Showing posts with label Google+. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Google+. Show all posts

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Where to buy the Google Nexus 7



The Google Nexus 7 has already started shipping and is now available for pre-order in the US, Uk, Canada and Australia. many of the pre-orders done when it was first launched have already started shipping and the 7-inch quad-core tablet is in the hands of many geeks. If you order the tablet in the Google Play store you do get $25 of credit to spend on your favorite apps. The device has been made for Google Play and therefore is called AOA Alive on Arrival. As soon as you get it it is up and ready. Being a 7" tablet it is just bigger than your smartphone and small that the larger iPad - making carrying around the device that much more easier. Google has used Asus to make their home-branded tablet and the Google Nexus 7 can also be found in Asus stores in the countries of launch. The device is available for both 8 Gb and 16 GB.


So how to buy the Google Nexus 7
1. You can get your Google Nexus 7 at the Google Play Store. Click on the shop now link if you live in the US, Uk, Canada or Australia. Other countries would need to wait a few more months before the device is available for purchase. 


I want to buy the Google Nexus from a Physical store in the US
GameStop
B&H
Office Depot
Staples 
Kmart
MobileCity
Sam’s Club
Curry PC World Store 


List of stores where the Google Nexus 7 is available in Australia

Harvey Norman
JB Hi Fi
Dick Smith
Bing Lee
The Good Guys
Retravision
Radio Rentals
Officeworks
EB Games
Costco
BSR


List of stores in the UK where the Google Nexus 7 is available
Ebuyer


List of stores in Canada where the Google Nexus 7 is available
Staples.ca


If you can't wait and need one now you can try Craigslist or eBay there is sure to be someone trying to make a profit on the device. If you have bough the Jelly Bean device please leave a comment with your feedback on the Google Nexus 7. I am sure the list of stores above is not extensive enough. Please leave the name of stores where the device is available in your area. 


Friday, July 13, 2012

How to move your connections and circles to another Google+ account



You might be having multiple Google+ account - with one of them being your preferred account. Google+ now offers its users the ability to transfer circles and connections from one source account to a destination account. This is especially useful for users who have more than one Google account that they use. With the ability to transfer all your circles and connections to one particular account. You then need to only update one account with your status updates and not multiple accounts. With this functionality your contacts and followers once transferred will be merged. So if the contact already exists in the destination account the contact will simple be merged with no headache of multiple accounts for the same person.


There are however a few key notes to be considered. You will have a 7 day waiting period from the time you request a transfer. Once you use this service with these accounts you will not be able to do so again for the next 6 months. Once the transfer begins it cannot be undone, you can cancel however during the 7 day waiting period.


How to transfer circles and connnections to another Google+ account


1. Sign-in to your Google+ account
2. Click on this link https://www.google.com/takeout.
3. Under Circles click on 'Transfer your Google+ connections to another account' to start the migration.


You can read more about this at Ronald ho, Google+ account and find a longer more detailed how-to at the Google Support Page. Please let us know what you think about this new feature in the comments section below. 





An original post by

Sociolatte



Monday, July 9, 2012

Google +1 button to get Recommendations - Helps visitors to your site or blog discover more



Here's another reason to get the Google +1 button on your website or blog. Google has been busy working on the usefulness of this button and in the coming weeks. The button is going to get a feature that is simply awesome as well as useful. When visitors hover over the +1 button they will see recommendations for other useful content from your website or blog.  Thus leading to more engagement and content discovery. +1'ing is becoming a fun way to recommend stuff on he internet and let your friends in on what you think is hot. Also all content recommended will be from your domain or subdomains the +1 button is located on. Recommendations are very popular on blogs and every person who owns a blog knows that this is one feature that helps you retain visitors and get them to read more and discover more. If your site or blog already has the +1 button there is nothing you need to do to get this added feature. It will be updated automatically across the web in the next few coming weeks. 
Source: Google+ Developers Blog



An original post by

Sociolatte



Sunday, July 8, 2012

How to rearrange Google black bar navigation options [Chrome]



You know how when you open Google or Gmail or many other Google products. You get this black bar on top of the page. Sometimes there are options that you use more often then the ones that are permanently stuck there. You usually see search, images, maps play etc. now these might not be your most used Google services. You might want to have videos or reader over there. Some of these services are in the drop-down menu and can be quiet a pain when your working fast. You need to go to the drop-down menu click it and then go to the service you want to. With Big G Black Bar Sorter - a chrome extension all you need to do is to install the app and then simply drag and drop options in the Google navigation bar. You can also drag and drop options available in the drop-down menu. It's also fun to see how you can just pull a menu out of the black bar drop-down and fix it as a permanent link on the top right within the black bar. 


