I received an invite for Google Spreadsheets and was impressed by its AJAX interface. Despite early criticisms about the lack of integration between Google’s web apps, I find tools like Calendar and Notebook increasingly indispensable.
I use Google Spreadsheets to sync personal lists for gadgets, movies, and tasks across multiple computers. It replaces emailing notes to myself, providing a central, accessible hub for data at home, the office, and client locations.
I show how I use Google Spreadsheets' importXML and importFeed functions to automate web lookups. I built a tool that scrapes IMDb’s top movies, finds related torrents, and publishes the combined results as a custom RSS feed.
I explore Google Talk's expansion beyond instant messaging, noting its early integration into Gmail, Google Desktop, and Spreadsheets. This shift positions GTalk as a foundational communication layer across Google’s evolving suite of web services.
I found early, exclusive screenshots of Google Calendar from 2006. These images provide a historical look at the original user interface and features of the scheduling application during its initial launch and beta phase.
I am migrating away from Google products following the shutdown of Google Reader. I've uninstalled Drive and Talk, and I'm seeking self-hosted or open-source alternatives like OpenStreetMap and Chromium to protect my workflows from future service cancellations.
Comments
Dhar9 Jun 2006 11:36 am:
Tried Google Spreadsheets. Love the concept, but I seem to be missing the Grand Picture. How is Google going to integrate things like Calendar, Spreadsheets, Notebook, Browser Sync to give us an “Aha” moment? The glue that should hold these applications together seems to be missing. Quite a few of them are very average and scratch the itch for a small section of web population. Nothing earthshaking like Gmail or search. :(
S Anand9 Jun 2006 2:31 pm:
Funnily, the very apps you mentioned (Calendar, Notebook, Spreadsheets and Browser Sync) are the ones I use the most – as much as GMail and search! You’re right, there isn’t much integration, except perhaps between Calendar and GMail. Maybe it’s coming. But even as standalone apps, I’m surprised at how much I use them. I’ll write about how I’m using these sometime…
Madhu12 Jun 2006 7:03 pm:
Its more when than how i think
Comments