Nevermind the fact that Google’s GMail gives you nearly unlimited space, or the fact that you probably already have a Google login ID and password.  This new design and added functionality makes GMail even easier to use and gives you more of what you want, the ability to easily communicate with friends and colleagues.

Details on the Updates and Improvements

The brains at Google have put together a quick video to highlight the updates and improvements.  Watch or jump down below the video for a reader friendly version.

• Streamlined Conversations – Integrated profile pics  and a better layout for conversations make emails more like an ongoing chat.
• Automatic Sizing – Expand your browser to full screen or reduce it down.  GMail will keep up and automatically resize to match you preference
• HD Themes – Dark images behind your email look really sharp in the new design, so Google has given you a few choices of background images (courtesy of iStockPhoto) to liven up your screen.
• Smarter Navigation – Over on the left hand side, you’ll have more control over your email options, chat, contacts, etc.
• Better Search – For those who reference old emails regularly (like me) you’ll have more ways to track down messages using filters.

Switching to the New Look

The new look is rolling out for everyone slowly, but you can go ahead and make the switch now.  Here’s how.

1. Open you Gmail and look in the bottom right-hand corner
2. Click on the link that reads “Switch to the new look”

   

3. Follow the on-screen prompts to enable the new layout

Change Your Theme

In order to take full advantage of the new design and HD images, you should really change your theme.  Otherwise you might not see all of the possibilities of the new GMail.  Here’s how:

1. With your GMail open, look for the “gear” in the upper right-hand area (image below)
2. Select Themes
3. Look for the area labeled HD Themes and pick any of the existing options
   **Personally, I think the darkest images look best as a background image

Pass the word on to friends and family by sharing this article.  We’ve provided the tools below to make that easy.

Like any other day, I needed to search something and I went straight to Google.com. I typed in my keywords and started skimming through the list of search results when I accidentally clicked on the screen. Suddenly, there were images of web pages appearing next to the results.   What had I done?  As it turns out, that one click activated the newly released Google Instant Previews.

What are Instant Previews

According to the official Google blog “Instant Previews provides a graphic overview of a search result and highlights the most relevant sections, making finding the right page as quick and easy as flipping through a magazine.”  These visual sneak-peeks in your search results will help you quickly compare results, pinpoint relevant content and interact with the results page.

To find out more about the new Instant Previews feature, I suggest that you visit the launch site and take the time to view the video they have posted.  It’s only 45 seconds long and gives you a great step-by-step on how to use the new tool.

Launch Site: http://www.google.com/landing/instantpreviews/

How do I Start Using Instant Previews

This new feature is available to everyone now and is super-simple to use.  Simply “Click once on the magnifying glass in the search result to instantly see a preview of the web page.  After activating Instant Previews with that one click, you can hover over any other search result to see a preview of the web page.”

The JumpstartMyPC blog - as seen on Google Instant Previews

Did I mention that I Love Google.  I don’t know… maybe it’s just me.

The freedom to surf on-the-go is still fairly new and so are the challenges associated with doing so.  One problem that crops up occasionally is finding a site that you have already visited.  Maybe you were out gymnastics practice with the kids, surfing the web with your CLEAR USB modem, or sitting in a movie theater playing on your iPhone (before the show started of course),  when you went to Google and searched for something that caught your eye.  Three days later, you realize that you want to revisit that site, but you can’t remember the URL or enough information to locate it again via a Google search.  You also find yourself lost in the “where was I and which device was I using when I looked at….” struggle.

Mobile

Thanks to some incredibly smart minds at Google, this battle can come to an end.  The new Search History link  (announced via the Google Mobile blog) “helps you quickly get back to sites you’ve been to and see items you have starred from your Android, iPhone, or desktop searches.”  Using this feature could not be easier.  Simply log into Google on your mobile device and the new History link will be there.  The one prerequisite is that you must have enabled “Search History” from the Settings area.

