[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BraxN10dHmU[/youtube]

This is the latest webcast from Google titled “Google Factory Tour of Search”. It’s centered around where Google currently is and where it plans to go in the near future. Google’s latest service Google Health is also introduced in the webcast.

Some of the topics I found especially interesting.

  1. Universal search.
  2. Enhanced image search.
    • Image recognition.
  3. New cluster.
    • Finance news.
    • Visualizing finance news.
    • Global finance news.
  4. Experimental search.
  5. Google trends.
  6. Google Map.
    • Street View (Freakin cool!!)
    • Local search
    • Live edits
  7. Google Health
    • Open platform
  8. QA session

![](/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/health_screenshot1.gif" alt=“Google Health” width=“400” height=“280” />]1

I find Google Heath to be really useful. A user will be able to access all of his/her medical records from one place. Doctors will be able to look up allergy records from you records and prescribe correct medication. Heath monitoring gadgets will be able to directly plug into your record via the Google Health APIs and provide input. Blood pressure monitors for example. The goal is to provide the user with the ability to manage his heath more efficiently, prevention is better then cure. Currently, the service is only available in the US, global support is planned for the future.

However there is already a player out there providing a similar service if not better. 123genes.

The major difference is the family tree feature which enables users to map out their whole family and attach medical conditions for each person on the tree. This enables the service to provide advice on diet, preventive medication and life style changes based on the family’s health record.

123genes is actually based out of Cyber Jaya Malaysia. It’s always good to see innovative services like this coming out of my home country.

I was fortunate enough to be offered an opportunity to work with them but I had to turn them down due to unforeseen personal reasons.

[3]: /wp-content/uploads/2008/05/123genes.png)