How-To Geek
Ask the Readers: Which Google Services Do You Use?
Nearly everyone uses at least one of Google’s services while browsing each day. What we want to know this week is which Google services do you use?
Image by adria.richards
Google offers a multitude of services such as e-mail, calendar, and docs to help you manage your online life. Some of you may only use a few of the available services while others are power users. A fair number of businesses and schools have also switched over to Google apps and services for their organization. Whether it is at home, work, or both Google has become a part of our daily lives.
Being able to access everything in one place can be extremely useful but equally frustrating if Google’s services experience any downtime. Another concern for some people is the issue of privacy over having so much information stored by a single company. Ultimately the final decision lies with you.
Which Google services do you use at home or at work? Let us know in the comments!
Got Feedback? Join the discussion at discuss.howtogeek.com
Comments (134)
Akemi Iwaya (Asian Angel) is our very own Firefox Fangirl who enjoys working with multiple browsers and loves 'old school' role-playing games. Visit her on Twitter and Google+.
- Published 06/16/10
How technical are we getting? I use calc, definition, translate, and lots of less “published” services such as Gmail.
I use Google Apps for my own domain (so Mail, Calendar, Sites, Docs). I’m trying out Wave. I’d love to try out Voice, but I can’t try it in the UK.
Gmail
Reader
Calendar
Docs
Reader – ALL DAY LONG
GMail
Calendar
Voice
Gmail
Greader
Gcal
Chrome+Synch
Gmail and Google Reader
If it’s a Google Service, I’m using it. From being an early adopter of Android to Apps, Gmail, Chrome, Reader, Calendar, Docs, various Labs. You name it, I use it. Google owns my soul apparently.
I use:
Reader – Mainly as just a syncing platform between Feed Demon on PC and Reeder on iPhone
Calendar – Syncs using Google Exchange Sync to iPhone
Docs – Only minimally
I use others now and again but not so much.
Daily to weekly…
Docs,
Calendar
Reader
Apps
Voice
Desktop
Picasaweb (Picasa)
Haven’t found a groove for…
Buzz
Wave
Latitude
Same with me. Gmail, Docs, Calendar, Buzz, Reader, Voice, goo.gl, Chrome, Picasa, Analytics, (a little) App Engine, Sketch-up/3-D Warehouse, Blogger(don’t have a blog but have set some up for family), Contancts, Latitude(sometimes), Friend Connect, Sidewiki, Profiles, Talk, Youtube, Orkut(haven’t used in a while), Wave, and Bookmarks… wow… that’s almost all of it. Oh, and of course: SEARCH!
GMail, GTalk, Reader, Calendar, Picasa, Maps, Books, Google DNS, Transliteration, Blogger, YouTube
Docs
Calendar
Reader
GTalk
Desktop
Picasa
Earth
Gmail
Map
Search
Notepad
iGoogle
Translet
Youtube
Orkut
I wonder why doesn’t HTG embed a poll!
The most used are
Reader
Mail
Contacts
Buzz
Chrome
and the Sync services to sync my mail, contacts and calendar to my iPod
Forgot one ….
Chrome
AdSense
Alerts
Analytics
App Engine
Blogger
Bookmarks
Calendar
Checkout
Code
Docs
Gmail
Google Buzz
Google Chrome Bookmark Sync
Google Latitude
Groups
Health
iGoogle
Maps – My Maps
Merchant Center
Mobile
News
Notebook
Panoramio
Picasa Web Albums
Profiles
Reader
Subscribed Links
Talk
Tasks
Voice
Wave
Web History
Webmaster Tools
YouTube
Thats from my Google Account Settings.
I have Admin rights in 3 different Google Apps domains and user access in one more.
Apps for my domain
—-G-mail
—-Calendar
—-Docs
—-Chat
Regular Google
—-G-mail
—-Reader
I’ve got my Voice invite and can’t wait to use it, but alas I’m in Canada. Oh, and in 3 months I’m getting whatever the best looking Android phone out there is.
Chrome
GMail/Contacts
Calendar
Docs
Reader
Maps (& Navigation on the Droid, which is amazing)
Talk
Voice
& search, of course…
Mail
Calendar
Reader
Docs
Finance
Voice
Talk
Maps
Chrome
Desktop
Gmail + Buzz
Contacts
Calendar
Reader
Docs
Picasa
Talk
Bookmarks
Checkout
Chrome
Notebook (although no longer supported)
Yes, I LOVE GOOGLE!
