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Google’s guide to the galaxy

First Google brought us the world, with tens of thousands of overlaying digital images mapping the entire globe.

First Google brought us the world, with tens of thousands of overlaying digital images mapping the entire globe. Although it appeared as so much eye candy, it’s actually an extremely practical application that allows you to plot routes from place to place, post pictures and information about various locations, and overlay custom routes and shapes for your own personal use.

Then Google brought us the Moon, mapping our closest satellite in rich detail — less practical, but very educational and satisfying for astronomers and the scientifically curious.

Then Google brought us Mars, overlaying satellite pictures from NASA and the European Space Agency, and linking to photos taken on the surface of the planet. Again, not practical, but it’s still a pretty cool example of the Internet at its best.

Recently Google announced plans to bring the rest of the universe to us, in the latest version of Google Earth. Basically, all you have to do is click on a button to see the night sky above you at any given time of day, and then navigate through the solar system, galaxy and universe using a collection of images from observatories and the Hubble Space Telescope. The layers make it possible to see constellations, the names of stars, and navigate to distant galaxies.

Google Earth is a free application that’s best found going to the Google homepage and either performing a search for Google Earth or clicking on the “more” tab over the search window. I recommend downloading it immediately.

Meanwhile there’s a lot of talk that Google will release a phone that would rival Apple’s iPhone by the end of 2007, which was more or less confirmed by executives at Google. According to one report on Engadget ( www.engadget.com ), the new Google phone is just one of 18 research and development initiatives underway at the company, which appears ready to make the leap into hardware.

 

The best Facebook Applications

Since Facebook opened up to third-party applications, the number of applications available has soared to 3,182. That’s about 3,075 more than any profile really needs, but that’s really up to users to decide.

I’ve kept my profile pretty sparse, turning down most of the invitations that come my way, but I’ll always sign up for something that’s truly useful.

The full list of approved applications is available at www.facebook.com/apps/ , with the most popular applications of that day up front.

Some of applications that I’m currently trying out are Tetris Tournament, Drink Recipes, iLike (music), iRead, WarBook, NES Games (not for work), The Simpsons Photos, Quotes and Trivia, Pandora (more music), Digg.com (which is a topic for a whole other column), Chess, and Files (file transfer program).

Other applications I’m looking into include Sports and Concert Tickets, Top Friends (which simplifies the act of finding friends you interact with the most), BandTracker, and MyTV (YouTube video application).

 

Back to school computers

Every August I get a few e-mails from students who are going to university and want to know what kind of computer to buy. I usually give the same advice.

The first thing I would advise is getting a laptop. Yes, finding one can be a hindrance, they’re easy to steal and damage, and most don’t have the computing power to play the best games, but the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages.

For one thing, a lot of teachers allow students to bring laptops to class to take notes, and many have incorporated computers into their curriculum. University campuses also offer some of the best wireless service, which means you can get connected from any library, any study room, any cafeteria, and so on. I could spend 12 hours or more a day on campus, so having a desktop computer at home will do you no good.

You should check to see if any of your university courses have minimum system specifications for the programs you’ll be running. If that’s the case you might not have a choice between PC or Mac.

If money is a factor, and it will be, then I’d also go with a PC, although the risk of hackers and viruses can be a big stumbling block. Good PC laptops cost half as much as comparable Apple laptops, and are generally easier to upgrade — something that will be important over four years.

DO NOT load up on software before you go to school. Your student union computer centre or library can offer you all the productivity software you need at student-discounted rates, which are far cheaper than you would pay at a computer store. That applies to necessities like Microsoft Office and security software.

You should also find out if your school sells laptops, as your institution may have a deal with a laptop manufacturer that could save you a lot of money.

Your computer may be your home entertainment system in your dorm, so things like screen size, speaker quality, and video and sound cards should be a factor in your decision. You should also take a minute to listen to your computer — can you hear the hard drive spin, can you hear the fans, does it sound like a plane is taking off when you put a disk in the drive?

If storage becomes an issue, consider getting an external hard drive to store past projects, and digital music, photo, and video files. You should also buy an external keyboard and mouse, because those little keyboards can get annoying at times.