May
14th

Oneupweb Reviews: Google Search Options

Posted by Jared on May 14, 2009 at 4:00 pm

If you haven’t heard by now, a couple of days ago Google rolled out another update for search during its second Searchology event. At the first event, the world was introduced to Universal Search, a revolutionary update that delivers blended results of video, images, web pages, books, etc. for virtually all search queries.

This most recent update introduces a few features that have the potential to be just as revolutionary.

One of these new features (and what I’ll mainly be focusing on) is Google Search Options, a toolbox of filters and other options that lets users drill down and expand any given search query. Search Options is now a permanent fixture of Google SERPs located in the upper left-hand corner with a link reading ‘Show Options’. By expanding the menu, you’ll find options to sort results by date, to be shown only videos, images or display more text than the standard 155 characters. You can even filter results to be shown reviews or forum discussions on a certain topic.

For a better look into how it all works, you can either go to Google or watch the video below.

With Search Options, the hype around ‘personalized search’ has finally come to reality. Unlike Search Wiki, the laughable attempt at personalization that fizzled and was forgotten soon after its arrival, Search Options has the key characteristic the Google engineers forgot to install in Search Wiki: everyday usefulness.

The instant ability to adjust a search for common themes such as ‘by date’, or to find strictly one medium of results like video or images on an easily navigable toolbar is great. Doing all that without having to take the time to log into an account of some sort is even better. And the best of all, this is something Joe Searcher can and will use.

It’s simple, useful and, most of all, practical. There’s no voting up and down of search results (who wants to take the time?), commenting on random web sites you find (which is like shouting into the infinity of space), or logging into an account (so Big Bro can peer over your shoulder at what you’re up to).

For those of us in the search industry, this update has the potential to cause some headaches. Users now beginning search queries on broader topics don’t necessarily need to re-try their search with more-focused, longtail keyword variations. They can simply sort the information presented the first time around. Sure, there will invariably be the refinement of searches, but Search Options provides a path to do that without wracking your brain to try and come up with the right combo of letters and, sometimes, numbers to find whatever it is you’re looking for.

What do you think? Will the longtail explosion be curved with this search feature, and invariably others to follow? Will it thrive, as I hope it does, or will it burn out and become just as irrelevant as Search Wiki?

My only gripe is that Search Options seems to conflict with certain FireFox extensions such as Stylish, which change Google’s background colors and settings. As of now, Stylish settings need to be turned off in order to use Search Options. But all in all, a minor problem in the face of a major accomplishment.

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Feb
24th

Oneupweb Reviews : Nike Plus Running Community

Posted by Teal on February 24, 2009 at 4:20 pm

Spring is *almost* here and it’s time to start thinking about dropping those pesky winter lbs and toning up for summer. If you’re like me, it takes more than pair of tight pants to motivate you.

When I was a serious runner, I had a committed running “situation” with my friend Sarah where she would show up at up at my condo each day after work and I had no choice. On the weekends when we were off of our normal schedule, my competitive nature would drive me to do even more miles, because Sarah had this annoying tendency of showing me up week after week. 7 months ago, I moved 7 hours away from Sarah… you can see where this is going.

Recently, my friend Kim got the new Nike Plus sensor, and accompanying accessories (i.e. shoes and iPod). I had seen the system before, but hadn’t paid much attention. When Kim started explaining what it was for, I became very interested and began researching the product. It’s very cool.

As a believer in the power of social media (for community building and marketing), I began thinking like the athlete and marketer I am, and found that this is a powerful and smart use of social media. Not only has it created a place for runners of all shapes and sizes to band together and push one another, but also creates a heck of a lot of brand loyalty.

To begin, the technology is functional and impressive. The Nike sensor, in a sense, is a high-tech pedometer that tracks your distance, but also your time, pace, and calories burned. This information is displayed on the corresponding iPod. Awesome. All the benefits of a treadmill, but not stationed in front of a TV in the gym.

You can also connect your Nike Plus sensor and iPod to your cardio machine and the gym and track workouts. Again, cool and motivating.

The really great thing about the Nike Plus system, beyond the technical functionality of the system, is the social community that is built around this system. NikePlus.Nike.com is a opt-in membership program that allows you to interact with other runners, join cyber running groups, trade success stories, ask questions, set and meet goals as a team, etc. I signed up for an account just to see what types of interaction and challenges were offered. You’ll have to check it out – there’s a lot there.

nike plus screenshot

I haven’t gotten my Nike sensor yet (it’s on my birthday list – one month and one day from today) so I asked Kim some questions about her use of the Nike Plus system. She hasn’t had it long (a little over a month) and when we spoke, hadn’t taken advantage of all of the capabilities, but she surely has taken advantage of the technical capabilities of the system. She’s a serious athlete and likes to track her workouts. I think Kim would blow everyone out of the water if she started competing with other runners within the Nike Plus community.