Too many to list!
I’ll try going from most [used] to least:
Gmail, Reader, Search, Maps, Calendar, Docs, Picasa, Translate, Sites.
Lesser used but still significant:
Books, Health, SketchUp, Earth(in-browser now), Wave.
Could be considered their own app, or bundled within another:
Talk, Buzz, Tasks, Labs.
Reader: webapp
Gmail: syncs with Mail on Mac and iPod, webapp PC
Calendar: syncs with iCal on Mac and iPod, webapp PC
Contacts: syncs with Address Book on Mac and iPod, part of Gmail and Voice on PC
Voice: I use it mainly with my cell phone, as well as my house phone sometimes
Docs: Using Cyberduck on Mac I keep it in sync with Dropbox (this only works downloading from Docs to Dropbox, synchronizing files requires a paid Premiere Apps account with Google), use it mainly as Office when I’m away from my computers
Picasa Web Albums: keeps my photos/wallpapers in sync between all my devices
I’m still on the fence as to whether I should just use the web app versions on my Mac instead of the Mac’s software, but I love how everything syncs over Microsoft Exchange with my iPod Touch.
Analytics
Blogger
Bookmarks
Calendar
Docs
Gmail
Notebook
Orkut
Picasa
Reader
Translate
Web search
YouTube
Talk
Maps
Gmail
Google Calendar
Google Reader
Google Voice
Google Docs
Google Wave
iGoogle
Gmail
Google Reader
Google Calendar
(occasionally) chrome
+ maps and search
I would like to use google tasks, but currently there is no syncing tool for my phone and it seems to under-produced for google.
I have no desire what so ever to use Buzz, Docs, Blog or Wave.
Gmail
Reader
Calendar
Docs
Search
Chrome
Maps
Used to use Notebook, but now use a text file in Dropbox due to it’s demise.
Gmail, reader, picasa, blogger, YouTube, docs, chrome, search, maps, bookmarks, earth. That’s it off top of my head,
Pretty much everything they have to offer! Including their Google Labs apps.
Gmail to manage all my personal e-mail addresses.
Google Calendar, synced to iCal via Spanning Sync, then to my iPhone & iPad w/ iTunes
Reader for RSS
Google Apps (mostly mail & calendar) for business documents
Slowly transitioning my personal documents to Google Docs.
Voice as a call forwarding and voicemail service for business.
Analytics and AdSense for my sites.
Chrome
Just search. The only thing it does well.
Gmail, Buzz, Tasks, Contacts, Calendar, Docs, Reader, Voice, Chat/Talk, Wave, Chrome, Chrome Bookmark sync, Google Bookmarks, Notebook – yes its still alive!, Google Earth, Picasa + Picasa Software, SketchUp, Latitude, iGoogle, Blogger, Maps, Scholar, Search, Search SSL, Orkut, Image Search, Video Search (TrueBlood:D ), Youtube, SideWiki, SeachWiki, Google Profiles, Zoho linked to Google, Google Sets, Aardvark, Feed Burner, Google Dashboard (how i looked everything up! :D), Google Analytics, Goggle Apps, Google Desktop, Google Alerts, Google Friend Connect, Google Sync, Google Health, Google Dictionary – chrome plugin, Google Mobile, Google Sync, Google Subscribed Links – embedded in search, Knol, Adsense.
This is why I love my Goog. We get all of ^ for just a couple of text ads. How amazing is that!!! No other company can do what they have done is so little time. Always innovating and challenging the status quo.
(In no particular order)
Google Reader
Google Notebook
Gmail
Google Calendar
Google Docs
Google websearch
Chrome (less often than firefox)
Google Books
Google Maps
Picasa
Buzz
Google Apps
Google Contacts
iGoogle
Google Search Engine
Gmail (+ Labs)
Talk
Maps
Docs
Calendar
Earth
Voice
Wave
Picasa
Blogger
YouTube
Chrome
-Gmail
-Google Calendar
-GoogleSync for iPhone
-GoogleChrome
-Google Docs
-Google Notebook
-Google Reader
-Google Desktop
-Google App for iPhone
-Google Earth
-Google Voice
Picasa, Gmail, Chrome.
