Google Flipper – a new way to flip through the news

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Ever looked at Google News and thought – “I’m loving the content, I just wish it was presented in a more visual way”? No? Me neither, that would be quite a bizarre thing to think really.

But someone at Google obviously has though this by the looks of Flipper – a Google labs project that displays the news in a much more visual way. Check out this screen shot from Tech Crunch to get an idea.

The idea behind Flipper is that users will be able to flip through the news. They’ll also be able to sort the news into personalised sections – by sources, key words, trends, recommendations and the like.

The thing that excites me most about Flipper though is simply its name. Flipper – how awesome is that? You’ll be able to talk to it in the same way Porter, Sandy and Bud used to talk to Flipper the dolphin.

“What’s that Flip, Gordon Brown’s expenses are coming under intense scrutiny? And a man got stuck down a well in Tunbridge Wells?!?” Brilliant – the news will never be boring again.

Flipper isn’t public at the moment – it’s only for the Google boffins – but expect it to launch sometime soon.

(via Tech Crunch)

Six-year-old story pops up on Google News, triggering United Airlines share price collapse

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Three cheers for automated technology! The Google News “Googlebot” search routine decided last weekend that a six-year-old story regarding United Airlines filing for bankruptcy was new and exciting.

The automated news site posted the Chicago Tribune report – originally written on December 10 of 2002 – as new news at the top of its business section, dated it with the day’s date and sent UA shareholders into a CRAZED SELLING PANIC, bringing down the share price by a staggering 76%…

Google News to allow those featured in stories to comment

google_news_logo.gifGoogle is set to expand its Google News offering by not only providing the headline and excerpt from a wide variety of online news sources, but also allowing those featured in those articles to comment, and have those comments published alongside the article link.

In theory, the system will work by allowing people or organisations mentioned in news stories to submit stories to the Google News team, who will then display those unedited comments.

Initially launching in the US, and rolling out elsewhere if successful, the scheme poses some interesting questions.