YourWorld
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Google+ Local sees reviews from friends, Zagat invade your restaurant hunts (video)
We'd been wondering what Google would do following its acquisition of Zagat, and now we know: it's part of Google+ Local, a boost to Maps, general search, and Google+ itself. Zagat's point system now automatically shows up in search results for restaurants that have been given the extra scrutiny. Those of us who don't trust The Man for reviews will also now see Google+ friends' picks surface at the same time. The addition is considered important enough that Google is even adding a Local tab on Google+ just to show recommendations, so you won't have to abandon your constant updating (you're always posting on Google+, right?) to find a well-rated sushi place. Local should be live soon, if not now, and will make search plus Your World that much more omnipresent.
Google brings search to Your World, complete with results close to your heart
As Google presses forward with its social network initiative, it only makes sense that the company famed for comprehensive search results would naturally bring Google+ along for the ride. That day is now upon us, as the juggernaut from Mountain View has officially unveiled Your World -- an addition to its search results that prioritizes content generated by you and those in your circles. Now, the company hopes it'll be much easier to find relevant photos, blog posts and contacts from the Google search bar, which includes content both public and private. In effort to keep security in check, all searches will be performed by default over SSL. Additionally, skeptics may opt-out of Your World at any time. For those looking for the best of both worlds, a toggle at the top-right of the page allows users to choose on-the-fly whether to include personalized results. It all looks quite slick -- in fact, we wouldn't be too surprised if another social networking company just threw up a little.
The Shroud: location-based services can be fun, too
Remember "Colors," that GPS-enabled vaporware game for the Gizmondo that was supposed to revolutionize the concept of location-based gaming, but never happened on account of Gizmondo's spectacular implosion? Well, the concept lives on -- and this time, it's in a form that a good percentage of the world's cellphone users should be able to enjoy. "The Shroud" looks looks to be a pretty ambitious and far-reaching project that attempts to bring the involvement and immersion of a traditional massively multiplayer RPG and shrink it down, allegedly offering gameplay that is "fun for hours as well as just for a few minutes." The typical RPG-ish activities play a major role in the game -- item collection and trading, quests, and the like -- but the big draws here will be the developers' ability to continually update maps and items (when the phone has a data connection, of course) and the game's LBS features, which will allow gamers to perform special tasks and challenges when in designated real-world zones -- if they have a GPS-enabled phone, of course. According to the publisher, users should never be more than four or five miles from a "hotspot" at any given time, meaning we won't need to book a flight just to get to that hot quest we're dying to complete. Look for The Shroud to hit a phone near you in the next few weeks, with availability through both carrier portals and direct download. Continue on for a few screenshots!