Gmail and Google Reader
Gmail, Reader, Docs, Picasa, Calendar and YouTube
Only Gmail, chrome, youtube
Gmail
Voice
Analytics
Google’s SE
Chrome
Docs
Youtube
Earth
Maps
Adsense
+more im probably forgetting at the moment
Google Apps
GMail
Earth
Blogger
Picasa
YouTube
Reader
gmail
Docs
Calendar
Voice
Picasa
Chrome
Wave
Web Tools
Reader
Search (daily!), Gmail (daily!), Alerts (have a few), Books, Checkout, Chrome, Directory, Earth, Finance (rarely), Health, iGoogle, Maps, News (big time), Patent Search (not all that good, surprisingly), Scholar (rarely), Trends (rarely), Code, Labs, Blogger, Calendar (daily!), Docs.
Played with Desktop for a bit, but… meh.
Also have a couple Sites, but I never bother with them.
Google owns my butt, for better or worse. :/
GMAIL
RSS READER
EARTH PRO
NET SEARCH
Android – HTC desire
Chrome – most of the time, Firefox is still my favorite
Google search (is there any other search engine?)
iGoogle – my home page
GMail – my only e-mail
Gtalk – I do chat sometimes
Orkut – I have left it now. Fulltime Facebook
GBuzz – I buzz almost everyday
Calander – on both desktop and Android
Google reader – without which I would not be reading your website
Gtasks – My to do list
Documents – to read docs stored there. I use this for PDF conversion too.
Blogger – I have several blogs of different tastes
Maps – all the time, including navigation on Android phone
Transliteration – I can type in Kannada ಕನ್ನಡ all from anywhere
Scholer – my default journal search engine for my medical literature (search results are better than PubMed)
Dictionary – use it occasionally
Picasa – my cloud storage of all photos. After I broke my external harddrive, I dont mind paying it.
Youtube – I use it occasionally, but great source of old Kannada and Hindi songs
Google earth – fun time
Goggles – good app on Android
Google translate – just checking
This is all I think at the moment, but I am sure I use more than these :))
igoogle & gmail
Gmail
iGoogle
Google Docs
gmail
docs
reader
calendar
I use Picassa on my computer primarily for it’s photo preview feature, which is really nice. I actually don’t use anything else in it, but I love that lightbox effect for previewing photos from Explorer. And then Chrome is my default browser on all OSes.
Online, I use most of their services available, except I primarily use Bing for search, Hotmail for email, and Office Web Apps for online office, but I do use their Google counterparts some.
It’s really amazing how much Google has infiltrated our online lives. If they owned Facebook and Twitter, most of us would be using Google stuff almost all the time :)
absolutely none
Gmail
Docs
Calendar
Picasa
Chrome
Reader
Maps
Earth
Chrome, Gmail, Reader, Calendar I use daily. I use Google maps a fair bit and occasionally Google Earth. Oh and you can’t forget web search, and image search too. I have Google saved searches emailed to me. Can’t forget Picasa. I have Wave but must confess that I don’t really use it yet. I used to go to Youtube a lot but not so much anymore.
Gmail
Google Reader
Google Maps
Google Translate
Google Docs
Google Calendar
Wow…. Google probably knows quite a bit about me by now….
Talk, Gmail, Docs, Picasa/PicasaWeb, Blogger, Reader, Calendar, Maps, Apps, YouTube, Chrome, Alerts, Voice
google sucks, havent used them for at least 3 years. They collect your personal info.. dugh!
I frequently use:
Gmail
Reader
Youtube
Wave
Chrome
Definition
Translate
Calc
Tasks
Search
News
Books
chrome
gmail
youtube
search
reader
google app 4 iphone
google docs for a summer project my friend has
bogger
i used googledesktop for a while but stoped
i’m a real google addict, so it might have been easier to say which i don’t use! the ones i’m counting from my account:
gmail
igoogle
maps
calendar
docs
blogger
apps
reader
wave
picasa
sites
tasks
youtube
chrome as browser and google.com for all searches when on other browsers elsewhere
waiting for OS :O)
all on a regular basis. plus i use my google account as the sign in for other sites’ services. at this point, i’m going for simplicity.
cheers,
kelly
oh, keshav reminded me that i use buzz too – nearly everyday in combination with twitter. (different audience)
Most of all the common ones listed above & waiting for my new Android phone ( HTC Incredible ) to get in the next few days.
