iGoogle (formerly Google Personalized Homepage and Google IG), a service of Google, is a customizable AJAX-based startpage much like Netvibes, Pageflakes, My Yahoo! and Windows Live Personalized Experience. It was originally launched in May 2005. Its features include the capability to add web feeds and Google Gadgets (similar to those available on Google Desktop).^[1]

It was renamed and expanded on April 30, 2007 and is currently available in many localized versions of Google (42 languages, over 70 country domain names, as of October 17, 2007).^{[2] [3]}

As of April 18, 2008, Google has adopted the iGoogle page as its general user start page.^[4]

Features

Gadgets

iGoogle supports the use of specially developed "gadgets" to display content on a user's page. The gadgets interact with the user and utilize the Google Gadgets API. Some gadgets developed for Google Desktop can also be used within iGoogle. The Google Gadgets API is public and allows anyone to develop a gadget for any need. ^[5]

Google also allows all users to create a special gadget that does not require the use of the Gadgets API. The gadgets are designed to be shared with friends and family. The special gadgets must be created using an online wizard and must be of one of the following types:

• "Framed Photo" - displays a series of photos,
• "GoogleGram" - creation of special daily messages,
• "Daily Me" - displays user's current mood and feelings,
• "Free Form" - allows the user to input text and an image of their choice,
• "YouTube Channel" - displays videos from a YouTube channel,
• "Personal List" - allows the user to create a list of items,
• "Countdown" - countdown timer

Themes

iGoogle with the Winter Scape theme.

With iGoogle, users can select unique themes for their Google homepages. Some of the themes are animated depending on weather conditions, the time in your area (you provide your location when selecting a theme), and so on. There are also Easter eggs for the themes?for example, in the "Sweet Dreams" theme, a Pi sign made of stars appears at 3:14 a.m. In the "Beach" theme, the Loch Ness Monster appears at 3:14 a.m. These last for only one minute. Other features include skies that lighten or darken throughout the day and the ability to include lady bugs or bubbles that float acoss the screen.

There are many other Easter eggs, which can be found here or by following the instructions here:

Artist themes

On Wednesday, April 9 (2008), Google began offering a choice of themes by professional artists. ^[6]

New Layout User Testing

On July 8 2008, Google announced the begining of a testing period for a new version of iGoogle which alters some features, including replacing the tabs with left navigation, adding chat functionality, and a canvas-view gadget for RSS. ^[7] Users were selected for this test and notified when they logged in by a link to a brief description and further links to forums. On the forums, it was explained that there was no opt-out, as a Control for the test. Further, there was no information on how long the test would continue. Unfortunately, many were unhappy with the new version and the inability to opt-out.^[8]

Workaround to Restore Old Format

A number of users frustrated with no ability to opt-out noted the following steps would revert their layout to the original iGoogle format:

1. Go to http://www.google.com/ig/settings
   At the bottom of the page there is a button called "Export" that will let you save your settings to disk. Click it and choose a place to save them.
2. Go to http://www.google.com/ig/resetprefs.html and choose "Reset all preferences"
3. It will then bring you to a basic setup page asking you for your interets, theme etc. Just click "See your page". It will still look like the new iGoogle at this point but don't worry.
4. Go again to http://www.google.com/ig/settings
   At the bottom of the page is a button called "Upload" that will restore your settings from a file on disk. First use the "Browse" button next to it to choose the file you created in step one, then click "Upload".
5. Refresh iGoogle and you should be back to the old layout

See also

• Pageflakes
• Netvibes
• Live.com
• Yahoo.com

Unfortunately, the workarounds no longer work for most pople, and it seems as if possibly Google actually fixed the 'fixes' so he users could not get away from the new igoogle, which it seems almost unanimously people do not like.

References

External links

• iGoogle Homepage
• iGoogle Gadget API Documentation
• Webpage Gadgets Directory Official Google gadgets (universal gadgets) directory.

ar:?? ???? de:IGoogle es:IGoogle fr:IGoogle ko:IGoogle id:IGoogle it:IGoogle nl:IGoogle pl:IGoogle pt:IGoogle sv:IGoogle zh:IGoogle