Google intros URL-shortening service, Goo.gl

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Matthew DeCarlo

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Hot on the heels of Facebook's URL-shortening service FB.me, Google has introduced its own link trimmer. Dubbed Goo.gl, Google's shortener is not available through a standalone site, as with similar services like TinyURL and Bit.ly. Instead, the search giant has incorporated Goo.gl into the Google Toolbar and FeedBurner.

As with any of its products, Google has put an emphasis on speed and reliability. The company boasts that Goo.gl uses its scalable, multi-datacenter infrastructure to provide great uptime. Goo.gl is also secure, as it automatically checks shortened URLs for malicious sites and tips users off. While Google already believes its service is quick, the company says it will continue to improve Goo.gl's speed.

If you happen to use the Google Toolbar or FeedBurner and frequently rely on URL shrinking services, take Goo.gl for a spin and let us know what you think.

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They should have made an standalone website too. I don't install third party toolbars (yahoo, google, ask, bsplayer, etc) in my browsers as they usually tend to slow it down a lot and sometimes they are buggy.
 
I agree, I don't install nothing in there
And if any toolbars do get in (it does happen sometimes on program installs). The first thing I do is remove it ;)

So obviously users like us can't use tiny Google shortening URL service. Oh well, back to TinyURL until they introduce it then ;)
 
I hate toolbars too. There's no need for a search bar, when you can Google search from the url box. I hate when I get on someone else's computer and their browser is clogged with toolbars.
 
Guess i am not alone in hating toolbars. URL box searching or the firefox search box is all i need.
 
Add me to the no toolbar rule. I guess Google wants everyone on the internet to use Google in some way, shape or form: Google Search, Apps, DNS, tinyurls, Phone, YouTube, etc. Google is trying to take over the internet world.
 
I abhor toolbars. And I don't much like url shortening either...unless there were some way to force every shortened url to have a rollover text box revealing the actual url. There should be a standard, easy way of knowing where any link takes you.
 
Toolbars have no place in any computer that has IE6 or later. At least in IE5 there was no popup blocker, so Google Toolbar was useful then. Now, however, there is no excuse.

As for Goo.gl, I am perplexed: They could save two extra characters with "g.gl", which could be important to a twitterer. For that reason, I usually use http://j.mp for my shortening needs. (I think of it as "jump"). Goo.gl is no shorter than bit.ly or some other link shorteners...

There do seem to be other benefits, though, at least according to Google, such as uptime.
 
As others stated, don't feel much like installing extra toolbars just to use one feature.

Somehow the service name reminds me of the infamous goatse.cx haha
 
Here, y0u can create a short link of Goo.gl online:

http://geekgen.it/google-url-shortener

is gratis, and have API, for your site ;)
 
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