I LOVE Google. I love their gadgets and their programs and their commitment to creating wonderful ideas and things to make my life a little simpler. Google is much more than just a search engine. They have an entire conglomerate of programs that I just can't get enough of.
My homepage is iGoogle. iGoogle basically puts together different programs, Google and non, onto one page for me. You can customize your page to fit your needs and your personality. I have my Gmail, my Google Reader, my Google Calendar, the weather, Google Maps, and some various other gadgets and widgets.
Every morning, and throughout the day, I check my Gmail. I've had Yahoo! and Hotmail both, and Gmail is definitely my favorite. Gmail groups conversations, or sets of emails, from the other person and yourself together. If I want to search for a certain email, I just type in a key word from that email and that set of emails comes up. Simple. No searching through folders of emails to a certain person to find that one email.
I also check my Google Reader. If you have several different blogs or news sites or online magazines that you check frequently, I would highly suggest this program. Basically, what it does is it combines all of your different subscriptions together into one page. Whenever one of your subscription updates, it will list that update into Google Reader. You can choose to read it right on Google Reader, or you can click to go to that website. For example, I follow 3 different news reels, Chicago Tribune, Daily Southtown and MSNBC. I also follow about 20 different blogs (journals) from various friends online and offline. I also subscribe to a few parenting magazines and blogs like postsecret.com and ifoundyourcamera.com. Instead of going to each blog, each news reel, and each magazine to check if there is anything new, I add the webpage into my Google Reader, and Google Reader will actually list the new posts onto my page for me. I just go through it every morning and every night and it takes me about 20 minutes. Its like reading my own personalized newspaper complete with daily news and news from my friends and family. Awesome.
I also cannot say enough about Google Maps. Being a wedding photographer, I go to several different locations on one job alone. I'm not that great at navigating, I have a horrible sense of direction. Ask Todd. But I have Google Maps on my phone. Its not GPS, but its close enough. I've used Mapquest, I did for a long time. I cannot stand it. Mapquest got me so lost so many times. One time I called Todd crying from Gary Indiana because Mapquest and its confusing directions got me so lost. I have yet to get lost from Google Maps. Well, I've gotten lost, but it's usually my own fault. Regardless, Google Maps is my best friend when I'm on a job. I have no idea what I would do without it. I'm sure Todd gets less confusing calls because of it. You can even click on 'street view' and it will take you down to street level so you can see exactly what the area looks like, what side of the street the location you're looking for is on. Love it.
Google Calendar is fantastic too. I have 4 different schedules that I input into Google Calendar and it combines all of them into one calendar for me. I have my schedule, Todd's schedule, Ava's schedule, and Bella Photography's schedule. And they're all color coded, so if I look at the calendar, it will let me know who has what going on for that day/week/month. And its super simple to update too. Just type in who, the date and time and voila! it's in the calendar. And if other people use Google Calendar, and they invite you to something and you accept, it will input it into your calendar for you. My sister Jessica did that for her daughter's 2nd birthday party. She invited me, I accepted and it put it in my calendar. Perfect!
There are several other nifty programs that Google uses or has that I use. Blogger, my blog's engine is associated with Google. Youtube is associated with Google. So is Picasa, the photo website. The Google search engine itself is awesome. The fact that you can start to enter in a subject and a drop down menu will give you a list of possibilities for what you may be looking for, I love that. And Google Earth- that is just the coolest program. Seriously, download Google Earth, and search for anything place in the world and it will take you there. Type in 'Galapagos Islands' and the program will zoom you to a satellite picture of the Islands, complete with pictures from different people around the world who have gone to the Galapagos Islands and put their pictures on Google Earth through Picasa. You can put it different events, like the Obama election night rally for instance, and they will come up and it will zoom you to the location that the event took place. It's kind of fun to just sit there and look up different things and check out the locations.
And now, I hear about the new G1. T-Mobile has combined Google with a phone and it is supposed to be better than iphone. I want. Too bad I don't have T-Mobile. But I hear that they are going to sell it to different companies as well, but I don't know when. I just got a Blackberry not too long ago and that seems to serve me well. But as soon as I'm able to, I'm going to be looking in the direction of G1. Taking Google everywhere with me, having all of the gadgets and widgets at my disposal at any moment? Yea, I'm all about that.
And last, but not least, one of the coolest things about Google that I will never really get to appreciate fully. Working for them. I saw this through an email a friend sent me and I had to look it up on snopes.com to see if it was real. It is. Working for Google looks like the ultimate job. I really think my brother, Dave should apply ( <---look Dave! IT jobs for Google in Chicago!!) . Just to see if he gets in. They only hire the best of the best, but I think he has a shot. And Dave, if you got in, just so you know, I'd be moving in with you. You know I'm your favorite anyway, so it's cool. And Todd plays games, so you'd both be very happy. I think its a good plan. Anyway, here is the email I got:
My homepage is iGoogle. iGoogle basically puts together different programs, Google and non, onto one page for me. You can customize your page to fit your needs and your personality. I have my Gmail, my Google Reader, my Google Calendar, the weather, Google Maps, and some various other gadgets and widgets.
Every morning, and throughout the day, I check my Gmail. I've had Yahoo! and Hotmail both, and Gmail is definitely my favorite. Gmail groups conversations, or sets of emails, from the other person and yourself together. If I want to search for a certain email, I just type in a key word from that email and that set of emails comes up. Simple. No searching through folders of emails to a certain person to find that one email.
