"I recently taught my parents not to include signatures with every text message"... TeachParentsTech.org

"I recently taught my parents not to include signatures with every text message".

This makes you smile because you've done the same thing, in some form or another.

 

Whether our parents have embraced technology since we were chatting on ICQ, or just last week discovered Skype (and now refuse to settle for a mere 'audio' conversation) they all ask for help from time to time.

 

Well, Merry Christmas children of the interwebs, because (once again) those (smart as a) cookie folks at Google are saving you valuable eggnog drinking time this season with TeachParentsTech.org.

The site comprises five categories (the basics, world wide web, communication, media and finding information) and over 50 short (under 2 minutes) how-to videos that review basic tech FAQs, such as 'crop photos' and 'create a mailing list'.  The videos are a mix of Google plugs and general info.  

Great insight (@jasontoff) into an extremely common interaction between us and our parents - the request for tech support - which is naturally amplified during around the holidays. And despite the extensive Google product push, I love the execution.

Check it out here

"Cortex fast"

Check out this smart new extension for Chrome, developed by former Google intern, Joey Primiani.

Great example of picking up on our massive propensity to share anything and everything on the web and creating a product to make it more efficient.

In case you don't have the full 12-25 seconds to email/post/tweet a link... now you can do it in 2 ;)

Get Cortex here.

via @Mashable

Google Nexus One - Slickity Slick

This is not a Nexus One review or comparison - unfortunately I haven't got my hands on one yet, so I'll leave that to all the lovely folks at Mashable etc.

Just wanted to flag up Nexus One's YouTube channel - by far the slickest brand (product, no less) channel that I've seen. 

Google Nexus One

The channel features app demos, a 3D tour and how-to's.  It has had over 2 million upload views, with the video above receiving over 1 million views in the week that it's been up.  

A very nice example of driving product education and sales through a YouTube channel (the "Get Nexus One" button drives to the Google Phone page, where you can sign into your Google account and purchase the phone).

I. Want. One.

The Google Story

This is great - The Google Story in 2 minutes and 13 seconds (thanks @webkitten for sending it to me).

I'm really interested in data visualization and digital storytelling at the moment -- if you come across any cool ones, do send them to me -- and this is a very nice, succinct way to summarize 11 years.

"A (very) quick look back at the Google story over the last 11 years. From Stanford to Mountain View and around the world, featuring many different products, starting with BackRub (Search) up to Google Wave, StreetView and Chrome".

I'd actually like to watch a 2 hour and 13 minute video on The Google Story (hmm on a scale from 1-37, how big of a geek does that make me...??) because I'm fascinated by how much I keep reading about the different parts of Google's business every day. 

Last year if you asked me for my brand tag of Google, I would have said "search" (like the majority of people).  A few months ago I would have said "info-organizer".  Now I'd have to go with "innovation monster" - not to be confused with the Fame Monster... I'm still sure whether it's a scary monster under the bed, or a super cool, nice monster, in the closet who takes your hand and guides you around wherever you'd like to go (using geo-tagged maps based on your past history, bookmarks and purchases)... Ok perhaps the toxic fumes from outside Skive towers are getting to me...