Send Free SMS Messages Through Gmail
Thursday, December 11th, 2008 | Beta, google, News, SMS, Software Update | 1 Comment
Here’s a new (err..somewhat new) feature for Gmail that has just been released via Google Labs, Free SMS messaging to any phone in the United States through it’s integrated chat feature.
To send a SMS message to one of your friends (or enemies, whichever you feel like reaching out to), just enter a phone number in the search box at the top of the chat window found in the bottom left hand corner of your Gmail interface and select “Send SMS.” Once you’ve entered in a phone number for a contact name, it is automatically saved, meaning you’ll only have to update phone numbers once.
Currently it’s only being tested on US-based cell phone carriers, but hopefully this will be expanded as the ‘kinks’ are worked out of the system.
They’re not the first online chat service to offer this type of free messaging, but hey, one more feature for those of us who use Gmail/Gchat regularly is always an added bonus!
Once you’ve added the SMS number, chats through the service appear in the same interface anyone familiar with the current Gmail chat service will recognize:
Free Gmail Stickers – Get ‘em While They’re Hot!
Monday, December 8th, 2008 | Funny, google, Promotion | No Comments
They just posted over at the official Gmail blog that apparently the engineering team had recently suffered from a bad case of holiday spirit and decided to print up in bulk some of the homemade stickers that had been circulating through the office. Everything from some wacky Gmail keyboard shortcuts, a bunch of shiny envelopes, a robot and even a friggin’ unicorn. Yes, a unicorn.
So, if you want some free Gmail stickers of your own, all you have to do is send a self-addressed stamped envelope (with short note if possible) to:
Send me some Gmail stickers already
P.O. Box 391420
Mountain View, CA 94039-1420
I so want the unicorn:
Google Releases v.6.5 Upgrade to AdWords Editor
Wednesday, October 8th, 2008 | google, News, SEM, Software Update, Tools, Utilities | No Comments
Google just released a new version to their stand-alone AdWords Editor application, making the most up-to-date version 6.5. This was rolled out simultaneously for both OS X and Windows XP/2000/Vista.
Some of the new features include Keyword utilities. Finally! Having to keep a browser open to the Google Keywords Tool is a pain, integrating it into the application will save a lot of time. They didn’t stop there though, in the new version of the AdWords Editor you can find a Keyword Multiplier, which combines lists of terms to form new keywords as well as a Keyword Expansion, which generates keyword ideas based on words or phrases (just like the web-based Keyword Tool). Now these tools will be great….. once I’m able to use them that is. I’ve installed the new version but after entering in my login information, it gives me an error saying that the application could not authenticate. This only occurs when trying to access the “Keyword Opportunities” section under the Tools menu.
Another key change is the new names for importing and exporting.
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You can view the release notes here.
Just Released: Google AdSense for Online Gaming
Wednesday, October 8th, 2008 | Beta, Business, Games, google, Marketing, News | No Comments
Google just announced the release of Google AdSense for Online Gaming. It works pretty much the same as your pre-existing AdSense program, where you place video, image or text ads within your application/game and it displays contextually targeted advertising based on the surrounding content.
From the official Google AdSense blog:
You’ll be able to show these ads in placements you define, such as interstitial frames before a game, after a level change, or when a game is over. Members of our AdWords team will sell your in-game ad placements directly to top brand advertisers, and you’ll also see contextually targeted text and image ads based on content and demographic information.
Now if you’re a budding flash developer, don’t go getting your hopes up just yet – in order to be eligible for this beta program your games must have a minimum of 500,000 “game plays” with at least 80% of the traffic originating from the US or UK. If you fit the mold, here’s a direct link to the application.
So far there are only three marketers listed as partners on the info page: Sprint, Sony Pictures and esurance. I’m sure it won’t be long before that list starts to grow, the publisher round-up is already full of major players in the online game realm: ArcadeTown, Konami, Armor Games, Boonty, Demand Media, Heavy Games, Grab.com, Mochimedia and cafe.com.
This move was inevitable for Google seeing how they recently acquired Adscape Media, a small in-game advertising startup based out of the San Francisco, CA area.
Surprisingly, they already have a “Success Story” listed on the about page for social networking game developer Playfish. These guys primarily produce games that you can add to your Facebook or MySpace profile, so it’s a ‘little’ deceiving in nature.
Google Adsense Bug – What year is it again?
Tuesday, September 2nd, 2008 | Funny, google, Unusual | No Comments
Read the green box where it says “TRY.” Apparently if I offer Google Checkout on my site I will get free credit card processing until 2008!! Can you believe it?! 2008! Ok, so this is an old bug, but it’s the first time that I’ve remembered to take a screenshot when displayed.
Guess they haven’t been through the Google Adsense notices in quite a while…
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