Computers and Internet: Welcome To Devils Workshop!!!

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Welcome To Devils Workshop!!!

Google’s Music Search: One stop shop for music?

Posted: 03 Nov 2009 03:01 PM PST

Being a fan of music across many genres I was quite excited with Google Music Search. Since I started using Google many years ago, I have always wondered if I could just type in the name of the song and could hear it online. That would be like going to music heaven. Google Music search almost gets you there but not quite.

The search apparently is very comprehensive but it also is a way to monetize music search with tie ups with content providers. This feature is not something to search and download pirated music. The feature is not a separate one but is bundled with the Google Search homepage without the need of using or tweaking any of the options. This could make Google the one stop shop for music in the world.

google_musicsearch1

Music Search with Google

With a plugin in the works that will help you search a song with a part of the lyrics rather than the actual name of the song will be quite handy.
This service is brought together by Google with a tie up with imeem, Lala, myspace, Pandora and Rhapsody. These are popular websites dealing with selling online music content in the US.
For Indian users it is a little disappointing as these companies do not have the license to sell music in India and hence you cannot listen or buy music from these websites. The links to these services do not show up with Google search.
Saving grace is that almost every song has its video on You tube and usually that will be the first link you get when you search for a song.

As far as how useful it will turn out to be is still to be seen. But fact is almost everyone who has used Google has searched for music online with the search engine. This is where Google has got it right and might see it singing all the way to the bank.

Link: Google Blog

Google Earth Flight Simulator a backhanded compliment to Microsoft?

Posted: 03 Nov 2009 03:07 AM PST

A lot of us who use Google Earth do not know about Flight Simulator mode in Google Earth. I have been using Google Earth for over 3 years now and was still unaware of the Flight Simulator tool until a few days ago. With Flight Simulator in Google Earth allowing me to take off from Kathmandu Airport into the mountains, it brought back memories of an addictive video game I had played as a teen almost 10 years ago.

The similarities with Flight Simulator by Microsoft were too many to not think of this mode as a backhanded compliment by Google Earth developers to Microsoft.

Over Mount Everest with Google Earths Flight Simulator

gearth_ftsimulator

Google Earth: Flight Simulator

To start Flight Simulator mode start Google Earth and click on the globe once and press Ctrl + Alt + A. This starts the flight simulator mode and the following screen appears.

gearth_ftsimulator2

It is not very complex except the controls seem to be a little too sensitive. The HUD screen resembles being inside a airplane cockpit.
The idea is pretty amazing, especially for kids being introduced to Google Earth. Imagine flying around in a airplane over your own neighborhood on your desktop.
The whole feel of it, with selecting Airports from around the world and different plane models is very similar to very early versions of Flight Simulator by Microsoft.
Playing around with it I immediately realized that this Easter Egg within Google Earth was like a homage being paid to Microsoft’s Flight Simulator video game.

Microsoft’s Flight Simulator X was less of a game and more of a virtual environment for flying enthusiasts with a virtual environment to simulate the whole world. Google Earth is probably paying homage to a very old and loved video game.

Interesting Factoid: Flight Simulator software from Microsoft is 2 years older than its Windows Licence.

Link: Google Earth Flight Simulator