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Google Maps Navigation is in beta mode, but I’m so exciting about it, already!  It has all the features that I want, and some of the features that even today navigation systems do not have.  Let see what this baby has!

The usual navigation systems require you to enter an exact address of a place you want to go to, but with Google Maps Navigation it’s a different story, you can do a normal search for a place you want to go to in a similar way that you have been doing your searches using Google’s search engine on the web — Google Maps Navigation will figure out the rest for you.

In case you are lazy like me, you can even use your voice to search for a destination.

Don’t worry about the misspellings when you type, because Google Maps Navigation is smart enough and often enough, it figures out how to correct the misspelled words.

How about traffic jam?  No worry, Google Maps Navigation is smart enough to display data in regard of traffic conditions, so go ahead and take a detour if you wish.

Satellite view helps you visualize a map closer to what you see on the streets.

This kewl navigation application from Google has many more features that I’m not going into details here.  How much does it cost?  $0.00 to be exact!  How to get it?  If you have a mobile device that is running Android 2.0 Operating System, then it’s a sure thing that you can download Google Maps Navigation onto your mobile device.  You never know, Google may release this Google Maps Navigation application onto iPhone, and other mobile devices that are running on different platforms.

ICANN has just rolled out a video about its going forward in making non-Latin web addresses possible in 2010.  People around the world who are using keyboard that has non-Latin words, speak non-Latin languages, and so on can be better connected online through non-Latin web addresses.  Local businesses can display non-Latin web addresses so their customers can remember the web addresses easier.  I think ICANN is right on the money, and you can expect the world wide web will be a vastly different one than what we know of it today.

http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9/17699847001?isVid=1&publisherID=17191968001

Ubuntu 9.10, the final version and is known as Karmic Koala, is now ready for you to download people!  Ubuntu 9.10 has nicer icons for everything.  What’s interesting is that ext4 file system will be the default file system for Ubuntu 9.10, but if you upgrade Ubuntu 9.04 to the latest version, your file system is going to be ext3, still.  Check out this Wikipedia link to see why ext4 file system is better than ext3 file system; ext4 file system is a preferable choice for Ubuntu developers.

Another new feature that is obvious when you first use Ubuntu 9.10 is its Ubuntu Software Center.  Still, I prefer Synaptic and Aptitude to regulate my software (packages) on Ubuntu, but for someone who wants eye-candy software management utility, Ubuntu Software Center is going to satisfy you.  Unfortunately, I found out that the default setting for Ubuntu Software Center appears to provide less software than Synaptic.  This can be fix though, by going to Edit > Software Sources, you can add more software sources to get even more free software for your system.

Using wireless on Ubuntu 9.10 is cake.  To get wireless working, you must go to System > Administration > Hardware Drivers to install and activate a driver for your wireless card.  In my case, Ubuntu 9.10 found a driver and installed it onto my system without the need of manually doing the seeking and the downloading for a wireless card’s driver.

It appears to me that Ubuntu 9.10 is really fast when come to shutdown.  It feels almost instantly!  The startup time can be slow or fast as it’s depending on your system hardware.

Users who are new to Ubuntu may not know that Ubuntu does not install a firewall automatically, because Ubuntu is not running anything that has an open port (in theory it’s pretty safe).  Still, I recommend you to go to Application > Ubuntu Software Center, and search for Firestarter or Guarddog.  Installing Firestarter or Guarddog can help secure your Ubuntu 9.10 even more.  For Ubuntu’s veterans, there is no need to say about firewall, because they know how to use Synaptic or Aptitude or Apt-get to get those firewall software.  Guarddog is a little more confusing than Firestarter, but Guarddog is easier on you when you use two different types of network interfaces regularly.  With that I mean when you are frequently switching between eth0 (ethernet network) and wlan0 (wireless network); with Guarddog, you only need to configure one set of firewall rules for all network interfaces, but with Firestarter you have to manually switch your network.

There is an option to spin down your hard disk when possible in Power Management Preferences.  There is a lot more to Ubuntu, and it’s up to you to spend some time with Ubuntu to know the fun of it.  Are you ready to probe for the stuffs that are underneath the hood of this bad boy?  Get it at http://www.ubuntu.com/.