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2011 EOL (end of life) Google Stuff

I was going to try to make this list but the awesome Phil Bradley did it already.

Here’s the 50 freatures an services that Google ended this year.  With Larry as CEO and Google trying to become more like a regular company with regular evaluations, I suppose this is to be expected.  This kind of simplification and focus is demanded by the equity investor folks – and Google is still precariously dependent on ad revenue and success at diversification is difficult with Facebook, Twitter, Square, et al breathing down their neck.  I am pretty addicted to a few products from Google (like the RSS Reader) and I’m pretty addicted to a few things from Microsoft and Apple too.  Who knows which ones are on the bubble?  I can tell how addicted I am to these things by the way my hands automomically work – no brain – just sense memory.  I guess I better try not to be too dependent – fee or free!   Arrghhh.

Anyway, check out Phil’s post:

Google; almost 50 functions & resources killed in 2011

http://philbradley.typepad.com/phil_bradleys_weblog/2011/12/google-almost-50-functions-resources-killed-in-2011.html

  1. Google Gears
  2. Google Health
  3. Google Powermeter
  4. Google Labs
  5. Google Talk Guru
  6. Google Body
  7. Art Project
  8. Google Body
  9. ashkeel
  10. Open Spot (parking application)
  11. Script converter
  12. City Tours
  13. FastFlip
  14. FollowFinder
  15. Realtime Mytracks
  16. Google Squared
  17. People Hopper
  18. Google Sets
  19. Related Links
  20. InQuotes
  21. Google Image Swirl
  22. Google Toolbar for Firefox
  23. Code Search
  24. Diacritize
  25. Google PowerMeter
  26. Sidewiki
  27. Wave
  28. Google Friends newsletter (They killed the Google Librarian Center a long time ago)
  29. Google Directory
  30. Aardvark
  31. Google Slide
  32. Google Desktop
  33. The Google Pack
  34. Google Image labeller
  35. Google Notebook
  36. Subscribed Links
  37. Google Maps API for Flash
  38. Google Web Security
  39. Buzz
  40. Eliminated iGoogle‘s social features
  41. Google Code Search
  42. Wonder Wheel
  43. Timeline search
  44. Google Newspaper Archive (hiatus?)
  45. The + search function
  46. They’ve also removed direct links to Pagelinks and Related Pages on the Advanced Search option, and they’ve pretty much hidden that as well.

Depending on how you count it, that’s about on 50 different projects, resources or functions.

I suspect that some came to Google as a result of acquisitions.  They got the talent and held on to the products for a while.  Of course, they’re working hard on mobile, phones, stores, e-commerce, self-driving cars, Chrome, G+, etc. as Larry demands that Google become social.

Also, some may show up in new products or as features in different ways.  The programs and algorithms are still in the vault somewhere.

Some were killed to avoid using Google’s market share advantage to give advantage to competitors (like Firefox).

We’ll see as we watch GOOG in 2012.  Are we watching a car accident, a shooting star, or grass growing?  How long till the equity hooks wet blanket their innovation sandbox and mine the cash cow?  It has happened before.

Stephen

 

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Posted on: December 12, 2011, 8:14 am Category: Uncategorized

By: stephen

rev="post-11827" 2 comments

2 Responses

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  1. Andrew said
    on December 13, 2011 8:15 am

    51. the soul of Google reader.

  2. Batarang said
    on December 13, 2011 10:41 am

    :O They killed the Art Project? BOOOOO!!