Google introduces Goo.gl, a URL shortener

The service is currently meant only for Google applications. The “gl” in Goo.gl stands for the TLD of Greenland.

What is Goo.gl?
A URL shortener turns long web addresses into short ones, which are easy to remember. They are also useful for microblogging and social networking services like Twitter, which have a short word limit of 140 characters, and therefore a smaller URL can leave more space to express one's self.

It is also useful for e-mails. The service is only compatible with Google tool-bar and Feedburner, but might soon be expanded to a standalone website.

It is a direct challenge to Bit.ly which is an in-house production of Betaworks studio. Apart from Bit.ly, another popular URL shortening service is TinyURL.com. But experts have always maintained that these abbreviated URLs are a welcome call for cyber criminals as they can misguide them to potentially harmful websites.

Not meant for Mac users
Goo.gl does not work on Mac. Are we surprised? No. Apple and Google have been at each others throats for a long time now. From the browser race between Apple's Safari and Google Chrome to recently introduced Google phone ‘Nexus One’, which plans to compete with Apple iPhone, the two are currently at cut throat as Google and Microsoft are known to be.

The Google tool-bar has to be installed, which is accessible through Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox only. Then the new, green colored “share” button is to be clicked, and a service to be picked from the drop-down menu. An example of the service could be Twitter.

While in Windows, the newly shortened URL is shown in a new window, in Mac version of Mozilla, the tool comes up with the old long URL.

Bit.ly refuses to lie low
Bit.ly has obviously realized the threat, and has devised a new and interesting way to counter Google's attack. They are out with Bit.ly Pro, a service that allows one to create a custom short URLs. These shortened URLs use the Bit.ly platform.

Bit.ly Pro consists of two things, a URL shortener, and improved analytics. There is a news real-time dashboard, which allows publishers to check where, and how is their content being shared.

On their blogpost, Bit.ly has said, “Users and publishers benefit from the additional transparency that this private-label service provides. When you see a short URL like nyti.ms, you know the destination web site before clicking on the link. The service includes all the bit.ly features users and publishers have come to expect. Placing a simple “+” at the end of any bit.ly link (including these white-label, bit.ly-powered links) takes you to real-time information about that page and how it is being shared: how many people clicked on that particular link, where they came from, and more. For publishers, the new service allows them to keep their brand visible while maintaining access to bit.ly statistics."