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- More resources for those affected by the Japan earthquake and tsunami
- You’re changing the world. We want to help.
- Ooh la la—ask Gaga a question!
| More resources for those affected by the Japan earthquake and tsunami Posted: 17 Mar 2011 12:37 AM PDT (Cross-posted from the Google.org Blog) Like the rest of the world, we've been transfixed by the images and news coming out of the northeastern part of Japan over the past six days. Our hearts go out to those who have been affected by this devastation and we're deeply grateful to those who are working to keep us safe. In the meantime, Googlers in Japan and elsewhere around the world have been working around the clock to try and help improve the flow of information. Here are some of the recent developments we've been working on: Centralized information Our Crisis Response page—now in Japanese, English, Chinese and Korean—organizes all of Google's efforts, with links to valuable resources such as emergency hotlines, Person Finder, blackout schedules, maps and links to relief organizations receiving donations. Ninety-three percent of mobile users in Japan don't have top-of-the-line smartphones, so we've recently optimized this Crisis Response page to make it more readable for a wider range of devices. You can also access that version by scanning this QR code:  Person FinderWithin the first two hours of the earthquake, we launched Person Finder so people can enter the names of those they're looking for or have found. You can now also search by entering mobile phone numbers to see if they match any listings. And as with the Crisis Response page, Person Finder has also been optimized for those without smartphones. There are currently more than 250,000 records in the database (including names shared with us by NHK, the national broadcaster in Japan) and we've heard several reports of people who have found their loved ones safe. To help the many people in shelters get word of their whereabouts to loved ones, we're also asking people in shelters to take photos of the handwritten lists of names of current residents and email them to us. Those photos are automatically uploaded to a public Picasa Web Album. We use scanning technology to help us manually add these names to Person Finder; but it's a big job that can't be done automatically by computers alone, so we welcome volunteers with Japanese language skills who want to help out. Satellite images We're also working with our satellite partners GeoEye and DigitalGlobe to provide frequent updates to our imagery of the hardest-hit areas to first responders as well as the general public. You can view this imagery in this Google Earth KML, browse it online through Google Maps or look through our Picasa album of before-and-after images of such places as Minamisanriku and Kesennuma. Mapping You can follow developments on the ground by looking at several maps that track changing developments. We've mapped rolling blackouts for areas that are affected by power outages. With data given to us by Honda, you can now see which roads have been recently passable on this map or this user-made Google Earth mashup with new satellite imagery. We're also constantly updating a master map (in Japanese and English) with other data such as epicenter locations and evacuation shelters. And with information from the newspaper Mainichi, we've published a partial list of shelters. Translation Use Google Translate for Japanese and 56 other languages. You can paste in any text, or enter the address of any web page for automatic translation. We also just released an early experimental version of Google Translate for Android to help non-Japanese speakers in affected areas. Donations Visit our Crisis Response resource page to find opportunities to donate. When you donate to Japan relief efforts through Google Checkout, we absorb processing fees—so 100% of your money goes to the organizations. Google has also donated $250,000 to help the people of Japan recover. To keep up with the latest developments on our efforts in Japan, follow @googlejapan (tweets are mostly in Japanese) or @earthoutreach (for our mapping and imagery efforts) on Twitter.      |
| You’re changing the world. We want to help. Posted: 16 Mar 2011 05:31 PM PDT (Cross-posted on the Google for Nonprofits Blog and Public Policy Blog) One of the greatest things about my job is hearing how terrific organizations are using technology to help their cause. Today I've had a chance to talk with Direct Relief International who raised more than $1 million using Google AdWords, Samasource who saved tens of thousands of dollars using Google Apps and the Natural Resource Defense Council who earned 100,000 views from one video on their YouTube channel with no paid advertising. Listening to these stories and several like them, we realized that we had an opportunity to greatly increase the number of nonprofits we could assist. With today's launch of the Google for Nonprofits program, which provides exclusive product offerings and enhanced online resources, we'll be able to help U.S.-based nonprofits reach more donors, improve operations and raise awareness for their cause. If you work for a nonprofit, this program provides you with several new benefits. Instead of applying to each Google product individually, you can sign up through a one-stop shop application process. If approved, you can access our suite of product offerings designed for nonprofits: up to $10,000 a month in advertising on Google AdWords to reach more donors, free or discounted Google Apps to cut IT costs and operate more efficiently, and premium features for YouTube and our mapping technologies to raise awareness of your cause. We've also developed other online resources such as educational videos, case studies and better ways for you to connect with other nonprofits. Over time, we've learned that many nonprofits require hands-on assistance to optimize the use of Google tools. So we're also introducing the Google for Nonprofits Marketplace, which connects nonprofits with professional service providers who have agreed to offer their services for a free or discounted rate. These firms are already certified partners from existing Google marketplaces—like AdWords Authorized Resellers, Analytics Certified Partners, Google Apps Marketplace and the Google Earth Outreach Developer Marketplace. We're inspired and humbled by the amazing ways nonprofits make positive changes to our world and look forward to supporting their work. If you work for a nonprofit, apply today to see how Google can help your organization grow and expand your impact.     |
| Ooh la la—ask Gaga a question! Posted: 16 Mar 2011 09:35 AM PDT (Cross-posted from the YouTube Blog) Attention little monsters! Channel your inner Oprah, because now is your chance to ask Lady Gaga everything you've always wanted to know. What's life like on tour? What's her favorite YouTube video? Was the meat dress really made of meat? In Gaga's own words: You have until midnight PT on March 18 to submit a video or text question, so just head to Gaga's channel to submit your query or vote on the ones you want us to ask. You can also tweet your question with the hashtag #GoogleGoesGaga. We'll share the interview with you shortly after it's uploaded to YouTube. So, what are you waiting for?     |
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