Google Mobile Search History

The History link will take you to a page that details the sites you have visited as well as Starred Items.   Starred Items are web sites or pages that you have specifically chosen as “your favorites” while surfing at home or on-the-go.  If you see a site that you simply must research later, tag it by clicking on the star icon (in Google search) and it will be waiting for you the next time you visit your history page.

Note: The Google mobile experience is available on the iPhone and for Android users.  However, if you are one of the daring few that have switched to Opera on your Android device (61 million people and counting), you may see limited functionality.  I’m sure this will be taken care of in an update, but for now you’ll have to use the default browser to take full advantage of the History link.

From Your Computer

The new History link on your mobile device is not the only area you can use to view your search history.   It simply “completes the circle” for your browsing experience.  The idea of capturing your search history has been around for some time in the PC world and Google has another set of tools for those who want to use the Search History feature at their PC, laptop or other non-mobile device.

Search History is Available for Non-Mobile Devices As Well

Web History is available to everyone and you don’t need a mobile device to benefit from this wonderful tool.  Even if you only surf the web from your home computer, you’ll find the History page helpful and easy to use.  Your past searches and followed links are presented by day and time.  In addition to what you would expect to find, Web History provides some additional functionality:

• Manage your history and delete if necessary
• Get search results relevant to you (based on your history)
• See trends in your surfing habits

To view or enable your Google search history on a PC, simply visit http://www.google.com/psearch

There have been very few game-changers in phones and phone calls since the invention of the cellular phone.  Sure, we have more sophisticated devices that rival the PCs of just a few years ago and those devices are capable of storing the phone numbers of our friends and family, but the way two people connect hasn’t been improved by much.  If you want to call your friend (let’s call him Troy), you need his number and he needs to be there to answer the call.  If Troy isn’t answering, you can leave him a voice mail (which he can check when he gets a chance) or you can send him a text and see if he responds to that message.

In a world where most everyone we communicate with has a cell phone, a work phone, a home phone, an email address, a Facebook page and (sometimes) a Twitter account, “getting in touch” with someone should be easier than ever.  Instead, you have to play the guessing game of where to start “looking” for Troy.  I think that must have been the issue that Google focused on when they decided to start Google Voice.  I was lucky enough to participate in the BETA of Google Voice (for about a year now) and the application/tool is now available for everyone to use.

What is Google Voice

Simply put, Google Voice is one phone number to rule them all.  Use your existing mobile number and add the Google Voice features or start with a brand new phone number.  Tie all of your phones (home, work, cell) to that one number and end the guessing games for everyone.  I could go on in detail, but Google has put together a great video to explain what Voice is all about:

Features

“The list of features goes on and on..”  That quote from the video above is an understatement at best.  There are hundreds of features within the Google Voice system and I think everyone will find something they like.  I won’t detail them all, but here are a few of my favorites.  These are features that I have used many times over the last year.

Voicemail Transcription – The Google Voice service converts your messages into written form and stores them within the application, forwards them to you as a text and/or emails them to you.  The next time you miss a call, just read the message and, if you want, listen along.  While the transcribing technology is far from perfect, it is nice to make out the general idea of a message before bothering to listen to the whole thing.

Personalized Greetings – Have one message for friends, one for family and another for business associates.  You can record as many greetings as you want and determine who will hear what, when they call.  Your boss will never have to hear “leave a message at the beep dawg!” again.  (side note: Hey Google, what does the guy in the sombrero have to do with personalized greetings?)

SMS to Email – Never miss a text again.  Have your texts sent to an email address (or several) and reply to them directly from your email inbox.  This might seem silly at first, but just leave your cell at home one time and see how handy this feature is.  And now, you can text at work while it looks like you are busy on that report that is already late.

Screen Callers – I’ll admit it, I screen my calls.  With Google Voice you can instantly push any call to voice mail, listen to the message as it is being recorded and jump in (if you want) or stop listening at any time.  This feature is also handy if you get a call while in a noisy area or somewhere you can’t talk.  Use the time to decide if you should excuse yourself and take the call outside.  I’m looking at you movie-goers!

