Google Squared returns a spreadsheet view of results compared with one another for easy ah… comparison. This makes finding what you are looking for much easier. Lets look at some examples.

Let’s say we want to buy a new digital camera. Let’s type digital camera into Google squared: http://www.google.com/squared/search?q=digital+camera

Let’s narrow it down to Olympus Digital Camera: http://www.google.com/squared/search?q=olympus+digital+camera

This returns much more relevant results. With a table showing the item name, an image of the camera, a description, the manufacturer (of course they are all the same for this search), the resolution in Mega Pixels and the colors the are available in. The most interesting thing here is that all these pieces of information are actually sourced from different locations (you can see the domain name as you hover your mouse over each section).

There is also a button marked “Add to this Square” which will add more results to the table, should you decide that the search is highly relevant.

I like the look of the ‘tough’ range so I’ll enter “olympus tough digital camera” to narrow my results. http://www.google.com/squared/search?q=olympus+tough+digital+camera

Great. Now I can see many of the models in the tough range of Olympus digital cameras and I can also see the prices, the condition (if second hand), along with the usual item name, description and image. I’d like to see the Mega Pixel stats so I will add a column. I start typing in meg… and I can select megapixels from the drop down – oh it looks like Google need to do some more work on this feature as no values are returned.

Either way, I can see that I like the look of the Olympus Stylus Tough 6000. By clicking on the description I am taken to that specific product page on the Olympus America website which overall is a good experience for me, however clearly some refinements still need to be made – the reason why Google Squared is still in Beta.

This post from Google explains how the new Google Local Business Center Dashboard works. Check out this video for more information:

Looking at this exciting preview of the product, Google Wave will enable you to communicate much more effectively, much more quicker, and will most likely eliminate the need for the use of instant messenger programs such as MSN Messenger and other email interfaces. In fact this makes both email and messenger appear outdated.

The video shown below is the preview of Google Wave. It is rather long at 1 hour and 20 mins, however it is very exciting and well worth the watch. I personally look forward to ridding myself of email management and messenger interruptions throughout my working day. I believe that Google Wave will effectively increase productivity by making online communication much easier.

Google Wave may also upset Facebook popularity through its great photo sharing abilities which appear to be easier to use than Facebook. Many people on Facebook that I know of use it primarily for photo sharing. Since Facebook requires a seperate login, and therefore more time spend checking various interfaces, this program could also be thrown by the wayside, as I know that I’d be better off not playing the various games available through the Facebook interface.

Micro blogging on Facebook via status updates, or for that matter, the use of Twitter may also become less valuable with the introduction of Google Wave. Although I am not (seemingly disgracefully) not an active user of Twitter, it would seem that Google Wave could act on a similar scale to this program and therefore I am sure that status updates and the like will more than likely also be a feature of Google Wave (it may very well be already as I am only 20 mins into the video).

Minute after minute this video gives you something more to be excited about. The ability to post a “wave” – lets call that a conversation or a group of photos compiled from those that shared the experience together in their ah… “wave” – can be quickly and super easily (with the click on one button) posted onto your blog by adding the blog to your conversation or ah… “wave” (I’ll refer to this as a “wave” from now on). Further, adding a comment to this same blog entry, results in the wave being updated – did I mention this happens instantly – streaming I guess you would call it – should you have the “wave” open at the same time that the comment is made (and by instantly I mean character by character).

The great thing about this product is that it does away with all sent messages and new messages in your inbox and sent messages box. The wave continues to roll along, you can see your replies, other people’s input, etc. all within this one wave. You can even playback the wave to see who replied when and what they said along the way to get to the final stage. This is a great feature for those who have been added to the wave at a later stage in the conversation.

I have to say that I am overwhelmed at this point in time with all the features this new product has to offer. 40 mins into this preview video and I cannot express my excitement enough.

And so multiple people can edit what forms into some sort of document, which no doubt I imagine can be exported into Word or whichever word processing package you may use. In real time you can have multiple people editing the same document and see their changes live in front of your eyes character by character. This has the potential firstly to cut back on multiple replies etc in email communicating back and forth with track changes to documents etc. All changes, additions, subtractions whatever are all made simultaneously. It is a fantastic idea.

For more features of this new product by Google to be released later in the year check out the video embedded into this post.