iGoogle

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search
iGoogle
iGoogle's logo

iGoogle, using the Earth-light theme, displaying news and weather
Developer(s) Google
Platform Web browsers
Type Web Gadgets
Website www.google.com/ig

iGoogle (formerly Google Personalized Homepage and Google IG), a service of Google, is a customizable AJAX-based startpage or personal web portal much like Netvibes, Pageflakes, My Yahoo!, MySurfPad and Windows Live Personalized Experience. It was originally launched in May 2005. Its features include the capability to add web feeds and Google Gadgets (similar to those available on Google Desktop).[1]

It was renamed and expanded on April 30, 2007, and is currently available in many localized versions of Google, in 42 languages, and in over 70 country domain names, as of October 17, 2007.[2][3]

Contents

[edit] Features

[edit] Gadgets

iGoogle gadgets interact with the user and utilize the Google Gadgets API. Some gadgets developed for Google Desktop can also be used within iGoogle. The Google Gadgets API is public and allows anyone to develop a gadget for any need.[4]

Google also allows all users to create a special gadget that does not require the use of the Gadgets API. The gadgets are designed to be shared with friends and family. The special gadgets must be created using an online wizard and must be of one of the following types:

  • "Framed Photo" – displays a series of photos.
  • "GoogleGram" – creation of special daily messages.
  • "Daily Me" – displays user's current mood and feelings.
  • "Free Form" – allows the user to input text and an image of their choice.
  • "YouTube Channel" – displays videos from a YouTube channel.
  • "Personal List" – allows the user to create a list of items.
  • "Countdown" – countdown timer.

In early 2009, iGoogle released a "chat" box at the side of the home page. It allows Gmail users to chat from their homepage without going to gmail.com.

[edit] Themes

iGoogle with the Winter Scape theme.

With iGoogle, users can select unique themes for their Google homepages, of which some are designed by Google and others by the userbase itself.

[edit] Artist themes

Starting in April 2008, Google began offering a choice of themes by professional artists. [5]

[edit] Experimental iGoogle

On July 8, 2008, Google announced the beginning of a testing period for a new version of iGoogle which alters some features, including replacing the tabs with left navigation, adding chat functionality, and a canvas-view gadget for RSS. [6] Users were selected for this test and notified when they logged in by a link to a brief description and further links to forums. On the forums, it was explained that there was no opt-out, as a Control for the test. Further, there was no information on how long the test would continue. Many were unhappy with the new version and the inability to opt-out.[7]

On October 16, 2008, Google announced the release of this new version of iGoogle and retired its older format. The release did not initially include the persistent chat widget. It does include the left navigation in place of tabs as well as a change to widget controls, however.[8] The stated purpose is to prepare for OpenSocial, with the new canvas view stated as playing an important role in that. [9]

On October 17, InformationWeek[10] reported "a vocal group of users" are unhappy with the changes. They point out that many users don't want change forced on them, and that this is a general problem with cloud software under a service provider's control.

A workaround to restore the original tab layout was found by attaching "?gl=all" to the end of the iGoogle URL. On June 4, 2009, this workaround was eliminated. Within days, another workaround was discovered. Simply changing the URL ending to "?hl=all" would again restore the original tab layout, with some missing links across the top of the home page, including "Maps" and "more".

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Welcome to iGoogle". http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/software/soa/Welcome-to-iGoogle/0,130061733,339275160,00.htm. Retrieved on 2008-07-25. 
  2. ^ "iGoogle in 42 languages". http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2007/10/get-your-igoogle-in-42-languages.html. Retrieved on 2008-03-19. 
  3. ^ "Google Web Search Help Center". http://www.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=20505&topic=9002. Retrieved on 2007-06-17. 
  4. ^ "Google dubs personal home page 'iGoogle'". http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18405212/. Retrieved on 2008-07-25. 
  5. ^ iGoogle Artist Themes
  6. ^ Experimental iGoogle features
  7. ^ iGoogle personalises personal pages on other people's behalf
  8. ^ The New iGoogle, Publicly Launched
  9. ^ Big Canvas, Big Opportunity
  10. ^ "iGoogle Users iRate About Portal's Changes". InformationWeek. http://www.informationweek.com/news/internet/google/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=211201740. Retrieved on 2008-12-16. 

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IGoogle"
Personal tools