The Glories of Google
Google started off providing a solid search engine and has since given the world many different offerings. Today we are looking at what Google offers through your Smartphone. It is important to review these every so often as Google has the habit of updating or offering new features.
Search: The most obvious offering. Pros are it is the Google search engine bringing the results that most have come to love. The Con is that it is the Google Search engine, most of the results aren’t formatted for the mobile screen.
Google Homepage: Like the desktop’s little brother. There are few things you can add to your mobile Google screen like weather and movies as well as Gmail info, stocks and RSS feeds. Pros are the customizable interface, the Cons are again it is mobile so functionality is limited. I did find that my mobile Google Search page loads faster then the desktop iGoogle.
Maps: We’re talking mobile Google Maps, the map square is a bit small but you can still get your directions and see a review (if available) about what you’re looking for. There is also a My Locations Beta in case you are teleported somewhere and need to figure out where. Pros are that Google generally has more relevant search results. The Con is that it isn’t as integrated with Windows Mobile as Live Search.
Maps (downloadable): This is what most Windows Mobile users should have if they like Google. It has the ability to use your GPS and the interface and responsiveness is a higher caliber. This also includes the My Location feature in case you don’t have a GPS.
Gmail: For all your Gmail lovers out there there has been some great strides in the past several months. You can sync your Smartphone’s Inbox using IMAP to get at your Gmail. Of course if you don’t want to go through the trouble of setting it up there is always the mobile page, which is pretty useful by itself. Pro is it’s simplicity, always a favorite of Gmail users. Cons are the first page is super long before you can get at the functions like Search.
Calendar: If you haven’t discovered the joys of Google Calendar then you need to take a look and explore its features with a friend who also has a Google Calendar. Most of the desktop functionality of Google Calendar is available through the mobile interface. Pros are its integration with Gmail. The Con: it doesn’t sync natively with Windows Mobile.
Docs: All your Docs on your phone, well not all of them. Only the ones you created or uploaded to Google Docs. The Presentation docs aren’t viewable on the mobile either. The great Pro is the ability to view a document on your mobile screen if you need to get at some information fast. The Cons are no presentations and you can’t upload from your phone.
GOOG-411: Search by phone! Voice recognition software makes it easy for you to find a business, person or perform a categorical search. The Pros are it is fast and free! The Con is it doesn’t offer driving directions. It’d be nice to search for something by voice and elect to have the directions sent to your phone so you don’t have to TYPE WHILE DRIVING!!!
SMS: If you have unlimited text and no Internet data plan, then this is for you. You can search for all kinds of greatness through this. Just send a text message with the word ‘Help’ to GOOGLE (466453). The Pros are you don’t need a data connection, quick and simple. The Cons is you use up SMS messages (bad if you don’t have unlimited SMS).
News: If you like mainstream news then this is for you. The big Pro is the ability to add customised news. The Con is you can’t add AllShadow.com to it.
Picasa: Yup! It’s running on the mobile screen now. Find any photo, See what family and friends have shared, and show your favorite photos. Of course you need to setup Picasa on your desktop first.
Reader: When I first heard about it I thought it was like a PDF reader or a mobile version of books.google.com. Turns out it is so much better than that. This is one of my favorite Google products. It is an RSS reader, plain and simple. The Pro is you can set your feeds from your desktop browser, making entry so much easier, and access them from your phone. The Con is they didn’t provide this soon enough and categorical searching (like in Viigo) isn’t available.
Blogger: Create and manage a mobile Blogger account from your phone. to get started just send a text or photo to go@blogger.com If you want to edit it, just go to go.blogger.com on your desktop. Pros it’s easy to use, the Con is you can’t manage other blogs through it.
Notebook: Another great offering. If you don’t use OneNote (which costs $$$) then this is the way to go. The desktop version has plug-ins for FireFox so adding notes is easy. You can access your notes through your mobile. Possible uses are for when you need a specific piece of info in a pinch. The Pro is that you don’t need sync capabilities to create mobile notes and access them from the desktop. The Con is if you don’t have an Internet connection on your phone at a time then you can’t add a note.
If you want to get at these services right away from your phone just go to mobile.google.com. If you want to read more about these from your desktop you can also go to mobile.google.com.
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9 Comments to The Glories of Google
I noticed that you mentioned the “My Locations Beta” on Google maps more than once. Is this feature working on your shadow? I had a Samsung T819 before this and it didn’t work, then when I got my Shadow I had hoped it would but it still doesn’t. I have version 2.0.0.12 and whenever I try “My Location” I get a message saying “Your current location is temporarily unavailable”. I installed the same version on my friends BB Pearl and it worked like a charm … I was very jealous! 
Nick (Portland, OR)March 3, 2008
Scratch that last comment … after reading your article I assumed that you must have mentioned my locations because there had to be a way to make it work on the shadow. I headed on over to Google search and found my answer. I app unlocked my phone and now it works like a charm. This is very cool! If anybody else was wondering about this then check out this link and give the attached file a go.
Thanks for the article … without it I would now have figured it out. 
Mike BentonMarch 4, 2008
Hey Nick, No problem! Im glad you wrote a comment. I didn’t know about the app unlock needing to happen as That’s usually the first thing I do when I do a full reset. Ill add that to the list
thanks nick!!! i’ve been so frustrated with that feature until i saw your post!! Thanks Again!!
Mike, you should put up another post about it because a lot of people just expect the program to work
This is the same fix that is available for the T-Mobile Dash for the “my location” Sereal networks app unlock should work to fix it on the shadow just like it does on the dash.. More info can be found by google search DASH Faq
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fornettiAugust 31, 2008
I do not believe this
March 3, 2008