Language Immersion for Chrome switches certain words and phrases from English into a language of your choice. It’s an experimental extension that simulates the experience of being immersed in a foreign language. Plus, it’s simple and fun.

Download from the Chrome Web Store: http://goo.gl/F2Zms

via Google Creative Sandbox – Google+ – Learn a new language while you browse the web. Language….

What struck me about these budding entrepreneurs was that although they were overflowing with ideas and technical know-how, they were hungry for advice on things like how to attract funding, find business partners and market their idea or product. And thousands of kilometers from Silicon Valley, connecting with the right people with the knowledge and capital can be difficult.

So to help fill this gap for start-up wisdom, today we’re announcing Google Sudo, a new initiative for entrepreneurs and others interested in the Aussie startup community. Google Sudo is about helping aspiring Aussie entrepreneurs become successful entrepreneurs. It’s a start up “do” – a shindig – that will blend interesting talks, panels and ample networking time.

(Software engineers and systems administrators around the world know and love the “sudo” Unix command which grants them superuser privileges. So think of a Google Sudo as something that grants entrepreneurs to some of the secrets of access).

Over the next few months, we’ll be hosting free tutorials, events and Hangouts on Google+ that bring together successful entrepreneurs, angel investors, VCs and others who will share their stories and be generous with insights and advice to the Aussie startup community.

The first event on Wednesday, May 30, will be an interactive session that will cover incubation and venture capital and more.

The panelists:

Entrepreneurs Mike Fox & Mike Knapp from Shoes of Prey (and former Googlers),

Angel investor Vivian Stewart, from Sydney Angels, and

VC Bill Bartee, from Southern Cross Venture Partners

Due to limited space we won’t be able to accommodate everyone, but please register your interest here. We will email you an invitation if your registration is successful.

There’s no shortage of budding Aussie entrepreneurs wanting to give startup life a go.  Everyone benefits from a robust entrepreneurial eco-system and we think companies like Google can play a role in fostering the enormous talent we have downunder.

Posted by Alan Noble, Engineering Director, Google Australia and New Zealand

via Introducing Google Start-Up “Do”.

All businesses need to communicate. They need to communicate internally to teams, they need to communicate externally with Clients, Suppliers etc.  Most people like their communications to be documented in some way so they turn to productivity applications such as Microsoft Office and Apple iWork.  They write letters, proposals, user guides,etc and send them to each other via email. Financial plans and lists are stored in spreadsheets and customer presentations are prepared in packages like MS Powerpoint.

If you’re a small business already using Google Docs, you’re already aware of the many advantages over using these examples.  The nicest thing about Google Docs is that the list of advantages is growing longer at a superfast pace.

If you aren’t using it and want to know more, read on.  Google Docs is Google’s suite of productivity applications commonly used for business, i.e. spreadsheets,documents, and presentations.

I’ve listed 7 very good reasons why your small business should be taking advantage of Google Docs.

1.    It’s free! Under Google’s terms ofservice, for small teams up to ten users, use of Google Docs is completely free.  Why pay for software licenses when you can get comparable application functionality for free?  Oh…and no need to install any software either. It sits neatly in your browser. No further software installs or updates needed.  No need to worry about having it installed one very computer in the office.  It’s alreadythere.

2.    Everything is stored online.  All your Google Docs files are stored in the cloud (i.e. on the internet on a server somewhere other than your laptop or PC).  So, if your laptop gets stolen, you haven’t lost your files, they are safely stored away online.  No more losing documents on memory sticks,corrupt Word docs. Also storage of your Google Docs is also completely free!   No need to worry about space filling up the hard drive

3.    No more incompatible file types.  If someone sends you a word document, Google Docs can handle it.  It will convert it into a Google Document foryou.   You’ve created a big spreadsheet in Excel? Don’t worry; Google Docs will convert it to a Google Spreadsheet foryou.  Google Docs can handle over 30different file types.  If you really needto email an MS Office file to someone, you can just save your Google Doc in theformat they need and send.  You can alsovery easily create pdfs straight from Google Docs.

4.    Sharing works in real time. Google Docsare built for sharing.  You can share adocument with anybody with a Google email account like Gmail, or their own Google Docs email account.  The greatest thing about sharing a document is that several people can all be working on and contributing the same document at the exact same moment.   No more sending different versions with revisions back and forth.  You and designated others can amend the document. You can see what amends have been made and by whom.

