A Mind like a Steel Trap

If you don’t have a mind like a steel trap, or fifth grade math concepts are getting a little fuzzy, there’s always Google.

I needed to determine how many milliliters a particular cylinder would hold for a promotional project. Thanks to Google I was able to compute all the necessary calculations and conversions without using a calculator—or pen and paper.

The Formula

I knew the formula for determining the volume of a cylinder is:
π • r² • height = volume (where r = radius)

Had I not known the formula, I could’ve easily found it (and generator sites) by simply Googling: cylinder volume. The same is true of pi; Googling: pi generates a number accurate to 8 decimal places.

The cylinder has a radius of 1.5″ and an overall height of 10″. In this case, a basic 3.14 round off of pi sufficed. Based on the formula, I typed the following directly into the Google search field (*=multiplication; ^=exponent/power of):

3.14*1.5^2*10

Google returned with: 3.14 * (1.5^2) * 10 = 70.65

The cylinder has a volume of 70.65 cubic inches, but I need the volume in milliliters.

Converting Results

Typing directly into the Google search field, I entered:
cubic inch to milliliter

Google returned: 1 cubic inch = 16.387064 milliliter

I entered the number of cubic inches (70.65) multiplied by the conversion factor (16.387064) into the search field: 70.65*16.387064

Google responded with the answer:
70.65 * 16.387064 = 1157.74607 or about 1158 ml.

Realizing Results

Using Google as a calculator can be a time saver. For a legend of symbols and much more on using Google as a calculator, check out Google’s calculator page.

Then read our latest Great Marketing Ideas for 2007 article and calculate the ROI you’ll likely realize by reading .think.

If you’d like to significantly decrease your broadband load time in Firefox, follow these simple instructions to change defaults originally set to accommodate dial-up users.

Step 1: Open Firefox and type about:config in the address bar where you normally type a web address.

Step 2: In the filter bar below the address bar type network.

Step 3: Double-click on network.http.pipelining to change the setting from false to true.

Step 4: On the line below network.http.pipelining double-click on network.http.pipelining.maxrequests and change the number to 10.

Step 5: Two lines below network.http.pipelining.maxrequests double-click on network.http.proxy.pipelining to change the value from false to true.

Step 6: Several lines above network.http.proxy.pipelining you’ll see network.http.max-persistant-connections-per-proxy and network.http.max-persistant-connections-per-server. Double-click each line and change the value to 8.

Step 7: Two lines up locate and double-click on network.http.max-connections and set the value to 48.

Step 8: Now right-click (control-click on a Mac) anywhere in the configurator (the area where you’ve been making the changes). Select New then Integer. When prompted, copy and paste or type the following into the field provided: nglayout.initialpaint.delay.

When prompted to add a value, enter the number 0.

Step 9: Close all windows and tabs. The changes will take effect when you restart Firefox.

These changes allow Firefox to make multiple server connections and will speed up page downloads for better, more efficient use of your broadband connection.

A Revealing Play
(click image for detail views)

Designed by Boaz Cohen and Sayaka Yamamoto of BCXSY, the PLAY! Coffee Table is full of tactile discovery. Part of an entire collection of PLAY! items, the table features a top comprised of sliding walnut veneered square tiles finished with a lacquered geometric pattern print and a bottom fitted with castors.

Discovery

Each time a square on the top is slid into an adjacent opening, the area beneath the displaced tile reveals one of sixteen hidden compartments suitable for storage of, well, most anything. Of course, returning the top to its original design or finding your favorite book—in, say, compartment 12—could prove an enigmatic exercise. But hey, it is the PLAY! Coffee Table.

Via: Yanko Design

Uniqlo’s new UT (Universal Time) concept store opens April 28th in the Harajuku shopping district of Tokyo, Japan. The store features limited edition t-shirts packaged in plastic canisters, capped in UT signature red (see above).

The walls of the store function like massive vending machines, dispensing individually labeled packages at the behest of the buyer. Cool.

UT Online

The new Uniqlo UT promo website, featuring a wall of images of people wearing the tees, is a nice brand extension of this unique store concept. The images scroll by slowly, refreshing every few seconds in a random, flickering and cascading fashion—finally coming to rest in unison every 7th beat or so.

A small inconspicuous blurb about UT rolls into view inviting you to enter the site and learn more. Resonant electronic tones enhance the rhythmic cadence of the flowing barrage of imagery and underscore UT’s connection with the sonic lifestyle of their youthful customers.

Engaging

This wall of people and product takes an obvious cue from the in-store vending wall concept, implying infinite selection and a brand in touch with its audience. The technique is remarkably simple and an effective example of less-is-more in design and messaging.

Click here to see the site in action.

On Friday, Google announced its intent to acquire DoubleClick for $3.1 billion.

Why Google Wants DoubleClick

The purchase of DoubleClick will allow Google to expand on Google AdWords, the search engine-based, pay-per-click advertising model (basically, text ads linked to advertiser’s sites) that currently supplies its primary revenue stream. DoubleClick brings an important network of web advertisers, publishers and data to the table that will allow Google to offer and manage content-rich advertising campaigns.

“DoubleClick’s technology is widely adopted by leading advertisers, publishers and agencies, and the combination of the two companies will accelerate the adoption of Google’s innovative advances in display advertising.”

-Eric Schmidt, Chief Executive Officer of Google

The Downside: Power Corrupts

Going forward, it’s not difficult to imagine that when you advertise online you’ll be advertising with Google, either directly or indirectly. And that to benefit from Google’s extensive reach and powerful advertising tools, you’ll have to relinquish asset control to some degree.

Think of it as Google owning the lion’s share of the railroad industry…and most of the tracks it runs on.

The Upside: Absolute Power is Kind of Neat

For advertisers, online banners, interactive, and video-based ads are currently best suited for institutional branding. But merging Google’s prowess in keyword analysis and search technologies with DoubleClick’s data, know-how, and networks will offer an effective, all-encompassing brand and direct response solution.

Like it or not, if you want to efficiently and effectively move goods on the railroad, you’ll need to work with the firm that drives the industry.