Google: Changing the World

When Google first came out to the public, it was just a simple looking website.  Growing up throughout high school, my computer class always used Hotmail and Yahoo as our main sources.  Yahoo's interface was more welcoming than Google Beta at the time.  It was a plain blank background with just the Google logo compared to Yahoo with news, weather, sports updates, and so on.  I never would have thought Google would become the huge success it is now.  I also never would have thought it would become one of the main essentials in my life to use every day from checking email, finding directions, and basically keeping us connected to everything in the world.

Now that Google has taken over the world, it is worth billions of dollars today.  It has overall changed the world from the simplicity of its site to becoming the biggest search engine in the world that provides so much more than any other site.  It has more than one million servers across the world to make its search engine accurate!  Google has its own OS and continues to expand not only through mobile phones, but with personal computers.  After hearing how well of a search engine Google was, I began using it more often.  Google search became more reliable in its searches compared to Yahoo, MSN, Ask Jeeves (www.ask.com), and Excite.  The search engine became as simple once a few keystrokes are made, it loads the results in seconds.  It expanded itself to images, videos, blogs, news in real time, and much more.

After using the search engine for some time, I remember when Gmail first came out as a beta.  Everyone was wanting an invite and I was able to get one from a friend.  I was wondering what I was getting into for something that was just simply email.  I realized more with Gmail how much I enjoyed it more than Hotmail, how well it kept spam out of my inbox, and the space it provided for it.  I loved when I first tried it out, I felt like I was chatting with friends through the email, and it would group the messages together into one big email.  Then they included the web based chat and video, GoogleTalk which is now Google+ Hangouts.  You could call anywhere in the US and Canada which was pretty amazing at the time for people who didn't have a long-distance plan.  All of that now is included on mobile phones and computers.

Gmail overall, has changed so much over the years providing more space.  I remember it was 2GB of space in the beginning and it is now 15GB.  Gmail has become my primary e-mail after using Hotmail for years.  It gives you the options to change themes and colors.  It has its own tab for add-ons, sort of like a browser with extensions.  You can create labels for specific emails.  You can filter or block out specific emails going straight to trash.  Your emails are grouped up in three different categories: Primary, Social, and Promotions.  All of which makes browsing emails a lot easier and more organized.

Another product of Google that I found made a difference in the world is Google Maps.   It gives the ability to see all over the world to viewing streets of different locations within seconds including directions.  By doing this, it can use your current location with GPS or just typing in the area.  Another benefit of using the maps is Google Earth, it lets you view the world in 3D up close.  I can't forget though the most awkward and funny street views you encounter with Google Maps!

There are still tons and tons of Google products that I adore.  One of my favorite hobbies is to star gaze.  Growing up, I would go up to the airport or sit on top of my roof to see the stars.  I wanted to learn more about astronomy.  Besides Google Maps, there is Google Sky Map.  I have this app on my Nexus tablet and my smartphone.  With GPS activated, you can stand outside and it will show the stars right above you with each one labeled.  Finding the Big Dipper to the Little Dipper is just that simple.

The future of Google keeps growing more and more.  One of their future products that has been made is Google Glass. The beauty and slick design of simplicity with these glasses brings the world to you hands-free right across your eye with the use of your voice.  

As the site mentions:
"It’s surprisingly simple.

Say “take a picture” to take a picture.

Record what you see. Hands-free.

Even share what you see. Live.

Directions right in front of you.

Speak to send a message.

Ask whatever’s on your mind.

Translate your voice.

Answers without having to ask.

Strong and light.

Evolutionary design."

I cannot wait for it to come out, but I know it will be pricey.  I truly hope it works as it sounds being amazing, it's like something out of a movie.

Despite Google having to be worth billions of dollars, they are one company who really support many nonprofits to place a global impact for people just by making a difference for the better.  Below you will see Google Giving: 

It shows there's good in the company when they are willing to make a difference in people's lives.  I believe that's so important to do a random act of kindness as well as with charities and just to help other people by showing them that somebody, somewhere cares.  We live in a world where love is a constant need.

