Google Labs has just opened a new project to the public called In Quotes. The feature allows you to find quotes from stories linked to from Google News. The Google release says that direct quotes, are concrete units of information that describe how newsmakers represent themselves. Google News compiles these quotations from online news stories and sorts them into browsable groups based on who is being quoted. The quotes and their speakers are determined automatically by a computer program and the company does not guarantee the completeness or accuracy of the information that we see on screen
You use a pull down menu to determine the different sets of people you want to compare about a particular topic. The feature currently allows you to choose and compare quotes from political candidates and other political figures. When you click the Spin button, the quotes will rotate and the system will display two new quotes for you to compare. This way you will be able to compare multiple quotes about a specific topic from the two speakers you've chosen. There are 20 political figures available in the United States version of the site (including the leading candidates from both parties who are displayed by default), with other editions available for Canada, India, and the UK. There are also 20 current topics on display from Iran and Iraq, to human rights and immigration.
It is in Google Labs for a reason; it still needs refining on how each keyword is used. But it's fun to tinker with. Check it out!
