Google apps (part 2)

This article is a continuation of an earlier article I wrote in January this year.  I was surprised by the number of Google Applications I used almost on a daily basis.  What did we do before Google?

Picassa

This is a tool that allows the uploading of photos and pictures to the Google Cloud.  I have hundreds of pictures stored in my area of Picassa that I use for different purposes.  I have some public pictures that I refer to in this blog and other websites.  I have some photos that are private and only available to me, with my login and some that are private, but available to certain people with a login id.

Google news

Google news is a quick stop for news.  I prefer BBC News, as I think it is the best news sites, but also probably THE best website on the entire internet.  Google news is handy if I want specific news, for example to the village that I live in, or a specific Technology topic.  BBC News is limited to BBC content, whereas Google has no news content, such indexed content from a variety of sources.  This can back-fire at work, if your corporate firewall block certain sites.

Reader

Unfortunately, this application has been stopped, as of the 1st July 2013.  This was a good news aggregator for a variety of text based news.  I would use tis on my Android devices and would synchronise the content to read off-line.

Chrome

I think this is the best web browser.  Many people may differ with this view, however, as I integrate with Google application and Android, Chrome seems to present the same look and feel, the same content and performance across all of my devices.  As a previous professional web developer, I found this was the fastest browser and offered the best features and performance.

Android

As a Google user, I took the leap from Windows Mobile to Android once HTC started producing excellent Android mobile devices.  I have been using Android since version 1.5 and currently have a tablet and a mobile phone.  One of the greatest features is the synchronisation to my other Google applications, such as mail, contacts, calendar, blogger and picassa.

Maps

Who does not use this application?  Whenever I am looking for something, usually a map is involved, such as finding somewhere different to go for lunch in Central London, or how to travel from my Rugby Club to a Family Christening (used today).  Maps works very well on all devices and works well offline on my Android device.  I can search for a route, zoon out and then download the map, so that I do not have to use the mobile internet, which is especially useful when travelling abroad - with extortionate rates.

To do

I do not use the application.  I have tried it, but it is not as feature rich as I would like.  It does synchronise with android, in fact, the Android is far better than the web application, but I am still not a fan.

Google+

This is another application that I do not use.  I do use Facebook and Twitter, but I cannot see the mass migration for all of my friends from the two leaders to a Google version.  This application has changed a couple of times already within its short life.  I would not be surprised if this toll is removed within a year of two.