**** Google Apps ****
-Google Apps Mail
-Google Apps Calendar
**** Google ****
-Google Search
-Google Blogger
-Google Maps
-Google Chrome (in and out with Firefox)
-Google Docs
-Google Reader
-Picassa
-Orkut
-YouTube
**** Google (iPhone) ****
-GoogleSync for iPhone (Mail, Contacts, Calendar)
-Google Earth
**** Google (Nokia) ****
-Nokia Sync (Google)
-Google Maps
I use Gmail, and Reader, and Google Talk, if that qualifies.
chrome
gmail
google search
picasaweb
For me… I use most of the time Google reader(RSS) , Gmail, Dictionary & of course the search engine ;)
Chrome
Search
Believe or not, i’m using all services. From health to voice, gmail, wave, transliterate, translate, calc, definitions, code, and so on.
I must be the black sheep, i use Exalead has my search engine and GMX for email and no other services.
Google Reader
iGoogle as home page ^__^
Calendar
Translator
G mail
Docs
Calendar
Books
You-tube
Maps
Translate
I only use gmail on the weekends (for about a few minutes). I only use Docs when I need to open a document quickly without opening MSFT products. I use Youtube every few days.
Reader – on Win desktops, LInux netbook, ipod touch, & WinMo6
Search
Gmail – on desktops, netbook & ipod
Docs – desktops and netbook
Youtube
Groups
Chrome on linux machine
Apps (Standard) on one of my domains.
Would like to use Chat/Talk but everyone’s on different systems (Msgr, etc, etc) and Talk is still closed to anyone else so far as I can work out, so it’s just not practically useful.
Gmail
Calendar
Reader
Search
Chrome on Windows
YouTube/Videos
Wave (ish)
Desktop/Sidebar
Google itself (iGoogle)
Gmail
Google Reader every day
Google Maps and Google Earth
Youtube of course
Shopping (Froogle)
and seldomly Picasa
Reader
GMail
Calendar
Notes
Docs
Maps
Blogger
Picasa
Chrome
and a lot of Google extensions in Chrome
From iGoogle to Google Reader is the gateway to the online world for me. There is a little hiccup in iGoogle lately. My reader tab no longer displays the number of items before I hit the tab. A minor glitch.
The major glitch that I still haven’t got over is getting rid of Google Notebook and the FireFox entry to it.
I find myself using G-Mail more and more and ThunderBird less and less. This is puzzling considering the time I’ve invested in ThunderBird.
Other services used:
Docs
Calendar
Earth
Youtube
Regards Sedan
I use Gmail and Google Docs and I use both of them with SMEStorage.com so that I can access via my BlackBerry and do sync etc. Not really tried the other Google services but may try and start using the Calendar Service.
Google Search
GMail
Chrome
YouTube
I use Gmail and Google Docs.
Google and iGoogle
Gmail
Google Maps
Google Earth
Picasa
Youtube
Buzz
Google Voice
Android (Motorola Droid)
Google Talk (not too much)
Docs (sometimes)
Chrome (Linux and Windows)
gmail and Voice and may be wave
Google owns me with:
Bookmarks
Calendar
Chat
Docs
Gmail
Google Chrome Bookmark Sync
iGoogle
Maps – My Maps
Mobile
News
Picasa Web Albums
Reader
YouTube
I actively use Google Search, Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Maps, Google Voice, and YouTube. I have tried Google Docs, Picasa, Google Wave, and Google Earth, but do not use them regularly.
Search, but almost always thru a proxy.
G-Maps almost daily.
Google Voice is my main number.
Gmail because it is required to use gvoice, but I don’t use it.
Youtube about once a week.
Translate about every other week.
Search
Maps
Youtube
Translate – once in a week
No Google-Account!
