Awesome Google

CollegeHumor’s Google Android Blackmail would be pretty ham-fisted if it weren’t so perfectly-timed; it was released the same day Google decided to extend personalized search to all.

Designed for folks who live, breathe, and sleep Gmail, the Gboard is similar to a USB numeric keypad but features 19 commonly used shortcuts including stars, trash, ESC, and archive.

Due out in a year, Google’s Chrome OS is a browser as an OS that targets netbooks with fast boot times, with all web apps and data served and stored in a cloud. “For dummies” intro here.

We like the free airport Wi-Fi, but Google Maps gets put to more practical (and healthy) uses: the Flu Shot Finder helps you track down seasonal and H1N1 flu shots in your neighborhood.

Happy (early) holidays: Google will offer free Wi-Fi at 47 airports and Virgin America flights from 11/16/09 to 1/15/10; Yahoo offers it at Times Square starting today through all of 2010.

The Xperia X10 is Sony Ericsson’s new flagship phone: it packs a speedy 1 GHz CPU, 4″ capacitive touchscreen, 8.1MP camera, “Rachael” Android UI, HSPA, Wi-Fi, and GPS.

DJ in the Googleplex: Google Music integrates jams into its search results, letting you play and buy full tracks from sources that include iLike, Lala, Imeem, Rhapsody and Pandora.

Google fires a huge shot across the bow of other GPS devices and apps with Google Maps Navigation; available only on Android 2.0, it includes 3D views, turn-by-turn navi and auto rerouting.

Time to toss out the donuts: Android 2.0 (Eclair) is now official; along with SDK support, it features two-way contacts sync, HTML5 support, a unified inbox, and much, much more.

This Map Marker Death t-shirt pointedly shows the hazards of overly augmenting reality; up next: street view dude’s mangled body found flying across random street intersections.

NSFW: Still can’t wrap your noggin’ around Google Wave? This Pulp Fiction mashup by Joe Sabia should “bang” some sense into your head; it’s basically chat with 72 point font and pictures.

We normally jump at the chance for a roadtrip, but Google Streetview Guys is the antithesis of Harold & Kumar: no male bonding, no burgers, and no foreseeable end in sight.

Sure to whip virtual voyeurs into a frenzy, Georgia Tech is taking Google Earth real-time; they’ve incorporated real-world imagery including traffic, football games and even clouds.

Blending old world style with new world tech, Bill Guffey’s Google Street View Art may seem worldly but is painted entirely from his home in rural Kentucky; yes, Google says it’s okay.

Likely an effort to assuage privacy concerns, Google Japan definitely has the market cornered on cute with this stop motion TV ad; it shows how Google Maps’ Streetview is really made.

Jokes about Google’s monopolistic tendencies aside, this mashup between Hasbro and the Googleplex has us intrigued: Monopoly City Streets will use Google Maps as a virtual board.

iGoogle, Google’s formerly plain-jane web portal page, has recently been revamped with social networking features including 19 social gadgets that you can share with friends.

The Onion’s Google Opt-Out is a brilliant take on bureaucratic double speak: Google knocks you so far off grid you can forget about basic sanitation, medical care or escape.

Guess the Google is simple but surprisingly addictive game that presents an array of images which you’ll need to guess the search term for; it’s pretty finicky, so get your spelling right.

Not content to dominate Microsoft, Google’s Autonomobile takes on the car makers and takes out the driver: there’s no steering wheel or brakes, although it ironically includes a bar.

A shot across Microsoft’s bow, Google Chrome OS will run on x86 and ARM chips with a focus on web-based apps; it’ll be open sourced this year, with consumers getting it 2H 2010.

Tryi Yeh’s Google-G0 concept is an experiment in phone ergonomics; the speakers and mic are positioned on the back, which also slides to reveal a customizable keypad and camera.

Microsoft’s Bing “decision” engine has done fairly well, but Googling with Bing puts into perspective a certain 800 pound gorilla in Silicon Valley that is synonymous with search.