The Other Side of Google
We rely on it for search, email and
navigation, but there are plenty of other informative and fun Google offerings
to explore
Google is a company that prides itself
on innovation and creativity, but some of its most interesting creations aren't
nearly as popular as you may think. These seven platforms are brilliant tools
that Google has created to make learning accessible, help people learn about
their world, or to add a little fun to everyday tasks.
Google Sky
Google
Sky is basically an extended version of Google Maps that allows users to
explore outer space the perfect tool for anyone who has ever wanted to be an
astronaut or who loves stargazing but is never quite sure of what they're
seeing or how the universe is actually organised.
Google
Sky can be used to explore the universe at large, the moon, or Mars (change
your choice in the upper left hand corner). The image can display outer space
using Infrared, Microwave, or Historical filters, and users can navigate freely
from one celestial object to the next by zooming, panning, or searching. The
historical filter features drawings of constellations and key stars and angles
used for navigation.
Google Arts and Culture
Google
Arts and Culture (also known as the Google Cultural Institute) is one of the
most incredible online resources for historical information currently available
online.
This
project is a huge collaboration between Google and museums and libraries across
the world that enables people worldwide to access museums, artifacts, works of
art, and world wonders from the comfort of their own home.
Google
Arts and Culture offers a huge number of features. Many museums (including the
palace of Versailles, the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam, and the Hamamatsu
Museum of Musical Instruments) offer the “Explore“ feature, which allows users
to guide themselves through many of the museums' exhibits using nothing but
their computers.
The
platform also showcases many of its partner museums' artifacts and works of art
in high definition photographs. These resources can be accessed through the
search bar, or by navigating through the different filters and organizational
methods created by the website.
Google
Arts and Culture also offers unique online exhibits called “Projects“ curated
by experts in the field that present artifacts and locations from across the
world with an incredible amount of background and contextual information. These
curated projects include in-depth discoveries of individual historical events,
explorations of wider topical themes, and detailed coverage of stage
performances happening across the world complete with video and high-resolution
photographs.
Google Jigsaw
Google
Jigsaw is Google's response to online security issues. This project is
currently working simultaneously on a number of smaller initiatives designed to
keep people aware of the cybersecurity threats that are currently present in
the world, and to make the internet a safer place overall.
JIGSAW'S CURRENT PROJECTS INCLUDE
PROJECT SHIELD:
This
initiative works to pro tect websites at-risk of cyber-attack that may not have
the financial resources to protect themselves from higher levels of security
threats.
INVESTIGATIVE DASHBOARD:
This
offers over 300 databases of online business records, and makes it much easier
for researchers to follow individuals or companies of interest.
DIGITAL ATTACK MAP:
Using
this platform, Jigsaw is able to track and visually display cyber-attacks on
businesses, newspapers, and charities currently happening across the world,
where they originated from, and where they are targetted.
PASSWORD ALERT:
This
Chrome extension pro tects the safety and security of reporters, activists, and
human rights workers who are commonly targeted by phishing schemes intended to
steal their passwords.
MONTAGE:
Every
time there is a conflict or world event, an enormous amount of video footage is
uploaded to YouTube.
Montage
aims to enable collaboration between individuals and organisations wading
through this footage by providing tools for analysing, identifying, and
organising this video.
Google News Lab
Google
News Lab offers an organised library of tools and education to journalists
inter ested in improving the quality of their online reporting. The News Lab
includes tutorials and access to resources for journalists (but that can be
used by anyone), separated into four different phases of the publishing
process:
RESEARCH:
Journalists
can access tutorials on: reverse image searching, Google's Public Data
Explorer, Google Trends, creating Google Consumer Surveys, following select
Google Alerts, exploring the Google News Archive, verifying social media
reports, and corroborating photo locations using Panoramio.
REPORT:
In
this section of the News Lab journalists can learn how to use tools that add to
the presentation and accuracy of their information.
DISTRIBUTE:
The
News Lab offers insight to journalists who are interested in publishing their
work on Google News and using YouTube successfully.
OPTIMISE:
These
tutorials and tools focus on gauging engagement and targeting your online
strategy to increase your audience reach and engagement.
Build with Chrome
This
initiative is just plain fun Build with Chrome melds Google Maps and LEGO to
create a free building experience that fosters creativity and exploration.
On
Build with Chrome, builders make use of virtual LEGO pieces to build
characters, vehicles, 2D structures, andor buildings anywhere in the world. If
you're someone who prefers to follow rules than figure things out on the fly,
the program also offers a “Build Academy“ that teaches you the ropes by putting
you through a series of building challenges in different locations.
Google Smarty Pins
Much
like Build With Chrome, Google's Smarty Pins feature is nothing but fun (with a
little bit of education mixed in).
Smarty
Pins uses the Google Maps interface as the background for a geography trivia
challenge. Before beginning a game, you can choose a specific category that you
are interested in, or you can have a random selection by pressing “Start a new
game“.
The
game asks you to identify different locations by dropping a marker based on
cryptic hints. If you make an incorrect selection, the distance of the location
you chose from the actual location (in kilometres) is subtracted from your
starting bank of 1500km. If you run out of km in your bank, it's game over.
Build with Chrome
This
initiative is just plain fun Build with Chrome melds Google Maps and LEGO to
create a free building experience that fosters creativity and exploration.
On
Build with Chrome, builders make use of virtual LEGO pieces to build
characters, vehicles, 2D structures, andor buildings anywhere in the world. If
you're someone who prefers to follow rules than figure things out on the fly,
the program also offers a “Build Academy“ that teaches you the ropes by putting
you through a series of building challenges in different locations.
Street View Trek
For
many people Google Street View has become an invaluable part of any trip plan
ning process, because of how helpful it is for orienting you to real-world
streets and buildings. Trek takes you one step further by providing historical
information, sights, sounds, and guided tours of select locations. As you walk
through diverse historic sites such as the Taj Mahal, Venice, and the Kennedy
Space Centre, you are completely immersed in your virtual surroundings. Instead
of being limited to roads, Trek will take you from desert paths in Petra,
Jordan to the arctic tundra of Iqaluit, Canada.
Source | Mumbai Mirror | 22 August 2016
Regards
Pralhad
Jadhav
Senior
Manager @ Library
Khaitan
& Co
Upcoming
Events | MIT School of Management – One Day Workshop “Use of QR Code and
Augmented Reality Application in Libraries” on 27th August 2016 at
Kothrud Campus, Pune 411038.
Note | If anybody use these post for forwarding
in any social media coverage or covering in the Newsletter please give due
credit to those who are taking efforts for the same.
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