Drilling down shows up

Posted by Shuman Ghosemajumder, Product Manager, Ad Links

Starting today, you're going to see a new AdSense ad format (we're keeping the "old" ones too) for content ads on websites, called AdSense Ad Links. These smaller-than-usual formats use a bit of shorthand to link to several categories of ads, rather than display the ads themselves.



Ad Links are automatically matched to web page contents using AdSense technology. Our thinking is that Ad Links are useful for web publishers (who get a more flexible way to incorporate more advertising into their sites); advertisers (who get more inventory); and users (who get more relevant ads to choose from). All told, there's a greater chance you'll find precisely what you're most interested in.

Down to business

Posted by Jon Kennell, Software Engineer

Since Google Local launched, we've received a lot of requests from business owners who would like to add, update, or remove their business listings from our index. So now there's the Local Business Center, a free tool for doing any of those things and more. If you're too busy running a business to build or maintain your website, this makes it easy for customers to find you online.

Blogger API update

Posted by Eric Case & Steve Jenson, Blogger Team

We just pushed an updated version of Blogger's Atom API live, and wanted to post about it here to spread the word. Aside from using standard widely-supported technologies like HTTP and XML, we've added a few new things:

• Basic HTTP authentication over SSL for added security
• Strong internationalization support
• Documentation!

In addition, we've re-launched the Blogger Developers Network (feed), as well as the moderated, companion BloggerDev discussion list. Blogger's Atom API is fully supported on both BloggerDev and email - please keep us posted on your development progress.

Man vs mini-kitchen

Posted by Hunter Walk, Drink Challenger (and Product Manager)

Google's broad corporate goals are well documented, and as Googlers, we work hard to uphold these values. But sometimes one also needs individual and short-term objectives to motivate and inspire. My personal challenge? Drink one of each beverage offered on the Google campus. Every Google building has several mini-kitchens stocked with a variety of familiar, and unfamiliar, libations. Why do you climb a mountain? Because it's there.

In no particular order, I will imbibe every cola, juice, energy drink, caffeinated liquid and enhanced water. Scoff if you must, but cast no stone until you've taken on the entire line of Snapple beverages and lived to recount the experience. Because Google's great operations team is forever adding new choices to our refrigerators, my project is somewhat of a moving target, but here's what I've concluded thus far:

• The magical properties of VitaminWater are impressive, but their benefit-focused names ("Endurance," "Balance") remind me a bit too much of the Successories motivational posters.
  
• 50% of Extreme Energy drinks are flammable.
• Boylan's Bottleworks makes the best Ginger Ale. 'Nuff said.

What weird beverage am I missing? Send a link and our network of refreshment procurement experts will get on it.

I read the news today, oh boy!

Posted by Mike Dixon, Engineering Manager

We've been steadily adding more editions of Google News (Korea, anyone? Chile?) so that everyone can find up-to-the-minute coverage of the news they want to read. But maybe you've got your own idea of what's newsworthy -- more world news and less Michael Jackson, or possibly vice versa. Sports, sports, and more sports? Canadian news in both English and French? You choose the topics and we'll find the stories. So go on - customize your Google News page with *your* Google News.

Taking the plunge

We seem to be famous (or infamous) for never taking our products out of beta -- the software equivalent of commitment issues, perhaps. But in one case, at least, we're taking the plunge: Google Desktop Search has been kicked out of the Google Labs nest, and is officially 1.0.

We've been listening to your suggestions, and this release is crammed with our responses. You can now search your computer for PDFs and media files like MP3s, JPGs and GIFs, video files and so on (Desktop Search even indexes your media files' meta-info, so you can search for artist and file names, song titles, etc). And version 1.0 supports the Thunderbird and Mozilla email clients, Firefox browser -- and Chinese and Korean languages. There's a new floating deskbar you can place anywhere on your desktop, too. To better protect your personal info, Desktop Search won't search password-protected Office files. And serious geeks can now search cool new filetypes and create customized apps with the Google Desktop Search API.

If you already have the earlier Desktop Search, you'll automatically get all these upgrades. If you haven't, maybe it's time to take the plunge yourself.

Nikhil Bhatla
Product Manager

Searching for weather, by web or by phone

As a kid, I would stare for hours at repetitious weather reports on TV. Boring, you say? Not to me - I love weather. And since I've worked here, I've wondered why Google doesn't do weather. It seemed like a perfect 20% project for me, so now I'm pleased to report that you can get current conditions and a forecast by typing [weather Chicago], or whatever your U.S. location is (zipcodes are also fair game). If you prefer, use Google SMS to send a text message to the U.S. five digit shortcode 46645 (GOOGL on most mobile phones) followed by your meteorological query.

Ben Sigelman
Software Engineer