I know there are many more important things to fret about, but Google's decision to retire iGoogle has me pretty miffed. iGoogle has been my start page for YEARS--at least 5. At a glance I can see up to ten emails, both read and unread, the weather, news headlines, and most importantly, all the latest posts from the blogs I follow. I do not care for Google Reader's layout and there is not a comparable start page with the same type of gadgets/widgets offered by iGoogle.
They've given us 16 months to find another place, but I'm not one to wait until the last minute. I've got to find something that I can live with. Dadgummit, this is like being evicted! Thanks, Google. Not.
I've tried Netvibes, Protopage and myfaves.es. So far, Protopage has more of the elements of iGoogle, but there are not as many widgets to choose from, and several I tried were no longer offered by the developer. Adding insult to injury, the gmail widget doesn't show your read emails and doesn't deliver new mail as quickly as the iGoogle gmail gadget--kind of like the post office.
Sigh.
If Google wants to put ads on my iGoogle page, I'm cool with that. Just don't yank the service away from me! PLEEEEASE!
I can live without the weather and news headlines, but I'm most worried about Google Reader. Tell me, how do you keep up with your favorite blogs? Do you subscribe and have them delivered to your email? Do you use Google Reader? Fretting minds need to know! :)
They've given us 16 months to find another place, but I'm not one to wait until the last minute. I've got to find something that I can live with. Dadgummit, this is like being evicted! Thanks, Google. Not.
I've tried Netvibes, Protopage and myfaves.es. So far, Protopage has more of the elements of iGoogle, but there are not as many widgets to choose from, and several I tried were no longer offered by the developer. Adding insult to injury, the gmail widget doesn't show your read emails and doesn't deliver new mail as quickly as the iGoogle gmail gadget--kind of like the post office.
Sigh.
If Google wants to put ads on my iGoogle page, I'm cool with that. Just don't yank the service away from me! PLEEEEASE!
I can live without the weather and news headlines, but I'm most worried about Google Reader. Tell me, how do you keep up with your favorite blogs? Do you subscribe and have them delivered to your email? Do you use Google Reader? Fretting minds need to know! :)
Sincerely,
Annoyed former-Google-fan in Baton Rouge, LA
18 comments:
i have never used igoogle. i used to use the blog reading roll in blogger dashboard, but gave that up last year when i 'maxed out' on the # i could read/follow there. i switched to google reader and haven't looked back.
what i do is keep multiple tabs open on my laptop. i keep gmail open in one tab so my comments are delivered via email instantly. i keep my blog open in a second tab in case i want to do link-ups, view stats, whatever. the 3rd tab is google reader. i can flow thru every blog i follow and subscribe to there as they are posted.
and if i want weather, news, etc. i open a 4th tab and view msn.com. :) works well for me.
Ditto TexWisGirl.
Except my 4th tab is FaceBook
(daughter is living in Oregon;
I'll take every possible contact point :)
I used to use iGoogle,
but with my dial-up internet service from a couple of years ago,
it took too long to load.
Now that my internet is faster (still slow to most of the world),
I forgot about going back to it.
Good luck!
And keep us updated...I would try something like iGoogle again.
I have I-Google, but didn't ever use it for a blog reader or as my home page....I share the computer and Bill likes Google Chrome, so there ya' go....I did like the weather and headlines and a couple of fun widgets I put on I-G, but I can find them elsewhere, so I wasn't disappointed w/ the decision to drop it.
I love Google Reader -- it works really well for keeping up with my blog reading. I always first look at blogs from my comments (if you visit me, I will visit you ;>)...and then when I have time I go to the Reader to catch up on news and entertainment blogs and favorite photo bloggers who (for some silly reason (;>)) haven't commented on mine lately! When I get way behind I love the Reader because I can just glance at what I missed and then pull up one or two posts from each blogger to comment on. (Then I mark all as read.)
I have used Goggle Reader and it worked really well for me. Since buying the iPad I use Flipbook with Goggle Reader as one of my content feeds. Which works really well though when I want to add a new blog I have to do it from Goggle Reader.
I had never even heard of iGoogle. I keep the blogs I follow on a blog roll on a sidebar of my blog. Like TexWis and others I keep one tab open to e-mail all the time, one tab open to my blog, and usually a couple extra tabs open for my work research.
I'm like you Gail -- I've used iGoogle for years. I have gadgets for news, google reader, email, birthday reminders, weather, etc... I love it, er, loved. Nothing ever stays the same, especially when Google owns it. :(
Just makes me M_D when changes are made...especially when something is going well for me..
I use Chrome...I probably work harder at all of this than what I have to do...but when you're not computer SMART...you just have to do what works ..
I know you will figure it out..
hugs
I just got back from a 2 week trip & was dismayed to see the message on top of my iGoogle page. Damn. I guess I better study what Texwis said.
I just loaded Google Chrome, hoping to find an alternative b/c they own Blogger, but so far I don't think it's the answer. rats.
I use the followe thingie in blogger plus I have all my favorite blogs bookmarked in some kind of crazy order that I seem to understand
I've never used a reader
Google has pissed me off with a few changes
I use Google Reader. It works great for me. It's very efficient and I tag my favorite blogs so that I can easily have them at the top of my list. I also, use iGoogle as my homepage, but rarely look at anything else on it except my email. All things technology are forever going to change.
I'm not tech savvy enough to use a reader! Sorry you keep getting punched!
I actually use Google Reader because that was the only one I knew about when I started blogging. I´m pretty happy with it to be fair. :-)
I'm not familiar with iGoogle, but I'm very familiar with disliking unwanted changes. My computer of six years died along with all my textures, brushes, photos...pretty much everything I hadn't backed up yet. In a sense I'm starting all over again. Ugh. But...on the flip side, I have a laptop now, so I'm no longer chained to my desk. It turned out well!!! :) Hope it does for you, too. I hate when I depend on something to be a certain way and someone messes with it.
hi you :)
you know what i did that works for me? i have a separate blog just for blogs i usually read.
now granted it hasn't been updated in over a year, but i can quickly see who has posted something new. on my list of things to do, is to get rid of the blogs i no longer read and freshen up my list. i owe it to myself to do this as i keep missing people :(
in case you want to see it, it's....
reallybeth.blogspot.com
ps...don't be alarmed you're not on there. you will be when i get my butt in gear. seriously there on some blogs on there that have gone silent for months and months and i still haven't taken the time to freshen things up :(
I confess I've never even heard of iGoogle! How do I keep up with my favorite blogs? I don't! I'm always trying to play catchup. Mostly I read those who have left comments on mine... that's tough enough... then once I'm caught up there, I use Google Reader in an extra tab. I'm a tab person, too - my email, Facebook, blogs, etc.... I like Beth's idea, too, but I have a tough time keeping my blogrolls up to date!
I'm not happy about it (and many things Google has done lately) either. I keep my iGoogle much the way you described but I do use it just to get at the actual pages.. Gmail & Google Reader in particular. I quite like how the Reader is layed out and the changes you can make to the settings. You might want to explore that to make it more suitable to your preferences. It can appear pretty much like it does in iGoogle with the right tweaks.
O.M.G. I am SO WITH YOU!!!
I've used igoogle for years with the exact same layout and my cute template with people at a bus stop that changes with my local weather (the carry umbrellas when it rains LOL)
I am sad :(
I always wanted to try igoogle. I use Google Reader all the time.
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