Retailers, consumer goods and other companies that require a high level of color or image coordination could implement the technology to offer services that help their customers select the right products for their needs.

The color matching technology, which is currently in prototype, builds on HP’s expertise in imaging, color science, mobility and networking

This is how it works, instead of sitting down with a consultant at a beauty counter, a shopper photographs herself using a mobile phone camera and while holding a specially designed color chart. The person then sends the photo as an MMS (multimedia message) to an advisory service. That system locates the person’s face within the image and color corrects the image for camera and lighting discrepancies.

Skin pixels are extracted from the color corrected image of the person’s face, and then compared to an existing database of previously captured and analyzed images of skin tones of real people. In a matter of seconds, people using the service receive a text message response with a recommendation on the shades of makeup that are best suited to their complexion.

The technology can work with any mobile operator and on any mobile phone equipped with a camera. Photos demonstrating the color matching technology are available at www.hpl.hp.com/about/media/mobile_image/

Google services mashed up
Take some AJAX UI components, data from your users and Google services like Google Base and Google Maps or external feeds and mash them all together using our simple framework. We make it easy with the Google Mashup Editor.

Common web technologies doing uncommon things
The Google Mashup Editor allows you to use HTML, Javascript, CSS and XML to create an infinite variety of applications with technology you are familiar with.

Simple tools for sophisticated apps
Using the Google Mashup Editor you can create, debug and deploy your application in one interface.

 Store and serve application resources locally
 Store data locally in a fully-searchable relational database
 Run asynchronous Javascript to improve application responsiveness

Heard from the Google System blog that Google plans on launching a new service called iGoogle which will allow users to share their own writings, photos, lists and other creative efforts, as well as to give consumers personalised views of the Web through use of their geographical location and search history. From the Blog it says users can do 7 things for now which are…

1. Photo album – add up to 7 photos that can be rotated.

2. GoogleGram – enter seven greeting messages.

3. Daily Me – type what you are doing.

4. Countdown – count the days until a special event.

5. Simple list – you can use it as a ToDo list, shopping list.

6. YouTube videos – up to 10 videos.

7. Freeform gadget – add an image and some text.

The 9 is a daily broadcast on Yahoo! TV of best, weirdest, and funniest videos, photos, sites, and stories on the Web. Hosted by Maria Sansone is one of my favorite places to surf every couple of days to see what is hot and whats not on teh web. The show is really clever and has alot of interesting little tid bits about the web. I also like Yahoo Spades but I think all Yahoo games are in need of a upgrade what is your favrotie Yahoo free service?