Google makes new alliance with Motorola

Google makes new alliance with Motorola

Jonathan Blundell
Staff writer

Motorola Phone with Google
If you just thought Google was everywhere, get ready to add your cellphone to that list of mediums the information search giant is moving towards.

At the Consumer Electronics Show Las Vegas last week, Google, Inc. and Motorola, Inc. announced a joint venture between the two companies, allowing access to Google’s vast database of information on new Motorola handsets.

Motorola will add a new Google icon to select handsets, starting early this year.

The icon will allow users to connect directly to Google anytime, anywhere, at the click of a button.

“Many of our customers have been asking for mobile devices integrated with their consumers’ favorite online services. By featuring Google on Motorola handsets for these customers, we are making it easier for consumers to connect to the information they need when they need it,” Scott Durchslag, corporate vice-president and general manager of Global xProducts for Motorola’s Mobile Device business said. “Our relationship with Google provides an opportunity for us to offer a high quality mobile search experience – one familiar to and loved my millions of users across the globe.”

But merging Google with consumer cellphones is nothing new.

The search engine, founded in 1998 by Stanford Ph.D. students Larry Page and Sergey Brin, can be accessed from any cellphone with Internet access, allowing users to connect to Google’s web search features.

Just type www.google.com in the URL field of your phone’s Internet browser. If you get an error message, type www.google.com/xhtml instead.

From the basic web search, consumers can find recipes, sports scores, trivia answers and more. The search page works just like the online version of the site, which is used by millions of users everyday.

Need a definition of a word? Just type “define (word)” in the search field.

Want the correct spelling of a word? Just type the word and Google will give you a suggested spelling if the word entered is not found in its database.

Want movie times? Just type “movies” or “showtimes” followed by the location.

Want weather? You guessed it, just type weather and the location.

Finally, for those needing quick stock updates, just type the stock ticker symbol for the latest updates.

The company has also recently added options for Google Local and Mobile Web to their mobile page, which greatly expands the company’s offerings.

Google Local allows users to find maps, directions and phone numbers to businesses and places worldwide.

Simply select the local option on the search page and type your destination.

For example, McDonalds 75165 or McDonalds, Waxahachie, TX will give you a listing and directions to all the McDonalds in and around Waxahachie.

The Mobile Web option allows users the ability to filter search results to websites customized for viewing on mobile phones.

Google doesn’t charge consumers for access to any of its databases, but users may be required to pay access fees to their cellular provider, depending on their service plan.

For those without net access, the company also offers Google Local information via text messaging.

Simply text your queries to 46645 from any cellphone with text messaging support.

A text response will be sent to your phone, usually within seconds.

And for consumers who use Google’s blog service, Blogger.com can post text or photo updates to their blogs with text messaging from their cell phones as well. Information for mobile blogging is available at www.blogger.com/mobile-start.g.

So with all these features already available too most cellphone users, why the global alliance?

“Access to information is imperative for people on-the-go. Whether checking the local weather or locating the restaurant of their choice, consumers today require personalized services that are tailored to their needs,” Vice-President of Google’s European Operations said.

And with the quick, one-button access on cellphones, Google will be able to expand their user base and increase brand loyalty which will in turn help drive Google’s real moneymaking venture — advertising.

The alliance will also help increase Motorola’s plans for a seamless, flowing mobility experience.

The company announced part of its vision for the future in 2004, with phones that pay for parking without touching a key, cars that know where you’re supposed to be and how to get there, homes that record your favorite tunes and movies and share them with your friends and products and systems that carry intelligence into your life.

It’s all part of the future of converged devices bringing more and more information to our fingertips.