Search, Reader, Docs, Picasa, Chrome, YouTube
Gmail, iGoogle, chrome, YouTube, Docs, Calendar, GTalk, Maps, and Search of course. I have to admit I’m taking notes in the comments of other things to try. hahahaha
Chrome
iGoogle
Search
Docs
Youtube
Reader
Gmail
News
Calandar
Picasa
Maps
Search: web, images, news, shopping
Maps
Mail
Reader
Translate
You-Tube
News
Search
Books
Gmail
search
chrome plus (it isn’t googles version but it is based off the chromium engine)
Asense
Analytics
Gmail
Google reader
Images
Search (DUH)
Youtube
Transliteration
Google Earth , Maps
Chrome
Buzz
Tried most of them, but only use Search.
Gmail
Search
Images
Translate
Reader
Agenda
Buzz
Wave
Earth
Maps
Navigation
Docs
YouTube
Gmail (less than daily), though I help others use it
iGoogle customized page
Google search
G-mail, Advanced Search, Chrome
Gmail
Google Search
Google Images
Google Calendar
Google Chrome (my browser of choice)
Google Earth
Google Maps (and on my Android phone)
Android
Translate (not as good a Babel Fish)
Picasa (good when I need it – but takes things over a bit too much)
YouTube
For Google, I use (in order of frequency):
1. Gmail (all day long!)
2. Google “Search” (maybe twice a week)
3. Google “Calendar” (once a week)
I have a Google Voice account, but don’t use it.
I’m signed up for “Buzz”, but don’t have a need to use that, either.
Only the following: Chrome, GMail, Calendar
because
Google is the BP of the internet !
Google knowingly takes ads from unscrupulous advertisers
(as determined by WOT and verified by my own experiences)
who use those ad links to:
+ put malware on your PC
+ take your money and provide no product nor service
+ use these link to spam, phish and steal your ID
– and no ad filter can eliminate them.
Google IS the BP of the Internet.
They profit from us
but won’t protect us
before or clean up after
the “drilling” you do for them under false pretenses.
They issue press releases about their China foreign policy,
but they continue to only respond in a canned way to any questions of their advertising policy:
“Your experience is typical of any Internet user.”
Google thinks getting ripped off or wiped clean is
“typical” for any internet user.
I don’t.
I use gmail constantly, and I have a great home page built on google/ig. I also use chrome a lot for searches, although it is not my primary browser. I wish there was a way to set it up as permanently invisible (or I don’t know how to do it). Google is definitely a bright star in the Internet universe.
-Dan
I forget to mention that I like maps a lot and use it whenever I’m going somewhere I’m not familiar with. I especially like being able to design my own route based on the default map.
-Dan
I also love the way google has become integrated into the iPhone world. Wish Apple wouldn’t set restrictions.
-Dan
Can’t live without these:
Gmail
Search
Google Docs
Google Calendar
Plus these on occasion:
Picasa
SketchUp
Google Translate
Daily I use Reader, Web search, Chrome, GMail,
also use Earth, Maps, Docs, Google Sites, Blogger, Calendar, and occasionaly use Picsa and YouTube
Have started a Wave account but yet to play with that properly. There may be more services I have forgotten about – if Google makes it I usually try it!
I only use the search engine. I do not like cloud computing because I must be on line to use the services and often, my ISP is down. With software on my PC I can use it anytime, ISP or no ISP service.
gmail
google calendar
picasa
google translate
youtube
google earth
chrome(actually very little like Opera)
google earth
google images
and
google search , ufff @__@
Gmail
Search
Voice
Picasa
Chrome (occasionally)
Maps
Youtube
I do not use Google!!! I have never used Google, and never will use Google as long as they continue to collect and store the huge amounts of personal information on all of the “sheeple” that use Google. I fail to understand how anyone can profess to be very protective of their personal information yet they willingly give Google even their most intimate personal details to do whatever Google chooses to do with this information. (Can you say “Sell to all spammers”? Can you say “Make available to any hackers that can crack their servers”?) This is akin to a herd of sheep following their shepherd to the slaughter house knowing that the slaughter house is where they are headed.
Our library (as I do personally) utilize all of these free products:
*Search, of course – all public access PCs have browser use this as default
*Gmail – we don’t use for official library e-mail, but set one up for the other services
*Calendar – all library events posted on this
*Docs – Constantly refer library patrons to this so that they can save documents in cloud versus the old floppy disks they show up with
*Blogger – we have 3 newsletters using Blogger as pub platform
*Feedburner – Like Blogger, absorbed by Google; allows us to e-mail our blog to subscribers, keep track of stats, etc.