"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring: all of which have the potential to turn a life around."

Leo Buscaglia

Overall, I see Google being around for a very long time and creating so much more in the future  I can honestly say Google has changed my life and has amazed me compared to the first time I ever tried the internet in 1998.  It has helped me connect to my family across the world especially in the Philippines through Google Hangout, Gmail, and even my smartphone that runs Android OS.  I believe Google will always be a household name across the world and continue changing lives on how we interconnect.

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Three Free Software PC Products

I'm here to blog about free software that everyone can use and bring a lot of benefits in the end for them.  It's always nice to find something free and especially if it does pretty awesome things for you without having to pay a ton. 

1. Spotify

This software program I really love especially if I don't have the money to buy music.  You can look up any type of song and it will play the whole entire song or album for you!  It's all for free, but the only thing is you can't download the music from it for free without paying.  You can only play the music on your pc or mobile.  While I'm sitting at my pc, I play tons of music as I'm browsing the web.  Compared to iTunes, you only get to hear a sample of the song or among other sites that play 20-30 seconds of it.  The only way it stays free to play music is you have to put up with the advertisements.

Another nice feature on Spotify, is connecting your Facebook with the program.  You can see and share your music among your friends who have it too.

Here you can see what your friends are listening to live on Facebook to the right side of the ticker/newsfeed.

2. Floola

Floola is a free music software that works like iTunes.  It organizes your music for your automatically.  The only reason I like this program and use it for the most part, is the ability to take the music off my iPod.  For example, if I ended up deleting the music from my PC and still have it on my iPod, I can take it right off of it downloading back on to my PC.  Unlike with iTunes, I can't do that.  It will always remain on my iPod where Apple doesn't allow it to be downloaded back on to your PC.  I can understand Apple with the problem of sharing music freely among others, but people make mistakes of accidentally losing their music such as my PC crashing. 

3. Tango

Tango is actually a video chat mobile app, but can now be used on the pc.  It's different though because it's new to pc and the interface of one of the skins you start out with is a mobile phone interface.

It keeps up with all your contacts as well when you sign-in on it from your phone which is convenient if you don't have your phone on you. You only sign-in using your cell phone number and name.

The other interface is just a regular plain window and can be widen to full screen.  The calls come in like a regular phone. Maybe eventually it will have games like they do on the mobile app to play with other people while video chatting.

Hope some will enjoy these programs as much as I have.

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Review for Google Services

Google company has come a long way especially for users.  I'm impressed by all the services they have provided for everyone. Not only with their e-mail service, but how you can communicate with everyone. I like how I can customize the appearance of my Gmail and how you can create labels to manage your e-mail better. I enjoy the fact I can chat with friends, or video chat while checking my e-mail through Google Talk. I also like how you can call for free within the U.S. through Google Talk. I also like using Google Labs within your e-mail such as the Google map preview anytime there's an address found in it. 

I dislike the fact that you have to pay so much to use the full program of Microsoft Office, but with Google they have their own service as Google Docs. You can basically do everything the same as Microsoft Office, but for free. The Google Drive is pretty useful when you want to share a file and  even with a group of people. Using the drive helps save all files just like using the cloud and it's so convenient to just simply sign in anywhere always finding your files in there.  I enjoy the use of sharing a file where you can insert pictures, draw, paint, etc. Then with whoever you're sharing it with, can also edit it too. 

The only concern I have with the services is how sometimes it takes awhile to send emails. I noticed even with one file besides huge files, it can take half a day to send. Lately, I haven't had the problem in the last two months. It has only happened to me a handful of times this summer. From the moment Gmail first came out and getting the invite to use it, I was impressed with the amount of storage it had for your e-mail and it just seemed more convenient using it. It became my permanent e-mail over Hotmail and Yahoo. 

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