Contacts – Although it is not listed as one of the primary features of Voice, the integration of Google Contacts with Google Voice is simply amazing.  See pictures of your friends as they call, save new callers into your contacts from the Google Voice application and add new numbers to existing contacts with the touch of a button.

Mobile App – Not only is Google Voice FREE, but so is the app for your smart phone (Blackberry, Android and iPhones).  Send text messages from the app (without affecting the number of texts on your monthly bill), check your messages and even place outbound calls from your phone without paying for the minutes on your cellular contract.  This might be a feature you want for your son or daughter.  After all, 5000 texts a month can get quite pricey without an unlimited plan.

Try it Out

Try out Google Voice today for FREE and begin playing with all of the features.  Sign up for the one new number you will ever need again.  Next time you change your home number, cell number, work number, etc. it won’t matter.  Your Google Voice number will never change.  While Google Voice does not currently solve communication issues with Facebook or Twitter, I think it is only a matter of time.  After all, it is Google!!!

Link to Google Voice Site – Click Here

Follow the Google Voice Blog – Click Here

From The Original Search Page Until Now

Over the years, that main Google page has not changed much, but now there is much more going on behind the scenes.  “Googling” something has slowly evolved into a very intelligent, yet simple, way to find information on any topic imaginable.  Over the last year, Google has introduced new search technology like Social Search and Location Aware Mobile Searching.  And now, almost entirely under the radar, some new features have emerged from the Google Labs to further “enhance the experience of searching and help you find exactly what you’re looking for.”

Thanks to an update of the Official Google Blog, the latest updates to the Google search experience have been detailed and displayed for our viewing and surfing pleasure.  Marissa Mayer (VP Search Products & User Experience) posted This week in search 6/6/10, in which she detailed the new Spelling Correction Features, Mobile App Results and Changing Your Google Background Image.  I’ve taken some time to review these new features and here is what they have to offer:

Spelling Corrections

Have you typed in some keywords before, only to see that Google has caught your mistake and offered up the “Showing results for….” text at the top of the search?   That search enhancement (shown below) was great, but meant that the mistake was not caught until you had already run your query.

Spell Check in Your Results

Now, “If you’re typing a query for which there are no search completions to offer, and yet some of your search terms do seem to be misspelled, Google Suggest will now offer a ‘Did you mean’ suggestion for your query—giving you an option to correct your spelling right away and get on with your search.”

Spell Check While You are Typing

Mobile App Results

Smart-phone and iPad/iPod Touch users out there have a new feature to ooh and aah over.  As Marissa Mayer states “In an effort to make apps even easier to find, this week we launched a new feature for mobile search that helps users on Android-powered devices and iPhones find and download mobile apps.  So the next time you’re looking for the latest action game, multimedia app or travel tool on your phone, we’ll show you a special result at the top of your mobile search results showing basic information about the app you’re looking for, including title, price and publisher.”

Search for "Weather App" on Android Device

This feature is fantastic because it will help introduce time-saving apps that we might never have found out about from “normal” channels.  As demonstrated by the screenshot above, it seems that simply adding the word “app” triggers this Marketplace search on an Android device.  A search on an iPod Touch/iPhone with the same keywords (weather app) resulted in similar results.  The only difference was that the Weather Channel and Weather Channel Max apps appeared in those results.

Search for "Weather App" on iPod Touch

Background Image for Google Searches

An entire article, titled Freeze frame!, went up on the Google Blog last week to highlight this new feature.  In short, you can now customize your searching experience with a favorite photo or image on the background of the Google homepage.  Place your own photo or choose something from a Picasa Web Album/public gallery.

A Custom Background of Me at the MS150

From the Google blog: “To get started, head to google.com and look for the “Change background image” link in the lower left-hand side of the page. Keep an eye out for more fun announcements with this feature!”  Who knows what wonderful features they have in store for us.

