Chrome and Android prompts iGoogle alternative replacement
Many of you will have heard of the iGoogle Web portal that was formerly Google’s Personalized Homepage and was launched back in 2005. You may also have heard that the iGoogle service is set to end on November 1, 2013. It seems that Chrome and Android are just a couple of reasons as to why iGoogle is no longer necessary and we wonder what our readers feel could replace iGoogle as an alternative.
Web portals were very much in vogue at one time enabling the user to access their most important Web applications, sites and more from one page. Like many things in the tech world though, the initial excitement died down but despite that there are many people who still enjoy having their own home page for the Internet, in the form of iGoogle, and find it extremely useful. It seems to us then that iGoogle is likely to be missed and we wonder if Google has thought this through properly.
A report on ZDNet tells how Google’s stance on this is that, “With modern apps that run on platforms like Chrome and Android, the need for something like iGoogle has eroded over time.” Google goes on to give the closure date of November 1 next year and points out that they are giving iGoogle users 16 months to basically get used to the idea or export their data. However Steven Vaughan-Nichols of ZDNet puts the argument for keeping iGoogle very clearly by saying, “Yes, I could use Web and mobile apps to get what I want. Yes, I know my data will be safe on Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Finance, Google Docs (now Google Drive),Google Bookmarks, and Google Task. So what! I want a single Web page where I can find all of them with no fuss or muss. In short, I want iGoogle.” We feel this is likely to reflect the views of many iGoogle users.
It does seem a shame that just because something is no longer the biggest thing since sliced bread it is judged to be surplus to requirements, especially when it’s something that still works so well. Indeed a petition has now been set up asking Google not to kill off iGoogle and if you want to sign the petition hit here. If the move to close iGoogle goes ahead though we’d like to hear from you about what you think could fill the gap? Send your comments to give us your thoughts on this.
Comments
8 thoughts on “Chrome and Android prompts iGoogle alternative replacement”
The view to delete igoogle is illconceived and naive not to mention unnecessary.I hope they seriously reconsider….after relaxing with a good meal and bottle of wine !
I love iGoogle. It gives me a homepage with all of my news feeds, weather, Movie start times, language translation, stock market reports, gmail and anything else I want. MyYahoo does some of that but I like Googles search engine better. I tried Chrome a few years ago but had software conflict problems with email URL links that no longer worked. Chrome was also very difficult to uninstall. I don’t know if that problem still exists but I don’t want to find out by installing it and then going through the same crap again. I came close to getting rid of Google period because of the annoying and endless attempts to try and get me to install Chrome. I had to scrutinize every software install to make sure there wasn’t a Chrome install “gotcha” hidden in there somewhere.
Losing iGoogle has a major negative impact on the way I use the Internet. I have my iGoogle homepage setup just the way I like it. Bummer
What can we put in place of iGoogle ?????
I have used iGoogle since 2005. A petition will be useless in that it will have fewer signers than the number of current iGoogle users. For that many users Google already decided they did not care. It isn’t making the advertising money they hoped for, which also happens to be one reason why it is so good. Maybe they should offer it as a product in Google Play for money. Give out a free stripped down version, or a premium version with {advertising} and then sell a premium version for the almighty {revenue}; totally in the ‘Android style’. The purchased version would be ad free. Who knows it might turn a profit and Google could justify improving it!Â
It is a great product just poorly marketed and the user count didn’t work for Google. Google is adding to its reputation of abandoning projects while sacrificing users. They already killed off some features of iGoogle, such as Notebook.Â
More would use it if they knew it existed.Â
I set up Protopage, Netvibes, and MyYahoo (again) and evaluating. So far each has their strengths, but anyone will replace iGoogle for my needs. I don’t mind giving up another Google product, just don’t like their stand on privacy. If it weren’t so hard to switch email addresses, I’d be free of their control.
abandon google if they abandon you
An decent alternative is Netvibes but it doesn’t quite beat iGoogle.
IT’S GREAT, IT’S FREE, IT’S EFFICIENT, IT’S BRILLIANT IN IT’S DESIGN, AND PERFECT IN IT’S EXECUTION! OF COURSE THEY’LL GET RID OF IT!