2009 July | Justin Levy

Google News Should Integrate Twitter Search

July 27, 2009 By Justin Levy 3 Comments

One of the primary websites that I check throughout the day is Google News. I have been in love with this website as a source of news since it was released several years ago. It allows me to quickly see what’s going on in the world and if a particular story interests me, I can view several other news sources who have also reported on it. This is great for someone like me who likes to consume lots of information from as many different sources as possible.

Over the years they have continued to add tweaks to it such as being able to move around what sections appear where, adding in local news and more. Recently Google added the ability to view YouTube videos for news stories.

This is fantastic because Google is integrating different forms of media. They’re allowing me to consume the news in a format that I want. I might not have time to read a full length article from the New York Times but I might have a couple minutes to watch a video posted by the Associated Press on the same topic. By integrating YouTube, this means that I stay on the Google News page longer and am more likely to consume more information.

It serves as my central dashboard to news. A lot of people choose to use Google Reader for this feature. I use Google Reader for everything else but for mainstream news I turn to Google News.

I’m always thinking of what’s next. I’m never happy with anything in its current form, even if it is serving my needs. I like shiny. I like new. I like tweaking. So, what should be next for Google News? I think Google should integrate Twitter Searches for the news stories. For example, I should be able to read the articles regarding President Obama‘s push for health care, watch associated YouTube videos, and then also see what others are saying about it.

Of course, this is a lot harder to manage then just adding in a YouTube feed. Google would have to control for different topics, each in their own separate searches which are always changing based on the news day. They would also have to have controls in place to filter spammers and inappropriate language/phrases.

There are other features that I could picture being part of Google News such as a section for blog content and the addition of Facebook Connect but I think Twitter would be the next most logical integration. Will it happen? If Google ever buys Twitter then I think we’ll see some variation of this concept. Why? Because Twitter has become an extremely powerful search engine and that itself is very attractive to Google. If they don’t buy Twitter? Who knows. It will be interesting to see if Google News starts becoming more social like Google Reader has been becoming over recent weeks.

Do you use Google News? Would this be a feature you think would be useful? What other features would you like to see integrated into Google News?

Filed Under: Google, Social Media, Twitter Tagged With: Google, Social Media, Twitter

Tips for Eating Healthy While Workshifting

July 19, 2009 By Justin Levy 16 Comments

This was originally posted on workshifting.com but thought it might be useful and interesting over here too. If you haven’t checked out workshifting.com yet, please subscribe and let me know what you think.

As a web commuter we spend most of our time in cafes, airports, hotels, flying, driving, or a number of other places and modes of travel. This means that we’re usually at the mercy of whatever is closest and fastest for food. We’re also constantly surrounded by food which leads to the temptation to snack more than usual. Before web commuting became a regular part of my life, anything that included traveling was excuse enough for me to eat anything and everything I could find. Fast food at the airport. Check. Multiple snacks on the plane. Yup. A cookie at the cafe. Uh huh.

Now that I spend most of my time away from home, I’ve had to re-evaluate that strategy. It was great while it lasted. The temptation is always there for us though, isn’t it? If you work in a traditional office, you only have to worry about the vending machine or bowl of candy at the receptionist desk. Not us. We have to be even more conscious of it because our offices are places where there’s normally food of some kind being served.

So, what can we do to make sure we’re eating healthy as a web commuter?

6 Tips to Healthier Eating as a Web Commuter

1. Pack trail mix or granola. There are a ton of varieties out there now so you can find the kind that fits your taste. I find some of my favorite at Trader Joes. Alternatively, you can make your own easily.

2. Don’t fall victim to fast food restaurants at the airport. More and more airports are taking the time to bring in local fare, celebrity chefs and other nice touches that allow you to avoid fast food. Looking for a list of some of the top airport restaurants in the country? Frommer’s recently published their list of the 13 Best U.S. Airport Restaurants.

3. Avoid the super grande mocha double espresso frothy chocolaty drink that you always get. Starbucks has a great nutritional guide to help you out. Hint: Go skim. You can’t really taste the difference and it lowers the calories and fat by a lot!

4. Just because you’re there, doesn’t mean you have to eat. Save on the cost of a couple cookies and make a small donation to charity.

5. Step away from the peanuts! If you’re flying, and have the choice, opt for one of the healthier options. I happen to like the Terra Blue Chips available on JetBlue.

6. Get outside! We’re so trained to go work from a cafe, hotel lobby or sandwich shop but why not go out to the local park and do some work for a little while?

What are your tips for eating healthy as a web commuter?

Photo by: jonathan.youngblood

Filed Under: Healthy Tagged With: Healthy, traveling, workshifting