The Google Car Drives Itself [Video]

Remember the cab in Total Recall and the beginning of the The Sixth Day, Arnold "The Governator" Schwarzenegger was being driven around in self-driving cars. Well guess what Google has been working on...

Google has been using a Toyota Prius to secretly develop a self-driving car that uses artificial intelligence and "vehicles that drive themselves."

From The New York Times

As Scene on G4's "Attack of the Show"

Source: [New York Times] [G4's Attack of the Show]

New with Google

Google Instant Search

Read More Here

The Google Instant Search is making internet search smarter and easier to use, as if it isn't already incredibly easy. It uses geo-target information and previous search history to guess what you are looking for, and this function is currently available in the new version of Chrome for PC.

Google App Marketplace

Read More Here

Google Marketplace allows you to download and purchase your favorite online apps, including zoho apps and others. The site is clearly in direct competition with the iTunes app store.

Google TV vs. Apple's New iTV

Four years ago I asked the best web and graphics designer I know to help create a box that only had three external plugs [a power outlet, an ethernet cord, and VGA/DVI out port]. This box, once plugged in, would allow people to access the many movies stored on the Wesleyan University movie hub, as well as some of my personal collection. At the time, while only a freshman in college, I had nor the capital or resources to invest in such a project. Nor were there any legal digital movie files or streaming files that I could use that would not break copyright protection laws.

With the success of Netflix, Google offering pay-per-view movies via YouTube this fall, and the failure of Apple TV have all made the net top box game very interesting. Now most new flatscreen TV's come with ethernet ports for instant access to photos, YouTube, Netflix, Facebook, and many other online items, these TV's do not allow you to play your personal movies [itunes movies, wma, m4a, avi, or mkv].


Google TV

Google TV seems to be a more advanced version of TiVo with close web integration allowing you to record tv programs, watch our favorite tv shows off broadcasting company websites, as well as eventually the option to order clothing, books, and every other item in your favorite tv show right from your screen.

The box also includes integration with MLB.com, NBA.com, and other major sports networks giving you full sports package access and up to date scores.


Apple  -  iTV

Most of the interface and software features of iTV have remained hidden from the public, though iTV is expected to launch this September, 2010. The product will not support 1080p movies, will have a price tag of around $99, and it will not have an internal hard drive.

This device will feature TV based apps that have close integration with iPhones and iPads. So I am assuming if you download the Slingbox app you would be able to watch tv on your iTV. The loss of 1080p and and lack of TiVo like integration makes this item seem like another Apple TV failure, but we will see in the middle of this month.

If you like Apple's interface I would recommend buying a new MacMini [$699+] and downloading the free program called Plex. This will allow you to download most of the NBA.com and MLB.com programs Google TV offers, while allowing you to play any movie file you want with your mac remote [including 1080p mkv files]. The price is 7 times greater, but the iTV seems at first glance like a waste of money. We'll see in a few months.


Source: [Silicon Alley Insider] [Engadget]

The Coming Death of Paperback

With the new Apple book store, Google Books online, there is a lot of question about the future of paper books. Though they are bad for the environment, reading a paper book is currently still the major medium of literature. The major question is, will that change? Will Barnes and Nobles suffer the same future that Blockbuster is currently facing? How will publishing companies deal with the digitization of literature? Macmillan textbooks has already started to go digital. There are over 10 different kinds of digital eReaders currently available.

New technology is now available that can scan a 200 page book in under a minute.

The UK branch of Dorling Kindersley Books released this video during DK sales conference to help answer some of the future questions in publishing.

Sources: [Boing Boing] [The Wire]

THE FUTURE: Google Shopper

Take a picture of a CD, book, movie, video game, or pretty much any product with Google Shopper and instantly find online prices, reviews, and product information. Google Shopper is available on Android.

Sources: [Business Insider]

Previews: Google Goggles

Take a picture of a word in a foreign language and Google Goggles will translate it for you.

Sources: [Business Insider] [Business Insider 2]

Want to Travel Anywhere On Earth?

Google Liquid Galaxy

Travel the Earth with Google Liquid Galaxy. Use voice command to name your destination. Travel to the highest and lowest points of the planet, including under water. I showed this to a few friends and they all commented that the graphics were not as good as they expected, but Liquid Galaxy absolutely got it's point across. In a few years, this product may become so realistic that it will seem as if you are walking down an actual city street. 

Sources: [Engadget]