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May 10, 2003

PGA: Personal Google Assistant

I use Google a lot. It has become my first reference source in almost every circumstance now.

I'm mostly intrigued at how much Google is a part of social interaction. I keep hearing about how people look up their date's name on Google. When I hear a name I've not heard before, or forgotten where I knew the person, I check Google first. I love having Google around when friends or family visit, and I can look things up as we conversate. People joke about how I can find the answer on Google before the question is finished.

I'd love to have a PGA: Personal Google Assistant. A PDA- or cell-phone-sized device that was optimized for Google, like the Palm is optimized for calendar and addresses. Then I wouldn't have to be on-line, on my computer to check something on Google. I could look things up as I ran across them, no matter where I am.

It would be interesting to have Google (or Teoma) integrated into wearable computers. A meta-database of geographic information tied to Google, so as I walk around, Google pops up information about and links for the things I am looking at or the people I am talking to.

I saw something not too far from this on Alan Alda's Scientific American Frontiers a few weeks ago. This is one of my favorite shows, and the topic was "Inventing the Future" (this was 1996, so the technology is probably better now). He showed a wearable computer from MIT Media Lab that could sub-conciously remind you (a 1/5th-second subliminal flash) of the name of people who you looked at and had met before (the first time it would show you more detail about them). I could really use that. It would be cool if it also popped up their Web page or Weblog with the latest entries, to seed higher-quality small-talk.

Posted by pete at May 10, 2003 1:26 PM

Comments

I'd like to know if you could tell me how to google a person.

Posted by: latrice at October 20, 2003 4:58 PM

What is it that you need? Maybe I can help you.

Posted by: Licia Stedman at October 27, 2003 5:05 PM

How do you google a person? I've heard of it alot on MTV and VH1 mayb you can help me pleaze thx

Posted by: Elly at March 19, 2004 4:51 PM