Everyone Should Have iGoogle as Their Homepage

Just a quick tidbit, for those that may find the name unfamiliar, iGoogle was recently (April 2007) renamed from its original project name: the Google personalized homepage. The best description I can give of iGoogle is that it’s a personalized homepage. It can do everything you can ever want from a homepage and can do everything you can think of on a homepage.

iGoogle’s Features List

iGoogle’s feature list alone should have visiting its page and setting yourself up with an account. Please note, the feature list was compiled by me, so if it looks like there’s missing info, it’s likely that there is.

• Integration with your Google account - iGoogle, like other Google applications (Gmail, Reader, Adsense, Analytics), use the same username
• Long list of default Gadgets - Even without registering when visiting iGoogle, there are plenty of useful things from top News Stories, calendar, weather, etc.
• Support for user-created Gadgets - More on this later
• Support for RSS Feeds - No need to use a third-party program or even use a different site
• Extensive Javascript - If you’re one of the kinds of people that go to a website because it’s cool, look no further. iGoogle uses libraries similar (?) to Scriptaculous that allow you to drag-and-drop your existing gadgets all around the page.
• Google Search Field - You probably already use Google as your default Search Engine anyway, iGoogle keeps that right at the top center of the page
• Theme Customization - I left this one for the end because I’m not a fan of it, but some people are. iGoogle includes a handful of themes that change depending on the time of day

What Are Gadgets?

Gadgets have got to be iGoogle’s biggest selling points. There’s no more waiting around for Google to code new gadgets or features, because it lets (and teaches!) the community how to develop them. When you have an already great product and you allow the community to leap in, you end up with truly a treasure.

Gadgets are little mini-applications that users can add (not download) and install on there iGoogle homepage. They occupy a “block” similar to an RSS feed. (see iGoogle screenshots) Simply looking at the Gadgets list, a Gadget can:

• Have the ability to check your e-mail accounts (see iGoogle screenshots, I check my Gmail and Hotmail on the same page)
• Give you Joke-of-the-days, Tip-of-the-days, Horoscopes, daily comics, anything like that.
• Dictionaries, Thesauruses, Wikipedia search boxes
• Gadgets using your favorite websites: Youtube search, latest Digg articles, Craigslist search
• Much, much, MUCH more.

iGoogle Screenshots

(click for larger images)

My iGoogle

Default iGoogle

Conclusion

iGoogle is the way of the future, and I can’t possibly see any better homepage possibility out there. iGoogle’s done everything, and has done it right, and even got the community involved. I can’t even imagine someone even coming close to competing with iGoogle. You can get started by going to the iGoogle homepage.

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