Regardless this is not what this blog is about today. What I am wanting to blog are some of the Google services I use on a daily basis. Later I hope to do some in further depth tutorials regarding use of some of these services e.g Gmail and Drive etc.....
Firstly I would like to list the services available which I use a lot and I would also like to explain these are totally free. 100% without cost to you and provide amazing functionality and productivity if you can be bothered to utilize them. The list goes like this:
- Gmail
- Drive
- Google Plus
- Google Photos
- Google Search
- Calendar
- Maps
- Sites
- Keep
- Blogger
- Shopping
- YouTube
Going through the list now iI will quickly describe each:
Gmail
Web Based email. Log in from anywhere in the world and have the convenience of having your email and being able to send emails.
Drive
A Cloud Service for storing files which can be then downloaded and used anywhere on any computer. Also files can be shared with colleagues or friends if you desire. Strongly integrated now with document support. You can now scan in documents using the camera on your phone, edit documents in many formats, use spreadsheets and even create presentations. Google really have got the upper hand on any cloud service available on the current market.
Google Plus
Google's version of Facebook. a community driven sharing facility with many more benefits than its' competitors. Follow people of interest, follow your friends, add them to your circles and keep updated with anything that interests you. Far more focused on information you want than the competitors shoving rubbish down your throat all day. A really under appreciated service. Unfortunately Facebook wins with dedicated users but really Google Plus is far superior, people need a little patience to understand it that's all.
Google Photos
Photos is exactly what it says. A wonderful place which integrates with other Googles services like Drive and Google Plus. Photos will store all your photos which you can put into albums. If you have an Android phone you can select auto backup and every pic you take will be safely stored in Photos so if the unfortunate happens (phone stolen or dropped in the drink) then you will have not lost anything but the hardware.
Google Photos also has a strong editing suite where you can enhance, rotate and colour adapt your pictures with great success. Another strong package from Google without a doubt.
Google Search
Quite simply the best search engine on the market. It delivers accurate and topical search results in an instant and even helps finish looking for something before you have even typed it in. There really is no competitor.
Calendar
All my events go in my Calender and my Calender is shared with my wife. All events appear on both our phones and tablets. The Google Calendar service is so useful. Sharing Calendars is just one of the many features. Organize your days, even receive emails or alarms for upcoming events and build task list and coordinate events with others. Its a daily requirement for me and without it I would have missed my own birth!
Maps
More accurate than any other map program open to the public. It's definitely more superior than my Honda Sat Nav which on several occasions has tried to kill me! Google maps is more than just a map, it offers an entire in depth yellow/white pages of local businesses, perfect directions with multiple modes of transport, wonderfully detailed satellite views and a street view which is amazing. I live on this app. It saves me more time and removes more anxiety than I can imagine. Have no idea how I lived for so long without the service.
Sites
Google lets you build your own website for free. Handy if your a small business owner. It's not the most in depth service and it does not provide lots of functionality but it will give you a web presence. Not only that they have some simple templates to help you get started.
Keep
The ultimate in note keeping. Think of it as digital post-it notes with a lot more functionality. Add voice messages , pictures, lists or just plain texts. I use this regularly on my phone and laptop. Its great for making quick info available everywhere. Any note I make appears on all my devices from phones to laptops. Super handy for making shopping lists. I go shopping and by the time I arrive at the store my wonderful wife at home has added everything we need on the list. I just go around with my phone and check each one off as I go. My wife then knows where I have got to on the shopping list as the 'ticked off' items disappear from the list, she can also add anything she forgot if she catches me before I leave the store of course ;)
Blogger
Right now you are reading this on Blogger. Blogger is only useful to me as I run a blog. If you have an interest in running a blog, then Blogger is free, comes with pre in built templates and the new Blogger site can also let you customize your blog. Mine is customized to my liking. Hopefully you like it too.
Shopper
Google Shopper is found in the tabs after you have made a search. Or you can search directly for a product on the Shopper tab. This will return results of the product your searching for and the prices. Often I find products closer to me in stores than where I was originally looking to purchase the product from. Convenient and very easy to use as a price comparison between major stores. You can save yourself a small fortune just by using this service.
YouTube
We all have used YouTube at some point in our lives. It has probably been the largest revolution in technology and the internet in the last 15 years. YouTube has inspired young film-makers, crazy and funny videos, music, advertisers, viral videos and so much more. People are desperate to share and a lifetime could be wasted looking at YouTube videos. Really an amazing service. Upload a video, watch thousands of videos and comment on other videos. Subscribe to your favourite video posts. I use YouTube everyday. I use it for everything from making me laugh to viewing a tutorial on programming or even diagnosing issues I have with my car...... Its an amazing service....think I said that!
I do use other services not mentioned above but these are my daily uses. All free and all come with a Google Account. An amazing company with a real touch for inspiring a technological future and I only wished that more companies developed their services like Google do for us.
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