Mmm Snapple

I gots to tell you, I still love me some Peach Snapple Tea (or any Snapple tea for that matter).
I don’t buy it much because I’m more conscious about where my money goes, but whenever I “splurge” it always hits the spot and leaves me craving more.
We used to grab two or three of those a day when we were in high school.
Those were the days – when you made money and you could spend it all without having to worry about bills and rent or other monthly costs.
If you went out to eat it was in addition to the “free” food you got at home.
If you got low on your cash flow, you would still have food waiting at home, electricity coming on and a hot shower.
Now if you get low on your cash flow you have to decide, do I grab a burger or eat a cold sandwich at home so I can pay my bills.
Growing up is no fun 🙂

Thanks for all the forwards

Mike McIlvain sent this along to me…

As another year will shortly be a memory, my heartfelt appreciation goes out to all of you who have taken the time and trouble to send me “forwards” over the past 12 months. Thank you for making me feel safe, secure, blessed, and wealthy.
Extra thanks for the ones that I have to open 15 times to get to the message.
Special thanks to whoever sent me the one about rat poop in the glue on envelopes ’cause I now have to go get a wet towel every time I need to seal an envelope.
Also, I scrub the top of every can I open for the same reason.
Because of your concern, I no longer drink Coca Cola because it can remove toilet stains. I no longer drink Pepsi, or Dr Pepper, since the people who make these products are atheists who won’t put “Under God” on
their cans.
I no longer use Saran wrap in the microwave because it causes cancer.
I no longer check the coin return on pay phones because I could be pricked with a needle infected with AIDS.
I no longer use cancer-causing deodorants even though I smell like a water buffalo on a hot day.
I no longer go to shopping malls because someone might drug me with a perfume sample and rob me. I no longer receive packages from, nor send packages by UPS, or FedEx, since they are actually Al Qaeda in
disguise.
I no longer answer the phone, because someone will ask me to dial a number for which I will get a phone bill with calls to Jamaica, Uganda, Singapore, and Uzbekistan.
I no longer eat KFC, because their “chickens” are actually horrible mutant freaks without feathers.
I no longer have any sneakers — but that will change once I receive my free replacement pair from Nike.
I no longer have to buy expensive cookies from Neiman Marcus, since I now have their recipe.
I no longer worry about my soul, because at last count I have 363,214 angels looking out for me.
Thanks to you, I have learned that God only answers my prayers if I forward an e-mail to seven of my friends and make a wish within five minutes.
I no longer have any savings, because I gave it to a sick boy who is about to die in the hospital (for the 1,387,258th time)
I no longer have any money at all – but that will change once I receive the $15,000 that Microsoft and AOL are sending me for participating in their special email program.
Yes, I want to thank you so much for looking out for me that I will now return the favor!
And don’t forget to say “Merry Christmas”!!
If you don’t send this e-mail to at least 144,000 people in the next 7 minutes, a large pigeon with a wicked case of stomach flu will land on your head at 5:00 PM (EDT) this afternoon. I know this will occur because it actually happened to a friend of mine’s next door neighbor’s ex-mother-in-law’s second husband’s cousin’s
beautician.
Have a very HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Traffic accident

Not quite a highlight of the day….

Man in critical condition after collision with train

Jonathan Blundell
Staff writer

A Waxahachie man was seriously injured when his car collided with a Union Pacific train Thursday afternoon near the intersection of Munchus St and Eggar St.
At approximately 3:51 p.m., the train, travelling northbound on the Southern Pacific Railroad collided with the car traveling westbound at the Munchus St. crossing.
The car was pushed down the tracks to Peters St./Parks School Rd., approximately 1,200 feet away, where the car stopped shortly after the crossing.
The train continued on before coming to a full stop nearly just past the Burleson Honey building.
ETMC EMS, Waxahachie Police and Waxahachie Fire all responded to the accident.
The driver of the car, Fredrick Crayton, 32, was taken by air ambulance to Methodist Dallas Hospital shortly after 4:30 p.m., where he was listed in critical condition.
According to Waxahachie Police Officer Ron Clayton, inattention by the driver was likely the cause of the accident and the accident is still under investigation.
No lights, bells or crossing bars are installed at the Munchus St. crossing.

The perils of deadlines

The Dallas Morning News was one of over 140 newspapers who faced a press deadline Tuesday night and incorrectly printed headlines saying the W.Va. miners were found alive.
They have an interesting article online on the deadlines newspaper face daily.
And don’t worry this isn’t the first time this has happened (with newspapers that is).
The Titanic, Kerry’s running mate in 2004, Gore v Bush and others have had wrong headlines and stories published before the latest news was gathered.