When I asked Kim what she liked most about the Nike Plus system, she responded:

It is an easy and effective way to calculate my distance and time. The iPod Nano is so small that I do not ever know it is with me, and the Nike Plus disc goes in the bottom of my shoe. This way I can get some of the benefits of a treadmill, but still get to enjoy the outdoors while exercising. Nike Plus also helps motivate me in my workouts and to see my progress, which is rewarding.

Editor’s Note: You can read more Reviews on StraightUpSearch, social media-related reviews on our sister blog StraightUpSocial, broad-based reviews on Oneupweb Reviews, and product-focused Oneupweb Reviews on Epinions.

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Feb
20th

Oneupweb Reviews: Yahoo! Search Pad

Posted by Jared on February 20, 2009 at 10:03 am

On February 18th, 2004, Yahoo! stopped using Google to power its search capabilities and staked its own claim in the search sphere. Consider it their birthday, or better yet, Yahoo!’s independence day.

Five years to the day after cutting ties with Google, Yahoo! posted both a look back on search, and an update on what’s to come from Yahoo!. The look back is, obviously, old news; the look forward is a bit more interesting. Within the usual generic mission statements of improving search, such as “…focusing on detecting and responding better to query intent…” or “…breaking the ten-blue-links paradigm by developing a richer, more adaptive search results page…” is a call to improve a little known search function called Search Pad.

Yahoo! Search Pad is a note-taking application within Yahoo! Search that keeps track of websites a user finds and organizes information found to complete tasks like performing research or shopping. Search Pad tucks neatly away at the top of search results and is easily called out to view the websites you’ve visited, edit or delete them, and what’s probably the most helpful, take notes directly underneath the sites that Search Pad has collected as you’ve searched.

Yahoo! put together this quick demo for a better look into how Search Pad will function.

I usually open a word-processing document or use sticky notes or a notepad to keep track of sites I’ve visited for research or prices of products I’m comparing. With Search Pad, all that grunt work is condensed into a simple tool that collects visited sites as you search and lets you type quick notes or copy and paste whole samples of text underneath the visited site.

You can also save the note with your research, email it, or convert it into a simple, print-friendly version if you want to take it with you.

All in all, Yahoo! Search Pad is what Google Search Wiki wishes it could be. And from my professed problems with Google’s platform, it’s easy to see why. Search Pad has actual real world applications for the average searcher. You don’t have to perform the same search in Yahoo! to see the notes you’ve made or the sites you’ve visited. Simply save, print or email the Search Pad note containing your comments and websites, and you’re good to go. You don’t have to repeat searches, you don’t have to feel like Big Brother is keeping an eye on your search habits, and you don’t even necessarily have to be logged into a Yahoo! account to take full advantage.

One of my biggest problems with Google Search Wiki is that it wasn’t made for the Average Joe who uses a search engine on a day to day basis. It was made by search engine engineers for people in the search marketing industry. Don’t believe me? Ask a friend who doesn’t work in this business if they’ve even heard of Search Wiki. Then, when they say no, explain both of these applications to them. Dollars to donuts they’d say, just like I did, “Wow, Search Pad is something I can use for everyday tasks!” It’s a useful tool that is geared for the average searcher, with useful everyday applications.

It’s not often we hear Yahoo!’s praises being sung over Google’s these days. But Google just may want to take a page or two from Yahoo!’s book… err Pad, when it comes to developing tools that connect with their users.

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Feb
9th

Oneupweb Reviews : Valentine's Day Gifts – The Worst & The One From CafePress

Posted by Carly Wujcik on February 9, 2009 at 11:46 am

Ah yes! It’s that time again. Cupid is perched in his favorite location with arrows drawn and you can’t stop it, even if you want to folks – Valentine’s Day is coming!

As always, it’s sure to set adored lovers everywhere into one of two states: cuddly enchantment or fits of rage. Both of which can be equally annoying, right?

So, as a level-headed woman (if I do say so myself), I’m here to help ensure that you can inspire reactions that fall somewhere in between those two extremes.

Together, we’ll walk through the leading don’t-even-think-about-it online gift and the best possible present you can give. I’ll tell you why you shouldn’t/should give it, and what we (read: lady valentines) think when we receive it that makes us think you’ve lost your mind or that it’s quite possibly the best Valentine’s Day ever.

The Leading Offender

The token Valentine’s Day bouquet with a teddy bear attached, possibly a balloon.

You know what I’m talking about. The one plastered across the home page of every online flower delivery site from January 1st until the day before the big day. Yep, that’s the one. You think it’s there to make your job easier. But really, they’ve outsmarted you. It’s there because you’ll buy it, your valentine will hate it (either in silence or out loud) and then, to apologize for your phony insincere gift, you’ll return to the very same site because you’ve been there before, to buy more. It’s nuts. But you do it.