Start using these new features today and keep an eye on the Official Google blog for more updates on exciting search features and more.

Related Articles on Google Searches from JumpstartMyPC.com

Google Social Search is Coming! Are You Prepared?
Google Search Suggestions – Not Just for Jokes Anymore
Searching the Future with Google Alerts

Wallpaper FAIL!

Of all the articles I have written and research I have done, no topic seems to be as popular as wallpaper.  Believe it or not, it seems that more people are drawn to dressing up their desktop than making their computer run faster.  I sure can’t blame anyone for pursuing a pleasant scene to stare at for hours a day, I was just surprised when I saw the numbers.  Luckily for you desktop connoisseurs, I recently stumbled onto an article over at digital inspiration (via lifehacker.com) that outlines the benefits of using bing (the search engine) for wallpaper hunting.  You don’t want to miss the details.

The original article on digitalinspiration.com, written by Amit Agarwal, outlines how you can use the bing image search to find wallpaper that fits your screen.  While this may not seem like a difficult task to most, picking the proper image size for a desktop background can be more difficult than you think.  In order to really explain the benefits of the “bing wallpaper search” I want to take a step back and demonstrate the “old” method for hunting down wallpaper and compare the two.

Screen Resolution

The screen resolution of your computer is defined by the number of pixels shown horizontally and vertically.  If you right-click on your desktop and choose properties (screen resolution for Vista and 7 users), you can access the “display properties” and see what your computer is currently set at.

In short, you want to pick a wallpaper that matches, or comes very close to, your screen resolution.  By doing this, the image will be crisp and undistorted.  Faces won’t look stretched or too narrow and shapes like circles and squares will be shown properly.  It may seem like a small detail, but you are going to be staring at the screen for the majority of the day, right?

As an example, I have taken a screen shot from my laptop (shown to the right).  Based on the screen resolution (1280 x 800), I should be looking for images that were created/saved at the same size.

Finding Images – Old Method

Until recently, you were confined to searching through individual web sites for images that matched your resolution.  Great sites like vladstudio.com made it easy to choose an image, if you already knew your resolution, but only gave you a small sampling of what the internet had to offer.   Here is an example of the choices in screen resolution from vladstudio.com.  When you include the standard screen resolutions, cell phone screen sizes, dual monitor and triple monitor setups there are over 50 choices for that one desktop image.

VladStudio Has Options - Do you know which one to pick?

Google came along and added size “filtering” to their image searches, giving you a way to narrow down images to a size you could use.  This handy tool is available (over on the left-hand side under “any size”) for every image search you do on Google, but you still have to know your resolution when searching.

Google Filtering

Now – bing Wallpaper search

Finally, we have moved on to a reason that I might actually start using bing for some searches.  Their new Wallpaper size filter allows you to search for anything and simply filter for wallpapers that match your screen resolution.  You don’t have to know what that screen resolution is in advance.  That piece of information is transmitted every time you visit a web site (along with your operating system, IP address and some other tidbits).

bing Wallpaper filter

To access this great new tool, simply search for an image and then look for the “Size” filter over on the left-hand side of the screen.  One problem (if you can call it that) that I have noticed is bing doesn’t register dual-monitor setups.  It’s a small price to pay for this fantastic functionality.

We are a 2-DVR family and both of our units were put through some serious stress-testing this season.  Every so often, bad weather or a power outage caused one or both of our DVR units to miss a show, or at least a portion of it.  Being the true television fans that we are, we didn’t want to miss out on important plot-lines and details, so we headed out to the world wide web, in search of the episode in question.  In almost every situation, we found the solution on the web site of the television station itself.  There were however a few situations that required additional searching.  That’s where the fun really started.