How to rearrange the black bar menu options in Google 
1. You will need to get Big G Black Bar Sorter - click the link and install.
2. Open Gmail or Google and now go to the black bar click on the option you want to move and then simply drag and drop
3. if you want to move an option form the drop-down, click the drop-down menu and then move the service name to anywhere in the black bar.
4. Simple arrange as you want and leave it be. It will work just fine.
5. You're done



An original post by

Sociolatte



Saturday, July 7, 2012

Google Ads to get a “mute this ad” [x] icon



Google is a company that is built on and thrives on Ad Revenue. Yes, it is a search engine among other things but all of itss revenue is Ad Generated and the company has been trying real hard to get their ads better and better and in fact making them more user friendly. If you are a regular YouTube user you know how you can skip ads, these in YouTube parlance are known as TrueView ads. Users who see Google Adsense ads are familiar with the 'Ad Choices' that appear on the top of these ads. Clicking on Ad Choices will take you to a page where you can choose what type of Ads you might like to see. This might be a way to persuade people from using Ad blocker. A lot of our favorite sites on the internet are available for free. All you need to do is put up with the ads. It is no use using ad blocker and using a service for free. If everyone did this then most of your Social Sites will need to shut-shop and quit. Reddit users are familiar with the 'Thank you for not using Adblock' ad that comes from Reddit. In fact they are so grateful that instead of an ad you might get a squirrel eating a nut or a smiling cat. 


Anyways, continuing further - Google Adsense Ads are going to get an (x) or mute this ad icon. This will be available over the next few weeks. How this is works is that when a user click on the (x) mark they will be able to must ads from that particular campaign. They will also see a page confirming that the ad campaign has been muted and also a link to Ad Preference manager. Where they can choose categories of ads they would like to see. This brings interactivity to their ads and also might increase creativity among advertisers who are creating ads. Do let us know what you think about this option from Google, in the comments section below.
Source: Google Adsense Blog





An original post by

Sociolatte



Wednesday, July 4, 2012

How to download Google Books to your Desktop



Google Books is a fantastic way to find and read books online. With Google books you can find books that are free and books that the author might have given permission then you might be able to preview the book or read the entire text. We have already written about how to download free ebooks to your Kindle nook or iPad. With Google Books you can now find all the free eBooks available online and read them too. But what if you want to download these free books to your desktop, there is no option to do so using the Google Books web app. Google Books Downloader for Windows and Mac OS X is a freeware app that will help you do just that, download ebooks onto your Windows or Mac PC. This is a freeware software that allows you to save these books in PDF, JPEG or PNG format (note: it supports only the books marked as "full view"). 


How does it work
1. Download the app onto your desktop
2. Open the app
3. If you have found the book you want to download, paste the URL of that book and then hit the download button, select the output format like PDF and then choose the resolution and you're done. The e-book gets downloaded and stored on your hard-drive. 


It is pretty straightforward and simple to use. You can download a book in just two easy steps without any hassle.
Google Books Downloader





An original post by

Sociolatte



Google Drive for iPad now available



Google Drive the cloud storage service from Google is finally available for the iPhone and iPad. The service lets you store your files and folders in the cloud and syncs all your storage devices together. So when you update or store a file on one of your devices that has Google Drive all the other devices of yours that have Google Drive, get updates automatically. There are however a few features that are not working currently in the iOS version of the App, that turns out to be quiet a disappointment. For now once you get the App on your iPhone or iPad, you will only be able to view photos and docs without the power to edit anything online. You will have to do this from your PC. 


