reference to: http://www.adobe.com/products/digitaleditions/ (view on Google Sidewiki)

One of the nicest but most underutilized reader

Microsoft Reader remains one of the nice but highly under utilized (By Microsoft, Hence by Industry) reader software.

Compared to Kindle for PC, this has been around for a long time and still hasn't been improved a bit.

in reference to: http://www.microsoft.com/Reader/ (view on Google Sidewiki)

CNN's new UI reminds me of AOL

New CNN UI is portalized and reminds me of AOL. It appears as if CNN is trying to move away from its "news" roots and trying to "portalize" itself.

in reference to: http://www.cnn.com/ (view on Google Sidewiki)

NNTP interface for sidewiki

WIll Google Sidewiki ever offer an NNTP Interface? In many ways, it appears to provide similar functionality to what IE's Discuss option provided, just that not many actually got to configure it and use it.

in reference to: Google Sidewiki (view on Google Sidewiki)

Google Voice with your existing number - how about building a trapcall type service?

Google Voice Blog: Google Voice with your existing number

Now you can use google voice with your existing number and still use features such as visual voice mail etc... I wonder if Google will set up a service such as trap call (or even buy it)? that way, an user can transfer a call to Google Voice... for recording etc..and may even be able to set it up to be transferred elsewhere based on the rules that they may have setup.

Google gets Gizmo5, What next?

Google Voice Blog: Google welcomes Gizmo5

Finally, Google announced that they have acquired Gizmo5.

Wow.

I already had my Google Voice number being forwarded to Gizmo5, ringing on a home phone. Can I now say, that Gizmo5 will now offer Free outbound calling thru Google Voice?

What about acquiring http://www.gtalk2voip.com/? The company that built the technology to transfer the voip calls to GTalk and back? That would cover entire gamut of technology needed to work.

Will Gizmo client have to merge into Gtalk client and with that will it continue to support MSN and SKYPE etc? I hated Gizmo5 client so much, due to its intrusive code and it was really heavy.. I hope Google steers clear of much of its crap.

It will be interesting to see... how some of this actually even makes into Android... .. Think of a Wifi based android phone that works with Google Voice Service instead of a regular carrier.

:)

Zune Media Player for PC

I wonder why Microsoft would not use Zune Media Player for PC as a standard application and add support for all other media players (That support Windows Media). It is a great piece of software with a really nice UI.

RIP Dash Express ?

I wonder if Dash Express has any future now? The company has already announced that it is quitting the hardware market. Now they want to sustain themselves as a platform provider. Only companies that want to make GPS and are not on a viable platform will find Dash attractive. Even the companies with established platforms such as Garmin, and Tomtom will find it tough to survive in Post Google Navigate market.

Dash may want to sell out itself to Nokia, or Google and/or port its platform to Maemo or Android. Since both of these are running on Linux, it should not be a totally difficult task. There are other options such as Openmoko and Palm, but in terms of funding Nokia and Google may be able to get the platform needed lift and merge it with their existing offering.

Dash can become a "Google Dashboard" on a car, just like Android trying to become the preferred Phone OS.

Got Fon 2.0n Router

Just got my Fon 2.0n router in mail. Now, needs unpacking.

Message for Mr. Ranadive

It appears that webMethods tried to certify its integration suite against Tibco EMS (JMS provider), but Tibco did not co-operate...

Heard a Tibco guy confirming that they won't.

Message for Mr. Ranadive is... you have always challanged status-quo, then why this?

Post Oracle-Sun, outlook for Tibco and Software AG

Post Oracle acquiring Sun, it will be an interesting but polarized market. People will gravitate between IBM, Oracle and Microsoft... of all... in such scenario, there is need for additional consolidation. In terms of Integration tools, Tibco and Software AG have a great match. Tibco's bus technology with Software AG's webMethods Integration Server can create best of the breed integration tool that will be a good competition against IBM's MQ and related tools, Oracle's Fusion and Microsoft's BizTalk.

Google Voice Blog: Moving to Google Voice!

Google Voice Blog: Moving to Google Voice!

GrandCentral is finallying becoming Google Voice ( I am sure people are going to be confused with Google Talk and Google Voice).

I would love to see an integration of Google Talk, Google Mail and Google Voice,

Imagine:

- Combined Contact List

- Combined Inbox (GTalk is already integrated)

- All you may need t do is log into Gmail (Gvoice and Gtalk will be just tabs or plug-ins).

- Ability to make and receive phone calls from GTalk/GMail itself

- Gtalk notification when someone sends you SMS or Voice/Mail (Gtalk allows you to send SMS already in USA).

Basically GMail becomes your one stop communication solution.

ACID3 Test and Chrome

Google is about to solve the Acid3 Test as it appears in the screenshot... There are minor kinks for them to solve.

Note: This test was rendered on Windows XP using their development build.