Episode Failure 1: Smallville

Description: Our DirecTV DVR only recorded a portion of a critical episode, so I headed out to CWTV.com.  Their site does allow users to watch full episodes of some programs, but only stores the 2 most recent at any given time.  I am not sure what the reasoning is, but it meant we couldn’t watch our missing episode there.  I decided to try the Playstation Store (from Sony) next.  The PS3 needed a quick update, but a few minutes later we located our program and had to simply decide on SD (standard definition) or HD (high definition).  Since the HD version was $2.99 and I thought it would take longer to download, we opted for SD at $1.99.  We were able to begin viewing the program as it downloaded and the service worked perfectly!

Verdict: The Playstation Store experience was great.  The SD program was amazingly crisp and clean (nearly HD) and it only took a few minutes to begin watching the show.  I highly recommend the PS3 and the Playstation Store.

The Playstation Store on PS3

Episode Failure 2: Big Bang Theory

Description: Our favorite new comedy on CBS this season is a must watch.  Due to an operator error (my fault), we missed an episode.  I immediately went out to the CBS web site and found the page for the show.  To my surprise, CBS did NOT offer full episodes at all.  Off to Amazon.com, then iTunes, then some intense Google searching.

Verdict: FAIL! FAIL! FAIL! I couldn’t find a legal method for watching the episode, paid or not.

Episode Failure 3: The Mentalist

Description: Just like the Smallville recording, we only got a portion of the program.  Not very helpful for a crime solving mystery.  Off to CBS.com I went again and then on to Amazon.com, iTunes …  Nothing.  Finally, through some Google searches, I found a site called Yidio that provided a link to www.watch-mentalist-online.com.  I’m not sure if this site was operating legally, but we took a chance and watched the show anyway.  Unfortunately, the quality was so bad that we could barely make out the faces of the actors.  At least we got the storyline.

Verdict: FAIL! FAIL! FAIL! I couldn’t find a legal method for watching the episode, paid or not.  The site I found filled the void just enough, but I feel like I did something wrong by watching it.

Overall Verdict

Being able to watch TV online just seems logical.  For the most part, the programming I want is available, but you can see that there are still some holes.  Until Apple, or some other mega-company, makes some serious changes, I will have to hold onto my satellite and DVR boxes and give up on my dream of just buying the shows I want to watch online.  For now, there just seems to be a lack of information on where to go when I want to watch a show.  I couldn’t find a single site that provided information on every show and what sites you could buy it from (there is a FREE business idea for some lucky soul out there).  TVGuide.com did provide valuable information on where to buy some shows, but fell short on the 2 programs I was looking for.

@CBS – I am not sure what is going on, but it seems to me that you are missing out on a HUGE market.  You have some great programs and there are millions of us who think so.  Why are you not taking advantage of any of the services available to distribute your content?  You missed out on at least $4 of my money.  With 110 million TVs in the U.S., you are probably giving up on quite a bit of money.  Yes, I might buy a series on DVD/Blu-Ray, but I can’t get that until a year after it is shown on TV.  That doesn’t help me much.  We are a nation of “here and now.”  You should probably take advantage of that instead of banking on media that will begin to fade as quickly as it came to be.

The key to maximizing our schedules is organization and (ironically) it takes time to get organized.  For those of you in the “9 to 5″ crowd, you probably have access to Microsoft Outlook for managing your work hours but what about the rest of your life?  What about users who don’t have access to this email/calendar program (part of a $300 Microsoft Office package)?  Even if you had a wonderful program like Outlook, would you have the time/opportunity to get in front of a computer regularly throughout the day?

For anyone interested in using a calendar to keep track of events and schedules there is a solution that offers the flexibility of an electronic system and the mobility needed in our busy lives… Google Calendar and Google Sync.  They are both FREE and can help you find the time for what really matters, without wasting hours in setup.

Google Calendar

Students, Professionals, Mothers and anyone else with a hectic, busy schedule can keep track of life’s important events all in one place, for FREE.  Google says “organizing your schedule shouldn’t be a burden” and I couldn’t agree more.

