Google Earth gets Better

On the go with Google

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-10158429-92.html?subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20&part=sphere

Google has incorporated even more into the imagery of Google-Earth. Its maps are created with “comprehensive real-time data on Earth’s surface with information on the oceans, the stars that we see, historical maps, and topographical information on Mars.” The coolest feature, which seems somewhat unbelievable, is the ability 5.0 gives the user to view real and simulated 3D images of Mars as easily as you could view images of our own planet. Google Earth’s endeavor was launched in conjunction with NASA in order to encourage the exchange of knowledge about our space companion between researchers, scientists and public users. This step by Google furthers the effort of Web 2.0 to create a seamless, data-driven interface increasingly utilized and realized by the web user. The article On the Go with Google further stated new capabilities for users, such as viewing recent satellite imagery from Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and other crafts, and somewhat surprisingly the ability for users to “add their own generally sharable content to the larger map of Mars.” A few questions come to my mind when reading this – What exactly meant by the phrase “generally sharable” and how easy is it for users to add their content. This new feature will truly test the capabilities of Web 2.0 and Google itself. Keeping up such a service is definitely a costly investment, as the article points out “it’ll cost dearly in server hardware and network bandwidth” but Google plans to balance the cost with revenue from advertising.

Web 2.0, Technology, Politcs

When Web 2.0 Meets Politics

http://www.technewsworld.com/story/61156.html?wlc=1235094177

Obama Gets to Keep His Blackberry

http://www.internetnews.com/breakingnews/article.php/3798011


The article is a bit outdated, but the issue it raises may be even more relevant today. Many journalists, writers and bloggers have looked back since the burgeoning of Web 2.0 to comment on the impact of the newest internet-related sensation. The article "When Web 2.0 Meets Politics" suggests the newer version of the web, while giving more power to the individual, creates “massive stimulation” so that web users become increasingly satisfied to adhering to opinions and facts they can obtain at the click of the mouse and complacent in their desire to search any further than the latest blog.
Web 2.0 is clearly crafted to be user-friendly. It allows people to quickly exchange opinion and information through a countless number of networking sites. Blogging sites have clearly put a new spin on journalism, personal, subjective commentary through online posts is to most a much more appealing form of communication than traditional news media. We all know it. We’re wired in for good. This trend articulated in the term Web 2.0 holds many more possibilities and its byproduct, News 2.0, will become even more prominent. Its not just the everyday user that’s jumping to use these terms. Government leaders are quickly realizing their capabilities. The article entitled “When Web 2.0 Meets Politics” states that Barack Obama “used professional networking site LinkedIn to ask “How can the next president better help small businesses and entrepreneurs thrive” and Hilary Clinton suggested the creation of a “government blogging team”. Social networking sites like facebook and Digg have established partnerships with news sources CBS and ABC. Speeches from our last presidential election were streamed and watched by an incredible amount of users and President Obama himself made a fuss when fellow White House officials tried to persuade him to give up his blackberry.
So are we in danger of becoming a complacent, overstimulated society? I would say no. I think the new wave in web technology has more often than not helped people to become more aware of current issues and affairs. I can see the light and dark in the issue – too often personal opinion and commentary posted as blogs or journals entries are taken unchecked as fullproof truth. Most web users don’t make the extra effort to research their facts or consult more than a few sites. Still, the web is increasingly accessible and customizable, and if manipulated and utilized in a correct, accurate way, on the part of both the content provider and the user, the results will beneficial to both sides.
Another point in the article was the idea of government as a form of entertainment, with the real issues disguised as a “star watching game” put on by Youtube. I can see how you could argue that Web 2.0 can become a distraction from the true political agenda, yet politics doesn’t need the web to be made into a sensationalized game.

Microsoft Puts 'Web Sandbox' Into Open Source

Reading this article, I though of the conversation we had in class about Web 2.0 and internet security. Microsoft Live Labs has developed a new internet innovation called "Web Sandbox" which aims to make the friendly user Web 2.0 more secure. WIth more power in the hands of the user and web content constantly changing, it makes sense that these sites could easily come under attack through things like "cross-site scripting attacks". So how does Microsoft plan to bump up security? The term is virtualization and their methodology is to isolate behind-the-scene processes and "virtualize" the separate components that makeup up Web 2.0 sites. Web Sandbox sounds like it can be easily applied to the web; Developers claim that it works on most current Web browsers that support the Javascript standard. The fact that Microsoft is strongly urging Web developers to try to break through Sandbox's security and test the new model is a good sign. It seems that Microsoft Live Labs is just trying to make sure its new technology really is secure.

Diggdot is a mashup of popular browsing and taggin sites Digg, Slashdot and Delicious. It combines the capabilities of each individual site, unifies them under the url diggdot.us and edits out duplicates. Instead of searching and browsing each of these sites separately for updates, Digg dot compiles it all in one place!
pretty cool :)