*Analytics – we’ve embedded the code on our website, online catalog, blogs
*Translate – While not perfect, have used to translate handouts from our computer classes into Portuguese
*YouTube – we’ve only posted one video
*Business listings – we claimed our listings, added additional info.
*Google Pages – For folks who just want a simple website, this works
Chrome, Gmail, Earth, Maps, Calendar, Reader, Translate, Utube, Web search, Images, iGoogle, Reader, Docs, Notebook, Sidewiki, Picasa, and Contacts. Love Google.
In order of importance to me
Gmail
Translate
Chrome
Earth
Maps – occasionally
I’ve used almost all of them. I’m kinda a Google fanboy.
Picasa 3 – I use this one alot everyday!. Maps – when I travel. G-mail – weekly. Earth – Ocassionally. Translate – daily. iGoogle – weekly. YouTube – ocassionally. Buzz and News – Daily.
I use it mainly as a search engine.
Use Google e-mail, calendar,trying docs
Oops forgot
Use Picasa all the time as default photo editor
Google products I use daily:
iGoogle
Gmail
Reader
Calendar
Wave
Chrome
Groups
Android
Google products I use at least once a week:
Books
Maps
Videos
Docs
Apps
Talk
Translate
YouTube
And as mentioned before, I’d love to use Voice, but I can’t in the UK.
I use Docs, Mail, Sites, and sometimes Calandar. and on rare occassions, videos.
Search engine only.
Gmail
Google Calendar
Google Reader
Picasa
Android
Chrome
Profiles
Buzz
Analytics
Webmasters
Desktop
Maps
Earth
Skymap
Finance
Images
News
YouTube
Sketchup
Talk
Docs
And the rest of them…..
I use google reader only (and google search :D ).
Excuse my bad English…
Google owns my soul. I couldn’t escape – they always tracked me down. So I thought i may as well use the facilities.
Search – no point going anywhere else imo.
iGoogle
Gmail
Docs
Bookmarks
Alerts
Groups
Calendar
Maps
Mobile
News
Picasa Web Albums
Profile
Reader
YouTube
* Looking at the above – I realise i probably should get out more ;-)
gmail, calendar, docs, google talk, analytics, webmaster tools, search, maps, chrome, images, groups, virus and spyware protection
GMAIL!!! :-)
google
Gmail, Translator, and algo Blogger.
Gmail, Docs, Notebook, Calendar, Reader, GTalk
Google Search (what else?!)
Google Image Search (for finding images)
Google Mail (or GMail)
Google Analytics (tracking visitors of my websites)
Google Translator
I use Google for search and NOTHING else. Google is a great company, but has horrible and unnecessary privacy invasion issues so I won’t give them any more than I have to. It’s a shame really.
GMail and Orkut
I am an Android user, so I am pretty google-sentric. I regularly use:
GMail
GChat
Reader
Maps
Navigator
Listen
Picasa
Calendar
I regularly check the Labs for new things to try and recently got my Google Voice invitation.
Gmail
Voice
Maps
Blogger
Calendar
Gmail
Calendar
Voice
Maps
Reader
Used Gmail for several years now, after leaving AOL.
Still would like to be able to SORT my messages like AOL, at least by user email. Would make it a lot easier to determine what to delete. In Google, I have to do a search by user (assuming you know all the users) you have received mail from, then select and delete. A sort feature can’t be such a difficult effort.
I use Android on my Nook (along with Books extensively on there) and Chrome on my main Laptop.
Web wise I use GMail with Google Apps through my domain
I also use in order of use more of less: Reader, SMS, iGoogle, News, Anayltics, GTalk, Earth/Maps, Youtube, Code
I use many on an ad hoc basis, such as calculator when the calculation isn’t too complicated. On a daily basis, I use search, calendar and gmail.
Chrome – all of the time i use it on my mac
Google search
iGoogle – my home page
GMail – my only e-mail
Gtalk – I do chat sometimes
Calander – on both desktop and iPhone
Google reader – without which I would not be reading this website
Documents – to read docs stored there.
Maps – all the time, including navigation on iPhone
Dictionary – i use it but not mutch
Youtube – I use it everyday,
Google earth – fun time i love google
Goggles – good app on on iphone
google is the shit