Why You Shouldn’t Give It

1. It’s overpriced. (Click through a few more pages, you’ll see)

2. Your valentine will know you put no real though into it, and even better, bought it last minute.

3. Teddy bears are essentially dog-toys if your valentine is over the age of 15. Honest. Would you buy your human valentine a dog toy?

Why We Don’t Like Receiving It

1. Every adored valentine in the office – and possibly the next five on the block – got the exact same thing. And now, the office conversation has shifted to “He’s (possibly She’s) Just Not That Into You.” This year Valentine’s Day is on a Saturday, so you run much less risk of being the laugh of the office, but that still doesn’t make this gift OK.

2. We know you got ripped off.

3. We know you waited until the last possible second. We hate that.

The Gift That Cupid Himself Would Give

Something (read: anything) personal.

Or, as Google will show, something from Café Press.

Kudos to you Café Press for planning ahead and positioning so strongly in the natural rankings for the search query world’s greatest Valentine’s Day gift. While I’m not certain that anything in particular on the page that this result links to is an advisable gift, I did advise gifts with a personal touch and you can create just about anything wearable you’d like at Café Press.

The critical step here though, is to create something on your own – something meaningful to your valentine. Does your sweetie have an affinity for Brett Michaels? You could craft your very own t-shirt for your Rock Of Love loving lover.

Here’s Why It Works

1. It’s personal.

2. While you can wait about as long to order this as you did to order that half-dead bouquet – your valentine won’t know it. And it’s highly unlikely (depending on your creative skill) that any other lucky valentine will be sporting the same gift.

3. No part of the gift will be given to the dog.

4. You can actually make money at Café Press if other people buy items of your design. Look mom! No rip-off!

For the record, anything personal will do. Cut their lunch sandwich into a heart shape. Make dinner. Frame a photo. I was just dying to know who was holding Google’s top natural search spot for “world’s greatest Valentine’s Day gift”.

But, if you do venture to Café Press to make your love wearable, make sure you stop back here and show us what you made. I’m dying to see it!

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Feb
5th

Oneupweb Reviews: Google Ocean

Posted by Chip Rice on February 5, 2009 at 9:20 am

Today’s Oneupweb Review is Google Ocean.

OK, so it’s really Google Earth 5.0, but the ocean enhancements are certainly the standout of this update in my opinion.

Other enhancements include Google Mars 3D, the introduction of the concept of time with the use of historic images and guided tours. I guess the argument could be made that these additions are just as large as the ocean updates and could probably support a post of their own, but as I said, we’re focused on the ocean today.

What exactly has Google Earth added that pertains to the ocean? Well I’m glad I asked.

The first thing that I wanted to do with “Google Ocean” after loading the update was to cruise along the ocean floor exploring coral reefs and checking out shipwrecks. While you can do this to some extent – Google has added bathymetric maps which show the underwater topography including the depth and contour of the ocean floor – it’s not quite what I was hoping for in terms of the user experience.

However there are some very cool features when you go underwater. For instance there are data points that allow you to pull up images of ocean life from the area you are exploring, videos of shipwrecks, information about actual expeditions and much more.

There are also many educational features which are part of the new ocean updates. These include information from marine experts including National Geographic and the BBC as well as some very sobering data related to climate change and endangered species.

Not only have these oceanic additions tripled the size of Google Earth, it has also opened the door for all sorts of possibilities. Like getting your water based businesses listed in front of people exploring the virtual high seas.

Since Google Earth pulls business listings from Google Maps, now’s the time to ensure that your boat tour, scuba guide and charter fishing companies are listed and up to date. Especially since Google offers quick links to different ocean sports including surf spots, dive spots and kite surfing spots for starters.

While in general I’ve been a big fan of Google Earth since its first release and am very excited by the recent updates, I also have some gripes to voice in this review.

For one, there are many areas in the ocean, and Google Earth in general, that contain so many data points that it is difficult to select the one you want with the clumsy hand shaped cursor – this has kind of bothered my since the begining and I’m dissapointed to see we’re in version 5 and this still hasn’t been updated.

Also, the controls don’t always make it that easy to navigate to where you want to go – sometimes it’s difficult to even plunge beneath the surface in many ares. It is easier if you just use your mouse though.

I’d also like to see these underwater features extended to the Great Lakes – you listening Google?

All in all though, good show. I give Google Earth 5.0, and mainly the ocean portions, an A-. After all, I have to leave a little room for improvement as I’m certain there’s still more to see from Google Earth. They never cease to amaze me in terms of what they do with this program.

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