NiallOK’s Blog

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I’m posting this entry using the just-released beta of Google Chrome, the new browser from search giants, Google, and I have to say, on first impressions, I’m pleasantly surprised by how good it is - it’s fast, was easy to install, is easy to use, and has a nice clean interface.

It’s practically identical to Firefox 3 in a lot of ways yet stands on it’s own (in a sort of Safari way - except better) in others - including its design - with the tabs neatly tucked into the titlebar and the address bar doubling (or is it ‘trebling’?) as a search entry box and bookmarks launcher. It’s quite tempting after using it for only about half an hour to switch over to it as my primary browser… but I’ll give it a while yet!

Also, as it seems pretty streamlined and lightweight, I wonder will we see a mobile phone version coming out soon…?

Definitely one to watch.

Coverflow … “invented” by Apple in order to create an attractive way of flipping through your albums on your touch-screen iPod … adapted by various software applications (including one I use quite a bit - VirtualDJ) - and now, also being used by searchme to make their “visual” search engine.

I don’t honestly know how long searchme is around, but I’ve just come across it. It’s a clever idea, and it works better and seems to give better (and more interesting) search results than Cúil (the new search engine kid on the block that claims to have a database many times bigger than Google’s). It even allows you to search videos, with the ability to actually play the videos inline within the 3D search results interface, which is quite a nice feature.

This is a fox. He’s on fire. “Whoosh!”… if you like. Mind you, he can’t be enjoying that…. This week a new world record was set by over 8 million people… not for setting foxes on fire, but for all downloading the same application to their computers within the one 24 hour period - that application being the hotly anticipated Firefox 3. (Frankly, I never understood, at the time, where exactly they got the name Firefox from… it was originally called “Phoenix”, and then “Firebird” - which made sense, as it was a sort-of phoenix from the flames;- a rebirth of the browser… but some people complained, notably Phoenix Software and the Firebird Free Database Software project people, so “Firefox” it became and remained. It’s certainly unique anyway…) [More history here].

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Every year, on this day, Google makes a big announcement about their plans for the future and this year is no exception… behold! Virgle! Their combined effort with Virgin promises “The Adventure of Many Lifetimes” - bringing people from Earth to populate the first permanent colony on the planet Mars!

Of course… they’ve done this before…

And Google aside, there’s a Top 100 which is worth a read.

Have a good one!