5.    Easy and secure to share.  If you have sensitive documents you might usually consider password protecting them?  With Google Docs you can make the document completely private so nobody even knows it exists except you. If you want to share it with others, you can add their access individually by their email address.  Google’s security record is pretty good and unlikely to be any more substandard than any data security methods you already have in place.  Youdon’t have to worry about controlling access to drives or keeping private files on your c: drive.

6.    Google Docs works seamlessly with new Google Drive.  Last week Google announced the release of their much-rumoured Google Drive. Google Drive is essentially a way of storing all of your files in the Cloud (movies,audio, documents, photographs etc) and syncing changes when you make them.  For example, say you are at a client’s office presenting a Microsoft PowerPoint slide on your laptop.  You agree some changes to the slides and make the changes there and then.  If you store your new version in your Google Drive it will automatically synchronize on any of your other devices, such as your iPhone, iPad, Android, your PC etc.  No need to copy the file from your laptop overto your PC, or email the latest version to yourself.  I’ll blog more on this topic soon, it’s pretty exciting!.

7.    Web Publishing. Whatever you create you can publish it straight to the web.  Say you have a written user manual, this becomes available as a link for your clients, rather than sending them a big file that gets trapped by the filters.  Google Docs will give you the link and it’s ready to go.  In Word you can save items as HTML files, but it’s nowhere near as efficient a method as publishing via Google Docs.

There are several more but these are some of the good ones.  Personally I’m a Microsoft Office person.  I’ve been using Microsoft apps for so long, it initially felt a little strange to change to something else, but ultimately the benefits far outweigh my need for familiarity.

via GoogleWatch: 7 Reasons Why Small Businesses Should Be Using Google Docs.

Today we’re excited to launch Hangouts On Air to Google+ users worldwide. So if you have something to say—as an aspiring artist, a global celebrity, or a concerned citizen—you can now go live in front of a global audience. With just a few clicks, you’ll be able to:

Broadcast publicly. By checking “Enable Hangouts On Air,” you can broadcast your live hangout—from the Google+ stream, your YouTube channel or your website—to the entire world.

See how many viewers you’ve got. During your broadcast, you can look inside the hangout to see how many people are watching live.

Record and re-share. Once you’re off the air, we’ll upload a public recording to your YouTube channel, and to your original Google+ post. This way it’s easy to share and discuss your broadcast after it’s over.

Of course, launching millions of live stations takes some doing, so we’re rolling out Hangouts On Air gradually, over the next few weeks. In the meantime you can save the date for an upcoming hangout…

via Google+ Hangouts On Air: broadcast your conversation to the world | Official Google Blog.

Over the past year I began using LinkedIn to connect with the true insiders of the industries I market my business and executive coaching service to. What I found was that there are some real strict guidelines you must follow to become viewed at as a “real” value to others, for them to want to connect with you. Many of my coaching clients ask me routinely for what I consider the most important strategies to use on this top social media networking professional site, here are five good tips to start with:

1. Start slow: Check out what other people are doing on LinkedIn. Figure out why you want to use the service and what you wish to accomplish. Is it looking for a job, new business connections, or perhaps becoming an insider in your industry? Figure this out first, then move on. The great thing about it is that you can edit anything you type on your profile page if you change your game plan down the line. Statistically, LinkedIn profiles with photos are seven times more likely to be viewed than those without. Make sure you have an appropriate image.

Then start off by scanning job descriptions or areas of the networking site that interest you. Look for industry websites, and information from professional conference materials to identify your field’s keywords, then sprinkle them throughout your profile.

To build your list of connections, start taking advantage of other social media networks. Find people who blog about your professional interests or use Twitter. Try checking their Twitter streams regularly, retweet their posts, respond to any of their questions and ask for clarifications where appropriate.

You might just be surprised how a few casual tweets or online exchanges can result in a strong relationship. Once you’ve established trust, you are now ready to make a LinkedIn connection and expand your network.

2. Keep the reader in mind when typing out your profile. Short, but concise, paragraphs work best because they are more likely to be read than if they were long. Before you post and publish it, proof-read it out loud. Does it actually read like you want it to? Remember, you are trying to look like a professionals professional. Headline. Remember that your prospects will spend no more than about 10 seconds deciding whether to click through to your profile, and your headline is your make-or-break chance to capture their interest – so make it count! Don’t just list your job title or position, but instead use your headline to say who you are, what sort of person or company you can help, and what you will help them to do. Think about the person you want to find you, then speak to them and describe what you can do for them.

