Google Organizing- iGoogle

Day 50-Google Organizing

This is the next segment of my multi-part series on organizing your life with Google.

When Google came on the scene in 1998, the Internet was swamped with so-called web-portals. The financial brokers of the day were pointing to companies like AOL, MSN and the Disney owned Go network and their eyes were turning into gigantic dollar signs.

But Google, with its search engine that actually worked and stark, clean interface brought people over to their folds and away from all the flashing lights and gizmos that were distracting people from the real glory of the Internets. Check out this ten year old article from Salon.com on why every one should switch over to Google.

Well, ten years later and now Google has gotten into the web portal game. But, with the rise of Web 2.0, we see a Portal 2.0 where you get to decide what goes on your homepage.

If you don't want silly horoscopes or stories about which Hollywood socialite is in jail, you don't get it. You want a live RSS fee from your your favorite news source or blog, its there!

Now, I know everything I need to know just by checking out my home page. Look below, and see what is on my iGoogle portal.
As you can see, I keep my top stories from google news BBC, the Onion and The Los Angeles Angels and the UUA close at hand. My Google Calendar with all my agendas are there, the weather for the next three days are close at hand. With one touch, I have my google docs that I have been working on recently. And my GMail in a live RSS feed. Plus, I can keep tabs on my financial situation with my stock portfolio.

Everything can be easily rearranged so that I can keep track of things without it getting to jumbled or confusing.

So, much like google reader, I can read eight websites at once.

My next google organization tip will be how I keep my Calendars straight with Google Calendar.

Competency Moments of the Weekend: I have made it half way through Lent without breaking down and buying myself a meal yet. I visited two free museums yesterday. Discovered that the DC Heritage Trails are very well designed and I look forward to walking all of them.

Competency Question of the Day: Has any one downloaded the new Firefox 3 yet? If so, what do you think of it?