1. Map fans rejoice!
The Open Geospatial Consortium has approved submission of the Google KML markup language as an open standard. Keyhole Markup Language (KML), is used by Google Earth, Google Maps, Google Maps for mobile, NASA WorldWind, ESRI ArcGIS Explorer, Adobe PhotoShop, AutoCAD, and Yahoo! Pipes (just to name a few).
What this means is that you, too, will soon be able to create customized maps for anything your patrons desire.
- Google Earth 4.3 To Launch, KML Becomes Open Standard (Search Engine Land)
- Google’s KML map markup language now an official standard (Ars Technica)
- KML Documentation Introduction (Google)
- Google mapping spec now an industry standard (Webware)
2. YouTube videos get Googled
What are those new little red dots on your Google map? Why, it’s a video, of course! Google Earth had this capability last year, so it was only a matter of time before it was implemented to Google Maps.
- Google Maps gets YouTube videos (Webware)
- Google Maps Adds Options To Embed YouTube Clips (Mashable)
- Google Maps + YouTube Videos = Local Video White Pages (TechCrunch)
- Google Maps set to include YouTube videos (Computer World)
3. Microsoft Surface coming April 17
Not your traditional computer – instead, a keyboard image is “beamed” to a coffee table sized flat surface. Want to try it? Well, On April 17th you could if you lived in
- VIDEO: Microsoft Surface: Behind-the-Scenes First Look (Popular Mechanics)
- AT&T First to Introduce Microsoft Surface in Retail Stores to Enhance Mobile Shopping Experience (Microsoft)
- Innovation at your fingertips (AT&T)
- Microsoft Coffee-Table PCs Surface at AT&T Stores (New York Times)
4. Is Cuill (pronounced COOL) one to watch?
This is a stealth search start-up with former Googlers as founders. Their efforts are focused on setting new standards in search, in addition to providing perspective on developments in the field. The leader Louis Monier, is a search technology pioneer, having founded Alta Vista in 1995 and later leading teams at both eBay and Google.
- Cuill: Super Stealth Search Engine; Google Has Definitely Noticed (TechCrunch)
- Cuill (CrunchBase)
- Cuill Gets $25 Million In VC Funding (Search Engine Land)
- Cuill – Have We Found a Google Killer? (SEO Pitfall)