Summary. Once you’ve caught their attention enough for them to visit your profile, use the Summary section to elaborate. Your Summary should build on your headline and describe what you’re passionate about, what your business does, what problems you can solve, and why you’re qualified to solve them. Use the Specialties section of your Summary to give a succinct list of the skills and abilities that set you apart.

Additional Information. Do you have a website? A blog? A Twitter account? If they position you well and reflect your desired image, list them. Given them a name more interesting than “my website” or “my blog” (click “Other” when prompted) to entice your visitors to click. If you’ve received an honor or award or hold membership in groups that enhance your desired image, include them. Be cautious about adding “interests”, and remember you’re addressing a potential client, not a hiring manager. That said, listing one or two interests can give it a more personal touch, if that’s what you’re after.

3. A good technique for gain recommendations is to first give them. Look at your current connections and provide them with a recommendation. Be genuine and keep the fluff stuff out. Follow that up by sending them a message letting them know what you did and ask if they would reciprocate if they feel inclined.

4. When you join a group on LinkedIn make sure you participate. Post questions and answer them too. make discussion and news entries. This adds value and gives you exposure. Check out who the members are which is a great way to identify valuable contacts.

5. Upload a professional photo. Even if you need to use your local photographer, it is well worth it. For $40-$50 you can have get a package of professional photos made. make sure you are dressed in proper business attire. use this photo on all of the social media sites you are a member of because you are your brand. The more professional you make yourself look, the more people will read your profile and want to connect.

If you are out to attract prospective customers, you owe it to yourself and the financial future of your business to learn everything you can about social media.

via How To Get Massive Exposure And Generate Tons Of Leads On LinkedIn | IMGrind.com.

“After experiencing my first couple of hangouts in July of last year, I knew that Google had created a tool that could change industries,” says Joe Saad. The web-savvy entrepreneur is first focusing on changing the way people learn how to cook.

His company, ChefHangout.com, allows customers to participate in cooking classes led by professional chefs. What sets Saad’s business apart from others in the industry is that, thanks to Google+ technology, class participants can ask questions in real time since a hangout allows for that type of interaction. As Saad explains, “It’s a vastly different experience than watching one-dimensional videos or TV.”

Each class price varies and has limited “seating,” due to the nature of how hangouts work with a finite number of people (10 people total can participate in the video conversation, but additional people can watch if you choose to publicly broadcast with the “Hangouts on Air” functionality). Want to learn how to make cheese and tomato quiche this week? An hour-long session will cost you $15. Looking for a private cooking class? It’s yours for $49 a pop.

Saad’s goal is to expand beyond cooking into other verticals, creating a new “hangout” industry. Not only does he use Google+ hangouts to power his business, he also depends on this technology to communicate internally with his team of chefs and as a key tool for instructor recruitment. “There is no other social network or other place where I could have done this,” Saad says.

While Google’s new-ish network lacks the user base and buzzworthy status of other social services, such as Facebook, its community is growing steadily with a reported 100 million active users. Moreover, Google+ hangouts can be used in a number of ways to grow and enhance your business.

1.  Use Google+ hangout apps for collaboration

Aside from multi-person video chat functionality, Google+ has recently released hangout apps. Two in particular can greatly enhance communications within your business. Slideshare, which allows users to create digital presentations, now has a hangout app so that you can easily share such a document while hosting a hangout. Cacoo, a service that makes creating diagrams a cinch, launched a hangout app to seamlessly present this document within the multi-person video chat.

2.  Create your own hangout “show”

Whether you’re a photographer such as Trey Ratcliff, who is well-known on Google+ and regularly hosts hangouts to promote his own brand, or tech expert Chad LaFarge, who manages a hangout called FixMyElectronics, hosting your own hangout is a free and easy way to gain more awareness about your products, services, or your expertise. With a web camera and a mic, you’re ready to broadcast. One limitation of hangouts is that users must be members of Google+, but once someone is signed up for the service the hangout experience is one of the best live video interactions on the web.

