For some years we’ve been hearing about a Google browser. Indeed, a year ago something called Google 4.0 alighted on Syntagma, according to browser records in Sitemeter.

It seems to have developed the same kind of improbable status that Google Office has, even after the purchase of Writely. So what’s latest on the Google browser?

Google Firefox, that’s what. Google has teamed up with Mozilla, funding its foundation and allowing the open-sourcerers to take on more staff.

Now Google firefox appears on the legendarily plain-Jane Google homepage.

Interesting times.

Justin Rosenstein, who is the Product Manager of Google Page Creator, writes about it on the Official Google Blog today:

“My mother wanted a site for her law practice that potential clients would find when they Googled her. My professor needed a place on the web where he could post assignments and readings for Psych 131. My friend Casey was excited about creating an online encyclopedia of Big Lebowski trivia. All of them wanted simple web pages that looked great, but none of them wanted to take the time to learn HTML, wrangle with complex tools or shell out cash for a designer.”

Well, to cut a long story short, the 20 percent free creation time allowed to workers at the Googleplex paid off:

I gathered a team of engineers and designers passionate about using their 20% time to make it easy to publish useful, attractive web pages.

After many months of focusing on designing a product that our friends and families would enjoy, and politely coaxing web browsers into doing things they were never meant to do, we’re happy that “Google Page Creator” is now part of the Google Labs family.

Read the whole post.

After the release of Google Calendar over the Easter weekend, speculation is mounting that an announcement will be made this week in London about a Google move into travel via a new dedicated portal.

The Times (London) states that the company will form a joint-venture partnership with a Chicago-based online booking engine, Orbitz, aimed at capturing a significant slice of this part of online business.

The speculation regarding Google Travel began following the placing of a recruitment advertisement by the American search giant before the Easter weekend which sought a “Senior Account Executive, Travel Vertical”.

The job advertisement says, “Your main responsibility is to drive new business revenue growth with our Fortune 1000 advertisers in a specified vertical in one or more regions.”

Online bookings and travel sites, like Expedia and Travelocity have been among the biggest commercial successes of the internet. “It is speculated that Google Travel’s plans may well also include offering high-bandwidth streaming video of selected destinations and properties.”

Google is being very tight-lipped, however, and a spokeswoman for the company said, “I can confirm that Google has no current plans to launch a travel portal.”

Google Calendar has arrived and as usual is being written about all over the Web. Take the tour here.

One of its main features is Gmail integration: Gmail will recognize when messages include information about specific events. When you receive such emails, you can add them to Google Calendar with a click or two from the right of the Gmail page.

Michael Arrington of TechCrunch has given it a favorable first impressions review:

“My overall impression: Excellent. The ability to share via web publishing or RSS shows Google’s commitment to an open stardard. And this application is impressive in its speed and stability.”