Yahoo! came up with a new search service, called Alpha, earlier this week:
“Whilst aggregating feeds on one page is nothing new, we wanted to take a federated search concept one step further. With this beta, we have introduced personalisation elements that not only allow users to customise their view, but also to add their favourite search service (at least those who syndicate their search results via OpenSearch RSS).
We also decided to add a sharing element for logged in users of the site. Now, if you decide to share your personalised url with others, they can view and effectively use the search configuration you have developed.
We thought the idea was good enough to develop further into a public beta site and get a few ideas from the Australian search community at large.”
You can test the new search at http://au.alpha.yahoo.com.
April 6th, 2007
Today, Google is launching My Maps, a new feature of Google Maps that enables users to quickly and easily create custom maps for personal use or sharing through search. With this release, creating maps mashups is now as simple as pointing and clicking.
From chronicling trips, to sharing tips and documenting academic endeavors, My Maps empowers users to create content-rich maps that are relevant to their interests, expertise, or personal needs. With My Maps users can:
- Mark locations on a map from a library of icons
- Draw lines and shapes to highlight paths and areas
- Add text, photos, or YouTube/Google Videos to a map
- Add HTML for further personalization
- View their maps in Google Earth
Users can choose to make their My Maps unlisted or public. Unlisted maps are intended for personal use or sharing with friends and family by email. Public My Maps will be accessible through Google Maps search along with maps shared by other web sites in the KML format. My Maps users can store maps they have created or viewed when signed into their Google Account.
We expect that public maps created by our users will further enrich the Google Maps and Earth search experience by providing additional rich, local, and visual information about the world from our best source - our users.
My Maps is available in 10 countries and can be accessed on the Google Maps homepage at: http://maps.google.com.
April 6th, 2007
