1. The Google Look & Feel

First of all Google is very clean and simple. Take the default homepage for example. You have your links in the top left, your information in the top right, keeping it nice and simple with standard links. You then have your Google logo, which is colourful and Googlerly, and then you have a standard search box with some more links and options. The default homepage is very simple and easy to use, although the power and technology behind the site is so much more advanced. Also remembering that there are loads of other services as well.

Comparing this to another search engine , lets take Microsoft’s Bing website. The site is stylish I must admit but when I went on it, it has some large image in the background which changes with some random information. I went on the site today just to check it out and I was presented with a image of some ant’s with some hoverover information giving me facts about how the live and work?

Google is keep clean, simple and fast, still offering excellent few services for all to use.

2. All under one main account

I love my Google account! Everything is in one place. If your like me and use several of Google’s services, then you would of seen the ‘My Account’ page on Google. I am automatically logged in, I can view my email, use the calendar, check some videos on youtube, write some documents, check out where I am going tommorow … and so on. Its all under one account and lets say when I get an android phone, it would all be synchronized as well.

Comparing Google with Microsoft lets say, Microsoft also has services linked under one account, but our Google accounts feel special and fun to use.

3. Fast and Optimized

Because Google is clean, it is very fast as their is not alot to load ourside. On top of that, it is optimized, making it a website which can be used by millions and still be super fast. All the Google services are very fast and I have never known any of them to be slow. No matter what you use, Google Mail, Docs, Youtube, Calendar you are sure you can access it when you need it.

4. New technology being used

We don’t really see the technology being used, but we know its defentially there! Google’s focus is to create the ‘Perfect Search Engine’ and they are on track. They developed there own infrastructure and are using their PageRank™ technology which changes the way searchs are made. Only Google can use this link analysis algorithm.

“PageRank performs an objective measurement of the importance of web pages by solving an equation of more than 500 million variables and 2 billion terms.”

“Hypertext-Matching Analysis: Google’s technology analyses the full content of a page and factors in fonts, subdivisions and the precise location of each word.”

5. All services are high quailty

Google sure focuses on their main aim. To make services which are fast and stable. Google always focuses on a few products at a time. Google didn’t feel like releasing a browser until they felt they had polished their other services. This is the same with their new Operating System.

I believe that Microsoft always went over-the-top on services. If they focused their skills on Windows, then it would be so much more stable. Then they could of added the XBox to their list, mstering that, I think making something like 300 different projects was not a good idea. But thats my opinion and thats why I feel that Google has achieved a great goal, finishing services and products before they move on.

6. Its expanding into new areas

I also find it exciting when Google brings out something new. I also check out Google Labs, Gmail Labs, Google Code Labs, the Google blog and other areas they have. As I’m sure you all have heard about Google’s Android system and how they went developing in the mobile world. And also about their exciting new Operating System – Google Chrome OS, which is surely going to be fast and stable, although not having some major application support like Windows does, but it will develop a huge market for web applications and fast surfing on the net (for NetBooks). I will probably write something on that later. But Google is taking the right route, in creating new projects, when they have stable existing ones.

7. We use it everyday

Finally, we use Google in our lifes. I don’t mean that we are all Google Geeks or some person who’s mad about Google, but most of us use Google as out main search engine. I also use many other services which I find very useful, including Google Chrome, which I am urged to write something about as it is so simple, fast and just presented in that Google style.

Google is also used where we don’t quite see it as well. Companies use Google to maybe manage their data searches and many use it to evolve their websites, which we wouldn’t know about if we didn’t have this amazing search engine.

This takes me to the end of the article. I hope it gave you an idea on what Google is all about and if you have any questions or ideas for my next post, please post a comment. It’s hard to explain what people like about Google, I surpose there is only one word to describe it, which is that it is ‘Googlerly’!

The problem for Spotify is Apple. Apple have to approve their application and in the past Apple hasn’t been so kind, rejecting applications which may pose a threat to any of their services. Not only does the application allow you to stream the music when connected to WiFi or 3G, it also allows you to save playlists to your device, allowing you to listen to the music when you don’t have an internet connection.

Spotify does have quite a good chance of being accepted though, as they are approved by many music services such as Last.fm. It is also only for Spotify subscribers, so many will still stick with iTunes. Apple also loves applications which makes brings more customers to their devices and finally the application is also being released on a rival platform, Google Android, which could make many potential iPhone customers choose an Android phone instead.

Its exciting for all iPhone and iPod touch users and Apple would be daft not to accept the amazing application. If the application is accepted then I am sure it be great for the music industry!

Google Wave will be released later this year! Normally, Google usually announces their products near their release date, but they have shown the world early because of the API behind this type of communication.

A wave is kind of a topic which allows people to communicate and work with different types of media; text, photos, videos, maps etc. The system allows any participant to reply anywhere in the ‘Wave’, edit content and share it with others. A wave is also live, so as you type you message will be displayed in the ‘Wave’ section.

The amazing fact is that Google Wave is a Web Application. Looking at the demo you are almost certain that the technology you are using is software based but no, Google uses HTML 5 along with their skills to provide the ultimate collaboration expierence, the new version of email! Google are obviously aiming towards their target for their operating system, using fast web applications instead of standard software.

Google Wave announced at Google I/O 2009

The API is where the magic just gets better. As Google Wave is OpenSource, it allows developers to embed waves into other web service and to also build extensions that work inside the ‘Wave’. This has amazing potentional – a new way to communicate. The API has already been released with developers working with Google to provide extensions when Wave Application becomes availible.

The application has the fun, clean Google style which we all love and is going to be a great addition to all the other services Google provides. Enhancing the web expierence!

Source: Google Wave website