It’s Mac Dashboard Widget Time @ Google
By Yazan MalakhaFresh on the Google half-backed beta software shelve are 3 new Mac Widgets. At the present time they’re offering 3, which in my opinion bring nothing new to the world I’ve seen a Gmail widget before and personally prefer to check mine through POP3. Google does seem serious about bringing some of it’s software to the Mac. The widgets are:
- Blogger: Which will allow you to post to your blog directly from your mac desktop; similar to Blogger for Word Plugin
- Gmail: Displays your Gmail emails.
- Search History: Search through your search history. Which I personally wouldn’t download.
February 24th, 2006 at 7:46 pm
“which in my opinion bring nothing new to the world I’ve seen a Gmail widget before”
I agree with you. Google is hardly adding anything new with their products, it all stopped with their purchase of Blogger, and that wasn’t theirs. As for the widgets I prefer flores; it’s better than any Gmail notified outther. I don’t have a blog so I don’t need the blogger widget. And I question the search history privacy.
One thing should be mentioned. Google aren’t uptight, they take risks and try out products, so I appluad them for that.
February 24th, 2006 at 7:55 pm
Derek,
Thank you for your insightful comment. Yes, Google takes risks, but most of their non-search related products feel like a one man show freeware product that do not even go through quality assurance, thus “half baked”.
On the other hand, I might be outfashioned or oldschool but I just can’t use a web interface for emailing or reading emails. It’s outlook notifications for me mate.
February 24th, 2006 at 9:02 pm
Google ROCKS!
February 24th, 2006 at 9:08 pm
Ahmad,
Don’t get me wrong Google Search is great and would be better if it can index my appartment I can’t do without it!
However other Google products are so, how should i put it, bleh!
February 24th, 2006 at 10:24 pm
Regarding widgets- do you know the Tile Game widget? Any way I can change the picture on the tile? I have the tiger, and I’m sick of it.
Yeah, the new google widgets don’t sound exciting. I’d rather google something again than have to download a widget to look up the history of stuff I’ve googled. Those search downloads are invasive. If I’m on my computer, why would I need a Blogger widget when I can just log on to Blogger? And gmail’s okay but not for professionals who get their mail at their business domain. So all that widget would alert me to is the forward from my cousin to sign the “Paradise Now” petition, which I’ve gotten 5 times already.
It is unfortunate those widgets suck. I like widgets. And stickies. And my mac. (Yes. I’m a recent convert.)
February 25th, 2006 at 1:58 am
Kickers, I have no idea on how to change the tile on that widget, I’m primarly a PC user.
As for the widgets, some people jump up and down in excitement whenever Google comes up with a new product. They might be appreciated by some. I actually think the blogger widget is the most useful; for blogger users that is. I used the Word plugin during my blogging days and found it to be quite useful.
I can only wish Google will become the innovative company it was a few years ago.
February 25th, 2006 at 5:17 am
I still don’t understand why you’d use a Word plugin/blogger widget instead of just blogging straight onto Blogger.
February 25th, 2006 at 5:36 am
For one thing, it’s faster. Launching up word and blogging from it is much faster than going through dashboard > blog > write a post etc. And spell checking is much more convenient with Microsoft Word. I guess it’s just a personal preference.
February 25th, 2006 at 6:12 am
I understand the advantages now. Thanks for taking the time explaining to a technology dimwit like me.