138,000 Holocaust-related photos now online, powered by Google and Picasa

Yad Vashem, Israel's official memorial to Holocaust victims, in partnership with Google, has just created what can only be described as the definitive online Holocaust archive. The collection consists of 138,327 images, most of which are photos.

The collection, which represents a few years of full-time work by a handful of Googlers, has been made available just in time for the UN International Holocaust Remembrance Day, which is today. If the immense, digitized archive wasn't enough, the Google team went one step further and used OCR to transcribe any text found on the objects, which means that passports, visas and other notes can be searched for using a normal Google search. Google gives the example of searching for rena weiser, which returns her Chilean visa -- and obviously, any families searching for relatives that may have been part of the Holocaust will find this invaluable.

Because the collection seems to be based on Picasa galleries, all of the usual social functionality is built-in. You can comment on photos, and you're encouraged to share stories if you find the photo of someone you know. The only problem is that navigation of the archive seems to be a hit-and-miss affair -- there are just thousands of albums, and they're all unsorted.

138,000 Holocaust-related photos now online, powered by Google and Picasa originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 27 Jan 2011 05:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Internet Explorer 9 to bolster security with ActiveX content filter

Sure, you can wade through Internet Explorer 8's security settings and flip a number of radio buttons to change ActiveX permissions in its many zones, but it's kind of a pain in the butt. It's also not also flexible a system as it could be -- but Microsoft appears ready to change all that in Internet Explorer 9.

Over at WinRumors, Tom Warren has received information that IE9 will include an improved ActiveX filtering mechanism. As you can see in his screenshot, both ActiveX filtering and IE9's new Tracking Protection feature will be available via the browser's Information Bar -- making it easier to block or allow controls. Rogue ActiveX controls have been a common attack vector against Internet Explorer, so it's good to see Microsoft doing its part to help bolster the browser's defenses.

Internet Explorer 9 to bolster security with ActiveX content filter originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gmail enables HTML5-powered desktop notifications

Google has just flipped the switch on a new feature in Gmail: desktop notifications for new email and instant messages. It only works in Google Chrome at the moment, but Google plans to bring it to other browsers that support HTML5, like Firefox 4 and Internet Explorer 9.

If you reload your Gmail tab, you should be prompted to enable the desktop notifications -- otherwise, head into Settings, scroll down to Desktop Notifications, and choose what kind of notifications you want. You can currently toggle chat, new mail, and new important mail -- but presumably, you'll be able to select which labels will produce notifications.

Gmail enables HTML5-powered desktop notifications originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 26 Jan 2011 19:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Check For (But Don't Buy) Extended Warranties When Buying Refurbished [Saving Money]

We aren't the biggest fans of extended warranties, but tech blog Unplggd shows us that even though you shouldn't buy one, the fact that they're offered can tell you whether a refurbished product is worth buying. More »

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Hands-on: Gentle Alarm for Android is a beautiful way to wake up

When I listed Gentle Alarm as one of my top Android apps, I promised a more in-depth review -- and here it is! Here are the key features of the app that's been (successfully!) waking me up every morning for the past several weeks.

Profiles

One of the best concepts in Gentle Alarm is that not all alarms are exactly alike. The Profiles screen lets you set up individual alarm "types". As you can see, each profile has its own complete set of options: You can select whether or not you'd like to have a pre-alarm (more on these later), the duration of the alarm, the initial and final volume, the alarm tone (or MP3 tune), and more.

Gallery: Gentle Alarm for Android

Continue reading Hands-on: Gentle Alarm for Android is a beautiful way to wake up

Hands-on: Gentle Alarm for Android is a beautiful way to wake up originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 07 Jan 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TimeTag: A Dependable Yet Dry Punch Clock

Maintaining time sheets for jobs you're working on can be tedious, but an app for the iPad called "TimeTag" can make it less so. The software, which is offered in a commercial edition selling for $3.99 or a free version supported by advertising from Apple's iAd platform, lets you tag and categorize your time sheet tasks for easy amalgamation and filtering.

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"Experiment In Cord Cutting" Shows Good Enough Is Perfect for Most [Video]

"I feel really good about Comcast" is not something Roku, Boxee or Google execs would want said by people who've tried out their connected TV products. Nevertheless this past Friday there were five Boston-based families doing just that. More »

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138,000 Holocaust-related photos now online, powered by Google and Picasa

Yad Vashem, Israel's official memorial to Holocaust victims, in partnership with Google, has just created what can only be described as the definitive online Holocaust archive. The collection consists of 138,327 images, most of which are photos.

The collection, which represents a few years of full-time work by a handful of Googlers, has been made available just in time for the UN International Holocaust Remembrance Day, which is today. If the immense, digitized archive wasn't enough, the Google team went one step further and used OCR to transcribe any text found on the objects, which means that passports, visas and other notes can be searched for using a normal Google search. Google gives the example of searching for rena weiser, which returns her Chilean visa -- and obviously, any families searching for relatives that may have been part of the Holocaust will find this invaluable.

Because the collection seems to be based on Picasa galleries, all of the usual social functionality is built-in. You can comment on photos, and you're encouraged to share stories if you find the photo of someone you know. The only problem is that navigation of the archive seems to be a hit-and-miss affair -- there are just thousands of albums, and they're all unsorted.

138,000 Holocaust-related photos now online, powered by Google and Picasa originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 27 Jan 2011 05:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

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The Plug Hub Is a Pretty Way to Hide Your Ugly Cables [Concepts]

Hide your cables, hide your plugs! This elegant concept, the Plug Hub, can become real if enough people buy it. Think of the $24 you spend as an investment towards a lifetime of peace, serenity and organization. More »

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Outlet Eject Buttons: For the Sake of Old People Everywhere [Concepts]

Does your old person have trouble unplugging power cords from their sockets? Fear not! This award winning student design can see to it that, with a simple eject button, your grandma's osteoporotic fingers need not suffer unplugging her computer again. More »

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