Spring greetings to our Google friends. We hope you enjoy this month's
update on our products and services.

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POWER TIP

New version of Google Video

This month, we've launched a new version of Google Video. Most of the
key features have been redesigned, including the home page, the play
page, and the landing frame for third-party videos. You'll also see
three different ways to view search results: by list, in a grid, and
TV-style. Toggle between these views by clicking on the icons on the
top right, just above the search results and next to the results
filters.  Finally, you can also browse some of the most popular videos
from the newly updated home page.
http://video.google.com

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NEW PRODUCTS & UPDATES

Google Earth 4.3 released

The newest version of Google Earth enables you to see 41 new cities in
3D, including Boston, Tampa, Zurich, Hamburg and Tokyo,  along with
much faster 3D building rendering, new navigation control down to
street level, the ability to view the sun at any time of the day, and
more. We've also brought Street View from Maps to Earth and added 12
new languages.
http://earth.google.com

Improved traffic conditions on Google Maps

Now, along with current traffic conditions, you can see traffic
incidents such as accidents, construction, and road closures in most
cities where we have traffic coverage on Google Maps. Also, when you
turn on the traffic layer, a new control will pop up so you can change
the day and time to see typical traffic conditions, based on
historical data.
http://maps.google.com

Improved search in Google Docs

There are two new search-related Document list features in Google
Docs: Search options brings the tools of advanced search so you can
narrow down your search and find the file you’re looking for more
quickly. And the saved searches feature helps you to save your custom
searches, name them, access them in one click from the left pane.
http://docs.google.com

Picasa Web Albums goes mobile and offline

Those of you who use Picasa Web Albums can now view your online photos
when you're offline on your Windows Mobile touchscreen device. This is
the first Google mobile web application that works offline through the
magic of Google Gears. So sync your favorite albums, then enjoy Picasa
Web Albums slideshows, community pictures, and all other mobile
features directly from your Windows Mobile browser -- even without any
network connection.
http://www.google.com/mobile/photos

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MISCELLANY

Design with people in mind

In the last few years it's become a commonplace for businesses to say
that they focus on users and talk about 'customer experience' or 'the
experience economy' or related notions. This focus may have generated
a good bit of jargon, but what lies beneath is a sound principle: the
idea that designers and builders - whether of cars, phones, mobile
devices, websites - need to pay attention to how real live humans use
their item. The image of the designer who "knows best" (among many
others, Frank Lloyd Wright required people who bought his houses to
stock them with the furniture he built, and nothing else).
Fortunately, in many instances today, that kind of thinking is
thankfully passe. As for Google, beyond our frequent mentions of
focusing on users, we have developed "User Principles" that show a bit
more of our thinking in this important area. Among others, they
include #8, "Delight the eye without distracting the mind," and #3,
"Simplicity is powerful." We encourage you to review the whole list
and see what you think is most important in this all too often overly-
complex, easily-distracting world we share.
http://www.google.com/corporate/ux.html