Google Profiles just got updated • Hacker News Board

Re: Google Profiles just got updated

#31

Post by tonfa » Thu, Mar 03, 2011, 8:08 AM UTC

chapel wrote: post #8

For some reason the new profiles don't render correctly in Chrome. It just shows a white page with nothing on it that is much longer than the actual profile page is. Not only that if you view source, it is all there. I am running Chrome 11.0.686.1 dev on OS X 10.6

The dev channel of Chrome has lots of issues (e.g. gmail has problems too).

Re: Google Profiles just got updated

#32

Post by tonfa » Thu, Mar 03, 2011, 8:12 AM UTC

willnorris wrote: post #11

Kilimanjaro wrote: post #7

Good, now please allow an API to get your avatar using your gmail address. While we're at it, allow me to get some public info via JSON too. ktxby.

sure – https://www.googleapis.com/buzz/v1/people/wnorris@gmail.com/... Note that this will only work for users that have activated Buzz

Or you can get it from the social graph API: http://socialgraph-resources.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/sample...

Re: Google Profiles just got updated

#33

Post by chapel » Thu, Mar 03, 2011, 8:12 AM UTC

tonfa wrote: post #31

chapel wrote: post #8

For some reason the new profiles don't render correctly in Chrome. It just shows a white page with nothing on it that is much longer than the actual profile page is. Not only that if you view source, it is all there. I am running Chrome 11.0.686.1 dev on OS X 10.6

The dev channel of Chrome has lots of issues (e.g. gmail has problems too).

I know it has issues, but for me Gmail is fine. The version before the one I was using displays the profiles fine. So who knows.

Re: Google Profiles just got updated

#34

Post by Bvalmont » Thu, Mar 03, 2011, 8:35 AM UTC

How is this going to affect search results when someone googles my name ? This could be very useful because I have a very common name and it would be nice to get bumped up a bit because I have a google profile.

Re: Google Profiles just got updated

#35

Post by digitaltothem » Thu, Mar 03, 2011, 11:28 AM UTC

jedc wrote: post #3

Not a huge update, but it's much cleaner looking than current profiles.

Yes, that was my first impression too. Looks much cleaner, info displayed better. The old ones look a bit stuffed, they highlighted simplicity in the new ones.

Re: Google Profiles just got updated

#36

Post by joebadmo » Thu, Mar 03, 2011, 7:59 PM UTC

viviensin wrote: post #26

I had this huge debate with regard to our vision of Google's future today. The question was whether Google should stay focused on developing its distinctive competence: being a superior search solution, and monetize through advertising, or whether it should branch into new ideas such as Checkout functions or even desktop products. Personally, I think it's crucial that Google to strike a balance between external acqui…

What you're forgetting is that social networks are a threat to Google's primary business because they offer better signals for/an alternative to search. I think the strategic play for Google is own all the social signals, or at least have them be in open formats that they can crawl.

Re: Google Profiles just got updated

#37

Post by viviensin » Tue, Mar 15, 2011, 9:50 PM UTC

joebadmo wrote: post #36

viviensin wrote: post #26

I had this huge debate with regard to our vision of Google's future today. The question was whether Google should stay focused on developing its distinctive competence: being a superior search solution, and monetize through advertising, or whether it should branch into new ideas such as Checkout functions or even desktop products. Personally, I think it's crucial that Google to strike a balance between external acqui…

What you're forgetting is that social networks are a threat to Google's primary business because they offer better signals for/an alternative to search. I think the strategic play for Google is own all the social signals, or at least have them be in open formats that they can crawl.

which is what google is doing, especially with its launch of "real time" search which includes recent tweets. There are two paths google could take- to venture on trying to own all the social signals (which is what bing is trying to do!) or work on securing its image as the "objective" and professional platform. There are rumors that google will start its own "facebook"/ social network tool, and many users have voted against it, claiming that they want to keep gmail and other google usage professional rather than social.