Google URL-shortener goes public

Google's URL shortener Goo.gl has launched its open service and companion website to the public.

Goo.gl was originally a proprietary way for Google to abbreviate its Web addresses within services such as Google News (for saving article links) or Google Maps (for sending a location).

The new Goo.gl website will abbreviate your links and store them for you to view later or share with others.

Google says it is also using special provisions to prevent blind links from leading to malware or dangerous websites.

But Google is entering a super-crowded arena. TinyURL has been abbreviating Web addresses for nearly a decade, and the advent of Twitter has encouraged more sophisticated abbreviators, like bit.ly, which allow people to organize and search through their saved links.