Google - The Friend

NEW PRODUCTS & UPDATES
Google Docs & Spreadsheets
October marked the graduation of a product from Google Labs and a marriage of sorts: Writely, the web word processor, and Google Spreadsheets are now available under one name, Google Docs & Spreadsheets, and now share a common look and feel. You still have all the features of both, with the added benefit of being able to access files for the two in one convenient location. You can create, store, share and publish your documents and spreadsheets online, which means you can access your files from any computer with a web browser. It's easy to get to your saved files and collaborate with friends, classmates and coworkers. http://docs.google.com/

Google for Educators
Teachers tell us they use Google for the classroom, so we've pulled together a big batch of resources in one handy place for K-12 teachers. Google for Educators offers lesson ideas and resources for everything from collaborative writing with Google Docs & Spreadsheets to searching the full text of out-of-print books with Google Book Search or to drawing in 3D with Google SketchUp. Teachers can test out some of our ideas in the classroom, then submit your own. You can share your expertise with fellow educators by sending your story to educators-feedb...@google.com. We'd love to feature it at Google for Educators. http://www.google.com/educators

Google Groups 3 Beta
The newest version of Google Groups has a slicker, cleaner interface and offers lots of new features. Now it's possible to customize your groups with colors and photos, upload and share documents, and even create and collaborate on web pages right inside your group. Come see your existing group in the new interface, or create a new group. http://groups-beta.google.com/
And by the way, you can even view and share this newsletter using Google Groups 3 Beta. http://groups-beta.google.com/group/google-friends

Google Maps for your Palm Treo
A top requested feature of Google Maps for mobile is now available: Google Maps on your Palm OS Treo. This is our fastest version yet, and it includes some Treo-specific features too: quicker start-up time, maps you can drag with your stylus, transluscent bubbles and tool tips that don't obscure the map. Don't have a Treo? We support over 350 other phones too. http://www.google.com/gmm



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MISCELLANY
+ Google Student Speakout -- for teachers and students +
Through recent films like "An Inconvenient Truth," people are becoming more knowledgeable about global warming, but there's always more to learn. We think it's an important topic for all ages to study and discuss. Together with Global SchoolNet, we've organized a Global Warming Student Speakout, and welcome teachers to engage students to work together on this subject. The Speakout is a 1-2 day project that could result in your students' ideas appearing in a November edition of The Washington Post. Interested teachers must sign up for a Google Docs & Spreadsheet account by November 3 (please be sure to list "Google" as a collaborator), and then submit the collective ideas of your students no later than November 7th. Our partners at Global SchoolNet will judge all the entries, and the top 50 ideas will be posted online and in a Washington Post ad, along with the names of every participating school. http://www.google.com/educators/globalwarming.html

+ Google Gadget Awards -- for university and college students + *
Attention, university and college students! If you're procrastinating on your studies, and want to dabble in some fun web design, Google Gadgets may provide a little relief. It's easy to create a gadget for the Google Gadget Awards - and we're looking for clever and creative entries from university and college students across the U.S. No prerequesite courses are required, either -- just an email address ending in .edu. We have a distinguished panel of judges who'll be judging across all categories from the "prettiest gadget" to the "gagdet most likely to get you a date." How often do you get to be awarded by Commander Taco of Slashdot or Chris Anderson, Wired Magazine's Editor in Chief? And of course any gadgets you create are automatic resume-boosters, too. http://www.google.com/gadgetawards