tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67784832025-10-20T12:47:33.332-07:00News, reviews, and commentary about A9.com, other new search technologies, and related topics. Send news, inquiries, and rants to randalldotnewton atgmaildotcom. Subscribe at http://feeds.feedburner.com/A9watchEtc.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778483.post-1108057498635072342005-02-10T09:38:00.000-08:002005-02-10T09:44:58.636-08:00

I've decided to let A9watch, etc. go dormant. I will occasionally publish search-related items to my personal blog, LoomisBoy. And, I cover search as relevant to AEC (architecture/engineering/construction) as part of my day job at AECnews.com. Both have XML feeds. I'll leave this blog up for an indefinite period, as part of the historical record. Plus, I might get the occasional ad hit (worth a

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778483.post-1107300731616366632005-02-01T15:31:00.000-08:002005-02-01T15:32:11.616-08:00

Wow, that was fast! Barely an hour ago I wrote (see previous entry) about Google Desktop Search, and said I was asking Google for advice. The answer is here already: Thank you for your note. Once Google Desktop Search is installed, it updates your personal search index whenever you open, save, or view a file, email, or other searchable item. You'll be able to search for that new content within

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778483.post-1107297849289148372005-02-01T14:43:00.000-08:002005-02-01T14:44:09.290-08:00

I downloaded Google Desktop Search (GDS) the first day it was available, and I use it almost every day. But I find it is a bit too efficient. More than once my search results have included spam email messages that only spent a few minutes on my computer before being whisked into the ether. Having spam in my search results is only a mild annoyance, to be honest. But I see no need for the Google

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778483.post-1103043157562125512004-12-14T08:50:00.000-08:002004-12-14T08:52:37.563-08:00

I often use the Google Deskbar, a clever little tool that sits in the Windows (2000/XP) Taskbar. And I am absolutely hooked on Google's new Desktop Search capabilities. As soon as I started using it, I realized how great it would be if the two applications were combined in one interface. Google publishes an Application Programming Interface (API), so if you can dream of a Google hack (

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778483.post-1099421680384907822004-11-02T10:52:00.000-08:002004-11-02T10:54:40.386-08:00

LinuxInsider has the details.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778483.post-1097089283781692032004-10-06T11:51:00.000-07:002004-10-06T12:01:23.783-07:00

When I started A9watch, etc. a few months ago, I was unemployed and underutilized by my various contracting clients. The exact opposite is now true. Also, the kind of writing I need to do for this blog is too much like my existing work to make it fun anymore. So, if there's somebody out there who would like to take over "http://a9watch.blogspot.com" drop me a line at randall dot newton at gmail

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778483.post-1095350791421081942004-09-16T09:02:00.000-07:002004-09-16T09:06:31.420-07:00

New Scientist magazine offers a good round-up of how programmers are finding ways to add functionality to Gmail. The clever hacks include Linux-based file storage, a community blog, and tools for automatically checking Gmail from the desktop.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778483.post-1095262984160560502004-09-15T08:40:00.000-07:002004-09-15T08:43:43.926-07:00

A9 unveiled an update this morning, adding the ability to search three new categories in their side-by-side approach. Users now have the option to search “Images,” “Movies,” and “Reference. A9 has also changed the color scheme and the layout of features. I’ll prepare a more detailed report soon.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778483.post-1095262556934804292004-09-15T08:28:00.000-07:002004-09-15T08:35:56.933-07:00

There was a message from the Gmail Team waiting for me this morning, regarding my inability to access the Invites popup. They made two suggestions (the entire letter is at the end of this post). The first was to login to my Gmail account using the secure (https://) address, the second was to twiddle with both my browser and my spam blocking software. I have always been using the secure server,

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778483.post-1095105663410616102004-09-13T13:57:00.000-07:002004-09-13T13:01:03.410-07:00

Sometimes you have to get creative to find what you are looking for on the Web. Andy Beal of Search Engine Lowdown tells how he used Google to search the worst of the Web to solve a problem. If you use search as part of your workday, you will appreciate what Andy did to finally reach his goal.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778483.post-1095099559793084762004-09-13T11:15:00.000-07:002004-09-13T11:19:19.793-07:00

Google is asking current Gmail users to invite new uses into the service. Last week, I had no problem clicking the invite link, but today every attempt is stopped in its tracks. An error message appears: “Grrr! A popup blocker may be preventing Gmail from opening the page. If you have a popup blocker, try disabling it to open the window.” I haven’t changed any settings on any of the

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778483.post-1094142983792306732004-09-02T09:30:00.000-07:002004-09-02T09:36:23.793-07:00

The blogspace rumor mill is at work, grinding away on the possibility of a new Google Instant Messaging client. Search Engine Lowdown has the best summary. What most people don't realize about Google is that it already owns and operates an IM client of sorts. It came along as part of the technology from the purchase of Picasa. You can check it out at Hello.com. More on both the rumor and the

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778483.post-1093375153680019132004-08-24T12:15:00.000-07:002004-08-24T12:19:13.680-07:00

