Google’s Page Speed Tool & Public Data Explorer Survive Latest Labs Cuts; Google Body Doesn’t

Several more Google Labs projects have learned their fate as the company continues to close down Google Labs as part of a larger streamlining effort. Here’s a look at the latest group of decisions. Google Labs Survivors Page Speed Online – A tool that launched earlier this year, Page Speed analyzes a given URL, gives […]

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google-g-logoSeveral more Google Labs projects have learned their fate as the company continues to close down Google Labs as part of a larger streamlining effort.

Here’s a look at the latest group of decisions.

Google Labs Survivors

Page Speed Online – A tool that launched earlier this year, Page Speed analyzes a given URL, gives it a score and offers a list of ways to make the page load faster. The URL for this tool still works via the GoogleLabs.com domain, but Google says Page Speed “will be hosted with our other developer tools.” There’s no indication exactly where, but Webmaster Tools seems to be a safe assumption.

Public Data Explorer – This tool launched in 2008 and lets users search and compare sets of public data, such as comparing unemployment rates across different states. This has now graduated out of Google Labs. Also, the related Dataset upload for Public Data Explorer tool is also graduating from Google Labs.

Two other tools that have graduated are Picasa for Mac and the Google Checkout Store Gadget.

Google Labs Non-Survivors

Google Body browser isn’t quite “dying,” but it will no longer be part of Google. Instead, Google says it will open-source the code and is also working with its partner, Zygote Media Group, on a similar application called Zygote Body. You can get more info about this on the Google Labs website.

Tashkeel – Google says that this tool for working with Arabic text will be shut down by September 30 — one week from today. There are already several user comments asking Google to reconsider the decision.

For more on other Google Labs experiments that have been shut down, or destined for shut down — as well ones that will survive — see some of the related story links below.


Opinions expressed in this article are those of the guest author and not necessarily Search Engine Land. Staff authors are listed here.


About the author

Matt McGee
Contributor
Matt McGee joined Third Door Media as a writer/reporter/editor in September 2008. He served as Editor-In-Chief from January 2013 until his departure in July 2017. He can be found on Twitter at @MattMcGee.

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