Google Buzz is going away

I got the following notification when I logged in to my gmail account last evening.

it read: "Google Buzz is going away, but your posts are yours to keep." With a link to more info on how can I keep my posts.

Google announced their plan to shutdown Buzz (along with Jaiku and iGoogle) in a blog post on Official Google Blog. Click on Official Google Blog: A fall sweep to read the full post.


However, even after the Google Buzz is shutdown, you can access all your previous Buzz data on your Google Profile.


According to this page on Gmail help, you can download your Buzz data using Google Takeout.


Download your Buzz data and share your experience in comments.

National Innovation Council Calls For Proposals

National Innovation Council is calling for innovative ideas.


Here's the full text of official announcement from their web page:

The National Innovation Council looks forward to proposals for innovation to reduce the drudgery of our working-class population.

These could be in the areas of design improvement of work implements, models for business opportunities, better processes, new equipment and techniques for different occupational groups like blue-collar workers, street-vendors, construction workers and soon.

Proposals should not be labour-displacing.

Professionals, young people, professional groups and students are encouraged to apply. Selected proposals will be awarded and supported. These proposals may be sent via hard copy or email to:

NATIONAL INNOVATION COUNCIL

Office of Adviser to the Prime Minister 
on Public Information Infrastructure & Innovations
Room No: 125, Yojana Bhawan
Parliament Street
New Delhi 110001
Ph: +91 11 23096622

Email your ideas at: officepiii[at]nic[dot]in

Do visit NIC's website(http://www.innovationcouncil.gov.in) to know more about the council.

Google: App Engine SSL for Custom Domains

Google announced that SSL support for custom domains on App Engine is in testing.

To see the announcement visit this blog post
App Engine SSL for Custom Domains in Testing  on Google App Engine Blog.

This feature will we made available only to 'trusted testers'. You can sign up to
test this feature by filling up this form.

How to Import Orkut Photo Albums to Google+

When we opened Facebook accounts and started using it, most of us didn't bother importing photos or contacts from our Orkut profiles.

Now, most of us are on Google+, but we are still hooked to Facebook. Nobody is thinking seriously about moving to Google+ or copying content to it. However, Google thinks people may want to import their Orkut photo albums to Google+. So, they have introduced "Orkut Photo Album Importer".

If you have any important photo album on Orkut that you wish to import to Google+, here is how you can do it.

1. Login to your Orkut account. You should see a banner like the one shown below.
   

   

   Link to Orkut Photo importer as displayed on orkut profile.

   
   
2. If you can't see the link on your profile, you can direct access it here Orkut Photo Importer
3. Click on the "Copy my Orkut photos to Google+ now" button, you will see a list of your photo albums. Select the ones you want to share on Google+.

   

   Photo selection to share on Google+

4. Click on the "Import Selected" button to start importing photos to Google+

   

   Status after import.

5. Now login to Google+ to see your new photos.

   

   Photo albums imported from Orkut.

6. Don't forget to read Google's User Content and Conduct Policy before you import.