Thread: Google Fails To Impress

EVER SINCE ALL BROWSERS STARTED featuring built-in tabs, search bars, and pop-up blockers, I've questioned the need for any of the tool¬bars that piggyback onto so many software downloads. If you want links to specif¬ic Web services, why not just add a new Book¬mark link to your browser's link bar? There's also the problem of these browser add-ins incrementally slowing down your Web surfing. Nevertheless, Google claims that its new Internet Explorer 6 and later, simplifies browsing the Web and searching online. To its credit, it does add some Google Gadgets, fill in forms with a single click, access the same toolbar configuration from any computer, and clip content to your Google Notebook while browsing. Other new or improved features include: Word find, sugges-tions for navigation errors, auto Link, web his-tory, browse by name, gadgets for google.
The inclusion of Gadgets-mini-applications that run inside the browser, similar to Vista's Sidebar Gadgets or Mac's Dashboard Widgets-is a major thrust of the upgrade. Another heralded feature is improved auto fill. The new toolbar can also be synchronized among multiple PC's with all this personal info, including bookmarks.
Personally, I don't find any of these benefits compelling enough: I prefer to use the browser's features and regular apps or Vista Gadgets instead of Google Gadgets. Nevertheless, some users will appreciate the quick access the Toolbar Gadgets provide.