Internet Tools

iGoogle

iGoogle, a service of Google, is a customizable Ajax-based startpage or personal web portal. Google originally launched the service in May 2005 and its features include the capability to add web feeds to form a personalized homepage.

iGoogle's start page

As of 17 October 2007, Google has made the service available in 70 countries and 42 languages.

In February 2007, 7.1 million people used iGoogle.

In April 2008, 20% of all visits to Google's homepage used iGoogle.

On the July 3rd 2012, Google announced iGoogle will retire on the 1st November 2013.

These were the official FAQ they gave:

What's happening to iGoogle?

iGoogle will be retired on November 1, 2013. The mobile version was retired on July 31, 2012.

How did you come to this decision?

We originally launched iGoogle in 2005 before anyone could fully imagine the ways that today's web and mobile apps would put personalized, real-time information at your fingertips. With modern apps that run on platforms like Chrome and Android, the need for something like iGoogle has eroded over time, so we’ll be winding down iGoogle on November 1, 2013, giving you a full 16 months from the announcement to adjust or easily export your iGoogle data.

What will happen to the data stored in my gadgets?

All of your personal data stored in other Google products will continue to be available via those products, including Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Finance, Google Docs (now Google Drive), Google Bookmarks and Google Tasks. Other gadgets, like the to-do list, allow you to export your data - look for the “Download all” option under the drop-down menu tied to the title of your list. Most iGoogle gadgets are created and maintained by third-party developers. If you’d like to export your data, you should contact the gadget creator directly.

It is a real pity, but it is just one in the line of many Google products that have been retired for one reason or another. There are even petitions and calls for Google to not retire iGoogle. Personally, I think it seems like a very useful internet tool, and makes your internet user experience a more pleasant and convenient one. It also seems quite popular, so regardless of the FAQ above, I am still puzzled as to why Google would do this. There are other similar services available, but when you have built up your surfing habits and familiar websites over the years, it is a real pain to start over again.

Video Making

Here is a short clip of me playing the Wii with a friend (and OWNING). It was filmed for a project, but never used, so I took it and added a simple caption and some audio. A small tweak here, an edit there, and its 100x more EPIC. Enjoy.