Category: Technology

If you’ve tried out Google’s personalized homepage, you’ve undoubtedly seen some of Google’s gadgets in action. Personally, I prefer the clean un-personalized Google home page, so Google Gadgets meant nothing to me until now. Google gadgets can now be embedded on any webpage. I’m sure some of these gadgets will come in useful at some point, like when you feel like a game of PacMan!

I hate having multiple applications open. So it’s either web-based, or a fireworks plugin. Checked out Google Reader today because they just redesigned it. The interface is great, finding new feeds is easier than any other RSS reader I’ve ever used. The option to share feeds is cool.

All the same, I’m going to stick with Wizz RSS for now, because it displays posts using the same design template as the original source. I check my gmail account every hour, I don’t need  my news reader to look the same.

Think about it. With the services that Google offers (beta or not) along with whatever future schemes they’ve got, this no-longer-a-search-engine company will soon have the world by the balls.

• Search
  Getting the obvious out of the way first – Virtually everyone on the net uses Google for search. They have every webpage worth reading in their index. They not only link to webpages, but they also have a copy in the Google Cache. They know what the world wants like noone else.
• Email
  With their 2 Gigs (and counting) of inbox space, conversations, and a plethora of other features, everyone I know has a Gmail ID. Hell, even my Mom’s on Gmail.
• Corporate Email
  Why don’t corporates ever go for free email services like Yahoo!? Because having an email ID@yourdomainname.com is much cooler. Google now offers use of Gmail, Google Talk, and other apps for use with your own domain. A whole lot of companies are already doing away with their crappy, unreliable email providers and switching to Gmail.
• Blogs
  After buying out blogger.com, half the world’s blogs are hosted with Google.
• Social Networking
  After buying out Orkut, I hardly get any more spam from my friends at Hi5.
• IM
  Goolge Talk is not very different from the other popular IMs, but it’s integration into Gmail’s interface makes it a winner. Google Talk archives conversations on Google’s servers instead of on the local hard drive. Has VoIP.
• Desktop Search
  Need I explain? The internet is not enough. They want our hard drives! 🙂
• Calendar
  Google Calendar. All our schedules, events and other important dates stored on their servers.
• Library
  Google Print – “Our ultimate goal is to work with publishers and libraries to create a comprehensive, searchable, virtual card catalog of all books in all languages that helps users discover new books and publishers discover new readers.”
• Notebooks
  We all research online, now Google gives us free scribbling pads. And a specialized search engine for scholars.
• News
  All the latest news, across all categories, from all over the world. Picture this – you need to know of the recent cases of bird flu reported around the world. Now try this.
• Google Map Search
  Need to get to that clients place real quick, but don’t want to tell him that your dog ate his business card? Get his address and driving directions. Only available in the US now. Damn I wish Google was an Indian Company.
• Video
  Google Video lets you share your videos. Even the more intimate ones.
• Shopping
  We’re froogled.
• Payment Gateway
  Make your payments online via Google Checkout.
• Google Earth
  It only gets better. “Google Earth combines satellite imagery, maps and the power of Google Search to put the world’s geographic information at your fingertips.” They also have Google Mars.
  
• Office Suite
  There’s no doubt that there is going to be one. They already have a Word Processor, Spreadsheet, Web Page Editor, Database, Calendar, Email, Notes, translation, a picture manager/editor, 3D Modeler, financial manager, RSS news reader, and what looks like a programming environment in the making. I won’t be surprised if they turn their screensaver software into a presentation tool. Only thing missing is an internet connection, but they’re working on that as well. (Read below)
• Internet Access
  Free internet access for the whole world. Hmm… why not?!
• Discussion Groups
  Combined with Google various search tools and news alerts, this has amazing potential.
• Online Advertising
  Using a combination of their search ads, Adwords and Adsense, Google has given advertisers the opportunity to target a highly select audience, and content owners a hassle-free method of making money.
• Website Traffic Analysis
  This is free, and it’s not just another web counter. In fact, as you’re reading this, I have obtained your location right down to your neighbourhood, the company whcih owns your IP address, where you came from and how long you stayed. Come back after a year or so and I can probably tell you what you’re wearing.
• Google Galaxy?
  Google has singed a deal with NASA.
• Do you really need more? (Sigh!) Ok then.

Scary thought – If they really aren’t the good guys they claim to be, this company could demand an entire continent in return for switching their servers back on.

On the other hand – If there’s an ice age now, archeologists in the future just need to access Google’s servers to get a snapshot of everything on the planet, a copy of virtually every webpage on the internet, and what we were thinking at the time. If Google manages to index our DNA soon, the world can just start where we left off.

Ah, the web finally coming into it’s own. Typical scenario – Software publisher releases new version of software, posts 600MB setup file (trial version) on website for everyone to download, and noone bothers to do. It takes too damn long and why the @#$% would you want to wait that long and then risk destroying your finely balanced PC with beta crap? Doesn’t work too well for the publisher either, expecially when the trial is cracked and put up on the P2P networks before the official release.

Enter remote desktops – the publisher installs the software on a web server and gives public access to try out the software via the web, without having to download it. MS has done a decent job to give access to the evaluation edition of MS Office 2007 via a Citrix browser plugin (IE only, of course). Don’t see how this can be used for trial versions of games though.