Topic: Google

[ren]

Just a few years ago google seemed absolutely indispensable. Nowadays, if Google disappeared, after an initial transition period I don't think I'd really notice. Their search used to be head and shoulders above the rest but now it seems worse than it used to be and nothing special over the competition. Gmail was a godsend in a world of 2mb inbox limits but that's not really an issue anymore. I used to use calendar all the time but now I just do everything on my phone. Google Reader used to be a daily visit for me but now I find myself using twitter instead. Google maps is fantastic but nothing special over the competition. Chrome was great because it added some spice into the browser wars but how much further can that really go?

They haven't released anything new at all over the last few years which I've actually used. Google Play and Google+ are the only recent products I can think of and they're both an example of too little, too late. I've disliked all their cosmetic changes to the point where they actually frustrate me. I actually have to stop and think for a second to do simple things like sign out of gmail since there are so many options that look like it could lead to signing out.

So if I'm using google less and less I presume others are as well. They've gotten huge amounts of negative press lately with all the privacy issues so that seems like a fair assumption. Since there whole business model seems to be an advertising feedback loop based off using google products, what does that mean for the company as a whole?

Or am I in the minority here and you're all still loving google?

[idolminds]

I still use Gmail and Reader a lot, but I don't really use their other "products". Oh wait no, I use Picasa for my photo stuff. So 3 things.

[K-man]

I use Google every day.  Personal Gmail account, all of our work stuff is through Google, and I have a phone with an Android OS. I use Google Maps to do the bulk of my truck routing, and Google is still my primary search engine.

I'm probably more invested with Google now than I ever have been.

[Cobra951]

That reminds me I should check my throwaway gmail account soon, just to make sure it stays open.  It's what I use whenever I register anywhere.  I used to have it open in a FF tab, but the new reality is: (1) I can't log on to my youtube acct and my gmail acct at the same time, because they decreed that these could no longer be separate; (2) I get constantly nagged when looking at gmail to use a different browser, and get a link to Chrome slapped on top of the page; and (3) privacy is entirely out the fucking window.  I don't think they're even pretending to respect it anymore.

[scottws]

I'm heavily invested in Google.  All my online photos are Google+/Picasa albums (love instant upload via the Google+ mobile app), I've been using Gmail for years, and I use Google Calendar, because it is integrated with Android.

As far as Google Search, I have noticed that it seems to have regressed.  Oftentimes I will receive results that do not contain all of my search terms.  Searching for reviews of a somewhat obscure product as all you will find are links to hundreds of random online stores selling such products as well as "Be the first to review this item!" type pages.  That said, I still think it is better than Bing or Yahoo, though they aren't far behind.  I've been trying out DuckDuckGo, but it isn't very good in my opinion.

[Cobra951]

Try narrowing down those shotgun results with -[unwanted word] terms.  Example, adding "-torrent -bittorrent -download" cleans up results tremendously when you're trying to get legit serious info on software or media.

[gpw11]

I probably use Google now more than ever...mostly due to Android.  Aside from that, I don't think any of the competitors come close to gmail or maps. The main benefit of gmail isn't the storage space (anymore) ,but the fact that it has much more advanced tracking, organizing, and search options  over the competitors.  Nothing else really touches it in that category and I know a lot of other people forward their work emails to it as well in order to have everything more organized/searchable.  Also, docs integration can be pretty huge, surprisingly.

And maps....well, all the companies have always used the same Navtech info, but google maps has the userbase, and thu usually the most accurate info on businesses/etc.

[scottws]

Try narrowing down those shotgun results with -[unwanted word] terms.  Example, adding "-torrent -bittorrent -download" cleans up results tremendously when you're trying to get legit serious info on software or media.

Yeah, I'm familiar with the negative operator and use it quite a bit.

[Cools!]

Google owes me $100. Fuck 'em.

[ren]

I'm heavily invested in Google.  All my online photos are Google+/Picasa albums (love instant upload via the Google+ mobile app), I've been using Gmail for years, and I use Google Calendar, because it is integrated with Android.

As far as Google Search, I have noticed that it seems to have regressed.  Oftentimes I will receive results that do not contain all of my search terms.  Searching for reviews of a somewhat obscure product as all you will find are links to hundreds of random online stores selling such products as well as "Be the first to review this item!" type pages.  That said, I still think it is better than Bing or Yahoo, though they aren't far behind.  I've been trying out DuckDuckGo, but it isn't very good in my opinion.

I heard a lot of buzz around DuckDuckGo and set it as my default search to try it out. That lasted about a day until I got frustrated by how bad it is. I'm pretty sure that Yahoo is now powered by Bing so they're essentially the same thing. I use Bing for images and videos because I like the interface better than google.

[Xessive]

On my Windows Phone the only real option is Bing since it's built right into the interface with a dedicated hardware touch button (which I keep accidentally touching). It works well enough and is similar enough to Google to not matter. Visually, I do like Bing's approach with the random daily backdrops.

I could actually a Google app on the phone and stat using that but Bing is much more convenient considering the hardware and software predisposition. That said, I would have done away with that damn dedicated button, it's practically useless since o matter what I'm seeing on the screen it does nothing but bring up Bing. It's not a context-sensitive search, it's just Bing. The context search is an on-screen option that comes up when you can search i.e. people (contacts).

On PC, I pretty much exclusively use Google. I disabled the personalized search options since they're irrelevant to me (I prefer the universal search concept).

[Pugnate]

Just a few years ago google seemed absolutely indispensable. Nowadays, if Google disappeared, after an initial transition period I don't think I'd really notice. Their search used to be head and shoulders above the rest but now it seems worse than it used to be and nothing special over the competition. Gmail was a godsend in a world of 2mb inbox limits but that's not really an issue anymore. I used to use calendar all the time but now I just do everything on my phone. Google Reader used to be a daily visit for me but now I find myself using twitter instead. Google maps is fantastic but nothing special over the competition. Chrome was great because it added some spice into the browser wars but how much further can that really go?

They haven't released anything new at all over the last few years which I've actually used. Google Play and Google+ are the only recent products I can think of and they're both an example of too little, too late. I've disliked all their cosmetic changes to the point where they actually frustrate me. I actually have to stop and think for a second to do simple things like sign out of gmail since there are so many options that look like it could lead to signing out.

So if I'm using google less and less I presume others are as well. They've gotten huge amounts of negative press lately with all the privacy issues so that seems like a fair assumption. Since there whole business model seems to be an advertising feedback loop based off using google products, what does that mean for the company as a whole?

Or am I in the minority here and you're all still loving google?

Complete opposite of me.

[Quemaqua]

I use them as much as I ever did, which isn't much. Pretty much just Gmail and sometimes Google search. I still don't like Google. I mean I like some of the people and some of the products, but I don't like companies that mass that much power and wealth that quickly.

So yeah. About the same as always for me.

[nickclone]

I used FF on my other computer until it started giving my problems, so I switched to Chrome. However, my computer was so crappy that Chrome bogged it down. once I got my new comp i just downloaded Chrome, signed in and the browser was exactly how I left it.

I really like Google Music, would be cool if I could also take music off instead of just putting it on.

[beo]

given that i'm a total android junkie, i use it a lot. maps, calendar, gmail, chrome and obviously android are all things that i use on a very regular basis.