So if there is no way of editing what might be the use of the App you might ask. Well, there are many uses. Especially if you are one of those people who have stored a lot of recipes on your Google Drive, you can now carry your iPhone or iPad to the kitchen for easy instructions use. You can also show all those pics you uploaded to Google Drive on your iOS device. The Android version of the App lets you do much more like editing and uploading new files and also the ability to share. The iOS version is sort of not fully functional in those terms but still useful. Also remember that will Google Drive you get 5MB of free storage. You can still share all your files with friends and therefore all those great pics can be shared right from the iOS version of the app. Let us know what you think in the comments section below.  







An original post by

Sociolatte



Tuesday, July 3, 2012

How to find the best apps for Chrome recommended by your Google+ friends



The Google Chrome Store now has an improvement. The ability to find Chrome Apps and Extensions recommended by your Google+ circles and friends. The point of the whole exercise is not just to now which Chrome Apps your pals are using but finding the most popular ones, recommended by your friends. it can be quiet insightful and the apps being used by your Google+ friends might be the ones trending and becoming popular. The Chrome App store is extremely useful and since Chrome became the most used browser in the world, their app store has been offering some of the most amazing apps, to make your Chrome experience even easier. Apps are all about improving your Browser experience.


How to find Google Chrome apps my Google+ friends are using
1. Go to Google Chrome Web Store
2. On the left hand side click on 'From your circles'
3. You find a list of Apps that your friends have added a +1 to
4. you will also find a few suggestions from the folks at Google to help you discover more
5. Click on the App and on the right-hand corner of the app see how many people have +1d the app. 
So try out this new feature and do let us know how it helped. 





An original post by

Sociolatte



Monday, July 2, 2012

Google Search by Image now gets Knowledge Graph






Searching for the Taj using Google's search by Image




We wrote about Google's Knowledge Graph and how it supercharges searching on Google. Basically what happens is then when you search for a particular subject, you get the traditional results that we are all used to and in addition the left hand panel will contain more information on the subject. So if you search for the 'Taj Mahal', you get relevant search results and in addition on the right hand side a brief from Wikipedia about the Taj and relevant news articles and links that will help you narrow down you search. This has been very useful.



Google's Search by image has now received knowledge graph. So if you are wondering around on your travels and you find something interesting. Maybe a painting, a particular kind of rock, a plant or tree you have never seen before. You can take a photo of it and use Google's search by image and find the best matching images. In addition, with knowledge graph, relevant information is now displayed beside you images. This algorithm is quiet complex and powerful, so even if you don't think it's going to work, Google might surprise you. All you need to do is to upload the image; Google will try to find the best matching images along with information about the image. So if you're researching something you might be presently surprised. To illustrate it and create a pic as an example we used a famous photo of the Tag and from the image you can see the results. So if all you have is an image to start your research this will most definitively help you. 






An original post by

Sociolatte



Saturday, June 30, 2012

Google+ Events: How does it work



Google+ now has an all new feature called Events. This is something that users on Facebook have enjoyed for quiet sometime. Google+ now brings the ability to create an event and invite your circles and friends to your events. When creating an event on Google+ you can share photo instantly with everyone using the party mode. Once the event is over everyone's photo will be on the event page. So all attendees and those who missed the fun can view all the pics and check out the fun you and your buddies had. The whole process of creating a Google+ event is quiet simple and all you need to do to get started is to login to Google+ and click the Events Tab.


Google+ Events - How to create an event
1. Login to Google+
2. Click on events
3. Select 'Create an event'
4. Enter a Title for your event
5. Set the time
6. Click on event options for the following - a. guests can invite other people b. guests can ad photos c. Advanced Options will allow Event on a Google+ hangout or Event on Air. Additional Fields include - website URl, Ticket Seller URl or YouTube URL.
7. Invite names, circles or invite people via their email addresses.
8. Click Invite and you're done.


This is a fantastic way to invite people to your events and it is not restricted to Google+ alone. You can also invite people who have not yet joined Google+. The speed and easy with which an event can be created is simply awesome and you can create an online event by using Hangouts


Video with first look of Google+ Events






An original post by

Sociolatte



Wednesday, June 20, 2012

How to create a Gmail Custom Theme and add your own photos





Google have released another feature to help improve your Gmail experience aesthetically. You can now in addition to using Color Themes and HD themes add custom themes. Custom themes are available in either Light or Dark and you can change the background image. Which means when you login to use Gmail you can now personalize and make it all your own. So improve your visuals in Gmail by adding pics of your dog, cat or just about anything. If you link an image you find on the net or maybe even find on Pinterest you can link back to that image and have it displayed in your Gmail.