Google Calendar Daily View

There are countless ways that Google Calendar can help you and there are constant additions to the functionality of this program.  Google has an overview page that does a great job of explaining the benefits of this FREE, web-based program.  I would just like to share a few reasons that I use Calendar:

• Reminders – One time, weekly, monthly or a year in advance.  I can set a reminder to pay a bill, send in an important tax document or simply for scheduling a meeting.  If it is on the calendar, I will have a hard time missing it.
• Sharing – I can share my calendar with family and business partners to let them know when I am busy and what I am doing.
• Contacts – My contacts (stored in Google Contacts) are instantly available in Calendar for setting up meetings, inviting someone to an event or sharing.  I don’t have to remember or write down email addresses.

Google Sync

Having your day, month or week scheduled out in Google Calendar is great, but what about accessing your calendar on the go?  If you can’t see the calendar, it is useless, right?  Google Sync can put the contents of your calendar on your cell phone.  With a smart phone, you can view your calendar, add events, set up new appointments, etc.  If you don’t have an iPhone, Blackberry or Android based phone, you can still receive reminders via SMS (text messages).

Google Sync for Your Mobile Phone

Features vary, depending on your device, but with the majority of the world moving to mobile phones, users will find Google Calendar and Google Sync to be a life-saver.  Get organized, schedule your week and find a way to earn back that all too important free time that has escaped you for so long.  Setting up these services takes just minutes and doesn’t cost you a dime.

I realize that many of you have already been exposed to Google Buzz, or at least heard the name, and that this article might seem a little untimely.  After all, Google Buzz was released about a month ago (February 9, 2010).  The reason I waited to comment on Google Buzz was two-fold: 1) The initial reaction to Google Buzz was panic! (early issues with privacy) and 2) I wasn’t sure if I would even use Buzz for personal and/or business updates.  Why would I review or recommend a product for the JumpstartMyPC.com audience if it (Buzz) wasn’t a useful tool that would help you get more out of your PC?  Well, I finally spent some time with this new application and I think I’ve wrapped my mind around it.

What Exactly is Google Buzz?

According to WikiPedia “Google Buzz is a social networking and messaging tool from Google, designed to integrate into the company’s web-based email program, Gmail. Users can share links, photos, videos, status messages and comments organized in “conversations” and visible in the user’s inbox.”  The definition is spot-on, but other than the Gmail integration, what makes Google Buzz any different from MySpace, Facebook or any of the other social networking sites out there?  I could post a bunch of screen-shots and commentary, but a quick video will explain Buzz much more effectively.

To me, Google Buzz is the Lite version of social networking.  Why?  Because you don’t have to spend an eternity setting it up, the feature set is very limited and (this is the best part) the distractions are minimal.

Setup

• If you have a Gmail account, you are already a Buzz user.  Just look for the link under your inbox.
• If you want to try Buzz and see what it’s all about, all you have to do is sign up for a FREE Gmail account.  **If you decide to stick around, you can import your old mail and contacts fromYahoo!, Hotmail, AOL or other webmail or POP3 accounts (which covers just about everyone).
• Add personal information or don’t!  This is entirely up to you.

Limited Features

• Post your own buzz-worthy links and photos.  Follow others to see what they post.  That’s it!  If you can copy and paste, you can use Buzz!
• There are no apps, so you don’t have to worry about joining the Mafia or taking care of your Farm-Town/Ville.

Distractions Gone

• Ads are limited to a tiny little bar at the top (almost forgot about it even being there).
• Again, no apps – meaning no games, clubs, groups, etc. to join or worry about.

The Verdict

Click Here

My overall opinion of Google Buzz is “wait-and-see.”  Google will not give up on Buzz any time soon and (as blogger Dan Sung put it) “it’s the refinements that will make it into something deeper and more diverse.”  Who knows what the future holds for Google Buzz?

However, I have some suggestions for those of you with different “backgrounds.”  Depending on your current setup (email), affiliations (other social networking sites) or tolerance level, you might want to give Buzz a chance.