3.  Schedule free face-to-face hangout team meetings

Within my own small business, our six-person team is scattered in different parts of the country. We often rely on Google+ hangouts for meetings because it’s a free way that we can engage in a lively multi-person conversation. Aside from social media consulting, we also do online video production; a hangout is the perfect way for us to review a YouTube video we’ve created. While watching a YouTube video in a hangout, any of us can play or pause the video or choose another video to watch. Ever try something like this in Skype? No such luck.

In the weeks to come, Saad sees users depending on ChefHangout.com for more than just teaching aspiring home chefs to cook. As Mother’s Day approaches, he’s anticipating that families living in cities all over the world will enjoy their service to come together as a family and make a meal together with a private chef–all from the comfort of their own kitchens.

[Image: Flickr user SIM Partners]

via 3 Ways To Work Smarter Using Google+ Hangouts | Fast Company.

Google is trying really hard to get people interested in Google+’s group video-chat feature, Hangouts. The company has brought on celebrities, political figures, and is now trying to attract its own Silicon Valley neighbors to participate on the social network through “VC Office Hours.”

Silicon Valley entrepreneurs are constantly looking for access to venture capitalists. Even if a company doesn’t want funding, venture capitalists can offer advice on a business model, see broader market trends, and in general share a lot about successes and failures in the business. The new program, announced by Bradley Horowitz on the social network, will allow entrepreneurs to chat with selected VCs through Hangouts. Horowitz will invite six to eight “interesting entrepreneurs, students, of fans of tech investing to lob questions at the respective VC’s.” Others can only watch the conversation.

The first group of VCs to participate in the Hangout include John Lilly of Greylock, Chris Dixon of Founder Collective, Roger McNamee of Elevation Partners, and John Borthwick of Betaworks. John Lily will go first on Thursday, May 10, at 8:15 am pacific time.

“We’ll announce each VC session with an individual G+ post,” said Horowitz in the blog post. “If you’d like to be part of the interview panel, you can respond in the comments. I’ll select a group of panelists from those that self-nominate.”

Previously, Google+ has hosted President Barack Obama, the Dalai Lama, and a number of other impressive names. So far, Hangouts seem to be Google+’s biggest draw as the social network tries to make a stand against heavyweights Twitter and Facebook.

via Get funded on Google+: Silicon Valley VCs are holding hangouts | VentureBeat.

However earlier this week shopping site TheFind  launched a social shopping app (soon to be an iPad app too) called Glimpse. It may yet prove to be a model of sorts for commerce on Facebook and social commerce more generally.

Some have argued it takes its inspiration from (or copies) Pinterest and seeks to be its rival. It’s Pinterest-like in certain respects: it’s about social discovery and very visual. However, what’s more interesting to consider are the lessons it may hold for F-commerce.

TheFind has worked closely with Facebook and the Open Graph to incorporate Like data from across the internet. The app matches products in TheFind’s database with user Likes. The result is a virtual “store window” with brands and products Liked by you and your network.

TheFind says the experience is personalized “based on what you have Liked before, sorted by popularity and the latest trends. We include products, stores and brands in the experience and you can shop right from here.”

Users’ Facebook Timelines and newsfeeds will reflect their interactions with Glimpse. If you click on a product image that will show up in your Timeline for everyone to see. However you can hide or delete “Glimpses” so they’re not visible to everyone. Users can also create “catalogs,” which are collections of products — this is very Pinteresty. Those can be shared with friends.

There’s a section called “Trendsetters’ Likes,” which are visible to everyone and include picks from brands and fashion bloggers that TheFind works with. This is where ads/or sponsored “trends” could easily appear in the future.

Any product can be clicked on, which takes users to the retailer’s site to buy the product.

This is probably the social shopping experience that Facebook should have itself created for retailers and brands. However Facebook didn’t have the product data to build this. We’ll see how visible and successful Glimpse becomes on Facebook — and what Facebook’s reaction might be if it becomes a hit. Facebook will ultimately come under pressure to make (more) money from e-commerce.

It seems to me this general experience — already validated to some degree by Pinterest — is the model for “social shopping” on Facebook or through Facebook. However, beyond Facebook, as I mentioned, Glimpse will soon have its own iPad app. And some of the social capabilities of the Glimpse app will also make their way back to TheFind’s main site.

TheFind says that while Glimpse only works with Facebook today, “The technology powering Glimpse, however, allows easy assimilations of other social signals such as Tweets, Pins and +1s, which we might add in the future.”

via TheFind Gives Us A “Glimpse” Of A New Social Shopping Experience On Facebook.