I’m happy to report that, following widespread criticism of its new iGoogle design, Google has returned some of the missing functionality to the service.
The switch, seen by most users starting Thursday evening, set off a wave of reaction around the Web. While some media outlets saw the iGoogle change as a great upgrade, others — us included — questioned whether the “upgrade” was really an upgrade at all.
Late Friday evening, though, one of our chief complaints was resolved, and the ability to see expanded story summaries within the widgets magically reappeared. When the new iGoogle first debuted, it limited you to either seeing only headlines or seeing full summaries of every story within every widget on the page. This struck me as a significant downgrade from the previously available option of being able to view headlines alone, then click on an adjacent “+” to see a short summary of any individual article. Seemingly, someone at Google suddenly agreed.
It’s hard to say whether the numerous comments left here and on other sites played any role in the reversal — one would imagine the folks at Google were at the very least aware of the outcry, which quickly made its way onto Google News — but regardless of the reason, I’m glad to see that the iGoogle team has come to its senses, at least somewhat. The wasted space with the left navigation bar is still a nuisance, and the impossible-to-disable full-page widget function hasn’t won me over. I’d much rather see options presented so users could choose whether to have these new configurations or not. (Hint: Here’s one unofficial way to reclaim some of that control.)
Still, the page is far from the cluttered mess that menaced me for the first 24 hours. Sure, I’d take the old iGoogle back in a heartbeat. But at least this is a step — and maybe, just maybe, it’s a sign that Google is listening…even if only a little.
Original story: Google, Please Give Me My Old Home Page Back
Count me as another HUGELY disappointed google user. My homepage periodically disappears and when I press home it takes me to gmail. Gmail has has no place to “attach a file”, completely gone. If I have to move to another mail account to correct this I won't be returning to Gmail.
OK, last straw. Towards the end of a very long email, Gmail vanished it and sent me back to my inbox. Goodbye Gmail.
Ironically how I feel about the new look at Inquistr and TechCrunch too.
Google made this change to their portal 4 days ago and do not appear to have made any significant attempts to communicate with their upset and frustrated users. The posts on Goggle groups remain highly critical yet the Google giant has remained, essentially, silent. This seems to have only made matters worse in the user community, many of whom now feel they've been abandoned. I believe a few responses from Google could have taken much of the edge off of the criticism.
Maybe if the various applications worked properly within the Gmail homepage, I'd be willing to adjust to the new tab format. But gmail, calendar, reader all lose at least some of their critical functions on iGoogle- I now just use the links at the top of the page to go directly to the separate sites. The visual layout drives me crazy. I don't even want to look at it anymore- it's essentially just a bookmark site to me now. I'm hoping they'll revert back to the old layout- if not, this might be enough to make me stop using it entirely.
I hate the menu on the side of my home page. The whole page has problems now.
How can it be placed back at the top where it was???
I have spent the better part of my morning looking for my homepage – this sucks – give me back my homepage!!!
I, too, hate the new Google. It has become the very opposite of why I made Google my homepage years ago. I loved that I could see ALL my widgets and options on ONE PAGE. The cutesie new “Artist Themes” are fun but don't exactly help the page clutter. I really DESPISE that I have to “launch full Gmail” in a separate window entirely to do anything more than read/reply/forward without changes or attachments. I agree that Google's new “upgrade” doesn't feel that way at all. It's just become too much of a hassle. If Google doesn't plan to offer the option of going back to the old page- or something similar- then it's time to move on.
GIVE ME BACK Google-NOT IGOOLE
running Igoogle On IE I have to type in the password for Igoogle every time i use it. I don't if I use Safari or FireFox that has a passord saver. I would rather use the new IE Browser for verious reasons like firefox takes over every thing on my pc. please email me.
how do I get rid of this iGoogle crap? All I want is the stupid search bar on my otherwise blank page. WTF I guess I'll just have to load a blank page and build my own startup page without all the invasion of useless crap loading onto MY, I Stress MY computer. I pay Plenty to use the effin internet, I don't need every tom dick and harry internet device thinking my computer is their virtual squatting point to pawn off their idea of what I might like to see or access.
Why don't these public services don't ever first consult with the very foundation of their business (the user) to learn how the changes should be implemented? Ignoring that is the people, the users, who keep them in business, they go ahead and generate changes full of new inconveniences and then just shove them down their throat. Arrogance?
I forgot one thing… Windows Vista was a similar case when it first came out and an incredible number of devices and software became useless overnight: these people do know this, yet they proceed anyway; talk about your “you'll do it my way because you have no choice” attitude. However, in this case I do have other choices which I'll, most likely, be exercising.
I have been using igoogle for several years as my homepage I will probably change at this point.
I will simply save my most useful gadgets to a Firefox bookmark and cancel my igoogle account and my gmail account.
I liked the old tabs better and did not desire to make a change but was forced to.
The “new” igoogle does not work as well as the old igoogle.
Google has made a severe mistake by not letting people choose whether to stay with the old tabs, etc, or change to the new tabs, etc. You should have made it where someone could switch back and forth between the old and new so people could try it out and when they could switch back and forth until they decided which one they would finally settle on.
I dont like the new google at all guess ill switch to yahoo witch Idont care for either worse of two evils. Quote to google . If It aint Broke Dont FIX IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The old goodgle is far better that the new igoogle and is easier to use, why change simplicity …… ??
Perhaps if you give people warnings that these things are changing instead of making us feel like there is something wrong with our systems, it would at least give us an option to say if we wish to use it or not, so people should have the choice as to what they wish to use, after all, internet prices are always on the increase, so why not let us use it the way we wish to ??
Signed ,
Unhappy …..>>>>
I Hate IGOOGLE, Stop messing with me or I will mess with YOU and it won't be pretty! John F Dube.
i lost s lot of reality one pleace com back
I dislike iGoogle, too. I had another home page but it has disappeared now.
I f'n HATE, HATE, HATE "igoogle" what the fuck is wrong with google? Don't they read their complaints? Too stupid for words! I WANT MY OLD GOOGLE BACK DAMNIT!
OK then!
I hate it too.
You wiped out my weather info on my entire family. Put it back. Dan Johnson
COMO HAGO PARA REGRESAR A MI CORREO YAHOO DE ANTES CON ESTE NO HE PODIDO Y QUIERO REGRESR AL ANTERIOR POR FAVOR NECESITO ME CONTESTEN PUES ESTOY VARADO PARA LEER MIS CORREOS QUE SON DE SUMA IMPORTANCIA PARA MIS TRABAJOS GRACIAS
Guillo: Cuando uno tiene el mejor correo del mundo, para qué vas a regresar al más malo que existe ?
Tienes sobrada razón mi hermano; pero es que muchos de mis amigos tienen mi correo como Yahoo. Depronto les envío un correo anunciandoles mi retiro de él, como lo hice con hotmail. Abrazos,
I agree with you but how can i get back my original home page?
I will never use google again fuck google!
I hate the new look and if as many people dislike it as much as I do there should be a change for the better from I Google.
I hate that when I turned on my computer I have to look at is facebook etc I want is my old google back are you people fukedddd or what?
I hate that when I turned on my computer I have to look at is facebook etc I want is my old google back are you people fukedddd or what?
piss off
piss off
I WANT MY FUCKING HOMEPAGE BACK NOT THIS SHIT.
I can't find my homepage with my stocks etc on it. where did it go?
M. Dodge Please give my old home page of at&t!
I WANT MY OLD YAHOO PAGE BACK, NEW ONE IS SICK, MY FAVORITES ARE GONE, WEATHER AND ALL!