Scenario 1: The Rookie

You have email and use it to communicate with a limited group of friends and family.  Either you don’t care about social networking or you are one of the “I don’t want to know what everyone is up to all the time and I don’t care to let others know what I am doing at any time” camp.

Suggestion

Google Buzz is perfect for you!  Just sign up for that FREE Gmail account and add ONLY the people that you already email.  Don’t give out this new address to anyone but those you already email.  Post away using the Private option and you won’t have to worry about anyone else seeing what you submit.  If you like it, hang around.  If not, delete the account and walk away.

Scenario 2: The Middle Man

You tried Facebook, but it wasn’t your thing.  Too much going on and you are too busy to check it all the time.  You post an update here and there, but don’t really “feel” like a Facebook person.  Twitter sounds like something only a bird would do or maybe you are just a little bit curious to see what’s going on in the Twitter world.

Suggestion

Google Buzz might be a good way to ease into sharing a bit more.  Using Gmail means that Buzz is literally one click away and (as we pointed out) there are limited distractions.  You can “follow” people or companies that you have an interest in and check your Buzz when you have time.  No pressure.  You don’t even have to post anything if you don’t want to.

Scenario 3: Social Guru

You are everywhere in the social networking world: MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, etc.  You can’t get enough new information and you love the applications and “noise” of these sites.  You follow several blogs and/or have a blog of your own.

Suggestion

Buzz might be too little for your needs.  You would just be reinventing the wheel if you had to set up another profile.  However, a Buzz page would be a good way to increase your audience and spread the word about your online presence.  OK, maybe you should try it out anyway.

In the beginning, digital sharing was done via email.  Attachments were sent and frustrations elevated when emails were not received or “kicked back” because the attachments were too large.  Sharing methods have evolved and changed over time and we are now inundated with hundreds of ways to share information with one another.  Facebook and Twitter are by far the most popular, but many others have great feature sets and large followings.  Only one service pulls them all together seamlessly, ShareThis.  That little green button (the trademark of ShareThis) has made it’s way onto 130,000+ sites and reaches over 400 million users per month.

What makes ShareThis different?

ShareThis is different because it allows you to share information via other share sites/methods.  When you see something you like, you can click on the ShareThis icon and send a link via email, text, Facebook, Twitter and/or 40+ more social services.  The ShareThis button is already a part of many of the sites you visit every day and you can add it to your browser, so everything you see on the web can be shared in an instant.

The Most Popular ShareThis Options

Not only is ShareThis easy to get to, it is easy to use.  Set up an address book within your ShareThis account and sending a link is as easy as typing a name.  You can import your existing address book from Gmail, Hotmail or AOL email services.  By creating an account and sharing links, you can also view a history of what you have shared called My Shares.  It’s a great tool, in case you forget the name of that site that you shared a few days (or even weeks) before.

Recent Changes

Today, ShareThis introduced some new features and updated some existing components, like the ShareThis button.  The Live ShareThis Stream has been introduced, combining the content your friends are sharing with what people are saying about it, and you can now connect to ShareThis account using your Facebook,  Twitter, Google or Yahoo! account.  Take a look at the video below and/or read this article (by Nick Bertrand of ShareThis) to get a better idea of what ShareThis has to offer.

ShareThis and JumpstartMyPC.com

Regular readers of the JumpstartMyPC.com blog will notice a few changes to the layout of our articles.  We’ve been changing the sidebar (over there on the right) and we’ve recently added the ability to “Buzz this” (a Google Buzz implementation).  Today, we updated our ShareThis button, which is posted below every article we write.  We have provided the ShareThis button since our very first blog post and notify many of our readers about the latest articles by sending emails through the ShareThis tool daily.

Try ShareThis today.  Set up an account and add some of your friends and family to your Contact List.  ShareThis is FREE and has proven itself as a trusted and valuable sharing tool for all.  We hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

¹ – Taken from the article Google Buzz Puts Sharing at the Center of the Web on ShareThis.com