Google Gmail Beta series

Google Gmail Beta Reviewed on 08/09/2004

The Bottom Line: If you don't mind Google's computers scanning your e-mail messages, then you'll come to appreciate the unique features of Gmail.

CNET editors' take

Google Toolbar Reviewed on 11/22/2004

The Bottom Line: Google's toolbar goes above and beyond its competitors, offering a wide range of specific searches, stellar search results, and a slew of extras, including an automatic form filler.

Release Date: 07/30/2004

Specs: Free

CNET editors' take

Blogger Reviewed on 03/30/2005

The Bottom Line: Beginners will love Blogger's ease of use and the fact that it's free. However, professionals should look elsewhere.

Release Date: 05/10/2004

CNET editors' take

Google Reviewed on 05/10/2005

The Bottom Line: Google's the way to go for straight Web searching, local results, maps, or image queries, but we found better engines for multimedia searches.

Release Date: 01/01/1998

CNET editors' take

Google Talk beta

Specs: Free, Windows

Product info

Google Desktop 2 Reviewed on 11/04/2005

The Bottom Line: The brainy Google Desktop 2 does a mixed job anticipating the content you want. Still, it provides a handy link to files, apps, and Web sites that you access the most, and its search is powerful, too.

Release Date: 11/03/2005

CNET editors' take

Google Reader Beta

Product info

Google Maps Reviewed on 11/06/2005

The Bottom Line: Google Local and Local for Mobile give you a handy visual view of locations you're interested in, plus let you search the surrounding areas for other items of interest.

Release Date: 11/07/2005

CNET editors' take

Google Video (beta) Reviewed on 02/07/2006

The Bottom Line: It turns out that an open, sprawling interface works better for a search engine than a video store. Google Video will have to take a few categorization notes from Yahoo if it's ever going to challenge the iTunes Music Store.

Release Date: 12/01/2005

CNET editors' take

Google Page Creator beta Reviewed on 04/07/2006

The Bottom Line: This simple tool, still in beta, helps you make a basic Web page in a few easy steps.

Release Date: 12/01/2005

CNET editors' take

Google Scholar beta Reviewed on 04/27/2006

The Bottom Line: Google Scholar scours scholarly journals quickly and thoroughly, although Windows Live Academic Search beta better organizes finds on its pages.

Release Date: 12/01/2005

CNET editors' take

Google Book Search (beta) Reviewed on 10/23/2006

The Bottom Line: Google Book Search gets you inside plenty of books, but Project Gutenberg still offers more classics.

Release Date: 10/23/2006

CNET editors' take

Google News Reviewed on 05/05/2006

The Bottom Line: The Google package of services represents the company's efforts to serve and integrate a diverse assortment of dynamic applications online. These Web 2.0 tools include those for e-mail, mapping, scheduling, instant messaging, managing RSS feeds, bookmarking, and vertical search. Because many of these free products remain in beta testing, this list will continue to evolve as Google updates its products. See our favorite 10 Google apps here.

Release Date: 10/23/2006

CNET editors' take

Google Base Reviewed on 05/05/2006

The Bottom Line: The Google package of services represents the company's efforts to serve and integrate a diverse assortment of dynamic applications online. These Web 2.0 tools include those for e-mail, mapping, scheduling, instant messaging, managing RSS feeds, bookmarking, and vertical search. Because many of these free products remain in beta testing, this list will continue to evolve as Google updates its products. See our favorite 10 Google apps here.

Release Date: 10/23/2006

CNET editors' take

Google Calendar beta Reviewed on 04/24/2006

The Bottom Line: Google Calendar is an easy-to-use, attractive scheduling service that integrates with Gmail and exports XML feeds.

Release Date: 04/14/2006

CNET editors' take

Google Desktop 4 beta Reviewed on 06/22/2006

The Bottom Line: Google Desktop 4 beta is less clunky than its predecessor, and we love the zippy search and creative Sidebar Gadgets. Still, we're wary of handing over our computing habits to Google's servers.

Release Date: 05/10/2006

CNET editors' take

Google Co-op Reviewed on 05/05/2006

The Bottom Line: The Google package of services represents the company's efforts to serve and integrate a diverse assortment of dynamic applications online. These Web 2.0 tools include those for e-mail, mapping, scheduling, instant messaging, managing RSS feeds, bookmarking, and vertical search. Because many of these free products remain in beta testing, this list will continue to evolve as Google updates its products. See our favorite 10 Google apps here.

Release Date: 05/10/2006

CNET editors' take

Google Notebook Reviewed on 09/18/2006

The Bottom Line: Google Notebook lets you save the text, the images, and the URL of origin for Web sites that interest you, but its features are limited.

Release Date: 05/10/2006

CNET editors' take

Picasa Web Albums Reviewed on 06/15/2006

The Bottom Line: The biggest new feature of Google's new Picasa beta is the capability to post pictures directly from the application to a Google-hosted Web album. It's about time.

Release Date: 05/10/2006

CNET editors' take

Writely beta Reviewed on 06/21/2006

The Bottom Line: Can Writely replace Microsoft Word? Yes, if you have stable Internet access and don't need a ton of editing and formatting features.

Release Date: 03/09/2006

CNET editors' take

Google Checkout Reviewed on 06/29/2006

The Bottom Line: Will Google's online payment system kill PayPal? Maybe not, but Google Checkout aims to make it a snap to shop online with one login.

Release Date: 03/09/2006

CNET editors' take

Blogger beta Reviewed on 08/15/2006

The Bottom Line: Blogger beta allows tagging, as well as drag-and-drop layout editing, and it lets you wall off your blog to strangers, but most current Blogger users will have to set up another blog from scratch to try the new features.

Release Date: 08/15/2006

CNET editors' take

Google Apps Reviewed on 08/28/2006

The Bottom Line: Google Apps lets you brand online services with your own URL, but it doesn't eat the costs of domain registration as Microsoft Office Live does.

Release Date: 08/27/2006

CNET editors' take

Google Home Reviewed on 10/06/2006

The Bottom Line: Google Home is a breezy service that lets you create a custom sign-in page chock-full of news and widgets.

Release Date: 08/27/2006

CNET editors' take

Google Groups 3 beta Reviewed on 05/05/2006

The Bottom Line: The Google package of services represents the company's efforts to serve and integrate a diverse assortment of dynamic applications online. These Web 2.0 tools include those for e-mail, mapping, scheduling, instant messaging, managing RSS feeds, bookmarking, and vertical search. Because many of these free products remain in beta testing, this list will continue to evolve as Google updates its products. See our favorite 10 Google apps here.

Release Date: 08/27/2006

CNET editors' take

Google Docs & Spreadsheets Reviewed on 10/18/2006

The Bottom Line: Google Docs & Spreadsheets beta gracefully merges word processing, spreadsheets and basic presentations within an online service that lets you collaborate with other users.

Release Date: 08/27/2006

CNET editors' take