First Attempt: All Bluetooth Devices are NOT created equal.

I wanted to set up Google Talk wirelessly. I also wanted to use Bluetooth to do it - as I seem to be collecting devices that are Bluetooth enabled. Well what I didn’t realize is that not all Bluetooth devices are created equal. I could get the Microsoft Bluetooth Dongle to synch flawlessly with my keyboard and mouse, and could even get it to synch with the two different Bluetooth headsets I had obtained for the test. However, this was no use - as their dongle doesn’t support the headset and/or hands-free profile - something I didn’t realize was an option for them to leave out. I had neglected to read the 7.4MB PDF file of Bluetooth specs that is 1230 pages long. Apparently Microsoft is not alone as I had bought a second adapter (Kensington’s Bluetooth USB Adapter) just in case I liked Google Talk on Bluetooth so much I wanted to add it to my laptop- and it too does not support the headset and/or hands-free profile either.

Linksys does support this with their USBBT100 - Bluetooth USB Adapter, but as you can read from the links below - there are some major problems getting it to run on Service Pack 2 computers. Complaints among the Amazon users are similar - tech support is full of morons - and why haven’t they updated the drivers since 2003. However, since this adapter - if I can get it to work - will do what I want PLUS it is a Class 1 device - I am going to give it a try. Class 2 Bluetooth devices use less power, but have a range of about 10 meters (33 feet), while the more power hungry Class 1 adapters have a range of about 100 meters (328 feet). The Class 1 Linksys actually has a small antenna on it, unlike the other two I tried that have internal antennas.

If you have Windows XP SP2 - Read this before attempting an install of a Bluetooth device or driver.
Some of the comments on Amazon appear to be helpful as well.

To return tomorrow with more success

Google, Tools, Talk, Gadgets | 1 Comment »

Background

Google has been tracking click thrus on certain results since at least 2001 and I am pretty sure before that. You used to be able to see this in the url when clicking such as:

http://
www.google.com/url?sa=U&start=1&q=http://www.example.com/&e=747

This was usually done somewhat a random, but certain keywords – such as “Digital Cameras” were often targeted with a tracker. It was pretty rare for a user to get a tracker at that time – and the official line was that:

“ We use this information to understand and improve the quality of Google’s search technology. For instance, this data helps us determine how often users are satisfied with the first result of a query and how often they proceed to later results.”
Google Privacy Policy

Trackers are often annoying for reasons such as slowing things down, not being able to tell visited links, and not allowing you to right click and get the pure URL. To this day a click on the first result on yahoo for the term "Google" yields:

http://rds.yahoo.com/S=2766679/K=google/v=2/SID=w/TID=F587_122
/l=WS1/R=1/SS=19627813/MI=internal/IPC=us/SHE=0/H=3/;_ylt=Apc
ztF0PCSoG8Cy8Ic.TFphXNyoA/SIG=16o7po6he/EXP=1124876626/*-htt
p%3A//rdrw1.yahoo.com/click?u=http://www.google.com&y=023353
D163304F11&i=482&c=23069&q=02%5ESSHPM%5BL7xpp
xsz6&e=utf-8&r=0&d=wow~F587-en-us&n=8R6K5H31
PS546KQ1&s=21&t=&m=430AEFD2&x=01C02169E198
2CDE

Google has for the most part abandoned url based click tracking for the organic search engine results. However, they were smart - and came up with a way to do it in javascript which is much less transparent and harmful to the user. Last time I checked - not everyone (especially outside the US) was getting this, but my understanding is you most like have this if you are in the US.

General Theory

The General Theory is that if a user clicks on anything below the first result - then Google has failed to provide the best possible result for the user. I believe Google used this metric to gauge how successful various tweaks to the algorithm are working by measuring this behaviour. Now Google plans to do something much more powerful with this data. Look at this SERP that was done during a test of the

revisions inline for the term "prime":

It does not appear that Google is looking at any one source of data to come up with these revisions. However, the real beauty is they can see how well this works - and make it even bettter in the future. For example:

If more people click on the number nine result than click on the number eight result, then Google might no longer show inline results for that keyword - or pick another one to try in the future. Google could even choose to raise the inline revisions from positions 6, 7, and 8, to either a higher or lower position on the page based off of the data they collect. Combining this with personal search will make this even more powerful. I will get into that more with my next post, but will give one example - a search for the term "ir"

While insland revenue is very familiar to people in countries other than the US - in a perfect world - I should never have gotten this. Most US Citizens would have no idea what it even meant. However for someone in New Zealand it might be extrememly useful. Google is on the right track here and hopefully all users will see this in the future.