I've got seven invitations to Gmail to share, and they will go to the first seven people who request them. Write to me at randall dot newton at gmail dot com. Sorry to have to spell it out, but I don't need spambots filling my gmail account. First come, first served. I'll delete this posting when all seven are claimed.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778483.post-1086824546014745872004-06-09T16:08:00.000-07:002004-06-09T16:42:26.013-07:00

I'm back to selling Gmail invitations on eBay. (Those of you who are following along know that I was the very first person in the whole wide world to sell an invitation to Gmail on eBay. Big flippin' deal, right?) Recently Gmail gave current users the ability to invite three new members, as they slowly continue to ramp up the service. So, do I send invitations to my friends? Nah, I sell the

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778483.post-1086632601859793432004-06-07T11:21:00.000-07:002004-06-07T11:23:21.860-07:00

Last week the login for Gmail had an additional check box available: Don't ask for my password for 2 weeks If anyone out there has tried it, drop us a line: randall dot newton @ gmail dot com.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778483.post-1086371534335086072004-06-04T10:43:00.000-07:002004-06-04T10:52:14.336-07:00

I'm working on a rush writing project, and I realized I needed some background information. Whereas in the past I might have used Yahoo! or Google, A9 was the better call this time because of Amazon.com's wonderful Search Inside the Book feature. So, I'm working with various combinations of search terms, and on about the third search I notice a note in brackets beside the URL for one of the

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778483.post-1084686887308773842004-05-15T22:51:00.000-07:002004-05-15T22:54:47.310-07:00

Here are some quotes, without comment (I'm on the road and pressed for time) from his recent testimony to the FCC: "The U.S. now ranks eleventh internationally in residential “broadband” access. Using the FCC’s silly 200-kilobit-per-second definition, some now say that 25 percent of American homes have broadband. But by the standards of Asia—where most citizens enjoy access speeds 10 times

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778483.post-1084479648059189432004-05-13T13:07:00.000-07:002004-06-09T16:47:31.900-07:00

[This article will appear in the May 2004 issue of AEC Automation Newsletter, of which I am Editor-in-Chief.] Google in the Catbird Seat By Randall S. Newton I closed last month’s Industry Wrap-Up column promising to explain why I think Google is Microsoft’s “only serious competition.” And that was before they (finally) announced their plans to become a publicly held company. But as I wrote, I

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778483.post-1083958639661357932004-05-07T12:36:00.000-07:002004-05-07T12:41:47.843-07:00

Yesterday when I opened A9, three searches that I did not make appeared in my search history. They are not topics, per se, but file paths. They are all similar: “cgi-bin/dasp/EN/helppane___9080000001F.js” “cgi-bin/dasp/EN/hotmail___90805000454.js” “cgi-bin/dasp/EN/hotmail___9080050023.css” I reported it to A9.com via their feedback mechanism (which I think needs to be more in tune with beta

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778483.post-1083860947854182692004-05-06T09:23:00.000-07:002004-05-06T09:33:34.560-07:00

My Gmail auction on eBay closed last night. The invitation went for $41; there were 11 bidders. The winner represents a technology firm in Taiwan, who paid almost immediately via PayPal. Today the market average for a Gmail invitation is $47, so my auction was pretty close to average. More than 700 auctions for Gmail invitations have closed as of this morning; about 25% of those are cancelled

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778483.post-1083789129677875852004-05-05T13:29:00.000-07:002004-05-05T13:36:35.076-07:00

Auctions for an invitation to apply for a Gmail account are closing today at an average price of $61. More than 600 such auctions have closed since the first one appeared on eBay April 28.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778483.post-1083771282689714402004-05-05T08:33:00.000-07:002004-05-05T08:39:07.780-07:00

Analyst Amy Rowell, my associate at Cyon Research (my day job), has an overview of what’s new in search technology used on 3D objects. This is an aspect of search in its early stage of development. It won’t become much of a consumer-level tool, but it will be very welcome in large manufacturing settings with their thousands of 3D models from past and present projects.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778483.post-1083605433344582852004-05-03T10:27:00.000-07:002004-05-03T10:38:37.936-07:00

I took the time this morning to analyze all the successfully completed auctions on eBay for invitations to sign up for a Gmail account from Google. As detailed in previous posts to this blog, early Gmail users are taking advantage of their ability to invite two new members to sell rights to the invitations on eBay. I was the first one to post such an auction on eBay, but it didn’t take long for

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778483.post-1083363198720967782004-04-30T15:11:00.000-07:002004-05-02T23:03:34.106-07:00

Being first isn’t always such a great thing. While my eBay auction for a GMail invitation sits at $7.00, with 5 ½ days to go, other auctions, shorter in duration, are attracting the money. One auction just closed a few minutes ago with a winning bid of $262, and several “Buy It Now” listings have sold for $60. As of this writing there are 70 active auctions and 45 completed ones. I am SOOO

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6778483.post-1083274607065093162004-04-29T14:33:00.000-07:002004-04-29T14:47:05.200-07:00

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=4291&item=3675041226&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW">When I launched an eBay auction to sell my one remaining invitation to join Gmail last night (see previous blog entry, below), it was the only such auction on eBay. There are now five such auctions open, with bid prices up to $15.50. Two auctions for Gmail invitations were listed with “Buy It Now”

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0