iGoogle update
If you’re anything like me when it comes to technology then you probably only know the basics of using the Internet. When I say basics I mean using a search engine just to find information for you, Facebook and email.
Using Google only for its search funtions I never noticed the little icon in the top right hand side corner until recently, yip that’s it the one that says iGoogle, the personalised homepage.
iGoogle has been around for a long time, since 2005 to be exact but honestly I had never noticed the icon before, mainly because I have no reason to look in that corner of the Google page. It allows users to add web feeds and has specially developed gadgets that display content on the users page.
On the 16 October iGoogle underwent a facelift and redesigned iGoogle for U.S users. A key feature of the new iGoogle is the canvas view gadgets, this allows users to expand a gadget making it more accessible.
Not all of the available gadgets have canvas views but here are a few that have taken advantage of the new feature:
- News – New gadgets from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post give users full-page views of what’s new in the world.
- Games – The Sudoku gadgetlets users play thousands of full-page Sudoku puzzles without squinting at 6-point type. The GoComics gadget gives users their fix of Garfield and Doonesbury as well as providing users the choice from all of their other comics. Users can even browse through videos from YouTube and CurrentTV.
- Entertainment - By configuring the TV Guide gadget to the users zip code one can see when their favourite show is playing. Flixster’s movies gadget grants access to trailers, ratings, and theater information for any movie. The iLike gadget browses news, concerts, and free MP3s.
- Google stuff – The new Gmail gadgetlets users read their full email and perform simple actions like send or reply to emails without leaving iGoogle. Last but not least, Google Finance, which provides full-screen finance charts and news of the stocks.
iGoogle has also replaced tabs with left navigation giving users the chance to go from one canvas to another a the click of the mouse.
Not all iGoogle users are happy with the new design many have asked for the old design back, JR Raphael a iGoogle user says its a downgrade. Others complain that the Gmail gadget does not direct the user to their full Gmail page as before, now they have to click the launch full Gmail icon. There have also been complaints of inactive links. I have not yet experienced all that the new iGoogle has to offer so for now I have no problem with how the service functions
View the full list to see the canvas view gadgets.