Google | 4 Comments »

Google’s New Test of "Revisions Inline”

Mentioned by Dave N , Matt Cutts , and Danny Sullivan – Google has been experimenting with trying to refine the queries inside the organic results – in a unique and interesting way. Matt tries do downplay this as one of the gradual changes that Google introduces (so far it is just a test). I think it has much farther ranging implications than that. If implemented - it may be the most important change at Google (for the users) so far this year.

I will explain in more detail in another post as to why this is the case. I think all three tests that Google has been working on are actually related and actually started with the florida update, added a little bit with the OneBox results, and now is going into high gear with these other tests.

Until then – I will post a couple shots that I think are interesting.

Look who is #4 for "bong"

 After several hours of testing (only about 8 percent of random words queries seem to result in getting this test), I found little to convince me on how they are doing this exactly. I have some theories, but the first thing I noticed was that two of the words – speed being one - I picked both came with the word “drug” after the query.

So I thought – maybe I should try some slang words – and sure enough Google suggested “marijuana” for “pot”, “weed”, and “mary jane”.

What Google Has in Mind

Here is an example that I think shows more of what Google intended when starting the test:

I will post more details later after getting some more data - and more sleep.

Google | No Comments »

Get your Google Stock Certificate Right Here

Well it has been one year since Google went public and what a year it has been. Those who got in at $85 made out like bandits with the stock currently around $300.00. Google has had great earnings and hopefully will have more to come.

I wanted to get a share of Google to frame on my wall, but I don’t see anyone like oneshare selling them. I tried to place an order through etrade to get a paper certificate for my stake in Google, but the order was canceled. Maybe they aren’t giving out paper certificates to us mere mortals – or maybe people just don’t want to pay $300+ for a piece of paper to put on their wall. I am knowledgeable about the stock market, but paper certificates aren’t in much demand – and therefore I know little about them.

Never fear – I found a copy of it buried in Google’s SEC filings. It doesn’t print out quite as nice as a real paper certificate would, but if you put it under a frame and fill it out for a few million shares – no one will be the wiser – and you’ll be a billion dollars richer. Just click on the picture for the higher quality bitmap.

Google, Business | 1 Comment »

Lucky Google Boxer Shorts gets me The Sitdown of a Lifetime

It was Tuesday, August the 9th, and I had been having a very bad week. I had originally booked my trip to arrive Sunday for the start of SES, and then I canceled at the last minute. Jenstar (AdSense Queen) and DaveN both convinced me to come out and I was scheduled to arrive Tuesday at noon, but missed my flight due to various problems, and was able to get a new flight arriving just a couple hours before the Google Dance was set to begin.

I got sick on take off and the flight crew actually had to give me oxygen and was going to radio ahead to have medical personnel standing by. I assured them this was not necessary and was able to make it to the hotel with out further incident. After arriving I felt probably the worst I ever have at the start of a conference. I didn’t really want to do anything, but take a shower and go to bed. However, I knew I would regret not having gone to the plex – so I took the shower and decided to wear the “I’m Feeling Lucky” boxer shorts I had bought from the Google Store. I am glad I did.

Arriving at the Googleplex in Style

I managed to get there half an hour after starting time courtesy of BakedJake’s Hummer Limo. Upon arriving the place was packed. I managed to find Dave and Jen as well as some other friends and we wandered into the lower level of the Googleplex where the engineers were holding a “Meet the Engineers” event. Unfortunately I had forgotten my camera and was only able to take shots with my Treo. Matt Cutts was even more mobbed than usual. To many webmasters – Matt is Google.

After chatting some more with Mike & Aaron (two other Google engineers), Dave, Jen, and I then managed to score a tour of the Googleplex itself with Matt and Aaron. This was one of the best times I have ever had. After entering the Plex I felt a little bit like I had died and gone to heaven. The ambience was enchanting and I felt the excitement stirring inside. I was inside the heart of company that had totally changed my life for the better.