How to create a Custom Theme in Gmail
1. login to Gmail
2. Click on the cog icon
3. Choose Themes, scroll down and select custom themes
4. To add your own photos select Change your backgroud image
5. You can now choose from my photos, photos from phone, upload photos, paste a URL and recently selected.
6. Choose the image you want displayed
7. You're done
Source: Gmail blog

Video below for the visual on how it's done.






An original post by

Sociolatte



Monday, June 18, 2012

How to add Google Authorship to your blog post by switching your blogger profile with your Google+ profile [Shortcut]



You know how these days you see search results on Google with a photo of the author besdie the post. This is good because it increases your CTRs (Click Through Rate). Poeple might tend to click on a post with a photo of the author as it brings with it a feeling of trust and being authentic. This is also know a canonical and gives the author the ability to claim original posts they have written. There are many ways to do this but this post will deal with a shortcut. The shortcut has to do with simple changing your Blogger profile with your Google+ profile and letting Google do the rest for you. You can do this on any blog you write and if you have a Google+ profile this can be done with one quick step. If you are wanting to just test and try it out you can always switch back to your Blogger profile at any time within 30 days of making the switch


What happens when you switch to your Google+ profile
You blogger profile is changed and your display name is now your authentic Google+ profile name and info. When someone clicks on your name on your Blog it will direct to your Google+ profile. People can then read and learn more about your on your G+ profile. Comments you might have made before the switch will still display you Blogger profile info.


How to switch my blogs to my Google+ profile
1. Click on this link read through all the info and decide if you want to change to your Google+ profile. 


How long does it take
It only takes a few days before your photo starts appearing besdie your blog posts on the internet. Specifically on Google search results. There is nothing else to be done and no code to be added. Just change your profile and Goole will automatically take care of everything else for you. 


How  to switch back to your Blogger profile
Please follow this link to switch back.  This needs to be done within 30 days from the time you started the process. 
Read More: Google support





An original post by

Sociolatte



Thursday, June 14, 2012

What happens when you add someone to a circle on Google+







With the rising popularity of Google+, chances are that if you have joined the services people have started adding you to their circles and you have been doing the same. Circles on Google+ are groups of people you might add together based on common interests. So you can club all the best pals in one circle and let's say you follow a lot of popular bloggers on Google+, you can group all of them together in one circle. So you have a couple of circles that have people you have grouped together in a circle. So what actually happens when you a add someone to a Google+ circle or you might be wondering what happens when you have been added to someone else's circle.


This is what happens when you add someone to a circle on Google+
1. You can see their public updates on your home page.
2. They can also see your public updates when they login to Google+
3. Both of you appear on each other's public profiles
4. You can chat with each other
5. When you login people who you have added to your circles can see your public updates and you theirs.
6. You can comment or +1 their posts. This way you can see replies and continue the conversation
7. You can reshare their posts.

Exceptions:
If someone adds you to a circle and you do not add them back, they will be able to see your public posts but you will not be able to see theirs because you have not added them to a circle. You can however search and find their profiles and public updates. So to follow you need to extend the courtesy and add them back to one of your circles. Unless you're a famous person who has been added by too many people.


Please leave a comment below to continue this discussion.



An original post by

Sociolatte



How to disable or remove an add-on or extension in Google Chrome





Chrome Store for Extensions



Google's Chrome Browser has taken over as the most popular browser. Using Chrome is simple and easy, you can add all kinds of add-ons, plug-ins and extensions. There is even a part of the Chrome Store dedicated to extensions which can be found here. Adding an extension in Chrome is a very simple task and if you want to remove or disable an addon or extension it can be done in three easy steps. Chrome has been made for simple and fast browsing. Enabling even a newbie to accomplish tasks that have previously been considered difficult. So if you are fed-up with an extension of add-on and you would like remove it here is how to do so.