I also check my Google Reader. If you have several different blogs or news sites or online magazines that you check frequently, I would highly suggest this program. Basically, what it does is it combines all of your different subscriptions together into one page. Whenever one of your subscription updates, it will list that update into Google Reader. You can choose to read it right on Google Reader, or you can click to go to that website. For example, I follow 3 different news reels, Chicago Tribune, Daily Southtown and MSNBC. I also follow about 20 different blogs (journals) from various friends online and offline. I also subscribe to a few parenting magazines and blogs like postsecret.com and ifoundyourcamera.com. Instead of going to each blog, each news reel, and each magazine to check if there is anything new, I add the webpage into my Google Reader, and Google Reader will actually list the new posts onto my page for me. I just go through it every morning and every night and it takes me about 20 minutes. Its like reading my own personalized newspaper complete with daily news and news from my friends and family. Awesome.
I also cannot say enough about Google Maps. Being a wedding photographer, I go to several different locations on one job alone. I'm not that great at navigating, I have a horrible sense of direction. Ask Todd. But I have Google Maps on my phone. Its not GPS, but its close enough. I've used Mapquest, I did for a long time. I cannot stand it. Mapquest got me so lost so many times. One time I called Todd crying from Gary Indiana because Mapquest and its confusing directions got me so lost. I have yet to get lost from Google Maps. Well, I've gotten lost, but it's usually my own fault. Regardless, Google Maps is my best friend when I'm on a job. I have no idea what I would do without it. I'm sure Todd gets less confusing calls because of it. You can even click on 'street view' and it will take you down to street level so you can see exactly what the area looks like, what side of the street the location you're looking for is on. Love it.
Google Calendar is fantastic too. I have 4 different schedules that I input into Google Calendar and it combines all of them into one calendar for me. I have my schedule, Todd's schedule, Ava's schedule, and Bella Photography's schedule. And they're all color coded, so if I look at the calendar, it will let me know who has what going on for that day/week/month. And its super simple to update too. Just type in who, the date and time and voila! it's in the calendar. And if other people use Google Calendar, and they invite you to something and you accept, it will input it into your calendar for you. My sister Jessica did that for her daughter's 2nd birthday party. She invited me, I accepted and it put it in my calendar. Perfect!
There are several other nifty programs that Google uses or has that I use. Blogger, my blog's engine is associated with Google. Youtube is associated with Google. So is Picasa, the photo website. The Google search engine itself is awesome. The fact that you can start to enter in a subject and a drop down menu will give you a list of possibilities for what you may be looking for, I love that. And Google Earth- that is just the coolest program. Seriously, download Google Earth, and search for anything place in the world and it will take you there. Type in 'Galapagos Islands' and the program will zoom you to a satellite picture of the Islands, complete with pictures from different people around the world who have gone to the Galapagos Islands and put their pictures on Google Earth through Picasa. You can put it different events, like the Obama election night rally for instance, and they will come up and it will zoom you to the location that the event took place. It's kind of fun to just sit there and look up different things and check out the locations.
And now, I hear about the new G1. T-Mobile has combined Google with a phone and it is supposed to be better than iphone. I want. Too bad I don't have T-Mobile. But I hear that they are going to sell it to different companies as well, but I don't know when. I just got a Blackberry not too long ago and that seems to serve me well. But as soon as I'm able to, I'm going to be looking in the direction of G1. Taking Google everywhere with me, having all of the gadgets and widgets at my disposal at any moment? Yea, I'm all about that.
And last, but not least, one of the coolest things about Google that I will never really get to appreciate fully. Working for them. I saw this through an email a friend sent me and I had to look it up on snopes.com to see if it was real. It is. Working for Google looks like the ultimate job. I really think my brother, Dave should apply ( <---look Dave! IT jobs for Google in Chicago!!) . Just to see if he gets in. They only hire the best of the best, but I think he has a shot. And Dave, if you got in, just so you know, I'd be moving in with you. You know I'm your favorite anyway, so it's cool. And Todd plays games, so you'd both be very happy. I think its a good plan. Anyway, here is the email I got:
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Google is the place to work!
We already knew that working for Google had certain advantages, but, believe me, this giant of the search motor takes the welfare of its employees seriously.
We already knew that working for Google had certain advantages, but, believe me, this giant of the search motor takes the welfare of its employees seriously.
As shown by this decompression (stress) capsule that is impermeable to sound and light!
Moving around: A slide allows quick access from different floors ... There are also poles available they are similar to the ones used in fire stations.
Food: Employees can eat all they want from a vast choice of food and drink. 
Work Station: Each employee has at least two large screens. There are 4-6 'Zooglers' per office. 
Innovation: Large white boards are available just about everywhere because 'ideas don't always come when seated in the office' says one of Google's managers.
Leisure: Pool tables, video games etc. are available in many areas. 
Communication: On each floor, there are private cabin areas where employees can attend to personal affairs.
Technical Support: Problem with your computer? No problem ... Bring it to this area where drinks are available while it is being fixed . 
Health: Professional masseurs (eusses) available. 
Rest: This room provides massage chairs that you control ... while you view relaxing aquariums!! 
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Ok, so who's with me? Anyone else love Google? Anyone want to inform me of some niftacular gadget Google has that I should know about? Anyone now jumping on the Google bandwagon with me? Anyone think I'm a little Google crazy? Yea, I'm for the last one, but hey, I'm a gadget girl and Google is my favorite gadget ever. So if you want to jump on the bandwagon with me, great! Enjoy!
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2 comments:
I LOVE Google. I use everything that you use as well. I just started using Calendar a week ago and definitely love how you can incorporate it and see it on iGoogle page and Gmail (using one of the Labs features). I'm about to start a blog. Google search is my home page, but I might as well switch to iGoogle. I finally switched Jack to using Gmail and he's loving it. I would love to work for Google as well...
FORGET DAVE!
Does Google need any stay at home moms???!?!?!?!!?
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