May 31, 2011
What’s Google bike? In short it’s an alternative (and a yet-to-be-invented) method of using Google Earth live. In real terms, someone has discovered a way of rigging up a fairly simple system whereby you can use your bike indoors, whilst using the satellite mapping application as your virtual cycling route.
There are a couple or so web sites around the internet that show you exactly how to ‘connect’ yourself, your bike and the software in several straightforward (enough) steps. To my mind you’ll need three major components:
- A love of mountain biking, such that when it’s nasty out you’ve still gotta get on that thing and pedal like the wind’s in your hair. Albeit virtually.
- Some kind of computer know-how. Otherwise you’re probably going to end up wrapped up in wires, with a broken computer (and body if you’re not careful) and a high level of frustration that may well provoke you into doing what you should have done in the first place – taken your bike outside and ridden it in the real world
- An understanding wife/partner. Otherwise you’ll find that she may end up threatening you with all hell when she finds out that you’ve turned the lounge into some kind of indoor bike-park.
If you’ve got the above three bases covered you’re all set. If you haven’t … then perhaps it’s one of those things that you should add to your list of ‘things not to try at home’.
Define Google Bike
I’ve already tried to define Google bike but, in the event that either:
- english isn’t your first language or
- you’re one of those hopeful types that never listens
… then here it is again:
It’s a whacky (though creative) method of riding your bike in your lounge in the hope that you somehow manage to fool yourself into believing that you’re cycling far on off, or (I suppose) hitherto uncharted (and probably wholly dangerous) territory that a man like you can only dream about.
Perhaps you feel that this particular definition doesn’t quite match up to what you were hoping for? Well you can put that down to the fact that I don’t like cycling (virtually or otherwise) and of course that I have your best interests at heart. I really don’t want to read in the news that you ended up in hospital with your bike wrapped (in very interesting ways) around your body after your wife came home and caught you pedaling around her coffee table.
Women are funny about these things. Men, mountain bikes and indoor spaces just don’t match. Now – go and read my page about Google Earth live. Go learn about some of the (far) more sensible ways in which you can use the software. Instead of being silly and supposing that you will work out how/get away with playing around on Google bike.
May 30, 2011
Despite the fact that Google radio is widely known of, it’s no longer owned by the search engine giant, and hasn’t been since the fall off 2009. Known back then as Radio Automation, it was bought out by a company called WideOrbit, and the product is still available for those that wish to access it.
For those that liked the fact that they could stream the radio over the internet, there are still many other sites littered around the internet that provide the same service. As it was, the original format was more about being a software product, something to be used by those seriously interested in online media/marketing.
Google Radio Toolbar
For those that do prefer the simplicity that comes with being able to listen to music whilst online, you can still download an alternative Google radio toolbar, at any one of a number of different web sites. I won’t link to any of them here, as the spectrum is quite wide. Some people prefer Jazz, others Blues, Motown or HipHop to name a few.
Most of the downloads that I’m aware of allow you to tailor your radio toolbar according to your ‘listening’ preferences, much like the one that I use. Mine allows me to perform a ‘set it and forget it’ kind of thing, which is great for when I’m surfing around on the internet. It sits quietly on my toolbar, in and among my favorites, history etc, and it’s pretty easy to tune into, or not.
Google Music
Google music is often synonymous with Google radio, in as much as it’s another searched for term that hovers around the web. Different to the need for an online radio type application, the music aspect is a part of the search engine’s collection of free products. The app makes it a simple task to store music, download/upload, listen whilst online; you can even sync your favorite handheld gadget, such as an iPhone or iPad.
There’s also the fact that you can sync your android cell ‘phone, another cool little feature, more so when you realize just how popular these handy pieces of technology have become. More and more people are buying into the android market as our ‘phones are fast becoming our one-stop gadget of choice, that’s no bad thing.
There’s a whole wealth of online apps that the average android can handle, Google Earth live is one example, and the fact that you can talk, text, watch movies, download music and much more certainly makes the words ‘modern technology’ highly appropriate. I guess the fact that Google radio is now defunct is neither here nor there, as the new cool is definitely possessing a mobile internet device.