The Googleplex looks like Ikea on Steroids

Everything looks very modern and efficient. My eyes and brain were moving at top speed, but finding it all very hard to absorb. Gorgeous and fantastic - the place buzzes with the passion and enthusiasm that has turned Google from a few computers hooked together with Legos to the world’s premier technology company. We got to see plenty of stuff I had only read about before, and some stuff I had not. Of course, we didn’t get to see everything.

When passing Larry and Sergey’s office, Matt said something along the lines of he’d have to tackle me if I tried to go in there.

“Come on – I want to see the counter”
“Yeah right – I don’t think so…”

Serendipity

So on we went and we sat on the main level talking about life, the universe, and everything. Matt & Aaron are two very, very sharp guys. They are the kind of guys I would like to hang out with even if I wasn’t into SEO or Google. It was late at night and people were partying away at the Google Dance. I was having such a good time I was oblivious to everything outside.

After midnight or so – I look up and see standing not ten feet from us – the two people I would have picked if asked the question: “If you could meet anyone in the world – who would it be?” Matt did the introductions and Larry Page and Sergey Brin, who were clearly on their way out for the evening, STAYED AND CHATTED with us.

They Really are Down to Earth

I don’t know what I was expecting, because I wasn’t expecting to meet them, but both of them would fit right in with the webmaster crowd. After all – they ARE webmasters – just their site is a little bit more successful than most and requires a little bit more power and bandwidth. When Larry heard what I do for a living – he suggested I could do something a little bit more productive with my life. Maybe someday I will follow that suggestion – I am just much better at black hat SEO.

Anyway, Larry had to leave after a half hour or so and we spent the rest of the time chatting away with Sergey, Matt, Aaron, and another Google Engineer who joined in later – and unfortunately his name escapes me. Keep in mind that this is after midnight and Larry & Sergey don’t have to be working that late. They want to. What makes Google a great company and a great search engine is the people there are smart, really want to make a difference, and believe in what they do.

From Limo to Piece of Crap

It was so late when we got out of the Googleplex – around 2:30 I think – that all the buses back to the hotel had left. We managed to bum a ride with a kind Google employee. I know that this employee does well financially, but he has the same car that he had when he started at Google (and my guess is it was his car from high school). What a great way to cap off an evening that I will cherish forever.

Thanks to Jen and Dave whom I consider to be two of my best friends in the world, to Matt and Aaron on the great tour and time, and Larry & Sergey who have changed my life and that of the world for the better.

Google, SEO, Conferences | 4 Comments »

On August 11th - Jenstar, Dave_N, Dax, and I took some time out from SES San Jose to visit The Tech Museum of Innovation which was a few minute walk away from the convention. There was all sorts of activities and games - many geared towards kids, but fun for adults as well. Dax, Dave and I each got to try out the Segway. It was about what I expected. I has always read that it was easy to use and intuitive, but got a little bit nervous when I saw the guy before me having trouble. The employee at the Tech Museum was suggesting that his being nervous was throwing the sensors off balance. I wasn’t nervous and didn’t have a problem. So if you get to ride one, just trust the thing and you will be ok. You simply lean forward to go forward, lean back to go back, and use the control on your left hand to turn right and left. Click on Dave’s picture to see him ride the Segway.

Also at the Tech Museum I was able to take a picture of myself with a thermal camera. When you buy your ticket to get in - you also get a little tag that has a small chip in it that you can use at several of the activities. You can log in later on the web to view some of what you have done - which is how I got the picture to the left. I also got to see aerogel for the first time, but it is kind of buried among other exhibits in the space area. There are plenty of activities to do with friends - you can do a wheelchair race simulator, play a game similar to Donkey Kong Bongos with maracas, and there is even a station that allows you to do "Internet Arm Wrestling". You basically arm wrestle against a robot arm which then transfers your actions to a person sitting a few feet away - or apparently even at another museum. Although I won my first match, I suffered a humiliating loss in my second match. I won’t tell you who beat me, but it wasn’t Dave or Dax.

Misc | 1 Comment »

Get the most accurate idea of your Google PageRank by combining your Directory and Toolbar PageRank. Handy Dandy Page Rank Figurin’ Guide

Google, Tools | No Comments »

I think I am going to start updating this site a little more regularly

Uncategorized | No Comments »