How to disable a Chrome Extension
1. Launch Google Chrome
2. Click on the Wrench icon. (Top right-hand corner)
3. Click on tools and then on extensions
4. Find the Add-on or extension you want to remove and then uncheck the box before enabled
5. 'Enabled' should now turn to 'Enable' meaning it has been disabled and you would need to click the check-box before that extension would work again on Chrome
6. You're done. 


Check out the video below for the visuals. 






An original post by

Sociolatte



Friday, June 1, 2012

How to create a Google+ Local page







Google+ just launched Local and we have already covered that topic here. Just to recap Google+ local is to help users find restaurants and other fun places close to where there are at the current time. Google+ users can use local to find the best restaurants and places to visit in their localities. Local also offers a 30 point Zegat system where you can read reviews and write your own. It is therefore important for people who own local businesses to create a page catering to Google+ local. A must for merchants, local businesses and small businesses, a good way to promote your business online. 


Benefits of creating a Google+ local page:
Will have a map with locations
Your contact info like phone number, address and hours of business
You can create and manage Circles and join Hangouts like regular Google+ pages
You can also share content and create posts on your Local page


How to make a Google+ local page
1. Signin to Google+
2. Click on more icon found at the bottom left hand corner and then on pages
3. Click on create new page on the icon top right-hand corner
4. Select local business or place category
5. Enter your business number and then select locate
6. If your business is located, click on it and claim it, if your business is not found, you can then add your business to Google or search by using another number.
7. Enter business information
8. Add categories
9. Choose age requirement, in case your page is very interactive
10. Click create and you're done
Source: Google+ help




An original post by

Sociolatte



Google Shopping to start charging companies for listings







Google product search which has been rechristened Google Shopping, was previously a free service that helped merchants and business owners to list their products for free. In many parts of the world Google product search has already been called Google Shopping but without the paid model. This is the first time that Google is moving a way from a free search product to a use pay-to-play model. The company says that it will better the shoppers experience in addition to making sure that business owners and merchants keep their product pricing and listings up to date. This would mean a better shopping experience for end users. This change will effect all business owners in the US and the entire transition will be complete later this fall. Other countries will get the paid model of Google Shopping early next year. 


With this play-to-play model merchants will have more control over where and when their ads appear. which in turn should translate into better business but this time you are actually going to pay for it. So how will this effect your search ranking on Google Shopping. Google has said this will be based on a combination of factors like relevance and bid price. Which will function the same way display ads function. So if you have had experience placing ads on Google you will know how this functions. You will need to outbid your competitors to stay on top - could turn into an expensive proposition for business owners. As only merchants and business owners who pay will have their listings displayed. This brings to an end a 10-year free service that was being offered by Google. This will effect all business owners and whether you want to sell electronics, books, food and other goods. Google Shopping will come at a price. Merchants can also choose to participate in a program called Google Trusted Stores that will offer a report card on the merchant letting people know which stores offer reliable service and quick delivery. Taking it even a step further by working with you and the store if there is an issue. 
Source: Google Commerce Blog learn more about Google Shopping here (Official Site). 








An original post by

Sociolatte



Thursday, May 31, 2012

Google World Wonders: For full 360° views of modern and ancient heritage sites





Street View on Google Maps is a popular way for you to explore places at street level views. All this being accomplished by Google's street view cars that have cameras mounted on them. Google cameras got close enough to these heritage sites of both the ancient and modern world and have created beautiful 360° views at street level. With Google World Wonders you can now go globetrotting sitting on your armchair and visit the ancient wonders of the world. All in stunning clarity, 360° views, 3D and accompanied YouTube videos to help make your journey and discovery as clear and as real as possible. 


It also has a lot of benefits for teachers who can use this service and its lesson plans to help teach children. Now when students need to research wonders of the ancient and modern world, Google World Wonders can definitely offer a realistic picture of these wonders. Currently there are 132 historic sites from 18 countries, including Stonehenge, the archaeological areas of Pompeii and the ancient Kyoto temples. Man-made sites include natural places: wander the sandy dunes of Australia’s Shark Bay or gaze up at the rock domes of Yosemite National Park in California. Google Wonder also has a YouTube channel to help you explore more. 












