Google Tools...Fun, Free, Fantastic
Last week we talked about how to use free software to protect your computer, this week I want to touch on some additional free software from Google. Google is not just a giant search engine company anymore. Google offers a vast array of free software and services to provide function and fun to your life. This article will touch on four of these tools: Google Book Search, Google Earth, Picasa, and SketchUp. You will find links to this software by clicking the Free Downloads icon on my website www.connectutech.com.
For the book worms out there, Google has created Google Book Search. Book Search is a database of tens of thousands of books, including subjects such as Literature, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Political Science, Biology and much more. This is not just a list of books with short paragraphs or excerpts from the book, but a complete searchable full text version of each book or magazine. This is like having a complete library online at your fingertips.
The is a great resource for the student who needs to do some research or the home bound who has trouble making it to the bookstore or library.
The next tool from Google can help you travel the world. Google Earth allows you to see the world from the comfort of your home. Whether you have always wanted to visit the Pyramids of Egypt or the Eifel Tower in Paris, Google Earth makes everyday an adventure. There are also several websites devoted to Google Earth tourism, where you can click on a link and it will point Google Earth to different spots on the earth.
In most places you can see an aerial view of a couple blocks, but in some areas where Google has integrated Street View, you can actually see pictures of the front of buildings from street level.
The third tool, Google Picasa, is a free tool that helps your organize, edit and share your photos online in a web based photo album. Once in your album you can tag the photos in Google maps; this map integrates with the aforementioned Google Earth. So when you are browsing Google Earth you may see photos other people have uploaded. When visiting the Great Wall of China on Google Earth you may see photos of people’s vacation or more photos of the Wall itself.
The final tool from Google I want to touch on is SketchUp. SketchUp is a 3D modeling software that like Picasa integrates with Google Earth. You can build anything from a bridge to a swing set in this easy to use modeling software. With SketchUp’s Push/Pull technology, converting a 2 dimensional photo into a 3D model has never been so easy. With a few clicks of your mouse you can bring life to the simplest of photos.
Even though Google is mostly known for its dynamic search engine, their free software and service offerings are unmatched. Even though I was only able to tough on a small portion of the list of the different free software and services offered through Google, I encourage you to browse through the different resources they have to offer and find the right tools for you.
You can find links to all of the software mentioned in this article as well as extras that you might find interesting in the free downloads section on my website www.connectutech.com.
Eric Wichhart is the CEO of ConnectU, a Business Technology firm based in Eustis, Florida. He can be reached at (352) 702-0354 or eric@connectutech.com
For the book worms out there, Google has created Google Book Search. Book Search is a database of tens of thousands of books, including subjects such as Literature, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Political Science, Biology and much more. This is not just a list of books with short paragraphs or excerpts from the book, but a complete searchable full text version of each book or magazine. This is like having a complete library online at your fingertips.
The is a great resource for the student who needs to do some research or the home bound who has trouble making it to the bookstore or library.
The next tool from Google can help you travel the world. Google Earth allows you to see the world from the comfort of your home. Whether you have always wanted to visit the Pyramids of Egypt or the Eifel Tower in Paris, Google Earth makes everyday an adventure. There are also several websites devoted to Google Earth tourism, where you can click on a link and it will point Google Earth to different spots on the earth.
In most places you can see an aerial view of a couple blocks, but in some areas where Google has integrated Street View, you can actually see pictures of the front of buildings from street level.
The third tool, Google Picasa, is a free tool that helps your organize, edit and share your photos online in a web based photo album. Once in your album you can tag the photos in Google maps; this map integrates with the aforementioned Google Earth. So when you are browsing Google Earth you may see photos other people have uploaded. When visiting the Great Wall of China on Google Earth you may see photos of people’s vacation or more photos of the Wall itself.
The final tool from Google I want to touch on is SketchUp. SketchUp is a 3D modeling software that like Picasa integrates with Google Earth. You can build anything from a bridge to a swing set in this easy to use modeling software. With SketchUp’s Push/Pull technology, converting a 2 dimensional photo into a 3D model has never been so easy. With a few clicks of your mouse you can bring life to the simplest of photos.
Even though Google is mostly known for its dynamic search engine, their free software and service offerings are unmatched. Even though I was only able to tough on a small portion of the list of the different free software and services offered through Google, I encourage you to browse through the different resources they have to offer and find the right tools for you.
You can find links to all of the software mentioned in this article as well as extras that you might find interesting in the free downloads section on my website www.connectutech.com.
Eric Wichhart is the CEO of ConnectU, a Business Technology firm based in Eustis, Florida. He can be reached at (352) 702-0354 or eric@connectutech.com
posted by Eric at
12:09 PM
