Google Chrome - A new browser

Google launch their own internet browser called Chrome yesterday to join the already crowded browser market. At first I thought, don't we have too much browser already? What's the catch? Isn't it obvious. To dominate the internet browser world or at least to lessen the Microsoft's Internet Explorer domination in browser market share. But what about Firefox? Since the Chrome project already started, I won't be surprise if Google acquire Firefox later on. So what are the juice inside the Chrome browser?

Normally I won't read the technical spec sheet too much, but the Google Chrome team has come out with a different approach. Instead of pages of boring technical writing, they release a comic sheet to tell in depth what is Chrome browser is all about.

GMail - Error 502

This error occur yesterday. According to the Google official blog, apparently GMail experiencing a temporary outage in GMail contact system. You know, the section where you save all your friends and contacts info in your GMail application. Luckily I was already at home (GMT +8 Malaysia time) so my GMail or other Google app usage normally drop to 5% only. I'm kind of get to use of this accessibility problem anyway.

Previously, even though my GMail is working, I usually still experiencing some glitch due to either my ISP or my office network congestion. This kind of glitch makes me wondering, are we ready to adapt a full blown service-based software or the Microsoft Outlook still shine for at least 10 more years? A tough question indeed don't you think?

Google Lively - Yet another fantasy chat room

Have you try out the new Google's app called "Lively" lately? yes, no, yes, no? If no, then a short word to describe this app would be, it is just like Second Life. Meaning, it is a platform that lets user create and personalize avatars and their own virtual rooms. Than what so special about it? Read on...

After personalizing to your own taste, you can embed your room to their website, your own blog, Facebook or Myspace pages.


You need to download the app first and the app is running through Internet Explorer or Firefox. Even though the Lively is free, the optional accessories for your avatar like cool shirt or hat is on sale.

To me this personalize avatar and chat rooms is nothing new. I did try out this type apps few years ago and I'm still wondering why do they create this app. It's more like meeting up in a fantasy room doing stuff that they can't do in real life. Get real people.

Android Developer Challenge

Google's Open Handset Alliance Project just released the Android software development kit (SDK) on Monday (Android Site). On top of that, the alliance offering $10 million reward to any developers with promising mobile apps built on Android platform (no string attached). If you are wondering what Android is all about, Android is another ambitious project initiated by Google to come out with an open source software stack for mobile devices that includes an operating system, middleware and key applications. The mobile suite is expected to power phones in the second half of 2008.

For further information, Android Documentation is the best source of reference. Among some of the technical details and features about Android:

• Android is a platform based on the Linux 2.6 kernel, a set of libraries, multimedia interface and phone applications;
• The platform includes the Dalvik virtual machine;
• Android is based on the Apache v2 open source license.
• Integrated browser based on the open source WebKit engine
• Optimized graphics powered by a custom 2D graphics library.
• SQLite for structured data storage
• Media support for common audio, video, and still image formats (MPEG4, H.264, MP3, AAC, AMR, JPG, PNG, GIF)
• GSM Telephony
• Bluetooth, EDGE, 3G, and WiFi
• Camera, GPS, compass, and accelerometer
• Rich development environment including a device emulator, tools for debugging, memory and performance profiling, and a plugin for the Eclipse IDE

For any Malaysian developer out there this is your chance to materialized your idea and get recognition on global scale. Any takers?

Google's Applications Under Attack

This is a nightmare. I open up my email, specifically my GMail account and guest what. A news from ZDNet about how vulnerable Google applications from hackers attack. This is including the Gmail, Blogspot, Picasa, Google Search Appliance and Google’s Urchin Analytics. They uses various kind of technique such as email filter attack, cross-site scripting, Cross-site Request Forgery (CSRF), IE’s expression() injection and Mozilla’s -moz-binding.

So how we are going to deal with this. This is too much as I use all of it almost in daily basis. So I figure, for the GMail application, I suggest we always sign-out whenever we done with it before proceeding browsing other side. As for the rest of the applications, I haven't figure out any precaution step yet. Maybe we can stop using all said application?

Electronic Library - Where is the fun?

I can't remember when was the last time I visited a public library to get reference for my research. I missed the environment and the people. I used to hang around in the library all the time during my student years. Not because I'm a book worm or nerd but at that time lot of thing in library amused me. Of course that was before I discovered internet.

In 2004, Google start a mission which is very bold and ambitious, to digitally scan library books and make them searchable online. The program enables users to find matches within the full text of books, while publishers and authors monetize that information. Libraries like Harvard, Stanford, the University of Michigan, the University of Oxford, and The New York Public Library were among the pioneers. However, nnly books published before 1900 will be part of this project.

Well last night, when I watch "A Beautiful Mind" movie, story about a Nobel Prize-winning economist and mathematician John Forbes Nash, the Game Theory caught my attention. I never learn that in engineering school and I thought this theory must be an ancient mathematical theory so maybe I could try the Google Book Search to look for related books. It was really my fist time using the Google Book Search and I think the system really impressed me. Once again Google has proved that it can go through the billions of pages on its search engine to string together material on any subject that has been written about.

Personally I think the program can helps publishers from all over the world to market their books effectively. There is a link to the success story of some partners. So I guess I'm going to missed library for good.

Google's Page Rank Unleashed

While searching some good reading material to kill my never ending boredom, I found this formula

PR(A) = (1-d) + d(PR(t1)/C(t1) + ... + PR(tn)/C(tn))

That's the equation that calculates a page's PageRank. It's the original one that was published when PageRank was being developed. Phil Craven has published an article on "Google's PageRank Explained and how to make the most of it".

Based on his article I would say it will took ages to raise my blog's page PR. Knock yourself out.