An original post by

Sociolatte



Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Google+ Local: How does it work



If you login to Google+ you're going to see a new tab on the left hand column. It is called Local and the icon is of a person and a map pointer. Google Local now integrates Zegat ratings, from the site that used to charge $25 annually for access to its diners ratings of restaurants from across the globe. Google+ Local now has these ratings available for free when you search for places located close to you. Once you find a place and want to review it you can do so by using the 'Write a review' icon. Your ratings are then also available in Zegat reviews. So posting to Google + Local will also show up in Zegat. Both the services are now tied together after Google bought Zegat for in Sep 2011 with reports saying that Google paid 150 million dollars. Google is now expected to build a powerful competitor against yelp.com - which refused a 500 million buy out from Google. 


Google+ Local: How does it work


Once you click on Google+ local you get two bars one to enter the service you want to find and the other for the city you want to find it in. Once you enter a search term you get to see if any of your contacts from within your circles have reviewed any of these places and services. You can then write a review and to do this click on the pencil icon. You then get a pop-up with the Zegat 30 point rating system. To rate and review, if the default labels are not related to your review you can change the labels by clicking on wrong labels. This can happen when you want to review a park for restaurant labels appear. Once you write a review your review is posted under your name and no alias is allowed. This review will also get cross posted to Zegat. You can also find reviews from top reviewers or people from your circles. 


If you're wondering what the 30 point rating system of Zegat is:

26 - 30Extraordinary to Perfection
21 - 25Very Good to Excellent
16 - 20Good to Very Good
11 - 15Fair to Good
0 - 10Poor to Fair


Google+ Local for mobile available here
Learn more about Google+ local here
With Google+ local you can share photos from your favorite places, write and share reviews of the places you like to eat at, stay at, play at, dance at or have fun at. 
Google+ is a simple and easy way for you to find great restaurants and places in your city. Also lets you research cities you might be visiting and find great places and services there too. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments section below. 








An original post by

Sociolatte



Video: Sergey Brin lets interviewer try on Google Glass which he hopes to launch sometime next year



Google's Project Glass was in the news a few days ago when Sergey Brin Google's co-founder was spotted wearing the AR glasses. Google Glass is in the news today again and this time because of a video where Sergey Brin actually lets an interviewer try on Google Glass. Gavin from The Gavin Newsroom Show gets a chance to try on the hi-fi piece of eye-wear and get a glimpse of the product the Sergey hopes will be out next year. There has been a lot of speculation with analysts saying it will be years before the glasses are available to the public. Sergey on the other hand says that he hopes to have it out sometime next year. This does sound a little bit fat-fetched. But hey, this is Google and they do have a reputation for getting things done on time and beating deadlines. This smartphone for the face does everything your phone can without you having to use your hands. It is like an 'Advanced Skunk Works project' he says and yes it is really out there. Check out the video below and see for yourself what Sergey Brin has to say about it. 






An original post by

Sociolatte



Monday, May 28, 2012

Google Correlate: Helps in better SEO and keyword research data






Now this is another good product from Google and will be especially helpful for people who are into SEO, research or marketing. With Google Correlate you can find out information on products, seasons, trends and a host of other correlated subjects. So once you enter a search term you can find keyword data and search patters that you might not have though existed before. This really helps SEO experts find new keywords that they can use to optimize their content. So if you are a website owner or a blog owner this is one tool you might want to look into regularly. It will show you how search terms that are important to you are related to other terms and how these patters might emerge and do the same patters change with seasons. 


Google Correlate is a part of Google Trends and helps in analyzing data chronologically. It is different from Google Trends and insights for search in that it gives you a historical picture of the data that you want to analyze.All the web search data that is being used by Google Correlate is Google date starting from January 2003 to present. One fine feature of the product is it's ability to show best matching keywords based on search volume and how related keywords might have changed over time. So if you are a student and need help with products or searches that might relate to your topic, correlate can help you. If you are a blogger or website owner use this product to help you come up with better website and keyword optimization. Give you content a broader perspective and gain a newer audience.
Google Correlate






An original post by

Sociolatte