Personal Review: Google Products

How many Google Products are you using?

Still thinking that Google is just about Search? Well it can’t be further from the truth.
Below are up to date Google products in alphabetical order and my personal comments on them:

1. Search products

Get email updates on the topics of your choice. This can be a very useful tool for you to keep track of niche market. Or at least, it’s how i use it. For more popular topic, there are better ways.
Enter any keywords into Google Alert, set the email frequency and Google will send you email as often as you like about your interested topic.
Google Alerts will return both news and new blog articles, comments related to your keyword.
For example, i want to monitor my own name “chandler nguyen” to see if anyone mentions this name world wide. I set the frequency as Once per day. And so everyday, Google will send me an email, letting me know if my name is mentioned the previous day over the internet. Cool huh?

  • Blog SearchBlog Search
    Find blogs on your favorite topics
  • Book SearchBook Search
    Search the full text of books
  • CheckoutCheckout
    Complete online purchases more quickly and securely. A form of payment gateway just like PayPal. However, the beautiful part is that it’s completely free to a certain amount if you are using Adwords. The max amount depends on your Adwords spend. That’s the merchant’s benefits.

For users’s benefits, please check out the website itself. Basically, the idea is that you can do anything with a single Google account, even to buy online and you don’t need to key in your credit card information anytime you buy so it’s more secured.

  • DesktopDesktop
    Search and personalize your computer.

Quite powerful search facility. It will search anything, even your Outlook. However, i am concerned over privacy issue. Hence, i don’t use this product.

  • EarthEarth
    Explore the world from your computer. Well, you probably know about it already. The new thing is that, not only you can zoom into cities, streets with Google Earth, but you can view stars also.

Look out for Microsoft WorldWide Telescope. From what i’ve read, it’s truly amazing…

  • FinanceFinance
    Business info, news, and interactive charts
  • GOOG-411GOOG-411
    Find and connect with businesses from your phone, for free. This is only for US i think
  • iGoogleiGoogle
    Add news, games and more to the Google homepage. A customized homepage for you from Google. It’s really a good concept but i am not using it because of privacy issue as well.
  • ImagesImages
    Search for images on the web
  • MapsMaps
    View maps and directions. The good thing is not only you can view maps, you can put your business listing there as well.
  • NotebookNotebook
    Clip and collect information as you surf the web. Will start using this more aggressively. It integrates with your bookmarks and allow you to take note while surfing.
  • Patent SearchPatent Search
    Search the full text of US Patents. I am not a scientist OOPS
  • Product SearchProduct Search
    Search for stuff to buy. This product is getting more popular. Yet i am not sure if Google is able to compete with others in the same field.
  • ScholarScholar
    Search scholarly papers. I used to use this when i was in university. I am not anymore 🙂
  • ToolbarToolbar
    Add a search box to your browser. Despite the privacy issue, i still think the toolbar is worth using…
  • VideoVideo
    Search for videos on Google Video and YouTube. Well i guess because of the unpopularity of Google Video, Google bought YouTube 😀
  • Web SearchWeb Search
    Search over billions of web pages. This is what we love…have been and always will be

2. Explore and innovate products

  • CodeCode
    Download APIs and open source code. The only API i know is API for adwords and bid management tools.
  • Custom SearchCustom SearchNew!
    Create a customized search experience for your community. Will try this out later!
  • LabsLabs
    Explore Google’s technology playground. I am currently participating in this.

3. Communicate, Show & Share

  • BloggerBlogger
    Share your life online with a blog — it’s fast, easy, and free. So far, so good. If you use blogger, your article will be indexed very fast and i love that 🙂
  • CalendarCalendar
    Organize your schedule and share events with friends. It can sync with Outlook Calendar now so Yey! However, a few minor technicalities are presented when using with Microsoft Outlook.
  • DocsDocs
    Create and share your projects online and access them from anywhere. Documents, Excel, PowerPoint etc… Online
  • GmailGmail
    Fast, searchable email with less spam. If you haven’t used it yet, you need to get on to it. Period. Try label, filters, send on behalf etc…
  • GroupsGroups
    Create mailing lists and discussion groups
  • OrkutOrkut
    Meet new people and stay in touch with friends. Will it be replaced with OpenSocial?
  • PicasaPicasa
    Find, edit and share your photos
  • PicasaReader
    Get all your blogs and news feeds fast. This is awesome. I am using reader exclusively to read news, update myself through RSS feeds…
  • SketchUpSketchUp
    Build 3D models quickly and easily. Haven’t tried this before.
  • TalkTalk
    IM and call your friends through your computer. Email me for my ID on GTalk 🙂
  • TranslateTranslate
    View web pages in other languages. I don’t use this often but i heard it’s not too bad.
  • YouTubeYouTube
    Watch, upload and share videos. Well, you are probably using it

4. Mobile products

  • Maps for mobileMaps for mobile
    View maps and get directions on your phone. This is good since i get lost all the times…
  • MobileMobile
    Use Google on your mobile phone.
  • SMSSMS
    Use text messaging for quick info

5. Make your computer work better

  • PackPack
    A free collection of essential software. This is actually very cool. I use it when i need to recover my computer which happens all the time with the Lovely XP and the super stable Vista.
  • Web AcceleratorWeb Accelerator
    Speed up the web. I have been using this and to be honest, it actually works. My connection speed increases so yey! (Sorry, i don’t have a degree in computer science so to me, it’s cool)

So what’re Google products you are using? Feel free to share your comments here. Thanks!

P.S: I forgot Google Trends 🙂 Such a big mistake.
With Google Trends, you can compare the trends of at least two products, terms, brands within the time frame of your choice. Furthermore, you can even see the trends within specific countries, cities…

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