Google Gripe #7 - Blogger Style

Why isn't Blogger.com in the same design now as the rest of Google web properties? I definitely like Google utilitarian, simple style. I know people are loyal to Blogger.com pre-Google acquisition, but I still would like to have Blogger be consistent with the rest. Same goes for Writely for that matter. It makes it more transparent (to put it nicely) regarding who owns these different websites.

Google Gripe #6 - Gmail - Select All only Selects the Page Your Are on

The Select All button at the bottom only selects all from the page you are on. But if you truly want to select all, it should allow you to select ALL of your emails, not just by page. I have over 21% of my Gmail full. It would take hours to delete all my emails. I know that Google is working hard to monetize its free services and the best way to do this is to collect personal content from us all. I'm totally fine with that (one of the few, it seems, that is willing to give up my personal information for free services in hopes of getting some targeted content sent to me), but I still think there should be a way to check all of your emails at once and do various tasks (delete all, label all, etc.)

Google Gripe #5 - A few GoogleTalk limitations

Here are the current gripes I have about GoogleTalk with the caviat that it's an awesome #1 application and everyone should download it.

1. "Send File" and other advanced functions only works if you have the Client, and currently the client is only for PC. Where is it for Mac? (compliments that it is done with the open standard so you can still chat with Google Talk users on other platforms, but we want more functions cross platform!). Why not work closely with the standards bodies to make this so?
2. As previously mentioned if your buddy is away or idle one's avatar should get faded on your googletalk app, as it's confusing if it's not. Not a word yet from Google if they are going to do this.
3. No AIM integration as first announced in December 2005!

Google Gripe #4: Google Desktop Widgets Lock You Into Sidebar

Admittedly, I have been a big fan of Google Desktop Widgets and particularly how they allow developers to make them. But I have three gripes specific to the widgets.

-I cannot put any of the widgets on my desktop without having the sidebar activated.

-The sidebar is incredibly intrusive to my user experience. Anytime I roll over to the right the sidebar pops up and takes up a large portion of my screen. I don't like that because it gets in the way of valuable monitor real estate.

-They're exactly like Apple. They even have the same graphical feel as Apple. And Apple came up with them first if I recall.

Google Gripe #3: Google Talk Avatars should fade /watermark when away

On GoogleTalk (client app) it is not enough that the font of your buddy should fade when your buddies are away. Their entire picture should fade also.

Welcome to Google Gripes!

Welcome to the first official posting of my brand new google gripes blog. I am going to focus this blog specifically on my mostly non-technical, user-based/user-experience/features or lack of features feedback to Google. This will cover products, corporate, and whatever other gripe I might have related to Google. This is not a news site. I will focus on all parts of Google services that I use.

I am doing this for key reasons:

1. Google Loves Feedback
2. I am a non user to power user, depending on the application, and will mention which type of user I am for a given application.
3. It's nerdy.
4. I want to start blogging more and to participate more in the blogging community, particularly the Google Blogging community, which is large and growing.
5. I like making good things better.
6. It will help me therapeutically.
7. The URL was not taken.
8. I can now store in one place all of my google gripes.
9. My other newscyclist website was moving in a new direction and I didn't want to have my feedback to Google overtake it.

A few points of clarification:
I do not have any investments in Google other than my time.
I do not work for Google.
I do not work for a competitor.
I love Google but they need our help to make their services even better.

I also want feedback on this site, so please respond to my postings. I am forcing approval only because of the amount of spam I get.